Something to be thankful for

As I sit down to write this editor’s letter, I have one eye on my laptop screen and the other on the production calendar that sits above my desk.

Since the editor’s letter is usually the last thing I write before the issue ships to the printer, the looming deadline is typically all I’m focused on this time of the month, although I’ve happened to notice on this particular occasion that this issue is slated to arrive in mailboxes the day before Thanksgiving—in my estimation, as good a time as any to express a little bit of gratitude.

This issue marks a full calendar year on the job for me as editor of C&DR. Over the course of the last 12 months, I’ve been fortunate enough to get the opportunity to travel to a number of different recycling and demolition conferences throughout the country, meeting the people in the industry who make publications like this one viable.

Judging by conversations I’ve had with those in the industry and measurable historical data, times are good. A historically bullish economy and construction backlogs have led to a run of record activity for many contractors and recyclers across the country over the last several years. And while not even the best economists possess a crystal ball, most forward-looking indicators seem to suggest that economic activity is likely to remain strong for the short-term as we head into 2019.

“Construction spending has increased among nearly every project type and geographic area this year. Despite month-to-month fluctuations, the outlook remains positive for modest to moderate increases in most spending categories at least through the first part of 2019,” Associated General Contractors of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson said in a Nov. 1 release.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Chief Economist Anirban Basu echoed this sentiment in ABC’s own Nov. 1 release when he stated, “Given healthy backlog and indications that the economy will continue to manifest momentum into 2019, contractors can expect to remain busy.”

While both of these forecasts are tempered with concern over things like tariffs and softening business investments that could lead to a slowed economy under the wrong conditions in the latter half of 2019, business is still booming for a lot of the industry—and I think that’s something everyone can feel thankful for.

Check out our Top 20 Demolition Contractors list to see which demo contractors capitalized the most on surging business opportunities in 2017.