Prices for Construction Materials Stable in November 2013

Construction material prices fell by half a percent in November 2013 according to a report by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).  In a recent DOL Producer Price Index report, the numbers are up by 1.1 percent from the same period in 2012.  The DOL report noted that non-residential construction materials prices are down 0.6 percent for the month while the Country's wholesale goods prices have jumped by 0.2 percent.  Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Chief Economist Anirban Basu told the Illinois-based Metal Construction News that November represented another month of remarkable stability for construction input prices and 2014 is not likely to offer as much stability as last year.

"Although many investors predicted significant inflation this year due to expansionary monetary policies in much of the developed world, there continues to be a lack of significant inflationary pressures both globally and nationally," said Basu. "Global economic growth is set to accelerate and the apparent budget deal in Congress should produce greater certainty among businesses, helping improve an already benign national economic forecast."

Some promising figures from the November report that GET,LLC will be keeping a close eye on:

• Fabricated structural metal products were up 0.1 percent for the month and 0.3 percent year over year.
• Nonferrous wire and cable prices rose 0.2 percent on a monthly basis and are down 3 percent year over year.
• Iron and steel prices were up 1.8 percent for the month and are down 0.1 percent compared to the same time last year.
• Steel mill products prices increased 0.8 percent in November but are down 0.6 percent compared to the same time last year.

Let's all hope that the November numbers are a view into the activity in the next 12 months. 

GET, LLC can assist with all your construction supply needs including great American made energy efficient lighting products from Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting, structured cabling solutions from Panduit and Cisco, and your steel building needs through our friends at MCR Guam Inc.  Give us a call a 671-797-0789 to talk further about how we can help on your respective job site or check out our website at www.get-guam.com for more details about our products and capabilities.

Two Groups Combine Forces to Reduce Scaffold and Aerial Lift Fall Hazards

Last month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the renewal of an alliance with the unified voice of the scaffold and access industry-the Scaffold and Access Industry Association (SAIA).  American and foreign small businesses, like GET, LLC, scaffold builders, erectors, and equipment CEO’s will again benefit from the two groups advocacy efforts to reduce and prevent fall hazards and issues related to frame, mast climbing and suspended scaffolds and aerial lift equipment. 

The re-birth is in line with the SAIA's mission to providing resources and programs that promote safety, training and education while advancing the interests of its 1000 member companies and 200,000 workers worldwide.  In a release from the U.S. Department of Labor,  Assistant Secretary of Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels said that worker injuries and deaths from scaffolding hazards can be prevented when employers provide training on safe set up and use of equipment.

“By renewing our alliance with SAIA we will expand our outreach to employers and workers and provide important training to protect workers in the scaffold and access industry,” said Dr. Michaels.

As part of the alliance,  OSHA and SAIA will also use injury and illness data in selected industries to help identify areas of emphasis for alliance awareness and outreach activities.

We stand with all advocates to work with local agencies to develop more effective safety standards while using scaffolding and or aerial lift equipment. By taking an active role in policing the industry, we can do much to reduce accidents which has a corresponding reduction in overall insurance costs.  In the long run it means a more efficient and profitable business.

If you have any aerial lift needs and would like to discuss potential solutions, please drop GET, LLC a line via our website at www.get-guam.com or give us a call at 671-797-0789-your authorized Terex/Genie Representative for Guam and Micronesia.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM GET,LLC!!!

Happy New Year! As we jump into 2014, remember all the great things the last year gave to us and what the new year will most certainly give-and then some.  GET, LLC has been so honored to have shared with each of you some of our knowledge and look to the new year to blog more of the same! Thanks and have a prosperous 2014!!!

A Year Concludes and A New Year Holds Promise-Reflection by GET, LLC

As we close the book on 2013, we would be remiss if we did not take a moment to reflect on the past year.  GET, LLC was so very privileged to be able to share with you more about our business and insight into the happenings here in the Western Pacific.  We hope you gained further understanding more about the casegood furniture business, structured cabling and energy efficiency lighting industry and aerial lifts.  Additionally, you read a different perspective into Paradise Guam-our home. We wrote about the important issues of the day-a direct reflection of the discussions of our friends and neighbors.  These blog posts were what people were talking about around water coolers, dinner tables and back kitchens all across Micronesia. All the writing in this blog reminded me of some important things-all of us should not take things for granted and knowledge is surely power.  GET, LLC is excited for what 2014 will bring.  We will continue sharing more information and exciting insight into the world around us.  Thanks for reading and may you and yours have a prosperous new year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM GET, LLC!!!

