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British Constructional Steelwork Association

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Coordinates: 51°30′19″N 0°07′28″W / 51.5054°N 0.12436°W / 51.5054; -0.12436
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BCSA Ltd
NicknameBritish Constructional Steelwork Association[1]
FormationApril 1, 1936; 88 years ago (1936-04-01)[2]
TypeTrade association
Legal statusPrivate company limited by guarantee[3]
PurposeInform, liaise and promote the structural steel industry[4]
HeadquartersWhitehall Court, London[1]
Coordinates51°30′19″N 0°07′28″W / 51.5054°N 0.12436°W / 51.5054; -0.12436
Region served
UK and Ireland[4]
Membership
Structural steel industry[4]
Key people
  • Dr David Moore (Chief Executive)[5][6]
  • Mark Denham (Chairman)[7]
PublicationNew Steel Construction[7]
Subsidiaries
  • Steel Construction Certification Scheme Ltd[3]
  • British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd[3]
  • Steel for Life Ltd[3]
Affiliations
Revenue
Increase £3.2 million (2021)[12]
Staff
Decrease 13 (2021)[12]
Websitesteelconstruction.org

BCSA Ltd is a trade association for the structural steel industry in the UK and Ireland.[13] It lobbies on behalf of its members, and provides them with education and technical services.[14]

A subsidiary, Steel Construction Certification Scheme Ltd,[3] runs the UKAS accredited Steel Construction Certificate Scheme (SCCS). It provides certification for steelwork contracting organisations under ISO 9001, ISO 3834, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.[15][16][17]

The association, its marketing initiative Steel for Life Ltd, and the Steel Construction Institute[a] manage online resource, Steel Construction Info.[18]

In addition to London headquarters, it maintains offices near Doncaster Sheffield Airport.[1]

  1. ^ a b The Steel Construction Institute is an independent UK body but members of the association are as of 2022, also members of the institute[9]
Whitehall Court

History

[edit]

The association arose from a series of mergers involving regional and sector specific associations.[4]

Five steelwork contractors in Manchester began to collaborate in 1906, and then formally established the Steelwork Society in 1908. The Rules were only finalised in 1911. Steel producers had benefited from trade associations as a forum to collude on pricing, and steelwork contractors sought the same advantages.[19][20]

Similar groups established themselves around the country, and joint meetings were held. In the early 1930s the British Steelwork Association operated from London as a national, federated association funded by, and representing, the local associations.[4][20]

The British Constructional Steelwork Association was formed, in 1936, to succeed the British Steelwork Association. In return for recognition from the steel manufacturers in raw material negotiations, their fabrication subsidiaries were permitted to join the new association. Membership immediately jumped from 92 to 159.[4][20]

In 1966 The British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd incorporated to take over all the activities of the British Constructional Steelwork Association, Bridge and Constructional Ironwork Association, London Constructional Engineers Association, Midland Structural Association, Scottish Structural Steel Association, Steelwork Society, Northern Ireland Steelwork Association, and Structural Export Association.[4]

The name changed to BCSA Ltd in 1990[21] though it commonly operates under the name of a subsidiary called the British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd, incorporated at that time.[3][22]

Membership of the association was initially limited to structural steel contractors until in 1987, other companies that shared the association's objects began to be admitted as associates.[20] The rules of the association were amended accordingly in 1994.[4]

The British Constructional Steelwork Association Ltd purchased a 99 year lease on its Whitehall Court headquarters in 1989 for £610,000.[20][3] It previously operated from nearby premises at 35 Old Queen Street.[4]

Price fixing

[edit]

Collusion on pricing had been an important part of early trade associations in the iron and steel industries. Trade associations of structural steel contractors were no different, and even then this was controversial. The British Constructional Steelwork Association identify instances of members of their predecessor organisations, cautious about the legality of these schemes, hiding behind code names and numbers.[19][20]

Association practice was to share tender lists for contracts, and where that consisted wholly of members, to add 1⁄4% to the tender price of the chosen contractor, to be shared amongst the other members on the tender list. During the 1920s, economic pressures encouraged almost all structural steel contractors to join the associations. Tenders were routinely member only, significantly curtailing competition. Some contractors were alleged to have joined tender lists with no intention of bidding, merely to claim their share of the 1⁄4%.[20]

