Construction Equipment Owner

I’m not one for watching sports. I know the Penguins recently lost the Stanley Cup (but really can’t say for sure who won …). I know as of today the Celtics are up 2-0 in the NBA finals and play again tonight. I know my dad likes the Brewers. But beyond any sports coverage that doesn’t make headline news, I’m kinda lost. One exception, however, is concrete canoe racing. Since becoming editor of a concrete magazine, I’ve embraced this off-the-wall sport. And coincidentally, my alma mater, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is a powerhouse in the concrete canoe racing world. If they win this year’s national competition in Montreal, Canada, June 19-21, it will be national titles six years in a row! Go Badgers! Check out the other universities competing in this year’s event at the official website for the competition. Let me know who you are rooting for!

…Contractor F, partly on the basis of his $240 bid but his marketing and educational efforts also played a role. He knew and marketed to my wife the name of his sealer, could explain what it was and why sand was added, and his marketing pieces matched his ad and his estimate sheet. None of that sounds major (or difficult) but he was the only one of six contractors my wife called who had it all together — and he had the lowest price. I’ll let you know how the job goes. We’re on the schedule for sometime in the next two weeks when he has another customer or two in our area.

Oh, and we still haven’t heard Contractor D, despite leaving two messages and asking for a bid. Hopefully he’s way too busy to call, but somehow I doubt it.

According to the Action Economics Alerts (AEA) “The U.S. construction spending report beat expectations in April via a surprisingly robust 1.6% rise in private nonresidential construction.” This was coupled with the expected decline in residential construction of 2.3%.

As there was fear of the non-residential industry weakening in the second quarter, this rise is evidence that it is most likely thriving and AEA is predicting a 10% rate of growth for the second quarter.

This information will only continue to fuel the optimism I have for the immediate health of the non-residential industry as it continues to buck predictions of contraction and seems to grow from month to month despite the economic environment. But again, this is just one man’s opinion. Leave a message on this blog and let me know how your construction business is currently doing and your opinions on the outlook for the near future. I just ask you include what part of the country you are in and your primary business focus.

Drew Coates, product manager with Billy Goat, provides some insights about Billy Goat’s new “The Force” wheeled blower. The Force features new design elements to reduce weight and optimized horse power to ensure maximum air performance. Coates also leaks information about another new blower from Billy Goat that weighs in at 76 pounds.

 The Wheeled Blower Podcast [7:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (349)