ELECTRIC TO BE STAR OF WORK TRUCK WEEK

Electric trucks, chassis, bodies and related equipment are among the new products launching at Work Truck Week 2022, North America’s largest work truck event.

Work Truck Week is scheduled March 8 to 11, 2022, at Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, Ind. Green Truck Summit is March 8. Education sessions run March 8 to 10, and the Work Truck Show exhibit hall is open March 9 to 11.

New electric vehicles are the focus of many of the 27 press conferences scheduled for Work Truck Week. • The Shyft Group will reveal an all-new electric vehicle on a purpose-built Class 3 chassis platform, along with a charging station and other elements of the product ecosystem. • Bollinger Motors will launch new electric trucks, including Class 3–6 commercial platforms and chassis cabs. • Morgan Truck Body will unveil its electric vehicle dry freight and refrigerated truck body concepts.

Other companies announcing plans related to electrification include Legend Fleet Solutions, SEA Electric LLC, Vanair Manufacturing, Workhorse and ZF Group.

“Work Truck Week is traditionally the launching pad for new commercial trucks, equipment and technology, so it’s natural that electrification — the hottest global vehicle trend — is a dominant theme this year,” said Steve Carey, NTEA president and CEO.

“The industry is at an inflection point where we have traditional OEMs, most of whom have added electric vehicles to their lineups, and emerging dedicated electric vehicle manufacturers. As a result, more than 20 electric vehicle manufacturers are exhibiting alongside dozens of electrification upfitters, modifiers and component/equipment suppliers. This is a great example of how the work truck industry is constantly innovating to design more-efficient, cleaner vehicles that keep the world working.”

Many exhibiting companies are showcasing new products ahead of Work Truck Week through the Product Gallery at wts22.mapyourshow.com. Register and create a WTW22 Planner for full access.

Work Truck Week 2022 also offers opportunities to see into the future of work trucks. Green Truck Summit on March 8 includes electric product and grant updates, as well as sessions on a variety of clean energy trends in the commercial vehicle industry. Attendees can learn what 13 of the leading commercial vehicle manufacturers have planned at exclusive OEM update sessions offered as part of the educational program March 8–10. During these sessions, company representatives share technical information on their latest chassis specifications and designs, review body and equipment installation options and provide insights into future commercial vehicle plans.

Want to take a turn behind the wheel of some of the latest electric, alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles? Admission to Work Truck Week Ride & Drive is included with registration. Participating companies include Allison Transmission (sponsor), EAVX, Freightliner Custom Chassis, GreenPower Motor Company, International Truck, Kenworth Truck Company, The Lion Electric Co., Motiv Power Systems, Peterbilt Motors Company, SEA Electric LLC, Workhorse and XL Fleet.

For more information, including links to register and book hotel rooms, visit worktruckweek.com. 

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JOBS from page 1

The survey found that approximately half of responding contractors expect revenue and profit margin gains this year. They also strongly believe the workforce pool is strengthened through building enrollment in technical high schools and vocational training programs.

Asked about worker recruitment and retention, the majority of respondents expect a reputation for solid benefits and high pay to carry them through hiring challenges. In fact, they consider high pay their best tool to recruit workers under age 30.

Civil contractors recruit via traditional advertisements and working with industry organizations and local unions. The Dodge partnership’s survey found that respondents believe local trade unions are the best route to workforce recruiting.

“Contractors are, overall, very optimistic about the outlook for the construction industry in 2022,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, CEO of the AGC. “While contractors face challenges this year, most of those will be centered on the need to keep pace with growing demand for construction projects.”

One State’s Jobs Picture

Texas’ biggest employment gain in December 2021 was the construction industry, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. Construction added 10,400 jobs in December and 3,600 in November, accounting for more than half the job growth in the industry there in the past year.

“We are finally seeing the longhoped-for change in mentality about the industry being a great career choice,” Phil Crone, executive director of the Dallas Builders Association, told the Dallas Morning News.

