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“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” September 5, 2012 • Vol. XXV • No. 18 • 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • Fax 215-885-2910 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Powerscreen Machine Impresses in Va. ...10
Materials Prices Post Rare Year-Over-Year Dip The cost of key construction materials dropped for the third consecutive month in July, pushing down year-over-year prices for the first time since 2009, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released Aug. 14 by the Associated General Contractors of America. However, association officials warned that recent spikes in diesel fuel and steel prices may
drive up the cost of construction again, and they urged lawmakers to invest in needed infrastructure projects promptly while prices remain low. “This price decline may be the last, given the large jumps in diesel fuel and steel prices that have occurred or been announced since the Labor Department collected this producer price data in mid-July,” said Ken Simonson, the asso-
ciation’s chief economist. “If economic growth accelerates, we are likely to see an end to discounted prices for construction activity.” The producer price index for inputs to construction — covering materials that go into every type of project, plus items consumed by contractors such as diesel fuel — decreased 0.7 see PRICES page 86
Bissell Builds Two Large Office Buildings in Charlotte, N.C. By Trish Thayne CEG CORRESPONDENT
Hauler Puts Hybrid Excavator t o Use...12
Photo courtesy of Rodgers. Bord er, Mi lit ary Pers onnel Team Up.. .20
Table of Contents ........4 Off Road Trucks Section ..............................37-44 Paving Section ......49-61 Parts Section ..............63 Business Calendar ......72 Auction Section ....76-91 Advertisers Index ......90
Manitowoc 200-ton (181 t) and 175-ton (158 t) crawler cranes were used for steel erection and Link-Belt 300 ton (272 t) and 230 ton (208 t), crawler cranes were used to erect the precast steel for the parking garages.
Bissell is building two 10-story office buildings totaling 550,000 sq. ft. (51,097 sq m) in Ballantyne Corporate Park in Charlotte, N.C., at the corner of Ballantyne Commons Parkway and North Community House Road. This is the largest speculative office project in the nation, according to CoStar Group. The buildings are being built to LEED Gold specifications. The core and shell steel structure with slab on deck have glass curtain wall exteriors. The Class “A” buildings will exude international modernism and include see BISSELL page 24
Photo courtesy of Rodgers.
The buildings are being built to LEED Gold specifications. The core and shell steel structure with slab on deck have glass curtain wall exteriors.
Major Projects Underway at Univ. of Tenn. By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
Construction crews on the University of Tennessee (UT) campus are working on a series of projects that will provide state-of-theart technology, ease undergraduate
housing woes and deliver a comprehensive football training center. “We currently have more than $500 million in major capital projects underway,” explained Chris Cimino, UT’s Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration. “Projects include a new engineer-
ing building to help accommodate one of our fastest-growing majors, a new Student Union to replace a dated facility we’ve outgrown and a new large animal clinic for our College of Veterinary Medicine. These much-needed facilities will provide state-of-the-art learning
environments to students for many years to come.” The University of Tennessee, one of the oldest public universities in the country, underwent a major expansion in 1904, with the creation of UT’s colleges of law and see UNIVERSITY page 30