SIG Earnings Advance 21% as U.K. Construction Strengthens
August 13, 2014 —
Benjamin Katz – BloombergSIG Plc (SHI) earnings surged 21 percent in the first half as the distributor of building products benefited from a strengthening recovery in the U.K. housing market as well as procurement savings.
Underlying operating profit rose to 47.8 million pounds ($80 million) from 39.6 million pounds a year earlier, the Sheffield, England-based company said in a statement today. Sales in the U.K. and Ireland from continuing operations climbed 14 percent to 650 million pounds, offsetting flat revenue in continental Europe.
“Trading conditions in the U.K. have continued to gather momentum, led by the revival in the housing market,” Chief Executive Officer Stuart Mitchell said in the statement. “The group’s first-half performance and progress on its strategic initiatives provide a strong base on which to achieve its full-year expectations.”
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Benjamin Katz, BloombergMr. Katz may be contacted at
bkatz38@bloomberg.net
Federal Courts Keep Chipping Away at the CDC Eviction Moratorium
March 22, 2021 —
Kriston Capps - BloombergIn a March 10 decision, a federal court in Cleveland blocked the national eviction moratorium, making it the second court to challenge the emergency measure implemented under President Donald Trump and extended by the Biden administration. The order clears the way for courts and landlords to resume evictions against tenants across much of Ohio. But the landlord groups who brought the suit believe that the decision could have a broader national application, setting the stage for an earlier-than-anticipated resumption of eviction activity before the ban expires on March 31.
The judge ruled that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which introduced its ban on evictions in September, lacks the authority to enact such a policy. While the court stopped short of issuing an injunction against the CDC ban, its decision goes further than the Texas court that made a similar call late in February.
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Kriston Capps, Bloomberg
Congratulations 2020 DE, MA, NY and PA Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
November 16, 2020 —
White and Williams LLPSixteen White and Williams lawyers have been named by Super Lawyers as a Delaware, Massachusetts, New York or Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" while eleven received "Rising Star" designations. Lawyers are selected through a process that takes into consideration peer recognition and professional achievement. The lawyers named to this year’s list represent a multitude of practices throughout the firm.
Reprinted courtesy of
White and Williams LLP
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Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up 04/06/22
April 11, 2022 —
Pillsbury's Construction & Real Estate Law Team - Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law BlogA growing proptech startup aims to pre-emptively identify needed home repairs, 3D-printed homes could become a workable solution to the housing shortage, and more.
- Concerns about a housing-market crash are growing as the Fed begins to hike interest rates, leaving industry experts to speculate on what’s next for the U.S. housing bubble. (William Edwards, Insider)
- Real-estate sales in Manhattan topped $7 billion in the first quarter of 2022, with the average price of apartments jumping 19% over the previous year. (Robert Frank, CNBC)
- Proptech startup DwellWell claims to have produced the first “check engine light” that can pre-emptively diagnose needed home repairs. (T.P. Yeatts, The Real Deal)
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7 Areas where Technology is Shifting the Construction Business
November 21, 2018 —
Eric Weisbrot – JW Surety BondsThe digital transformation of the last two decades has taken hold of the business environment in a powerful way. Companies in nearly all sectors are experiencing a significant shift in the way business is done, with a heavy focus on improved productivity, increase profitability, and enhanced product and service offerings. The construction industry has been historically slow to update its processes and business models in-line with other industries, but technology is currently making its long-awaited appearance in the sector. Construction professionals can embrace these new solutions to run more efficient businesses and keep a closer eye on profitability by reducing
common costs over time.
These are the seven major areas where technology is changing construction.
1 - Business Management
One of the most apparent shifts taking place in the construction industry thanks to technology is the advancement of business processes and systems behind the scenes. Construction managers and job site owners have countless
digital tools at their fingertips to help with managing all aspects of the business. This includes more efficient ways to manage material use and equipment inventory, logging subcontractor hours and pay, and maintaining reporting requirements from regulatory perspectives. Many software solutions integrate with older, legacy systems, making this change an easy one for construction businesses across the board.
