Steel Products
Construction Employment Rises in 80% of Metro Areas
Written by Sandy Williams
September 27, 2018
Construction employment increased in 287 out of 358 metro areas (80 percent) between August 2017 and August 2018, declined in 35 (10 percent) and was unchanged in 36, according to a new analysis of federal employment data by the Associated General Contractors of America.
“The increases in construction employment have been showing up in more and more metro areas,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Moreover, the gains should continue. Three out of four firms in our association’s latest workforce survey say they plan to add hourly craft personnel in the next year. But even more firms—80 percent—say they are having a hard time filling some or all hourly craft positions.”
Simonson noted that more metro areas added construction jobs in the past year than in any 12-month period since December 2014. The economist added that 70 metro areas reached new construction employment highs for August, including San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif., where the previous high for August was set in 2000, and Midland, Texas, which exceeded its previous August peak, in 2014, by 22 percent.
The Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas, metro area added the most construction jobs during the past year (28,900 jobs, 13 percent), reflecting both ongoing recovery from Hurricane Harvey a year ago and strong construction demand from the energy sector. Other metro areas adding a large number of construction jobs in the year ending in August include Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas (13,600 jobs, 10 percent); Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. (13,600 jobs, 12 percent); and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, Ga. (11,400 jobs, 9 percent). The largest percentage gain occurred in Merced, Calif. (32 percent, 800 jobs), followed by New Bedford, Mass. (26 percent, 700 jobs); Midland, Texas (24 percent, 7,000 jobs); and Weirton-Steubenville, W.Va.-Ohio (22 percent, 400 jobs).
{loadposition reserved_message}
The largest job losses from August 2017 to August 2018 were in Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean, N.J. (-4,500 jobs, -11 percent), followed by Camden, N.J. (-2,600 jobs, -11 percent); St. Louis, Mo.-Ill. (-2,600 jobs, -4 percent); Newark, N.J.-Pa. (-2,400 jobs, -5 percent) and Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro–Franklin, Tenn. (-2,100 jobs, -5 percent). The largest percentage decreases—11 percent each—occurred in Middlesex-Monmouth-Ocean and Camden, N.J., followed by Spokane-Spokane Valley, Wash. (-9 percent, -1,300 jobs).
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Steel Products
US and Canadian rig counts stabilize
US counts continue to hover just above historic lows, while Canadian figures remain comparatively healthy.
Plate market sources critique mill hikes amid current market conditions
Following spot market plate price increase notices issued by domestic mills this past week, participants are contemplating the rationale behind the increases and whether they will stick. Some sources anticipate that current market conditions will shift in November and believe the increases may set a new "pricing floor."
Oregon Steel Mills lifts plate prices by $60/ton
Oregon Steel Mills has joined other producers in announcing a price increase of at least $60 per short ton on steel plate.
CRU: Construction of pilot plant for green steel process starts
Voestalpine and partners have begun building an industrial-scale Hy4Smelt demonstration plant in Linz, Austria, which they hope will become key in the decarbonization of steel.
Rig count increases in the US and in Canada
Oil and gas drilling activity increased this week in the US and Canada for the third consecutive week, according to the latest Baker Hughes rig count data. US counts continue to hover just above historic lows, while Canadian figures remain comparatively healthy.