Exports of U.S.-made construction equipment ended 2014 with a 13.2 percent drop compared to 2013, with a total $17.26 billion shipped to global markets. U.S. exports fell to all world regions for 2014. Business to Europe, South America and Australia/Oceania was the hardest hit, according to the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, citing U.S. Department of Commerce data it uses in global markets reports for members. Exports by World RegionYear-end 2014 U.S. construction equipment exports by major world regions compared to year-end 2013: Canada dropped 2 percent, for a total $6.66 billion South America declined 28.3 percent, for a total $2.57 … Read more

Construction charity organization AGC Charities, Inc. is partnering with Desarrollos Metropolitanos and other local firms to rebuild the home of a partially wheelchair-bound Army veteran whose house was looted, forcing him to live in a backyard shack. As part of the charitable organization’s annual Operation Opening Doors effort, many construction firms are donating time, expertise and money to rebuild the home of Jose Quinonez. Quinonez served in the U.S. Army for over three decades and saw combat with the Special Forces in Vietnam, Somalia and Iraq. “The least we can do is make sure this decorated combat veteran can enjoy … Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association's Monthly Leasing and Finance Index, which reports economic activity from 25 companies representing a cross section of the $903-billion equipment finance sector, showed their overall new business volume for January was $6.7 billion, up 12 percent from new business volume in January 2014. Volume was down 48 percent from December, following the typical end-of-quarter, end-of-year spike in new business activity.   Receivables over 30 days were 1.1 percent, up slightly from 1 percent the previous month and from 1 percent the same period in 2014.   Charge-offs were unchanged for the … Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation recently released the February 2015 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry. Designed to collect leadership data, the index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $903-billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 66.3, a slight increase from the three-year high level reached by the January index of 66.1. When asked about the outlook for the future, MCI-EFI survey respondent William Verhelle, CEO, First American Equipment Finance, a City National … Read more