February constructsteel newsletter

European Union member states will together have to invest some €550bn in nuclear energy between now and 2050 if the bloc is to meet its net zero carbon target. Investments include €500bn on new nuclear plants and at least €50bn on existing capacity over the next eight years. Reactors are under construction in Finland, France and Slovakia, and more are planned in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Hungary, Poland and Romania.

Russia mulls plan to build $2.6bn Arctic rail link to the Barents Sea. When complete, the line will provide a direct route to the north trade route for the industrial regions of the south Urals, the Caucasus and Central Asia. There is also a plan to develop an all-year port in Indiga, to relieve pressure on Murmansk, the only ice-free port in the Arctic, which is at maximum capacity.

Portland Cement Association forecasts strong year for construction – U.S. is poised to spend $1.2 trillion on new and rehabilitated infrastructure projects, consuming 46 million metric tons of cement over a five-year program, with a quarter of that spend going toward roads and bridges. The US Department of Transportation launches a program worth more than $27bn to fix or replace some 15,000 bridges across the country. It is claimed to be the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the Interstate highway system, which began in the 1950s.

Contractors expect increasing demand for numerous types of projects in 2022 despite ongoing supply chain and labor challenges, as most firms plan to construction market and regulations add workers this year, according to survey results released by the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage. In 15 of 17 categories of projects, most survey respondents expect growth – retail and office construction were the two exceptions.

New York State to spend $991m on creating 3,242 affordable homes. The fund is intended to draw in an additional $380m in private funding, giving a total $1.4bn investment in the sector. Governor has planned further housing spending of $25bn across the next five years, yielding 100,000 affordable homes.

India’s government will step up spending to US$529.7 billion in the coming fiscal year to build public infrastructure and drive economic growth. Money will be allocated to expressways, affordable housing and solar manufacturing.

The Chinese government has released a five-year development plan for the construction industry that aims to put the industry on a “greener, smarter and safer path.” The plan for years 2021- 2025 states that the industry will increase the modernisation of its industrial chain, form the preliminary stages of a green and low-carbon production mode, see more widespread application of information technologies, and improve the safety and quality of buildings. The plan also says that modular buildings will account for more than 30% of the country’s new construction.

The city government of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa starts work on fast-track prefab condominiums. The flats will be located in a series of four and nine-storey buildings and will be built by the state-owned Ethiopian Construction Works Corporation, which is planning to use prefabrication to complete the projects in a 12-month period at a cost of around $160m, or $32,000 each.

A team comprised of Danish 3D printer maker Cobod, Mexican cement company Cemex and the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) has produced the world’s largest 3D-printed building using real concrete. The concrete used for the house’s walls cost €1,600, with Cobod saying the printable dry-mix mortar usually used in printed buildings would have cost upwards of €20,000

China’s five-year plan for the development of its space industry will include a satellite launch centre in Pakistan and steps to develop an inhabitable Moon base by 2035.

Investing in workforce wearables on construction sites can help companies become more competitive in the labor market. Exosuit technology and other workforce wearables are investments that can result in healthier, happier workers. Some companies also reported reductions in injury rates for workers using shoulder exoskeletons for overhead work.

Chilean modular space specialist Tecno Fast has acquired 100% of the capital of Spanish modular space business Alco Rental Services for an undisclosed sum. The transaction, completed 18 January, represents Tecno Fast’s first entry into Europe.

Swedish construction firm Skanska reported that fourth quarter profit tumbled 40% to $334 million, as divestitures and weak residential development swamped gains in its construction business. Pandemic continues to weigh on its construction business, driving up material prices and creating supply chain bottlenecks across its markets. Commercial construction has been most impacted, while residential construction is stable.

Danish engineer Ramboll has bought US data centre consultancy EYP Mission Critical Facilities for an undisclosed sum. EYPMCF is data centre strategy, planning, design and commissioning company. The acquisition will allow Ramboll to strengthen its position in the data centre market, while reducing its carbon footprint.  Data centre construction has been surging during the pandemic, fuelled by huge growth in e-commerce. According to a data centre report from Turner & Townsend 95% of respondents predict data centre construction demand in 2022 will be greater than 2021.

HeidelbergCement CEO is very optimistic for 2022, company can match or even exceed last year’s growth in 2022. Shares in the company rose as much as 1.8% on the comments. Moreover, group will update investors on its efforts to cut emissions and invest in climate protection during a capital markets day in May. While the group has already intensified its efforts to cut emissions and turn cement into a carbon-free product, more needed to be done.

Mexican cement maker Cemex announced it had achieved the first step in fully powering plants with solar energy, producing what is known as clinker via the sun’s rays. Cemex teamed up with Swiss solar company Synhelion to generate “record-breaking” solar heat. The move to produce clinker via solar heat is part of Cemex’s push to go carbon neutral by 2050, as current clinker production uses fossil fuels.