In today’s construction news, read about the 2024 Top Performers lists, which were made public today by Associated Builders and Contractors, and honor the exceptional accomplishments of its contractor members in the areas of safety, quality, inclusivity, project excellence, and special designations according to the quantity of hours worked. Meanwhile, the construction industry in the United States and Canada is well-positioned for success in 2024 as a result of robust demand, the ongoing normalization of supply chains, and rising material prices, following a year of stabilization. Lastly, a significant highway may be momentarily closed by the City of Fort Worth for a 12- to 18-month construction project.
ABC Names the Best US Construction Contractors for 2024
Original Source: ABC Announces 2024 Top-Performing US Construction Contractors
Associated Builders and Contractors announced its 2024 Top Performers rankings, honoring contractor members for safety, quality, inclusivity, project excellence, and special distinctions sorted by hours worked.
Turner Industries Group LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the 2024 ABC Top Performer by work hours, followed by Skanska Building Inc., Franklin, Tennessee; BL Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama; Brown & Root Industrial Services, Baton Rouge; and Performance Contractors.
“These top contractors build the nation’s most enduring, innovative, high-quality construction projects, and their leadership teams and employees have thriving, growth-centric mindsets, strategic plans and goals,” said ABC president and CEO Michael Bellaman. “Business growth is never accidental. It comes from a strong culture, innovative tools, a commitment to whole human wellness, and a pragmatic risk-taking attitude. Congratulations to these excellent contractors for functioning well in a merit shop environment, attracting and maintaining top construction personnel and setting the benchmark for business growth.”
Rated contractors by work type:
Baton Rouge-based Turner Industries Group is the top general contractor.
Baton Rouge-based MMR Constructors Inc. leads trade contractors.
Baton Rouge-based MMR Constructors Inc. is the top electrical contractor.
Dallas’ best plumbing/HVAC contractor is TDIndustries Inc.
West Chester, Ohio-based Lithko Contracting LLC is the top specialist contractor.
The top special designations contractor is Columbus, Kansas’ Crossland Construction Co. Inc.
The sixth annual ABC Top Performers list includes women-owned, service-disabled, disadvantaged, veteran-owned, minority-owned, large, and small merit shop businesses, general contractors, and specialty trade contractors nationwide.
First-place 2024 ABC contractors by market sector:
In Greeley, Hensel Phelps Airport Colorado
Skanska Building Inc., Franklin, Tennessee, education
Entertainment: Philadelphia, Mississippi’s W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Co.
Birmingham, Alabama’s BL Harbert International government
Skanska Building Inc., Franklin, Tennessee, health care
Top Tech: M.C. Dean Inc., Tysons Corner Virginia
Franklin, Skanska Building Inc., hospitality Tennessee
Industry: Turner Industries Group, Baton Rouge Louisiana
Harmon, Guam: Black Construction Corp. for infrastructure
Military: M.C. Dean Inc., Tysons Corner, VA Mixed Use: Skanska Building Inc., Franklin, TN
Museums/Monuments/Parks: MAREK, Houston Office: Bergelectric in Carlsbad California
Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing offers parking. Houston
Religion: Haskell, Jacksonville Florida
Residential: Power Design Inc., St. Petersburg, FL
Sevan Multi-Site Solutions, Downers Grove, Illinois, retail
Birmingham’s Brasfield & Gorrie LLC sports complex
ABC’s Safety Performance Report states that Top Performers must earn Gold status or higher in ABC’s STEP Safety Management System, which enables the best contractors achieve incident rates nearly seven times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Most awardees must also receive ABC’s Accredited Quality Contractor certificate, which acknowledges excellence in quality, safety, talent management (including inclusion, diversity, and merit), craft, management education, and community relations. Through STEP, AQC, and other rigorous programs, ABC Top Performers show:
Maintain and expand their enterprises financially
Provide competitive pay, benefits, and retirement.
Maintain industry-leading safety
Support workforce development, education, and career creation.
Commit to diverse, inclusive workplaces
Allow employees to pursue their career goals
Develop committed leadership
Construction is Expected to Expand in the United States and Canada
Original Source: U.S. and Canada’s construction industry poised for growth
After a year of stabilization, the U.S. and Canadian construction industry is poised for success in 2024 due to strong demand and normalizing supply chains and material pricing. JLL’s new U.S. and Canada Construction Trends 2024 prediction examines construction’s future potential and challenges.
“The industry is ready to successfully meet the challenges of 2024,” said JLL President, Project and Development Services, Americas Todd Burns. “Despite challenges, the industry is poised for growth with immense housing needs, return to office strengthening and federally backed infrastructure and manufacturing accelerating.”
Normalizing supply chains and material pricing
In October 2023, the Global Supply Chain Pressure Index reached a record low and almost all material divisions saw stable or improving lead times. Slowing private-sector construction starts should relieve supply chain pressure in 2024, but the pipeline and growth in publicly supported construction may limit price cuts.
The exception to widespread supply chain improvement and stability is electrical goods, where data center demand, electrification, and more demanding tech-enabled spaces across sectors are keeping lead times long and prices rising, according to JLL Research Lead, Project and Development Services, Americas Andrew Volz.
Variable spending
Construction spending in the U.S. is likely to stay stable but vary by sector. Material costs are predicted to climb 2% to 6%, labor pay 3% to 5%, and overall costs 2% to 4%.
