Author: Peggy Smedley
At World of Concrete last week, many were discussing all the new solutions in the construction industry—and how technology and tools can provide opportunities to solve new and long-standing challenges that exist in the construction industry. I had an opportunity to sit down with Mike McGowan, region head and chief executive officer, Hilti North America, to talk about some of the hurdles that exist in the construction industry today. “We are a little bit different in how we go to market,” he says. “We don’t go through distribution channels. We go direct. The reason is we feel it gives us…
The manufacturing industry is in a state of flux, as suppl-chain issues persist, causing sourcing bottlenecks and logistics backlogs. At the same time, we are seeing a rise in cost and cyberattacks and shortage of skilled workers. Looking ahead to 2023, Deloitte projections based on Oxford Economics’ Global Economic Model anticipate 2.5% growth in GDP in manufacturing. The solution is obvious—digital transformation—but the road is bumpy. Part of the challenge is Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0 mean different things to different people. Let’s break this down. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Thorsten Wuest, associate professor, West…
This year—2023 offers interesting opportunities for hiring in the construction industry—and the vast majority expect to do just that. In fact, more than two-thirds expect to add to their headcount, according to new research. The Associated General Contractors of America and Sage recently released the finding of a new survey titled High Hopes for Public Sector Funding Amid Workforce and Supply Chain Challenges: The 2023 Construction Hiring & Business Outlook. All in all, it finds the construction industry is continuing to look to the public sector as private dries up. The survey suggests contractors expect infrastructure and other public-sector funding…
With the start of the New Year also comes the start of new building codes for residential housing here in South Carolina. I am discovering they are impacting Columbia and all of South Carolina. Let’s take a closer look at what changes are in store for 2023 and beyond. First, a primer. Prior to June 13, 1997, local jurisdictions that desired to adopt building codes were permitted to do so by local ordinance. If a jurisdiction did adopt building codes, it was required to adopt only the codes authorized by the Building Codes Act. Beginning July 2, 2003, the Council…
Today’s executives have a lot on their agenda. Amid climate change, global conflict, a worker shortage, and supply-chain hiccups, many need to prioritize objectives across many areas of the business, while also evaluating long-term costs, risks, quality, and ROI (return on investment). We are now at the juncture where technology needs to deliver value to organizations that are looking to scale and deliver new services. It is no longer a nice-to-have; it is a must-have. These are all tall orders today in an ever-changing environment that continues to experience exponential technological growth. In an attempting to master this level of…
Here in South Carolina, manufacturing is a growing market, leading to more job opportunities and more sustainability for all. There are so many benefits when we bring manufacturing home. Let’s explore some of these right now by looking at a few recent examples right here in South Carolina. Consider the case of Redwood Materials, which has announced its next Battery Materials Campus, just outside of Charleston, South Carolina, and will break ground this quarter. The plant will recycle, refine, and manufacture anode and cathode components on more than 600 acres. Here’s the value for the local community. It will create…
Looking to the year ahead, there are several challenges and opportunities on the horizon for the construction industry that will require new ways of working and maybe even hiring in the months ahead. Let’s take a closer look at predictions for 2023 and beyond—and identify some of the biggest trends to watch specifically in construction. A new whitepaper from JLG Industries, an Oshkosh Corp. company, highlights five emerging megatrends to watch in the next five years, as we enter a post-pandemic era. Let’s explore each of these five areas briefly and some other thoughts as well. Shifts in Growth and…
During the COVID-19 pandemic, customers learned new buying patterns—namely that products could be ordered online and delivered to their door. As such ecommerce has changed drastically in the past few years, and industries are being reimagined. Case in point: the automotive car buying experience. This is precisely the conversation I had with Smith Codio, director of customer experience, automotive, mobility, and transportation industry, Microsoft, on The Peggy Smedley Show. “For most people, a car is the second biggest purchase they will ever make,” he says. “That process is not the most user friendly or customer centric. We believe, at Microsoft,…
With the economy slowing down and supply-chain hiccups still happening around the globe in all industries, are truck sales up or down? Is now a good time to buy—or are there still hurdles? And how does technology factor into all of this? All in all, it appears that sales are still somewhat stagnant, although research does point to some interesting trends to keep an eye on including the rise of EVs (electric vehicles) and the growth of telematics. Data tells the story. Vehicle Sales in 2022 U.S. new vehicle sales for the month of November 2022 represented a dip of…
Our towns and our homes are changing, as technology continues to advance—and growth is imminent too. In fact, Grand View Research suggests the global smart-home market size is expected to expand at a growth rate of 27.04% from 2022 to 2030. Some of the biggest drivers include the convenience and ease of installation of smart-home devices and the demand being generated by homeowners for such technology in the home. Some areas of connectivity in the home include lighting control, entertainment devices, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), home appliances, smart furniture, and more. Grand View Research suggests we will continue…