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	<title>Construction Equipment Owner &#187; Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines</title>
	<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive</link>
	<description>Bringing you the voice of the construction equipment owner.</description>
	<pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:51:27 +0000</pubDate>
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		<copyright>&#xA9;Sam Simon </copyright>
		<managingEditor>sam.simon@cygnusb2b.com (Sam Simon)</managingEditor>
		<webMaster>sam.simon@cygnusb2b.com</webMaster>
		<category></category>
		<ttl>1440</ttl>
		<itunes:keywords>construction, construction equipment, equipment owner, construction equipment owner, construction business, contractor, contractor business, heavy equipment</itunes:keywords>
		<itunes:subtitle></itunes:subtitle>
		<itunes:summary>Podcasts for construction equipment owners.</itunes:summary>
		<itunes:author>Sam Simon</itunes:author>
		<itunes:category text="Business">
  <itunes:category text="Management &amp; Marketing"/>
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<itunes:category text="Business"/>
		<itunes:owner>
			<itunes:name>Sam Simon</itunes:name>
			<itunes:email>sam.simon@cygnusb2b.com</itunes:email>
		</itunes:owner>
		<itunes:block>No</itunes:block>
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			<title>Construction Equipment Owner</title>
			<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive</link>
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		<item>
		<title>Start Building the Next Generation of Construction Worker Today</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/12/start-building-the-next-generation-of-construction-worker-today/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/12/start-building-the-next-generation-of-construction-worker-today/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:46:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bschultz</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/12/start-building-the-next-generation-of-construction-worker-today/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It probably won&#8217;t surprise you to hear that the construction workforce is aging. According to a report by Occupational Health &#38; Safety (&#8221;The Aging Worker in the U.S. Construction Industry&#8221;, ohsonline.com), the average age of construction workers in 2008 was 40.4 years, an increase of 4.4 years since 1985. The report adds that construction workers [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[It probably won&#8217;t surprise you to hear that the construction workforce is aging. According to a report by Occupational Health &amp; Safety (&#8221;The Aging Worker in the U.S. Construction Industry&#8221;, ohsonline.com), the average age of construction workers in 2008 was 40.4 years, an increase of 4.4 years since 1985. The report adds that construction workers as a whole tend to stop working at an earlier age due to the physical demands of the job. Do the math, and this doesn&#8217;t bode well for worker availability in the years ahead.
The article goes on to suggest some potential &#8220;interventions&#8221; to keep construction workers active and productive longer. These include reducing work demands; improving the organization of the work; promoting worker health and function; and promoting workers&#8217; professional competence. While such suggestions are valid, they tend to miss the point. The construction workforce will ultimately diminish over time as older employees exit the industry. There needs to be someone standing in line to replace them.
In the current economic environment - with construction unemployment broaching 28% - it may seem pointless to worry about a lack of available workers. But a recovery is inevitable (trust me, it will happen), and when it does come, you may find yourself scrambling to find enough trained employees who haven&#8217;t already shifted into other industries, or found homes among your competition.
And what about long term? Construction has historically had problems attracting new workers, and it&#8217;s only gotten worse. We&#8217;ve moved well beyond the &#8220;Nintendo generation&#8221; to a &#8220;Twitter nation&#8221; that&#8217;s accustomed to instant gratification, at their fingertips. Very few of today&#8217;s youth want dirt under their fingernails or grease on their designer jeans.
The challenge the industry faces is how to appeal to a generation that is highly tech savvy and has a very short attention span. We need to find ways to educate youth about the variety of career choices available in this industry, and the advances in the technology being used to design and construct the nation&#8217;s roads, bridges, buildings and more.
Organizations such as the Associated General Contractors of America, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Associated Equipment Distributors and others have worked for years to promote construction career opportunities to middle school and high school students (or younger, in some cases). You can take advantage of these programs to build your local workforce, whether it be through utilizing and distributing available educational materials or by acting as a program sponsor.
But there is more that can be done to reach today&#8217;s youth. Possibilities include:

 &#8220;tweeting&#8221; about your construction business, with regular updates on projects, as well as any available job openings;
developing a Facebook page featuring project photos and videos, as well as information about career opportunities;
hosting a &#8220;demo days&#8221; at your facilities to allow students to tour your facilities and get educated about the equipment and technology used in the construction process;
participating in career days at schools, with job descriptions and perhaps examples of the systems and tools used to design and manage a construction project;
giving guided tours of an active construction site to older students;
working with local colleges and tech schools to develop training programs for equipment operators, construction managers, maintenance technicians, etc.;
offering scholarships to graduating seniors seeking careers in a construction-related field.

