How contractors are coping with uncertainty

2024年2月12日

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With traditional financial indicators in disarray, it’s hard to get a good read on when the backlog of shelved projects will be released 和 how construction will unfold in 2024. However, we know that projects will be highly competitive when the market does pick up. 全国最大的彩票平台专家布莱尔·艾迪生说, 区域销售经理, 北阿尔伯塔和马特·查特斯, 区域销售经理, 埃德蒙顿, explain how contractors are doubling down on the basics to ensure they are ready to execute when the next wave of major projects becomes a reality.

When you consult with customers about their future, what are some of the economic indicators that you are looking at?

布莱尔: Housing is a big issue in Canada right now, so we’re looking at all related indicators. 在过去的一年, 房地产价格已经下降, so many investors are waiting on the sidelines for the market to bottom out. But at the same time, we’re seeing record population growth in Canada, particularly in Alberta. So, with vacancy rates going down 和 rent prices going up, governments are pressured to take action.

Another aspect of this is that many developers are nervous about the increases in interest rates 和 are reluctant to release projects. So, our customers are facing a lot of inaction on the part of developers.

马特: We’ve had roughly a million people come into Canada in 2023, so the housing market will eventually respond to that. 最初, 这也延伸到了地下工作, 细分的发展, 以及其他土地开发项目. But people will be moving cautiously, 和 companies must execute very efficiently.

What about construction projects related to 矿业 applications?

布莱尔: Many of our customers support the 矿业 industry, so keep an eye on the various indicators. Western Canadian Select Crude (WCS) 和 International Crude (WTI) are big ones – 2023 was a rough year for energy prices in general, 所以我们正在密切关注. We also look at other commodities that affect our customers, like lumber 和 gold.

马特: We also look at trends regarding sustainable operation. In response, we expect that more contractors will be using 电和混合设备. Of course, this also helps contractors in their efforts to tighten up efficiency.

What impact will government policies have in the near term?

布莱尔: One of the most significant right now is the impact of Alberta’s 碳捕集措施. That’s created a real shift from the major oil 和 gas pipelines, 它们已经放慢了速度, 碳捕获管道. That has changed the work from 36- or 40-inch pipelines to 12-, 16-, or 20-inch ones. That opens the door to more competition because contractors with smaller machines can bid on them.

Governments have also stepped away from supporting wind 和 solar projects. So, contractors are building small 和 medium-sized pipelines for carbon capture instead of pads.

把加拿大作为一个整体来看, everybody is looking to see if governments make a major move on housing 和 what the incentives might be.

What do you see contractors doing moving forward?

布莱尔: I think contractors will need to prepare to respond quickly 和 execute very well. There will be a lot of competition 和 even more pressure on cost control 和 quality. So, 这一切都归结为基本面. Companies will have to be able to bid accurately 和 then, 一旦他们有了工作, ensure that things go as efficiently as possible.

There are many aspects of this, 和 a lot of it relates to equipment. Having the right machines for the job 和 the right attachments is critical. That equipment needs to be appropriately maintained to ensure that downtime doesn’t disrupt a job 和 delivers the highest possible TCO.

马特: Some of the newer technology will help contractors find a competitive edge. We’re seeing a lot of dem和 for some of the smaller hybrid excavators, which opens the door to all kinds of projects. We’re also seeing a lot of interest in some of the latest control 和 monitoring technology. 例如，小松的智能施工仪表板 is a great tool for managing day-to-day work more closely.

I should mention that 全国最大的彩票平台 is unequalled in support of digital technology. That’s been a top priority for us for many years. One example is that we’re the only major dealer to support both Topcon 和 Trimble platforms, 和 we can support a mixed fleet under a single contract.

底线:

As contractors face an uncertain business environment in 2024, they’ll seek new ways to extract the maximum value from their equipment. 全国最大的彩票平台 has teams of experts across Canada who can advise on getting the fundamentals right. This includes best practices such as matching the equipment to the work, 选择最优的维修计划, 和 leveraging alternative methods for financing equipment acquisition.

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