April constructsteel newsletter

Expert Q&ASteel-timber videoProject storyTechnical trendsAwards 2025 Construction market trendsConstruction news headlinesSubscribe to our monthly newsletter

Expert Q&A

The role of steel in the Oohi West Bridge Viaduct

Mr Eiji Takada, Managing Executive Officer at FaB-Tech Japan, shares insights into the innovative use of steel in the Oohi West Bridge Viaduct project. This landmark infrastructure in western Japan demonstrates how steel enabled rapid construction, minimised traffic disruption, and set new benchmarks for efficiency in bridge design. We spoke with Mr Takada to learn more about the role of steel in the project, the construction methods employed, and the lessons it offers for future developments.

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Steel-timber hybrid buildings video

Explore how steel-timber hybrid structures are transforming sustainable construction, combining the strength of steel with the benefits of timber. Learn how these innovations reduce carbon emissions, cut costs, and enable taller, more resilient buildings. Watch as they pave the way for greener, more efficient cities.

Project story

Artist drawings of Manchester United's planned new stadium

Steel raises the roof for Manchester United Football Club’s new stadium

Manchester United Football Club has announced plans to build a new stadium, with steel being one of its core components. Old Trafford is reaching the end of its 115-year life and Manchester United Football Club has announced plans to build a new stadium adjacent to it, with steel being one of its core components.

Full article

Technical trends

Engineering and construction: Strategic M&A as a catalyst for growth

The engineering and construction sector is on track for 6–7% annual growth by 2030, driven by global infrastructure initiatives and rising demand for renewable energy. In this dynamic environment, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have emerged as a vital strategy for firms aiming to expand and innovate. While post-pandemic M&A activity has surged, challenges such as integration and cultural alignment continue to pose significant hurdles.

With 82% of executives expecting deal activity to rise, adopting a strategic and disciplined approach to M&A will be crucial for unlocking growth and seizing the industry’s transformative opportunities.

Full article

Awards 2025

constructsteel Awards: 2025 nominations open until May 30!

Nominations for the 2025 constructsteel Awards are open until May 30, recognising Best Project of the Year, Innovation of the Year, and Excellence in Sustainability. Learn more about the award categories, judging criteria, and online nomination forms.

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Construction market trends

United States

X Values ABI (LHS) Output (RHS, %, y-o-y)
Jan-19 55.3 -1.72
Feb-19 50.3 -2.65
Mar-19 47.8 1.01
Apr-19 50.5 1.84
May-19 50.2 3.79
Jun-19 49.1 8.06
Jul-19 50.1 10.30
Aug-19 47.2 11.23
Sep-19 49.7 12.31
Oct-19 52.0 13.18
Nov-19 51.9 17.26
Dec-19 52.0 13.57
Jan-20 52.2 14.17
Feb-20 53.4 11.79
Mar-20 33.3 8.34
Apr-20 29.5 3.19
May-20 32 0.35
Jun-20 40 -0.45
Jul-20 40 -2.85
Aug-20 40 -6.64
Sep-20 47 -7.42
Oct-20 47.5 -7.26
Nov-20 46.3 -9.59
Dec-20 42.3 -8.84
Jan-21 44.9 -7.07
Feb-21 53.3 -7.36
Mar-21 55.6 -3.83
Apr-21 57.9 -1.02
May-21 58.5 -0.74
Jun-21 57.1 -0.69
Jul-21 54.6 0.68
Aug-21 55.6 2.30
Sep-21 56.6 3.01
Oct-21 54.3 3.27
Nov-21 51.0 7.09
Dec-21 52.0 7.61
Jan-22 51.0 9.99
Feb-22 51.3 13.19
Mar-22 58.0 11.48
Apr-22 56.5 16.75
May-22 53.5 18.43
Jun-22 53.2 18.61
Jul-22 51.0 21.71
Aug-22 53.3 23.08
Sep-22 51.7 25.66
Oct-22 47.7 25.34
Nov-22 46.6 25.68
Dec-22 48.4 27.97
Jan-23 49.3 24.58
Feb-23 48.0 24.00
Mar-23 50.4 24.90
Apr-23 48.5 23.68
May-23 51.0 21.91
Jun-23 50.1 20.71
Jul-23 50.0 16.38
Aug-23 48.1 17.31
Sep-23 44.8 14.46
Oct-23 44.3 14.07
Nov-23 45.3 13.32
Dec-23 45.4 10.97
Jan-24 46.2 11.09
Feb-24 49.5 9.33
Mar-24 43.6 7.27
Apr-24 48.3 4.38
May-24 42.4 4.91
Jun-24 46.4 5.48
Jul-24 48.2 4.99
Aug-24 45.7 3.82
Sep-24 45.7 4.54
Oct-24 50.3 4.18
Nov-24 49.6 2.87
Dec-24 44.1 3.32
Jan-25 45.6 2.02
Feb-25 45.5 2.47

U.S. single-family homebuilding rebounded due to a thaw in winter weather; rising raw material prices due to tariffs threaten recovery. Data center construction continues to outperform.

