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Volume 48 - 2023 | Wednesday, November 29, 2023 | www.mbex.org | |
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Five Things To Do / Know This Week:
1.) Join Ron Wirtz with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis for his presentation, Regional Economic Conditions: Constructor Sector Outlook, at 9am on Wednesday, November 29.
2.) Pay those 2024 membership dues! Renew before December 31st to avoid access disruptions to the Online Plan Room. Call or email Shauna with questions or to request a copy of your renewal invoice.
3.) The Milwaukee Ascent, a 25-story luxury apartment building located in downtown Milwaukee, is now officially the tallest mass timber building in the world, standing 284-feet above ground.
4.) Thursday is National Computer Security Day. In 2021, the construction industry was the third most targeted industry for cyber attacks. Update those passwords (especially if it's Password123).
5.) Test Your Knowledge:
Built-in dog showers, elaborate feeding stations, and electronic pet doors. These are only a few of the investments pet owners are making within their home designs to make their pets more comfortable. First dubbed by Pinterest in 2021 as a growing "animal-first architecture" approach, what has this trend been named?
A.) Beastly Builds; B.) Barkitecture; C.) Paws and Pillars; or D.) Critter Concepts. See the Answer
Halfway through a post-holiday workweek. Pour yourself another cup, and get back to it.
IN BRIEF THIS WEEK:
• Jingle Jangle: Holiday Party North is next week (12/7)
• 2024 Election: Cast your ballot for the 2024 Board of Directors
• Tips & Tricks: Adding additional plan room users
• Starts Tumble: October marks a second consecutive month of losses
• Minority Notices: ECI seeks qualified MCUB vendors for two upcoming projects
• Robotic Solutions for your Jobsite, Senior Living Construction, and Rooftop Solar: Five construction headlines, and a pedestrian bridge project in north Minneapolis
• Member Benefits: Telemedicine for your employees with RealTimeTelemed
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Next Thursday - Holiday Party North | |
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Time is ticking, and we're only one week away from our cheeriest event of the season - MBEX's annual Holiday Party North. We can't wait to celebrate with you, our members, but there's no time to waste. Have you registered yet?
• DATE: Thursday, December 7
• TIME: Cocktails + Hors d'ouevres @ 5:30pm | Sit-Down Dinner @ 6:30pm | Short Program + Door Prize Giveaways @ 7:00pm
• LOCATION: Ridgeview Country Club (Duluth, Minn.)
• TICKETS: $45 per person
• Sponsorship Opportunities also available!
Don't miss out on:
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🤝 Networking: Connect with industry peers, create valuable connections, and expand your professional network.
🥂 Delicious Delights: Savor a gourmet dinner prepared by Ridgeview's staff.
👔 👗 Dress to Impress: Show off your festive spirit with your snazziest attire.
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Share the joy with colleagues and industry friends, and encourage them to join us at this merry celebration. Spouses and partners are also welcome to attend.
Thank you to the following event sponsors:
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DOOR PRIZE SPONSORS:
A. W. Kuettel, Benson Electric Company, Contract Tile & Carpet, Ironworkers Local 512, Jamar, Kraus-Anderson Construction, Northern Industrial Insulation, UHL, and Ulland Brothers
Secure your spot; let's make this holiday season merrier and brighter together!
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Get Ready to Cast Your Vote | |
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Keep an eye on your inbox. Ballots for the 2024 Board of Directors election will be sent later this week via email.
This email will contain detailed instructions on how to vote, along with information about each candidate to help you make an informed decision. One ballot per member company is permitted.
This year’s election brings a slate of six highly qualified candidates, each bringing a unique blend of experience, expertise, and enthusiasm to the table. These nominees are committed to furthering the goals of MBEX, ensuring the Exchange continues to provide the highest quality of service with the Online Plan Room, plentiful networking opportunities, and industry insights that help your businesses thrive.
Thank you for your continued support and active involvement in MBEX!
Stay tuned for your ballot and get ready to vote in this year's Board of Directors election.
