Thinking about a construction project this spring? You’d be well advised to lock in pricing right now.

According to John Brady, Krusinski Construction Company’s director of pre-construction services, construction materials in the United States are experiencing the most volatile pricing conditions in recent memory.

Copper piping had a 100 percent increase in the fourth quarter of 2005, while PVC piping went up 100 percent in the same period and is expected to escalate another 15 percent in February. Gypsum drywall and galvanized ductwork rose 15 percent in the fourth quarter before leveling off.

This year, prices are expected to rise for asphalt, concrete and roofing materials.

Brady explains that the hurricanes in the Gulf region diminished supplies, while rebuilding efforts in that region have increased demand. At the same time, the economic development of China continues to siphon off raw materials as it has for the past two years.

Joseph R. Krusinski, Jerry R. Krusinski and Michael J. Metz traveled to Diffenbaugh headquarters in Palm Springs, Calif., to meet with the Citadel Group on January 16 and 17.

The meeting included presentations by Jeff Ford, a Texas attorney who is an expert in construction risk management for owners and contractors, and Citadel Secretary-Treasurer Mike Orr of Rogers-O’Brien Construction Company, who discussed new insurance vehicles for long-term protection against subcontractor defaults.

Citadel Group is an alliance of eight “best of class” regional construction-related companies in 15 cities that have joined together to serve the needs of national clients.

The next meeting will be held May 1-3 in Dallas.

Krusinski Construction Company has upgraded its technological capabilities in the last few months to include a new software program, video conferencing and a wireless network.

Mass earthwork is often an unknown variable in developing potential sites and can be extremely costly. Krusinski now uses an earthwork quantity and analysis program which produces a 3D view of a land parcel, providing information to better address site feasibility and preliminary estimated costs associated with mass grading. This enables Krusinski and the owner to visualize the impact of any changes to the site plan and flag potential problems earlier in the design and development process.

Another capability that Krusinski recently added is video conferencing. Through a Polycom unit that consists of a camera, monitor, base, speakers and microphone, Krusinski employees can transmit sound and pictures over the Internet. All members of the Citadel Group purchased this equipment to enable face-to-face conference calls. Krusinski also offers this service to long-distance clients to improve communication and productivity.

In addition, all Krusinski superintendents now have wireless laptops with YFI capabilities, which provide the team 24-hour access to the Krusinski network.

This holiday season, Krusinski Construction Company employees and their families “adopted” a local Batavia family of seven, whose finances had been drained due to a life threatening illness.

Gifts were purchased for the family from a list of items they requested. The family also received Jewel and BP gift cards, movie passes and sports equipment.

Krusinski Construction Company recently completed a 200,000-square-foot expansion to Bridgestone Firestone’s distribution center and a 7,500-square-foot maintenance facility. The buildings are located at 1200 Internationale Parkway in Woodridge, Ill. Krusinski also added 152 trailer spots.

Construction began in June, and crews worked simultaneously on the expansion and the freestanding maintenance facility, which is located on the northeast corner of the site. Krusinski coordinated the construction schedule around Bridgestone’s daily operations and developed an onsite traffic system to maintain high velocity distribution of incoming and outgoing products. Krusinski built Bridgestone Firestone’s original building in 1997.

Michael J. Metz was the senior project manager, Shawn C. Morris was the senior project and Julius Kwasek of Kwasek Architects of Inverness was the architect. The civil engineer was Spaceco.

Nashville-based Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, is a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc., whose parent company, Bridgestone Corporation, is the world’s largest tire and rubber company. The company develops, manufactures, and markets Bridgestone, Firestone, and associate and private brand tires. It is focused on wholesale and original equipment markets, supplying passenger, light truck, commercial vehicle, off-road, motorcycle, agricultural and other tires to its customers in North America.

Adam J. Moore recently joined Krusinski Construction Company.

Moore, of Lake Bluff, will serve as vice president, with a focus on business development. He previously spent more than five years as a director at Cushman & Wakefield in Chicago, where he was responsible for more than $150 million in real estate transactions. He holds a bachelor of science degree in economics from DePauw University.

Jean Reisner, accounting manager, is the 1st quarter 2006 winner of the DIG (Diversify, Improve, Grow) Award.

Reisner, a 12-year Krusinski employee, received the award for implementing a new healthcare insurance program which ultimately saved money for the company and participating employees.

The DIG program was instituted as a way to involve every employee in company strategies for growth and profitability. The award is given to employees who have either submitted recommendations for cost savings, sales leads or productivity initiatives or have worked to further those goals.

As a DIG recipient, Reisner received an extra vacation day and a company lunch in her honor. In addition, her name will be added to a company plaque.