Private residential output was up 1.3% m-o-m (1.6% y-o-y)in February; Building permits were down -1% m-o-m (-6.7% y-o-y) in February.

Private non-residential output up 0.4% m-o-m (2.5% y-o-y). Architecture Billings Index (ABI) up to 45.5 in February from 45.6 in January (< 50, contraction).

China

Jan-19 -1.90
Feb-19 -0.86
Mar-19 -1.40
Apr-19 -0.25
May-19 -1.27
Jun-19 -2.33
Jul-19 -2.30
Aug-19 0.58
Sep-19 2.90
Oct-19 3.11
Nov-19 2.01
Dec-19 0.07
Jan-20 -6.38
Feb-20 -15.49
Mar-20 -28.55
Apr-20 -19.28
May-20 -8.53
Jun-20 3.19
Jul-20 6.34
Aug-20 7.45
Sep-20 9.85
Oct-20 11.68
Nov-20 11.25
Dec-20 12.67
Jan-21 20.60
Feb-21 35.73
Mar-21 36.64
Apr-21 22.52
May-21 10.58
Jun-21 10.97
Jul-21 3.39
Aug-21 -3.96
Sep-21 -12.52
Oct-21 -16.65
Nov-21 -16.07
Dec-21 -16.80
Jan-22 -14.05
Feb-22 -13.16
Mar-22 -13.78
Apr-22 -23.32
May-22 -28.53
Jun-22 -28.03
Jul-22 -25.19
Aug-22 -22.29
Sep-22 -22.06
Oct-22 -20.27
Nov-22 -24.08
Dec-22 -29.91
Jan-23 -27.17
Feb-23 -19.69
Mar-23 -3.54
Apr-23 -5.79
May-23 -10.64
Jun-23 -21.93
Jul-23 -24.69
Aug-23 -25.96
Sep-23 -22.18
Oct-23 -21.17
Nov-23 -20.38
Dec-23 -21.75
Jan-24 -22.91
Feb-24 -23.97
Mar-24 -24.30
Apr-24 -21.62
May-24 -19.27
Jun-24 -14.61
Jul-24 -13.93
Aug-24 -12.90
Sep-24 -11.56
Oct-24 -8.59
Nov-24 -3.93
Dec-24 0.64
Jan-25 -0.05
Feb-25 -2.58

China real estate continues to show signs of stabilisation and may potentially help offset the economic impact of escalating U.S. trade tariffs.

The 3-month moving average y-o-y growth in floor space started was down -24% in February; floor space sold was down -2.6% y-o-y.

Europe

X-values PMI (LHS) Output (RHS, %, y-o-y)
Jan-19 50.6 0.00
Feb-19 52.6 5.71
Mar-19 52.2 6.46
Apr-19 52.1 2.68
May-19 50.6 2.50
Jun-19 50.8 1.58
Jul-19 50.6 1.08
Aug-19 49.1 0.59
Sep-19 50.5 0.58
Oct-19 50.7 0.59
Nov-19 50.6 0.59
Dec-19 51.3 -1.45
Jan-20 51.9 4.18
Feb-20 52.5 -0.48
Mar-20 33.5 -16.38
Apr-20 15.1 -31.30
May-20 39.5 -11.98
Jun-20 48.3 -5.44
Jul-20 48.9 -4.38
Aug-20 47.8 -1.27
Sep-20 47.5 -3.78
Oct-20 44.9 -3.22
Nov-20 45.6 -2.05
Dec-20 45.5 -0.10
Jan-21 44.1 -5.92
Feb-21 45.0 -6.88
Mar-21 50.1 16.24
Apr-21 50.1 41.21
May-21 50.3 10.95
Jun-21 50.3 3.29
Jul-21 49.8 1.63
Aug-21 49.5 -1.58
Sep-21 50 1.71
Oct-21 51.2 2.12
Nov-21 53.3 0.80
Dec-21 52.9 -1.86
Jan-22 56.6 4.26
Feb-22 56.3 7.39
Mar-22 52.8 2.38
Apr-22 50.4 1.99
May-22 49.2 2.29
Jun-22 47 1.69
Jul-22 45.7 1.10
Aug-22 44.2 2.51
Sep-22 45.3 0.50
Oct-22 44.9 0.99
Nov-22 43.6 1.18
Dec-22 42.6 0.10
Jan-23 46.1 0.78
Feb-23 47.6 1.84
Mar-23 45.0 0.39
Apr-23 45.2 1.37
May-23 44.6 1.75
Jun-23 44.2 1.76
Jul-23 43.5 3.27
Aug-23 43.4 1.96
Sep-23 43.6 2.66
Oct-23 42.7 1.27
Nov-23 43.4 0.59
Dec-23 43.6 2.89
Jan-24 41.3 0.39
Feb-24 42.9 -1.52
Mar-24 42.4 -0.48
Apr-24 41.9 -0.96
May-24 42.9 -2.39
Jun-24 41.8 -1.44
Jul-24 41.4 -2.30
Aug-24 41.4 -1.73
Sep-24 42.1 -2.21
Oct-24 43 -1.26
Nov-24 42.7 0.10
Dec-24 42.9 0.29
Jan-25 45.4 -0.10
Feb-25 42.7
Mar-25 44.8

