August Construction Starts Inch Up; Year-to-Date Strong

The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced that construction spending during August 2015 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,086.2 billion, 0.7 percent (±1.5 ) above the revised July estimate of $1,079.1 billion. The August figure is 13.7 percent (±2.1 ) above the August 2014 estimate of $955.0 billion.

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Your Response is Important to Us

Dec, 17, 2014 – The U.S. aggregates industry faces a challenging year in 2015. Aggregates producers are looking ahead with anticipation to improved market conditions, driven by the resurgence in residential housing and increased activity from state DOTs, however, many questions remain. Can a new Congress pass an acceptable infrastructure bill? Will they find an answer to replenishing the fast-dwindling Highway Trust…

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Construction Spending Inches Higher

The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce reported that construction spending during July 2014 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $981.3 billion, 1.8 percent (±1.6 percent) above the revised June estimate of $963.7 billion. The July figure is 8.2 percent (±2.3 percent) above the July 2013 estimate of $906.6 billion.

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Nonmetallic Minerals Index Rises

August 22, 2014 – Good big-picture news on the production front. According to USGS, the nonmetallic mineral products leading index increased 1.2 percent to 241.6 in July from a revised 238.8 in June, and its six-month smoothed growth rate increased to 7.4 percent from a revised 5.9 percent in June. The six-month smoothed growth rate is a compound annual rate…

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Green Building a Key Trend in Economic Growth

By Mark S. Kuhar Residential construction is a key engine behind economic growth in the United States. According to McGraw Hill Construction’s Dodge Construction Market Forecast, single and multifamily housing projects account for about 45 percent of the value of all construction projects started in the United States in 2014. With that market forecast to grow rapidly in coming years,…

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Vulcan’s Fourth-Quarter Profit Soars

Vulcan Materials reported that in the fourth quarter of 2013, net sales increased $78 million, or 14 percent, versus the prior year’s fourth quarter, as volumes continued to improve. Gross profit improved $38 million, or 48 percent, primarily on the strength of the volume growth and operating leverage in aggregates. Aggregates gross profit and profit margin increased $30 million and…

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Sullivan Predicts Growth at World of Concrete

January 22, 2014 – On the first day of the World of Concrete 2014 Show in Las Vegas, The Portland Cement Association’s Chief Economist Ed Sullivan forecast 8 percent growth in cement production this year, according to Don Marsh, editor of sister publication Concrete Products, who is reporting live from the show.

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