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Manufacturers are set to complain to energy regulator Ofgem over the rapid increase in British gas prices. Companies in the chemicals, steel, paper and cement sectors claim the increase will push up the prices of their goods and make it harder to compete with their continental rivals.

Utilities get trading exchange

Electricity company Scottish Power is to set up an electronic trading exchange with US technology firm Science Applications International Corporation to create a global e-commerce service for the utility market.

Siemens plans camera extension

The computer tomography (CT) division of Siemens in Germany is planning to extend its pilot programme of web-based client cameras to the US.

Scottish Courage brews up cuts

Brewer Scottish Courage is to make savings of £46 million a year by restructuring its supply chain and cutting inventory by 40 per cent.

Improving Employee Performance

Nigel Harrison Kogan Page, £7.99 “The difference between what people are doing and what you what them to do can be considerable,” says Nigel Harrison in this 122-page guide to bridging what he calls the performance gap.

HM Treasury Budget Report 2001

Institute of Wastes Management

Export Practice and Management

Alan Branch International Thomson Business Press, £23.99

Pager firm scoops council deal

The Central Buying Consortium has awarded a three-year contract for pagers worth around £300,000 to Page One Communications. The contract for the CBC, which represents 17 councils in the south-east and the Midlands, was negotiated by member West Sussex County Council.

Corus criticises cost emphasis

Metals giant Corus has complained to the government that many firms are using partnering schemes to pass on costs to suppliers. Denis Beardmore, Corus’s managing director, told the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions that the mindset in many firms was to cut costs, rather than get value for money - despite an inclination at senior-management level towards partnering.