Van Deusen Construction Co. has been recognized by GuildQuality as one of the industry’s best remodeling and construction companies in North America. GuildQuality bestowed this honor upon the Van Deusen Construction Co. by presenting it with its 2013 Guildmaster Award for exceptional customer satisfaction. GuildQuality selectively recognizes a limited number of home builders, remodelers, developers and contractors throughout North America for their superlative performance based on the responses received from customer surveys.

The Van Deusen Construction Co. is now a six-time Guildmaster Award winner having previously won the award in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, and 2012.

Jay Van Deusen, responding to questions about his company’s most recent Guildmaster Award, saying, “The GuildMaster Award is our ultimate report card as it reflects our customer’s inner-most thoughts and opinions about our commitment to service and quality. Daily, we work extremely hard to improve all aspects of our business while promising over-delivery for our customers. My heartfelt thanks goes-out to the men and women on the Van Deusen Construction team; their unbelievable competency, work ethic and character make these special recognitions possible. We are thankful to GuildQuality for recognizing us as one of the best in the industry.”

GuildQuality, an independent customer satisfaction surveying company, has powered the Guildmaster Award since 2005 to celebrate service excellence in the building, remodeling, contracting, and home services professions. Two primary metrics are considered for each candidate: the percentage of customers who would recommend their services and the percentage of customers who responded. Van Deusen Construction achieved a recommendation rate of greater than 90% from their customers, who were surveyed through GuildQuality.

Jay Van Deusen (pictured above) is the president of Van Deusen Construction Co., an award-winning, full service, design-build remodeling firm based in Bel Air, Maryland. The Van Deusen Construction Co. specializes in the design, remodeling and renovation of existing residential and light commercial properties (www.remodelmaryland.com). The construction company has been a fixture in Maryland’s Baltimore, Harford and Cecil Counties for 25 years. In addition to owning and operating the Van Deusen Construction Co., Van Deusen also owns and operates Rainbow International of Northeast Maryland. Learn more about the cleaning and restoration service at www.rainbowintl.com/belair.

On the occasion of World Trade Week, the Diesel Technology Forum today highlighted the importance of diesel engines, fuels and equipment in global commerce and international trade. 

“Diesel technology powers the global economy, and it so happens that the U.S. is a leader in the manufacturing of the new generation of clean diesel technology. Altogether, diesel product and fuel exports represented $46.2 billion of U.S. exports, according to a recent study by California-based Aspen Environmental and M-Cubed. Most notably, diesel technology has an export-to-value ratio that is five times higher than the national average,” said Allen Schaeffer, the executive director of the Diesel Technology Forum.

“The U.S. exports a significant amount of high-value diesel products and fuels; taken together these commodities represent 4.4 percent of $1.06 trillion dollars in exports. Refineries account for the largest proportion of diesel-related exports, at $9.5 billion. U.S. vehicle and equipment manufacturing has resulted in strong U.S. export figures from other diesel industry segments including truck manufacturing [$9.1 billion, or 36 percent of total production] and construction equipment [$7.8 billion or 18 percent of production].

“Diesel engine manufacturing is particularly notable, accounting for $6.9 billion in exports [22 percent of production], and nearly one in four diesel engines made in the U.S. were destined for export.

 

“America’s clean diesel technology is the very kind of reliable, durable, energy efficient, and low‐emissions products that are highly-valued exports increasingly in demand around the world.  From diesel-powered generators that provide critical electrical power to farm tractors and equipment that enable greater food production and productivity with less fuel, to construction machines and equipment that build and maintain the critical transportation and utilities infrastructure, diesel technology is at work, making progress possible around the globe.

“Diesel is one our nation’s greatest environmental and economic success stories. By using the world’s cleanest diesel fuel, making engines that have near zero emissions and increased fuel efficiency, and renewable fuel capability, diesel engines and equipment are now well positioned as a technology of the future and will continue to play a vital role not only in growing our core domestic economy in the U.S., but enabling progress and improving the quality of life in developing countries around the globe.  

The United Nations Environment Programme has noticed the impressive emission reduction achievements made from the introduction of clean diesel fuel and emission reduction technologies here in the U.S. and is working to introduce these technologies to markets around the globe.  “The first step on the path to a global clean diesel future is the availability of low sulfur diesel,” said Schaeffer.  “In fact, the U.S. is now a net exporter of ultra-low sulfur diesel sending over 262 million barrels of clean fuel abroad in 2012 and sparking new demand for engines and emission reduction technologies made in the U.S.”  

Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. has announced that the U.S. Acting Secretary of Commerce, Rebecca Blank, presented the company with the President's "E" Award for Exports at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.  The “E” Awards are the highest recognition any U.S. entity may receive for making a significant contribution to the expansion of U.S. exports.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious award as exports are a core component of our global growth strategy, which focuses on expanding the reach of our leading arc welding and cutting solutions to customers worldwide,” said Christopher L. Mapes, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lincoln Electric. “Today, we export to 123 countries, which allows us to not only preserve, but expand our local work force while meeting the rising demand for our solutions.”

“I am delighted to be recognizing this year's Presidential ‘E’ Award winners for their outstanding contributions to U.S. exports and congratulate Lincoln Electric on its outstanding export achievement,” said Acting Secretary Blank. “It is businesses like Lincoln Electric that are strengthening the economies of local communities, creating jobs and contributing to the worldwide demand for 'Made in the USA' goods and services.”

John Deere just announced the launch of the GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program to offer benefits to devoted customers. The industry-exclusive program is designed to reward loyal John Deere customers and help them manage their equipment more easily and cost-effectively.
 
“We are fortunate to have many loyal customers, so it’s only right that we pay them back for their commitment with the most comprehensive rewards program in the industry,” said Steve Wilhelmi, tactical marketing manager for John Deere Commercial Mowing. “The GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program offers discounts, financing and exclusive offers that will help our customers manage their costs and receive extra benefits. It's our way of saying thank you for your business.”
 
The new GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program is offered exclusively to John Deere customers who purchase at least two qualified John Deere products.

As GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards program members, customers are entitled to a number of benefits, including discounts, incentives, financing and promotions.

• Discounts -- Members get discounts on a variety of John Deere equipment, including commercial mowers, utility vehicles, compact tractors, garden tractors, and commercial worksite products. Discounts are scaled by how many units a customer purchases in a two-year period. All GreenFleet members also get a 10 percent discount off parts and workshop products.
• John Deere Landscapes -- GreenFleet members who are also John Deere Landscapes customers will receive offers on landscape supplies like irrigation, lighting, nursery and other materials.
• Financing -- Through John Deere Financial, GreenFleet members receive access to preferred financing offers, like low-rate financing, leasing options, payment plans and equipment insurance.
• Exclusive benefits -- As GreenFleet members, customers will receive regular email offers, such as John Deere attachments discounts, John Deere Gifts coupons and preferred partner discounts.

Customers who purchase at least two machines are automatically enrolled in the program and will receive program benefits for two years. To stay enrolled, customers must purchase at least two machines every two years. To find out more about GreenFleet Loyalty Rewards, visit a John Deere Commercial Mowing dealer, or visit www.johndeere.com/greenfleet.

Daedong Industrial Company LTD., a leader in global agricultural manufacturing and owner of the KIOTI tractor and UTV brands in America, celebrated 66 years of driving clean technologies on May 20. The anniversary comes one month after their newly launched Tier 4 ECO Engine was EPA certified, making Daedong Industrial the first South Korean Tier IV engine manufacturer to receive the certification.

Daedong Industrial has been a leader in the modernization of the agricultural industry -- from producing the first cultivating machine to new environmentally friendly diesel engines. The company is now a global enterprise, comprising local corporations in the United States, China and Europe. Daedong Industrial’s export brand, KIOTI, has revolutionized the tractor market in the United States, continuing the company’s tradition of supplying customers with the best products and service.

“We take pride in the milestones we’ve crossed since 1947, and today our technology powers countless customers in the agricultural industry,” said J.S. Kim, chairman, Daedong-USA, Inc. and vice chairman, Daedong Industrial Co. LTD. “We strive to continue to serve our customers and lead the industry with our clean, efficient machinery.”

The Daedong Research and Development Center continues to expand its products to meet the changing needs of customers, including the launch of the Daedong Tier 4 ECO Engine. This engine meets the new Tier IV regulations, which restrict PM (Particulate Matter) emissions to 10 percent less than current standards. In the new Tier 4 ECO Engine, application of the electronically controlled high pressure fuel injection system increases 20 percent output and improves fuel efficiency by more than 20 percent compared with existing engines.

Daedong Industrial will supply these engines in the company’s tractors and to manufacturers of construction machineries, commercial equipment, generators and freezers. In the future, the company plans to extend its field of research through the development of more environmentally friendly diesel engines and new products. For up-to-date product and company information, please visit www.daedong.co.kr/.

