John Deere
Continuing its commitment to the safety and well-being of the construction industry, John Deere committed to matching donations, up to a total of $100,000, made to the Construction Angels nonprofit organization from in November and December 2023.
Construction Angels offers critical support when tragedy strikes, providing immediate financial assistance and grief counseling services, and long-term scholarship funding to family members left behind when a construction worker dies on the job site.
“John Deere is humbled to provide support to Construction Angels,” said Jason Daly, vice president, earthmoving sales, marketing & customer success, John Deere. “This contribution will enable continuity for family members who have lost a construction worker.”
According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, on average 4.5 construction employees are killed in a typical workday in the United States. In addition, approximately 20 percent of all job-site deaths in the United States occur in the construction industry.
Construction Angels is currently providing support in 24 states nationwide and is aiming to expand its assistance to all 50 states by 2030. Gibbs added, “working with these dealerships has really helped us move ahead, and partnering with companies like John Deere has given us some national exposure and helped us grow.”
In addition, John Deere Construction & Forestry made a donation of $300,000 to the AED Foundation (AEDF), helping to shape the next generation of construction professionals.
John Deere is actively involved in helping the AED develop college accreditation standards, and currently has five AED-accredited John Deere TECH Programs in the United States. Those programs include Hinds Community College, Suny Cobleskill, Wake Technical Community College, Linn-Benton Community College and North Dakota State College of Science.
In addition, over one-third of John Deere Construction & Forestry dealerships in the United States and Canada have contributed to the AEDF, further supporting its mission to expand industry-specific professional education and workforce development. John Deere also continues to collaborate with the AEDF to align on John Deere and AED certification programs.
AEDF is a critical non-profit foundation supporting the heavy equipment industry, which helps actively address the skilled labor shortage through community-based industry and position-specific professional education programs. By working with equipment dealers, manufacturers, and industry educators, the AEDF is working toward its goal of growing the talent pool of skilled technicians for the heavy equipment industry.
CASE
CASE Construction Equipment welcomed a new dealer to its North America network: CASE Power & Equipment of Pennsylvania.
Part of the Alta Equipment Group, the new dealer will initially service the Pittsburgh area, through two strategically planned locations in Cranberry Township (home of the former CASE dealership) and Delmont, with future plans to expand to Central Pennsylvania.
“Contractors in the Pittsburgh market – get ready! CASE Power & Equipment of Pennsylvania will be your partner in helping you get more work done faster and more profitably than ever before,” said Terry Dolan, vice president, North America, CASE Construction Equipment. “As industry leaders, Alta Equipment Group has deep experience providing contractors with equipment and solutions they need to succeed.”
Serving general construction, infrastructure, and residential and non-residential construction contractors, both locations will sell and service the full lineup of CASE heavy, compact and subcompact equipment and attachments, as well as its complementary services including captive financing, planned maintenance solutions, telematics and parts support.
“CASE is a premier brand and we’re proud to join the ranks of their outstanding dealer network,” said Gianni Campo, president, Alta Equipment Group. “I have a fond spot in my heart for CASE – the first piece of equipment I operated was a CASE 450 tractor loader. To be part of the resurgence of this legacy brand is exciting for me personally and for Alta.”
Also energized by the momentum of the CASE brand and new product offering, technologies and services, Lee Tractor is expanding its business along the Gulf Coast to the Pensacola area, with future plans for a permanent full-service facility.
The expansion marks a new period of growth for Lee Tractor, excited about servicing more customers with the 30-plus new machines CASE launched this year, including a new line of wheeled excavators, new backhoe loader models, a stand-on mini track loader, small articulated loaders and an electric mini excavator.
With current locations in Biloxi and Jackson, servicing southern Mississippi, and its location in Saint Rose that supports the New Orleans market, Lee Tractor will now expand into the western Florida panhandle, including coastal Alabama.
Georg Fischer
After all conditions of the tender offer were fulfilled, Georg Fischer closed the transaction to acquire Uponor, a significant step in becoming a global leader in sustainable water and flow solutions. To support this ambition, GF will start a value creation program to unleash the full potential of the acquisition.
GF Piping Systems will focus on the industrial and utility business, providing its customers with sustainable leak-free piping solutions for numerous end markets such as microelectronics, water treatment, energy, chemical processing, marine, data centers or water & gas utilities.
Uponor's infrastructure business will become part of GF Piping Systems and will further strengthen the division’s portfolio to provide customers with combined solutions. In the new division
GF Uponor, the building technology businesses will be combined to offer a complementary portfolio for safe and clean water, as well as energy efficient heating and cooling.
The consolidation of complementary businesses provides an ideal platform to develop markets with high potential for both divisions. As the brand Uponor stands for high quality and innovation, it will drive growth in intelligent Building Flow Solutions.
“We will continue to implement our strategy, and leverage powerful global trends, such as the need for safe and clean water, or more efficient energy use,” said Andreas Müller, GF CEO.
