Deep Dive: Page 2

Industry insights from our journalists


  • Turner Burton, modular project photo, Hoar Construction
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    Permission granted by Hoar Construction
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    Why modular has not clicked in commercial construction

    Offsite building techniques should be a boon for the industry, but modular's market share in North America is under 6%. Why?

    Sebastian Obando • March 23, 2022
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    Oli Scarff via Getty Images
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    Amazon is slowing its fulfillment center spend. What's next?

    Heightened demand put Amazon's distribution buildout into overdrive. To speed up delivery and limit costs, it will have to invest more.

    Max Garland • March 18, 2022
  • Container port with thousands of stacked containers in background, with cranes and containers on a ship in the forefront.
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    David McNew via Getty Images
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    Hoarding, ghost orders and pop-up warehouses: construction's new supply chain playbook

    Material prices have hit a 35-year high. Here's what contractors are doing to survive inflation.

    Joe Bousquin • Feb. 23, 2022
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    OlyaSolodenko/iStock via Getty Images
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    4 inflation-coping strategies employed by top US corporations

    Executives in several sectors describe how they aim to shield profits against rising prices.

    Jim Tyson • Feb. 15, 2022
  • A multiethnic group of colleagues work together
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    Photo by Canva Studio from Pexels

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    7 trends likely to shape HR in 2022

    Nearly two years into the pandemic, the continued relevance of COVID-19 is reshaping the workplace for the long term.

    Emilie Shumway • Jan. 20, 2022
  • A screenshot of the city of Boston's digital twin from the Boston Planning and Development Agency website. It had last been updated on August 2021.
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    Permission granted by The Boston Planning and Development Agency's 3D Smart Model
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    Are digital twins the future of urban planning?

    Digital 3D models can help city leaders plan for the future, but their value will depend on the data.

    Adina Solomon • Nov. 3, 2021
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Amtrak plans major expansion by 2035 if federal infrastructure bill passes

    The plan would connect small towns, reduce inequalities and boost development, housing and jobs in cities — but those ambitions face hurdles.

    Dan Zukowski • Nov. 2, 2021
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    Scott Barbour via Getty Images
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    Food, beverage manufacturers hungry for new plant construction

    Major brands like PepsiCo and Nestle plan to translate increasing sales during the COVID-19 pandemic into expansions.

    Megan Poinski • Nov. 2, 2021
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    Adeline Kon/Construction Dive
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    Construction's career crisis: Keeping workers on site and in the industry

    Climbing out of the labor shortage requires training new leadership, changing jobsite culture and investing in technology and safety, experts say.

    Zachary Phillips • Nov. 1, 2021
  • Construction companies face an uphill battle recruiting younger workers in 2021, but sources believe there may be opportunities to improve their odds.
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    Adeline Kon/Construction Dive
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    Construction's career crisis: Can the industry attract millennials and Gen Z?

    Younger workers want flexibility and higher pay, and contractors are trying a variety of tactics to recruit them.

    Ryan Golden • Oct. 27, 2021
  • Construction companies face an uphill battle recruiting younger workers in 2021, but sources believe there may be opportunities to improve their odds.
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    Adeline Kon/Construction Dive
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    Construction's career crisis: Recruiters target young workers driving the Great Resignation

    An increasing number of job seekers are open to something new. The trouble is, few are likely to set their sights on construction.

    Ryan Golden • Oct. 25, 2021
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    Adeline Kon/Construction Dive
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    Construction's career crisis: How did we get here?

    Experts weigh in on the factors that made construction a profession for "someone else's kid," and the long road ahead to fix it.

    Zachary Phillips • Oct. 20, 2021
  • Yantian-port from above from creative commons, downloaded June 2021
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    "Yantian port from above" by Gigel.atat is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
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    After years of 'Made in China,' suppliers look to alternatives

    The risks of single sourcing from China have been brewing for years, but they bubbled up even more during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Shefali Kapadia • Oct. 19, 2021
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    Danielle Ternes/Construction Dive
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    Pricing insanity: Material costs escalate, driving contractor desperation

    Amid unprecedented supply chain challenges, firms locked into contracts based on last year's prices are feeling the heat.

    Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 18, 2021
  • Katerra
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    Permission granted by Katerra
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    What does Katerra's demise mean for the contech and modular industries?

    The company was supposed to revolutionize construction. Instead, it went bankrupt when it couldn't convince developers and builders to move away from their traditional subcontractors.

    Sebastian Obando • Oct. 13, 2021
  • XL Construction built Skyline College's 21,000 square foot Environmental Science Building in San Bruno, California.
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    Courtesy of XL Construction
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    Construction's diversity numbers are awful. Here's how 3 contractors are improving theirs.

    Leaders from PCL, Turner & Townsend and XL Construction detail the strategies they are using to tackle the issue.

    Joe Bousquin • Oct. 12, 2021
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    Yujin Kim/Construction Dive
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    Construction Inclusion Week: Why 6 top CEOs are drawing a line on hate

    Set for Oct. 18-22, the initiative is aimed at helping contractors "move the needle" on diversity and equity on jobsites, according to the leaders of some of the country's largest construction firms.

    Joe Bousquin • Oct. 5, 2021
  • Construction workers uses water fountain during hot day
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    Mark Wilson via Getty Images
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    Is climate change a worker safety issue?

    Many employers do not have plans in place to deal with workplace hazards presented by extreme weather events.

    Ryan Golden • Sept. 28, 2021
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    Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/stringer via Getty Images
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    Is construction at high risk for COVID-19? It depends on how you look at it.

    There have been persistent contradictions between states' coronavirus metrics and the experiences reported by contractors on jobsites.

    Joe Bousquin • Sept. 9, 2021
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    Courtesy of Robby Brown + Sundt Construction
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    The war for talent: How contractors battle for workers

    The industry's labor shortage has escalated into a full-blown crisis since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's what some firms are doing to compete.

    Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 7, 2021
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Contractors caught between vaccine hesitancy and owner mandates

    Construction firms are scrambling to meet client requests for 100% vaccinated jobsites as the COVID-19 delta variant surges across the country.

    Joe Bousquin • Aug. 24, 2021
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    David Ramos via Getty Images
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    With mask, vaccine mandates on the rise, employers have options — but consistency is key

    Whatever employers choose, inconsistent enforcement is a "recipe for disaster," according to an attorney.

    Ryan Golden • Aug. 12, 2021
  • A working parent, surrounded by children, sits tiredly at a laptop
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    Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

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    Paid leave proves critical for talent retention

    Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, women have dropped out of the workforce in droves. Here's why.

    Caroline Colvin • Aug. 9, 2021
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    Samuel Corum via Getty Images
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    10 ways the PRO Act could change the game for employers and organized labor

    Currently being considered in the Senate, the bill would strengthen the ability of unions to form and collectively bargain.

    Emilie Shumway • Aug. 5, 2021
  • Despite dodging tax hikes in infrastructure bill, contractors could still see higher rates

    While U.S. corporations have avoided tax increases in the Senate's proposed plan, public and private contractors could still see rates go up.

    Joe Bousquin • Aug. 4, 2021