Construction Blogs

How to Solve Your Construction Labor Shortage

Still looking for the proverbial easy button to fill your talent pipeline? We hate to break it to you: there isn’t one.

“If you’re in this industry and not being the biggest promoter of it, you’re part of the problem,” says Benjamin Holmgren, president of Buildwitt Jobs. “You’re not going to solve it for the industry. Solve it for you.”

Holmgren was joined by Natasha Sherwood, executive director of the Independent Electrical Contractors Florida West Coast Chapter, and Steve Cona III, president and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors Florida Gulf Coast Chapter, in a recent panel discussion led by Autumn Sullivan, director of marketing and experience for Mobilization Funding.

The panel explored the issue of why skilled trade workers are leaving the industry, the impact of culture on recruitment and retention, and what companies can do to increase their talent pipeline.

Recruiting and retaining the next generation

So, can everyone stop blaming millennials already? Continuing to drone on about how millennials lack worth ethic is so 2010. Older millennials, those born in the 1980s, are established and in positions of power in their careers. Where the industry needs to focus its attention is Gen Z and Gen Alpha. 

“I don’t believe it’s so much a labor shortage, as a shortage of leaders who know how to lead the next generation,” said Holmgren. “Kids my age want to have a mission to get behind. They want to have a vision. They want to be led, trained and developed.”

The companies that have solved this understand this workforce development crisis is not about millennials. “Taking ownership of solving this for your company is the elixir,” said Holmgren.

Shop class makes its comeback

Getting in front of Gen Z and Gen Alpha starts in school. Trade education in middle school and high school was nearly extinct but is slowly making a comeback. Until there is wider support for the curriculum at a state and district level, getting involved at an individual level is critical.

Construction companies can help through apprenticeships and mentor programs. Contractors involved in mentorship see better hiring success because they already have name recognition with students, panelists said.

“The greatest benefit to our industry would be a solid pipeline out of high school and into the trades,” said Cona. “It has to be a statewide effort in our educational system to promote opportunities in all occupations that don’t necessarily require a four-year degree. The average age of our apprentice is 26-27 years old, and we have to get that lower to 21-22 years old. It can’t be an afterthought.”

Outside of local efforts, Holmgren suggests meeting the younger generation where they are online.

“It’s one thing to put on a trade show or job fair, but what about Instagram? TikTok? One thing you can start doing today is using social media to tell the story of your business and show people what it’s really like to work in your industry. It’s not that you have to make it look cool; the trades are already cool. Come join us – that’s what we need to be telling people.”

Work culture in construction 

Taking ownership of the construction recruitment and retention problem also means taking a hard look at company culture. For better or worse, every company has a culture. How that culture has evolved depends on how it is emulated and nurtured daily.

Work culture has been cited as a major factor in many skilled-trade veterans leaving their employer or the industry entirely. While culture is a hot topic in the construction industry, and often framed as something only young people are pushing for, it has a significant impact on retention across the board.

“You can tell that no matter the age of the employee, they are all looking for a culture that has a family atmosphere, opportunities for advancement, flexible hours and good benefits,” said Sherwood. “I just helped a fourth-year apprentice graduate who had an opportunity to go anywhere. He took a job at a company that paid $2 less an hour because it was a good fit. There’s that level of appreciation that is sometimes more important than the dollar bottom line.”

lternative talent pipelines

Beyond young people, there are many other viable talent pools and untapped markets to help fill the skilled-worker pipeline. Correctional institutions, foster care systems and the military are just a few options.

“We’re looking for all sorts of avenues to fill that pipeline, and one of those is folks coming out of corrections,” said Cona. “We’re getting asked by state leaders and politicians to work with them to help develop skills while people are still incarcerated. So whenever they get out, they can get plugged back into society. If you can give people opportunities and jobs when they get out of being incarcerated, their chances of going back are very slim.”

“The military does a great job recruiting kids, with ROTC officers and billboard campaigns,” said Sullivan. “The trades need to be seen as a viable option. You can feed your family, you can travel around the country – there’s a lot of opportunity depending on where you want to go with it.”

Continuing education for retention

While there are required continuing education credits in the construction industry, employers should also consider training that provides employees with a path toward a goal they value, such as moving from apprentice to superintendent.

“In this day and age in this economy, you have to invest in training your workforce. There are no unemployed electricians and plumbers sitting on the sideline,” said Cona. “You have to build your pipeline by investing in people who might not necessarily have the skills that you need at that time. Invest in your employees, train them, put them in apprenticeship programs and maintain it through their lifecycle as an employee.”

An engaged employee is someone who stays with you.

Changing the narrative

While the narrative that construction is a dead-end job is a systemic problem, individual companies can start making strides today to reframe the conversation and illuminate the opportunities.