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TIP OF THE WEEK: Adding Additional Plan Room Users | |
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One of the most frequently asked questions we receive is whether a member company can have more than one person logging into and utilizing the online plan room.
The answer --- yes!
1.) HOW MANY CAN WE ADD?
Each member company can have up to 4 individual plan room users who have their own separate log-in. The first comes with membership, and the remaining three can be added for a small fee of $60 each.
2.) WHY HAVE SEPERATE USERS?
This allows each individual users to set their own project filters without interfering / crossing over with the others. This is especially helpful if they cover different territories, different types of projects (for example, new construction vs. demolition), or different projects.
Each user with a login also receives a nightly updates email directly that contains new filter results, updates and/or changes to tracked projects, and a listing of all projects uploaded in the past 24 hours.
3.) HOW TO ADD NEW USERS:
Contact Ashlee either by phone or email, and she will assist in setting up the new user(s) under your company's membership.
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Construction Starts Drop 7%, Marking Second Consecutive Loss | |
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Total construction starts tumbled another 7% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.1trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network, due to a widespread slowdown in gas and utility projects.
The drop pushes overall year-to-date construction starts through October to trail last year's pace by 4%, according to the report. The decline also follows September's 6% contraction, marking two consecutive months of losses.
While the construction starts report measures projects that have broken ground, the American Institute of Architects' Architecture Billing Index tracks building design work for jobs to come. That index, which leads actual construction by nine to 12 months, continued to soften in October as well.
That means not only are billings declining at firms, but that fewer clients are committing to new projects, according to the report.
Read more on Construction Dive
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December 7 - Holiday Party North
Come gather with fellow construction industry professionals for an evening of festive cheer and networking at Holiday Party North in Duluth. Event will be held at Ridgeview Country Club and includes a social hour, sit-down dinner, short program, and door prize giveaways. Register Here
December 13 - 2024 Construction Economic Forecast
Crafted with commercial contractors in mind, Anirban Basu's (chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors) presentation will reflect on an unusual year --- one that started with high inflation and fears of an impending recession but ultimately held steady --- and will continue with a look forward into 2024 and beyond. Register Here
December 21 - MBEX Online Plan Room Demo
From navigating the Deskpad, setting up filters, understanding project information, and bidders lists, this free, one-hour session is a great introduction to our Online Plan Room. There will be time at the end for questions and answers. Register Here
December 22 & 25 - Christmas - MBEX Closed
MBEX will be closed Friday and Monday for the Christmas holiday. Please plan office visit and/or building plan orders accordingly.
December 29 & January 1 - New Years - MBEX Closed
MBEX will be closed Friday and Monday for the New Years holiday. Wishing you a happy 2024 and a project-filled pipeline for the next 365 days ahead!
January 10 - MBEX Annual Meeting & Luncheon
Save the date for the first members-only event of the new year. The MBEX Annual Meeting provides members the opportunity to enjoy lunch and socialize with fellow industry professionals, congratulate new incoming Board Members, recognize those leaving the Board, all while actively observing annual meeting protocol. This event is open to ALL current MBEX members.
REMEMBER: If you are an employee of a current MBEX member company, you are welcome to attend any and all MBEX events.
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Engineering & Construction Innovations Inc (ECI) is seeking qualified MCUB subcontractors, suppliers and vendors for the following projects:
• Metropolitan Council Environmental Services' Lake Elmo West
• Metropolitan Council Environmental Services' Seneca Pipe and Site Restoration
Bids for the Lake Elmo West project must be submitted to ECI by December 11 at 3:00pm. View Full Notice
Bids for the Seneca Pipe and Site Restoration project must be submitted to ECI by January 15 at 3:00pm. View Full Notice
Please send quotes for either project to Ron Sweep via email or via facsimile to (651) 298-9113.