With construction activity still slow, now is the time to initiate or expand these types of programs before increased business demand takes precedence. Check into your options and get started sooner than later. The productivity, safety and profitability of your business may one day depend on it.
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		<title>Hybrid Technologies Defined</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/10/hybrid-technologies-defined/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/10/hybrid-technologies-defined/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:15:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cygnus</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/10/hybrid-technologies-defined/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[


  
[EDITOR&#8217;S NOTE: This is an installment in a series of articles from John Deere highlighting emissions and sustainability topics.]
As construction equipment owners seek lower operating costs, lower emissions and better returns on their machine investments, hybrid technologies such as electrification are rapidly progressing from theory to reality. But the terms used to describe [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[


  
[EDITOR&#8217;S NOTE: This is an installment in a series of articles from John Deere highlighting emissions and sustainability topics.]
As construction equipment owners seek lower operating costs, lower emissions and better returns on their machine investments, hybrid technologies such as electrification are rapidly progressing from theory to reality. But the terms used to describe this technology are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion. And with so much information in the marketplace, determining the right match of technology to application can be difficult.
It&#8217;s helpful to start with a basic vocabulary lesson to realistically break down the technologies, their best applications and the potential payback.
Hybrid Electrification
Hybrid electrification technology in construction equipment simply means two sources of energy, such as diesel and electricity, with energy being created, transferred or stored. Think of &#8220;hybrid&#8221; as an umbrella term over subcategories like electric traction, auxiliary or ancillary electrification, energy management and integrated/starter alternators.
With electric traction, the engine drives a generator to create electricity used by an electric motor or motors to drive tracks or wheels. This is in the market today with large mining trucks.

&#8220;Electric drive technology sets the stage for energy storage. As energy storage reuse capabilities and costs improve over time, this technology will provide contractors with viable paybacks on equipment that does a lot of repetitive motion, or equipment with short cycle times such as loaders and excavators,&#8221; says Joe Mastanduno, product marketing manager for engines and drivetrains at John Deere Construction &amp; Forestry.
&#8220;Any application that slows down, dumps, swings, or basically has built-in times to recover energy can be a match for electric drive,&#8221; he continues. &#8220;Electric drives can also be used on machines that operate at a more constant speed, but the energy storage option is most beneficial on repetitive movement machines.
Auxiliary or Ancillary Electrification
Auxiliary or ancillary electrification is generating electric power to run an attachment off the main machine or a component of the machine. An example of this is already in use would be Deere&#8217;s e-Premium agricultural tractors, which run implements such as sprayers with electric power.
For construction equipment, electrification could mean running items such as the HVAC (heating/cooling) system or hydraulic pump, or using electricity as the input as opposed to mechanical gearing. That could also mean fewer moving parts and improved uptime.
Energy Management
Energy management involves having the right technology to recover unnecessary propulsion or work energy and store it. John Deere engineers are looking at energy storage for equipment, but at this time, the widespread storage of energy on construction and forestry equipment does not carry the right payback for customers.
The Bottom Line
With hybrid technology, whether it takes the form of electric drives, electrification, or energy storage, many factors have to come together to justify the cost of the added technology.
&#8220;No matter what the base equipment adds,contractors wanta return ontheir investment in a reasonable time frame, an emissions benefit and the productivity, uptime and low daily operating coststhey&#8217;re used to,&#8221; Mastanduno states.
John Deere (Deere &amp; Company - NYSE: DE) is a global leader in providing advanced products and services for agriculture, forestry, construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. For more information, visit www.JohnDeere.com.
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		<item>
		<title>Where Should Contractors Start on Emissions Compliance?</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/10/where-should-contractors-start-on-emissions-compliance/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/10/where-should-contractors-start-on-emissions-compliance/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:35:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cygnus</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/10/where-should-contractors-start-on-emissions-compliance/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[



  
[EDITOR&#8217;S NOTE: This is the first in a monthly series of articles from John Deere highlighting emissions and sustainability topics.]
Emissions regulations are a complex and dynamic subject. Between Federal and state regulations, contractors can feel like they&#8217;re chasing a moving target.
To help gain a little perspective, let&#8217;s quickly review how emission tiers for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[



  
[EDITOR&#8217;S NOTE: This is the first in a monthly series of articles from John Deere highlighting emissions and sustainability topics.]
