Several automakers have announced they plan to temporarily cease production at their South Carolina facilities in anticipation of Hurricane Florence’s impact. Both Daimler AG and Volvo, based in Charleston, have decided to suspend operations, while BMW, based further inland in Spartanburg, has decided to continue operations according to reports. If Florence continues on its predicted […]

The latest U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial Construction Index (CCI) report shows contractors are still confident that they will find new business opportunities over the next 12 months, despite increasing concern over a lack of skilled workers. According to the quarterly report, which is released by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with USG, […]

A new report by Kelly Blue Book shows a year-over-year increase in the average transaction price for passenger vehicles, with prices up 1.8 percent from 2017. According to the report, the average transaction price increased $643 from a year ago, reaching a $35,541 for August 2018.  Prices stayed relatively level from month to month, with […]

Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) has announced it will sell its purpose-built forestry business to Iowa-based Weiler Inc., with the deal expected to close in early 2019. According to reports, the agreement includes all assets of CAT’s purpose-built forestry line, including its manufacturing plant and warehouse in Georgia, training center in Alabama and distribution center in North […]

Unplanned downtime due to equipment failure is a costly, yet preventable, part of any industry that can sometimes be overlooked. In industrial applications that rely on a lot of complex equipment operating under extreme conditions, it isn’t uncommon to see breakdowns happen.  Some downtime is necessary for things like maintenance and scheduled repairs, but when […]

After it’s acquisition of BHP Billiton’s oil and natural gas assets in July, oil giant BP PLC is considering selling some of its wells in the United States. According to Reuters, BP, based in England, purchased the assets of Australia’s BHP Billiton for $10.5 Billion in July.  Reports indicated BP could unload up to $6 […]

A group of fleet associations and telematics providers have partnered with Enterprise Holdings to create a new organization focused on clarifying ownership of and access to vehicle data. The Global Alliance for Vehicle Data Access (GAVDA) was officially formed on August 20 in Washington, D.C.  According to the group’s website, its goal is to protect […]

Oil analysis can go a long way towards extending the life of your lubricant and equipment.  Because it is such a valuable tool, understanding how to read your oil analysis report is critical. An oil analysis report contains a lot of data that can tell you a lot about your equipment, lubricant and processes.  Each […]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS’s) July Employment Situation Report showed large hiring gains in both the construction and manufacturing industries. The manufacturing industry added 37,000 jobs in July bringing its 12-month total to 327,000, according to the report.  Construction also saw an increase, with 19,000 jobs added last month.  Other similar industries, like mining […]

A report by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) said a March accident where a self-driving Uber vehicle killed a pedestrian in Arizona could have been prevented. According to the report, Uber had disabled the collision avoidance technology in the Volvo XC90’s safety system.  This brought criticism from the IIHS, who said they believe […]