When Terry Dolan speaks, the industry listens! Dolan, who serves as the vice present of CASE Construction Equipment, recently addressed the innovations and challenges of the equipment industry in 2024 and highlighted some ways CASE is not only overcoming, but thriving as it leads the construction business into the future.

According to Dolan some of the biggest challenges from 2023 will unfortunately continue. Labor shortages have improved since last year at this time, but the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey revealed that October’s end still reported 423,000 job openings.

Not only are inherited labor shortages a concern, Dolan explains that 2024 will bring some additional workforce challenges. Government programs are initiating massive investment in the nation’s infrastructure (an estimated $1.2 trillion) and the demand will continue to soar. Despite these shortages and apparent doom and gloom forecasts, Dolan’s prediction for the year is optimistic, stating:

“Whether it’s incorporating more intuitive electrohydraulic controls in dozers to minimize the operator’s learning curve, or now offering new, subcompact machine markets to give small contractors construction-grade options for getting more done with fewer people, we’re innovating to meet customers where they are today so they can overcome those labor challenges.”

2023 brought extraordinary levels of growth to the heavy equipment industry. Over 30 new machines were introduced in the past year. Dolan refers to innovations like machine guidance and satellite positioning technology that drastically increase machine accuracy and control.

Although this new year isn’t expected to match this, it is expected to be market-driven, incorporating new technology to get the jobs done faster and with fewer people. This is going to be critical to the survival of this industry, since infrastructure is expected to develop at a time in our nation’s history when an unprecedented number of workers will be retiring.

Along with other experts, Dolan states that the push to decrease emissions will also continue throughout this year. In an industry that depends on diesel as its primary power source, this serves as a challenge and top priority as the construction equipment industry forges ahead in 2024. Exploration of alternative fuels and hydrogen continues to show great promise, and there has been huge progress in the electrification of vehicles.

In fact, in 2024 CASE will be launching the industry’s first fully electric backhoe! This model, along with other EVs being designed, is now able to perform with the same power and performance that was once available only by diesel. These vehicles will also offer multiple charging options, so that traditional challenges EVs bring to the contractor’s business will be averted.

Although no one can predict with complete accuracy what our economic forecast will be, Terry Dolan looks forward to a promising year of addressing the problems of labor shortage and fuel emissions. Machine guidance, satellite positioning technology, and huge progress in electrification mean this year will be an outstanding one for CASE and for Contractor’s Machinery, as it perpetuates an innovative trajectory in the construction business.