Overall construction materials prices remained flat in May but are up 1.6 percent year over year according to the June 13 Producer Price Index release supplied by the U.S. Department of Labor. Nonresidential construction materials prices fell 0.2 percent for the month but are 1.3 percent higher than at the same time one year ago.
Read MoreAuthor: Rock Products News
Construction Employment Still Increasing
Construction employment expanded in 218 metro areas, declined in 72 and was stagnant in 49 between May 2013 and May 2014, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials warned that job losses could spread to more metros unless policy makers in Washington quickly agree on providing new funding…
Read MoreConveyor Components Co. Programmable Motion Control
The new Model MSD-800 series motion-sensing controls from Conveyor Components Co. offer affordable and reliable protection of indoor and outdoor rotating equipment such as screw conveyors, belt conveyor pulleys, rotary feeders and bucket elevators from costly damage by continuously monitoring rotary speed.
Read MoreHillhead a Smashing Success
June 29, 2014 – The Hillhead show in Buxton, England, came out of the gates strong. With economic recovery gathering momentum, particularly in the UK, and confidence returning to the mineral products industry, the organizers of Hillhead 2014 reported that total attendance at this year’s event was 17,559. Rock Products Sales Director Sean Carr was there, and reported back that…
Read MoreDOJ Rules Martin Marietta Must Divest
June 27, 2014 – The Department of Justice has spoken. I’m not sure they know what they are talking about, but they HAVE spoken. Martin Marietta Materials must divest an Oklahoma quarry and two Texas rail yards in order to proceed with its proposed $2.7 billion acquisition of Texas Industries, according to the agency. Without the divestiture, the proposed acquisition was…
Read MoreSenators Offer Bold Plan to Increase Gas Tax
U.S. Senators Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) unveiled the first bipartisan proposal to shore up the Highway Trust Fund by making changes to the federal motor fuels tax, which funds improvements to roads, bridges and transit systems. The proposal would create a long-term, stable funding mechanism for the Highway Trust Fund and enact tax relief for American families…
Read MoreMay Construction Retreats 5 Percent; Highways Up
At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $513.4 billion, new construction starts in May dropped 5 percent from the previous month, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. The reduced pace for total construction starts reflected a moderate loss of momentum for nonresidential building and housing, while the nonbuilding construction sector eased back slightly.
Read MoreHousing Production Falls 6.5 Percent in May
Declines in both single- and multifamily starts pushed nationwide housing production down 6.5 percent in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of just over 1 million units, according to newly released figures from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. However, single-family permits, which can be an indicator of future building activity, rose…
Read MoreSurvey Finds Drivers Frustrated
Ahead of the summer driving season, a new survey from the Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) finds drivers are increasingly frustrated with the state of U.S. roads. The national survey found that drivers prefer well-maintained, safe, and smooth roadways; moreover they understand these qualities require periodic maintenance and financial investment.
Read MoreAtlas Copco in Top 10 of Sustainability Ranking
Atlas Copco has been ranked seventh by Newsweek Green Rankings, one of the world’s foremost corporate environmental rankings of the 500 largest publicly traded, global companies by market capitalization.
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