Usic company truck: Underground Utility Location and Damage Prevention
Careers | USIC
Careers | USIC
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Careers
at USIC
Looking for a Rewarding Career?
We are always looking for people who aspire to serve their communities, value quality work, prioritize safety, enjoy solving problems and love being outdoors.
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Working at USIC
Quality conscious, hard-working individuals who love working outdoors should consider a career at USIC.
HVAC TECHNICIANS
HAD IT WITH YOUR HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT?
Leave behind dark, dusty, confined attics and crawl spaces and their angry inhabitants to work outdoors protecting the nation’s infrastructure and your community. We provide paid training, comprehensive benefits, work truck, fuel, equipment, 401k with company match, career path, work/life balance. Apply.WorkAtUSIC.com
We support our veterans
We are proud to support and hire veterans as we share common values
• Integrity
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Dedication
• Discipline
Responsibility
• Values
• Problem Solving Skills
• Safety Focused
USIC Gives Back
USIC implemented our giving program, “USIC Gives Back”, in 2009 which allows our employees to donate to charities through payroll deduction. In 2015 our employees selected St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Wounded Warrior Project as the charities for our giving campaign. This was the second year in a row that USIC chose to support these two charities.
In addition to the donations from our employees:
- USIC matched 100% of the donation to the charities
- USIC contributed an additional 25% to the Employee Disaster Relief Fund
- USIC employee and company matching donations make a difference in our communities and within the USIC family
Recruitment Fraud Alert
We have received reports of employment scams that seek financial commitments/confidential information from job candidates.
Unsuspecting job seekers have reported fraudulent contact from individuals purporting to be representatives of USIC. All open USIC positions are listed on our Open Jobs page here. Candidates can view and apply for open positions on our Open Jobs page and via USIC’s text-to-apply app (text to 25000) only. Be wary of solicitations from external parties requesting funds or confidential information.
If you are vision-impaired or have some other disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or a similar law, and you wish to discuss potential accommodations related to applying for employment at USIC, please contact us at 407-480-5545.
President’s Award Recipient
USIC is the proud recipient of the Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) President’s Corporate Award of Excellence for 2014. USIC was awarded this honor for contributions to DIRT data as well as an overall dedication to damage prevention at this year’s Annual Meeting at the CGA conference.
A Valued Partnership
USIC is a valued Disconnect/Reconnect partner of Ameren Missouri.
USIC represents Ameren Missouri professionally and courteously while performing this critical service. USIC’s performance consistently meets Ameren Missouri’s high safety, quality and efficiency expectations.
– Tommie Gray, Revenue Protection Manager, Ameren Missouri
2018 CGA Gold Sponsorship
USIC is proud to be a Gold Sponsor for this year’s CGA Excavation & Safety Expo. For more information please visit www.cgaconference.com.
US Infrastructure Corporation (USIC) Acquires On Target Utility Services
USIC is pleased to announce On Target Utility Services as the newest addition to the USIC family. For USIC, this transaction adds more than 280 technicians and strengthens its ability to service new and existing customers in the Northeast. This partnership further expands USIC’s diversification of services with the addition of utility services like metering, storm restoration, telecommunications, smart grid and power line solutions to provide even more support for our customers.
Great Partnership
Working with the team at USIC throughout our RFQ process was the continuation of a great partnership. USIC, not only heard our needs and concerns, they asked the appropriate questions to fully understand where we needed to be in order to award a new contract to them. As a result, we highly recommend USIC as a partner in the protection of underground communications facilities.
– R. Wallace
WE ARE WITH YOU
Show
Our thoughts are with all whose lives will be impacted by Hurricane Ian. Please follow the guidance of your local authorities for remaining safe. Our Storm Response Teams are mobilized to support our utility and municipal customers in repairing infrastructure and restoring power as soon as safely possible, and our company is committed to providing support for our employees and communities in the storm’s aftermath and recovery.
We are with you.
Press
Releases Show
USIC Expands Shareholder Base in Advance of Next Steps toward Achieving Most Desirable Workplace Status and Enhanced Value Creation for Customers
Aug 17, 2022 – INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–USIC, LLC (“USIC” or “the Company”), North America’s leading provider of underground utility locating services, announced today an expansion of its shareholder base. Partners Group, a…
Read More
USIC’S SOUTHERN INDIANA DISTRICT EXCEEDS TWO MILLION MILES OF SAFE DRIVING!
Aug 15, 2022 – Shout out to our 811 Operations’ Southern Indiana District for leading the company in miles driven without a responsible vehicle accident (RVA) – over two million miles of safe, defensive driving!District Manager Tim…
Read More
Careers
at USIC Show
We are always looking for people who aspire to serve their communities, value quality work, prioritize safety, enjoy solving problems and love being outdoors.
