Construct Buddy

Balfour Beatty Communities Breaks Ground on New Military Family Housing at Hunter Army Airfield (Businesswire.com)

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:21:00 +0000

-Representatives from Balfour Beatty Communities, LLC, and Hunter Army Airfield (Hunter AAF) located in Savannah, Georgia, recently gathered with service members and their families to celebrate the groundbreaking of Hunter Ridge, a new neighborhood that will consist of 98 homes for Junior Enlisted families. The homes are planned to offer three and four bedroom duplex - quadruplex floor plan options complete with 2 ½ baths, large walk-in closets, ceiling fans, covered porches, fenced-in yards and two car garages. Energy-efficient appliances, lighting and HVAC systems will also be included. The neighborhood will be completed with two new playgrounds to further enhance the community amenities offered to families at Hunter Ridge and Hunter AAF.
Balfour Beatty Communities, LLC, is a subsidiary of Balfour Beatty Capital Group, Inc. and one of the leading Public-Private Partnership (PPP or P3) providers of housing, lifestyle and community solutions for members of the U.S. military and their families. At the groundbreaking for Hunter Ridge, Joel Jacobs, Deputy Project Director, Balfour Beatty Communities, was joined by Colonel Kevin W. Milton, Garrison Commander, Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield and Lieutenant Colonel Edward A. Kovaleski, Garrison Commander, US Army Garrison, Hunter Army Airfield for remarks.
Read more...

Florida Contracts Stumble in December, End 10% Down for '11

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:39:00 +0000

By Scott Judy (Southeast.Construction.com)
Florida’s construction contract activity in December was a microcosm of the state’s overall year, as nonresidential and nonbuilding markets declined significantly, and residential picked up the pace, according to the latest information from McGraw-Hill Construction.For the latest month, McGraw-Hill Construction estimated the value of Florida’s nonresidential contracts at about $299.1 million, or 42% lower than the same period of a year ago. The nonbuilding market, which includes infrastructure contracts, tallied $226.1 million, or about 20% lower than a year ago.Residential contracts improved, however. The company estimated new housing projects at more than $778.1 million for the month, or 19% better than a year ago.For 2011 as a whole, the pattern was similar. Nonresidential ended up the year 17% worse than 2010, with nearly $5.8 billion in new contracts started during 2011. Nonbuilding contracts totaled nearly $6.9 billion, or 24% behind last year’s tally. McGraw-Hill Construction estimated the residential sector’s 2011 total at nearly $9.6 billion, or 10% better than 2010.Overall, Florida experienced approximately $22.2 billion in new contracts during 2011. That’s roughly 10% behind the 2010 total of $24.6 billion.

Boom in Wind Power May be Headed for a Bust

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas)By Jack Z. Smith, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Jan. 27--Texas remains the runaway leader in wind-power generation capacity among the 50 states.
While only ninth in wind generation added during 2011, with 297 megawatts, it has nearly triple that amount under construction this year, the American Wind Energy Association said Thursday.
Association officials and wind industry executives said in a conference call that 2012 looks like a big year for added wind generation. But 2013 and beyond could be disastrous if Congress fails to quickly approve an extension of a federal production tax credit for wind power, they say.
If the credit isn't extended, wind industry jobs are likely to be "cut in half," association CEO Denise Bode said.
Greg Wortham, executive director of the Texas Wind Energy Clearinghouse, said that if the credit isn't extended, Texas companies in the wind-equipment manufacturing and supply sectors will have to let many employees go because "they'll just have no work, no order books for 2013."
Wortham is also mayor of the West Texas wind-energy hub of Sweetwater, whose economy, thanks to wind-power development, "is probably more bustling than it ever has been," he said in a telephone interview Thursday.
The wind association said Texas is still the nation's wind-generation powerhouse, with 10,377 megawatts of capacity, far ahead of No. 2 Iowa (4,322 megawatts) and No. 3 California (3,927). The U.S. installed 6,810 megawatts of wind capacity in 2011, increasing total capacity by 17 percent, to 46,919 megawatts.
Texas has 857 megawatts under construction this year, second only to Kansas, the association said. But Kansas had less than one-eighth of Texas' installed capacity at the end of 2011.
Critics of wind energy note that West Texas and the Panhandle --home to most of the state's wind farms -- don't have much wind on blazing-hot summer afternoons when electricity demand peaks in Texas. Some members of Congress want to halt large subsidies for wind and solar power.
Renewable-energy proponents suggest pairing wind and solar farms, since the sun generally shines on hot summer days, even if the wind isn't blowing.
Texas set a wind-power generation peak record of 7,400 megawatts Oct. 7, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the operator of the power grid for most of the state. Most came from West Texas and the Panhandle, but 967 megawatts were generated along the Gulf Coast.
That record is equivalent to 11 percent of the record peak-power demand of 68,379 megawatts in the ERCOT region Aug. 3.
Bode said that she believes that Congress will extend the production tax credit, but that it is imperative for lawmakers to act soon to give wind companies time to plan projects for 2013 and beyond.
If Congress waits until year's end, it could cost tens of thousands of wind-related jobs, so "there's an incredible urgency" to act, Bode said.

