Tag: Construction Materials: Page 4

Roadbuilding

Lafarge, Holcim merger granted by FTC on condition of divestitures

The massive merger of Holcim and Lafarge got the go-ahead from the Federal Trade Commission Monday, but not before the two cement giants had to agree to divest several assets in North America. The FTC announced that the merger, would harm competition in the U.S. if the two companies didn’t drop some of their investments in 12 […]

May 7, 2015

Business

Material Tracker site matches contractors for receiving construction materials or dumping excess

In its sales pitch, Material Tracker makes a scary-good point: “Unknowingly, you may have driven past a dump site that could help save time, fuel costs and make more money.” Having too much or too little material on construction sites has just been a harsh reality of the business. Now, it’s just one more cost the […]

May 1, 2015

Business

Lafarge, Holcim tap Olsen as CEO, effective when the companies merge

In a move the company hopes will please jittery shareholders, the Lafarge and Holcim boards of directors announced the appointment of Eric Olsen as the future CEO of the merged companies. Olsen is currently executive vice president of operations at Lafarge. He has dual American and French citizenship and has extensive international experience, as well as experience […]

April 10, 2015

Business

Holcim shareholders threaten merger plans with Lafarge…again

Shares in Lafarge fell by approximately 2 percent Monday after two Holcim shareholders voiced their discontent with the revised merger terms that were put in place on March 20 to make Holcim shareholders happy and keep the merger moving forward. According to a report from Reuters, Russian businessman Filaret Galchev, Holcim’s second-largest shareholder who owns a […]

March 31, 2015

Roadbuilding

Holcim-Lafarge merger back on track

The short-lived hold on the Holcim-Lafarge merger has ended, with the cement companies jointly stating they have “reached an agreement on revised terms for the merger of equals between both companies.” Holcim previously delayed the merger due to a disagreement of terms on the deal. The companies now expect it to close in July 2015 after […]

March 25, 2015

Roadbuilding

Holcim board delays Lafarge merger over terms

Holcim’s board of directors has determined that its merger with Lafarge will be delayed due to a disagreement of terms on the deal. The merger was announced last year. In a statement, Holcim said the agenda for its upcoming annual general meeting will only focus on direct Holcim business and not the merger. “Holcim Board […]

March 18, 2015

Business

The LA Sheriff’s Dept. melted thousands of guns to recycle them as road construction material

Thousands of handguns, rifles and other weapons have been destroyed to eventually be used in construction of roads and bridges. Nearly 5,000 weapons were melted and converted into steel rebar as part of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s 21st annual Gun Melt event. More than 178,000 weapons have been destroyed as part of the event […]

August 28, 2014

Roadbuilding

Prices of construction materials on the rise

Overall prices of construction materials are on the rise according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Labor. Prices increased by 0.1 percent in June and are up 1.9 percent from one year ago. “Prices for inputs to construction industries have now risen in five of the year’s first six months,” said Associated […]

July 29, 2014

Business

Construction worker’s detective work IDs jobsite bandit, recovers his company’s lost material

After a thief made his way onto Murfreesboro, Tennessee jobsite for an elementary school and then made off with between $6,000 and $8,000 worth of metal roofing, JWC Specialties project superintendent Jason Johnson decided to put in a bit of overtime. Telling WSMV TV that he knew reordering the materials would put he and coworkers […]

June 9, 2014

Business

PCA chief economist Sullivan continues optimistic forecast; 8% cement consumption growth in 2014

Echoing his forecast at last year’s event—where he passed out sunglasses —during the first morning of World of Concrete 2014 Ed Sullivan, PCA chief economist, said that the conditions going into 2014 shore up his prediction for a “probably conservative” 8 percent growth in cement consumption. Underlying factors supporting this forecast include steady and increasing job […]

January 20, 2014

Business

Is green building movement enough to revive use of heavy timber for framing in construction?

“Green building” and the aim to reduce carbon emissions in the construction of a building are fine goals. But is this growing movement among architects and designers really enough to bring back the use of heavy timber for framing taller buildings? After all, timber hasn’t been used consistently for framing since concrete and steel rose […]

September 23, 2013

Construction Equipment

Artist sculpts 12-ton “Phoenix” from construction debris

Artist Xu Bing spent 20 years away from his homeland of China, living and working in New York City. However, when he returned, the China he found was completely transformed. Urban landscapes had appeared with gleaming skylines, symbols of the country’s rapid industrial and socioeconomic evolution. Bing decided to visit a construction site to see […]

August 5, 2013