As I have written many times in the past, we pay close attention to both the Conference Board’s monthly measure of consumer confidence, as well as a similar measure from the University of Michigan which they characterize as consumer sentiment. Both descriptions are really interchangeable, as they measure how consumers feel about the times, both politically and economically. We publish…
Read MoreTag: construction industry
ABC challenges Labor Department’s Davis-Bacon rule updates
Sources: Associated Builders and Contractors, Washington, D.C.; CP staff An Associated Builders and Contractors and the ABC Southeast Texas lawsuit states a case for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division to vacate the Department of Labor’s Updating the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts Regulations (DBA) rule, implemented in October and applicable to federal or federally…
Read MoreAGC COO Shoaf to succeed CEO Sandherr in Q2 2024
Sources: Associated General Contractors of America, Washington, D.C.; CP staff AGC Chief Executive Officer Stephen Sandherr plans to retire from his post of 27 years, effective March 31, capping an overall 37-year tenure with the organization. “I am grateful to have retained the confidence of AGC’s officers and Board for these many years,” he says. “I am also fortunate to…
Read MorePrometheus bio-concrete scales sound absorption performance
Prometheus Materials, Boulder, Colo. developer of bio-cement and bio-concrete technology debuting in molded, dry cast products, reports strong performance of 2-in. thick specimens subjected to ASTM C423-23, Standard Test Method for Sound Absorption and Sound Absorption Coefficients by the Reverberation Room Method. Testing at the Johns Manville Technical Center Acoustical Laboratory in Littleton, Colo. determined that the company’s bio-concrete—formulated with…
Read MoreMerit shop contractors report $1.5 billion in workforce development expenditures
Associated Builders and Contractors member contractors invested more than $1.5 billion to provide nearly 1.3 million course attendees with craft, leadership and safety education in 2022, according to the 2023 Workforce Development Survey, down from $1.6 billion in 2021. The annual assessment quantifies the scope of ABC members’ workforce development initiatives to advance their employees’ careers in commercial and industrial…
Read MoreABC: Davis-Bacon updates add paperwork, skew prevailing wage math
Capping a 28-month rulemaking process in August, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule, Updating the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts Regulations, which revises prevailing wage calculations and increases paperwork for contractors on federal and federally assisted construction projects. “This is yet another handout to organized labor on the backs of taxpayers, small businesses and the free market,”…
Read MoreInvestor positions AK Masonry for organic growth, bolt-on deals
Sources: Maddix Capital, Lehi, Utah; CP staff A growth-stage private equity firm based outside Salt Lake City, Maddix Capital, has acquired a controlling stake in AK Masonry, citing plans to expand the South Jordan, Utah contractor’s services and reach. The firm worked with Hillcrest Bank, a division of NBH Bank, to secure partial financing to complete the deal. “AK Masonry…
Read MorePrometheus bio-concrete aces leading sound absorption test
Sources: Prometheus Materials, Boulder, Colo.; CP staff Prometheus Materials, developer of bio-cement and bio-concrete technology debuting in molded, dry cast products, reports strong performance of 2-in. thick specimens subjected to ASTM C423-23, Standard Test Method for Sound Absorption and Sound Absorption Coefficients by the Reverberation Room Method. Testing at the Johns Manville Technical Center in Littleton, Colo., determined that the…
Read MoreOzinga cement terminal artfully conveys south Florida essence
Sources: Ozinga Bros. Inc., Mokena, Ill.; CP staff Ozinga formally dedicated a Port of Palm Beach cement terminal during a late-July ribbon-cutting ceremony, citing the facility’s unique machinery, powder transfer methods, and operations as a testament to a company legacy of construction and logistics expertise. The terminal centerpiece, a one-of-a-kind, 55,000-ton cement storage structure, was designed in a cooperative effort…
Read MoreWall Street backdrop suits LEED developer’s milestone celebration
U.S. Green Building Council officials mustered early last month at the New York Stock Exchange to open the trading day and commemorate the 30th anniversary of their group’s charter. Beyond the milestone observance, the Wall Street event highlighted the Council’s role in spawning the green building industry through the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design rating and certification program. “We…
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