Eurozone civil engineering output finished 2024 flat vis a vis 2023 while buildings output was down -2% over the same period.

Eurozone construction up 0.2% m-o-m (-0.1% y-o-y) in January; Buildings up 0.9% m-o-m (1.9% y-o-y) in January; Civil engineering down -1.0% m-o-m (-0.2% y-o-y) in January.

The IHS Markit Eurozone Construction PMI up to 44.8 in March from 42.7 in February (< 50, contraction).

India

X Values Avg industrial production (y-o-y)
Jan-19 1.4
Feb-19 1.8
Mar-19 5.0
Apr-19 4.3
May-19 2.9
Jun-19 0.2
Jul-19 2.0
Aug-19 -0.7
Sep-19 -5.7
Oct-19 -5.4
Nov-19 0.3
Dec-19 0.9
Jan-20 1.4
Feb-20 5.1
Mar-20 -9.0
Apr-20 -44.4
May-20 -21.1
Jun-20 -12.1
Jul-20 -8.0
Aug-20 -7.5
Sep-20 -0.3
Oct-20 -1.8
Nov-20 -1.7
Dec-20 -0.3
Jan-21 0.7
Feb-21 -3.7
Mar-21 12.6
Apr-21 62.6
May-21 16.4
Jun-21 9.4
Jul-21 9.9
Aug-21 12.2
Sep-21 5.4
Oct-21 8.7
Nov-21 3.2
Dec-21 4.1
Jan-22 4.0
Feb-22 5.9
Mar-22 4.8
Apr-22 9.5
May-22 19.3
Jun-22 13.1
Jul-22 4.8
Aug-22 4.2
Sep-22 8.3
Oct-22 0.7
Nov-22 5.7
Dec-22 8.3
Jan-23 9.7
Feb-23 7.4
Mar-23 4.2
Apr-23 4.6
May-23 5.2
Jun-23 8.4
Jul-23 8.5
Aug-23 13.4
Sep-23 9.5
Oct-23 12.7
Nov-23 7.9
Dec-23 5.1
Jan-24 4.2
Feb-24 7.1
Mar-24 6.3
Apr-24 6.9
May-24 6.9
Jun-24 5.0
Jul-24 6.3
Aug-24 -1.5
Sep-24 2.4
Oct-24 3.8
Nov-24 5.8
Dec-24 4.8
Jan-25 5.1
Feb-25 2.9

India’s core sector growth slowed in February, recording its weakest monthly pace in five months.

Weighted average of eight core industries output up by 2.9 y-o-y in February; production of steel up 5.6%, cement up 10.5% y-o-y.

 

Construction news headlines

construction market and regulations

North America:

A major university in the United States has halted construction on a $300 million research hub due to a funding freeze imposed by the Trump administration. The project, which was set to advance scientific research and innovation, has been put on hold, affecting numerous stakeholders and delaying potential breakthroughs. The funding freeze has raised concerns about the future of similar projects and the impact on the country’s research capabilities.

Link

Europe:

Aperam, a leading global producer of stainless and specialty steel, has called on the European Commission to swiftly implement the proposed steel action plan. The plan aims to address challenges faced by the European steel industry, including unfair trade practices and the need for sustainable production methods. Aperam emphasizes that timely action is crucial to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of the European steel sector.

Link

Europe:

The latest Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) report indicates that construction output in the UK continues to decline. The sector has been facing challenges such as rising material costs, labor shortages, and economic uncertainty. Despite some signs of recovery in other areas, the construction industry remains under pressure, with reduced activity levels and ongoing project delays.

Link

Asia:

China has announced a 34% tariff on US construction materials as a retaliatory measure against tariffs imposed during the Trump administration. The new tariffs are expected to impact the cost of construction materials imported from the US, potentially leading to higher prices for construction projects in China. This move is part of an ongoing trade dispute between the two countries and could have significant implications for the global construction industry.

