Tag: business: Page 31

Business

R.J. Allen made emissions regs work for them and now this California contractor doesn’t chase work

Andrew – or Andy – Allen chuckles when asked how he got his start in construction. “I guess you could say I was born and raised in the company,” he says about the firm his parents founded. Allen started in the company shop, cleaning and maintaining equipment, and then operating it. Although he took some […]

August 11, 2015

Business

POLL: Which Presidential candidate would best run a construction company?

Gridlock prevails in our federal government. The highway bill has been stuck in limbo for five years. There are shutdowns, filibusters, walkouts, unseen procedural trickeration. Spending and deficits are through the roof. If this were a construction company no work would ever get done. What we need is a president who can get things done, […]

August 7, 2015

Business

Construction adds 6,000 jobs in July; unemployment falls to 8-year low

Following a flat June, the U.S. construction industry saw a small increase in employment in July. According to preliminary data from the Labor Department, construction employment rose by 6,000 jobs during the month, most likely due to increased home sales. The industry now employs 6.383 million Americans. The sector’s unemployment rate fell again in July, this time down […]

August 7, 2015

Business

Contractor of the Year contest honors industry’s best; nominations due Oct. 2nd

The Equipment World Contractor of the Year contest is now open for nominations. The program honors 12 finalists each year, sending them and their guests to Las Vegas for a weekend that includes an industry roundtable, focus group, awards banquet and a day at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway watching the NASCAR Kobalt 400. All […]

August 6, 2015

Business

CNH Industrial sales fall 10%, profit plummets in 2Q

CNH’s continued struggles with the global agricultural slowdown continued in the second quarter, compounded by decreased construction equipment sales. The company, manufacturer of the Case Construction and New Holland equipment brands, reported sales and revenues of $7 billion, down 10 percent from the same period in 2014. Profit plummeted 236 percent to $122 million. For the […]

August 4, 2015

Business

Construction spending inches up 0.1% in June

With no change to nonresidential spending, total construction spending in the U.S. saw its smallest gain in five months, according to preliminary estimates from the Commerce Department. The primary fuel for the industry’s huge spending growth in the last year or so has been nonresidential which was flat this month at $687 billion. Residential, meanwhile, […]

August 4, 2015

Construction Equipment

Making sense of the split: Don’t worry about Navistar, but where will Caterpillar find its 15-liter truck engine?

The big news story last week was, of course, Cat and Navistar breaking up. At first brush, given Navistar’s fresh troubles with a brand-new EPA lawsuit, you’d be forgiven for thinking Cat’s move was a sign of more trouble in Lisle, IL. I don’t think that’s the case. Though I focus more on the trucking industry […]

August 3, 2015

Business

Caterpillar’s call for engagement with Cuba more than just a sly business move

Early this week Caterpillar sent out a press release calling for an end to the trade embargo against Cuba. This was in response to President Obama’s easing of sanctions and the announcement of an American embassy to be built in Havana. All of this is good news for Cuba and for us, and it demonstrates […]

July 24, 2015

Business

Caterpillar profits fall 29% in 2Q as company cuts full-year forecast

A continued and severe lack of demand for mining equipment worldwide, coupled with lower construction equipment sales in China and Brazil brought Caterpillar sales and profits down during the second quarter. In earnings released Thursday the company reported a decrease in sales and revenues of 13 percent to $12.3 billion and a 29-percent profit loss […]

July 23, 2015

Business

Volvo CE profit jumps 80% in 2Q thanks to big sales increases in North America

Following two consecutive quarters of large losses, Volvo Construction Equipment saw a huge increase in profit during the second quarter, mainly supported by increased sales in North America. Sales increased to 15.4 billion SEK ($1.8 billion), up 5 percent over 2Q 2014. Meanwhile, profit rocketed upward 80 percent to 1.35 billion SEK ($157 million). RELATED […]

July 20, 2015

Business

Home starts jump 9.8% as apartment construction reaches 28-year high

Thanks to a surge in new apartments, May’s decrease in home construction starts was followed up by a sizable increase in June. Construction on new homes jumped 9.8 percent in June to a rate of 1.174 million, according to preliminary data from the Commerce Department. The rate represents a 26.6-percent increase over June 2014 and the […]

July 17, 2015

Workforce

SSAB University Challenge encourages students to develop innovative applications for high-strength steel

SSAB, a Nordic and U.S.-based steel company, invites students to participate in their University Challenge contest, held in conjunction with the Swedish Steel Prize competition. The contest is an opportunity for students to present their ideas for new, innovative solutions using high-strength steels. To enter, students (groups up to six participants or individuals) can submit a […]

July 15, 2015