Government imposed prohibitive tariffs on imported fabricated steel in 1932. Real competition to the structural steel contractors came only from domestic steel manufacturers with their own, in house, fabrication capability, and emerging construction techniques with reinforced concrete. The 1936 arrangement to admit fabrication subsidiaries of steel manufacturers to the association drew them also into the cartel.[20][23]

During the Second World War the Ministry of Supply enforced control on maximum structural steel prices through an Iron and Steel Control department.[20]

Post war, it was common for structural steel contractors to submit identical bids in response to tenders. Government became more concerned with anti-competitive behaviour, and the structural steel industry's highly developed, overt bid rigging received particular attention. The Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission launched an investigation and the industry was required to register its practices under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1956. Registration provided for further scrutiny.[20]

The Registrar promptly challenged restrictions on trade, and price fixing, imposed by the British Constructional Steelwork Association upon its members, under the new Restrictive Practices Court Act 1958. Judgement rejected arguments the measures offered useful protections and held them to be void. The association undertook thenceforth to engage only in co-operation between its members, rather than price fixing and collusion.[24][25][19][20]

In 1995, the association launched their Register of Qualified Steelwork Contractors with a stated aim to readily enable identification of appropriate steelwork contractors, and thereby ensure competition takes place.[20]

Structural Steel Design Awards

[edit]

In 1969 the association set up its Structural Steel Design Awards. Recent recipients include:[26]

Year Structure Architect Steel contractor
2008 Unilever House Renovation[27] Kohn Pedersen Fox William Hare
The O2 Arena[28] HOK Sports Severfield
2009 Cabot Circus roof[29] Chapman Taylor Benoy S H Structures
Kew Treetop Walkway[30] Marks Barfield W S Britland
2010 Infinity Bridge[31][32] Expedition Engineering[33] Cleveland Bridge
London Aquatics Centre roof[31][34] Zaha Hadid Rowecord
2011 Prologis Park[35] Stephen George & Partners Barret Steel Buildings
Falmer Stadium[36] KSS Design Group Severfield
2012 Olympic Stadium Populous Severfield
Peace Bridge Wilkinson Eyre Rowecord
2013 Air W1 Dixon Jones William Hare
Twin Sails Bridge Wilkinson Eyre Cleveland Bridge
2014 The Kelpies Scott Sculptures[a] S H Structures
Splashpoint Leisure Centre Wilkinson Eyre Severfield
2015 Derby Arena Faulkner­Browns Billington Structures
Merchant Square Footbridge Knight Architects S H Structures
2016 Thames Tower[b] dn-a Shipley Structures
Memorial Spire PLACE S H Structures
2017 The Leadenhall Building Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners Severfield
Oriam Reiach and Hall Architects J & D Pierce
2018 JLR Engine Manu­facturing Centre Arup Severfield
Bloomberg London Foster and Partners William Hare
2019 Taplow Riverside Footbridge Knight Architects S H Structures
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium Populous Severfield
2020 52 Lime Street Kohn Pedersen Fox William Hare
Tintagel Footbridge Ney Architects Underhill
2021 Glasgow Queen Street Station BDP and IDP J & D Pierce[37]
100 Liverpool Street Hopkins Architects William Hare
2022 Compton and Edrich Stands, Lord's[38] Wilkinson Eyre Severfield
Bombardier maintenance hangar, Biggin Hill[39] Civils Contracting Reid Steel
  1. ^ Sculptor
  2. ^ Redevelopment, Reading

Coat of arms

[edit]

The association was granted a coat of arms in 1987. The shield is a helmet on a background of red lines representing a framework of girders, and the crest is a red lion symbolising the strength of steel, and also British nationality. The lion is dotted with gold bezants representing fair dealing in commerce; the yellow, blazing torch, held aloft by the lion, represents the association's enlightening message that structures should be of steel not concrete, and the crest, atop a red and gold torse, is set within a circle of steel ingots.[20][40]

The motto depicted on the arms is Strength and Stability, intended as reference to both the association and structural steel.[20]

The crest is used in the association's logo.

