Groundbreak Carolinas

GroundBreak Carolinas

Your source for construction industry news in the Carolinas

Brian Gallagher

Persistent Workforce Shortages Challenge Commercial Construction Industry as U.S. Building Demands Continue to Grow

by USG Corporation on

The Q1 2018 USG Corporation + U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index (Index), released today, reveals nearly two-thirds of contractors are highly confident that demand for commercial construction will increase over the next year, however, continued concerns around labor shortages have put even greater pressure on the industry. To increase jobsite efficiency and improve…

Gov. Henry McMaster Signs Pro-business Bill Reforming SC’s Automatic Stay Proceedings

by GroundBreak Carolinas Staff on

Governor Henry McMaster was joined by members of the general assembly and business leaders from around the state for a bill signing ceremony of S.105, a pro-business bill sponsored by Senator Luke Rankin that protects South Carolina businesses from individuals or groups looking to delay construction projects without properly demonstrating legal grounds for doing so….

Construction Employment Rises

by Associated General Contractors on

Thirty-five states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between January 2017 and January 2018, while 32 states and D.C. added construction jobs between December and January, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials cautioned, however, that newly-imposed tariffs on steel and…

FMI Releases Quarterly Publication

by FMI Corporation on

The Future Is Now: Setting Yourself Up for Success FMI Corporation, a leading provider of management consulting and investment banking services to engineering and construction, infrastructure and the built environment, is pleased to announce the release of its first “FMI Quarterly” issue for 2018. The publication (co-sponsored by Zurich) comprises a collection of industry insights…

The Home Depot Foundation Commits $50 Million to Skilled Trades Training

by GroundBreak Carolinas Staff on

Today, The Home Depot® Foundation announced a $50 million commitment to train 20,000 tradespeople over the next 10 years in order to fill the growing skilled labor gap. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 158,000 unfilled construction sector jobs in the U.S. – a number that is expected to increase significantly…

Construction Employment Growth Surges in February

by Associated Builders and Contractors on

February was the best month for construction employment gains since March 2007, according to Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) analysis of today’s employment report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The sector added 61,000 net new jobs on a monthly basis in February, an increase of 0.9 percent, and 254,000 net new jobs…

Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Will Hurt Construction Industry, AGC Says

by Associated General Contractors on

“These new tariffs will cause significant harm to the nation’s construction industry, put tens of thousands of high-paying construction jobs at risk, undermine the President’s proposed infrastructure initiative and potentially dampen demand for new construction projects for years to come. That is because the newly-imposed tariffs will lead to increases in what construction firms are…

ABC Announces Finalists in Competitions for Top Craft Professional and Instructor

by Associated Builders and Contractors on

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) today announced the finalists for its 2018 Craft Professional of the Year and Craft Instructor of the Year awards. Winners of both awards will be announced at the Careers in Construction Awards ceremony March 22 during ABC Convention 2018 in Long Beach, Calif. “It’s quite an achievement to be named…

NC Remains Among Top 5 States for Attracting New and Growing Corporate Facilities

by GroundBreak Carolinas Staff on

North Carolina remains among the top-five finishers in Site Selection magazine’s annual ranking of states attracting the most new and expanded corporate facilities. North Carolina had 274 qualifying projects announced in 2017, according to the magazine’s latest Governor’s Cup ranking. At No. 5, North Carolina trailed only Texas, Ohio, Illinois and Georgia. For the three…

An Introduction to Early Supplier Involvement in the Construction Industry

by Glenn Northey, Oldcastle on

“You are too early.” “We don’t even have design documents together yet.” “We always work through the design teams and if needed, subcontractors, for any help we might need with the scope, schedule, or the budget.” Historically, this is what manufacturers hear when talking to owners, developers, or architects about products during the earlier phases…