Tag: business: Page 48

Sales slump in China offsets gains elsewhere as Volvo CE operating income falls 43% in 2Q

After kicking the year off with a sales boost and 29-percent increase in operating income during the first quarter, things cooled off considerably for Volvo Construction Equipment during the second quarter. Volvo CE saw slumping demand for equipment in China hurt its bottom line considerably with a 43-percent year-over-year decrease in operating income to $109.5 […]

July 21, 2014

volvo_logo2006_lg

Building the future of your construction company: Matching tech-savvy, young employees in a mentorship with seasoned crew members

When I listen to contractors tell me how they first became involved in construction—usually a tale of early exposure and family tradition—it has hit me that what this industry needs is a corporate adoption program. But as the chances of our own Orphan Train Movement are slim, the best option we’ve got is growing the […]

July 18, 2014

shutterstock_65375929

Home starts fall 9.3% to 9-month low in June, but builder confidence is on the rise

After gains in Spring jumpstarted what many hoped would be a high-activity construction season following a harsh winter, construction on new homes in the U.S. was down for the second consecutive month in June. Home starts fell 9.3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 893,000—the lowest pace in nine months. The Commerce […]

July 17, 2014

houseUntitled-1

4 tips for developing a health and wellness program at your construction firm (and why you should)

Construction company owners are in a unique position when it comes to assessing and helping their employees manage their health and wellness. Construction is difficult, demanding work, and having employees at the top of their game both mentally and physically is crucial. The firms are also often small enough for company owners to be able […]

July 16, 2014

Granite Construction names Christopher Miller executive VP and COO

Christopher S. MIller is Granite Construction’s new executive vice president and chief operating officer, effective August 4th. Reporting to James H. Roberts, president and chief executive officer, Miller will oversee Granite’s day-to-day operations. MIller comes to Granite with executive experience at CH2M Hill, serving in the position of managing director, global operations and president of […]

July 16, 2014

Dire States hits the road to drum up support for Texas highway construction initiative

Nearly 180 years ago the toughest hombres ever to ride a horse and carry a rifle blazed a trail across Texas, conquering impossible odds to turn that hardscrabble land into one of the country’s most prosperous states. Today, if there are any hombres left, they’re probably stuck in traffic. One person who is helping build […]

July 15, 2014

The Dire States Texas Team, from left, includes: Lawrence Olsen (Texas Good Roads), Kirby Carpenter (ASCO Equipment), Dan McNichol, Brax Wright (ASCO Equipment), John Wright, (ASCO Equipment), Ryan Gilliam (CASE Construction Equipment), Brian Weisbaum (CASE Construction Equipment).

STEM graduates are finding a weak job market. Why that could be a big opportunity to fix construction’s skilled labor woes

A recent article at Business Insider revealed an odd wrinkle in the job market. According to Census Bureau statistics, less than half the college graduates with STEM degrees (science, technology, engineering and math) find jobs in STEM related fields. This wouldn’t be surprising except for the fact that so many people bleat on like a […]

July 11, 2014

construction education

House panel’s proposed $10.5 billion stopgap for highway funding meets disapproval of Senators, AEM

The House Ways and Means Committee has proposed a stopgap to fund transportation projects for eight months, but Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.) are opposing the plan. According to a report from The Hill, the Ways and Means Committee have proposed a $10.5 billion, eight-month funding bill that would extend transportation funding […]

July 10, 2014

White House, transportation leaders push Congress to find a long-term highway funding solution sooner rather than later

The White House, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and several industry associations are urging Congress to find a highway funding solution before the primary source of money, the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), becomes insolvent. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) projects that insolvency to occur by the end of August. White House press secretary Josh Earnest […]

July 9, 2014

The White House

Alabama deploys $28 million for small business growth

If you’re a small business in Alabama, you could get some support from the U.S. Treasury Department to help grow your business. The U.S. Treasury Department’s State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) has released a quarterly report that shows Alabama has “deployed” more than $28 million to grow small businesses and that Alabama is a […]

July 4, 2014

small_biz_loan-Better-Roads

Construction adds 6,000 jobs in June as industry retains grip on highest employment in 5 years

For six straight months, the U.S. construction industry has added jobs and held tight to its highest employment figures in five years. However, there have been signs of slipping as growth of its workforce slowed considerably in May and fell off even more in June. During June the industry added 6,000, compared to May’s revised number […]

July 3, 2014

shutterstock_55365469

If you don’t know how to build a house, how can you build a country?

Last week the New York Times ran a story lamenting the loss of quality and craftsmanship in houses built today. The author also linked that questionable observation (with cringe-worthy logic) to the declining quality of our infrastructure. It’s not a new complaint. But the ignorance of the writer and the editors on what constitutes a […]

July 2, 2014

Page 48 of 77