Membership

[edit]

Full members

[edit]

Full members are contractors that pay a levy to the association based on their sales of relevant steelwork in the prior year.[41][4]

Present full members include:

Past full members include:

Associate members

[edit]

Associate members are suppliers to structural steel contractors, and others with an interest in the industry's operation.[4]

Recent associate members include:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Contact us » BCSA". BCSA. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  2. ^ "H. Young Structures - Associations". H Young Structures. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g BCSA Ltd 2020 Accounts (Report). BCSA. 2020. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022 – via Companies House.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Papers relating to BCSA Ltd (Report). BCSA. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022 – via Companies House.
  5. ^ "Our Team » BCSA". BCSA. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Braced for strong demand". Construction Index. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Annual Report 2021" (PDF). BCSA. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Trade Associations – Build UK". Build UK. November 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Member Benefits". BCSA. Archived from the original on 16 December 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  10. ^ "SCI Members List - Steel Construction Institute members". SCI. Archived from the original on 23 June 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  11. ^ "UK Metals Council Membership". UK Metals Council. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  12. ^ a b BCSA Ltd Group Accounts 2021 (Report). British Constructional Steelwork Association. 2021. Archived from the original on 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  13. ^ "BCSA Group of Companies » BCSA". BCSA. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  14. ^ "About us » BCSA". BCSA. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  15. ^ "SCCS Database". SCCS. Archived from the original on 31 March 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Steel Construction Certification Scheme Limited". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 5 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  17. ^ "SCCS UKAS Certification" (PDF). UKAS. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  18. ^ "About". Steel Construction Info. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  19. ^ a b c Broadberry, Stephen; Crafts, Nicholas F.R. (2000). "Competition and Innovation in 1950s Britain" (PDF). Department of Economic History, London School of Economics. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r A Century of Steel Construction , 1906-2006 (PDF). Box of Tricks. June 2006. ISBN 0-85073-0503. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  21. ^ "BCSA LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  22. ^ "THE BRITISH CONSTRUCTIONAL STEELWORK ASSOCIATION LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". Companies House. Archived from the original on 6 May 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  23. ^ Eichengreen, Barry J (September 1981). "Sterling and the Tariff, 1929-1932" (PDF). Princeton Studies in International Finance (48). Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  24. ^ "Restrictive Practices Court Act". British Affairs. 3 (4): 126. 1959. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  25. ^ "Hansard, House of Lords, Vol 280, 28 February 1967, Iron And Steel Bill". Hansard. 1967. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Structural steel design awards". Steel Construction Info. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  27. ^ "Unilever House". Steel Construction Info. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  28. ^ "The O2 Arena" (PDF). Steel Construction Info. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  29. ^ "Cabot Circus, Bristol". Steel Construction Info. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  30. ^ "Xstrata Walkway" (PDF). Steel Construction Info. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  31. ^ a b "Structural Steel Design Awards Winners Announced". Construction Index. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  32. ^ "Infinity Footbridge". Steelconstruction.info. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  33. ^ "Firm looks to Infinity and beyond". Evening Gazette. 24 November 2008. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 14 March 2009.
  34. ^ "Legacy Roof" (PDF). Steel Construction Info. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  35. ^ "Prologis Park". Steel Construction Info. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  36. ^ "AMEX Stadium". Steel Construction Info. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  37. ^ "Glasgow Queen Street Station Redevelopment - J & D Pierce - Rail". J & D Pierce. 4 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  38. ^ "Lord's Cricket Ground Compton and Edrich Stands Redevelopment" (PDF). Steel Construction Info. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  39. ^ "Bombardier Maintenance Hangar Biggin Hill" (PDF). Steel Construction Info. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  40. ^ "Heraldry Symbols and What They Mean". Hall of Names. Archived from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  41. ^ Moore, David (13 October 2022). "BCSA Membership Subscriptions for Turnover Year Ended 30 September 2022 – Reminder". BCSA. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  42. ^ a b "New Steel Construction". BCSA. 1 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
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