WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/ASPHALT WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/ASPHALT WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/ASPHALT
CONTRACTOR
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
AUGUST 2021 • Vol. 35, No. 6
ASPHALT
CONTRACTOR
Jessica Lombardo, Editor-In-Chief
LATEST PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALTPROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT
jLombardo@ACBusinessMedia.com 920.542.1247
W
WILL YOU BE READY TO WORK? The industry is ready to welcome this investment boom as we have been faced with funding uncertainty for years. The question remains however, will we be ready for it? Labor struggles have plagued our industry for years and things aren't getting any better.
8
Published by AC Business Media
The Equipment You Need to Compete
hen he began his Presidency, Joe Biden unveiled the centerpiece of his domestic agenda: a twopronged, $4 trillion effort to transform the U.S. economy by overhauling the nation’s infrastructure and expanding aid to families. The plan had gone little to nowhere as politicians on both sides of the aisle couldn't agree on what to include in the bill, much less how to pay for it. Then Biden and a bipartisan group of senators announced they had reached a compromise on part of it: a $1.2 trillion framework to fund roads, electric-vehicle charging stations, broadband and other physical infrastructure. The pared-down plan calls for $559 billion in new spending over five years, including $110 billion of new money being invested in roads, bridges and other projects. In response to the news, the Dow rose 0.88% and the Nasdaq was up 0.72%. Shares in top industry suppliers like Caterpillar and Vulcan Materials also rose immediately and even construction companies like Granite Construction saw a boost. While the immediate boost is great, economists say the infrastructure package will really begin boosting growth starting in 2023, as it takes time for major building and repair projects to get under way. But in 2025 and 2026 the extra package would add a healthy one percentage point to the economy’s growth rate and create up to about 775,000 jobs.
Y
Last month, the U.S. Chamber reported that 88% of contractors surveyed claimed they were experiencing moderate to high levels of difficulty finding skilled workers. Of those who reported difficulty finding skilled labor, over a third have turned down work because of skilled labor shortages. If we can't find the workers we need to do the jobs required of us, we're going to need to learn how to work smarter. Change in the asphalt industry has been slow and difficult, but equipment and technology to help contractors do their jobs more efficiently and with better results are being developed every day. If we are able to secure a long term investment in infrastructure, there's going to be a flood of work and activity that will come with a long term plan. With that raised level of activity, it's going to be really hard to deliver what we're going to be required to deliver without innovation, without technology and without really thinking about creative solutions to be much more effective. Asphalt Contractor's annual showcase and buyer's guide features all of the tried and true equipment contractor's love, but also pages of new equipment that can help you be more successful as more projects head your way. Profits for many companies tied to the construction or industrial sector are projected to gain ground over the next several years as the economy recovers. Any spending measure spread out over years will help secure and boost that growth through contracts for projects and orders for supplies and equipment. How will you ensure your company is ready for the increase of work? Let me know at jlombardo@acbusinessmedia.com.
Asphalt CONTRACTOR
201 N. Main Street | Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 800.538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR FOR ASPHALT ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST PROFESSIONALS LATEST www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
Publication Staff Publisher
Amy Schwandt aschwandt@ACBusinessMedia.com
Editor In-Chief
Jessica Lombardo jlombardo@ACBusinessMedia.com
Associate Editor
Dormie Roberts droberts@ACBusinessMedia.com
Ad Production Manager
Cindy Rusch
Art Director
April Van Etten
Audience Development Mgr
Angela Franks
Advertising Sales (800) 538-5544 Kris Flitcroft
kflitcroft@ACBusinessMedia.com
Sean Dunphy
sdunphy@ACBusinessMedia.com
Tom Lutzke
tlutzke@ACBusinessMedia.com
Eric Servais
eservais@ACBusinessMedia.com
Tadashi Soma
tsoma@ACBusinessMedia.com
ForConstructionPros.com Editor
Larry Stewart
Managing Editor
Kimberly Hegeman
Change of Address & Subscriptions PO Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605, Phone: (877) 201-3915 • Fax: 847-291-4816 circ.AsphaltContractor@omeda.com
Reprint Services For reprints and licensing please contact Tadashi Soma at (800) 538-5544 ext. 1245 tsoma@ACBusinessMedia.com
List Rental Bart Piccirillo, Sr. Account Manager, Data Axle Phone: (518) 339 4511, E-mail: bart.piccirillo@infogroup.com
AC Business Media. Chief Executive Officer
Ron Spink
Chief Financial Officer
JoAnn Breuchel
Chief Digital Officer
Kris Heineman
Chief Revenue Officer
Amy Schwandt
VP Audience Development
Ronda Hughes
Director of Digital Operations & IT
Nick Raether
Director of Digital Strategy
Joel Franke
Group Content Director
Jon Minnick
C a r r t
w ASPHALT CONTRACTOR AUGUST 2021
ACON0821_08-9_Editor_JD.indd 8
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
7/20/21 2:37 PM
©