Emissions regulations are a complex and dynamic subject. Between Federal and state regulations, contractors can feel like they&#8217;re chasing a moving target.
To help gain a little perspective, let&#8217;s quickly review how emission tiers for new diesel engines and equipment all started and then look at where you can start on the road to compliance.
Today&#8217;s regulations have their roots in the Clean Air Act of 1970, which created sweeping laws to reduce and control air pollution. Among other air pollutants, the Clean Air Act addresses particulate matter (PM, known as &#8220;soot&#8221;) and nitrogen oxides (NOx).
In an effort to reduce and control PM and NOx emissions, the Clean Air Act required the EPA to, among other things, establish and enforce progressively more stringent emissions requirements for all new off-road diesel engines starting in 1996, known as the &#8220;Tier&#8221; emissions standards.
We&#8217;re now in the Tier 3 and Interim Tier 4 (IT4) period, which requires a significant reduction in PM and NOx emissions. Interim Tier 4 standards are based on timetables determined by the horsepower rating of the engine. Final Tier 4 standards begin phasing-in during 2013.
So what should you do first?
See your local dealer for an assessment, which will help you determine local and/or state emission requirements for your existing equipment or fleet and what strategies, such as repower, retrofit or repurchasing (buying newer iron), might be right for your particular location, equipment and applications.
&#8220;Make sure your dealer has a designated IT4 focus person responsible for spreading IT4 expertise across the dealership organization,&#8221; says Joe Mastanduno, product marketing manager for engines at John Deere. &#8220;That&#8217;s a sign they&#8217;re committed to emissions solutions.&#8221;
&#8220;Also, ask the dealer if they are part of a manufacturer&#8217;s ongoing emissions compliance training program that covers more than just IT4 technology - you&#8217;ll want the benefits from a broad range of training, like knowledge of changing regulations and government funding resources.&#8221;
John Deere (Deere &amp; Company - NYSE: DE) is a global leader in providing advanced products and services for agriculture, forestry, construction, lawn and turf care, landscaping and irrigation. For more information, visit www.JohnDeere.com.
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		<item>
		<title>Ten Reasons to Keep Employees &#8220;In the Know&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/05/ten-reasons-to-keep-employees-in-the-know/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/05/ten-reasons-to-keep-employees-in-the-know/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:49:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Cygnus</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/03/05/ten-reasons-to-keep-employees-in-the-know/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With construction unemployment at a whopping 27%, now is not the time to keep your employees in the dark. Quint Studer, author of the new book Straight A Leadership: Alignment, Action, Accountability (Fire Starter Publishing, 2009), believes the more you tell employees, the better.
&#8220;Leaders have talked about transparency for a long time, but it&#8217;s never [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[With construction unemployment at a whopping 27%, now is not the time to keep your employees in the dark. Quint Studer, author of the new book Straight A Leadership: Alignment, Action, Accountability (Fire Starter Publishing, 2009), believes the more you tell employees, the better.
&#8220;Leaders have talked about transparency for a long time, but it&#8217;s never been more important than it is now,&#8221; he states. &#8220;We share information with employees for a couple of reasons: one, it&#8217;s the right thing to do, and two, it&#8217;s good for business. And most companies can use every possible edge these days.&#8221;
He offers the following reasons to embrace transparency:
1. People assume the worst when they don&#8217;t hear from leaders. Silence from management breeds fear and resentment, which certainly doesn&#8217;t contribute to a productive culture. &#8220;Maybe the news is bad, but maybe it&#8217;s not as bad as they are imagining,&#8221; says Studer. &#8220;And even if it is, once they know the truth they can plan and act accordingly.&#8221;
2. Transparency helps employees connect to the why. &#8220;You can ask people to change their work habits and established processes all day long,&#8221; notes Studer. &#8220;But if they don&#8217;t know why they&#8217;re being asked to change, they won&#8217;t change - at least not for long.&#8221;
3. Employees may not understand how the external environment affects the company. Employees may not be aware of the various factors impacting the company and its financial performance. &#8220;Creating a transparent company helps everyone stay mindful of the forces affecting the bottom line,&#8221; says Studer. &#8220;And I think most leaders will agree that those forces have never been more volatile.&#8221;
4. Transparency allows for consistent messaging across the organization. When people get their news through the grapevine, the message can be quickly distorted. They need to hear what&#8217;s really going on, in a controlled and consistent way, from company leadership.