In Canada, construction activity will certainly decrease for the next few quarters, but if inflation slows and loan markets recover, builders will gain confidence and launches may rebound in spring 2024. Material costs are predicted to climb 3% to 5%, labor pay 4% to 6%, and overall costs 3% to 6%.
“Residential and industrial sectors drove record construction investment in Canada in 2022,” said Rob Ramsay, Executive Vice President & National Lead, Project and Development Services, JLL Canada. Real estate demand has slowed due to rising interest rates. Slowing demand normalizes inflation, clearing supply chain bottlenecks.
Labor shortages persist
Long-term labor shortages are projected in the U.S. The construction labor force will grow slower in 2024 due to manpower shortages and industry turnover. Technology can alleviate some labor market pressures, but it cannot replace labor.
As the U.S. and Canadian industries face skilled labor shortages and diminishing productivity, workers will value competency and efficiency. Retention, upskilling, and trust are crucial for next year and beyond.
“Looking forward, success requires building durable partnerships with those who have both technical ability and soft skills for problem-solving and innovation in uncertain times,” Ramsay said.
“With materials cost pressures easing, most of the current cost inflation can be attributed to rising wages,” stated JLL National Research Director, Canada, Scott Figler. “Canada’s construction wages were generally up by 5% to 7% from 2022 to 2023, and we expect 4% to 6% wage growth into 2024.”
A year of growth
All these variables affect the building business, but the outlook is good. The global pandemic exposed built environment flaws, which the construction industry must fix, high interest rates or not. Despite the great need to meet these expectations, several structural and complicated challenges must be addressed.
Burns advised industry executives to follow three tactics for a successful year. They must know their people to retain talent, their projects to understand what technologies may help, and their markets to anticipate and plan for success.
JLL Project and Development Services develops, designs, builds, and brands commercial real estate projects for the world’s top corporations, educational institutions, public jurisdictions, healthcare organizations, industrial facilities, retailers, hotels, sports facilities, and real estate owners. Ranked No. 1 Top Development Company by Modern Healthcare, No. 3 in Building Design + Construction’s 2021 Construction Management Giants survey, No. 43 on Interior Design Top 100 Giants, No. 2 on Engineering News-Record’s 2021 Top 50 Program Management Firms, and No. 4 on their 2022 Top 100 Construction Management-for-Fee Firms JLL has 8,500 project managers in 80 countries overseeing $99.4 billion in construction.
In Some Parts of Fort Worth, Upcoming Work Could Treble Traffic
Original Source: Upcoming construction could triple traffic in part of Fort Worth
For 12–18 months, Fort Worth may close a key roadway for construction.
North University Drive will be elevated 10–15 feet by the USACE for the Central City Flood Control Project.
From Jacksboro Highway to Rockwood Park Drive, they want Fort Worth to close North University Drive. Fort Worth Director of Transportation and Public Works Lauren Prieur estimates that work will take 12–18 months.
At Tuesday’s city council meeting, Prieur said USAC wants a committed close now to incorporate into their design plans. Work won’t begin until mid-2026 or later.
“This temporary closure will minimize the construction time and impacts on businesses in and around this project corridor,” noted.
Each of us will be greatly inconvenienced. The road is congested and frenetic, so putting it on 820 or 35 will make it a madhouse “Leslie Howell, who drives University Drive daily, said.
It’ll add at least, oh lord, depending on the time of day. Rush hour might add an hour to it.”
Road connects Fort Worth’s north and west sides over Trinity River.
I suppose it’ll be a chore. “This is a major city thoroughfare,” commuter James Jones stated.
According to Prieur, officials are planning a detour.
“It’s essential that we maintain access to properties adjacent and mitigate congestion during the reconstruction,” she adds.
Rockwood Park Drive and Rockwood Lane could be connected by a temporary road.
So consumers can still get to Rockwood Go-Karts and Mini-Golf after University Drive closes.
Losing visibility is inevitable. Undoubtedly “according to business co-owner Tim Yochum.
His co-owner David Merrell said they’ll lose visibility following construction when the road is lifted.
“Hopefully, they’ll give us some signage so the people coming down university, since they won’t see the go-kart track, will know we’re there,” Merrell said of city officials. “They’re giving us every indication they’re going to be good partners in this.”
Prieur expects the final diversion plans to affect several roadways.
“It is anticipated that Henderson Street, White Settlement Road, Northside Drive, and North Main Street will be key components of this detour,” added.
NBC 5 said that the department’s traffic analysis revealed that eastbound White Settlement Road will have more than twice the traffic during evening rush hour.
Merrell and Yochum are are afraid it will deter drivers from coming out.
“That first year that everything shuts down may be a very rough year for us,” Merrell added.
The history and two-year head start on planning give him and Yochum hope they can keep their momentum going.
In no way are we closing. We won’t go far, therefore we’ll survive, “Yogum stated.
Next Tuesday’s city council agenda will include Prieur’s resolution to temporarily close University Drive.
Summary of today’s construction news
To sum it up, the No. 1 2024 ABC Top Performer by work hours is Turner Industries Group LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; followed by Skanska Building Inc., Franklin, Tennessee; BL Harbert International, Birmingham, Alabama; Brown & Root Industrial Services, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Performance Contractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Meanwhile, the potential and difficulties that the construction industry will face in the upcoming year are examined in JLL’s latest U.S. and Canada Construction Trends 2024 prediction.
Lastly, according to NBC 5, the department studied traffic patterns and discovered that certain routes, such as White Settlement Road heading east, would see a threefold increase in traffic during evening rush hour.
