Central School District #104 held a groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 14, to kick off the additions and renovations project at its Joseph Arthur Middle School in Breese, Illinois. Poettker Construction is serving as the construction manager and Cordogan Clark the designer for 26,900 square feet of building expansions and 10,900 square feet of light renovations to the district’s middle school campus. The facility expansion encompasses three new additions: a new ICC-rated competition gymnasium, which will also serve as the campus’s first ever storm shelter; a new full-service commercial kitchen and serving spaces to replace the existing outdated and undersized cafeteria; and … Read more
Producer Price Index for Construction Materials, Services Rises 1.1%
The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction increased 1.1% from July to August, driven by an extreme jump in diesel fuel costs, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that most other commodity prices were subdued but said their newly released survey showed contractors continue to experience widespread problems finding qualified workers and the costs associated with those shortages. The producer price index for diesel fuel, which covers the selling price at the terminal rack or refinery, soared 34.6% from mid-July to mid-August, the largest one-month jump since 1990. Simonson noted that retail diesel … Read more
ABC Announces 2023-24 Tech Alliance Members
Associated Builders and Contractors announced the members of its 2023-24 Tech Alliance — a consortium of firms that create construction technology and innovative solutions for ABC contractor members, which primarily perform work in the commercial and industrial sectors. Comprised of 15 companies, the Tech Alliance leverages technology resources to help ABC members develop people, win work and deliver work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which they work. The 2023-24 Tech Alliance members are Arcoro, Autodesk Inc., BuildOps, ConstructConnect, Egnyte, Field Control Analytics, Kojo, KPA, Procore, Sage, Smartapp, SmartBuild, SubHQ, Tenna and Trimble. The alliance introduces small and … Read more
ABC: Monthly Construction Input Prices Increased 1.5%
Construction input prices rose 1.5% in August compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data released. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 1.5% for the month, but are up just 0.2% from a year ago. Rising energy prices drove overall price increases in August. Crude petroleum prices were up 8.9% and unprocessed energy materials prices rose 5.4% last month.
North Branch Capital Invests in STARC Systems
STARC Systems, a manufacturer of reusable temporary modular wall containment solutions for occupied renovations, has been purchased by Illinois-based private equity firm, North Branch Capital. The acquisition marks a significant investment to continue fueling STARC’s innovation and market expansion serving contractors and facility managers across multiple industries. “We invest in middle market industrial businesses with strong growth prospects and leadership teams,” said Brian Gleason, Operating Partner at North Branch Capital. “STARC is well-positioned to continue its growth in this emerging category. Since its founding, the organization has developed a keen focus on innovation, providing an excellent value proposition to its … Read more