DYSON RACING: Win One (www.americanlemans.com)

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:23:00 +0000

The #16 G-OIL ModSpace/Construct Corps Lola Mazda with Chris Dyson and Guy Smith started first and finished first and the #20 Oryx Dyson Racing Lola Mazda with Humaid Al Masaood and Steven Kane started second and finished third in today's American Le Mans Series race at Lime Rock Park. The #16 Dyson entry was the car to beat all day, leading 165 laps of the 187 lap race. Smith set fastest race lap and Kane pulled down the second fastest of the race.
This was the first time Al Masaood and Kane have raced here in America. The #20 car started the race with a deficit after battery problems necessitated starting the car from pit lane. Al Masaood took the car from thirty-first to seventh. Kane got in the car on lap fifty-nine and did the podium run, taking the car to its third place finish.
Dyson started his pole-setting Mazda and traded the lead with the Muscle Milk car four times, leading forty of his sixty-lap run. Smith drove the final stint and took the lead for good on lap seventy-eight, setting fastest race lap forty-one laps latter.

"This win ranks right up there," stated Rob Dyson. Read more...

LA Times: Patrick Dempsey juggles both acting and racing in 1 successful weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 03:09:00 +0000

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — It was no fluke when Patrick Dempsey led laps overnight in the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

The actor best known as McDreamy from his role as Dr. Derek Shepherd on "Grey's Anatomy" has worked hard at his racing career.

The validation came last weekend when Dempsey led his first laps in the Grand-Am Series and helped his race team earn its first podium with a third-place finish Sunday in the prestigious sports car race.

Patrick Dempsey/Dempsey Racing lands Construct Corps with another podium at Rolex

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 14:41:00 +0000

Browse Photos

Yellow Dragon Motorsports Partners With ModSpace, CONSTRUCT CORPS For Rolex 24

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:01:00 +0000

MAZDASPEED Motorsports Ladder drivers will pilot the No. 36 ModSpace/CONSTRUCT CORPS GRAND-AM Rolex GT
Mazda RX-8 at the Rolex 24 At Daytona International Speedway
1.8.2011

Daytona Beach, FL
On the heels of the announcement in December at the Performance Racing Industry show between Mazda,
ModSpace and CONSTRUCT CORPS, the Yellow Dragon Motorsports team is pleased to announce a partnership between the four parties to pursue victory at the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona.

Mazda, winners of the 2010 Rolex 24 and the Rolex GT manufacturers’ championship, ModSpace, a leading supplier of modular buildings, portable storage and services for temporary or permanent space needs, and CONSTRUCT CORPS, a leading provider of temporary skilled workers for construction, disaster response, environmental and manufacturing companies throughout the U.S., have chosen the famed Rolex 24 event as the perfect venue to kick off their season of motorsports activities.

“ModSpace is very excited to partner with Mazda and Construct Corps for this prestigious race,” said William Mann, director of ModSpace Motorsports. “We have formed a strong partnership with Construct Corps through several motorsports programs and are honored to be aligned with the 2009 race winner, Justin Marks, and the other top-notch drivers on the team.”

Celebrating its 49th anniversary, the 24-hour endurance race demands excellence from the drivers and teams who attempt to survive the grueling race. As MAZDASPEED team business development manager John Doonan explained, bringing respected companies like ModSpace, CONSTRUCT CORPS and the Yellow Dragon team together was a natural fit.

“The Rolex 24 is precisely the kind of challenge we look forward to,” he said. “And with the program we have for the No. 36 ModSpace/CONSTRUCT CORPS Mazda RX-8, all of the elements needed to succeed are here. We have a great team running the car and an amazing selection of Mazda drivers to deliver the results. Everyone is genuinely excited to show what can be achieved.”