2013 is looking like a great year for equipment rental. The equipment rental industry in the United States is expected to generate $33.6 billion in revenue in 2013, according to the American Rental Association’s (ARA) latest forecast from the ARA Rental Market Monitor updated in May. This figure represents a 7.3 percent increase over 2012 with revenue growth reaching 7.9 percent in the fourth quarter according to the latest quarterly forecast.

In the U.S., the construction market and consumer spending are expected to be the most important drivers of growth of the equipment rental market in 2013. “The U.S. equipment rental market is expected to continue its upward trajectory and show significant growth through 2017. Strong growth in real residential construction through 2015 will fuel the construction and industrial equipment segment, which is projected to grow 9.8 percent in 2014 and 11.8 percent in 2015,” according to the U.S. economic analysis from the ARA Rental Market Monitor.

In Canada, the equipment rental industry is forecast to generate nearly $4.6 billion in revenue in 2013, a 3.1 percent increase. In total for North America, equipment rental revenues in 2013 are expected to reach $38.2 billion.

By the end of the current five-year forecast in 2017, North American equipment rental revenue is expected to surpass $50 billion to reach $51.6 billion, with U.S. rental revenue at $46.3 billion and rental revenue in Canada at $5.3 billion.

“The industry continues to build customer demand, which drives the growth of the equipment rental industry,” said Christine Wehrman, ARA’s executive vice president and CEO. “Listening to ARA members from around the country and looking at the forecast of IHS Global Insight, there is unlimited potential for the equipment rental industry.”

“Rental has grown during the anemic economic recovery through increased penetration. As industrial and construction markets continue to improve, rental will see further growth from a larger share of the equipment market, leading to double-digit revenue gains by 2014,” said Scott Hazelton, a senior partner with IHS Global insight, which compiles data and analyses for the ARA Rental Market Monitor.

The ARA Rental Market Monitor is a subscription-based service for American Rental Association (ARA) members provided by ARA and Rental Management as part of a partnership with ISH Global Insight, one of the world’s most respected economic forecasting firms based in Lexington, Mass.

The construction fatality rate is declining faster in Texas than most other states according to a new analysis of federal safety data conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the state's construction fatality and injury rates have declined, as many contractors have spent much of the past decade focusing on improving workplace safety.

“While none of our members will be happy until there are zero injuries and zero fatalities on construction sites, the steps our firms are taking in Texas to improve construction safety are working,” said Brian Turmail, the national association’s spokesperson. “When you work next to heavy machinery in tight quarters - erecting structures and building roads and bridges -- making sure workers are safe is essential.”

Turmail said that Texas went from having a construction fatality rate in 2008 (the earliest year such data is available) of 13.1 deaths per 100,000 workers to having a fatality rate of 9.7 in 2011 (the most recent year such data is available). The state’s 26 percent decline in fatality rate was the eighth largest drop compared to the 41 states and the District of Columbia where the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks fatality rates. Texas went from having the 32nd highest fatality rate in 2008 to the 20th, Turmail added.

Meanwhile, Texas contractors have successfully reduced the construction injury rate by 36 percent between 2003 and 2011 (the earliest and most recent years such data is available), from 4.4 injuries per 100 workers to 2.8. The state now has the seventh lowest construction injury rate among the 41 states and the District of Columbia were similar data is still available, Turmail added.

Turmail announced the new safety data during a visit to a Houston construction site participating in a statewide halt in construction activity, known as a Safety Stand Down, so contractors can provide additional safety training for their workers. The association spokesman said that one of the reasons for the decline in construction and fatality rates is that many construction firms in Texas have worked hard to improve workplace safety, noting that today was the 10th anniversary of the statewide Safety Stand Downs.

He added that many firms and local association chapters in Texas have created new safety programs focused on reducing the risk of falling on the job site, getting struck by moving equipment, and succumbing to dehydration and heat exhaustion during the state's long, hot summers. Also, he added, many firms and chapters have brought on new staff whose main focus is ensuring construction sites are safe and crews are using safety gear properly.

Despite the improving safety trends, Turmail said his association and its member firms will continue to hold Safety Stand Downs, offer safety training and partner with agencies like the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) to find new ways to improve safety.

“This is Texas and we can do even better when it comes to the fatality rate and the injury rate for construction,” Turmail said.

Click here to see the state construction fatality data. Click here to see the state construction injury data.

