COMMENT

It is that time when we reflect on the year and some make ‘New Year’s Resolutions’. I’m not a big believer in these – mostly because it often means giving up our favourite food or drink and, with my birthday in January, that is not very appealing!

It has certainly been an interesting year for construction. Supply chain issues have eased somewhat but costs for materials and labour remain high (each month I seem to get a new report highlighting the latest percentage increase), and that’s if you can get the labour.

The world continues to feel more volatile than ever, with the impact of climate change being increasingly felt. Construction is front and centre of this issue – both in terms of needing to reduce the emissions it produces but also in building infrastructure that can cope with more extreme weather conditions.

That volatility extends to politics. Next year has been called the ‘biggest election year in history’ with elections taking place in – among others – India, the US, the UK and the EU. One election that has already taken place is in Argentina with a new President being elected, Javier Milei. In this issue we have a focus on the country, with an economic outlook on page 14 and a more general country report on page 10.

This issue also has features on the continuing evolution of wheeled loaders, an article examining how the road construction sector is becoming increasingly sustainable, interviews with Alexander Greschner of Wacker Neuson and Caroline Gumble, CEO of the CIOB, and more. It’s been a pleasure to edit this fine magazine for another year while also continuing to develop our online content. From next year you’ll notice some big changes online, so watch out for that. Whatever you are doing, have a safe and enjoyable break and I’ll see you next year.

The paper in this magazine originates from timber that is sourced from sustainable forests, managed to strict environmental, social, and economic standards. The manufacturing mill has both FSC & PEFC certification, and also ISO9001 and ISO14001 accreditation.