Owned by Jack Smith, managed by Phil Creighton and engineered by Rossella Manfranato, the Smyrna, Ga.-based Yellow Dragon Motorsports team will benefit from the driving talents of four drivers who’ve exemplified what the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Ladder has to offer.

“We have Justin Marks, winner of the 2009 Rolex 24 on board,” Smith said. “And he certainly knows his way around Daytona. He won carrying CONSTRUCT CORPS colors on the car in ‘09, and before he focused his attention on stock cars, Justin spent his early years learning to race while driving Mazdas.

“Taylor Hacquard has raced in the Star Mazda series and currently races a MAZDASPEED3 in the Continental Tire series. He’s a prime example of what a young driver can achieve on Mazda’s ladder, and the entire Hacquard family has been part of the Mazda family for quite some time. He’s a full-time college student when he isn’t racing, which helps to connect him to the younger Mazda fans out there.

“Mikel Miller has raced and won in Mazdas for most of his life, and also instructs at the Skip Barber school. He has a lot of professional experience and is regarded as a one of the fastest drivers in the field.

“Chris Cumming got his start in racing a little bit later than his teammates, but showed what skill and
determination can get you. He was a standout in the Star Mazda series, winning the Expert division two years
running, and has now switched his attention to GT racing. Having Justin, Taylor, Mikel and Chris in the No. 36 ModSpace/CONSTRUCT CORPS Mazda RX-8 just goes to show how Mazda drivers can come from so many different series and end up coming together to race at a huge event like the Rolex 24,” Smith concluded.

Follow all of the action during the Rolex 24 At Daytona, held January 29-30, by visiting www.GRAND-AM.com.

ABOUT MODSPACE: Modular Space Corporation (ModSpace), based in Berwyn, Pa., is a leading provider of modular buildings, portable storage and services for temporary or permanent space needs. Building on more than 40 years of experience, ModSpace serves a diverse set of customers and markets—including commercial, construction, education, government, healthcare, industrial/energy and special events—through an extensive nationwide branch network throughout the United States and Canada. http://www.modspace.com/

ABOUT CONSTRUCT CORPS: Construct Corps is a leading provider of temporary skilled workers for construction, disaster response, environmental and manufacturing companies throughout the U.S. Through its exclusive Construct Buddy recruiting system, Construct Corps provides more workers in more locations with one point of contact than any other company. For more information on Construct Corps please visit http://www.constructcorps.com/

ABOUT MAZDA: On any given weekend, there are more Mazdas on the road-race tracks of America than any other brand of vehicle. At the track, you’ll see MX-5 Miata, RX-8, MAZDA3, MAZDA6, RX-7 and other vintage Mazda models competing, because every Mazda has the Soul of a Sports Car. In fact, the largest road-racing class in the world is Spec Miata, with more than 2,500 first- and second-generation Miatas tearing up America’s racetracks, making it the most-raced production car in the world. Mazda’s involvement in motorsports extends to its relationship with Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, one of the world’s premier road-racing circuits, and the Skip Barber Schools for driving and racing. http://www.mazdausa.com/

Construct Corps Is Ready for Another Rolex Run

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Construct Corps has partnered up with ModSpace in sponsorship of the Dempsey Racing No. 36 Mazda RX-8. Saturday, January 8 Dempsey Racing was at the Speedway testing for the upcoming 24-hour race. Patrick Dempsey was on hand to take photos with his number 40 Mazda RX-8 sponsored by Visit Florida, as well as ModSpace and Construct Corps.

Construct Corps is not new to Rolex racing. In 2009, Construct Corps went to Victory Lane in the GT class at the Rolex 24 in Daytona. Construct Corps hopes to return to Victory Lane again with Justin Marks behind the wheel for a second time.

Patrick Dempsey of Dempsey Racing with Scott Tashkin
of Construct Corps

From left to right, drivers Patrick Long, Justin Marks, Andy Lally, RJ Valentine,
and Jorg Bergmeister after the 2009 GT Class victory at Rolex24.

Dempsey Racing Construct Corps/ModSpace #36 Mazda RX-8 at Daytona.