“This country was built because people learned skills, created things and built things. No one can say this country was built because people went to college. That’s what we need to continue to push,” said Cona. “As parents, as an industry, we need to be better at pushing the narrative that this is a viable option.”

“Don’t people get tired of talking about finding good help?” adds Holmgren. “We know you can’t find good help. Do something.”

“I’m not interested in solving the industry’s labor-shortage challenge, but if there is one person who can take something from this and it lights a spark and they can solve it for them, that’s a win.”

Watch the full webinar here.

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Construction Services

12 Road Projects Named Finalists for America’s Transportation Awards

After months of regional competitions, 12 road construction projects have been chosen as finalists for America’s Transportation Awards.

The awards, sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, include projects in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Utah. Along with AASHTO, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and AAA sponsor the awards program.

“This competition recognizes just a few examples that highlight the ways in which state DOTs are improving quality of life and economic vitality of our communities, saving time and money through new innovations and technologies, and making better use of assets already in place,” says Jim Tymon, AASHTO executive director.

The grand prize and People’s Choice winners will be announced October 26. Each winner receives $10,000 cash to donate to the charity of its choice. The competition evaluates projects in three categories: Quality of Life/Community Development; Best Use of Technology & Innovation; and Operations Excellence.

Finalists are also categorized by project size: small (projects costing up to $25 million); medium (projects costing between $26 million to $200 million); and large (projects costing more than $200 million).

Here are the 12 finalists:

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet – Brent Spence Bridge Emergency Repair Project (Operations Excellence, Small project group) (Photo above.)


Safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians was improved with the $13.9 million widening of the Fourth Street Bridge over Interstate 40 in Flagstaff, Arizona.Arizona Department of TransportationArizona DOT – Fourth Street Bridge over Interstate 40 (Quality of Life/Community Development, Medium project group)

Margaret Rose Henry Bridge Delaware
The Delaware Department of Transportation alleviated traffic congestion and created more transportation options for a Wilmington community by constructing the $82 million Senator Margaret Rose Henry Bridge.Delaware DOTDelaware DOT – Margaret Rose Henry Bridge and Approach Roads (Operations Excellence, Medium project group)

Florida Gateway to Keys project wins award
The Florida DOT deployed a SMART Work Zone System that included a temporary traffic signal, three closed circuit cameras and nine Bluetooth devices on its project to improve the Cow Key Bridge.Florida Department of TransportationFlorida DOT – Leveraging Innovation: How FDOT Transformed the Gateway to Florida Keys (Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Small project group)

Grand Valley Boulevard Bridge Indiana DOT
The Indiana Department of Transportation opened the Grand Valley Boulevard Bridge on June 15, 2020, in Martinsville. Replacing a section of four-lane State Road 37, the bridge gives drivers and pedestrians a safe connection to neighborhoods, schools and businesses.Indiana Department of TransportationIndiana DOT – Grand Valley Boulevard Bridge (Quality of Life/Community Development, Small project group)

Turner Diagonal interchange Kansas City
Originally designed as a toll road in the 1960s but toll booths were never installed, the Turner Diagonal Interchange in Kansas City had three miles of obsolete and hazardous ramps. The Kansas Department of Transportation’s $30.3 million project increased safety and economic development.Kansas DOTKansas DOT – Turner Diagonal: Partnering for Growth (Operations Excellence, Medium project group)

New Jersey road shoulder installation Route 1
The $25 million Route 1 Permanent Hard Shoulder Running Project overseen by the New Jersey Department of Transportation improved safety, increased emergency access, increased capacity and travel reliability, and cut commute times by up to 50 percent.New Jersey DOTNew Jersey DOT – Route 1 Permanent Hard Shoulder Running Project (Operations Excellence, Small project group)

NCDOT Salem Parkway project wins award
The $101.6 million Salem Parkway improvement project in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The project included 10 bridge replacements, two new pedestrian bridges, a walking and biking path and extended sidewalks.NCDOTNorth Carolina DOT – Reconstruction of Salem Parkway (U.S. 421/I-40 Business) (Quality of Life/Community Development, Medium project group)

Oregon snow safety project I-84 award
Oregon Department of Transportation developed a $15.6 million automated system that posts real-time weather, traffic flow and surface condition readings on digital billboards on Interstate 84 in northeastern Oregon.Oregon DOTOregon DOT – I-84 Snow Zone Safety Improvement Project (Operations Excellence, Small project group)

Ohiopyle park road project Pennsylvania award
To improve accessibility and safety for motorists, bicyclists, boaters and pedestrians along SR 381, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation launched a $12.8 million multimodal gateway project at Ohiopyle State Park.PennDOTPennsylvania DOT – Ohiopyle Multimodal Gateway (Quality of Life/Community Development, Small project group)

