A new industry survey has revealed small Scottish construction companies saw a sharp reduction in the amount of work towards the end of last year…
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has reported a fall in the number of jobs taken up by small construction businesses.
The data, which was collected by FMB in their latest trade survey, showed many firms saw a steep harp dip in workload towards the end of last year.
FMB Scotland’s director Gordon Nelson said: “The sharp decline in workloads experienced by small construction firms in Scotland shows that the recovery they have enjoyed over the past year should not be taken for granted.
“Although we remain reasonably confident that the Scottish construction industry will continue to grow in 2016, these findings should weigh against any creeping complacency, especially given some of the gloomy predictions being made about the wider economy.”
Nelson called on the Scottish government to find new ways to help improve the outcome for smaller construction firms through methods such as improving access to finance.
He also warned more must be done to tackle the skills crisis, which is threatening the sector UK-wide.
“With 44,000 tradespeople expected to retire in Scotland over the next five to 10 years, it’s vital that we create more modern construction apprenticeships to help meet the current and future demands upon the industry,” he said.
“If we fail to do so, the housing crisis will be exacerbated and the quality and longevity of our existing housing stock will diminish.”
