Every story that has appeared in the Future Foreman Weekly Dispatch newsletter. Curated weekly for construction technology professionals.
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Werk-Brau has introduced tilt buckets that eliminate the need for a separate tilting attachment on coupler-equipped excavators. The buckets operate with two hydraulic lines to enable precise ditching, grading, and sloping work.
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates is deploying wall-climbing robots to inspect difficult-to-access areas on bridges, improving inspection efficiency and reducing worker risk. The crawling robot technology enables safer, more thorough structural assessments in locations that would otherwise require expensive and dangerous manual access.
Construction material prices jumped 6.2% between January and April, with year-over-year increases of 7.0% overall and 7.4% for nonresidential projects. These rising input costs continue to pressure construction budgets and project profitability across the industry.
FLEETWERX, a partnership between the Naval Postgraduate School and industry partners, is testing rapid manufacturing and delivery of critical parts in field conditions at Camp Roberts. The FLEET-X initiative aims to demonstrate how construction and infrastructure projects can source essential components on-site rather than relying on traditional supply chains.
Komatsu's net income fell in 2025 despite higher sales, with tariffs cutting into profits across the company. North American construction equipment sales grew 9.5% to $4 billion, showing strong regional demand for the equipment maker.
Skanska won a $1 billion design-build contract to replace two 95-year-old bascule bridges in Boston with three modern vertical-lift spans. The project modernizes critical rail infrastructure while maintaining traffic flow through the replacement of historic structures.
Construction jobs increased in April, driven largely by data center projects, signaling growing activity in the sector. Contractor confidence and project backlogs are rising in tandem with this job growth, suggesting sustained demand ahead.
Caterpillar is hiring 600 workers in North Carolina to manufacture compact track loaders, with no prior manufacturing experience required and starting wages at $18 per hour. The company will provide on-the-job training for all new hires.
Modular construction delivers significant operational benefits by enabling faster assembly, reduced on-site labor, and improved quality control through factory-controlled production. However, this approach introduces distinct risks including supply chain vulnerabilities, transportation challenges, and the need for specialized skills to manage prefabricated components.
Xometry's AI-powered manufacturing marketplace hit $205 million in Q1 2026 revenue, growing 36% year-over-year with marketplace revenue jumping 40%. Gross profit climbed 39% to $78.5 million, demonstrating strong momentum in the custom manufacturing space.
Comau and OMRON Robotics are partnering to combine their robotics, control, and software expertise into flexible automation solutions for a broader range of industries. The partnership aims to make robotic automation more accessible and practical for global customers across different sectors.
Researchers at IIT Guwahati have successfully tested full-scale 3D printed concrete walls under simulated earthquake conditions and created a validated design framework for seismic applications. The findings, published in the Journal of Building Engineering, provide a standardized approach for using 3D printed construction in earthquake-prone zones.
Cognex has introduced a new vision system that integrates AI, advanced computing, and traditional vision tools specifically designed for robotic applications. The unified platform combines edge AI processing with high-performance embedded compute to deliver real-time visual intelligence for construction robots.
Rhoda AI is replacing traditional robotics data collection methods with an approach that leverages video data to train robots more efficiently and at scale. This shift makes robotic systems cheaper and faster to deploy on job sites by eliminating the need for manual, time-consuming data collection processes.
Skyjack has launched new electric articulated boom lifts and introduced its tallest scissor lift model to its aerial work platform lineup. These additions expand the company's offerings for construction and maintenance work at various heights and reach requirements.
Nikon AM Synergy has won a Defense Logistics Agency contract to supply additively manufactured parts directly to the US military through the JAMA IV pilot program. The DLA is using this pilot to test whether 3D printing can reliably support military supply chains at scale.
A contractor demonstrated using an AI tool to automate daily report generation during a project review. The article explores how AI adoption is changing workflows and maintaining relevance in construction.
Louisiana is launching a $2.3 billion replacement project for the I-10 Calcasieu Bridge, representing the state's largest-ever transportation infrastructure investment. The massive undertaking will require substantial workforce mobilization and coordination across multiple construction disciplines and phases.