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Engineering & Construction Innovations Inc
7002 6th Street North
Oakdale, Minn., 55128
PH: (651) 298-9111
An Equal Opportunity Employer
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LABOR + WORKFORCE
🤖 Five New Robots Contractors Should Know
To combat jobsite staffing issues, tech companies have pushed the envelope, aiming to combat the shortage by creating robots that can complete the work traditionally done by humans. From humanoid droids to painters and layout machines, here are five robotic solutions that could have applications on your jobsite. (Construction Dive)
MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING
📊 Senior Living Construction Poised for Steady Recovery
Senior housing demand, as measured by the change in occupied units, continued to outpace new supply in the third quarter, according to NIC MAP Vision. It was the ninth consecutive quarter of growth with a net absorption gain. On the supply side, construction starts continued to be limited compared with pre-pandemic levels. (Building Design + Construction)
INDUSTRY TRENDS - ROOFING
☀️ Rooftop Solar is About to Get A Lot More Popular, Thanks to Rising Electricity Rates
About 5% of U.S. households have rooftop solar, a share that may seem like a lot, but it looks low compared to places like Germany (about 20%) and Australia (about 30%). One of the big reasons that the United States lags some of those countries is that electricity is unusually cheap here, so it makes less sense on a financial basis for someone to buy rooftop solar. But this is changing. (Fast Company)
BUSINESS & FINANCE
⚠️ Delayed Payments Add $274-Billion to US Construction Bids, Says Study
A new report from construction software specialist Rabbet, based on a survey of construction companies across the U.S., finds that both general contractors and subcontractors are increasing their bids by a median amount of between 6% and 10% to compensate for late payments. With the U.S. construction industry estimated to reach $1.97-trillion in 2023, Rabbet extrapolated that for general contractors this equated overall to an additional $98-billion, while subcontractors, between them, are adding $175-billion. (International Construction)
PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE
🤬 Nine Biggest Jobsite Headaches According to Asphalt Crews
From breakdowns to bad weather, you can never predict what's going to happen on asphalt jobs. Curious about what are the most frequent and frustrating "headaches" contractors face on a daily basis, For Construction Pros did a deep dive and sourced answers from the men and women who are out there paving, on what pain-points and problems they most often run into when on the job. The biggest and most talked about problem might not be what you would expect. (For Construction Pros)
🦺 PROJECT TO WATCH
Park Board Exploring People Bridge Over Mississippi River in North Minneapolis
The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board has begun exploring the possibility of building a pedestrian and bike bridge over the Mississippi River in north Minneapolis. If built, it would be about halfway between the Lowry Avenue and the Broadway Avenue bridges, which are about a mile apart. As the park board invests big money into turning more of the riverfront into parkland, planners say the bridge would provide north Minneapolis residents better access to those parks. There's no estimate on how much such a bridge would cost. (Axios Twin Cities)
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Photo: Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board | |
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Regional Economic Conditions: Construction Sector Outlook
Presented by the Ron Wirtz, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
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DATE: Wednesday, November 29
TIME: 9:00am - 9:30am CST
LOCATION: Online
COST: Free
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How are current conditions in the construction sector, and how was the summer busy season? How are interest rates affecting the sector? What's the outlook for 2024 across the Ninth District?
Join Ron Wirtz, Regional Outreach Director, for a live webinar discussing the latest results from an early November survey of activity levels, challenges, overall conditions, and outlook in the construction sector.
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OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Outreach (2 days)
Presented by The Builders Group
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DATES:
• Tuesday, December 5 (7:00am - 3:30pm with lunch provided)
• Wednesday, December 6 (7:00am-11:00am)
LOCATION: The Builders Group (Eagan, Minn.)
COST *:
• TBG Members - $100 per person
• Association Members - $120 per person
• Non-TBG Members - $275 per person
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This class will provide an in-depth look at compliance and safety issues related to the OSHA training curriculum set forth for the OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety class. Topics to include Fall Protection, Electrical Safety, Excavation Safety, Hand / Power Tools, and several more topics necessary to complete the course objectives.
Attendees are required to attend and complete both days.
Registration closes on November 28, 2023. If after November 28, contact Emily at ecutts@tbgmn.com to check for availability. Cancellations must occur 10 days before the event for a refund.
* Starting in 2022 as a benefit of the TBG Safety Service Association, all members will have two free OSHA 10 registrations per year. Once those two FREE registrations are used, the cost to participate will then be $100 per member.
