Construction Industry News

CHARLOTTE, N.C. and AUSTIN, Texas (Jan. 14, 2025) — HEI Civil, a heavy civil construction company, announced the official rebranding of Peabody General Contractors and Horsepower Site Services to HEI Civil. Peabody General Contractors was acquired by HEI Civil in 2018, and Horsepower Site Services joined the company in 2019. This rebranding solidifies HEI Civil's position in the industry by uniting these entities under a single brand. 

STAMFORD, Conn. and BATON ROUGE, La. (Jan. 14, 2025) ¬— United Rentals Inc. and H&E Equipment Services Inc. announced their entry into a definitive agreement under which United Rentals will acquire H&E for $92 per share in cash, reflecting a total enterprise value of approximately $4.8 billion, including approximately $1.4 billion of net debt.

MUNICH (Jan. 13, 2025) — The Nemetschek Group, a global software provider for the digital transformation in the construction and media industries, is expanding its executive board. The supervisory board unanimously appointed Usman Shuja to the executive board, effective on Jan. 1. Shuja will continue to serve as chief division officer (CDO) of the Build & Construct Division and as CEO of Bluebeam Inc.

ROSEMONT, Ill. (Jan. 9, 2025) — The American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) has announced Don Weaver, president of Weaver-Bailey Contractors Inc., as the chairman of the board of directors in 2025.

WASHINGTON (Jan. 7, 2025) — The construction industry had just 276,000 job openings on the last day of November 2024, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (Jan. 7, 2025) — Isuzu Commercial Truck of America Inc. announced that it set a new Isuzu retail truck sales record. In 2024, Isuzu dealers sold more low-cab-forward trucks than the previous record set in 2023. 

ATLANTA (Jan. 6, 2025) — Ian Aarsvold is the new Southwest region product manager for Takeuchi-US. A current resident of Des Plaines, Illinois, Aarsvold is relocating to the Dallas-Fort Worth area during Q1 2025 as he takes on his new role. 

BEDFORD, Mass. (Dec. 19, 2024) — Total construction starts increased 5% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.2 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts grew 2%, nonbuilding starts moved 16% higher, while residential building starts fell 1%. On a year-to-date basis through November, total construction starts were up 5% from the first 11 months of 2023.

STAMFORD, Conn. (Dec. 18, 2024) — United Rentals Inc. has launched its Excavation Safety Training for Competent Persons Program, offering an interactive approach to teaching trench and excavation safety. Designed to enhance compliance and productivity, the program has engaging activities for the learner to apply their knowledge in key areas tailored to one of most hazardous tasks in construction.

WASHINGTON (Dec. 10, 2024) — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reported that its Construction Backlog Indicator remained unchanged at 8.4 months in November, according to an ABC member survey conducted Nov. 20 to Dec. 3. The reading is down 0.1 months from November 2023.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (Dec 10, 2024) — Liebherr recently celebrated the groundbreaking of its new state-of-the-art logistics center in Tupelo, Mississippi. Located at the Hive Business Park, this advanced facility represents a milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to strengthening distribution capabilities across the Americas.

BASILDON, England (Dec. 16, 2024) — A special edition compact track loader from CNH construction brand CASE Construction Equipment was on display at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, at the Helping Hands charity concert. Held on Dec. 13, this annual event is organized by the rock band Metallica’s All Within My Hands charitable foundation.

ALACHUA, Fla. (Dec. 11, 2024) — The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization — expanded programs in 2024 to further its commitment to changing lives through construction education.

UPPER SADDLE RIVER, N.J. (Dec. 12, 2024) — EarthCam, a provider of live camera technology, content and services, announced the release of its newly upgraded Live Weather Service. Weather is a critical factor for construction management, and can cause delays, force-majeure claims, and safety concerns. EarthCam’s service features new weather sensors that generate on-location weather data, combined with live cameras to automate a complete record of jobsite conditions.

CHICAGO (Dec. 2, 2024) — BuiltWorlds’ recently released 2024 Offsite Construction Annual Benchmarking Report paints the sector as one in the midst of an evolution, revealing widespread internal prioritization of off-site construction as well as increasingly diversified facilities and methods.

LAS VEGAS (Dec. 3, 2024) — The Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program — a business-intensive program that awards students with a four-year Bachelor of Science degree in Concrete Industry Management — announced that one of the signature items for its annual auction at World of Concrete is a 2025 Mack Granite 64FR chassis donated by Mack Trucks and equipped with a Revolution Bridgemaster Mixer donated by Revolution Concrete Mixers.

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (Dec. 3, 2024) — To meet the growing demand for flexible and cost-effective equipment access, Palfinger, a provider of innovative crane and lifting solutions, has partnered with AP Fleet Management to introduce a new bucket truck rental program in the U.S.

INDIANOLA, Iowa (Dec. 3, 2024) — Cemen Tech, the largest manufacturer of volumetric concrete mixers and concrete production equipment, announced Fred Vincent as the new national used and rental equipment manager. With more than 25 years of experience in heavy truck dealer operations, Vincent will drive growth in Cemen Tech’s rental and used equipment divisions.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Dec. 3, 2024) — Launching its new humanitarian Jump Start Initiative, Fleetio has awarded a free subscription for its fleet optimization software to Shake-A-Leg Miami (SALM), a nonprofit dedicated to providing watersports opportunities and activities for people with disabilities, veterans and their families.

WASHINGTON (Dec. 2, 2024) — National nonresidential construction spending decreased 0.4% in October, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $1.228 trillion.