Industry
News, trends, and analysis of the trades and services industry, including regulations and market data.
2026 SEMA Show Registration Opens for Industry Professionals
For just $50, qualified attendees can secure their entry to the 2026 SEMA Show, but only if they act before June 26.
SEMA Report: Specialty Equipment Sales Stabilize at $52.65 Billion
With new vehicle loan rates around 7.
Lowe's Foundation Pledges $250 Million for Skilled Trades Training
By 2035, Lowe's aims to have trained a quarter-million skilled trades workers, a workforce larger than Boise, Idaho's entire population.
AI Training for Trades Workers: A Path to Economic Resilience
Microsoft and the North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) offer free AI literacy courses and credentials to millions of skilled trades workers across North America.
Right to Repair Forces Deere to Share Repair Data with Farmers
John Deere, a company long associated with American agriculture, recently paid $1 million and agreed to significantly alter its repair practices.
NYC's Largest Office-to-Residential Project: Conversion Hurdles
Office-to-residential conversion starts in Manhattan are projected to triple from 1.
AI inspection and robotics: Reshaping manufacturing jobs
AI inspection systems now detect weld defects with over 99% accuracy, a stark contrast to the 80% detection rate of human inspectors.
Construction Robotics Adoption Surges, But Labor Impact Still Uncertain
At a solar power site in Louisiana, retrofitted 72-ton machines from Built Robotics are autonomously pile driving up to 1,000 steel beams a day.
Modular Construction's Skills Gap: A New Certificate III Aims to Bridge It
In the first four months of this year, Chinese enterprises exported RMB 1.
Digital Transformation of Trades and Services Booms
Walmart will roll out digital price tags across all its US stores by the end of 2026.
AI Integration Drives Industrial Automation Growth Despite Safety Concerns
By mid-2026, a single 3D ultrasonic sensor like Sonair's ADAR One can achieve SIL 2 and PL d safety ratings.
AI automation impact on skilled trades jobs is booming, but talent pathways lag
The average time-to-hire for a skilled trades worker has now reached 56 days, two days longer than for desk-based professionals, signaling a profound shift in labor market demand.
AI Demands Trades Workers, But Skills Gap Threatens Data Center Boom
Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang recently declared that hundreds of thousands of electricians and plumbers will be needed to build the data centers powering the AI revolution, according to Fortune .
Warehouse Automation Market Eyes $59.5B by 2030 Amid AI Advancements
By 2030, half of all new warehouses in developed markets are projected to be designed as 'robot-centric' facilities, fundamentally reshaping industrial logistics.
Chemical Mechanical Planarization Market to Surpass $15 Billion by 2035
In 2025, CoWoS technology captured 69% of the 2.
AI trends construction technology 2026
Procore, a leading construction management system, banned Trunk Tools from its API in early 2026, directly preventing contractors from integrating its AI agents.
Robotics Investments Surge Amidst Shifting Industrial Automation Trends in 2026
Over 50,000 people are expected to converge at McCormick Place in Chicago for Automate 2026, signaling a significant surge in interest and investment in industrial AI and robotics.
AI and Digital Transformation Drive Rail Infrastructure Management
While many nations struggle to modernize aging rail networks, India has already built the policy, investment, and industrial foundation for its next phase of rail growth.
Green rules reshape construction materials, driving market shifts
The global masonry units market is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 3.
The Smart Home Shift: New Opportunities for Electricians and HVAC Pros
Only 15% of smart home device owners feel confident installing complex, interconnected systems themselves, according to a Statista Consumer Survey.
Humanoid Robots and Edge AI Drive 2026 Industrial Automation Surge
Tesla will convert its Fremont factory to produce up to 1 million Optimus robots annually starting January 2026, according to Robozaps .
Construction Safety Compliance Trends Face New Pressures in 2026
Since 2015, construction workplaces have reported 11,340 severe injuries, accounting for over 18% of all severe injuries nationwide, according to ScienceDirect .
Female electrotechnology students enter trades despite underrepresentation
Electrician Amy Barratt-Singh couldn't ask for basic welfare facilities on her first job site, intimidated by the environment, according to idealind .
Healthcare Industry Trends 2026: Skilled Trades Face Shortage
A major Ohio hospital delayed a new surgical wing's opening by six months.
Skilled Trades Face Record Shortage Amidst Industry Upheaval
The US economy currently loses an estimated $1 trillion annually due to delayed work and rising costs from a severe shortage of skilled trades workers.
Nylon Washers Surge in Automotive, Challenging Metal Dominance
The average electric vehicle is projected to use 25% more nylon washers in the next five years, quietly driving a significant shift away from traditional metal fasteners in non-structural components.
Advanced recycling's $815M market poised for growth despite plastic waste challenges
In West Virginia, a new Clean-Seas pyrolysis facility will process 500 tons of plastic waste daily.
Air Cooled Heat Exchanger Market Booms Amidst Automotive Turmoil
While many automotive giants grapple with slowing sales and supply chain woes, a niche market for air-cooled heat exchangers is quietly forecast to grow at an 8.
AI's surprising role in boosting skilled trades education wages
QTS, a Blackstone portfolio company, plans to increase its workforce from 10,000 to 40,000 workers by year-end, a 300% increase.
AI's Data Center Boom Sparks Urgent Need for Skilled Trades
At a new hyperscale data center in rural Ohio, project managers offer six-figure salaries and signing bonuses for electricians and HVAC technicians.