KPMG Talks Labour And Materials Shortages

Commenting on today’s IHS Markit / CIPS UK Construction PMI (issued 6 Sept 2021), Jan Crosby, head of infrastructure, building and construction at KPMG UK, said:

“A perfect storm continues to hamper the availability of materials and labour across the sector in the UK. The industry is telling us that this is one of their biggest concerns right now, and that supply chain delays are preventing them from taking on new work to grow their construction businesses at a time when the economy is bouncing back.

“The scale of HS2 is acting as a magnet for certain elements of the supply chain, including heavy equipment and cement; the global demand for steel and timber is pushing up prices and lead times for most goods can take much longer than normal. Additionally, labour in the south has been impacted by Brexit and HGV drivers are in high demand.

“The good news is that demand remains high across most markets – particularly residential and infrastructure. Rising end prices for houses and real estate are often fully mitigating the impact of the cost increases – at least in the private sector. However, availability will act as a break on how much the industry can respond to the high demand.  

“This month has again seen slow growth for the sector. The ongoing lorry driver shortages and lack of stock mean these supply vs demand worries aren’t going away quickly.”

Source :  KPMG

For all the very latest news and intelligence on the UK's largest home improvement and garden retailers, sign up for the Insight DIY weekly newsletter.