The construction industry faces a persistent challenge in attracting young talent to skilled trades, but innovative competitions are helping bridge that gap. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) Construction Challenge, presented by Volvo Construction Equipment, is one such initiative that has proven remarkably effective. In 2011, a team of students from Miami Valley Career Technology […]
Retirement preparedness is a challenge across the construction industry, where mobile workforces and seasonal employment leave many workers underprepared. While contractors focus on project deadlines and safety, fewer address long-term financial health. M.A. Mortenson, a Minneapolis-based construction company with 2,000+ employees, raised 401(k) participation among nonunion construction workers from 20 percent to 71 percent by
In the world of heavy construction equipment, few modifications transform a machine’s capability as dramatically as fitting an excavator with a long-reach arm. While standard boom and stick configurations handle the vast majority of earthmoving tasks, there are specialized applications where extended reach is a true operational necessity. From dredging operations to slope maintenance and
When a road-building company with more than 150 years of history adopts a new technology, the industry pays attention. Barrett Paving Materials, Inc., a division of Colas, Inc., has been at the forefront of asphalt innovation since 1903, when it developed Tarvia, a roofing tar treatment that revolutionized early roadway construction. Today, the company is
Microsurfacing contractors face a persistent challenge on highway and road projects: pavement width rarely stays uniform from one section to the next. Lane widths narrow at bridges, widen at intersections, and shift through curve transitions. Traditionally, crews stop the paver, manually adjust the spreader box, restart, and accept a cold construction joint at every width
The landscape of highway construction contracting is evolving, and the push for greater inclusion of disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) has become a central focus for state transportation departments across the country. When industry leaders and civil rights officials gathered in Minneapolis for the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Civil Rights Conference,
The conventional wisdom in construction has long warned against hiring family members into the business. But as Castle Contracting, a site excavation firm based in St. Louis, has demonstrated, sometimes the best talent is the talent you already know. This excavating firm built its entire leadership structure around people with strong personal and family relationships,
In major league baseball, when a starting player goes down with an injury, the team calls up a replacement from one of their farm teams and keeps rolling without missing a beat. Your construction company needs the same system. A farm team means maintaining a pool of high-quality candidates you have already interviewed who are
The asphalt industry continues to benefit from rapid technological innovation, with new products emerging across fleet management, plant automation, grade control, and compaction monitoring. These solutions help contractors improve efficiency, reduce downtime, enhance material quality, and strengthen security across job sites. For a broader perspective on how digital tools are reshaping pavement construction, see How
Soil compaction is one of the most fundamental operations on any earthmoving or foundation job site. The process of agitating soil particles with a vibrating drum until less air exists between them creates the stable base that every structure, road, and parking lot depends on. Selecting the right soil compactor for your fleet requires more
