Construction Industry News Update
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
"The Home Depot Inc., the world's largest home improvement store chain, cited erratic weather and continued weakness in the housing market as it reported Tuesday a 29.5 percent drop in first-quarter profit."
"'While we expected a tough quarter, this was worse than we expected,' CEO Frank Blake said in a conference call with analysts. He said the housing market continues to be a challenge, and erratic weather conditions across the United States negatively affected the company's spring selling season."
"Blake said Home Depot is not expecting any 'near-term market improvement.'"
The Canadian Press. "Forestry company Tembec Inc says it will shut down its Kirkland Lake, Ont. engineered wood products mill for at least two months to cut inventories because of the slumping U.S. housing sector."
"'Demand for lumber is down sharply, driven primarily by the dramatic decline in the level of housing starts in the United States,' said Dennis Rounsville, president of Tembec's forest products group. 'This decline in demand has resulted in both lower prices for lumber and reduced operating rates in sawmills across Eastern Canada.'"
Labels: Construction Industry, Construction News
10 Money Saving Tips on Fuel Costs
Monday, May 14, 2007
Here we go again. Gas prices are skyrocketing and will probably reach $4.00 per gallon this summer. For nearly every service professional in our network, this will affect your company's bottom line. Higher fuel costs will mean either smaller profit margins or expenses you'll have to pass on to your clients.There are some things you can do to make sure you are getting the most out of every drop of gas you buy:
1. Stick with the lowest octane fuel you can run in your vehicle that will not cause it to knock. It's a myth that higher octane gas gives you better fuel mileage, a cleaner engine, or more power. Only high compression sports cars need more octane.
2. Maintain the proper tire pressure.
3. Get your work vehicle tuned up properly. Misfiring plugs can rob you of efficiency by 30%. Use the correct oil for it and replace the filters on a scheduled basis.
4. Drive the speed limit and avoid those jack-rabbit fast starts and stops. Excessive and hard driving can really eat up fuel.
5. Don't let your vehicle idle. Running it will burn more gas than restarting it. If you'll be away from it for more than a minute or two, shut it down.
6. Don't overfill the tank. Resist the urge to top off. The excess will more than likely evaporate or spill out as you drive off and stop/start a few times.
7. Plan your route. If you have many stops to make, plan them in a loop to avoid doubling back on every trip.8. Limit your cargo. If you don't need to take every tool and part with you on each job, then leave them behind. Every 250 pounds takes up an extra mile per gallon.
9. Keep your gas cap tight. Without a solid seal, that expensive gas can evaporate.
10. Speaking of evaporation - try to park your work vehicle in the shade, if possible. When you're parked in the sun, gas will evaporate from the tank from the excessive heat.
There are some efficiency myths to dispel as well. Edmunds.com did a series of tests on the subject and found out there's not much difference in gas mileage when you run your air conditioning or have your windows rolled down. They also said that tire pressure doesn't matter as much, but I'm still going to recommend that one (safety and tire wear are still chief concerns...)
Labels: Efficiency and Sustainability, Small Business Advice
