Washington, D.C. (August 16, 2012) – The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residentialconstruction statistics for July 2012: BUILDING PERMITSPrivately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 812,000. This is 6.8percent (±1.5%) above the revised June rate of 760,000 and is 29.5 percent (±1.6%) above the July 2011 estimate of 627,000. Single-family authorizations in July were at a rate of 513,000; this is 4.5 percent (±0.8%) above the revised June figure of 491,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 274,000 in July. HOUSING STARTSPrivately-owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 746,000….

(August 9, 2012) – Builder confidence in the 55+ housing market for single-family homes showed improvement in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the same period a year ago, according to the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) latest 55+ Housing Market Index (HMI) released. The index more than doubled year over year from a level of 13 to 29, which is the highest second-quarter reading since the inception of the index in 2008. “Builders and developers in the 55+ housing segment continue to show increased confidence in the market,” said NAHB 50+ Housing Council Chairman W. Don Whyte. “As the share of 55+ households continues to grow in all regions across the country, we have a unique opportunity to create communities that address…

PEACHTREE CITY, GEORGIA (Aug. 9, 2012) — Tim Frank, a construction equipment executive with extensive global experience in sales, marketing, operations and product development, has been named chairman of SANY America Inc. In this newly created position, Frank has overall responsibility for manufacturing, sales, marketing and support for all SANY equipment products in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America. The appointment is effective immediately. “SANY is a brand known for seeking strong growth through quality products and dedicated people,” said Liang Wengen, chairman of the board of SANY Group, based in Changsha, China. “Tim Frank’s vision, strategic thinking and record of accomplishment will serve SANY well as we grow our presence in the Americas. Tim knows what needs to be done to establish…

Full day event takes place October 2, 2012   WASHINGTON,D.C.  (Aug. 10, 2012) – The law firm of Ober|Kaler is pleased to announce the seventh annual Women in Construction Conference, to be held on October 2, 2012 at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center in Washington, DC. Cathy L. Lanier , Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, joins the conference this year as the keynote speaker. Co-founded by Ober|Kaler’s Barbara Werther, a construction litigation attorney for over 30 years, and Barbara Wagner, Executive VP at Clark Construction, the mission of the Women in Construction Conference is to provide an avenue for younger women to learn from those who are “more seasoned” and to offer networking and mentoring opportunities to…

Interactive community provides company drivers, owner-operators and fleet managers with online resources   NAPA VALLEY, Calif. – (Aug. 6, 2012)– Freightliner Trucks announced the launch of its new interactive community, Team Run Smart (www.TeamRunSmart.com).  An open online community offering a wealth of industry resources, Team Run Smart was developed to help owner-operators, company drivers and fleet managers advance in the business of trucking.  Accessible through a dedicated website, mobile device site, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, Team Run Smart features interactive industry tools that focus on everything from keeping operating costs low to staying healthier on the road. The community includes contributions from third-party industry experts and fosters interaction with other trucking industry professionals. Team Run Smart contains an extensive number of articles and blogs that…