Drop in residential brings down U.S. construction spending 1.7%
Spending on construction in the United States fell 1.7 percent in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.284 trillion, according to data from the Commerce Department.
Despite the monthly drop, U.S. construction spending remained up 3.6 percent over the March 2017 rate.
The main contributor to the overall drop in spending was a 3.5-percent drop in spending on home construction. Spending among private home builders fell 3.5 percent to a rate of $536 billion in March. Spending on single-family home construction fell 0.4 percent to $283.5 billion, but remains up 9.7 percent over the year-ago rate. Spending on multi-family structures like apartments however fell for a third consecutive month, dipping 2.7 percent to a rate of $59 billion. Multi-family spending is now 8.2 percent below the March 2017 rate.\
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Barko adds Morin Diesel of Conn. to U.S. dealer network
Morin Diesel is the latest addition to Barko Hydraulics’ U.S. dealer network. Barko says the Portland, Connecticut-based Morin will handle distribution of land clearing equipment to the northeast part of the country.
Barko says Morin will sell, rent and service Barko industrial wheeled tractors for states throughout the Northeast, from Pennsylvania and Maryland up through New England. Morin will also sell back of cab loaders and other Barko product lines in the immediate vicinity of the dealer’s new, 14,000-square-foot facility in Portland.
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ASV adds RGW Equipment of Calif. to its dealer network
ASV Inc., the Grand Rapids, Minnesota, manufacturer of compact track loaders and skid steers, has widened its reach by adding a California dealer, RGW Equipment.
Based in Livermore, California, RGW will offer all ASV Posi-Track compact track loaders, which the company says features best-in-class rated operating capacity, cooling systems and hydraulic efficiency.
Among those machines are the new RT-40, an industry-leading small-frame CTL, the new VT-70, ASV’s first mid-frame vertical lift model, and the RT-120 Forestry, the industry’s most powerful CTL.
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Terex Utilities building new plant on 55 acres in South Dakota
Terex Utilities plans to consolidate its Watertown, South Dakota, manufacturing operations into one new facility on 55 acres where it will house assembly, fiberglass, paint and installation operations for its aerial devices, digger derricks and auger drills.
Currently, these operations are spread among 10 locations in the area, having been added over the years. The plant will eventually bring all of those operations under one roof.
Terex says the new plant, to be completed by the end of 2019, will allow the company to increase production and make operations more efficient and faster, as well as provide a better workplace for employees.
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Nikola suing Tesla over alleged electric semi truck patent infringement
Nikola Motor Company filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Tesla Inc., alleging the electric-car company infringed on several of its Class 8 truck design patents.
The hydrogen-electric truck startup claims Tesla’s Semi – set for production next year – violates Nikola patents for the truck’s fuselage design, mid-entry door and wrap-around windshield.
“The Tesla Semi design is substantially similar to Nikola’s unique design, and Tesla copied Nikola’s patents,” the filing claims.
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