Uponor Corporation’s President and CEO Michael Rauterkus will become a member of GF’s Executive Committee, as president of the GF Uponor division.
GF Central Plastics
GF Central Plastics broke ground for a new, 150,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, expanding its footprint in Shawnee, Okla. This $30-million investment will accommodate the company’s growing business needs while creating as many as 300 full-time jobs upon opening.
GF Central Plastics is North America’s largest single-source manufacturer of metal and polyethylene pipe joining products in the gas and municipal water utility industry.
“Our decision to invest in Shawnee reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone in our GF Central Plastics division,” said James Jackson, head of Business Unit Americas for GF Piping Systems. “Their strong performance has been a critical asset for our company, and we’re proud to give them added room to grow.”
Located just north of the Shawnee Shopping Mall, the New Metals Facility will occupy a 40-acre site purchased from Shawnee Forward, an economic development nonprofit. Upon completion, GF Central Plastics will relocate its gas meter fabrication department to the new location, freeing space at its established West Independence Street plant for growth in its plastics manufacturing business. The Wolverine Road site will also house offices, a warehouse and shipping and receiving services.
Designed by Tap Architecture, in consultation with Entegrity Partners, the project will seek LEED Silver certification for its sustainable design and construction. Under the direction of Evans Construction, work at Wolverine Road is expected to continue through the spring of 2025.
United Rentals
United Rentals Inc. was the proud recipient of three awards that reflect its ongoing commitment to helping veterans.
United Rentals has a long-standing commitment to supporting veterans in their transition into the workforce. A significant portion of the United Rentals team has a military background, and the company remains focused on hiring, retaining and advancing the careers of veterans.
"United Rentals has a strong focus on veterans because we believe individuals with military backgrounds align with our company’s values of strong leadership, teamwork, discipline, diversity and work ethic," said Craig Pintoff, executive vice president and chief administrative officer, United Rentals.
The 2023 recognition includes:
2023 HIRE Vets Medallion Award from the U.S. Department of Labor for the company's initiatives in recruiting, employing and retaining veterans. United Rentals met award criteria and "demonstrated both patriotism and recognition of values veterans bring to the workplace," according to the Department of Labor.
2024 Military Friendly Employer-Gold is designated for employers setting an example with military and veteran programs and initiatives. Companies are assessed on various criteria such as veteran hiring, retention and career advancement. The Military Friendly program, operated by VIQTORY, creates civilian opportunities for veterans.
2023 Military Times Best for Vets highlights efforts to recruit, retain and develop current and former service members and support military spouses and caregivers. To determine award winners, Military Times evaluates companies in the areas of most significant importance.
In other news, United Rentals introduced new equipment access management capabilities and enhanced rental experience within the United Rentals Mobile App.
The new capabilities enable users to complete equipment and rental tasks from a mobile device anywhere, anytime:
“The new access management functionality and improved rental experience deliver on safety and productivity capabilities that our customers have requested,” said Tony Leopold, senior vice president of Strategy & Digital, United Rentals. “Our team is continuously innovating our digital tools so our customers can make sound equipment decisions and take speedy action that keeps projects moving forward.”
GHD
GHD opened a new office in Orlando, Fla., that will be home to its US-based Engineering Design Organization (EDO) hub.
This team will grow to 100 professionals by June 2024, with an initial focus on those capable of delivering projects across multiple markets and a specific emphasis on U.S. Federal, infrastructure and water design delivery. Plans call for hiring an additional 100 engineers in 2025.
“With continued U.S. infrastructure investment at local and federal levels and spending related to resiliency for our manufacturing sectors, GHD is investing in growing its engineering and design capabilities. The EDO has been identified as crucial across all markets and business groups for 2024 and supports GHD’s trajectory of continued growth in the Americas,” said Steven Davie, general manager, U.S. Southeast, GHD.
Orlando was chosen because of Florida’s growth, business-friendly environment, affordable cost of living and access to a talented workforce and universities.
According to Kathi Ruvarac, ASCE Florida Section president, “The role and future of a civil engineer in Florida is incredibly bright now. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth of civil engineers in Florida is anticipated to be between 5 percent and 8 percent over the next 10 years.”
As noted in GHD’s Aquanomics report, the Southeastern region of the U.S. (Florida, Georgia and Virginia) could face total GDP losses of $400 billion between 2022 and 2050, due to droughts, floods and storms with losses of $176 billion specifically from storms. In terms of industry, the region’s fast-moving consumer goods and retail sector will be hit hardest with projections that the sector will lose $227 billion due to water risk by 2050.
“Investing in infrastructure and having the engineering skills and expertise to drive it are necessary for the state to thrive,” added Davie. “Growing our engineering design organization in line with this investment enables GHD to deliver larger, more complex projects to our clients, along with providing career-enhancing jobs in the engineering field.”
Volvo
Ferronordic, an established European-based dealer for Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo trucks and Renault trucks, is entering the U.S. market, with the acquisition of Rudd Equipment.
Ferronordic will continue to offer the full range of Volvo products and solutions under the Rudd Equipment banner.
