Spring production will be underway soon for regions enduring winter’s wrath these first two months of the year.
The weather was rather cooperative in colder regions late last year, allowing many producers and contractors to extend their production seasons beyond their typical end points. Still, one sentiment we’ve heard as producers and contractors prepare to once again put materials on the ground is that the inventories they expected to have on hand to start the season are diminished. Inventories are down because late-2021 weather also afforded construction projects to continue deeper into 2021.
Not surprisingly, operators are ready to fire up their plants now in order to start “playing catch-up.”
Upbeat with lingering concerns
Despite the inventorying hiccup, producers and contractors largely remain optimistic about the months in front of them. Projects should be there for the taking, but effectively keeping up with them is a concern because of new or intensified business constraints.
The cost of doing business, for one, is significantly higher than it was a year or two ago. That’s a real concern of business owners.
Businesses are, of course, adjusting because they have to. But keeping a balance sheet in order this year may require the added attention 2021 called for. With inflation expected to cause further disruptions, businesses will have to continuously monitor cost changes.
Producers and contractors aren’t just concerned about the cost of doing business, though. In some cases, they cannot easily access the resources required to do business. This not only includes vital equipment, but the people needed to operate it.
Busy first quarter
Fortunately, the industry exhibited tremendous resilience despite the challenges that mounted over the last two trying years. Given the circumstances, the industry performed rather admirably.
While a new COVID-19 variant may emerge at anytime, the industry at-large is ready to move past the pandemic. The state of trade shows is one sign supporting this.
Shows that were postponed or canceled a year ago are moving forward in the first quarter despite the latest pandemic wave. World of Concrete reportedly drew tens of thousands of people to Las Vegas, and AGG1’s organizers expect big things for their March 29-31 trade show in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Portable Plants staff, for one, is looking forward to a more regular travel schedule in 2022, with the SME Annual Conference & Expo, General Equipment & Supplies’ Aggregate Expo and AGG1 in our plans early this year.