Construction Starts Down 3\% | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:29:00 +0000

Construction Starts Down 3\% | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction: "Total construction starts through the first 10 months of this year are down 3% from the same period in 2009, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. A 12% decline in the nonresidential building markets and a 2% decline in heavy and highway work offset a modest 8% increase in homebuilding. The heavy and highway markets received a big boost in October with the start of five wind-power projects located in five different states and totaling $1.57 billion. The non-residential building market faced a setback in October when office-building starts declined 47% from the previous month, while the manufacturing plant category declined 60% from September’s starts. On the plus side, starts for school building rose 26%."

July Construction Starts Up 6% from June | Construction Industry News | Reed Construction Data

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:02:00 +0000

July Construction Starts Up 6% from June | Construction Industry News | Reed Construction Data: "Reed Construction Data (RCD) announced today that the year-to-date value of construction starts through July, excluding residential contracts, totaled $149.7 billion, 7.5% more than in the same months of 2009. Individual month of July starts were 6.4% higher than in June. This is more than the usual seasonal gain in July.
The value of starts has now been about steady for five months after allowing for seasonality. Current starts are 48% above the low point last June but remain 24% below the pre-financial-crisis peak in August 2008. The value of starts is expected to be about steady in the coming months and then begin to rise at the end of the year."

Justin Marks, Win-Tron Racing Illinois State Fairgrounds Advance

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:26:00 +0000

Springfield, IL (August 18, 2010)- A devastating hit to the No. 32 Construct Corps Dodge Charger near the end of last Sunday’s event may have ended one of the strongest performances of the year for Win-Tron Racing and Justin Marks, but it won’t stop the team’s fight to get back to the top of the championship standings. The ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards visits the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois this Sunday for an action-packed, one-day show on the one-mile dirt oval. The first of two events away from paved racing surfaces for the ARCA Racing Series drivers, the Springfield dirt brings an opportunity for those drivers with diverse racing backgrounds and a love for the grassroots dirt racing to shine.

Another solid opportunity to gain major ground in the championship standings and potentially pull of a second victory on the season was unexpectedly put to an end prematurely for Marks last weekend at New Jersey Motorsports Park. Taking the green flag from the pole position on Sunday afternoon, Marks pulled out to a commanding lead over the rest of the field, leading the most laps all afternoon until a late race caution shuffled up the running order. Restarting in the fourth spot with less than 15 laps to go, Marks was choosing an inside line to make a pass going into turn one when he was tapped from behind and sent into the inside wall.

Towing a brand new Construct Corps Dodge Charger to Springfield this weekend, Win-Tron hopes to bring back some good luck with a new car that hasn’t seen the track yet this season. Marks is also optimistic about his chances, as he enjoys competing on the dirt tracks.

“I love racing the dirt,” Marks admitted. “The only dirt racing I've done was the ARCA races in 2007 and it was a total blast. I'm really looking forward to getting back because Win-Tron has had some great runs on the dirt and I know we'll have a good car.”

Springfield was the site of one of the two dirt races Justin competed at in 2007, where he qualified his Robby Benton-owned machine 13^th and finished the day in fourth. Last season, Win-Tron and driver Matt Merrell had a solid run at the one-mile oval, qualifying fifth and running strong all day before crossing the stripe in 10^th.

After a shake up in the point standings at New Jersey, Frank Kimmel took over the lead in one of the tightest points battles in the history of ARCA, just 10 points ahead of second place Craig Goess, while Justin Marks sits 75 points behind Kimmel in fourth. Coverage for this weekend’s events at the Illinois State Fairgrounds can be found on ARCARacing.com through live timing and scoring, beginning at 10 AM EST on Sunday for the ARCA Racing Series practice session. ARCA Nation will also carry live coverage of the 100 mile event, beginning at 1:00 pm CST, which you can also find on ARCARacing.com.

For more on Justin Marks, visit www.justinmarksracing.com

For more on Construct Corps, visit www.constructcorps.com, and follow them on Twitter (@ConstructBuddy)

For more on Win-Tron, visit www.win-tronracing.com, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@WinTronRacing)

Justin Marks on Springfield

I grew up going to dirt track races and it really planted the racing seed for me so it has a special place in my heart. We're getting down to the championship run here so it's time to turn it up a bit and get aggressive and the dirt is a great place for that because its hard racing where you can make stuff happen and really set the tone. I'm doing some USAC testing and planning on getting some seat time on the dirt in preparation to really take advantage.

