What worries contractors?

What keeps construction contractors up at night? The cost of materials; energy and fuel costs; and taxes. Those are the topics listed as their three leading business issues in a survey by the IPA Small Business Research Board. The cost of materials was described by 25% of the participants as the leading concern (the same as the previous period), 15% named energy and fuel as a leading issue -- an increase from 3% of the respondents in the organization's May 2006 report. Taxes were listed by 14% as the leading issue. Your comment?

Fatality #22

Metal/Nonmetal mine fatality #22 occured on October 10, at a Sand & Gravel operation, American Aggregates of Michigan, Inc. - Oxford Plant. A 45-year old dredge operator, with 9 years experience, was drowned when the floating clamshell dredge he was operating capsized. Your comment?

Cementing the future

Led by an expected 8.5% growth in China, world-wide portland cement consumption will increase 5.6% this year followed by a rise of 5.5% in 2007--an average of nearly 130 million metric tons annually--according to a new forecast by the Portland Cement Association (PCA).

The report cites growth conditions in the developing world, particularly China, as playing a critical role in consumption trends. Roughly 20% of cement consumption growth will occur outside of China and the industrialized world, mostly in other Asian countries, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South America.

"While the major developed economies like the U.S. and Western Europe have generally performed well," PCA Chief Economist Ed Sullivan said, "world economic growth has been characterized by buoyant growth outside these industrial countries."

Sullivan predicts the world economy will increase 3.2% in 2006, with a 2.9% increase expected in 2007. Growth in cement consumption is expected to be in par with estimates for planned capacity expansions and paralleling usage, most expansions and plant updates will occur in China. Your comment?

It's getting cold

I don't know about where you live, but in Cleveland, it's getting cold. MSHA kicks off its 2006 Winter Alert campaign this week reminding mine operators and miners to increase awareness about the hazards that lead to fatal accidents in both underground and surface mines due to the onset of colder weather. MSHA’s statistics show that most explosions in coal mines occur during winter months. “Safety principles should be followed year-round, but miners and mine operators must be more vigilant to safety precautions during wintertime when the weather increases the risk of fatal accidents,” said Richard Stickler, new assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “As the temperature drops, miners must be aware of how cold weather effects working environments.” Your comment?

Bush appoints Stickler

President Bush today appointed Richard Stickler of West Virginia to head MSHA, and replace acting Assistant Secretary David Dye. The Assistant Secretary's position has been vacant since November 2004. Stickler was previously nominated, but his nomination was opposed in by many in Congress. Your comment?

Lafarge goes to Chicago

Lafarge just mad its next move. The company has acquired Western Sand and Gravel, Inc.; Aux Sable Stone, LLC; Utica Stone, Inc.; and Conco Western Stone, Inc. located in the greater Chicago area and North Central Illinois. The acquired operations consist of one aggregate mine, two quarries, two sand and gravel facilities, and a dock on the Illinois River. The businesses will be consolidated into Lafarge's existing aggregates operations in Chicago. "This transaction marks Lafarge's second acquisition in the greater Chicago market in 2006. We welcome our new employees and look forward to continuing to provide high quality products and services to our new and existing customers," said Ken MacLean, president of the company's eastern U.S. aggregate, concrete and asphalt operations. Your comment?

Construction up, homes down

The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during August 2006 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,200.7 billion, 0.3 percent above the revised July estimate of $1,196.8 billion. The August figure is 4.4 percent above the August 2005 estimate of $1,150.3 billion. During the first 8 months of this year, construction spending amounted to $793.2 billion, 7.2 percent above the $739.9 billion for the same period in 2005. Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $929.1 billion, 0.1 percent above the revised July estimate of $927.9 billion. Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $617.0 billion in August, 1.5 percent below the revised July estimate of $626.2 billion. Nonresidential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $312.0 billion in August, 3.4 percent above the revised July estimate of $301.7 billion. In August, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $271.6 billion, 1.1 percent above the revised July estimate of $268.8 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $70.7 billion, 0.7 percent above the revised July estimate of $70.2 billion. Highway construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $77.9 billion, 0.4 percent above the revised July estimate of $77.6 billion. Your comment?