Skills support offered to construction amid #GetJerseyBuildingAgain drive

Friday 26 July 2024

Jersey key construction industry group is working to deliver financial skills training to firms following a series of company collapses over the past year.

Earlier this week, Kalmac, MAC Energy and Eden Interiors – all part of the MAC Group – announced they had ceased trading and applied for insolvency, citing a “downturn” in the housing market. 

They confirmed that 78 employees would be "losing their jobs and livelihoods", which they described as "heartbreaking". 

It came little more than a year after Camerons and JP Mauger went under. The former stopped trading in February 2023, with JP Mauger following it into liquidation, with 51 job losses last May.

The Chair of the Jersey Construction Council, Adrian De Gruchy, said the industry body was "saddened" by the latest news.

Pictured: Major building contractor Camerons stopped trading with immediate effect last year.

"While our industry can be buoyant at times, we work in a peaks and troughs environment with uncertainty of the long-term future of the next project, whether it will start on time and if you get paid in a timely manner," he said.

Mr De Gruchy cited Brexit, covid, bank interest rates and "spiralling" material price increases as some of the factors that have had a "lasting effect" on the sector.

The JCC is now highlighting the industry's need for "site-ready projects", and has issued a rallying cry to "#GetJerseyBuildingAgain".

Jersey's Chamber of Commerce also called for islanders to get behind the industry and in particular called on Government to "speed up" any capital projects.

"...Further losses in the sector can be avoided, if public and private sector clients can be encouraged to continue to invest in their construction projects, big and small," they said.

The JCC is also working with Jersey Business to provide support to those in the industry, with Mr De Gruchy explaining that the industry is trying to "financially manage the delivery of affordable projects".

"We are working closely with Jersey Business to deliver business financial skills and other training to the construction industry, to help those that may need that little extra advice on the financial management of their business," he said.

"The industry has a wide range of professional tradespeople, associated suppliers and consultants, which remain generally stable with good long-term career prospects," he added.

"We need site-ready projects of all sizes and clients, to #GetJerseyBuilding again.”