A study indicates that more than half (60%) of the construction and public works companies experienced a stabilization of their activity during the third quarter of this year, despite the lack of skilled labor and the increase in raw material prices.

"Assessments of companies' overall activity compared to the previous quarter remained the same in the third quarter compared to the previous three months," indicates a survey of the sector's situation conducted by the Association of Civil Construction and Public Works Industries (AICCOPN) and the Association of Construction and Public Works and Services Companies (AECOPS).

According to the same survey, it reveals that the percentage of companies that registered a stabilization of activity was 60%, with an increase of one percentage point, while 10% registered a decrease (-1% compared to the previous quarter) and 30% increased their activity (same percentage as in the second quarter).

"In public works, 73% of firms pointed to lack of skilled labor as the main constraint, 66% complained about rising prices for raw materials and construction materials, and 33% identified problems with constraints associated with excessive competition / abnormally low prices," the document reads.

Nevertheless, the lack of skilled labor was also lamented by the private works segment, with 79% of companies pointing this out as one of the main constraints.

However, rising prices of raw materials and construction materials were considered a problem for 76% of the companies, while 26% of the companies pointed to excessive competition and too low prices as constraints to doing business.