The construction industry is beginning to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. After seeing project starts and bidding activity drop significantly in 2020, Autodesk’s 2021 Construction Outlook report sees a positive near-term future. New starts, project restarts, and starting backlogs are rising in all sectors; residential, commercial, and non-building infrastructure.
Some firms didn’t make it, as stay-at-home orders early in the pandemic brought projects to a halt. Those that survived learned the importance of pre-construction planning; scrutinizing designs prior to breaking ground to minimize change orders, RFIs, and preserve profit margins.
Other construction companies have taken it a step further, using slow periods to reexamine supply chain vulnerabilities and vet subcontractors to ensure they have the ability to meet their commitments to a project. Many have found they need to circle the wagons.
Interconnected, global supply chains are great—when everything is normal. Supply chain portal software increases visibility into the status of raw material orders and deliveries, allows for versatile sourcing options, and supports just-in-time (JIT) inventory control for cost management.
But these are not normal times. COVID-19 is a global pandemic; all supply chains have been impacted, especially those using international partners.
The Autodesk 2021 Construction Outlook cited a COVID-19 supply chain impact survey conducted by reinsurance giant AXA XL. They found over 75% of their insured firms are concerned about supply chain and material delivery disruptions.1 In fact, some respondents believe it will take another 12 to 18 months before the industry sees full recovery.
Suppliers will need increased lead times to fill backorders but must first fill open craft positions. A global skilled labor shortage is making that difficult while driving up hourly rates. Then there are delays and rising costs in shipping. There is a world-wide container shortage causing overseas lags for all types of imports, and freight costs are soaring. As a result of these factors, many construction firms are seeking to cut a few links out of their supply chains.
Snake Tray Construction Site Cable Management Made in America
Snake Tray cannot solve all of these problems, but when it comes to cable conveyance, power distribution and enclosures, Snake Tray has the solution.
Today, every building needs to plan for redundant wired and wireless networks, voice communication, smart building sensors, security cameras, versatile cubicle energizing options, and possibly even solar power.
Industrial-grade construction site cable management solutions may not be required for single-family residential construction, but are certainly necessary for high-rise residential projects, commercial structures such as warehouses, data centers, manufacturing facilities, office buildings, hospitals, etc., as well as infrastructure projects like highways, bridges, tunnels and utility solar farms.
Here are five ways in which Snake Tray cable conveyance, power distribution and enclosures can help construction companies shorten their supply chains, improve cost efficiencies, and reduce the need for last-minute change orders:
- All Snake Tray products are made from 100% recycled steel here in the USA. No international shipping delays, import fees, customs issues, or container problems.
- Large quantities of our standard products are pre-manufactured and warehoused in key distribution centers across the nation for fast, reliable delivery and better coordination of phased construction projects.
- Snake Tray engineers are available to consult during the design phase to create customized solutions with accurate cable management blueprints to minimize change requests and provide tighter cost estimates.
- Snake Tray cable conveyance systems nest together for cost effective shipping and easier material handling at the job site. Less packaging materials also reduces waste and energy used in transportation.
- Snake Tray solutions require less labor and specialized tools, speeding installation and reducing costs. Our hand-bendable cable trays are just that—easy for a single installer to mount around any obstruction. Our steel wire baskets and ladders eliminate on-site fabrication with pre-manufactured Ts, turns, and crosses to handle any directional change. Our Snake BusTM power management system is a versatile 3-phase under-floor energizing solution that snaps together with Lego®-like ease.
Yes, the construction industry is bouncing back. Don’t wait 12 to 18 months for your overseas supply chain partners to get back up to speed. Snake Tray is here to help keep projects on time and on budget today with construction site cable management products that are made locally, widely available, quick to install, and do not require expensive accessories or specialized labor. Contact us to learn more about how Snake Tray can shorten your supply chain.
12021 Autodesk Construction Outlook: Risks & Opportunities
Snake Tray has revolutionized the data and power distribution market with cable management, power distribution systems and enclosures all designed to install quickly, reduce labor and material costs, and significantly drive down the total cost of construction. If you would like to learn more, visit us at snaketray.com. Our engineers and sales teams stand ready to help execute your next cabling project with maximum efficiency and profitability.