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Concrete Trivia Night & MCC President and Board Recognition
Presented by the Minnesota Concrete Council
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DATE: Wednesday, December 13
TIME: 5:30pm - Social, 6:00pm - MCC President and Board honored, 6:30pm - Trivia begins
LOCATION: Luce Line Brewing Co (Plymouth, Minn.)
COST: Free
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MCC invites you to join them for drinks, concrete trivia, and a chance to blow everyone away with what you know.
Before the trivia begins, the MCC Board of Directors whose two-year tern on the Board will be coming to an end will be recognized for their time and contributions to the Minnesota Concrete Council. The outgoing Boar President, Mark Magney, will also be recognized.
Concrete Trivia will be conducted by Game Show Host, Jon Horsman. Jon is known for his humor and stand-up comedy and will make even trivia about concrete fun and entertaining.
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Benefit of the Week: RealTimeTelemed | |
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Telemedicine for your
employees and their families.
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Finding time to visit the doctor can be difficult. Skip the wait at urgent care or the doctor's office and talk to a real medical professional anytime, anywhere.
RealTimeTelemed, powered by MDLIVE, offers board certified doctors available 24/7 to help assess conditions, help determine the necessary next steps, and prescribe right over the phone...all from the comfort of home.
MBEX Members receive:
• Wholesale pricing - $4 per employee per month
• $0 copay for all full-time employees and dependents
• No waiting period, immediate coverage
• MDLIVE doctors help with more than 80 common illnesses, such as allergies, anxiety, cold/flu, sore throat, and more.
Start saving by enrolling your business with National Purchasing Partners (NPP) for free to activate this offer (and others like it) here: https://mynpp.com/association/mbex/
NPP is a member benefit provider of the Minnesota Builders Exchange (MBEX), offering savings on products and services that businesses and employees use every day. Restrictions many apply. See www.mynpp.com for details.
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PROJECT INFORMATION + UPDATES | |
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• Total Projects Received at MBEX from 11/20/2023/2023 - 11/24/2023: 79
• Total Active Projects Received/Reported on at MBEX as of 11/28/2023: 312
• Total Projects in the Online Plan Room as of 11/28/2023: 4,468
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Click the button above to view the most recent project data from 11/22/2023-11/28/2023.
For information about the Bulletin's content, technical issues, or to place an ad (such as a Minority
Notice, Job Posting, or Event Notice), contact Ashlee, Membership + Communications Manager.
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The information in this bulletin was obtained from sources deemed reliable. The Minnesota Builders Exchange (MBEX) does not assume responsibility for its completeness or accuracy. You are urged to check your own sources in addition to the information contained in this publication. This issue contains plans and other bidding information received prior to and including the date noted above. The project data within this newsletter is intended for member company's and their employees use only.
2023 BOARD OFFICERS: President - Greg Grazzini, Grazzini Brothers & Co; Vice President - Mike Carlson, Max Gray Construction; Treasurer - Heidi Sedlacek, Bituminous Roadways; Past President - Randy LaFaive, Market & Johnson | 2023 DIRECTORS: David Brandt, Schadegg Mechanical; Jason DuVal, Tenet; Chuck Geisler, American Engineering Testing; Brian Kalla, St. Cloud Acoustics; Sean Ochis, Northern Industrial Insulation; Jason Rentmeester, Kraus-Anderson Construction; Andy Ristrom, Carl Bolander & Sons; and Nate Sapik, Benson Electric Company | STAFF: David Siegel, Executive Director; Julie Miller, Executive Assistant/Project Coordinator/Accounting; Jeff Boelter, Project Acquisition & IT; Ashlee Hartwig, Membership & Communications Manager; Don O'Connor, Duluth Branch Manager; Ka Yang, Peggy Esboldt, Janet Margheim & Shauna Baska, Project Reporters
You are receiving this email because you are employed by a current member company in good standing or have indicated you wanted to receive MBEX's Weekly Bulletin. Unsubscribe from the Weekly Bulletin
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