How's everyone doing business/work wise?

[8ob]

Global companies are closing offices like crazy. The new business park near me has no tenants, IT supplies like laptops and home office kit are selling out which is not helped by a global silicon shortage.

Perhaps he is buying up stuff at bargain prices?

That you can be sure of Dom.

Bob

 

[Blue Chips]

I'm technically retired, but my wife is still working full-time from home via computer. Fortunately, the company she works for has not suffered from the pandemic, and their stock has continued to rise in value, which is not surprising since the company is in the veterinary science field. Unless there is mass famine, people will always care for their pets and livestock. In some ways, pets became even more important to people during the pandemic, as they provided needed companionship.

 

[Domdom]

That you can be sure of Dom.

Bob

That reply absolutely smacks of this being written between the lines
”he’s a tight wad”

 

[4String.]

Drive an artic and never been busier.

Just before the 1st lockdown I started a new job working for a haulage company who mainly deliver rail products and it was non-stop working all the hours that were legally possible. After almost a year of ludicrously varied shifts I changed jobs to more sociable hours for the sake of my health but still working flat out.

Finally had enough of the industry and am looking at getting my coach license asap. The holiday industry will return at some stage but I don't foresee air travel ever being the same again.

 

[Al Strachan]

PM in oil and gas, ROV construction vessels more specifically.

after a looong downturn, things started picking up just at the start of the pandemic, then fell a little flat again for obvious reasons

appart from the nightmare that is personnel logistics, I’ve been very very lucky.

been WFH for 15 or so months, but in this period we’ve expanded office personnel to the point where there’s no longer enough office space for everyone, work continues to increase, rates are on the rise, positive margins are appearing and there’s not enough personnel and equipment in general to feed the workload throughout the industry. This is more related to the oil price crash than the pandemic though.

Al

 

[skotl]

...
1. Working from home will become the norm where is can be done.
2. Commercial real estate is about the worst possible investment now.
3. The micro economies around office blocks (coffee shops etc) are going to struggle to get over this.
4. With so many people starting to use online shopping at the first lockdown the high street is even more knackered than it was before. I can’t see it ever recovering unless something fundamental changes.

Totally agree with all four of these points, however #3 hadn't occurred me - you're right though.
20 years ago I used to work in Newbury. At the time Vodafone were the biggest landlord in the town owning, IIRC around 200 buildings. They were almost finishing building a massive intergalactic HQ on the outskirts of the two and it hit me as I stood in a sandwich shop at lunchtime that of the ~20 people in the shop, every person apart from me had a Vodafone lanyard round their neck - I realised that this sandwich shop was going to go bust when Vodafone moved everyone out of the town centre

 

[bourbon]

Heard on the radio that WFH will be decreasing in the next few years until everyone gets back in the office. Doesn't affect me, I'm too low down the pecking order for that. And WFH is difficult with a FLT anyway! I don't think it's more efficient, but the Big Bosses want control of staff.

 

[Hood]

Things have been quite busy for me. When Covid first hit I was fitting out a Twin Seas catamaran fishing boat and I just continued as the skipper said to carry on. It was great as the boatyard had shut down so I was on my own and it was nice and peaceful Getting parts was a bit of a pain at first but it soon got better. I have also fitted a few roller systems to some Cheetah catamarans and then got peace over Chistmas/New year to build the new plasma table. This year I have done a full fitout of a new Cheetah and am currently doing another. What will happen in a few months I don't know as fishing has been poor and the price, due to rexit with the B and also covid so my work may dry up in a few months if things don't improve. Thinking of buying myself an Africa Twin to have something to do if that happens but not sure if I will manage to get on it due to the knackered knees etc and if I do I may kill myself as I have not had a bike since I sold the CBR many moons ago to buy my first half decent lathe

 

[Revs1972]

Had a quiet 3 months when lockdown first kicked off and made the most of it. When the film /tv industry kicked back into action its been non stop crazy. All the big players need new content for their digital platforms and there are some big blockbuster films coming .
Just finished a right pain of a job , let down by suppliers , fabricators etc. Made what was an already difficult job into an absolute nightmare.
Told myself i would take a month out to recharge the batteries , but now its finished ive got my mojo back and heading into a nice 80 ton job. Just got to find someone to make it now

 

[Brad93]

Had a quiet 3 months when lockdown first kicked off and made the most of it. When the film /tv industry kicked back into action its been non stop crazy. All the big players need new content for their digital platforms and there are some big blockbuster films coming .
Just finished a right pain of a job , let down by suppliers , fabricators etc. Made what was an already difficult job into an absolute nightmare.
Told myself i would take a month out to recharge the batteries , but now its finished ive got my mojo back and heading into a nice 80 ton job. Just got to find someone to make it now

Is it all work down your way or could the steel be made up this end of the country?

