The construction industry relies heavily on a range of hand and power tools, as well as site safety equipment. With this in mind, demand for such items may be high at present.
After all, new figures suggest that the UK’s construction industry is experiencing a period of sustained growth.
UK construction PMI
The latest Markit/CIPS UK Construction PMI came in above expectations at the end of last year. The sector posted its eighth consecutive month of growth in December 2013.
The PMI for the month was 62.1, which was well above the 50 mark that separates growth from contraction. In addition, it was not far behind the 62.6 figure recorded in November, which was the highest reading since the summer of 2007.
A range of new commercial building projects contributed to the healthy figures. Meanwhile, companies in the sector revealed they are increasingly confident about their prospects for the year ahead.
The study also found that house building remained the fastest area of growth within the construction industry. That said, growth was broad-based and civil engineering was another area of expansion.
Encouraging
Commenting on the figures, Markit’s Tim Moore said: “The latest survey highlights that construction companies enter 2014 with the wind in their sails. Most encouragingly, the improving UK economic outlook is helping boost private sector spending patterns, meaning that the construction recovery has started to broaden out from housing demand and infrastructure projects to include strong growth in commercial building work.
“Over half of all survey respondents anticipate increased output levels during the course of 2014, which is up sharply from one-in-three construction firms that expected growth at the same time one year ago.”
Also issuing a response, economist at IHS Global Insight Howard Archer stated: “Evidence that the construction sector is sustaining its recent markedly improved performance is obviously good news for overall growth prospects.
“Nevertheless, the survey maintains hopes that the economy in the fourth quarter of 2013 could have at least matched the 0.8 per cent quarter-on-quarter expansion achieved in the third quarter. Much will clearly depend on how well the services sector performed in the fourth quarter and how well consumer spending held up.”
The simple approach
When construction firms are after power and hand tools, measuring equipment, protective gear and other similar resources, they now have the option of heading online to make their purchases. The internet can be a quick and convenient means of stocking up on the relevant supplies, and shopping like this can save people time and hassle. There is certainly no shortage of items available online. From welding devices and drills to electrical testing gear and personal protective equipment, there is a world of choice. As long as people know where to look, they should be able to get everything they need.
Meanwhile, there are some superb deals to be found in cyberspace too, which may be particularly important for companies that are looking to keep their costs down in order to remain competitive. After all, while there are signs that the sector is improving, conditions remain tough.
About the Author – Anna Longdin is a freelance blogger who has written extensively on the subject of UK construction for a range of top sites, including Buck & Hickman.
