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No let-up in building crunch
Page 48
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THE SLOWDOWN in the construction industry is continuing to have a negative effect on operators and the road transport sector.
Orders for new construction work are down 32% and activity is down 50%, reveals the Construction Products Association.
It sees no upturn for construction until the second half of 2011, and predicts a 12.1% contraction in the sector this year.
The Construction Products Industry (CPI) (vvww.constructionproducts.org.uk) which represents manufacturers of all building materials says the industry is crucial to the health of the UK economy as only 12% of building materials are imported.The sector is worth £40bn a year, with just 10% of stock being exported.
`Almost all building materials are produced. transported and used in the UK, so stimulating this market is more effective than cutting VAT," insists a CPI spokesman.