Volvo Rents, a worldwide provider of small-to-medium sized construction equipment, has opened a new rental center in Selma, Texas. This is the latest move in the company’s continued expansion of its Texas rental business portfolio, increasing its statewide total to 12 rental centers. It also comes on the heels of a recent report by the Associated General Contractors of America that says Texas leads the nation in the increase of construction jobs.

“Despite a recession that has been challenging for all those in the construction industry, we’ve remained confident in our brand and invested in our future,” said Mike Crouch, vice president of Business Development for Volvo Rents. “We’ve been quietly growing our business in Texas throughout the downturn and look forward to playing an integral part in the state’s economic recovery.”

In addition to Volvo Rents’ expanding line of Volvo compact equipment -- such as backhoe and skid steer loaders, compact wheel loaders, compact excavators and compaction equipment -- the rental center carries a comprehensive line of essential equipment and tools for the construction, commercial, industrial and homeowner markets. The focus is on daily, weekly and monthly rentals. Located at 9492 Corporate Drive, the new store is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. 24-hour service is also available every day of the week.

Volvo Rents, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volvo Group, operates more than 130 rental stores in North America. The company operates a network of company-owned rental stores and franchised rental stores in North America. Each of the North American rental centers offers a comprehensive line of essential equipment for the construction, commercial and industrial markets, as well as an extensive line of Volvo compact excavators, compactors, wheel loaders, backhoe loaders, compaction equipment, and skid steer loaders. For more information, visit www.volvorents.com.

Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes improved three points to a 44 reading on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) for May. This gain, from a downwardly revised 41 in April, reflected improvement in all three index components -- current sales conditions, sales expectations and traffic of prospective buyers.

“Builders are noting an increased sense of urgency among potential buyers as a result of thinning inventories of homes for sale, continuing affordable mortgage rates and strengthening local economies,” noted National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Chairman Rick Judson, a home builder from Charlotte, N.C. “This is definitely an encouraging sign even amidst rising challenges with regard to the cost and availability of building materials, lots and labor.”

“While industry supply chains will take time to re-establish themselves following recession-related cutbacks, builders’ views of current sales conditions have improved and expectations for the future remain quite strong as consumers head back to the market in force,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.

Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for 25 years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,” “average” or “low to very low.” Scores for each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

All three HMI components posted gains in May. The index gauging current sales conditions increased four points to 48, while the index gauging expectations for future sales edged up a single point to 53 – its highest level since February of 2007. The index gauging traffic of prospective buyers gained three points to 33.

Looking at the three-month moving averages for regional HMI scores, no movement was recorded in the Northeast, Midwest or South, which held unchanged at 37, 45 and 42, respectively. Only the West recorded a decline, of six points to 49 in May.

Editor’s Note: The NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index is strictly the product of NAHB Economics, and is not seen or influenced by any outside party prior to being released to the public. HMI tables can be found at nahb.org/hmi. More information on housing statistics is also available at housingeconomics.com.

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would create a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority, a key development in addressing America’s trillion-dollar water infrastructure challenge. A WIFIA pilot program is included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2013 (S. 601), which passed by a vote of 83-14. It now moves on to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

The American Water Works Association, which developed the WIFIA concept, called WIFIA’s passage a “huge step forward” for water consumers and urged broad support as the legislation heads to the House.

“Today’s approval of WIFIA by the U.S. Senate represents a huge step forward in confronting America’s water infrastructure challenge,” said AWWA Executive Director David LaFrance. “WIFIA would repair more critical water infrastructure at a lower cost to our communities. With so many of our nation’s water pipes in need of replacement, WIFIA will benefit everyone who receives a water bill.

“We are delighted to see the Senate take the bill to final passage,” LaFrance added. “We commend Sen. Barbara Boxer and Sen. David Vitter for working together in a bipartisan manner on this critical legislation. Now our commitment turns to the House, in the hopes the chamber will pass a similar bill this year.

Boxer, D-Calif., is chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Vitter, R-La., is the ranking Republican. A key part of WIFIA’s success was AWWA’s partnership with the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies and the Water Environment Federation in taking the concept to Capitol Hill. S. 601 will likely be referred to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

AWWA in 2012 published a comprehensive water infrastructure report titled “Buried No Longer: Confronting America’s Water Infrastructure Challenge,” demonstrating that more than $1 trillion will be required over the next 25 years to repair and expand existing drinking water infrastructure. The report noted that local utility customers will bear the cost of renewal through higher water rates, but that “states and the federal government can help with a careful and cost-effective program that lowers the cost of necessary investments to our communities, such as the creation of a credit support program -- for example, AWWA’s proposed Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority.”

Learn more about WIFIA.