Overall, construction materials prices fell 0.5 percent in November and are up 1.1 percent year over year, according to the Department of Labor's Dec. 13 Producer Price Index. Nonresidential construction materials are down 0.6 percent for the month and are 0.7 percent lower than the same time last year. “November represented another month of remarkable stability for construction input prices,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Although many investors predicted significant inflation this year due to expansionary monetary policies in much of the developed world, there continues to be a lack of significant inflationary pressures both globally … Read more

A dozen product committees and councils gathered to discuss industry standards and regulatory issues during the Construction Equipment Standards and Regulations Committee meeting Nov. 19-20 in Schiller Park, Ill.  AEM provided member company representatives with crucial information on a proposed rule that could adversely affect the design and application of many construction equipment products. Members of AEM's Construction Equipment Standards & Regulations Committee heard from Henry Chajet, a partner with Jackson Lewis LLP, on the potential implications of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration's proposed crystalline silica exposure rule. According to OSHA, about 2.2 million workers are exposed to “respirable” … Read more