If there’s one thing I’ve learned in more than two decades in covering the technology and industrial space, it’s that complexity is the new constant. Disruption used to be episodic—COVID, tariffs, material shortages—but now the baseline expectation is that everything is becoming faster and more interconnected at a rapid clip. In construction and manufacturing, that means dealing with supply-chain disruptions, labor scarcity, the push into direct‑to‑consumer models, and other business evolutions.
The reality both construction and manufacturing are facing today is a difficult one. More than 76% of today’s supply-chain operations are impacted by labor gaps. In manufacturing alone, as many as 2.1 million jobs could go unfilled by 2030. The construction industry will need to bring in nearly 454,000 new workers by the end of this year alone on top of normal hiring to meet ongoing demands Read More
Laura’s Blog:
Inefficiencies Lead to Construction Innovation
Research suggests contractors lose nearly 6% of profit margins due to inefficiencies caused by poor reporting between the office and the jobsite. However, that doesn’t necessarily tell the entire story. In recent years, nearly two-thirds of contractors have improved their field data capabilities and more than 80% rely on cloud-based solutions to manage processes. It seems we are moving in the right direction.
Earlier in October the ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) released its fifth annual construction technology report. The ABC Field Tech Report looks at the technologies shaping jobsites, and it includes research from Dodge Construction Network that considers the importance of integrated workflows. We are at an interesting time in history when we simply need to leverage technology to improve productivity and safety in construction.
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November: Construction Connectivity Trends to Watch
December: Year in Review