Mergers & Acquisitions

New 'one-stop shop'

Design software giant Autodesk's June 8 acquisition of software firm Vela Systems could create a "one-stop shop" for building information modeling, cloud computing and jobsite mobile devices, the firms hope. "By leveraging this confluence...we have a chance to change the way the industry is working," says Vela co-founder Joshua Kanner, now an Autodesk industry strategist. The firm says many contractors are retooling systems in the downturn.

Marketing

Getting work isn't cheap

Contractors are spending more to win work, says the 2012 Associated General Contractors-FMI business development survey of 305 general contractors and subs. Only 27% of firms said they spent under 1% of revenue on marketing, compared with 70% that spent that little in 2005. Mid-size firms between $100 million and $500 million spent the least. The survey also analyzes links among profitability, procurement methods and size of full-time marketing staff.

A california nonprofit that provides services to homeless and low-income military veterans and their families recently presented McCarthy Building Cos., Newport Beach, Calif., with a OneOC Spirit of Volunteerism 2012 award. McCarthy Heart Hats volunteers, including Austin Nunez (above left) and military veterans like Ray LaTour (right), helped to renovate the Veterans First property last year in Anaheim, Calif. Work included hanging drywall; painting; installing carpeting, kitchen appliances and bathroom fixtures; building an outdoor shed; and conducting yard cleanup and other landscape improvements.