 

[4String.]

I have my doubts that the WFH concept is true as the roads have been as busy as ever over the past couple of months.

The M6 on the southern side of the Birmingham area seems a bit quiter than normal most days but the other roads are as busy as they were before lockdown, if not busier.

 

[Revs1972]

Is it all work down your way or could the steel be made up this end of the country?

Can be made anywhere. Always on the lookout for competent fabrication companies.
Normally everything is needed PDQ, and i supply the steel , usually cut and drilled with the fittings . Usually nice simple beam and stick fabrication which can go through the workshop nice and easily.

 

[Brad93]

Can be made anywhere. Always on the lookout for competent fabrication companies.
Normally everything is needed PDQ, and i supply the steel , usually cut and drilled with the fittings . Usually nice simple beam and stick fabrication which can go through the workshop nice and easily.

I’ll give you a message.

 

[brightspark]

Global companies are closing offices like crazy. The new business park near me has no tenants, IT supplies like laptops and home office kit are selling out which is not helped by a global silicon shortage.

Perhaps he is buying up stuff at bargain prices?

thats the best time to invest theres no interest payed at the bank so put it in to a building you dont pay councill tax on empty buildings so thats ok when or if times get better either sell; or rent out /. theres a few folk round our way doing popup shops and doing quite well as thertes no long term lease for the traders

 

[Cato]

Now that's a strange one, one of our clients is funded by some American investors and he is mad busy filling his boots with commercial property

Bob

I guess it's like anything else where some stuff will be in high demand and others will drop off. I can imagine that it will be hard to fill large offices and retail for example, as working from home and online ordering will hit them. Small industrial units and warehousing will be in demand because all the small start ups will need space and all the stuff ordered online has to be kept somewhere prior to shipping.

 

[northwest]

Struggling to find competent reliable staff to replace the good old boys that have retired over the years, no shortage of workshy,sicknote hunting, clock watching,phone addicts and media junkies. Wont be building a better Britain with them.

I need an enthusiastic trustworthy type to develop my website/web presence. Not-A-Chance :-(

I also I know this sounds silly - I paid everybody - all my suppliers in a "oner" - work dried up - we were not ordering/buying too much - now all the money I have in the bank is mine if you know what I mean?

I was fortunate, when I moved I vowed to pay on invoice so when the Covid hit, I was in pretty good shape. I really breathed a sigh of relief. I will never go back to 30 day invoice.

2. Commercial real estate is about the worst possible investment now.
3. The micro economies around office blocks (coffee shops etc) are going to struggle to get over this.

No to No2. It is at the end of the day, real estate and can be converted. No3 is really very true and many of these vanity businesses will go by the wayside. It is just trade and commerce evolving after all.

And WFH is difficult with a FLT anyway

Acronyms are great, if everyone knows but I have only just worked out Working From Home FLT is a mystery to me.

 

[bourbon]

Sorry. I drive a Fork Lift Truck FLT

 

[Slowcoach]

FLT:- fudge, lettuce tomato.
or forklift truck?

 

[premmington]

I need an enthusiastic trustworthy type to develop my website/web presence. Not-A-Chance :-(


I was fortunate, when I moved I vowed to pay on invoice so when the Covid hit, I was in pretty good shape. I really breathed a sigh of relief. I will never go back to 30 day invoice.


No to No2. It is at the end of the day, real estate and can be converted. No3 is really very true and many of these vanity businesses will go by the wayside. It is just trade and commerce evolving after all.


Acronyms are great, if everyone knows but I have only just worked out Working From Home FLT is a mystery to me.

FLT is a fork lift truck (I think )

In Norfolk we call them "stacker trucks" - sad I know...

 

[Chillitt]

Phone and email have never been busier, which is a shame as Im up on blocks. Had to put a note on the website to go bother the blacksmith the other side of the village. No danger of anything changing while the Drs are run ragged but neurotic halfwits who think they are allergic to vaccinations..