SCDOT rural road project wins award
This stretch of scenic S.C. 61 in the Charleston area underwent a $4.4 million improvement project to add new lanes and widen shoulders while reducing the number of trees cut.SCDOTSouth Carolina DOT – C. 61 Phase 1 (Rural Road Safety Program) (Operations Excellence, Small project group)

I-15 reconstruction Lehi Utah
The Utah Department of Transportation completed a $415 million project that widened I-15 to six lanes in each direction, reconfigured two interchanges, replaced 15 bridges, built a new bridge, and created a new flyover ramp to address traffic congestion in rapidly growing Lehi.Utah Department of TransportationUtah DOT – I-15; Lehi Main to S.R. 92, Technology Corridor (Quality of Life/Community Development, Large project group)

An independent panel of transportation experts will choose the Grand Prize winner, while the public will select the People’s Choice Award winner through online voting weighted to each state’s population, AASHTO says.

The online voting ends at 11:59 p.m. October 25. Votes can be cast at AmericasTransportationAwards.org.

AASHTO will announce the winners during its Annual Meeting October 26-29 in San Diego.

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Construction Blogs

What Does Climate Change Mean for Roof Maintenance?

Many American homeowners hold deep concerns about climate change. The environment has undergone extensive changes in the last few decades, many of which result from industrial expansion and other human activities. Various government agencies collect important climate change data to provide the American people with the information they need to make environmentally conscious decisions about their homes. If you wonder how climate change will impact your homeownership responsibilities, it’s vital to assess available research and work with a trusted provider when you need roof replacement or home renovations.  

Climate change affects every US homeowner 

All across the United States, homeowners in every region of the country are experiencing new weather patterns, more significant temperature fluctuations, and unprecedented levels of severe weather. Unfortunately, the home maintenance routine you followed just a few years ago may now be insufficient for addressing the effects climate change has had on your region of the country.  

Every homeowner needs to carefully consider the effects climate change has had on their region when they consider home improvement projects like roof replacements and exterior renovations. Mr. Roof is happy to provide comprehensive and environmentally conscious guidance for any homeowner who needs a new roof or other exterior work done.  

Typical climate change-related home maintenance problems in the US  

If you are unsure how climate change could affect your roof maintenance routine, consider a few of the following examples of how the changing climate is impacting homeowners across the country:  

More variance in yearly temperatures can cause more frequent freeze/thaw cycles in areas of the country that typically experience harsh winter seasons. More frequent freezing, thawing, and refreezing during winter increase the risk of water intrusion through gaps in older roofs and, more likely, ice dam formation.  High winter temperatures can put significant strain on a roofing system. For example, if your roof is holding a great deal of snow and then it rains, this significantly increases the weight stress placed on your roof and can increase the risk of roof leaks and other winter roof problems.   More severe storms mean that more homes than ever are vulnerable to high winds, substantial rainfall, and heavy gusts of wind that can damage roof shingles and gutter systems. Severe storms also increase the risk of basement flooding in many parts of the US.  Some parts of the US are reporting abnormally high summer temperatures and experiencing heat waves. If a home has insufficient insulation or ventilation, this makes it harder to maintain comfortable temperatures inside the home and can cause energy bills to spike.  Climate change affects plants and wildlife in every area of the country. In addition, you may have experienced a higher density of air particulates and allergens in your area due to temperature changes, both of which place additional strain on home ventilation and air filtration systems.

 
There are many other examples of how climate change has impacted homeownership throughout the US. If you are concerned about the way the weather has changed in your area in the last few years, it’s vital to prepare for the future accordingly if your home requires any type of major exterior maintenance.  

Improving your home’s resistance to climate change  

If you want to be environmentally conscious moving forward when it comes to home maintenance, Mr. Roof can help. We can help you determine which home improvement projects are most important for your home to keep you safer and more comfortable as the climate continues to change in unpredictable ways.  

Ventilation, air quality, insulation, and protection from severe weather are vital considerations for all homeowners. This is especially true for homeowners and families that suffer from seasonal allergies, respiratory conditions, and other medical complications that reduce their resistance to changing weather patterns. In addition to minimizing health risks for you and your family, it’s also vital to consider quality and durability when it comes to any home improvement projects you need to arrange.  

Choose reliable roof improvement experts  

When you want to ensure your home has the highest quality and most durable features and account for a changing climate, Mr. Roof can help. Our team is committed to ensuring every job we perform meets our customer’s standards to the highest possible level. We also provide environmentally conscious guidance to homeowners who are unsure about their options for roof improvements.  