Construction job wages have increased between 7 percent and 10 percent, said Crone. This, despite the fact that record numbers of builders are experiencing labor shortages.

Job gains have been the norm in Texas’ mining and logging industries, which includes the oil and gas sector, for a while now. The industry’s 32,400-worker gain represents an 18.5 percent increase over the past year, making construction the highest of any sector.

“All the liquefied natural gas plants on the Gulf Coast are running at capacity, and they’re building new ones about as fast as they can,” said Bruce Bullock, director of the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University. “And when the pay gets high enough, people will work.”

Expansion Is

Good Thing

In the AGC’s 2022 Construction Hiring & Business Outlook, more members indicated they expect 15 of the 17 project categories to expand than contract. According to the organization, contractors are most optimistic about highway and bridge construction, at a 57-percent net reading.

The areas of transit, rail and airports projects are seen positively as well, with a net reading of 51 percent. Water and sewer projects also drew positive responses, with a net reading of 50 percent.

The AGC attributes the upbeat picture in these segments to the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill. Contractors also are happy about demand for federal construction projects and power construction. Those sectors saw net readings of 37 percent and 29 percent, respectively.

Warehouses and healthcare facilities produced the highest expectations among private-sector categories, with a net reading of 41 percent each. This includes clinics, testing facilities and medical labs. The outlook for hospital construction also is strong, with a net reading of 38 percent, according to the AGC.

The association reports that contractors were encouraged in regard to multifamily residential construction, with a net reading of 32 percent, and manufacturing construction, at 27 percent.

Members were less enthusiastic about public buildings, school construction, higher education facilities and lodging. The AGC reported that only two categories received negative net readings, both of -8 percent. They were retail and private office construction.

“Optimism about growing demand for many types of construction projects is leading many firms to plan to hire workers this year,” said the AGC. In fact, 74 percent of respondents expect their firms will expand headcount in 2022. Just 9 percent expect to log a decrease.

And 47 percent of firms expect to increase their headcount by 10 percent or less. However, 22 percent said their headcount will grow by 11 to 25 percent and 5 percent anticipate an increase of more than 25 percent, according to the survey.

The association sees challenges ahead for those contractors seeking to add staff. Almost all members said they are having a hard time filling some or all salaried or hourly craft positions.

In fact, only 8 percent said they are having no difficulty. And threefourths of respondents believe recruiting challenges will continue or become more difficult this year.

Association members point to the pandemic as a major impact on the construction industry. The majority of respondents reported higher-than-anticipated costs, and 72 percent reported longer-thananticipated projects, both because of the pandemic.

To compensate for these challenges, 69 percent of members surveyed admitted putting higher prices into bids or contracts, while 44 percent have specified longer completion times.

Supply-chain issues continue to stymie the construction industry. Only 10 percent of the AGC’s member firms reported not having had any significant supply chain problems. However, 61 percent have turned to alternative suppliers for materials, while 48 percent have specified alternative materials or products as a solution.

The industry has seen a “significant” number of project delays and cancellations, according to the AGC, which attributes the issues to rising construction costs and slowing schedules. Delayed but rescheduled projects during 2021 were reported by 46 percent of contractors and 32 percent experienced a project postponement or cancellation that was not rescheduled.

“The last two years have become increasingly unpredictable, due in large part to the coronavirus and public officials’ varied reactions to it,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist of the AGC.

“But assuming current trends hold, 2022 should be a relatively strong year for the construction industry,” he added.

Some 74 percent of the AGC member firms plan to add to their payroll in 2022, while about the same percentage of civil contractors and engineers who responded to a Dodge Construction Network survey plan to hire more workers to meet their project needs.

Fighting Industry Threats

The Associated Builders and Contractors released its own analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics indicating the construction industry added 22,000 jobs in December 2021. Nonresidential construction employment gained 27,000 jobs.

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