Co-Owner Nate Thiesse on Springfield

The dirt tracks are always interesting for all of the ARCA teams because it’s something that you can either do really well at, or you can lose a lot of ground. Our cars have always been competitive on the dirt and our short track background really helps us there. When the driver enjoys going to a track it always helps their focus and performance, and Justin is looking forward to running well this weekend. We’re bringing a new Construct Corps Dodge that hasn’t seen the track yet this year, and the goal is to get back to where we were before the last two weeks of bad luck.

Event Schedule at Springfield

Sunday, August 22, 2010 (all times Central)

6:00 AM- ARCA Racing Series Garage Opens

9:00-10:00 AM- ARCA Racing Series Practice

11:00 AM- Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell (All positions, 1 lap)

12:45 PM- ARCA Racing Series Driver Introductions

1:00 PM- Start of the Allen Crowe 100 (100 miles/100 laps)

Justin Marks, Win-Tron Racing Stats

- Five top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 13 starts this season

- Marks won his first career ARCA Racing Series event in the second race of the year at Palm Beach Speedway

- In 54 career starts, Marks has finished in the top 10 a total of 22 times and has three career pole positions

- Marks has one previous start at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in 2007. Piloting the No. 65 Robby Benton-owned entry, Justin qualified 13^th and improved all day to cross the checkers in fourth.

- The last two seasons have brought solid finishes for Win-Tron Racing; in 2008 Bradley Reithmeyer steered the No. 32 to an 11^th place finish after starting 12^th, and Matt Merrell drove a smart race last season to wind up finishing 10^th after a fifth place qualifying effort.

ARCARacing.com: Justin Marks Wins Pole for Garden State ARCA 150

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0000

(MILLVILLE, N.J. - August 14, 2010) - Justin Marks set the tone at the top early, and it stuck. Marks completed a qualifying lap on the 2.25-mile Thunderbolt Raceway at New Jersey Motorsports Park in 82.355 seconds (98.355 mph), and his No. 32 Construct Corps Dodge will start from the pole in Sunday's Garden State ARCA 150 presented by American Red Cross.

Marks is the 12th different Menards Pole Award presented by Ansell winner in 12 qualifying sessions this season. (Qualifying at Texas in April was cancelled for severe weather and the race field was set by owner points.) The pole is Marks' third overall, and his first since the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in 2008.

Marks was one of five drivers entered in the afternoon's first qualifying segment, reserved for the drivers with the five fastest best laps in the day's two earlier practice sessions. After posting the best practice time of 82.534 seconds (98.141 mph), Marks edged Robb Brent, Steve Arpin, Tom Hessert, and Joey Coulter in the opening qualifying segment. Drivers were scored based on their best lap of several completed in an allotted 10-minute session.

"When we come to a road course, it's what I expect to do," said Marks, an experienced road racer. "This weekend came at a really good time for us after we lost ground in the championship. We knew this would be a good chance to gain max points. We wanted to get the pole and we want to lead the most laps and win the race."

Marks won the series' previous road course race, at Palm Beach (Fla.) International Raceway in February, but fell out of the points lead and into third place following transmission problems and a season-low 21st-place finish in last week's race at Berlin (Mich.) Raceway.

No driver in the previous 13 road course races in ARCA Racing Series history has won multiple road events, and though Marks may become the first, the honor is not his primary focus.

"I'm committed to stock car racing, and I love these cars and I love racing on the ovals. Being able to go road racing is an added bonus. It's the kind of racing I'm very passionate about and have spent most of my life doing. It would be a cool feather in the cap (to win both), and it'd be good for the Bill France Four Crown too, but more than anything, our goal in ARCA this season is to win the championship. This is a good opportunity for max points."

Tim George Jr., who finished 10th in practice and drove in the second group, made a spirited bid for the pole but fell just short. George (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Development Chevrolet) will start second after his lap of 82.628 seconds (98.03 mph).

"The car was really good in qualifying trim. We didn't do a mock run so we didn't know quite what to expect. I think we left a little bit on the table, but with Marks on the pole, it'll be nice to start the 31 and the 32 up front," George said. "I want to redeem ourselves a little bit for the other road course race in Palm Beach. I'm looking forward to starting up front and keeping the car up front, and we get a good pit stall choice. We'll bring our ‘A' game tomorrow."

George finished eighth at Palm Beach in February, but is a previous winner on the New Jersey Motorsports Park surface. George teamed with Andy Lally to win the inaugural Grand American Road Racing Association Rolex Sports Car Series race at Thunderbolt Raceway in 2008. Still, he insists, the challenge of driving a stock car is far different than that posed by a sports car.

