UK: Small businesses are hoping to beat the recession by stepping up their sales and marketing strategies, a new survey has revealed.

LONDON: Forests Forever chairman Jermain Cheetham of Wolseley, has hailed the success of the Timber Trade Federation's flagship Responsible Purchasing Policy.

LEAMINGTON SPA: Profits at Aga Rangemaster slumped following a fall in demand for its traditional cast iron stoves.

UK: Nearly 7000 'dodgy' ladders have been surrendered in the three years the Health and Safety Executive has been running the ladder exchange initiative.

The campaign gives workers the opportunity to get rid of old, damaged and broken ladders and trade them in for new ones at a discounted price.

NORFOLK: PTS, the plumbing and heating merchant, has come to the aid of Mundesley's lifeboat team by supplying them with 17 jackets free of charge.

LONDON: Shares in retailers performed well this morning on the stock exchange. Kingfisher, which owns B&Q, added 4.5p at 221.2p and midcap Wickes owner Travis Perkins rose 4.5p at 726p.

MANCHESTER: Wickes is expected to leave its site on Heaton Retail Park in Blackley as part of redevelopment plans put forward by site owners Terrace Hill Group.

WEST YORKSHIRE: The best business advice I have ever received was from Jonathon Porritt, a former director of Friends of the Earth. He said you have to...

HULL: Ideal Standard International's vice president of its West Europe region, celebrates 40 years with the company this month.

NORWICH: The Ridgeon Group has launched an employee Foundation Degree (FdA) in Management, supporting the company’s strong commitment to staff development and training.

BIRMINGHAM: Building firm Rok’s results for the year ended 31 December 2009 showed a successful repositioning of business with increased focus on repairs and maintenance.

SOUTH WEST: Connells Land and New Homes in South West England reported a three-fold increase in demand for new properties at the beginning of 2010 when compared to the same period last year.

BELFAST: Wienerberger has opened its first dedicated sales and distribution centre in Ireland. 

UK: A major campaign by the UK Construction Group is under way, aimed at all three political parties.

Any cuts to state spending, it said, should not fall on public building projects. This would have too great an impact on jobs and the wider economy.

LONDON: A new chairman and vice chairman have been named for the Timber Trade Federation National Softwood Division (NSD) and National Panel Products Division (NPPD) following a round of elections on 24 February.

WINCANTON: A set of industry guidelines on height-associated safety for building material delivery is available to merchants.

ABERGAVENNY: Robert Price Builders’ Merchants has presented sets of trade tools to three building trainees currently working for the Housing Association, Newport City Homes (NCH) as part of the Future Jobs Fund project.

HIGH WYCOMBE: TRADA has launched a research project to investigate the causes of discolouration of external unfinished timber cladding and to develop strategies for its prevention and remedial treatment.

The Energy Saving Trust is highlighting that in order to meet the Government's home refurbishment target of 7 million homes, 13 400 homes a week will need to have whole house makeovers by 2020.

DUBLIN: Late payment continues to be an issue for businesses in Ireland, according to the latest Payment Performance report from Experian.

LONDON: Balfour Beatty reported underlying pre-tax profit up 7% to £267m last year, beating a forecast of City analysts of £266m.

LONDON: The London 2012 Olympic Park Enabling Projects in Stratford have been awarded the top honour at the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) London Civil Engineering Awards 2010.

UK: Small businesses in the construction industry now have free access to professional occupational health advice to help with individual employee health issues - just by calling a 'Health for Work Adviceline'.

DUBLIN: Business conditions at Irish construction firms worsened again in February, according to data released yesterday.

LONDON: House prices grew last month at their slowest pace since August with property coming on to the market growing faster than the number of new buyers, a survey indicated on Tuesday.

LLANGEFNI: Huws Gray and environmental website BuilderScrap have collaborated on a Reuse Road Show to help builders cut waste.