ASM asked members to complete a 5 question economic survey at year end, and overall, the results point to growing confidence that the economy is finally improving, albeit slowly.
Seventy percent of those responding said their business is at least the same or "better off" than last year.
Close to 90% believe the availability of new project work will be about the same or better than last year; and 63% say their backlog is the same or greater.
On the down side, almost 95% believe the market will be at least as competitive, or more so, and close to 60% say they will be making further changes to their business operations or employee benefits in order to stay competitive until conditions improve.
As one member commented, "The belt has been tightened, then tightened again. The goal is to simply maintain, until the overall construction economy improves."
About that, they are cautiously optimistic.