"These cars are so different than the Rolex cars. Compared to being able to adjust all sorts of things inside a Porsche, you don't have many options as a driver inside a stock car. You have to be really focused and get the setup right in practice," George said. "I'm going to race within my limits, not overdrive the car. I'm just planning on driving a good, clean, smart race and letting the strategy bring us up front."

Hessert, who led the opening practice and hails from Cherry Hill, N.J., will start third in his home state. Hessert (No. 77 Cherry Hill Classic Cars Dodge) completed his best lap in 82.633 seconds (98.024 mph).

Robb Brent (No. 36 Orchard Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Dodge), who finished second at Palm Beach in February and won two weeks ago at Pocono Raceway, will start fourth, and Chris Buescher (No. 17 David Ragan Fan Club Ford), the winner at Toledo in May, will start fifth.

Mikey Kile and Dakoda Armstrong will start sixth and seventh in a reversal of their current points positions. Joey Coulter, last week's winner at Berlin, will start eighth. Jeff Buice and Patrick Sheltra will fill out the fifth row and the top 10.

Points leader Craig Goess (No. 81 Greenville Toyota of N.C. Toyota) battled damage and engine problems throughout the day's practices and will start 17th. Nine-time series champion Frank Kimmel (No. 44 Ansell/Menards Ford), who is 10 points behind Goess through 12 races this season, will start 14th.

Live timing and scoring and live audio coverage of the Garden State ARCA 150 presented by American Red Cross will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern Sunday on ARCARacing.com.

Narrowed profit margin pushes Granite to Q2 loss - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:45:00 +0000

Narrowed profit margin pushes Granite to Q2 loss - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal: "Granite Construction Inc. on Monday reported a loss in the second quarter of $6.7 million, or 18 cents a share, compared to net income in the same quarter last year of $17.9 million, or 46 cents a share.

Watsonville-based Granite (NYSE:GVA) had revenue of $454.2 million, down slightly from the year-ago quarter's $461.1 million. Gross profit margin was 11 percent, down from 18 percent in 2009, driven primarily by the lack of private-sector work and too much capacity for the available work in the marketplace."

Homebuilder PulteGroup returns to profit in 2Q - Times Union

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:44:00 +0000

Homebuilder PulteGroup returns to profit in 2Q - Times Union: "PulteGroup Inc., the nation's largest homebuilder, said Wednesday it returned to a quarterly profit for the first time in more than three years, as revenue surged amid a rush by Americans to complete their home purchase in time to qualify for federal tax�credits.

The builder's acquisition of rival Centex Corp. last year was key, bolstering its inventory of homes geared for first-time buyers, many of which seized on the government incentives to become�homeowners."

Caterpillar picks N.C. for second plant in a week :: WRAL.com

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:43:00 +0000

Caterpillar picks N.C. for second plant in a week :: WRAL.com: "Heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc. announced an expansion at its Sanford plant on Thursday afternoon, bringing more than 300 jobs back to a facility that has seen cutbacks in recent years.

Gov. Beverly Perdue and other state and local officials were at the plant to herald the $28.3 million expansion, which is expected to add 325 jobs over the next four years."

McGraw-Hill Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 15:42:00 +0000

McGraw-Hill Construction: "New construction starts in June dropped 3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $385.7 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies.� Declines were reported for two of construction’s three main sectors – housing and nonbuilding construction.� Meanwhile, nonresidential building advanced in June, continuing to show some improvement after extremely weak activity earlier in the year.�"

Construction Unemployment Rate Stays Above 20%

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:11:00 +0000

(EC&M 6/10/2010) Construction employment declined in May as 35,000 workers lost jobs, offsetting most of the increases the industry experienced in March and April, according to a new analysis of federal employment figures by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Arlington, Va. The figures show how fragile the sector is despite recent increases in stimulus funding activity, note association officials.

"Growing stimulus activity was clearly offset by weak private-sector demand and diminished state and local construction budgets last month," says Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "Unfortunately, construction employment is likely to remain both relatively low and unstable until at least early 2011."

Construction employment declined from 5,626,000 to 5,591,000 between April and May 2010, Simonson notes. Meanwhile the construction unemployment rate, which is not seasonally adjusted, actually declined from 21.7% to 20.1% during the same time period. With more than 1.7 million construction workers unemployed, however, Simonson notes that the industry's unemployment rate was still more than double the national rate and was the highest May rate since the series began in 1976.

