Construction Industry News

NEW YORK (March 21, 2024) — Coast, which offers a way for companies in the United States to manage fuel and fleet spending, has raised $92 million in new funding. The round includes $25 million in equity capital led by existing investors, including BoxGroup, Avid Ventures, Accel, Insight Partners and Better Tomorrow Ventures, as well as new investor Vesey Ventures.

March 21, 2024 — Effective April 1, José Cuadrado has been appointed Global CEO at Yanmar Compact Equipment (Yanmar CE), and Chairman of the Board at Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. Cuadrado replaces Giuliano Parodi, who is now transferring to manage the Yanmar Group’s Strategy Division as chief strategy officer.

WASHINGTON (March 14) — Construction input prices increased 1.4% in February compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices increased 1.3% for the month.

TIGARD, Ore. (March 14, 2024) — Studson, a safety helmet developer that recently launched the Full Brim ANSI Type II Safety Helmet, announced the completion of a $2.48 million USD funding round and a strategic collaboration with Blaklader, one of Europe’s largest producers of workwear.

NEW ORLEANS (Feb. 19, 2024) — In its updated forecast released at The ARA Show, the American Rental Association (ARA) indicates that the U.S. equipment rental industry’s growth has a fairly positive outlook. Last quarter, the year-over-year growth was expected to be 7.6% in 2023 and 3.1% in 2024. The most current projections indicate a 7.9% increase in 2024 totaling $77.3 billion in construction and general tool rental revenue.

ATLANTA (March 11, 2024) — Takeuchi-US has named Scott Utzman as its new attachment specialist. In this role, Utzman will be responsible for attachment sales and support for the company’s dealer and national rental accounts throughout North America. He will work with dealer management, sales personnel and their customers to demonstrate, promote and support the Takeuchi attachment product line.

March 11, 2024 — A federal judge in Texas has blocked a new rule by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that would have made it easier for millions of workers to form unions at big companies.

The rule, which was due to go into effect Monday, would have set new standards for determining when two companies should be considered “joint employers” in labor negotiations.

Pella, Iowa — Thunder Creek Equipment has been added to Contractor Solutions’ dedicated rental and new equipment sales lineup for the underground construction industry. The company — serving utility contractors and other businesses in Des Moines, Omaha, Tulsa, Kansas City and St. Louis — will carry Thunder Creek’s lineup of No-HAZMAT fuel and service solutions. 

INDIANAPOLIS (March 7, 2024) — During Work Truck Week 2024, Jason Ritchey, president and owner of Curry Supply Co. (Altoona, Pennsylvania), was installed as 60th board chair of NTEA — The Work Truck Association. He accepted the position from immediate past board chair David Scheitlin, director of operations at Holman Manufacturing & Distribution (Roanoke, Indiana).

CLEVELAND (March 4, 2024) – Diversified Fall Protection (DFP), a large turnkey fall protection integrator in the U.S. for regulatory-driven systems and services, announced the appointment of Travis Nelson, PE, CSP, as the company’s new CEO. Nelson is a leader and influencer in the fall protection industry and brings over 20 years of industry experience to the position.

SALINA, Kan. (March 6, 2024) — Bergkamp Inc., based in Salina, Kansas, announced its acquisition of the Flow Boy line of live-bottom material transport trucks. With the ability to unload hot asphalt, gravel, sand or other materials in one minute or less, all from inside the truck cab, the Flow Boy Live-Bottom offers productivity and efficiency for paving contractors.

BEDFORD, Mass. (Feb. 20, 2024) — Total construction starts grew 1% in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.16 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonbuilding starts rose 9% during the month, while nonresidential building starts fell 2% and residential starts were flat.

Morgantown, Pa. (March 5, 2024) — Morgan Truck Body LLC announced that it has acquired Transit Truck Bodies Inc. (Les Fourgons Transit Inc.), a well-established manufacturer of truck bodies in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The acquisition of Transit increases the total number of Morgan Truck Body locations to 14 manufacturing facilities in North America.

RICHFIELD, Wis. (March 1, 2024) – Hy-Brid Lifts by Custom Equipment, LLC appointed Eric Liner as its new president and CEO, effective Feb. 5, 2024. He succeeds Jay Sugar, who successfully led the company for the past three years and is retiring March 1, 2024.

LIVERMORE, Calif. (Feb. 20, 2024) — Topcon Positioning Systems has expanded its support of the Get Kids into Survey (GKiS) project, becoming the sole sponsor of the Global Brand Ambassador Hub. The new platform will provide a comprehensive set of resources to the project’s brand ambassadors, a global community of volunteers who visit schools to champion surveying as a career and introduce students to the surveying and geospatial industries.

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 20, 2024) — Skanska, a construction and development firm, has announced the completion of a 90-day pilot program using the Volvo EC230 Electric excavator on the Purple (D Line) Extension Transit Project in Los Angeles, at the South Yard of the La Brea station. Skanska’s use of the zero-emissions equipment was among the first to pilot the Volvo excavator in North America.

WASHINGTON, (Feb. 22, 2024) — At current rates of participation and completion, federal and state government-registered apprenticeship programs (GRAP) will fail to meet the construction industry’s short- and long-term skilled workforce needs, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of recently released U.S. Department of Labor data.

STATESBORO, Ga. (Feb. 20, 2024) — Pape-Dawson Engineers LLC has acquired Georgia-based engineering firm Maxwell-Reddick, as part of its strategy to expand its civil engineering, surveying, and land planning practice across the U.S.

Clarksville, Tenn. (Feb. 20, 2024) — Clayco, a full-service, turnkey real estate development, architecture, engineering and construction firm, announced its partnership with Hankook Tire to build the company’s expansion at the Tennessee Plant in Clarksville. The expansion will feature 2.2 million square feet of state-of-the-art facilities.

WASHINGTON (Feb. 20, 2024) — Residential builders can apply now for the 2024 Propane Construction Research Program. Supported by the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), the program amplifies efforts to install propane appliances in new homes and remodels to reduce carbon emissions in the U.S.