Rider Levett Bucknall's Crane Count decreased by 4.5% from Q1 to Q3 2021. The index measures the number of fixed cranes across cities in the U.S. and Canada, as a representation of the active construction workload in those cities — Construction Dive
Of the 14 cities measured, only Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Toronto, saw an increase in the number of cranes during this period. Chicago, Denver, Honolulu, Phoenix, and Portland were reported as having significant decreases in the number of cranes, dropping between 32% and 78%. Boston, Las Vegas, New York, Seattle, and Calgary are holding steady.
The most popular sectors for crane usage were mixed-use and residential, and the education sector saw a crane increase of 40%. In addition, commercial cranes are down 36% collectively. Other notable findings include Los Angeles’ 19%-increase in cranes, the greatest increase since the previous count. Toronto continues to lead North American cities, with an 81% increase in cranes from this time last year.
The 4.5%-reduction follows an increase in the number of cranes in Q1 of 2021. As noted in the index, each of the surveyed cities is connected by uncertainty, which “remains a significant factor to the construction market.”
The report goes on to say, “We anticipate better times ahead with previously delayed projects being brought back online; however, this is conditional upon market conditions as the AEC industry continues to experience the effects of COVID-19.”
The RLB Crane Index can be viewed here.
3 Comments
it’s going to get worse.
The latest AIA / ABI data / forecast would seem to agree?
"However, it’s unlikely that revenue increases at architecture firms can sustain this pace. Given that growth in both new design contracts and project inquiries have moderated in recent months, we expect to see a similar path for the ABI."
A good question is how much of the current hiring frenzy is sustainable.
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