Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/772143
AGGREGATES MANAGER / January 2016 19 Major Challenges Facing Aggregates Managers (Six-Year Comparison) last year's forecast. Those who called for a decrease suggested an average decrease of 13.3 percent — 17.5 percent lower than last year's estimate. Investing in equipment With a strong year expected, many respondents anticipated an increase in capital expenditures for 2017; 31.9 percent said they will spend more, with an average increase of 19.2 percent. In contrast, just 7.4 percent indicated they expect to invest less, with an average decrease of 26.9 percent. Top categories for increased equipment investment include: loading and hauling (33.3 percent), crushing and screening (31.9 percent), conveying and material handling (28.9 percent), equipment and truck maintenance (28.1 percent), and automa- tion (25.2 percent). By region, respondents in the West and South were most likely to invest in loading and hauling, while those in the North Central were most likely to purchase crushing and screening equipment. Northeast respondents were split among loading and hauling equipment and equipment and truck maintenance, a likely refl ection on the tougher season they had in 2016. What's next? After a year marked by uneven progress, 2017 could be a breakthrough year. While some operators, such as those in the South, said they are running full tilt, this may be the year their counterparts in the Northeast gain some much-needed ground. Expectations of a strong year were refl ected not only in reports of business conditions and production volumes, but also in the area that has been the respondents' greatest challenge — retaining workers. Nearly one in fi ve described worker reten- tion as a major problem, marking it as a greater concern than competition for sales or aggregates availability and permitting. Last year, 31.1 percent of respondents reported an increase in their total workforce, with the most likely hires being hourly labor or female personnel. If predictions for 2017 bear out, start looking to expand your workforce now. By the summer, you may very well need those extra boots on the ground. AM Design & Construction of Fines Recovery Equipment Doing What We Do Best HIGH RATE THICKENER FRACTIONATOR VERTICAL DURABILITY CELL SUPER CUTTER HYDRO-CYCLONE PLATE & FRAME PRESS DEWATERING SCREEN Learn More Call 866-616-9351 or Visit www.azfab.com Providing Solutions March 7-11, 2017 Las Vegas, Nevada Booth #C31095 VISIT US AT Methodology, Objectives, and Sources The objective of the 2016-2017 Aggregates Manager Forecast Survey was to determine business, production volume, spending, and workforce trends. In November 2016, Aggregates Manager emailed questionnaires to a random selec- tion of readers in the crushed stone and sand and gravel, crushed stone-only, and crushed gravel-only industries. Surveys were sent out just after November elections. A total of 135 useable surveys were completed.