At times, it seems as if life is merely plodding along, that nothing is changing, while at other times it’s hard to keep up with the pace of change. For many in the lifting industry right now, it is one of those times when business is moving frustratingly slowly. Recent results from some of the companies we follow most closely have shown the first, very tentative signs of a recovery in the industry. Looking at the pitiful state of the US economy though, where as many as one in ten of the working population are unemployed, by official measures, it would take a foolish level of optimism to suggest that we are on the verge of another boom.
In the US, the big political battle for the construction industry is to get a plan for long term investment in infrastructure in place. A big part of that battle is finding a way to fund this investment. The same is true across the Atlantic. In the UK, the new coalition government is looking to cut as much as 25% from government spending. One of the targets for those cuts looks likely to be the new Crossrail link from Heathrow to the City of London, and the upgraded Thameslink line.
It’s easy to be cynical, to see calls for sustained investment in infrastructure as pleading for government support for private business. The reality is though, that these calls are coming from the people who know their country’s infrastructure requirements the best. Without investment, they know their country’s economy will continue to flounder. They should be listened to.
While the politicians are slow to move, and crane sales are only tentatively picking up, here at Cranes Today, things are moving fast. Just last month, our then editor Richard Howes introduced our new reporter, Alice Attwood. Since then, Richard has left, moving on to a new job for another magazine. I’ve been given the opportunity to take on editing Cranes Today, as well as our sister titles, Hoist and OCH.
It’s an opportunity I relish. Over the last five years, I think I’ve got a pretty good grasp of the crane industry. I wouldn’t say I know everything there is to know (not even a significant chunk of what there is to know), but I have found plenty of experts who are always happy to help me. I hope that will continue, that I will be able to put forward the industry’s concerns, and that Cranes Today will continue to act as the forum for industry discussion.
We have another new starter this month, too. Kevin Walsh is joining us as features editor. Previously, he has worked on a couple of well known UK construction titles, so some of our readers and interviewees will know him already. I hope you will all give him, and our new reporter Alice Attwood, the same, fantastic, level of support you’ve given me in my time reporting on the lifting industry.
