ABC: Construction Materials Prices Increase 0.4%

Construction input prices increased 0.4% in March compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 0.4% for the month. Both overall and nonresidential construction input prices are 1.7% higher than a year ago. Prices fell in all three energy subcategories last month. Natural gas prices were down 37%, while unprocessed energy materials and crude petroleum were down 6.9% and 0.8%, respectively.  

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ABC Releases February Construction Spending Data

National nonresidential construction spending declined 1 % in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.179 trillion. Spending was down in a monthly basis in 15 of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending fell 0.9%, while public nonresidential construction spending was down 1.2% in February. “Virtually every nonresidential construction segment experienced a decline in spending in February,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “In certain instances, the monthly decline was sharp, including healthcare (-2.2%), commercial (-1.9%) and water supply (-1.8%). … Read more

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ABC Announces 2024 Top-Performing US Construction Contractors

Associated Builders and Contractors has released its 2024 Top Performers lists that recognize its contractor members’ outstanding achievements in safety, quality, inclusion, project excellence and special designations ranked by number of hours worked. The No. 1 2024 ABC Top Performer by work hours is Turner Industries Group LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; followed by Skanska Building Inc., Franklin, Tennessee; BL Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama; Brown & Root Industrial Services, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Performance Contractors, Baton Rouge. “These top contractors build the nation’s most enduring, innovative, high-quality construction projects, and their leadership teams and employees have thriving, growth-centric mindsets, strategic plans … Read more

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2024 Construction Workforce Shortage Tops Half Million, Says ABC

The construction industry will need to attract an estimated 501,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2024 to meet the demand for labor, according to a proprietary model developed by Associated Builders and Contractors. In 2025, the industry will need to bring in nearly 454,000 new workers on top of normal hiring to meet industry demand, and that’s presuming that construction spending growth slows significantly next year. “ABC estimates that the U.S. construction industry needs to attract about a half-million new workers in 2024 to balance supply and demand,” said Michael Bellaman, ABC president and … Read more

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ABC: Nonresidential Construction Adds Nearly 12,000 Jobs in December

The construction industry added 17,000 jobs on net in December, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has grown by 197,000 jobs, an increase of 2.5%. Last month, nonresidential construction employment increased by 11,900 positions on net, with growth in two of the three subcategories. Nonresidential building added 8,100 positions, while nonresidential specialty trade added 4,300 jobs on net. Heavy and civil engineering lost 500 jobs. The construction unemployment rate fell to 4.4% in December. Unemployment across all industries remained unchanged at 3.7% … Read more

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