5. This, in turn, creates organizational consistency. When everyone is hearing the same message, they&#8217;re motivated to respond in similar ways. &#8220;Consistent companies tend to be healthy, stable companies,&#8221; notes Studer. &#8220;And transparency and consistency are two sides of the same coin.&#8221;
6. Transparency leads to faster, more efficient execution. When times are tough, execution is everything. All sectors of an organization must understand exactly what&#8217;s required so they act in a coordinated and collaborative fashion. &#8220;It&#8217;s all about a shared sense of urgency,&#8221; says Studer.
7. It heals we/they divisiveness. Studer often warns clients about the we/they phenomenon - the perception that there are separate groups inside a company that work at cross-purposes. &#8220;In transparent organizations that share common agendas, it&#8217;s hard for we/they to flourish,&#8221; says Studer.
8. Transparency keeps good people from leaving. High performers often have other job options in even the worst economic climate. If they sense an atmosphere of secrecy and uncertainty, they may assume the company isn&#8217;t healthy and leave for greener pastures.
9. It eliminates &#8220;Park Ranger Leadership.&#8221; If you were lost in the woods and a park ranger showed up to lead you to safety, you wouldn&#8217;t need to develop any survival skills. The same is true of employees who wait for management to come up with all the solutions; it can breed a risky complacency. It&#8217;s far better, says Studer, for employees to pursue their own salvation than to wait passively for rescue - and that means they need to know exactly what threats they face.
10. Transparency facilitates the best possible solutions. In a transparent culture, leaders encourage employees to solve problems themselves. &#8220;When people are allowed to solve their own problems, they&#8217;ll do a much better job than if they have to work with a solution imposed from above or outside,&#8221; Studer reflects. &#8220;And of course, they&#8217;ll also have instant buy-in.&#8221;
Studer adds that corporate transparency should be viewed as a long-term commitment, not a &#8220;crisis control&#8221; program.
&#8220;Transparency is a way of life, not a stop-gap measure,&#8221; he emphasizes. &#8220;It shapes your organizational culture and drives results in any economic environment. As recovery gets underway, as long as you maintain your commitment to openness and constant communication, your organization will only get stronger.&#8221;
Adapted from &#8220;The Case for Transparency: Ten Reasons Your Company Should Keep No Secrets from Employees&#8221;. For more information, visit www.studergroup.com.
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		<title>Divided Congress Unhealthy for Construction</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/02/24/divided-congress-unhealthy-for-construction/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/02/24/divided-congress-unhealthy-for-construction/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:50:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bschultz</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/02/24/divided-congress-unhealthy-for-construction/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey, 86% of survey respondents indicated they believe that the system of government is broken. And, really,who can blame them?
Like many Americans, I have watched the political process with a growing level of frustration and, at times, anger. It&#8217;s clear that our Congressional leaders have forgotten why they were [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[In a recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey, 86% of survey respondents indicated they believe that the system of government is broken. And, really,who can blame them?
Like many Americans, I have watched the political process with a growing level of frustration and, at times, anger. It&#8217;s clear that our Congressional leaders have forgotten why they were elected in the first place - to enact meaningful legislation that benefits the majority of U.S. citizens. Thus far, their results have been paltry. In the past year, the one major accomplishment they can point to is the American Recovery &amp; Reconstruction Act (ARRA)passed last February. Virtually nothing has been accomplished since.
Democrats blame the Republicans; Republicans blame the Democrats. Let&#8217;s face it: they&#8217;re both at fault.The bickering between political parties is out of control, despite President Obama&#8217;s pledge to curtail partisan politics. Of all the failings of the past year, perhaps this is the most glaring. Is it entirely the President&#8217;s fault? No. Change can only be effected if those involved wish to change. Yet, he can be held accountable for failing to fully practice what he preaches.
As Congress sits in deadlock over health care reform, other important issues are being neglected, including reauthorization of federal highway funding legislation. Although a jobs bill containing limited additional infrastructure funding is expected to pass, this watered down, $15 billion version is unlikely to make a dent in the roughly 20% unemployment rate the construction industry is experiencing. At best, it may, like the ARRA, keep construction workers employed who would otherwise have lost their jobs. At worse, it may lead some legislators to believe a further delay of SAFETEA-LU reauthorization - perhaps untilspring of2011 - is justified.
Tomorrow, Congress is set to meet to go over the various elements of the current health care reform proposal. This meeting could prove a pivotal moment, determining whether a bill passes or simply dies out. I hope it&#8217;s the former; I would hate to see months of negotiations - and tax dollars - gone to waste. If it does move forward, there will clearly be winners and losers. Not all of the measures proposed are ideal, or even positive. Yet, you can&#8217;t please everyone, and we need to move on.
