Construction Equipment Owner

Guest Post: Greg Udelhofen

Bobcat Company has unveild its new M-Series compact excavators, skid-steer and compact track loaders this week at a media event in Bismarck, ND.

The new skid-steer and compact track loaders feature the most significant design changes undertaken by the company. This new design enables the operator to accomplish more work through performance and durability enhancements that provide more power and keep the loader worker longer, while increasing operator comfort through improved visibility and a more spacious and comfortable cab.

The first M-Series loader models include the S630 (wheel) and T630 (track). The S650 and T650 will be available in August.
Two new M-Series excavators, the E32 and E35, fill the popular 3-to-4-ton weight class, following Bobcat’s introduction of the M-Series E80, which is the larger 6-to-8-ton weight class. Bobcat completely re-engineered the design of the M-Series excavators, reducing the weight to create a lighter machine. A new load-sensing piston pump and closed center-valve system deliver exceptional metering for smooth control of machine functions.

Visit the ForConstructionPros.com Equipment Connection for product information on the new Bobcat M-Series line.

As Congress prepares to revise the federal transportation program (SAFETEA-LU), Building America’s Future - a national, bipartisan infrastructure coalition led by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Ed Rendell and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger - released a memo calling on Congress and the Obama Administration to make transformative changes and chart a new transportation vision for the 21st Century.

Included in the memo were four key principles to use in shaping this new transportation vision.
1. Renew Leadership at the National Level
2. Increase Accountability at the Federal, State, and Local Levels
3. Encourage Innovation and Flexibility at the State and Local Levels
4. Find New Ways to Fund National Goals

Read the full memo at: www.investininfrastructure.org

Now here’s a troubling news being reported by CNNMoney.com: Some 14 states have only a few weeks left to gain approval for highway projects or risk losing millions of stimulus dollars.

States will have to “obligate” at least half their share of stimulus funds for road and bridge improvements by the end of June. Otherwise the federal Department of Transportation will redistribute half the leftover money.

For the workers, economy, etc. in those states (Alaska we’re talking to you with only 6.3% of its $122.8 million in funds obligated to this point) I hope they are able to gain approval for their projects from the Federal Highway Administration. There is still time to get projects approved as that is the criteria to this point, not having actually spent the money by the end of June. So let’s not panic yet. I’ll continue to believe the delays are due to careful selection and planning (see Ohio’s Unusual Path in article) as opposed to a lack of organization or other factors as missing out on any part of this stimulus would be a big mistake by the states.

I’m using the latest news about a man having his fingers crushed during a road building project by a concrete pipe as an opportunity to bring up the topic of safety. It’s not so much just to point out an accident in the construction industry as it is an attempt to add another wrinkle to how you think about safety.

There’s not enough information from this article to say either way if this were merely an accident or cause of lack of proper safety protocols. Regardless, it is an opportunity to be aware of how someone was hurt and that is how we all learn. It doesn’t always have to happen to you or your crew. I’m sure you take safety seriously and have the proper steps in place to manage your risks. But if you and your crew are aware of how another accident and injury happened, maybe you’ll be able to foresee the same situation arising and avoid being mentioned in the paper for an accident instead of being recognized for the completion of an outstanding project.

If there’s one thing I’ve heard from everyone in the industry is for contractors to stay competitive they need to find ways to be more efficient. There are many suggestions, tips and ideas out there and here is another one - in a form of a webinar - if you are still searching for a solution to increase efficiencies throughout your operations.

Time is Money: Technological Tools in “Productivity Tool Box” to Improve Construction Performance and Efficiency
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Presented by: Dr. Janaka Ruwanpura, Canada Research Chair, University of Calgary

The webinar will highlight the technological tools developed to improve performance of construction projects. The webinar will also briefly highlight the other tools developed and successfully implemented in the industry by the research team that had improved tool time, productivity, worker satisfaction, motivation and proactive planning.

Space is limited.
Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/856756313

Its been a couple of days since I was able to get a post up and there are a few items that have come to my attention that I would like to include in this blog post, so its time for another Construction Industry Round-Up!!!

10 Ways to Improve Lease Negotiation Skills and Save Money - Webinar

Learn tips top negotiators use that result in successful "win-win" negotiations.

• How to negotiate with everyone.
• How to polish and fine tune your negotiation skills.
• When to hold ‘em or fold ‘em, and when to walk away.
• Why you need a Plan B or C in every negotiation.
• What to do with the "tough guy."
• The negotiator’s Rules of the Road.

Webinar is scheduleed for May 21st at 1:00 PM (CST) Register here.

ICUEE to Commemorate the Utility Champions
Share your utility story on how electricity was restored as a result of exceptional effort, when homes were saved from flooding, or how families received help by determined volunteers in recovery efforts. The stories of these Utility Champions need to be told and need to be commemorated.

Tell ICUEE your story at www.icuee.com/champions today and they will help share it with the world. Get that colleague or company the recognition they deserve.

