Question of the month February 2010

In February CE asked survey respondents which industry sector they thought would be most buoyant this year. The overwhelming response was that civil engineering looked most promising, with more than 55% of respondents picking this area. Repair and maintenance within the sector looked a little brighter than new build work, but both looked similarly strong.

In contrast, the non-residential building sector looked the weakest, with only 16% of respondents seeing this as the leading area for 2010, and with repair & maintnenace work again ahead of new build projects.

But perhaps most significantly, the results of the survey could indicate a revival in the residential sector. Although only 28% of respondents single this segment out as the most promising for 2010, the result was a marked improvement on figures from the last time CE asked this question, when only 17% of respondents highlighted this sector.

Back then, in December 2008, civil engineering was once again the runaway winner in the poll, with more than 70% of respondents highlighting this as the leading segment.