ACI Concrete Convention set for Atlanta; virtual options abound

Engineers, contractors, educators, manufacturers, and material representatives will assemble at the ACI Concrete Convention in Atlanta, October 17-21, to collaborate on concrete codes, specifications, and practices. Technical and educational sessions will provide perspectives on the latest research and industry developments, along with the opportunity to earn Professional Development Hours. Select programming will also be available live or on-demand to attendees…

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Chamber construction survey finds favorable commercial market prospects

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C. Data from the first quarter U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index reveals contractors are growing more optimistic, mostly driven by a rise in revenue expectations. They also have better outlooks on hiring and equipment spending plans as business concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic lessen.

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Donley’s, Wayne Bros. lead Concrete Contractors’ Safety Awards

Sources: American Society of Concrete Contractors, St. Louis; CP staff The American Society of Concrete Contractors has named Cleveland general contractor Donley’s Inc. and Davidson, N.C. specialty contractor Wayne Brothers Inc. as W. Burr Bennett Award for Safety Excellence recipients, based on 2019 metrics. The ASCC Safety & Risk Management Council presents the honor in partnership with major underwriter CNA,…

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Command Alkon, IT partners: Heavy civil work looks better than commercial

Sources: Dodge Data & Analytics, New York; Command Alkon, Birmingham, Ala.; CP staff

A Dodge Data & Analytics survey conducted with support from Command Alkon and three other technology partners finds that heavy civil contractors, despite Covid-19 staff and project impacts, are generally optimistic about business conditions through 2021. The sentiments of 99 heavy civil practitioners surveyed from mid-April to mid-May contrast with more cautious views commercial contractors expressed in companion Dodge research. 

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Commercial Construction Index: Expectations down, backlogs steady

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.

The Q2 2020 USG Corporation + U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index dropped to 56 from a Q1 level of 74, reflecting lower contractor confidence in three indicators—new business, revenue expectations and project backlog volume—expressed during surveys conducted in April, at the height of shutdown restrictions. 

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Contractors report project delays, cancellations, supply disruptions

Source: Associated General Contractors of America, Washington, D.C. 

Of the nearly 1,650 contractor participants in an online survey gauging market activity amid federal, state and local pandemic response measures, 39 percent note that owners have halted or canceled current construction projects, while 23 percent cite material, part or equipment shortages, including respirators and other protective gear. 

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AGC: Materials cost increases outpace contractor bid adjustments

Sources: Associated General Contractors of America, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

Prices for goods and services used in construction climbed 6.2 percent over the past year, intensifying a cost squeeze on contractors coping with widespread labor shortages, according to an AGC analysis of new Labor Department data, including Producer Price Index (PPI) figures tracking a August 2017–August 2018 trajectory.  

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New Command Alkon branding conveys ‘amazing’ message

Sources: Command Alkon, Birmingham, Ala.; CP staff

A reimagined brand, story and logo establish a new identity for Command Alkon and include a mantra, “Together We Build Amazing,” capturing the essence of “the why” for people across heavy building materials production. The move celebrates what management notes is “the commitment from contractors, concrete producers, raw material suppliers and haulers to drive digital transformation—marking a meaningful moment for the industry, the company, and the people who collectively build our world.”

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Contractor optimism abounds in Commercial Construction Index

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.

Commercial construction is in high demand across the U.S. and contractors remain optimistic about the current and forward-looking health of the sector, according to the Q3 USG Corporation + U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index. Nearly all contractors surveyed this summer (95 percent) expect revenues to grow or remain stable over the next 12 months compared to the prior 12 months, continuing Q2 2017 survey sentiments.

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