Whether you’re improving your home in preparation for sale or simply need to replace an outdated roof, Mr. Roof can help you make a wise choice that accounts for climate change. Our team will walk you through every phase of every job we perform for you so you can be confident about all the work we do for you. If you are ready to start upgrading your home in ways that account for the changing climate, contact Mr. Roof today and schedule a free estimate with our team.  

The post What Does Climate Change Mean for Roof Maintenance? appeared first on Mr Roof.

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Construction Services

Skycatch Releases Flight1x Cloud-Based Drone Solution

Using photogrammetry, drones can collect enormous amounts of information on earthmoving, industrial and mining sites. But when it comes to downloading all that data … put on a fresh pot of coffee, there’s lots of time involved.

That’s why many in the industry may be interested to hear that Skycatch, a data automation and analytics provider for drone mapping, has announced the release of Flight1x, a cloud-based solution for the DJI M300 drone platform.

Built on technology adopted by large mining companies and suppliers such as Komatsu and AngloAmerican, Flight1x is proprietary software developed specifically for the M300 that, according to the company, offers the most complete end-to-end high precision industrial drone capabilities available today.

Compared to off-the-shelf photogrammetry tools and laser sensors, Skycatch’s drone software reduces the time required to obtain high-accuracy 3D data by 60% and delivers results in 10 to 15 minutes compared to the more typical three hours. Flight1x takes these capabilities to the next level on the M300, delivering sub-3-centimeter accuracy for tailings management and inspection.

This reduces surveying costs, improves production planning and minimizes the risk of human error in hazardous mining sites. Skycatch’s analytics platform, Datahub, delivers added value for specific industrial workflows such as pit survey, highwall mining and repeatable tailings inspections.

Skycatch specializes in bridging data from the physical world to the digital. The new Flight1x solution delivers data and network security via Skycatch servers in the United States coupled with advanced automation features like a 3D first-mission planner, mining-focused workflows and deep integration into Datahub.

Additional functions and features when using the Flight1x software and M300 include:

Automated capture, extraction and processing of high-precision 3D point clouds.>Specialized mission planning automation to extract data from complex terrains such as high walls.>Complete industrial data capture and processing for repeatable and automated spot inspection.>Consistent data retrieval analysis of thousands of terrain spots in a single location by an automated industrial drone. >Automated aerial robot technology built on Skycatch’s platform that eliminates need for manual pilots and reduces risk of human error.

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Construction Management

Task Force Racing to Develop Tech Guidance for Electric Trucks

Editor’s note: Trucking industry efforts to develop recommended practices for training techs on electric trucks may offer a glimpse of what the construction industry will go through as more electric machines reach the marketplace. Here’s what’s happening on the trucking side.

Electric vehicle (EV) research and development has become a major business unit for North American truck OEMs (and new industry players), but those efforts still represent a focus on the future rather than a necessity for today. 

An American Trucking Associations’ Technology & Maintenance Council (TMC) study group intends to develop a recommended practice (RP) for Electric Vehicle Technician Training. Most of the discussion has focused on how fundamentally different EV operation is from conventional diesel engines, and how all service shops (fleets, dealers, independent service providers, etc.) will need to invest heavily in training to ensure their employees can correctly and safely perform EV service.

Kevin Otto, formerly with Cummins, led the discussion during a recent TMC meeting.

In opening the task force meeting, Otto said he estimates nearly every diesel technician working in trucking today will require substantial education on electrical systems to even approach working on EVs, let alone become an expert. Because today’s Class 8 trucks run almost entirely on 12-volt DC power — alternators use AC power within a closed system — most technicians have no experience working on or around higher voltage equipment.

Otto said obviously that will need to change. The electrical power running through a conventional Class 8 truck is dangerous enough. But in a vehicle fully run by batteries? Otto said untrained technicians attempting to service an EV tractor could put themselves in serious danger.

“These battery packs will pack a big wallop,” he said. ‘[Electric trucks] will be foreign for folks who haven’t worked on these systems before.”

That’s where TMC wants to help. Otto said TMC hopes to encourage participation from heavy-duty OEMs to leverage the EV training programs they are already developing for their dealer partners to put together top-level guidance that can be applied across the industry. Once developed, Otto said TMC’s RP won’t attempt to provide granular details on how to complete every EV repair, but it will hopefully offer clear and detailed descriptions of what training a technician needs before being allowed to start an EV service event.

The study group also intends for the RP to address battery testing, charging, shipping and handling, tool requirements and more. Meeting attendees spoke to the importance of each step, noting how dangerous battery packs for heavy trucks could be for an untrained professional.

With electric trucks now available to order but still mostly in development, it’s likely the study group has some time before its RP must be completed. Nevertheless, Otto said the group intends to work quickly once task force leadership is established so the RP beats the Class 8 EVs to the mainstream.

