Bobcat Skid-Steer Loader Inventors Cyril and Louis Keller Named 2023 NIHF Inductees

  • Posted on

Cyril Keller and Louis Keller will be posthumously honored as part of the 50th class of National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees. Brothers Cyril and Louis Keller played a key role in launching the compact equipment industry in the late 1950s and early 1960s with their invention of the world’s first compact loader, which became the Bobcat skid-steer loader. In partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, NIHF will honor inductees on Oct. 26, 2023 at “The Greatest Celebration of American Innovation.” The event also will celebrate the 50th anniversary of NIHF’s founding in 1973, when Thomas Edison … Read more

Filed under: NewsTagged with:

Western Specialty Contractors Restores Pedestrian Bridge Connecting Minneapolis Parking Structure, Office Building

  • Posted on

Western Specialty Contractors contracted with S and S Development to restore a damaged pedestrian bridge connecting the four-story Ridgedale Office Center to its parking structure in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Years of severe winter weather had deteriorated the concrete bridge, and ultimately the collision of a horse trailer into the structure prompted its immediate repair. Western worked directly with engineering firm Walker Consultants to design a replacement bridge railing system and estimate the repair work. The scope of work included: Removing the bridge’s old steel railing system on all sides Replacing the outer concrete edge Opening the precast plank’s outer core After … Read more

Filed under: ProjectsTagged with:

Common Ground Alliance’s Damage Prevention Institute Acquires Gold Shovel Association, Welcomes New Participants

  • Posted on

Common Ground Alliance has completed its acquisition of the Gold Shovel Association. CGA welcomes former GSA members to the association and as participants in its new arm, the Damage Prevention Institute. The Damage Prevention Institute will address systemic inefficiencies in the damage prevention industry by developing performance metrics for all stakeholders that reflect adherence to CGA’s best practices and a commitment to reducing damages to buried infrastructure. Building upon CGA’s foundational Damage Information Reporting Tool data and GSA’s metrics development, the DPI will focus on evaluating the performance of each stakeholder group engaged in the damage prevention process through a … Read more

Filed under: NewsTagged with: , , ,

Construction Firms Look to Public Sector Demand in 2023; 69% of Firms Plan to Hire, Says AGC

  • Posted on

A new industry outlook survey from The Associated General Contractors of America and Sage shows contractors expect infrastructure and other public-sector funding will help as growth slows for many types of private construction. Labor shortages and supply chain issues persist. Construction contractors are less optimistic about many private-sector segments than they were a year ago, but their expectations for the public sector market have remained relatively bullish. The findings are detailed in High Hopes for Public Sector Funding Amid Workforce and Supply Chain Challenges: The 2023 Construction Hiring & Business Outlook. “Contractors are optimistic about the construction outlook for 2023, yet … Read more

Filed under: Economic NewsTagged with: ,

Nonresidential Construction Spending Increases 1%, Says ABC

  • Posted on

National nonresidential construction spending grew .9% in November, 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 $930.1 billion for the month. Spending was up on a monthly basis in nine of the 16 nonresidential subcategories. Private nonresidential spending was up 1.7%, while public nonresidential construction spending was down .1% in November.

Filed under: Economic NewsTagged with: