Construction firms should expect a buoyant 2014, but the first half of the year is likely to remain tough for main contractors as the supply chain dictates terms, analyst KPMG has said.
With the global economic outlook still far from certain, companies across all industry sectors are focused on delivering efficiency gains across their supply chains. This means that today's forklift trucks - for so long the workhorse of any well executed logistics operation - are expected to work harder for longer and with minimal downtime.
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) plans a new $70m logistics hub that it expects will create 600 new jobs from the automaker and its contractors and service providers at its Tuscaloosa County, Alabama campus.
Swiss manufacturer ABB has said it will focus on reducing cost to offset economic uncertainty. In order to combat the sluggish global economy that has damaged sales for many providers of industrial equipment, ABB has focused on the bottom line. "In the short term, there are still a lot of questions around the pace of growth in Europe and the U.S. and the timing of the rebound in China," said Joe Hogan, chief executive officer of ABB.
