Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) president David Jarvie argues that the Scottish Government can't afford to wait until the establishment of More Homes Scotland (MHS) before taking action to end the national housing emergency. I have reused this headline from the Scottish Government’s c
Plant
The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) and the Civil Engineering Contractors Association Scotland (CECA Scotland) have agreed to combine networks, knowledge and resources to address shared industry challenges, most notably around skills, recruitment and creating clearer career pathways into p
Nominations have been opened by the Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) for the SPOA Apprenticeship Awards 2026/27. The awards have been broadened for 2026/27 in a bid to give SPOA member companies in Scotland the chance to nominate distinguished apprentices from their own businesses, whether t
Two industry voices are urging the UK government to act on the cost and movement of construction inputs ahead of Prime Minister Andy Burnham's first Budget this month. Peel Ports Group wants a smarter approach to bringing materials into the UK, while the Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) want
The Scottish Plant Owners Association held its 75th AGM this month, where new members were welcomed to its executive committee and the contributions of those members stepping down were acknowledged. Joining the executive committee are Graham Bow, managing director of Gordon Bow Plant Hire; Paul McCo
The Construction Plant-hire Association’s 2026 Conference brought nearly 150 industry leaders, suppliers, operators and policymakers to One Great George Street, Westminster, to confront the reasons behind the UK’s long‑term construction underperformance and to outline what must change
Thomas Plant Hire has placed a major order for new equipment with JCB dealer Scot JCB, as the company continues to expand its hire fleet across the UK. The firm has taken delivery of more than 400 JCB machines in 2025, with a further 300-plus units due to arrive in 2026. The order covers a broad mix
Dijkboom BV is carrying out another complex basement excavation beneath one of Amsterdam’s historic canal houses - work made possible by compact Bobcat excavators designed to operate in extremely tight, low‑headroom conditions.
The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) has appointed a skills and industry engagement officer to support workforce development and training opportunities for its members. Cheryl MacLennan takes up the role, in which she will focus on building strong relationships with members, supporting workf
Astec Europe has appointed O’Kane Equipment Solutions Ltd as its official dealer for the Frontier track crushing and screening product line across Scotland and Northern England. Under the new partnership, O’Kane Equipment Solutions will represent Astec’s Frontier range of track cru
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is to close its Motherwell-based Rokbak articulated hauler business and concentrate resources on its portfolio of other hauling solutions.
Sarah Stuart, construction law partner at Thorntons, highlights the risks of project overruns and shares how to structure contracts in order to deal with this. As attention turns once again to Holyrood with Scottish Parliamentary elections approaching, it's worth remembering that there was a time wh
The Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) proudly won the Environmental/Sustainability Initiative of the Year Award at the UK Trade Association Awards 2026, hosted by the Trade Association Forum (TAF) at the London Marriott Grosvenor House Hotel in London last week.
Kate Macleod and Sam Griffin have been recognised as Apprentices of the Year 2025/2026 by the Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA). Kate MacLeod, who works for Calmax Construction in Newmarket near Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, was awarded SPOA Plant Operator Apprentice of the Year, and Sam Gr
Pre-tax profits at Perthshire plant hire giant Morris Leslie Holdings more than doubled to £5.7 million for the year ending 30 April 2025, up from £2.6m the previous year, though directors cautioned that much of this increase was driven by property revaluations. The West Kinfauns-based g