Non-residential construction employment was particularly hard hit in May, accounting for 28,100 — or more than four out of five — of the jobs lost in construction last month. Citing construction spending figures released earlier this week, association officials note that developer-financed construction investments, including office, retail and multi-family residential, are down significantly this year.

Given high vacancy rates, private-sector construction demand is likely to remain weak for many more months, according to association officials, adding that state and local construction demand would remain soft for even longer considering the budget shortfalls for most state and municipal governments. They association urges Congress and the Administration to take advantage of low construction costs by acting on long-stalled infrastructure bills, such as the six-year surface transportation legislation.

"With the temporary stimulus already starting to run its course, it is time for federal officials to act on the longer term infrastructure programs that will give construction workers a change to make it through the protracted construction downturn," says Stephen Sandherr, the association's CEO. "With construction prices low, now is the perfect time for Washington to modernize the nation's aging transportation, water, and building infrastructure."

BP Cleanup Subs Were Using Undocumented Workers | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:07:00 +0000

BP Cleanup Subs Were Using Undocumented Workers | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction: "After receiving tips, Bay County, Fla., sheriff’s deputies arrested 11 undocumented workers at the Panama City Marina on May 19, 2010, for using stolen Social Security numbers to obtain employment cleaning up the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico"

Housing Rebound Masks Non-Residential Work Drop

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:05:00 +0000

(ENR.com 6/9/2010) The total dollar value of new construction starts through the first four months of this year were $125 billion, which was the same amount as a year ago. While the overall numbers were stable, they mask a large swing in market activity. The housing market is up 34% over last year's dismal low, while the non-residential building market was down 18% and heavy and highway work was down 2% from a year ago, according to McGraw-Hill Construction data for new construction starts. Leading the decline in the non-residential building market were monthly declines of 48% for office building work, 40% for health-care facilities, 33% for manfacturing work and 10% for school construction.

First jury trial on Chinese drywall begins in Miami

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:59:00 +0000

By SHANNON BEHNKEN | The Tampa Tribune TAMPA - Bay area attorneys and homeowners are watching closely as the nation's first jury trial concerning tainted Chinese drywall begins this morning in Miami.

The result could set the course for thousands of other homeowners stuck with homes that stink like rotten eggs.

The drywall emits a sulfuric gas that corrodes metal and destroys air-conditioning units. Homeowners have also complained of health problems such as trouble breathing, headaches, itchy eyes and nosebleeds.

"Homeowners are in a bad situation," said Victor Diaz, lead attorney in a class-action case in South Florida. "If you know you have Chinese drywall, it's impossible to sell your home."

The Miami trial involves Banner Supply Co., which has sold drywall in Florida for more than 40 years. The company bought bad drywall from importers in 2006 and later discovered it was tainted.

The crux of case is when Banner Supply learned of the problem and what the company did about it.

Banner Supply reportedly said it stopped using the drywall when it received a few complaints about an odd odor from homeowners who bought WCI Communities homes in South Florida. The company then reportedly made a deal with the manufacturer that involved receiving replacement shipments of domestic drywall in exchange for keeping quiet about the drywall's smell.

A company attorney told the South Florida Business Journal that it made the deal because the company didn't know at the time about corrosive effects on metal or any health problems.

"All we knew was there was a complaint related to smell, five homes in WCI had it, and test results showed no health concern," attorney Michael Peterson said. "There was no indication of corrosion or personal injury."

Some experts estimate as many as 100,000 homes were built with the bad Chinese drywall. Builders typically use domestic drywall but turned to China amid a shortage during the housing boom.

The U.S. government is investigating complaints but has recommended that homeowners replace the drywall. Some builders have offered to take care of the problem for clients, but others have not.

Builders have estimated it costs, on average, about $100,000 per home to tear out and replace bad drywall. It's an expense not covered by homeowner's insurance.

Deere & Co. to invest $100 million to modernize foundry in Waterloo, Iowa - WGN

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:57:00 +0000

Deere & Co. to invest $100 million to modernize foundry in Waterloo, Iowa - WGN: "Deere & Co. has announced it will invest about $100 million to modernize the John Deere Foundry in Waterloo, Iowa.

According to Deere, the modernization work will take place over the next 4 to 5 years. The project will allow the heavy equipment maker to improve manufacturing capacity and flexibility."

