Safer Rebar Placement Innovations

Supplying concrete foundations with a solution for efficient reinforcement placement, Mustafa Ali of Max USA is uniquely positioned to offer a perspective on the coming year.

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Where both concrete foundations and slabs use reinforced bars to improve strength and control cracking, foundations require a heavier rebar to support vertical structures. This sector typically requires more specialized labor—more technical work. Rebar placement in foundations requires people who are trained for the job, says Mustafa Ali. A shortage of skilled labor makes this challenging.

Ali is the marketing executive at Max USA Corp. Max USA are best known for their rebar tier tools. Even if the projects are similar, the way concrete contractors work and demographics are constantly changing. Max USA first came out with their tools addressing the musculature skeletal issues, carpal tunnel, lower back pain, etc., that construction—not to mention most concrete work specifically—has a reputation for.

Not exactly an attractive option for employment for younger audience, the industry’s challenges with skilled labor shortages are compounded with these issues. Max USA’s reps are addressing this by meeting with the younger crowd, showing them their solutions to reinforce that they wouldn’t be bent over tying rebar all day. However, there’s education in that grueling part of the job.

“We’re definitely not trying to take away that before you use a rebar tyer, you should learn how to do a bunch of different ties…so you know what you’re doing.”

Projects and Projections

For the residential and infrastructure, Ali believes that 2025 will be strong, especially with road and bridge infrastructure projects. Despite the fact that about $200 billion has not yet been allocated, the Infrastructure Bill should help the industry grow as more projects come up. His outlook on the commercial construction side, however, isn’t as optimistic. He believes that the construction slowdown seen in 2024 will continue for office retail spaces.

“As far as rebar goes, I think we’ll see a rising demand,” says Ali. Due to the demand via infrastructure projects and increased supply costs, can affect the price of rebar.

With interest rates anticipated to go down (even if slightly), the residential housing challenges may be alleviated which might allow builders to meet the growing demand and better stabilize home prices. Referencing a recent Dodge report, Ali anticipates residential to continue to grow, albeit moderately, calling it a “recovery phase.”

“I think that will increase with the lower interest rate, and contractors will continue to build,” he says. Unfortunately for the rebar (and ties) used in the foundations of 2025’s built market, the increased demand may also affect the price of steel.

However, he’s still optimistic that there will be a lot of building done in 2025 and up to 2027 when the Infrastructure Bill should be fully allocated.

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