2 – Jobsite Productivity
Another area of transformation in construction is productivity on each job site. Technology has offered job owners and general contractors more efficient methods to keep track of project timelines as well as subcontractor progress from start to finish. The technology advancements in this arena come in the form of wearable devices that track work performed, as well as mobile devices that help keep the often mundane tasks necessary for a project’s success up to date and completed on time.
3 – Worker Safety
Although wearables are being utilized in several different ways in the construction business, these devices are making a significant difference in the safety of workers. From smart helmets to digitally enhanced eyewear, workers are alerted to potential hazards on the job that they otherwise could not identify. Similarly, augmented and virtual reality solutions are being used to train workers before they arrive at a job, preparing them for safety concerns well in advance. Even though most licensed and
bonded construction workers have appropriate training throughout their careers, the addition of these resources has the ability to further reduce the risks often associated with construction work.
4 – Surveying and Monitoring
Unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as
drones, are being used throughout construction. These digital tools are equipped with cameras to offer a bird’s eye view of a construction site to help with surveying and identifying potential hazards for workers. Drones also help with inspections throughout a project’s progression, offering some reduction in cost and improving efficiencies.
5 – Improved Materials
Technology is also playing a role in the materials used on job sites. The addition of 3D printing has proven beneficial for construction companies, as concrete composites, plastics, and other materials are being printed and used to create structures on-site. This offers a more cost-effective and accurate way to complete a project.
6 – Self-operating Equipment
Some technology firms are making waves in the construction industry because they are currently developing and implementing
autonomous equipment solutions. Heavy machinery, like excavators, bricklayers, and bulldozers, are already being used on construction sites to help ease the burden of the labor shortage in the industry. While these machines are not yet mainstream, the benefits they offer mean they are likely to become a staple in construction in the years to come.
7 – Big Data
Finally, technology is shifting the construction business by way of big data analytics. With the detailed information from new software solutions, wearable tech, and drones, construction site managers have more data than they have ever had. This influx of information offers a way to analyze job site progress, budgets, timelines, and efficiency for companies large and small.
Author:
Eric Weisbrot is the Chief Marketing Officer of
JW Surety Bonds. With years of experience in the surety industry under several different roles within the company, he is also a contributing author to the surety bond blog.
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Tests Find Pollution From N.C. Coal Ash Site Hit by Florence Within Acceptable Levels
October 30, 2018 —
Associated Press - Engineering News-RecordRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Despite the gray muck that fouled the Cape Fear River near a Wilmington power plant after Hurricane Florence, water tests so far show heavy metals contained in coal ash are within state standards, North Carolina environmental officials said Thursday.
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Engineering News-RecordENR may be contacted at
ENR.com@bnpmedia.com
Protect Workers From Falls: A Leading Cause of Death
August 14, 2018 —
Mark McGhiey - Construction ExecutiveOne of the leading causes of death for construction workers is falls from elevated surfaces, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2016, these accidents accounted for more than 30 percent of all construction fatalities. The top four causes of worker deaths (excluding highway collisions) in the private sector construction industry are:
- falls: 384 (38.7%);
- struck by object: 93 (9.4 percent);
- electrocutions: 82 (8.3 percent); and
- caught-in/between:1 72 (7.3 percent).
One of the most common — and costly — causes of claims occur when construction workers fall from elevated surfaces. These accidents represent more than 30 percent of all construction claim payments.
Reprinted courtesy of
Mark McGhiey, Construction Executive, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. All rights reserved.
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Turkey to Start Building 200,000 Homes in March, Erdogan Says
February 20, 2023 —
Taylan Bilgic - BloombergPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced that Turkey will begin constructing almost 200,000 homes as early as March in areas devastated by twin earthquakes that hit the southeast of the country two weeks ago.
Erdogan emphasized the severity of the earthquake’s impact, drawing parallels to historical events that wreaked havoc in Anatolia, the heartland of modern Turkey. “With faith, courage and patience, we have resisted numerous political and social upheavals for centuries, such as the Crusades and the Mongol invasions,” he said.
The construction of 199,739 new homes will begin in 11 provinces, including the hardest-hit Hatay and Kahramanmaras, Erdogan said. The death toll from the earthquakes has risen to 41,156 while over 114,000 people have been rescued from the rubble.
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