World of Concrete 2012 wraps up Friday in Las Vegas and the show’s 50,000 attendees are optimistic and expect better days ahead.
One indicator of the concrete market is the annual Cement Outlook presented by Ed Sullivan, economist for the Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill. Cement consumption is expected to increase significantly in 2013, the first time an increase has been predicted in the past five years.
While his presentation focused primarily on the infrastructure, he noted there was a “tinge of optimism” for other markets including public utilities, industrial, and retail sectors.
By 2017, cement consumption is expected to reach levels last recorded in 2005. “The construction market is in a 12-year peak-to-peak recovery,” said Sullivan. A number of factors, including a reduction in office vacancy rates as well as unemployment rates must come to fruition before the construction market sees a significant recovery, says Sullivan.
"Jobs will determine the growth rate in the economy and also shorten the healing process," Sullivan said. "The more jobs, the more recovery at the state level, the more construction spending."
A host of GCs and concrete contractors noted an increase in residential and commercial business, however their profit margins are expected remain small in 2012.
Meanwhile, WOC 2012 exhibitors rolled out a series of new products. Maxwell Systems showcased its new construction management software; ProSpec introduced a new high-strength grout that contributes to LEED credits; and Laticrete introduced their Supercap Pump Truck, a mobile blending unit that can deliver up to 15 tons of material per hour. BD+C
Related Stories
| Jun 18, 2014
SOM's twisting tower wins design competition for Sweden's tallest skyscraper
The skyscraper, which will reach 230 meters and is named Polstjärnan, or "The Pole Star," is to be built in Gothenburg, Sweden.
| Jun 18, 2014
Study shows walkable urbanism has positive economic impact
Walkable communities have a higher GDP, greater wealth, and higher percentages of college grads, according to a new study by George Washington University.
| Jun 18, 2014
Arup uses 3D printing to fabricate one-of-a-kind structural steel components
The firm's research shows that 3D printing has the potential to reduce costs, cut waste, and slash the carbon footprint of the construction sector.
| Jun 17, 2014
Must see: If music were architecture in 27 illustrations
From Miles Davis to Björk to Manu Chao to Bach, Babina visualizes how these sounds will look like if they were visible in the form of architecture.
| Jun 17, 2014
Nation's largest Thai Buddhist temple opens near Boston
The $60 million facility built in honor of King Rama IX of Thailand is the largest Thai Buddhist temple outside of Thailand.
| Jun 17, 2014
U.S. Census report examines why Americans move
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 35.9 million people moved between 2012 and 2013, meaning that 11.7% of the U.S. population moved in one year. The report seeks to examine why.
| Jun 17, 2014
World's tallest pair of towers to serve as 'environmental catalyst' for China
The Phoenix Towers are expected to reach 1 km, the same height as Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill's Kingdom Tower, but would set a record for multiple towers in one development.
| Jun 16, 2014
6 U.S. cities at the forefront of innovation districts
A new Brookings Institution study records the emergence of “competitive places that are also cool spaces.”
| Jun 13, 2014
Gilbane Building Company names new president and chief operating officer
Gilbane Building company hires new president and COO
| Jun 13, 2014
First look: BIG's spiraling museum for watchmaker Audemars Piguet
The glass-and-steel pavilion's spiral structure acts as a storytelling device for the company's history.