Dodge Data to present 2019 construction industry forecast

New York — Dodge Data & Analytics will hold its 80th annual Dodge Construction Outlook Executive Conference Oct. 24-25, 2018 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.

The annual Dodge Outlook Conference is the cornerstone event for building product manufacturers, construction service providers, contractors, engineers, industry associations, and other professionals serving the construction industry to gain critical insights into the economic forecast for the North American construction industry. The forecast, presented by Dodge Chief Economist Robert Murray, also offers critical data for members of the media covering economic and sector-based trends.

“The expansion for the U.S. construction industry has been underway for some time now, with deceleration in the rate of growth taking place recently,” stated Murray. “The current year has seen the headwinds of rising interest rates and higher material prices, but also the tailwinds of a strong economy, still favorable market fundamentals for commercial real estate, and greater federal and state funding for public works and institutional building projects. For 2018, U.S. construction activity remains on track to post a modest gain, but the supportive factors affecting construction become less certain moving into 2019.”

Outlook 2019 will open with a networking reception on October 24th from 6 p.m.–7:30 p.m. with presentations the following day from 8 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

“For 80 years, this annual event has provided the industry the ability to see ahead, think ahead, and stay ahead, the overarching theme of this year’s conference, with current industry trends, forecasts, and news, said Mike Petrullo, Chief Executive Officer, Dodge Data & Analytics. “At Outlook 2019, we will look at labor trends, current strategies in place to address workforce issues, and long-term implications for the construction industry.”

Delivering the opening keynote will be Byron Reese, CEO and publisher of Gigaom, one of the world’s leading technology research companies, and author of the recent publication The Fourth Age, a fascinating look into artificial intelligence. The luncheon speaker will be Mike Massimino, former NASA astronaut and Columbia University engineering professor and the first person to tweet from space.

Other featured speakers include Cristian deRitis, Senior Director at Moody’s Analytics, presenting a detailed overview of the U.S. economic environment; Richard Branch, Senior Economist, Dodge Data & Analytics, presenting the Canadian construction industry forecast; and Donna Laquidara-Carr, Director of Industry Insights Research, Dodge Data & Analytics. Laquidara-Carr will present the latest data on skilled labor shortages and the impact they currently have on the industry and moderate a panel of experts, including Ken Simonson, Chief Economist of the AGC, and Daniel Groves, Chief Executive Officer of Construction Industry Resources, as they discuss the effects of these shortages and how they may transform the business of construction in the future. The conference will culminate with Robert Murray’s 2019 Construction Outlook.

The 2019 Dodge Construction Outlook Executive Conference is produced by Dodge Data & Analytics. Sponsors of the conference include the American Institute of Steel Construction, Modus, National Construction Rentals, Society for Marketing Professional Services, Sweets, and Tour de Force.

Register for the 2019 Dodge Construction Outlook Executive Conference at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-80th-annual-dodge-construction-outlook-conference-tickets-48125340188.