On behalf of GET, LLC, we would like to take this time to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas! During this important time, be mindful of the blessings that you have been given and share with others the special gifts of your unique collective lives and skills. We have been honored to share with you our knowledge and interest in unique topics in this blog during this past year and look forward to more into the new year.

Structured Cabling Market to Eclipse $8 Billion by 2015-Does 2014 Stand to Be a Banner Year?

Funny thing the Internet.  

When GET, LLC started our business, a particular report escaped our research from Global Information, Inc.(GII).  The Japan-based information service has worked for the last quarter century with over 300 research companies across five countries to distribute quality technical and market research.  

GII wrote a great paper, though a bit dated (January 2013), that talks about what can be expected to be one of biggest growth markets in the world-the global structured cabling market.  No one can question, the market's 6.8% compound annual growth rate. GII noted that the structured cabling market will exceed $8 billion by 2015.  The U.S. leads this industry today with China and the Asia-Pacific region growing fast.  

We stand at the cross roads of that growth right here in the Western Pacific at the junction of the telecommunications superhighway linking North America to Asia and Australia. 

What is driving the growth?

GII says that the success of Gigabit Ethernet correlates to its strong presence with structured cabling. 1000BASE-T, 10G over twisted-pair copper (10GBASE-T) holds the promise of being less costly than its optical competitor, 10GBASE-SR.

Also, GII says as power consumption efficiency is resolved through advances in transceiver-chip lithography, advances in driving down power consumption are breaking through.  It is noted that fiber has taken a foothold in the network at 10G. Fiber-optic products are poised to steadily take market share from copper products in the structured cabling market over the next five years. While the copper structured cabling market is expected to shrink, there is still potential to recognize revenues, particularly in CAT6 UTP for Gigabit Ethernet and CAT7 for 10G.

GII notes that driven by a boom in broadband Internet users and the proliferation of bandwidth-hungry applications such as HD video, Internet bandwidth maintained by major Internet carriers has been expanding at 75% to 125% per year. 

Will we see this in 2014?  

In turn, public and private networks are experiencing unprecedented end-user demand for bandwidth resulting in a need to cost-effectively scale the capacity of communications networks. We are starting to see that already. We'll keep you posted.

For all of your structured cabling needs in the Western Pacific, please contact GET, LLC for information on our solutions that can be of assistance to you and your respective businesses including access to the Panduit and Cisco line of products-of which we are proud Business Partners of both.  Give us a call at 671-483-0789 or find out our more at our website at www.get-guam.com.

Global LED lighting market= $42 billion by 2019

One of South Asia's top media companies is reporting that worldwide LED lighting markets are poised to achieve significant growth over the next six years as buildings and communities lead the way in implementing more cost efficient lighting systems. 

CyberMedia's India-based ciol,com, through their Dallas, Texas Bureau sites a report entitled, "LED Lighting: Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2013 to 2019" lays out that next generation lighting achieves a complete replacement of incandescent filament bulbs with LED lighting that is more energy efficient, lasts longer and has a significantly lower cost of operation. 

The report, that hit the browsers of nearly 1.5 million people, is advocating for the use of LED lamps, which they say will lower the overall cost of lighting. The CyberMedia report says that LED lighting costs are less than costs with incandescent  lights.

GET, LLC read with interest that LED lamps offer up to 50,000 hours of illumination with a fraction of the energy used by traditional incandescent bulbs.

What does that mean?

It means that LED bulbs generate 90% less heat than incandescent bulbs and its uses will extend time between bulb replacements. Hard to argue with an report that says the energy efficient bulbs can be used to achieve a near zero-maintenance lighting system.

To learn more about the LED lighting products that GET, LLC provides, including Independence LED Lighting and Deco Lighting Inc., please check out our website at www.get-guam.com or call us to discuss solutions for your important lighting needs-All Made in America!!!