February 2015 News
Nickell Rentals Expands With 3rd Location
Nickell Rental has expanded with its third location, a facility in Hiram, Georgia. The new, 12,400 sq.ft. full-service construction equipment and tool rental facility will provide current and new customers a convenient location to rent a variety of construction tools and equipment, the company says.
World of Concrete: Does Upbeat Event Predict an Upbeat Year?
According to the folks who run the World of Concrete, this year’s event was the largest in six years, drawing nearly 56,000 attendees to see more than 1,400 exhibiting companies. Manufacturers we talked with were pleased with the traffic and the interest, which may predict a good year ahead for you and your contractor customers.
Subsite Electronics Names Jeri Lamerton as Marketing Manager
Subsite Electronics has named Jeri Lamerton as the company’s marketing manager. She will be responsible for leading, managing and executing all Subsite Electronics marketing strategies and activities.
Snow Puts Slight Chill in Builder Confidence
Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes in February fell two points to a level of 55 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), writes economist David Crowe on the NAHB's Eye On Housing. He says the slight downturn is largely attributed to heavy snows we've been dealing with, pointing out that "builder sentiment remains fairly solid."
JCB Named Preferred Compact Excavator Supplier
to Compact Power Equipment Rental
JCB announced an enhanced alliance with Compact Power Equipment Rental to supply their 1,015 and growing rental stores, each located within select Home Depots across the United States and Canada, with its 8029 and 8018 model compact excavators. The enhanced relationship came to fruition following a trial of JCB compact excavators by Compact Power Equipment Rental.
Rouse Analytics' Benchmark Service Surpasses 50 Participants
Rouse Analytics added five new rental company participants to its Rental Metrics Benchmark Service, and now provides rate and utilization benchmarking services to 52 equipment rental companies across the U.S.
Terex AWP Now Manufacturing in Oklahoma City
Terex Aerial Work Platforms (AWP) is now manufacturing Genie products in Oklahoma City at Terex Corporation’s existing factory. This location will manufacture Genie telehandlers and potentially other products as the market warrants.
Sullair/Dow Chemical Launch New Air Compressor Lubricant
Sullair has a new air compressor lubricant, produced by Dow Chemical. Sullube is a high-performance polyglycol-based lubricant that prevents the formation of varnish and helps keep compressors running clean and cool. With eight years of research, development and testing behind it, the formulation now improves lubricant life up to 10,000 hours.
Doosan Portable Power Now Manufacturing Airends
Doosan Portable Power is designing and manufacturing airends for use in the company's products and available to the OEM market, reported Rus Warner, global air products manager for the company, at the recent World of Concrete. "Performance and durability improved," he pointed out, with the air end manufactured to company specs at its Statesville, NC, plant.
Housing Construction Gains Are "Modest"
Fourth-quarter economic and housing acitivity returned to or exceeded their "last normal levels" of activity, according to the National Association of Home Builders/First American Leading Markets Index (LMI). The numbers - with 63 of roughly 350 metro markets achieving normal levels - represent a net gain of 11 markets, according to the report.
Construction Employment Highest Since 2009
Analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America shows construction employers added 39,000 jobs in January, 308,000 over the past year, showing the sector's highest employment rate since February '09. Still, the AGC emphasizes, concern over ongoing, growing shortages of qualified construction workers remain and could slow future growth.
CMD Provides 2014 Construction Starts Snapshot
Spearheaded by roadbuilding in the civil engineering sector, with its 9.6% expansion in 2014, total US construction starts grew by 5.9% last year to reach $490 billion, according to data compiled and reported by CMD. Find the full article here.
Dodge Momentum Index Dips in January
Dodge Data and Analytics reports that the Dodge Momentum Index fell 4.8% in January to 121.1 (2000=100), down from a revised 127.2 in December. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first (or initial) report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.
Proxibid/Ebay Partnership – Options to Help You Sell, Buy Equipment
At last week’s World of Concrete event, eBay and Proxibid announced a partnership designed to make heavy equipment accessible to a broader audience of buyers, producing more options for companies to move their used equipment inventory.
Rouse Rental Report Highlights
The Rouse Rental Report on December auction and sales data showed a slight dip from the previous month, with the Rouse Value Index on used equipment prices down very slightly - 0.6% - and auction sales dropping 1.1% below November Forced Liquidation Values.
Construction Spending Ends 2014 on High Note
Construction spending rose in December to a six-year high of $982 billion as public construction for the year increased for the first time since 2009, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America.
Consumer Strength, Home Building Forecasted to Grow
The NAHB is forecasting improved economic growth for 2015. For the year, the association projects GDP to expand by 3.4%, an acceleration off the 2.4% rate for 2014. Higher levels of job creation, more economic growth and pent-up housing demand should also boost demand for home construction and remodeling, it says.
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