Sources: Portland Cement Association, Washington, D.C.; CP staff Thirteen months after pandemic panic and profound economic uncertainty compelled a guarded one- to three-year outlook for U.S. construction activity, the Portland Cement Association Market Intelligence Group reports that a key indicator of building and nonbuilding project volume grew year over year—a trend likely to continue in 2021 and 2022.
Read MoreTag: Ed Sullivan
PCA projects minor 2020-21 shipment drops, or gain, under two recovery models
Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; CP staff
Portland Cement Association Chief Economist and Senior Vice President Ed Sullivan offers two U.S. cement consumption scenarios around “U” or “W” shaped economic recovery curves, with respective 2020 and 2021 figures of -3.4 percent or +1.7 percent and -4.8 percent and -2.7 percent—this year’s projections measured against 2019 shipments.
Read MorePCA’s Sullivan: Cement consumption will lag GDP growth
Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; CP staff
The Portland Cement Association Fall Forecast paints a minor 2019-2021 growth curve for cement consumption, with respective annual gains of 2.4 percent, 1.7 percent and 1.4 percent.
Read MoreAsphalt cost escalator provisions tax state transportation budgets
Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; CP staff
Beyond fuel and transportation, rising oil prices directly impact street and highway building and maintenance costs, compounding the hundreds of millions of dollars states lose due to outdated bidding policies that favor petroleum-based asphalt over other paving materials.
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