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Construction Services

Ritchie Acquires SmartEquip, Makes Parts Play

Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers is acquiring SmartEquip for $175 million, a deal that will give Ritchie “asset-specific full-lifecycle parts and service support” to dealers, OEM partners and buyers, says Ritchie CEO Ann Fandozzi. 

The acquisition, says Fandozzi, “furthers our goal of providing the best experience for our customers as we continue our transition from a traditional auctioneer to a marketplace for insights, services and transaction solutions for commercial assets.”

A multi-manufacturer platform, SmartEquip provides real-time service and diagnostic support that is customized via serial number to each asset on a customer’s fleet. It also enables online parts buying from OEMs and dealers. In the announcement Ritchie says SmartEquip supports about $1 billion in annual transaction volume with more than 600 OEM brands, on behalf of fleet locations in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. 

For the foreseeable future, SmartEquip will continue to operate as a standalone business headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut. 

The move will “accelerate SmartEquip’s ability to support its rapidly growing footprint across our joint global marketplaces,” says Bryan Rich, SmartEquip executive chairman. The firm has 60 employees, who will transition to Ritchie.

Ritchie says this acquisition will accelerate parts and service sales on behalf of its dealers and OEM partners by “providing a seamless experience for users.” It also will deepen its inventory management system connectivity, enabling solutions around inspections and ancillary services and enable optimization of search and advertising revenue streams, Ritchie says.

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Construction Services

SafeAI: Autonomous Equipment is About to Get Much More Robust

Remember self-driving cars?

Except for a few dramatic failures (Tesla anybody), you don’t hear a lot about them these days. But in fact, there has been huge progress in developing the underlying artificial intelligence (AI) technology for them.

One person who has been involved in AI research and development from almost the beginning, is Bibhrajit Halder. Starting in the early 2000s, Halder worked with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), then Caterpillar on its first autonomous mining trucks and eventually moved to Silicon Valley to work with Apple and others on self-driving vehicle projects. 


HalderSafeAIToday, Halder is the founder and CEO of SafeAI, a company that retrofits heavy equipment such as dump trucks, pickup trucks and skid steers with autonomous technology. Additionally, the company has partnered with Obayashi (one of Japan’s top five construction companies) on an autonomous construction site and is working with Goodyear to integrate tire intelligence into autonomous vehicles. 

We recently had the opportunity to talk with Halder and ask him just what happened to self-driving cars and what might that mean for the mining and construction industries.

As for self-driving cars, “That’s just hard,” says Halder. “The problem is massively challenging. Work is ongoing and there has been a huge amount of progress over the last ten years. But more has to be done. Companies like Waymo are getting close. And when they do get it, the floodgates will open. We just don’t know when that will be.”

On the other hand, heavy equipment, in particular mining, is way ahead in terms of adoption. “The mining industry has already moved more than five billion tons of material with autonomous trucks,” Halder says.  Even more significant, he says, is the fact that most of those mining trucks are running on technology that is already outdated. And the new technology, developed to solve problems in automotive applications is just now beginning to make a difference in mining and heavy equipment autonomy.

For simplicity’s sake, Halder refers to the old and new technology as AI 1.0 and AI 2.0.

The new AI

The AI 1.0 that entered the mining truck market early in the last decade relied on GPS, LiDAR and CPUs on the machines. These did the job very well but were limited in how much they could do and how much information they could capture and process.

The big difference now with AI 2.0 is that engineers have Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) in addition to CPUs, says Halder.  “GPUs offer a hundred times more computing power than before. That means we can do a lot more with our algorithms. GPU technology is more mature and able to handle many more use cases.” 

GPUs were initially developed for the video game industry because in video games a lot of the pixels change very quickly, and CPUs are not adept at this kind of information processing. “GPUs are better at parallel processing and can do it at a significantly better scale, and that helps AI, because AI requires parallel processing,” Halder says.

Neural networks

Halder gives an example of a truck coming up on a berm as an example of how this works. With the older 1.0 systems if you wanted your machine’s perception system to identify a berm using LiDAR it would be difficult. To a LiDAR system a berm might as well be a building. All it sees is an object of a certain size and shape. 

“Now we can take hundreds and hundreds of pictures of berms and feed it into this deep neural network, and it will recognize a berm and learn what it is,” says Halder. “And the more data you feed it, the better it works. This quality gets better and better over time, that’s a massive improvement.”

As the machine learns to distinguish between a berm, a building or a stockpile it can make better decisions on its own, Halder says.  “Your engineers don’t have to change the algorithm every time the truck encounters a new situation. That’s the power of AI. The AI network will recognize anything that you feed it.”

The automotive industry is also using GPU’s but the sheer complexity of highways, vehicle sizes, road signs and pedestrian issues are still more than AI 2.0 systems can handle and guarantee 100 percent reliability and safety. But construction and mining sites, with their limited traffic and controlled environments are easily managed by GPUs and AI neural networks.

