April 2023 eBulletin

Spring is here and, as always, it is a busy time of the year.  AGCVA is also very busy working on your behalf.  On Monday, the Board of Directors held its spring meeting, and we learned that great progress is taking place on our 2023 business plan.  Great discussions took place, and I would like to provide some insight into one of those discussions specifically. 

Please join us in celebrating the membership anniversaries of these longtime AGCVA members! 

Each month, we recognize those celebrating 50 or more years, 40 years, 25 years, 10 years, and 5 years of membership.

We applaud each of you for your commitment to AGCVA.

By virtue of your membership, you have made the AGCVA community stronger and shown tremendous leadership and dedication to the industry. We are proud to serve each of you and we thank you for your membership in AGCVA.

AGCVA members have been up to a lot in the last month! We are thrilled to recognize these accomplishments and recognitions, and we encourage you to connect with your fellow members and extend your congratulations!

Construction input prices, or how much it costs to build a given project, fell for the first time in more than 18 months on a year-over-year basis, but were still 39% higher than February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic sent supply chains reeling. 
Construction Dive

The ongoing challenges of high interest rates, as well as energy and material prices, have plagued the construction industry, but hope is on the horizon for these issues, as well as others, to eventually be resolved. With that in mind, this article outlines some of the driving forces and key points from AEM’s Q1 webinar regarding what equipment manufacturers in the construction industry will be facing for the remainder of this year, according to presenter Danny Richards, lead economist, construction, at Global Data.
IVT International

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Directorate of Construction Director Scott Ketcham gave a review of the agency’s focus on the construction industry at the American Bar Association’s 2023 Midwinter Meeting of the Workplace and Occupational Safety and Health Law Committee on March 10, 2023.
JacksonLewis

Free for AGCVA members
Wednesday, May 3  |  12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.  |  Virtual via Zoom 

Join AGCVA CEO Brandon Robinson and construction attorneys Jim Harvey (Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black) and Spencer Wiegard (Gentry Locke) for an overview of upcoming changes to construction law. Brandon will provide a quick overview of the 2023 General Assembly session, though the majority of the time will be spent reviewing what will change starting July 1.

It's scholarship season!  A number of organizations are offering scholarships to help support students or those who are looking to begin a career in construction.  Check out these amazing opportunities and please share with those who can benefit.

While a downturn in economic activity is rarely welcome news in any field, construction may soon have more bandwidth to tackle long-simmering, high-stakes challenges that have plagued the industry for years. A potential slowdown provides an opportune time for every firm to take a hard look at its leadership pipeline.
Construction Executive

Industries such as semiconductors, defense, aerospace, machinery and automotive are planning $400 billion in new U.S. projects through 2027. To complete them, they need 200,000 to 300,000 additional skilled workers including electricians, machinists, welders, and pipefitters. U.S. construction spending is expected to rise to about $1 trillion over the next five to ten years. Add in the $1.2 trillion Congress approved for infrastructure in 2021, and the construction industry will obviously need many more workers. But it is having difficulty finding them—construction-related job postings were unfilled for an average of 33 days in 2022, compared to 24 days in 2019.

SAFETY

On this episode of ConstructorCast, Mike Burke of Alberici Constructors and Dan Johnson of Mortenson, both serving as chairs on the Safety Week committee, share some history of the tradition, what this annual campaign means to them, and how you can get involved.  Construction Safety Week is May 1-5 and you can find a great deal of information at constructionsafetyweek.com.
AGC of America

A staggering statistic, one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness annually. In industries like construction, where safety risks are present daily, taking steps to provide resources and support for individuals to take their mental health seriously is critical. As the industry advances physical safety protocols, mental health and wellness are also becoming a key area of focus for construction professionals. 
Construction Dive