Rudd Equipment is the exclusive Volvo CE dealer for the entire states of Kentucky and Ohio, and most of Indiana. The territory also includes parts of Missouri, Illinois, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Maryland.
“Rudd is a good strategic fit and provides the platform and scale we have been looking for in the U.S.,” said Lars Corneliusson, Ferronordic CEO. “The acquisition gives us a strong base in a dynamic market that opens potential for further growth in North America.”
Rudd Equipment was founded in Louisville in 1952 by Mason Rudd. In 1975, his son, Mike, joined the company and over the next 48 years focused on expanding its footprint into neighboring states.
AEM
AEM inducted Akio Takeuchi, the visionary behind Takeuchi Manufacturing, into its Hall of Fame roster of esteemed industry leaders.
Founding his company, at the age of 29, in 1963, Takeuchi has been part of the construction equipment industry for six decades.
Early on, he learned the value of listening to customers and understanding their needs. When a local business partner asked Takeuchi to create a new machine that would help his employees do their jobs faster, easier, and with less manual labor, he listened. The result was the world’s first compact excavator.
Since then, Takeuchi Manufacturing has presented more innovations, including the first offset boom excavator and the first compact track loader. Today, the company continues to offer equipment designed to make short work of tough jobs.
Through its Hall of Fame, AEM has been recognizing the pioneers whose inventions, ideas, leadership and courage, in the agriculture and construction equipment manufacturing industry, have built, fed and powered our modern world, since 1993.
CGA
Common Ground Alliance (CGA), the national association dedicated to protecting underground utility lines, people who dig near them, and their communities, published a new telecom White Paper.
“Telecom’s Critical Role in Reversing Utility Damage Trends” analyzes information gathered from 17 in-depth interviews with telecom leaders, as well as data from a survey of more than 500 damage prevention industry professionals.
The new report summarizes the quantitative and qualitative information and consolidates it into four key takeaways:
“With the sheer amount of communications and other infrastructure work happening across the country involving excavation right now, it is critical that executives at telecom companies are actively engaged in damage prevention,” said CGA President and CEO Sarah K. Magruder Lyle.
“Telecom has more underground infrastructure than other utility types – that means more facility to locate and protect, which certainly presents unique challenges. Leaders in this sector have connected the dots between network reliability and damage prevention, and I encourage telecom stakeholders to implement the Paper’s recommendations and reference the examples in our White Paper of organizations who have prioritized damage prevention.”
CGA is a member-driven association of nearly 3,200 damage prevention professionals spanning every facet of the underground utility industry. Established in 2000, CGA is committed to saving lives and preventing damage to North American underground infrastructure by promoting effective damage prevention practices. CGA has established itself as the preeminent source of damage prevention data and information in an effort to reduce damage to underground facilities in North America through shared responsibility among all stakeholders.
ISCO Industries
ISCO Industries Inc. agreed to acquire substantially all of the assets of Infinity Plastics, a top manufacturer of fabricated HDPE piping products.
The Infinity Plastics purchase is an expansion of ISCO’s footprint and capacity, and part of the company’s overall strategy to support growing customer needs, backed by quality standards and excellent customer service.
Located in Mayville, Wisc., Infinity Plastics adds a strategic location to ISCO’s already extensive footprint across the United States and Canada. In addition, this acquisition allows ISCO to increase production capacity, enhance proximity to customer demand, and add top-caliber talent to its team.
"Throughout my 30 years of experience, the ISCO name has been synonymous with quality in our industry,” said Andy Zipperer, owner of Infinity Plastics. “Jimmy and his brother Mark have continually invested in their people, business, and facilities.
“Choosing to be a part of that culture provides our Wisconsin team the opportunity to thrive. It’s the right fit and aligns with our commitment to our people and customers.”
With this addition in place, ISCO now has a total of 36 facilities spanning the United States and Canada. This expansion bolsters the company's capacity to support customers with a comprehensive range of both standard and custom HDPE products and solutions. It also further strengthens ISCO’s commitment to maintaining a legacy of excellence in manufacturing and distributing HDPE products across diverse piping end markets.
Felling Trailers
Felling Trailers, Inc. conducted its 11th annual online auction of an FT-3 drop deck utility trailer to benefit a non-profit organization.
For 2023, the recipient was Pockets of Hope, which provides children rescued from abuse, neglect and abandonment with new backpacks full of personal care and comfort items. Based in Sartell, Minn., it serves those in need throughout Central Minnesota.
The 2023 Trailer for a Cause FT-3 utility trailer was painted custom "Hope Blue" and bared the Pockets of Hope emblem. Several Felling Trailers' suppliers joined to support Pockets of Hope by sponsoring the trailer build, from lighting to tires and paint.
Joe Kostreba, owner of Kostreba Contracting, submitted the winning bid of $5,505.
"I have been fortunate enough that my construction business has been good and busy, and I am grateful for that. As a small business owner, I want to spread that around, bidding on this trailer is one way to do that," said Kostreba. UI