AI 2.0 is just beginning to make an impact in mining and a few big construction sites, but that’s going to change says Halder. “With every project we are gaining massive amounts of knowledge. And as we gain that knowledge, we will better know how to scale that down. It is a continuous learning process.”

Training and support

Another plus for the mining and construction industry is the fact that the companies involved in implementing AI 1.0 developed good processes for training workers and deploying the technology.

Construction supervisors already know how to plan jobs and orchestrate the work, says Halder.  Only now, with autonomous machines and AI, instead of verbally telling operators what to do, they send the same instructions to the autonomous machines as a digital file.

“The transition from driving machines to managing machines remotely happens a lot quicker than you think,” says Halder. “Based on my experience, the operators and people on the sites  picked up on it so quickly you would be amazed,” says Halder. “They actually love it. Their job has become much safer with them sitting in the office looking at a screen or out a window. And that’s the vision: nobody in the unsafe areas.” 

Training on the mine sites is done with a staged approach, says Halder. “The tech provider will continuously train and support the mine operator on a daily, hands-on basis and then slowly pull back. The tech support, which is somebody we partner with, will stay on the site, sometimes for years,” he says.

The next big thing

“Autonomy is something every OEM is pursuing,” says Halder. “Everybody is trying to get there. Everybody knows the autonomous, connected site is the future. Everybody is either doing something internally with autonomy, or they are partnering with technology providers.”

But the winners in this race will not be the AI providers who just have the best technology.

“This isn’t a pure technology play,” says Halder.  “If your technology isn’t good, you don’t even get a seat at the table. You will win on the people side of it. You have to understand the customer’s workflows. You have to make their life easier. Service, support, training and education, that’s what going to win. It requires patience and that’s hard work too. Anybody who isn’t in it for the long haul won’t win.”

We’re also on the cusp of a new generation of vehicle technology that will open even more possibilities, says Halder. “Autonomy will eventually come into a lot more than just self-driving cars,” he says. “Anything that moves or has a safety implication is a candidate for AI.”

 

 

Construction Management

Women in Construction: Planning Your Post-Pandemic Career Path

If you’re a woman working in the post-pandemic world, construction isn’t a bad place to be. While there is still a wage gap between men and women, it’s less than in other industries, with women earning 99.1% of what their male counterparts make.

The pandemic hasn’t slowed things down, either. A survey of 700 women in construction in March found that 58% said they’re working about the same compared with before the pandemic, while nearly one-third (32%) said they’re working more, and only 1 in 10 reported working fewer hours. Meanwhile, 71% said opportunities are on the increase, while 28% said they were about the same, leaving just 1% to report they were declining.

This leaves women in construction with a leg up on women in other fields, such as retail and hospitality, who have been struggling to retain their jobs during the pandemic. Instead of scrambling to get back to where they were pre-COVID, many women in construction are riding the crest of a wave.

Opportunities Abound

Restaurant, retail, and travel industry closures hit women in those industries hard. Employment in February was down by 383,000 jobs compared with the year-earlier total in retail alone. Leisure and hospitality employment job losses were even worse, at 3.9 million.

Although many jobs in the latter sector are opening back up as travel and tourism increase, many displaced workers will see a chance to shift gears and find opportunities await in construction, where a March estimate identified a need for 200,000 skilled craft professionals. And these positions pay well, upwards of $66,000 for a carpenter, for example. To compare, a general contractor can make an average salary of $70,000 to $95,000 a year.

There’s room for growth, too: Women make up just 10.3% of the construction workforce, which means there’s both a challenge and an opportunity.

Stereotypes Persist

Many women may not even consider construction because of stereotypes that have kept trade industries male-dominated for some time. Media representations from Bob the Builder to Wreck it Ralph to Tim Allen’s Home Improvement are geared toward male audiences.

Women, meanwhile, have been dismissed as no longer “needed” in construction jobs.This is similar to what happened after World War II ended, with “homemaker” conventions resurfacing to replace Rosie the Riveter.

It’s still assumed by many that construction is a male industry. But that’s simply a false assumption, and it’s limiting both women and the companies that could be benefiting from their talents.

Challenging those stereotypes will be important moving forward in order to take advantage of opportunities that are opening up. A more diverse workforce increases the labor pool. It also boosts productivity and provides a greater variety of perspectives to promote innovation and better decision-making.

Technologies & Trends Emerge

From drones and artificial intelligence to 3D printing and modeling, construction technology is becoming more relevant by the day. As the industry as a whole embraces data as a driving factor in decision-making, it is becoming more obvious that the soft skills women bring to the table as effective communicators and team players improve both productivity and safety. That means, for women in tech, the emphasis on working smarter could help them get their foot in the proverbial door.