Link

Asia:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the resumption of $11 billion worth of construction work on the new state capital, Amaravati. The project, which had been stalled, aims to develop Amaravati into a modern, sustainable city with advanced infrastructure and facilities. This move is expected to boost economic growth and development in the region, creating numerous job opportunities and enhancing urban living standards.

Link

Asia:

Oil prices have continued to decline amid fears that a global trade war could slow economic growth. The ongoing trade tensions between major economies have raised concerns about reduced demand for oil, leading to a drop in prices. This development has significant implications for the global energy market and could impact various sectors, including construction, which relies heavily on stable energy costs.

Link

Building materials and construction technologies

North America:

CASE Construction Equipment has unveiled a concept autonomous compact wheel loader, showcasing the future of construction machinery. The autonomous loader is designed to operate without a driver, using advanced sensors and AI technology to perform tasks efficiently and safely. This innovation highlights the potential for automation in the construction industry, promising increased productivity and reduced labor costs.

Link

North America:

Telematics technology is rapidly becoming essential in the construction industry, offering significant benefits in tracking and managing equipment. By providing real-time data on equipment location, usage, and performance, telematics helps construction companies improve efficiency, reduce downtime, and enhance safety. The technology’s ability to optimize fleet management and maintenance schedules makes it a valuable tool for modern construction operations.

Link

Europe:

Skanska has become the first company to use a robotic installation system technology in the UK. This innovative technology automates the installation of building components, enhancing precision and efficiency while reducing labor costs and construction time. The adoption of this cutting-edge system underscores Skanska’s commitment to leveraging advanced technologies to improve construction processes and outcomes.

Link

Europe:

Skanska has been awarded the contract to lay the foundations for a major carbon capture plant in Sweden. The project is part of Sweden’s ambitious plans to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. The plant will capture and store carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes, significantly contributing to the country’s environmental goals. Skanska’s involvement underscores its commitment to sustainable construction practices.

Link

Europe:

Architect Tim Fu has unveiled a new estate at Lake Bled, Slovenia, designed using artificial intelligence. The project showcases the potential of AI in architectural design, creating innovative and sustainable structures that blend seamlessly with the natural landscape. The Lake Bled estate features eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient technologies, setting a new standard for sustainable luxury living.

Link:

Asia:

India has inaugurated its first vertical lift rail bridge in Tamil Nadu. The state-of-the-art bridge, which can be raised to allow ships to pass underneath, is a significant engineering achievement and a milestone in India’s infrastructure development. The bridge will enhance rail connectivity in the region, facilitating smoother and more efficient transportation of goods and passengers.

Link

Construction sector players

North America:

Volvo has announced plans to increase its investment in a truck manufacturing plant in Mexico, despite the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. The additional funding will be used to expand production capacity and upgrade facilities, reflecting Volvo’s commitment to the North American market. This move underscores the company’s strategy to maintain a strong presence in the region and meet growing demand for its vehicles.

Link:

North America:

Skanska has secured a contract to construct the new Raritan River Bridge in New Jersey. The project, valued at $595 million, involves replacing the existing bridge with a modern, resilient structure designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. This development is part of a broader effort to enhance transportation infrastructure in the region, improving connectivity and safety for commuters.

Link

North America:

JCB is expanding its new Texas factory to a million square feet to cope with tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump, which significantly impact its business. The enlarged facility in San Antonio aims to increase production and reduce reliance on imports, supporting JCB’s growth in the North American market.

Link

North America:

Schneider Electric is investing $700 million to expand and upgrade eight U.S. facilities to meet rising demand from data centers and AI-driven technologies. This investment, the company’s largest ever in the U.S., aims to boost local production and create over 1,000 jobs across multiple states.

Link

Europe:

The UK government has approved the expansion of Luton Airport, a project that aims to increase the airport’s capacity and improve its infrastructure. The expansion will include the construction of a new terminal, additional parking facilities, and upgraded transport links. This development is expected to boost the local economy, create jobs, and enhance the airport’s ability to handle a growing number of passengers.

Link

Middle East:

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured its largest contract ever in the Gulf, valued at $1.8 billion, from QatarEnergy to construct two offshore compression complexes. This “ultra-mega” deal, according to L&T, will bolster its energy portfolio and support Qatar’s position as a global LNG leader, with international orders now comprising over half of the company’s recent acquisitions.

Link

Steel solutions spotlight:

Air-cooled Rebar Mesh for RC Structural Plate Members - Tata Steel
Buckling Restrained Brace - Japan Iron and Steel Federation

Knowledge partner: