April 22, 2024 – The AVP Pulse Index is flat-to-slightly up this month, with a 1.1% increase over the previous month, but a 6.9% increase year-over-year and a 14.5% increase over the last 36 months. The big drivers were the Architectural Billings Index (up 7.1%) and a whopping 10.7% for Housing Starts. Overall, the Index indicates construction remains steady, if…
Read MoreCategory: Mark's Blog
Rock Products Rocks Demo Days
April 17, 2024 – Komatsu hosted Demo Days, a customer/dealer and media event at its Cartersville, Ga., Customer Center. The event, which I attended, showcased Komatsu’s equipment and solutions for the aggregates and construction industries. I was able to spend a fair amount of time one-on-one discussing the company’s WA500-8 and WA600-8 loaders, Montabert attachments, HM-400-5 articulated hauler, PC490LCI-11 excavator…
Read MoreMental Health Resources
April 12, 2024 – There is a clear need for mental health resources in the construction and aggregates industries – and at all levels. Mental health is connected to physical health and should be approached the same way we tackle physical safety concerns. Fortunately, there are people in the industry who are passionate about helping others. There are several programs that…
Read MoreStop Calling it a Collapse
April 4, 2024 – When the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore fell into the water, national media immediately branded the event a “collapse.” South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace wasted no time in trying to score political points off of the disaster, claiming that there are still old bridges and roads in the U.S. even after the passing of legislation…
Read MoreThe Shark Man Cometh
March 28, 2024 – I had the honor of introducing the guest speaker at NSSGA’s Young Leaders luncheon at the association’s convention and AGG1. This year’s speaker was Robert “Shark” Garland, a combat veteran fighter pilot of the United States Air Force. He was an F-15 Eagle instructor at the prestigious Air Force Weapons School (the Air Force’s “Top Gun” program)…
Read MoreCalling All Women in Aggregates
March 15, 2024 – Women in Aggregates (WIA) invites you to an important panel discussion at AGG1, the premier aggregates event in North America. Mark your calendars for Monday, March 25 from 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM CST and be part of the conversation shaping the future of women in this dynamic industry. Attendees can add the panel to their…
Read MoreThe British Are Coming!
March 7, 2024 – The news was not unexpected, it had been rumored for awhile, but it just got real real: Breedon has entered the U.S. construction materials market. Breedon Group plc, in case you are not aware, is a leading vertically-integrated construction materials group in Great Britain and Ireland. Breedon holds “1 billion tonnes of mineral reserves and resources with long…
Read MoreAASHTO Warns Congress on Potential Highway Funding Lapse
March 4, 2024 – The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials sent a letter to Congressional leaders on Feb. 26 requesting action to prevent a “potential lapse of critical highway funds” provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or IIJA at the end of the current fiscal year. AASHTO said the lapse risk is driven by the unprecedented growth of…
Read MoreHeidelberg Looks Ahead
Feb. 23, 2024 – Heidelberg Materials released its latest financial report. Once again, another executive likes what he sees up ahead. “Despite a persistently difficult market environment, we closed the past financial year with a record result,” said Dominik von Achten, chairman of the managing board of Heidelberg Materials. The company stated in the report: “We are optimistic about the…
Read MoreThe AVP Pulse Index for February
Feb. 20, 2024 – The AVP Pulse Index this month rose 1.2% month-over-month, while increasing 5.6% year-over-year. The index is up 16.5% over the past 36 months. The proprietary AVP Pulse Index – a joint effort between mergers and acquisition advisors Allen-Villere Partners, and Rock Products – illustrates the health of the industry in one single trend line, using relevant data that…
Read More