Similarly, emerging trends in construction will expand opportunities for women in tech to break into adjacent industries. For example, new directives designed to address the climate crisis have resulted in an industry-wide push to achieve net-zero energy in both new construction and retrofitting. As a result, subcontractors in heating, plumbing, electrical, and alternative energy (to name a few) will be looking for sustainability experts to help them “go green” and stay relevant.

Entrepreneurship is Rewarded

Self-employed construction workers are a force to be reckoned with. More than 23% of U.S. construction workers were self-employed in 2018, compared to 10% of the broader workforce.

As of 2016, more than one-third of carpenters (33.6%) were self-employed, nearly 42% of floor layers were, along with 38% of construction managers and 41.3% of construction and maintenance painters.

That means there’s plenty of opportunity to be your own boss under the right conditions. Of course, that takes understanding things like the need for various kinds of insurance, such as workers’ compensation (if you have employees), property and liability, and general liability.

It also means having enough capital and credit to make a go of it. If you’re thinking of going into business yourself, now is the time to get your finances in order so you’ll be in a position to invest in yourself and your company. As an added bonus, taking steps to build your credit can save you up to $11,460 per year in interest rates and fees on loans and credit cards.

## Alternatives are Available
If you have taken time off from your career, either due to the pandemic or personal reasons, you have options. Returnships encourage professionals who’ve taken a break from the workforce to get back in the game.

These paid internships allow companies and potential employees to get a feel for each other and provide training that can help in the long run, whether you wind up with that particular company or not. Companies like CDM Smith and Caterpillar are among those that offer or have offered returnships, often with a focus on women.

Opportunities in construction will continue to expand, but as stereotypes persist, it’s important for women to remain confident in what they have to offer, because it’s significant. Women can provide a broader and more diverse pool of labor and ideas that will serve the construction industry well in the years to come.

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Jessica Larson is a married Midwestern mom and a solopreneur. She creates online courses for students, and has started and run several other businesses through the years. Her goals are to support her family while still actually spending time with them, to act as an entrepreneurial role model for her two daughters, and to share what she has learned through The Solopreneur Journal.

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Construction Blogs

How to Repaint Construction Equipment

It’s tedious, time-consuming and often overlooked. A fresh paint job may not be on the top of your preventive maintenance priority list, but it’s a critical step to extend the life of your equipment.

Paint protects your equipment from harsh weather conditions, prevents rust and corrosion, maximizes resale value and ensures a professional image.

The process is simple, but even with the right tools, it can be painstaking. You can buy a sandblaster, pressure washer and paint gun to do the job yourself or have your local dealer do the refurbishing for you.

Here is the process for painting construction equipment:

1. Prepare the surfaces

The quality of the final paint job is all in the preparation. To start, remove all decals from the machine. A heat gun or adhesive remover and a scraper will make this process easier.

Next, manually or mechanically sand the machine to remove the old paint. Pay special attention to areas that have rust or corrosion. Use a wire brush or grinding attachment on deep pockmarks. And as always, wear personal protective equipment to prevent skin lesions, eye contamination or particle inhalation.

Finally, replace or repair any dented or damaged external parts. If you can’t find replacement parts for older machines, you can also patch the area with a fiberglass filler or polyester resin.

2. Clean and degrease

After the surface is prepared, thoroughly clean the machine. Use a pressure washer, washing detergent and degreasing agent to remove all dirt and contaminants. Any dirt or grease residue left on the machine will ruin paint adhesion, so washing the machine more than once may be necessary.

Make sure to comply with local environmental regulations for contaminated wash water disposal. Allowing wash water to enter the surface and groundwater reservoirs can result in hefty fines, jail time and expensive cleanup.

3. Preparing equipment for painting

Once the machine is smooth, clean and dry, the surface is ready for masking. Fancy supplies aren’t necessary for this step; masking tape, masking paper, cardboard and plastic will do the trick.

Remove any accessories, such as mirrors or mud flaps, that should not be painted. Tape off any parts or accessories, like door handles or chrome, that cannot be removed. Cover tires and tracks and windows with paper or plastic.

If you are painting indoors, protect the floor and surfaces in your shop with cardboard and plastic draping – overspray will happen. A proper ventilation system is also critical to remove any harmful paint fumes.

If you are painting outdoors, keep temperature and wind conditions in mind. Paint will not dry properly in cold temperatures, and high winds will result in dust, uneven coverage and excess overspray.

4. Paint the machine

Spraying paint will guarantee even coverage and a smoother finish than rolling or brushing.

Professional painters recommend using an HVLP (high-volume/low-pressure) spray gun set between 25-30 psi. Ideally, the temperature should be around 68°F to ensure proper paint viscosity and adhesion.

