July 2015
Get Ready For Chip-Embedded Credit Card Transactions
by Matt Tomlinson
With Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover all transitioning to chip cards, credit card security improves for card holders and businesses. You will need to invest in a new card reader, though, to handle the technology. And you also need to be aware of a liability shift.
June New Home Sales Take Surprise Dip
June's new home sales dip - falling 6.8 percent - defied predictions, writes Emily Peiffer on ConstructionDIVE.com. Economists polled by Bloomberg estimated the June number would be a very slight increase of 0.3 percent.
AEM Leaders, Lawmakers Discuss Transportation Future
Three key members of Congress joined Association of Equipment Manufacturers leaders for an exclusive discussion over the future of transportation in America, the AEM reports.
Construction Equipment Sales Projected to Remain Steady
The third quarter update from the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation's U.S. outlook forecasts investments in equipment and software to grow 5 percent this year. Construction machinery investment growth should remain steady over the next three to six months, the foundation reported, while other sectors don't look quite as bright.
Builder Confidence Strengthens
After softening into May of this year, builder confidence focusing on newly built, single-family homes hit 60 in July, based on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). With June's confidence number now upwardly revised one point to 60, the numbers show some strength.
Multifamily Surges, Single-Family Hits a Divot
With single-family June starts taking a slight dip (0.9 percent) and multi-family sizzling along with a 29.4 percent increase, total housing starts expanded 9.8 percent month-over-month in June. This puts housing starts at a 1.174 million annual rate. The NAHB points out, though, that single-family starts are up 14.7 percent over June 2014 and measured on a three-month moving average, hit a post-recession high in June.
HARLO Expands Executive Team
HARLO Products recently appointed Anthony J. Lirones as its National Sales and Marketing Manager to lead its Sales and Marketing Department. Lirones will be based out of the company headquarters located in Grandville, Michigan.
Point-of-Rental Software: Cloud Innovation World Cup Finalist
Point-of-Rental Software was one of nine finalists competing for the Cloud Innovator of the Year title in the Innovation World Cup Awards on July 8th. Held at the Google headquarters in New York, the Cloud Innovation World Cup identifies advancements in cloud computing with the goal of fostering cutting-edge solutions.
Man Lift Manufacturing Relocates
Man Lift Manufacturing (MLM) is relocating offices and production from Wisconsin to North Carolina. The company's Shelby, NC facility includes a 227,000 square foot contract manufacturing facility, improved technologies, and new systems aimed to streamline processes and prepare for future growth.
Chicago Pneumatic's John Vogel Running for ARA Associate Member Director
Chicago Pneumatic Construction Equipment Vice President of Sales, John Vogel, is running for the American Rental Association (ARA) Associate Member Director. The position holds the responsibility of representing associate member perspectives and interests as they relate to the ARA.
Morbark, Boxer Add Best Line Equipment to Dealer Network
Morbark has added Best Line Equipment as the exclusive Morbark tree care products dealer for the Philadelphia area as well as Western Pennsylvania. Best Line also becomes a Boxer Equipment distributor; all North American Boxer distributors have non-exclusive territories.
Deere Lengthens Telematics Service for Larger Machines
John Deere is extending its JDLink Ultimate service in base subscription from three to five years. According to the company this change shows how it's working to develop solutions for customers who are increasing their technology adoption rates.
Reno's Growth Trajectory Boosts Rental Demand
Fueled by construction of Tesla Motors' “gigafactory,” Reno, Nev., is seeing an amazing construction resurgence with manufacturing sites, data centers, and distribution warehouses popping up in city and surrounding areas. The Reno branch of H&E Equipment Services (H&E) has been in the thick of it.
E-Z Drill Expands Factory, Production Capacity
E-Z Drill’s factory expansion will add more than 7,500 sq. ft. of space - about a 20 percent increase - and will include office space and room for its growing welding department.The project began in June with setting the concrete foundation and is projected for completion by early fall 2015.
Poll: Majority of People Want Increased Highway Spending
An article posted on The Hill says a recent poll conducted by the AP and Gfk reports that 53 percent of the nation's population would like the federal government to increase spending on roads and bridges. Not an overwhelming majority, but only 10 percent want less spending while about one-third of the respondents said current spending was about right.
Sharp Rebound Coming for Construction
In an article posted by the AEM, Wells Fargo Economist Anika Khan projects a sharp rebound in non-residential construction. Speaking to attendees at a regional AEM membership event, hosted at Cummins headquarters in Columbus, Ind., Khan said manufacturing and commercial building construction will lead the way.
Vermeer Breaks Ground on Applied Technology Hub
The Iowa State University Research Park (ISU RP) and Pella, Iowa, based Vermeer Corporation announced the groundbreaking on the Vermeer Applied Technology Hub, a state of the art facility that will house offices, meeting spaces and a high bay space.
DeWALT To Build More Products in the U.S.
DeWALT announces the expansion of its initiative to make products in the USA. With this expansion, an additional 60 corded and cordless power tools are being made domestically with global materials.
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