09/15/2026
Construction employment in the United States is at a record high, but the industry’s labor challenge is far from over.
According to NPCA’s latest outlook, more than one in five construction workers is now 55 or older, while the available labor pool continues to tighten and costs rise.
For hollow core producers, targeted automation can be part of the response. It isn’t about replacing skilled people. It’s about reducing repetitive manual work, improving process consistency, and helping experienced operators focus where their knowledge delivers the greatest value.
UltraSpan helps producers modernize key stages of hollow core production, from digital production planning and initial bed preparation to extrusion, marking and cutting. Together, these solutions can help existing teams work more efficiently while building greater capacity for the future.
The path forward isn’t people or equipment. It’s skilled people supported by the right equipment.
Read the NPCA outlook: https://precast.org/blog/construction-labor-shortage/
The construction labor shortage is intensifying as retirements, lower participation and immigration shifts shrink the workforce despite softer demand.