Long Form

A potential whistleblower on LinkedIn is apparently planning a tell-all book that will name names and expose the dark underbelly of the UK’s asbestos industry. If even half of what he is saying is true, the revelations contained within his book will cause a storm of unprecedented magnitude within the sector. Yet, in many ways,…Read moreRead more

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that is still standing. Although there is great speculation about how it was built and by whom, the pyramid stands as a testament to the skill of those that erected it. For millennia, that pyramid has stood…Read moreRead more

Do you ever get the feeling we’re going round in circles; that we’re trapped in an endless loop, doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again? If so, you are not alone. Ours is a sector in which everyone from the prospective employee and industry rookie to the managing director and entire companies…Read moreRead more

Is aspiration killing construction? That feels like an absurd question. Aspiration is good, isn’t it? But as you’re about to hear, aspiration isn’t just elevation. Sometimes it’s distraction. We praise ambition, yet send it packing off to careers that glitter, careers that feel alive on a mobile phone or computer screen. Meanwhile, jobs involving dirty…Read moreRead more

I am starting to believe that Volvo Construction Equipment now exists, at least in part, to disprove my industry preconceptions. I know that sounds unlikely, but they are proving me wrong with such regularity that it is starting to feel like a personal vendetta. When electric equipment first burst onto the industry scene, I predicted…Read moreRead more

We work in an industry in which change is the only constant. There was, I am sure, a board meeting at the Hymac headquarters in the 1980s during which the company’s directors congratulated themselves on another year of success and looked ahead to more of the same. By 1993, Hymac had gone the way of…Read moreRead more

There has always been a divide between the ruling and political classes and real people. And never is that divide more evident than during times of war and conflict. THEY declare war and drag US into battles they have no intention of fighting themselves. When they say “WE are at war,” what they really mean…Read moreRead more

In our pursuit of environmental targets, are we in danger of putting the cart before the horse? As the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, the UK once reshaped the world through steam engines and coal. Today, we’re trying to reshape it again; this time in the name of sustainability. We’ve shut down major coal power…Read moreRead more

Knowledge is power, they say. And in the Internet age, knowledge about anything and everything is available everywhere, all at once. Back in the day, if you needed a dentist, a plumber, or a car mechanic, you’d consult the Yellow Pages, take your pick and take your chances. The unspoken rule of thumb was to…Read moreRead more