Always hold the gun perpendicular to the surface of the equipment. Maintain a constant distance of about 6 to 8 inches away from what you are spraying. Start with the edges and hard-to-reach areas before painting the larger flat areas, moving the gun at a steady rate of travel.

Apply a primer to areas where bare steel or filler is exposed. Allow the primer to dry for 24 hours before applying the base coat. Apply the paint in thin, even layers. Wait 15 to 20 minutes or until the paint is tacky to the touch before applying the next coat. As a rule of thumb, use two to three coats of paint to ensure adequate coverage and durability.

Take proper precautions to ventilate the space and protect your eyes, nose, mouth and skin from dangerous fumes and chemicals. A full-body paint suit, respirator mask and gloves are essential.  

5. Apply decals

Once the paint has dried for at least 24 hours, you can apply new decals to the machine.

The key to installing any decal and making it last is having a clean surface before you start. Wipe the area with rubbing alcohol to ensure proper adhesion. Position the decal on the machine with tape and mark the location where you intend to place it with a pencil. Carefully remove the backing and position the top corners on your pencil marks. Take a squeegee and slowly smooth the decal onto the machine, starting at the top and working your way to the bottom and edges, removing any air bubbles along the way.

Now that your machine looks close to new, you can earn top dollar for your trade-in or turn some heads on the next jobsite. 

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Construction Blogs

Deere: Split With Hitachi Allows It to Flex Technology Muscle

What was behind the surprising Deere-Hitachi excavator split announced in August? What will this mean for Deere customers of both brands?

P

RuccoloJohn Deereerhaps a better question is what it won’t mean, says Domenic Ruccolo, speaking to Equipment World about the split. Ruccolo, a Deere veteran, is the company’s new senior vice president of sales, marketing and product support, global construction equipment. He also serves as chief sales officer for the Wirtgen Group.

“From a customer-support standpoint, I think the best way to put it is that there will be no change,” Ruccolo says. Irrespective of brand, Deere dealers will continue to support everything they have sold over the years “indefinitely,” he says. 

“There’s no question that we had a very successful partnership with Hitachi throughout the Americas for more than 30 years,” Ruccolo says. But times have changed, and “it was the right time for both of us to make this change,” he says. “Where we are really going our separate ways is on the marketing and product support side.”

After Feb. 28th, Hitachi Construction Machinery Americas will take over distribution and sale of its excavators. Hitachi plans to manufacture all of its excavators in Japan and import them to the North and South American markets. All manufacturing plants in the joint venture will remain with Deere post-split. This includes its flagship manufacturing facility in Kernersville, North Carolina, as well as plants in Brazil and British Columbia.

That doesn’t mean all has ended between the two companies, however. “We’re going to continue to have a strong relationship with Hitachi for years to come through our continuing supply agreement with them,” Ruccolo says.

Hitachi plants in Japan, for instance, will still make its above 47-metric-ton models, the 670G and 870G, and its 190G wheeled excavator.

Technology centric

During the joint venture, Deere relied on Hitachi’s excavator technology, although Ruccolo points out that Deere has developed its own excavator models over the past 13 years that were sold in markets such as Australia, Southeast Asia and Russia. “The agreement gives us the flexibility to transition on a model-by-model basis to Deere technology,” Ruccolo says. “We’re really excited about the opportunity to control our own journey in excavators.”

Ruccolo also says this transition to Deere technology supports the company’s overall smart industrial strategy announced in 2020.

“Obviously when we have our own technology in excavators, it makes the deployment of them a lot easier for us,” he says. Deere can also apply technologies to excavators that it develops in other markets — notably agriculture and as the result of acquisitions such as autonomous driving start-up Bear Flag Robotics.

Dealer reaction

Ruccolo says the Hitachi split was not expected by dealers, “and there was a bit of a shock factor.”

Still, “there’s a lot of excitement and a lot of energy around what the future holds” on the dealer side, he says. “Once we had the opportunity to explain the transition and what the future holds I think generally dealers are quite excited about the future.” 

He also says that by now Deere dealers are already well-versed in Deere’s new smart investment strategy. “Customers are going to experience the same continuity and exceptional support that comes in the form of reliable access to parts, solutions and service,” he says.

Three years down the road?

If plans proceed as envisioned, three years from now contractors will look back on an uninterrupted customer experience, Ruccolo says. “We intend to be there every step of the way from a support standpoint for our customers and dealers,” he comments.

And will the Kernersville plant start to produce excavators beyond its current 13- to 47-metric-ton segment? Ruccolo declined to comment.

The Deere-designed and manufactured excavator line, however, will be in full transition. “We want to accelerate the development of what we feel is industry-leading technology and machinery,” he says. “We’re full steam ahead.”

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