Dodge Construction Outlook: 2019 markets stay present course

Sources: Dodge Data & Analytics, New York; CP staff 

The 2019 Dodge Construction Outlook predicts that total U.S. construction starts will be $808 billion, essentially even with the $807 billion estimated for 2018. By major sector in dollar terms, residential building will be down 2 percent, nonresidential building will match its 2018 amount, and non-building construction will increase 3 percent.

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U.S. Concrete burrows deeper into the Big Apple via Jenna, Kings deals

Jenna

Texas-based U.S. Concrete, Inc. continues a New York City market roll up, closing last month on asset transactions involving Jenna Concrete Corp., Bronx, and Kings Ready Mix, Brooklyn. With two plants and 52-mixer fleet, Jenna Concrete has established a presence over 25 years, supplying ready mixed to commercial and residential building projects in its Bronx home base and the neighboring borough of Manhattan. Kings Ready Mix runs 60-plus mixers from four plants, and maintains a leading stake in non-union, low- and mid-rise building jobs across Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.

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Jenna asset deal enables U.S. Concrete to burrow deeper into New York City

Sources: U.S. Concrete, Inc., Euless, Texas; CP staff

U.S. Concrete has acquired the two plants and 52-mixer fleet of Jenna Concrete Corp. The producer has established a New York City presence over 25 years, supplying ready mixed to commercial and residential building projects in its Bronx home base and the neighboring borough of Manhattan. The Jenna assets join a Big Apple portfolio U.S. Concrete has significantly strengthened in the past 18 months through Ferrara Bros. Building Materials, Greco Brothers and Nycon Supply deals.

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AGC economist cautious as construction employment hits six-year high

Construction employers added 6,000 workers in May as the industry’s unemployment rate dropped to 8.6 percent, its lowest mid-spring level in six years, according to an Associated General Contractors of America analysis of federal government data.

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Winter-battered construction activity returns to projected levels

Source: McGraw Hill Construction, New York

New construction starts in March advanced 7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $521.4 billion, based on measurements of three major sectors: 1) nonresidential building, which picked up the pace after its lackluster performance at the outset of this year; 2) nonbuilding construction, logging a moderate gain; and, residential building, which settled back as single-family housing remained sluggish.

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Residential market upturn fuels near-double digit gains for fiber cement

PHOTO: Jeff Locke, Nichiha USA, Inc.

Demand in the U.S. for fiber cement products is forecast to rise 8.5 percent annually through 2017 to 2.9 billion square feet—valued at $2.2 billion—according to a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm. “Advances will be driven by a rebound in residential building construction spending, particularly in the new housing segment,” states Matt Zielenski, an analyst with The Freedonia Group. Growth will be further spurred by increasing use of fiber cement products because of their favorable aesthetic and performance properties. These and other trends are presented in Fiber Cement.

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