In the past year, the construction industry has experienced a heavy stream of M&A (merger and acquisition) activity, which has ultimately reduced the number of providers on the market. Some industry experts suggest the consolidation will allow the big technology providers to offer integrated solutions that will enable the industry to take BIM (building information modeling) to the field or even integrate data from design through operations. Still, consolidation means fewer options for the industry. Could now be a good time for new tech providers to enter the market?

The 100,000th machine to be fitted with CESAR security and registration rolled off the JCB Loadall production line at Rocester, Staffordshire yesterday. The JCB 541-70 Loadall was fitted with an appropriate CESAR triangular tamper evident registration plate with the distinctive alpha-numeric registration mark 10OO0O (one, zero, o, o, zero, o).

JCB was one of the early adopters of the scheme, fitting CESAR to its UK construction machines from October 2007 and to agricultural machines from January 2010. JCB built machines are a common target for professional and opportunistic criminals that prey on unwary owners and operators. Notably with the fitment of CESAR, and other anti-theft measures, the theft rate of JCB machines, has dropped markedly. In the second quarter of 2012 just 89 JCB machines were reported as being stolen compared to 188 machines in the same period of 2009, a reduction of 52%.

The security official was filmed using his IDF-issued vehicle to transport material used for illegal construction, which violates army regulations.

A security coordinator in a West Bank settlement has been reprimanded by the Israel Defense Forces after being filmed using his IDF-issued vehicle to transport material used for illegal construction.

A free construction safety event will be held in Charnock Richard on Wednesday 14 November after figures revealed that, on average, someone is killed or suffers a major injury on building sites in Lancashire every four days.

Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show there were eight deaths and 415 major injuries reported in Lancashire in the five years between 2006/7 and 2010/11.

In the past year, commercial contractors have seen quite a bit of consolidation among some of the top technology players in the construction industry. Today, the market continues to shrink, as Trimble, www.trimble.com, Sunnyvale, Calif., announces another acquisition in the construction-software space.

Trimble has acquired assets of Vico Software, www.vicosoftware.com, Boulder, Colo., which provides 5D virtual construction software and consulting services. This adds to Trimble’s portfolio, which also includes WinEst’s Modelogix for conceptual cost estimating.

Russell Roof Tiles, one of the UK’s leading independent manufacturers of roof tiles and fittings, has appointed Nottingham’s Eden Public Relations to launch a new green roofing product.

The Burton-on-Trent firm offers a wide range of roofing solutions for house-builders and commercial projects. Eden’s brief includes launching a new sustainable “green” roof tile manufactured from car bumpers destined for landfill.  This is the first product of its kind which offers a serious response to the Code for Sustainable Homes to encourage continuous improvement in sustainable home building.

Russell Roof Tiles already supply products for all of the country’s leading house builders and a growing number of social housing, cares homes and NHS Trusts.

Development of a new Center Parcs holiday resort has gotten underway this week following the award of a major contract.

Bowmer & Kirkland (B&K) clinched a deal to construct the £93 million holiday resort which will be situated in Woburn Forest, Bedfordshire, and will become the fifth site of its ilk within the UK. The company announced that the work will see the construction of leisure buildings and facilities around the site which is due to be the selling point of the holiday park to potential visitors. Officials have given a timeframe of 72 weeks for the project to be finished with spring 2014 earmarked for a completion date.

31-year old Melanie Day has been disqualified from managing, directing or in any way controlling a company until November 2019, after siphoning off payments from an insolvent firm.

An investigation found that S.T.S. Building Services Ltd was making payments to Ms Day and her sole trader business, at the expense of creditors, at a time when Ms Day knew the firm was insolvent.

The Judge confirmed that between 3-4 June 2010, Ms Day transferred £100,000 from STS into her sole trader business, claiming it was a sub-contractor, and to herself.

Shepherd Construction has landed two retail contracts worth £13 million in London and the South-east.

The contractor will build a £9m mixed-use development on behalf of the Cooperative Insurance Society on Oxford Street and a £4m expansion of the Clarendon Centre in Oxford’s Cornmarket Street on behalf of Lothbury Investment Management.

The London contract will see the development of 149-151 Oxford Street and 59 Berwick Street into retail, office and residential space.

Lonza Wood Protection is officially launching its new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) portal on Friday, November 2.

Lonza Wood Protection has offered CPD technical presentations for some time, delivered by the Lonza sales team who have a wealth of experience within the industry and extensive product knowledge. Architects are required to complete 35 hours of CPD, including 20 hours from 10 core topics, in order to retain their chartered status with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).