In my mind, there is little hope of passage of federal highway funding reauthorization in this calendar year until Congress moves beyond health care reform, and starts to work together for the better good of its constituents. Enough with the election-year political posturing. Get it done and let&#8217;s look toward the future.
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		<item>
		<title>Can Green Markets Put Green Back in Your Pocket?</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/02/12/can-green-markets-put-green-back-in-your-pocket/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/02/12/can-green-markets-put-green-back-in-your-pocket/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:16:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bschultz</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/02/12/can-green-markets-put-green-back-in-your-pocket/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Curt Bennink, Senior Field Editor
The current administration touts the benefits of an emerging &#8220;green energy&#8221; market and how new jobs will be created as we strive to develop alternative forms of energy. To what extent these new markets can fill the current job vacancies remains open for debate, but there certainly are some opportunities [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[By Curt Bennink, Senior Field Editor
The current administration touts the benefits of an emerging &#8220;green energy&#8221; market and how new jobs will be created as we strive to develop alternative forms of energy. To what extent these new markets can fill the current job vacancies remains open for debate, but there certainly are some opportunities out there as these new markets emerge.
This fall, we talked to a couple of contractors who discovered lucrative opportunities installing power lines for wind farm installations. And early this year, we interviewed a pair of contractors who had changed the core direction of their land clearing operations to focus on opportunities to supply wood products to regional biomass plants.
This emerging biomass energy market received a boost in the form of a subsidy program - the Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP). (Visit www.usda.gov for a nationwide list of BCAP-qualified plants.) This government subsidy program provides financial assistance for producers and other entities that are delivering biomass material or other product to these facilities. Producers are eligible for a dollar for dollar match up to $45 per ton. It was funded at the end of 2009 and the money is currently beginning to flow to the market.
While it is an emerging market, it promises strength compared to the condition of commercial construction. As these opportunities continue to arise - whether it&#8217;s in geothermal, solar, wind, biomass, etc. - you may want to investigate whether you can develop the expertise to participate. Carving out a niche in a new market is just one survival tool that deserves a second look.
Are you carving your niche in a unique area? If so, drop us a line - we&#8217;re eager to hear about it!
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		<title>A Simple Oil Change Could Save Big Bucks</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/28/a-simple-oil-change-can-save-big-bucks/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/28/a-simple-oil-change-can-save-big-bucks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:26:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bschultz</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/28/a-simple-oil-change-can-save-big-bucks/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[We were fortunate to have Mark Betner, product manager for Citgo&#8217;s Heavy Duty Lubricants, in our office this week to tell us about a couple of initiatives the company is promoting to on- and off-road equipment fleets. With 30+ years of experience in the lubricants industry, Mark knows his stuff - plus has some great [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[We were fortunate to have Mark Betner, product manager for Citgo&#8217;s Heavy Duty Lubricants, in our office this week to tell us about a couple of initiatives the company is promoting to on- and off-road equipment fleets. With 30+ years of experience in the lubricants industry, Mark knows his stuff - plus has some great stories to share!
There were several good take-aways from our discussion, but the one that stuck most in my mind were the potential savings fleets could gain by switching from a 15W-40 engine oil to a 5W-40 product with a synthetic base. Mark indicates that the greater lubricity of a 5W-40 synthetic can substantially reduce fuel consumption. In fact, for on-highway fleets, it can potentially reduce fuel use by 500 gallons per power unit annually.
For off-road fleets, the benefitstend be measured more in terms of oil drain intervals and component wear rates. Mark cited Halquist Stone Quarry, a Wisconsin-based aggregate supplier, as an example. By switching to a 5W-40 synthetic-based lubricant, Halquist has been able to extend the drain intervals for its construction equipment fleet from 250 hours to a whopping 1,000 hours, meaning lower oil consumption and reduced downtime for service. It has also eliminated the need to use ether as a starting aid during the winter months, a practice that was costing the company two to three blown engines per year at roughly $28,000/engine.
Citgo is so sure of the benefits of switching to a 5W-40 synthetic that it has introduced the LubeAlert Confidence Program. The program guarantees you&#8217;ll see a preset level of improvement in fuel efficiency and oil drain intervals, based on individual consultation, or you get your investment back on the oil product.
