TheJobWalk E.54

Welcome to this week’s edition of TheJobWalk! AstraZeneca kicks things off with a $2B manufacturing expansion, while Novartis builds a $771M biotech powerhouse in North Carolina. CleanArc fuels hyperscale momentum with a $3B data center campus, and Meta selects their GC to build its $1B data center in Wisconsin. Palantir rolls out Chain Reaction to strengthen U.S. AI capabilities, and construction materials prices continue to climb. Exciting week team, let’s dive in!

NEWS
Construction Materials Up 3.5% Year-Over-Year

Construction prices rose 0.2% in September 2025 compared to August, according to an analysis by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) using U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Year-over-year, construction input prices are up 3.5%, with nonresidential construction input prices rising 3.8%. September marked the fifth consecutive month of price increases- the longest streak since early 2022. However, energy prices declined, with natural gas down 8.7%, unprocessed energy materials down 3.0%, and crude petroleum down 1.7%.

Materials prices have increased at a 3.2% annualized rate since April, a slower pace compared to 2021–2022. ABC’s Chief Economist noted modest monthly gains but flagged uncertainty due to recently imposed tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper.

TheJobWalk’s got eyes on this too...

📰 Wisconsin Approves $1B High-Speed Internet Bill(WGov)
📰 NC Boosts Jobs in Manufacturing & EV(NCGov)
📰 Komatsu Expands Operations Across NoCal(Komatsu)
📰 Cardinal Infrastructure Aims for $800m IPO(Reuters)

PROJECTS
Build of The Week

$2 Billion AstraZeneca Manufacturing Expansion

AstraZeneca is investing $2 billion to expand its manufacturing footprint in Maryland, marking the largest private-sector capital investment in the state in the past decade.

The project includes a major expansion of its biologics manufacturing facility in Frederick and the construction of a new clinical manufacturing site in Gaithersburg. 

There is expected to be 1,900 construction roles during the build, with the expected completion date in 2029.

• General Contractors: TBD

• Client: AstraZeneca

• Award: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

• Value: $2 Billion

• Location: Frederick & Gaithersburg, Maryland

Movement in the field:

🧬Novartis Builds a $771M Biotech Beast in NC:  Last Month, Novartis announced it will be investing $771M into manufacturing facilities across Durham County, Wake County and the Research Triangle. The investment will include two new facilities in Durham, one new facility in Morrisville and the expansion of the existing Durham campus, which will be a combined footprint of 700,000 sqft. The project is set to create 700 new Novartis roles + 3,000+ indirect jobs by 2030 and will nearly double Novartis’ NC operational footprint.

Key Details: Client: Novartis, General Contractors: TBD, Award: Manufacturing, Value: $771 Million, Location: United States

🏗️Hyperscale Hype, CleanArc’s $3B Data Build: CleanArc recently broke ground on their $3B hyperscale data center in the Greater Fredericksburg region, Virginia. The 900 MW campus is set to consist of three buildings, each containing two data halls with and will use modular, pre-engineered systems with off-site manufacturing. The project will be built in 3 phases, with Phase 1 expected to be completed in Q1 2027, Phase 2 planned for 2030 and Phase 3 slated for 2033–2035.

Key Details: Client: CleanArc Data Centers, General Contractors: NDA, Award: Data Center, Value: Up to $3 Billion, Location: Greater Fredericksburg, Virginia.

👤Zuck’s New Playground, $1B Data Campus Incoming: Recently announced, Meta is developing a $1 billion data center in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. Just made public, Mortenson will be leading the build of the facility, located within the 520-acre Beaver Dam Commerce Park. The project includes 700,000 square feet of data center space and is expected to be operational by 2027. Meta will invest nearly $200 million in energy infrastructure upgrades, including substations and grid improvements. The project is expected to generate up to 1,000 construction jobs at peak and create over 100 permanent roles.

Key Details: General Contractor: Mortenson, Client: Meta, Award: Data Center, Value: $1 Billion, Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

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TECH SPOTLIGHT
Palantir Launches “Chain Reaction” for U.S. AI

Palantir Technologies has announced Chain Reaction, a new operating system designed to accelerate the construction of U.S.-based AI infrastructure. 

The platform will support energy utilities, data center developers, and infrastructure builders in rapidly scaling power generation, transmission, and AI compute capacity.

Chain Reaction enables the design and execution of hyperscale AI infrastructure, transforming aging assets and streamlining complex buildouts.

Founding Partners include CenterPoint Energy, serving 7 million customers across Texas, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio, as well as NVIDIA, integrating Palantir’s data platform with its full AI infrastructure stack, including GPUs, CUDA libraries, and large language models. 

WORLD
Mercury Tower, Malta

J. Portelli Projects has constructed the Mercury Tower, a 122-meter, 32-storey mixed-use skyscraper located in Paceville, St. Julian’s, Malta. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the tower is now the tallest building in Malta.

The development includes luxury residences, a five-star ME by Meliá hotel, retail outlets, a public piazza, and restored historical architecture from the 1903 Mercury House. A defining architectural feature is the tower’s mid-structure “twist,” which rotates the upper floors to enhance views and solar performance.

Construction integrates both heritage preservation and modern urban development, creating a new civic and commercial hub in Malta’s most dynamic district.

QUICK FIRE ROUND
Your quiz questions for this week:

What is the maximum allowable slump for concrete placed with a pump, without admixtures?

A. 6 inches // B. 3 inches // C. 2 inches

Which type of mechanical system uses hydronic loops to distribute thermal energy?

A. VRF system // B. Chilled beam system // C. Packaged rooftop unit

What is the primary role of a “disconnect switch” in an electrical installation?

A. Prevents overcurrent during faults // B. Allows manual circuit interruption for maintenance // C. Regulates voltage levels

Which construction delivery method provides the earliest contractor involvement?

A. Design-Bid-Build // B. Design-Build // C. Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR)

In structural design, what does the term “live load” refer to?

A. The weight of permanent construction materials // B. Temporary loads like people, furniture, snow // C. Seismic or wind loading

Check out the answers at the bottom.

WEEKLY FUNNY
looks like we got ourselves a newbie folks

REFLECTION
This week’s question to ask yourself✌️

If I could pause life right now, what would I want to appreciate more deeply?

ANSWERS

Q1 A. 6 inches // Q2 B. Chilled beam system // Q3 B. Allows manual circuit interruption for maintenance // Q4 C. Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) // Q5 B. Temporary loads like people, furniture, snow

How many did you get?