HVCA steps up its help for members to cope with recession
The Heating & Ventilating Contractors’ Association has published the first in a series of ‘Better business guides’ designed to help members respond to the current economic climate.
Gareth Vaughan, president of HVCA, says, ‘Whatever the prospects for the UK economy as a whole, it is now clear that significant challenges lie just around the corner — and that, for many firms in the sector, survival will become the over-riding priority. Things have changed a very great deal since this time last, but our message to members is that we are here to help in any way we can.’
Robert Higgs, HVCA’s chief executive, says, ‘Difficult times are here, and they will get more difficult over the next year.’
The first guide from HVCA offers general advice on facing up to recession and outlines a range of business services that are available to all association members at preferential rates.
Later guides, to be published shortly, will provide in-depth advice on core commercial and contractual, human-resources and training-funding issues — as well as a reminder of the broad range of services available from other parts of the HVCA Group.’
Gareth Vaughan stresses that in such challenging times, membership of a reputable and well-resourced trade association becomes more important, and more valuable, than ever.
‘I also believe that the professional support that is available to member companies can, when things get really tough, often spell the difference between success and failure.’
• Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that total construction orders in the three months to November fell by an unprecedented 27% compared to a year earlier — the largest fall since records began.
Private housing saw a 55% fall in orders during the three moths to November compared to the same period a year earlier — which is also one of the largest fall in orders on record.
In contrast, public non-housing orders for the quarter to November were 43% higher than the same quarter a year earlier.
