With the increasing importance of computer-based communication technologies, communication
networks are becoming crucial in supply chain management. Given the objectives of the supply chain: to have
the right products in the right quantities, at the right place, at the right moment and at minimal cost, supply
chain management is situated at the intersection of different professional sectors. This is particularly the case in
construction, since building needs for its fabrication the incorporation of a number of industrial products. This
paper provides a review of the main approaches to supply chain communications as used mainly in
manufacturing industries. The paper analyses the extent to which these have been applied to construction. It also
reviews the on-going developments and research activities in this domain.