Volvo Sponsors World’s Toughest Ocean Race
Since its 2001-02 running, Volvo has been the primary sponsor of the Volvo Ocean Race. Viewed as the “Everest of Sailing”, this nine month-long event is held every three years, covers 37,000 nautical miles and is considered one of the most demanding team sporting events in the world.

Following are images taken by Equipment Today editor, Becky Schultz, who attended the in-port races held during the crews’ scheduled stopover in Boston during the 2008-2009 event. The race itself will conclude in St. Petersburg, Russia, in late June. For race details, updates, related stories, images, an interactive game and more, visit www.volvooceanrace.org

Rummaging through another days worth of construction headlines I came across an item that took me back to my days as a kid.

There was one Christmas where all I asked for and all I got were Legos. Legos were pretty much the greatest thing ever - even to this day, I doubt anyone can resist the urge to sit down with a younger kid who is working with Legos and not try to start putting something together.

This is why I was excited to learn this morning about Construction Legos - they even have their own video. I haven’t bought a Lego set for years, currently do not have any kids, etc. so I’m a little out of touch with the Lego offerings, so this may be old news to you, but to me it was a great find.

Diecast models of construction equipment are what line my office these days, but I’m thinking I’ll have to make room in my fleet for some Lego equipment as well.

I’ve got a couple of items from around the construction industry I thought would be of interest to everyone. First off, the latest on the state of the construction industry. The most recent report from the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce shows that construction spending during March 2009 was estimated up 0.3 percent from February. Nonresidential construction was up 2.7 percent from the February estimate, public construction spending was 1.1 percent above the revised February estimate and highway construction was at 0.8 percent below the revised February estimate of $76.8 billion.

Season Two, Episode Two of John Deere’s Skid Steer Smackdown, “Battle in Bowling Green,” is now posted on John Deere’s www.skidsteersmackdown.com Web site. In this episode real contractors get in the cab of competitor equipment to take on a John Deere skid steer in a hill-climbing contest.

Finally, SAP is offering a White Paper on how to thrive in a down economy. “Find the Silver Lining: How Your Business Can Thrive During an Economic Storm” reveals five key strategies smart companies use to gain strength and build momentum during challenging economic times:

1. Take advantage of tax breaks to save.
2. Use technology to work smarter.
3. Trim the fat.
4. Improve cash flow.
5. Turn downtime into productive time.

NCCER and NAWIC have partnered to bring construction businesses a leadership academy which provides women with the opportunity to elevate their careers and management roles within the construction industry.This will consist of a three-day program that provides women with the opportunity to network with fellow peers from around the country. The academy will also have a series of lectures, team building and group activities, and will reinforce skills learned and provide participants with the tools to become effective leaders.

Topics include:

• Powerful language skills
• Leadership and management styles
• Conflict resolution
• Gender-based power in business
• Problem-solving techniques
• Negotiating techniques
• Time management

Tuition: $1495 - includes lodging, all meals, course material, transportation, and activities.
Click Here to Register

The headline is a little grave so let’s start the post with a quote from ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu on what the outlook for nonresidential construction as it’s a little more sunny: “…there were a number of positive indications in this GDP report, including evidence of a rebound in consumer spending,” adds Basu. “Consumers are apparently more confident than they appear, and this confidence translated into higher consumption of durable goods. This suggests that the ongoing recession may end just as many economists predict – during the latter stages of 2009.

“For commercial and industrial construction contractors, this represents the report’s only bright spot .Nonresidential construction spending continues to be decimated by both the lack of available financing, and the lack of appetite for risk related to real estate development and investment.

“Once the broader economy begins to recover more fully, nonresidential contractors can expect revenue opportunities to become more apparent after a typical one to two year lag.”

Now the hard numbers which are a little more unnerving:
Commercial and industrial investment fell an alarming 37.9 percent during the first quarter of 2009, according to the U.S. Commerce Department’s April 29th release on the gross domestic product (GDP). Contributing significantly to the plunge in nonresidential fixed investment was a 44.2 percent annualized decline in output related to the construction of nonresidential structures.

The first quarter’s decline follows a loss of 9.4 percent during last year’s final quarter. Investment in equipment and software was down 33.8 percent during the quarter following a 28.1 percent annualized decline during the fourth quarter of 2008. Real residential fixed investment declined 38.0 percent in the first quarter of 2009 following a 22.8 percent annualized loss during the previous quarter.

However, consumer spending increased 2.2 percent after declining 4.3 percent during the prior quarter. This is largely attributable to an improvement in sales of durable goods, which were up 9.4 on an annualized basis after declining 22.1 percent during the prior quarter. Exports were hammered, down 30.0 percent during the first quarter. However, the decline in imports was even more dramatic falling 34.1 percent. Meanwhile, government spending was down 3.9 percent during the first quarter due in part to a decline in national defense outlays.

Overall, real gross domestic product fell 6.1 percent during the first quarter of 2009 following a 6.3 percent decline during the previous quarter. The first quarter of 2009 represents the third consecutive quarterly decline of GDP.