Each year, we survey our subscribers to ascertain what the year ahead holds. It has not been pretty the past couple of years.

Our 2011 Annual Report & Forecast paints a picture that has many unfilled spaces in it. There are too many variables for a certainty that would lift the industry. Congress, consumers and the huge unemployment numbers in the construction industry are keeping the equipment industry on hold.

Here at the 2011 World of Concrete today, the mood seems similar. There are pockets of energy, but the global players reside there. The North American market continues to be mired.

For the equipment professional, it's still a wait-and-see mindset. When business does break, it will be in a rush, many say. With fleets that are declining in health, the ability to quickly ramp up may be tested.