Asphalt Product Manufacturers NAICS 324121, 324122

Apr 6, 2026 - Construction Industry Urges Congressional Action on Highway Bill

• Construction industry leaders are urging swift action on the next federal highway bill as the current authorization under the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expires September 30, according to Construction Dive. Congressional committees are drafting a bipartisan reauthorization, expected to span five years and potentially total about $550 billion, with a focus on roads, bridges, transit, and rail, along with permitting reforms and a proposed electric vehicle fee to support the Highway Trust Fund. Industry groups warn that failure to pass a bill on time would create uncertainty for infrastructure projects and equipment investment. Key challenges include limited legislative time, a projected $280 billion Highway Trust Fund shortfall by 2034, and the need for bipartisan support in a divided Congress. Construction leaders say a long-term, fully funded bill would provide stability and sustain demand across the sector.
• The total value of private US construction put in place dropped by 0.6% in January 2026 compared to the prior month, according to the US Census Bureau. Residential spending fell 0.8%, as multifamily spending dropped 0.7% and single-family construction spending declined 0.2%. Nonresidential spending decreased 0.4%. Only four subsegments of the nonresidential building sector saw growth in January compared to December 2025: office (+1.1%), healthcare (+0.4%), communication (+0.2%), and lodging (+0.1%). The remaining nonresidential building categories posted flat or negative growth in January 2026, including commercial (-0.1% from December), educational (-1.1%), religious (-1.1%), amusement and recreation (-0.9%), transportation (-0.2%), manufacturing (-2%), and power (0%). Building construction is a key driver of demand for asphalt roofing products.

• The Q1 2026 Civil Infrastructure Construction Index (CICI) report by construction consulting and investment banking firm FMI shows the civil construction industry entering a period of steady expansion. The CICI index rose to 52.1 in Q1 2026 from the previous quarter, and the backlog index increased to 57.3 from 52.8, signaling strong demand and extended project visibility. Public funding and local project pipelines continue to support growth, particularly in transportation, water, and utilities, reinforcing a multiyear infrastructure cycle. However, the industry’s primary challenge is execution, not demand. Labor shortages, turnover, and productivity constraints are limiting firms’ ability to deliver work profitably, even as materials costs stabilize. As a result, civil contractors face mounting pressure to balance rising workloads with workforce capacity, operational discipline, and margin protection, making execution capability the key determinant of success in the current cycle.
• The roofing industry faces several ongoing challenges, including higher material costs and increased immigration enforcement, but contractors have largely stayed busy, in part by offering numerous roofing systems, according to Roofing Contractor magazine's 2026 State of the Roofing Industry Report. Three-quarters of roofing contractors surveyed said they work with steep-slope asphalt shingles, while 72% said they use low-slope asphalt products. Other popular roofing systems included single-ply (70% of respondents), metal roofing (67%), coatings (64%), and metal accessories (60%). The survey showed that steep-slope shingles account for 22% of residential roofing contractor sales, followed by low-slope products (12%), and single-ply (11%). About 80% of residential roofing contractors reported using asphalt shingles.