Of course, a switch to any new lubricant product is never as &#8220;simple&#8221; as it sounds. Still, Mark had me convinced it could be worth your time to investigate. If you don&#8217;t believe him, check with the EPA; its testing program shows that a 5W-40 synthetic can provide up to 3% better fuel economy than conventional 15W-40 diesel engine oils. And in this economy, even a 2% to 3% savings can mean the difference between profit and loss.
Share Your Story: If you&#8217;ve made the switch to 5W-40, let us know how it went. Good or bad, we&#8217;d love to hear from you!
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		<title>Essentials for Survival in 2010</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/21/essentials-for-survival-in-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/21/essentials-for-survival-in-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:21:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bschultz</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/21/essentials-for-survival-in-2010/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Yesterday, I sat in on the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) teleconference announcing the results of the Nationwide Construction Employment and Business Forecast, which was based on the responses of 700 contractors in 29 states. You can read about the survey findings in &#8220;Stimulus is Silver Lining in Dismal AGC Construction Report&#8221; in the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[Yesterday, I sat in on the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) teleconference announcing the results of the Nationwide Construction Employment and Business Forecast, which was based on the responses of 700 contractors in 29 states. You can read about the survey findings in &#8220;Stimulus is Silver Lining in Dismal AGC Construction Report&#8221; in the news section at http://www.equipmenttoday.com/. More complete survey data can also be found at http://www.agc.org/.
While the presentation was enlightening (and depressing), of equal interestwere the responses from several contractors who participated in a Q&amp;A session that followed. I&#8217;ll share more details of their comments in my editorial column in the February issue of Equipment Today. In the meantime, here are some general points these contractors believe are essential to their - and your - survival in 2010:
Additional stimulus is desperately needed: The construction industry declined $137 billion in 2009, and construction unemployment is now at 22.7% - a level similar to the rate during the Great Depression. Stimulus funds issued in 2009 didn&#8217;t come close to offsetting the losses. More is needed if the construction economy is ever going to get back on its feet.
You need to look outside traditional types of construction: Renewable energy, such as wind farms, is hot and likely to get hotter. Military base realignment - which encompasses underground, road and building construction - has also proven a boon in various parts of the country. Look beyond the typical types of projects to see what else may be out there. 
We need to get projects in the works more quickly: Design/build has proven a boon to getting projects into the pipeline faster. It expedites construction, plus stimulates &#8220;innovation&#8221; among contractors. Additional methods need to be explored to speed dollars into the market.
Speaking of &#8220;innovation&#8221; - it may be the key to keeping you in business: Bidding below the cost of work is not a sustainable business model. You need to figure out how you can:

improve your services by giving owners more value;
enter markets that you may not have been in previously;
and protect the &#8220;turf&#8221; you already have against new competitors coming in.

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		<title>Reform Needed, But at What Cost?</title>
		<link>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/18/reform-needed-but-at-what-cost/</link>
		<comments>http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/18/reform-needed-but-at-what-cost/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:16:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>bschultz</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Buildings, Bridges &amp; Bottom Lines]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.forconstructionpros.com/interactive/2010/01/18/reform-needed-but-at-what-cost/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With thousands of Americans without sufficient insurance coverage, and health care costs escalating out of control, it&#8217;s clear that some type of health care reform is necessary. But is it necessary at the cost of the construction industry?
Legislators and labor unions blindsided the industry during the quiet of the holiday season by inserting an amendment [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[With thousands of Americans without sufficient insurance coverage, and health care costs escalating out of control, it&#8217;s clear that some type of health care reform is necessary. But is it necessary at the cost of the construction industry?
Legislators and labor unions blindsided the industry during the quiet of the holiday season by inserting an amendment into the Senate bill omitting construction firms from the small business exemption, which limits health insurance requirements to businesses employing more than 50 workers. As a result, construction companies with at least five employees and payroll of $250,000 would be required to offer insurance, or pay an excise tax of $750 per employee.
What would possess legislators - and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), in particular- to single out construction is a mystery. After touting construction as the key to bolstering U.S.economic recovery underthe American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and proposing additional investment under a jobs creation package passed in the House, legislators areproposing to penalize the very businesses they seek to save.
Congressional leaders are now working to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the bills, making it critical that they hear your voice before it&#8217;s too late. The Associated General Contractors of America makes it easy by offering a letter (http://www.bipac.net/issue_alert.asp?g=AGC&amp;issue=merkley&amp;parent=AGC) you can send out in its Legislative Action Center.
For additional details about the Senate health care bill and its implications, visit http://www.forconstructionpros.com/online/Construction-Equipment-News/Contractors-get-late-health-break/38FCP14634.
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