Construction Firms Add Jobs in April

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:33:00 +0000

Construction Firms Add Jobs in April: "Construction firms added 14,000 new jobs in April, the second consecutive month of employment gains for the industry, according to Arlington, Va.-based Associated General Contractors of America. After more than two years of dramatic job losses, the construction industry is once again adding jobs, thanks primarily to the increasing number of stimulus-funded projects now underway, the association notes.

'As today's report makes clear, the effects of the stimulus are now being felt across a much broader section of the construction industry,” says Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. 'The good news is the stimulus is for now turning the tide on construction employment. The bad news is the stimulus is temporary while the construction downturn will be protracted.'"

New regulations placing further stress on construction industry, panel says

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:29:00 +0000

By MONICA UNHOLD, The Daily Transcript
Thursday, May 13, 2010

The region's current regulatory environment is not conducive to a healthy construction industry or a viable housing market, members of the industry and government officials agreed Thursday during a forum on "Building Construction Jobs in North County."
Organized by the San Diego North Economic Development Council and funded by a grant from the County of San Diego Neighborhood Reinvestment Program, the forum focused on policies affecting the construction industry and provided contractors with information about large projects under way at Lindbergh Field, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and highway construction administered by San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
In San Diego County, permits required to build midrange single-family homes are so expensive that developers cannot make a profit, said Gary Knight, president and CEO of the San Diego North Economic Development Council.
It is a major concern for local governments as the region strives to accommodate expected population growth of an additional 1 million people by 2030. Assembly Bill 32, California's comprehensive climate change legislation, disallows the large development projects needed to accommodate such growth, said Steve Kildoo, a member San Marcos' Planning Commission.
In attempting to accommodate such growth, local governments are experiencing a high level of community opposition. The philosophy is, "if we don't build it, they won't come," Kildoo said.
"Ask Valley Center how well that is working out for them," Kildoo said.
A host of new regulations are also adding costs and increasing the time needed to complete projects, said Chris Rice, a project manager with RiceBuilt Construction Co.
"We had to sandbag 500 yards away from the house just to put a shovel in the ground," said Rice, describing efforts undertaken to comply with new stormwater regulations on a recent project.
California is pioneering such environmental regulations, but may be doing so at a great cost, Kildoo said.
"It's nice that California is leading the nation in this arena but the bad thing is, it puts us at a competitive disadvantage," Kildoo said.
Such regulations place additional stress on struggling construction businesses, said Andy Berg, executive director of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) San Diego. The economic climate has resulted in a highly competitive bidding environment. Many contractors are bidding at 3 percent below cost as they seek revenue to carry them through the recession.
However, the market is not all doom and gloom. The economy is beginning to recover, though it may be a while before the construction industry experiences an uptick, Berg said.
"Construction is a lagging indicator," Berg said.
Berg advised members of the industry to use the recession to retool their businesses and prepare for the market's turnaround. NECA is preparing by increasing the enrollment of its training program, despite unemployment rates of 20 percent among its apprentices.
"Be prepared for the recovery," Berg said. "This is really not the time to pull in all your resources and hide in the corner."

The Top 400 Contractrors | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:23:00 +0000

The Top 400 Contractrors | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw-Hill Construction: "For the past year, construction firms have been searching for signs that the recession, which began over two years ago, was abating. Those signs continue to be few and far between. So the largest U.S. contractors now are settling into a waiting game, scrambling to increase their market shares, moving into new markets and taking a good look at how they do business to make sure that, when the market does rebound, they are ready.

Slide Show
Photo: Bechtel
Related Links:
The Top 400 Contractors List
Complete Report
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The depth of the downturn can be seen in the survey data supplied by the ENR Top 400 Contractors. The Top 400, as a group, generated $290.63 billion in revenue in 2009, down 14.1%, from $338.38 billion, in 2008. While international contracting revenue fell only 2.5%, to $55.58 billion, for the group in 2009, domestic contracting revenue was off by 16.5%, to $235.05 billion.

The falloff in revenue was not limited to a few large firms. Of the 374 contractors on this year’s Top 400 that also sent in surveys last year, 291 suffered declining revenue, while only 80 had revenue increases. Of last year’s Top 100, nine contractors saw revenue increases, 88 had lower revenue, and three did not participate in the survey."

Construct Corps Providing Skilled Labor at Fort Bragg

noreply@blogger.com (Construct Corps) — Mon, 17 May 2010 20:12:00 +0000