Construction Industry News

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced a proposed rule that would prohibit federal contractors from maintaining pay secrecy policies. Under the terms of the proposal, federal contractors and subcontractors may not fire or otherwise discriminate against any employee or applicant for discussing, disclosing or inquiring about their compensation or that of another employee or applicant.

LANCASTER, Pa.—Business-to-business (B2B) marketing communications agency, Godfrey, and its client, JLG Industries Inc., received a Platinum Brand Builder Award for Best Trade Show Marketing Strategy from Hanley Wood, a trade-media company serving the residential, commercial design and construction industries.

NEW YORK (Sept. 15, 2014)—Penton's EquipmentWatch, provider of research and database information products for the heavy equipment industry, has expanded the coverage of the EquipmentWatch INDEX™, a monthly benchmarking report that tracks price, volume and age trends in the heavy equipment market, to include agriculture and truck, in addition to the existing construction equipment content.

SAUK CENTRE, Minn. (Sept. 11, 2014)—In an effort to bring awareness and support to pancreatic cancer research, Felling Trailers is conducting its second online auction of a FT-3 drop deck utility trailer. Felling Trailers manufactured and painted one of its most popular trailers metallic purple to be auctioned online for 10 days during the month of September. Midwest Industrial Coatings, Inc. donated the custom metallic purple paint and Tredit Tire donated the wheels.

HOLDREDGE, Neb. (Sept. 1, 2014)—Sixty-three Allmand light towers lined the fairways of the Holdrege Country Club’s back nine August 15th and 16th as 200 participants golfed the night away. Allmand hosted the Back 9 Night-Lite Golf Fundraiser tournaments for the second year in a row in Holdrege, Neb. The proceeds of the tournaments benefited Tiny Hands International and Give2Grow Phelps County.

SUNNYVALE and LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Sept. 8, 2014)—Trimble and Frank Gehry announced a strategic alliance to collaborate in transforming the construction industry by further connecting the office to on-site construction technologies. As part of the alliance, Trimble has acquired software and consulting services business, Gehry Technologies.

IRVINE, Calif. (Sept. 4, 2014)— International design firm Ware Malcomb announced the opening of a New York City office located at 18 West 18th Street, 11th Floor in Manhattan. The new office, which will focus on interior architecture and design, brings the total number of Ware Malcomb offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Panama to 16. Ware Malcomb also announced that Bill Sotomayor has joined the firm as regional director.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept.

NEW YORK (Aug. 28, 2014)—North America’s top plumbing and pipe-fitting apprentices were put to the test during the 2014 United Association International Apprenticeship Competition, which is held in conjunction with the Instructor Training Program at Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, Mich.

RACINE, Wis. (Aug. 28, 2014)—Country music star Kip Moore debuted a new video at CaseCE.com dedicated to the hard-working men and women of the construction industry.

ATLANTA (Aug. 27, 2014)—Brasfield & Gorrie announced the completion of construction for the $68.5 million College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in Atlanta, Georgia.

WASHINGTON (Aug. 27, 2014) — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) announced a new initiative designed to ensure the use of sustainable and environmentally protective products in buildings by applying technical and science-based approaches to the LEED green building program.

MOLINE, Ill.(Aug. 25, 2014) — Being a success in the rental industry takes leadership, perseverance and teamwork – which are three characteristics that describe Peyton Manning, the keynote speaker for The Rental Show 2015 in New Orleans.

WASHINGTON (Aug. 21, 2014) — The International Code Council (ICC), ASHRAE, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announce the signing of a memorandum to collaborate on the development of Standard 189.1, the International Green Construction Code (IgCC) and the LEED green building program.

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (Aug. 21, 2014) — Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced that it has acquired privately held Load Systems International Inc. (LSI), a market-leading manufacturer of wireless and hardwired crane safety instrumentation, headquartered in Quebec City, Canada.

UTRECHT, Netherlands (August 21, 2014) — Mammoet, a global presence in engineered heavy lifting and transport, lifted a new attraction at the NASA Space Center Houston to a greater height.

WASHINGTON (Aug. 20, 2014) — The last three months have shown steadily increasing demand for design services, and the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) is now at its highest level since 2007. As an economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine- to 12-month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the July ABI score was 55.8, up noticeably from a mark of 53.5 in June.

Arlington, Va. (Aug. 18, 2014) — Construction firms added jobs in 39 states from July 2013 to July 2014 and in 34 states from June to July, according to an analysis today of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Association officials said the employment gains are good news, but that the pipeline of skilled craft workers, supervisors and other employees appears to be emptying rapidly.

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Aug. 14, 2014) — It’s not clear how the unnamed dinosaur died 100-120 million years ago, but it’s been only 30 since Atlas Copco equipment helped discover the fossils of this ancient creature.