ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023 offered a preview of data science methods destined to improve construction materials production and delivery profits. By capturing a groundswell of plant and fleet inputs from signals, sensors, production logs, and order or ticket files, a new class of information technology specialists demonstrated algorithms or programs greatly extending the dashboard and business intelligence tools accompanying current software suites.…
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Coalition enlightens policymakers on trucks’ solid environmental record
A group of transportation interests recently launched the Clean Freight Coalition (CFC) to serve as a collective voice for trucking industry stakeholders. Made up of motor carriers of every size and sector, plus truck manufacturers and dealers, CFC’s mission is to: Educate policy makers on the true progress the trucking industry has made in reducing emissions and protecting the environment;…
Read MoreU.S. equipment manufacturers resume traditional trajectories
The latest Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) economic impact report on member output, released just ahead of ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023, highlights the industry’s return to growth following the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. Prepared by the S&P Global Market Intelligence Team, it details construction, mining and agriculture equipment manufacturer deliverables. Authors especially note how the equipment manufacturing industry: Supports 2.35 million…
Read MoreSolidia Technologies raises SCM capacity at new Texas headquarters
Sources: Solidia Technologies, San Antonio Solidia Technologies is expanding production of its proprietary supplementary cementitious material in San Antonio, Texas, where it recently relocated headquarters from New Jersey. The engineered product improves the durability, workability, and overall properties of concrete, while mineralizing captured carbon dioxide to reduce by 30-40 percent the greenhouse gas emissions associated with finished slabs or structures. …
Read MoreHaulHub Agency Portal application advances at U.S. Patent Office
HaulHub Technologies, Haverhill, Mass. developer of digital tools assisting state transportation agency e-Ticketing and e-Construction program management, cites a United States Patent and Trademark Office notice of allowance for a patent application directed to use of a system to reconcile and reformat delivered construction material data with project data between various contract stakeholders. “In the Covid-era of e-Ticketing, sharing a…
Read MoreThe Latest on Construction Industry Employment
by Pierre G. Villere Among the most frustrating aspects of life as we went through the pandemic, and which haunts us still today, is the employment picture. There is no minimizing the magnitude of the human tragedy, with an official tally of over 5.2 million hospital admissions and a stunning 1.04 million deaths; the sheer human loss is unspeakable. But…
Read MoreContractor Hardon elevates site manager workspaces, crew productivity
SkyPodz LLC, a sister business of Buford, Ga. concrete contractor Hardon Inc., has developed a mobile office for high-rise construction. A lightweight, temporary structure hoisted by crane and mounted to any floor slab, the SkyPod allows site managers and superintendents to remain closer to their work. It provides an enclosed office, storage, and power source for any trade, and saves…
Read MoreContractors issue Concrete/Steel Price Risk statement
Sources: American Society for Concrete Contractors, St. Louis; CP staff The American Society of Concrete Contractors’ 45th Position Statement, “Managing Concrete Projects: Concrete/Steel Price and Delivery Volatility Risks,” provides a contractor’s point of view for architects, engineers, owners and other contract stakeholders contending with current supply chain volatility.
Read MoreMaking a Case for Reduced Inflation
by Pierre G. Villere We like to read the in-depth research on a wide range of topics that can affect the economic health of our industry, since it is our firm’s primary specialty. In the years I have been at the helm, I find the reports published by the global banks to be informative, and usually spot-on. They have large…
Read MoreHow Increasing Wages Are Affecting Our Economy
It’s February, so some of the year-end economic metrics for 2021 are starting to be reported, and it is no surprise to see that wages took a big jump last year. Wage increases were fueled by the unexpected supply chain morass that the Covid-19 lockdown precipitated, and were further compounded by the amount of stimulus cash that was injected into…
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