Industry Watch
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Industry Watch Archives
2010
Infrastructure Outlook
Nov 11, 2011
America’s economic competitiveness is under threat and the convergence of power, water and sewer infrastructure integrated through communication technology is one solution to an economic competitive advantage. more >>
Taking Care of Business
Oct 17, 2011
Most snow and ice contractors love learning about the latest equipment and practices within the industry, and every year they enthusiastically look forward to another winter. more >>
Tax Relief
Aug 25, 2011
With its 2,000 members, the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) unites the underground utility construction industry under its leadership, promoting and defending the interests of its stakeholders. more >>
Insuring Success
Jul 15, 2011
As construction contractors, the potential for damage and financial risk is high and having strong insurance coverage is non-negotiable. Unfortunately, the current economy is driving many contractors to cut back on coverage in order to conserve budget. While some of these cutbacks make sense on the front end, much of the coverage eliminated is crucial to protecting a contractor from substantial risk. more >>
Expansion and Contraction
Apr 15, 2011
The construction industry added 33,000 jobs in February even as the industry’s unemployment rate was 21.8 percent, more than twice the national average, according to an analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). more >>
Protect Against Uncertainty
Mar 02, 2011
To maximize productivity and strengthen business performance, it is critical to protect the assets of your business, both people and property, from a wide range of exposures. Risk management is a systematic process for identifying business risks, outlining and analyzing options for eliminating, controlling, transferring or funding these risks and putting the best programs and protection in place. more >>
2011 Rental Outlook
Feb 01, 2011
Many forecasting companies are seeing signs of better days for the economy in general and for the construction industry in particular, which could be a big boost for equipment rental companies in 2011. more >>
The Path to Renewal
Jan 01, 2011
The degree of disruption suffered by the design and construction industries over the previous 24 months is well documented: Tens of thousands of jobs have been lost in the design industry, in addition to over 2 million job losses in the construction industry. more >>
The 3 “P” Marketing Solution
Nov 01, 2010
The recession has forced contractors to justify every business expense. Labor costs are examined in light of expected projects. Supplier agreements are renegotiated. Administrative line items are deleted. Of particular note are the administrative costs associated with networking. After all, why spend money on efforts that cannot generate an immediate revenue return? more >>
The Dirt on the Green Industry
Oct 01, 2010
For many years, the lawn and landscape industry experienced record growth with phenomenal 10 to 15 percent increases each year in the late 1990s and 2000s. more >>
Cross-Country Plow Services
Sep 01, 2010
It is no secret that the landscape of the snow and ice management industry is changing, whether it is pricing, weather or technology. more >>
Is Anyone Listening?
Jul 01, 2010
Do you “tweet?” Have you been “friended?” What about “linkedin?” If these terms are new to you, welcome to the online world of social networking. more >>
The Next Contracting Revolution
May 01, 2010
Do you feel it? There is a fundamental shift impacting nearly every services-based business in the United States. It is the dawning of the next economic revolution — a return to a product-centric business model that rewards the sale of tangible items and dissuades the continuance of a pure services revenue environment. For the construction contractor, now is the best time to evolve your business model to leverage the next economic cycle. more >>
On the Road to Recovery
Mar 01, 2010
In the medium-duty truck business, the budding question on everyone’s mind is, “When will the market recover?” We’ll get to that, but first, it is important to understand where the market is now, how it got there and what it’s going to take to revive it. more >>
Rental Relief?
Feb 01, 2010
By all accounts, the “Great Recession” ended in 2009. However, that doesn’t mean happy days are here again — at least not yet. The forecast for the equipment rental industry, and for construction in general, calls for continued revenue declines in 2010, but not as severe as in 2009. more >>
2009
Slow Recovery for Commercial Construction
Oct 01, 2009
FMI is one of the largest providers of management consulting and investment banking services to the worldwide construction industry. more >>
Road Conditions
Sep 01, 2009
Thanks to a whole host of factors, production and sales of medium-duty trucks are expected to fall again in 2009, according to ACT Research Co. LLC. In the latest release of the ACT N.A. Commercial Vehicle Outlook more >>
Profiles in Success
Mar 01, 2009
Success is boring. There is no need to run for the exits when someone cries, “Success!” It doesn’t sell newspapers. more >>
Trailer Report 2008
Feb 01, 2009
Like most industries, the trailer industry has been feeling the burden of our current economic conditions. more >>
2008
Finding the Silver Lining
Nov 01, 2008
With a struggling economy making fast, easy credit something of the past and banks refusing to lend to one another, the hopes of a contractor securing credit can be questionable. more >>
Changing Landscapes
Oct 01, 2008
Like the North American economy as a whole, the green industry is faced with numerous public policy hurdles in 2008, including climate change, ethanol, emissions and water usage. more >>
The Winter Forecast
Sep 01, 2008
Managing snow and ice is a challenging industry. The unpredictability of weather makes it difficult to forecast for the future, and as this past winter proved, it is not easy to predict what a new season will bring. more >>
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