We believe that rising input costs will drive prices up both for cement and concrete in early 2022. The rising energy prices and seasonal factors could explain the price increase in the first half of 2022, before price escalation slows as energy costs recede.

While COP26 may be a familiar term to some readers, it might not be recognizable to all. Luckily, here at Cumming our Sustainability & Energy Solutions team has many years of experience in all matters related to COP26.

Experts predict COVID-19 will have long-term ramifications for many aspects of the U.S. construction industry, including lead time extensions. In this report, we will take a brief look at some of the recent changes to construction lead times and then, at the end, offer several practical recommendations to help you avoid unexpected lead time extensions.

Because the vast majority of zinc comes from a handful of countries, the market can be quite volatile. Things like a presidential election in Peru, a push for green energy in China, or a shortage of shipping containers in Australia can destabilize prices.

The steel industry in the United States enjoys a high degree of protection from the government. High import tariffs mean that most of the steel used in construction is produced domestically. When there are massive shocks to the industry (such as a new respiratory virus that infects 10% of the population), a unionized workforce keeps steel production relatively steady.