As a subscriber to your magazine using my own money, I am disturbed that you have to use up valuable space with the ramblings of Major Contractors Group chairman John Spanswick (25 November, page 40).

He talks about possible steel shortages without any real basis and or data from recognised sources, such as the International Iron and Steel Institute.

I was amused by his recommendation that we overcome steel shortages by stockpiling it, instead of taking Sir John Egan's advice and getting together with all the parties in the supply chain to design an alternative. Use of concrete - pre-tensioned, post-tensioned, cable stayed and precast - is an option but requires careful preconstruction planning.

The article serves no useful purpose except to illustrate that some parts of British industry will never develop or be ultra-competitive while they are being run by or taking advice from such outdated management principles.

Thomas N Power, senior , Turner Construction International

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