Tariff Relief Will Not Fix the Equipment Cost Problem
Some imported machinery may get temporary tariff relief, but parts, steel, financing, and repair capacity still make equipment ownership harder to justify without tight machine-level numbers.
#tariffs
8 articles
The 128-Week Transformer Backlog Is Now a Construction Problem
Standard power transformers are running 128 weeks out. Generator step-ups are at 144 weeks. Substation units have crossed 160. The data center boom built the demand, the tariff schedule built the price, and contractors who don't plan around electrical lead times are about to lose schedule on jobs they already won.
Caterpillar's Record Q1 Is Less About Construction Than It Looks
Caterpillar just printed a $17.4 billion quarter and a $63 billion backlog. Underneath the headline numbers, the mix is shifting. Power generation for data centers is pulling the company's center of gravity in a direction most contractors are not buying for.
Volvo CE Is Killing Rokbak. Here's What That Means for Articulated Haulers.
After 40+ years of building articulated haulers in Scotland, Volvo CE is shuttering the Rokbak brand by Q3 2026. Tariffs and rising costs made the math impossible.
The Tariff Tax on Dirt: What 50% Steel Duties Actually Cost You Per Hour
Steel tariffs hit 50% this year. We ran the numbers on what that means for the machines you buy, the parts you replace, and the bids you submit.
The Real Cost of 50% Steel Tariffs: What Equipment Buyers Are Paying in 2026
Section 232 tariffs doubled to 50% last summer. Six months later, the damage is showing up on every dealer invoice in the country.
The 2026 Equipment Buying Paradox: Tariffs Force Caution While AI Infrastructure Demands Action
Fleet managers face a difficult choice in 2026: delay purchases amid tariff uncertainty or capitalize on the largest infrastructure investment cycle in a generation.
Tariff Turbulence: How Trade Policy Is Reshaping Equipment Acquisition in 2026
New industry data reveals 10% of fleet managers delayed acquisitions due to tariffs. Large fleets hit hardest as supply chains strain under policy uncertainty.