News

WASHINGTON (May 18, 2022) — According to Reuters, the United States will grant employers as many as 35,000 further H-2B visas for seasonal guest workers starting jobs between April 1 and Sept. 30.

The expansion of the H-2B visas, used to employ landscapers, housekeepers, hotel employees and construction and carnival workers, among others, for the busy summer vacation season comes amid record job growth and a U.S. labor crunch despite worries over some economic headwinds.

HAMILTON, N.J. (May 17, 2022) — Total construction starts rose 3% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $945.8 billion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts rose 6% and residential starts increased by 4%, while nonbuilding starts fell 4%.

WASHINGTON (May 16, 2022) — The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that the application process is now open for communities of all sizes to apply for $1 billion in Fiscal Year 2022 funding to help them ensure safe streets and roads for all and address the national roadway safety crisis.

MOLINE, Ill. (May 10, 2022) — Even with supply chain issues and labor shortages, U.S. equipment rental revenue, including both construction and general tool, is expected to grow by 11.1% to reach nearly $56 billion in 2022, according to the latest quarterly forecast released by the American Rental Association (ARA). 

PORTLAND, Ore. (May 10, 2022) — KEEN Utility, the work boot division of KEEN Inc. (KEEN), launched the She Builds Grant Program to champion the next generation of tradeswomen. The program pledges $1M in much needed product and financial support over the next five years to trailblazing nonprofit organizations in the United States and Canada dedicated to the empowerment and education of women seeking a career in the skilled trades.

HAMILTON, N.J. (May 6, 2022) — The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI) moved 6% higher in April to 164.8 (2000=100), up from the revised March reading of 155.0. The Momentum Index, issued by Dodge Construction Network, is a monthly measure of the initial report for nonresidential building projects in planning shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (May 5, 2022) — Construction Business Owner, the leading business magazine for contractors, is pleased to announce a free webinar presented in partnership with LaborChart, a Procore Company.

WASHINGTON (May 6, 2022) — The construction industry added 2,000 jobs on net in April, but nonresidential construction employment decreased by 2,000 positions, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has expanded by 235,000 jobs, an increase of 3.2%. 

DENVER (May 5, 2022) — Trilon Group (Trilon), a family of infrastructure consulting businesses backed by Alpine Investors, today announced new partnerships with DRMP Inc. (DRMP) and ESI Consultants (ESI) that continue to advance Trilon towards its vision of building the next Top 20 infrastructure services firm in North America. 

GREENVILLE, S.C. and CINCINNATI, Ohio (May 4, 2022) — AMECO, a leading provider of construction and maintenance Site Services planning and delivery, announced today that it has acquired F&M MAFCO, an international supplier of tools and equipment rental, sales and service programs.

WASHINGTON (May 3, 2022) — The construction industry had 396,000 job openings in March 2022, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Industry job openings increased by 13,000 in March and are up 60,000 from the same time last year.

IRVING, Texas, SANTA MONICA, Calif. and SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (May 3, 2022) — PrimeSource Brands, a North American provider of specialty branded residential building products backed by Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., announced that it has acquired Axxis, LLC, a provider of fastening tools and collated fasteners. The transaction is PrimeSource’s fourth acquisition during Clearlake’s ownership. Financial terms were not disclosed.

URBANDALE, Iowa (May 2, 2022) — Kerry Koberg, strategic accounts manager for DICA, was named chairman of the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association’s (SC&RA) Allied Industries Governing Committee.  Koberg’s nomination was approved on April 26 during the association’s annual conference in Washington, D.C. 

WASHINGTON (April 29, 2022) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today unveiled its 2022 Safety Performance Report, an annual, comprehensive study of the impact of the STEP Safety Management System and guide to safety best practices on construction jobsites. STEP is a proven system, more than 30 years old, that enables top-performing members to achieve incident rates 645% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average.

LAKE MARY, Fla. (April 28, 2022) — FARO Technologies, Inc., a global leader in 4D digital reality solutions, announced it has joined forces with Oracle to help architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) professionals create opportunities to solve their toughest challenges at the new Oracle Industry Lab.

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (April 28, 2022) — The American Concrete Institute (ACI) has opened a second resource center, located in the Chicago metropolitan area, to serve Midwest communities in the concrete industry. This new ACI Resource Center — Chicago/Midwest will help meet the increased demand for ACI knowledge through hands-on training, educational offerings, and on–demand access to ACI Certification Programs.  

ORLANDO, Fla. (April 28, 2022) — RedTeam Software, a leading construction management software platform provider, has named Traci VanDalsem vice president of client experience. 

WASHINGTON (April 28, 2022) — The U.S. economy contracted at a 1.4% annualized rate during the first quarter of 2022. Investment in nonresidential structures declined at an annual rate of 0.9% during the quarter and has contracted nine of the past 10 quarters, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

WASHINGTON (April 27, 2022) — The not seasonally adjusted (NSA) national construction unemployment rate dropped 2.6% in March 2022 from a year ago, down from 8.6% to 6%, while 45 states had lower unemployment rates over the same period, according to a state-by-state analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC).

WASHINGTON (April 26, 2022) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today applauded a letter sent to President Joe Biden by 16 Republican governors, led by Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Bill Lee of Tennessee, opposing the Biden administration’s policies promoting government-mandated project labor agreements (PLA) on taxpayer-funded construction projects.