If you are a quality conscious, hard-working individual who loves working outdoors, then you should consider a career at USIC!
Learn More about working at USIC
About Us | USIC
About Us
Protecting & Maintaining Infrastructure
Performing over 80 million locates annually, USIC is the most trusted name in underground utility damage prevention. USIC also provides a full suite of utility services throughout the United States and Canada.
Our mission: to deliver quality, efficient, safe, and innovative solutions to protect our partner’s infrastructure and critical assets.
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Our Commitment:
Quality of Service is of Primary Importance within USIC
Learn what we do and how USIC can provide a complete solution for utility services and damage prevention.
Our Leadership
Meet our team.
Mike Ryan
PRESIDENT & CEO
Mike has served for 40 years in the freight transportation and field services industries. He began his career working for Class I railroads Canadian National Railway Company and CSX Transportation, where he held senior management positions over twenty years. Upon departing the rail industry, he joined American Commercial Lines (ACL), serving as President & CEO and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Jeffersonville, Indiana barge transportation company. Prior to joining USIC, Mike’s most recent roles were President & CEO and member of the Board of Directors for U.S. Shipping Corp in Edison, NJ. and Comcar Industries in Auburndale, FL.
In 2018, Mike joined the USIC Board of Directors as an Independent Director and was named President & CEO in 2019.
Mike earned a degree in biology from the State University of New York, Oneonta and has completed Executive Management Programs at Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business.
Read Full Bio
Amit Shankar
Chief Information Officer
Prior to joining USIC, Amit served as the CIO of Granite Services, a GE Company. Granite is a leading services provider for rotating equipment in Power Generation and Oil & Gas industry. Amit was the strategic leader for digitization and integration across applications and business process that support 6,000 field service employees at over 2,000 job sites in 90 countries.
Prior to his tenure at Granite, Amit worked in various roles at ADP, a global payroll provider in Atlanta. At ADP, Amit managed the global payroll solutions team.
Amit has a degree in both Computer Science and Economics from Rutgers University.
Amit has been actively involved with various local charities and community events – his latest being as local Chair for March for Babies event supporting March of Dimes.
Read Full Bio
Chuck Adams
Chief Commercial Officer
Chuck joined USIC in 2021 to lead the
advancement and execution of the company’s commercial strategy for driving
sustainable revenue and margin growth across all business units.
With over 30
years of experience in sales and commercial leadership across a broad range of
industries, Chuck has served as CCO for
Duravant, a global engineered equipment and automation solutions provider to
the food processing, packaging, and material handling sectors; CCO for
Honeywell Intelligrated, global provider of automated material handling
solutions; and Vice President & General Manager of North America for
VideoJet, global manufacturer of high-quality coding and marking equipment and
supplies.
Chuck earned a Bachelor of Science
degree in Accounting from Penn State University and an MBA from the Kellogg
School of Business at Northwestern University.
Read Full Bio
Rich Klein
CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER
Rich is a seasoned human resources (HR) leader with a strong record of improving organizational performance, aligning HR solutions with business strategies, and building and leading performance-driven teams across a broad range of business environments.
Prior to joining USIC in 2021, he served as Chief Human Resources Officer for SG360◦, a direct marketing production company; Prosegur Security USA, a leader in security and technology; and TruGreen Landcare, and as principal consultant for HR Effectiveness, a consulting practice specializing in organizational development and legal compliance. He began his HR career with PepsiCo, an organization renowned for forward-looking, business-focused HR practices, prior to which he was a practicing labor and employment lawyer.
Rich earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University of Chicago School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University.
Read Full Bio
Bill Dalecky
SVP & Chief Financial Officer
Bill was named Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in January 2022, prior to which he served as SVP of Operations, Director of Finance FP&A and Operations, and Vice President of Corporate Development.
He has an extensive experience in financial analysis and planning for the operating segments of global manufacturers and service companies.
Bill earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse and an MBA from Marquette University.
Read Full Bio
Brooke Egan
SVP, Legal & Corporate Secretary
Brooke was named SVP, Legal & Corporate Secretary in December 2020, prior to which she served as USIC’s Interim General Counsel and as Founding Partner of Duncan Galloway Egan Greenwald, PLLC. She has served as Chief Legal Counsel for companies, ranging from manufacturers, field services, and logistics to importers and financial services. She previously served as Senior Corporate Counsel for American Commercial Barge Line and practiced corporate and intellectual property law as Counsel at Valenti Hanley Robinson, PLLC and as a patent attorney for Sites and Harbison, PLLC. Throughout her legal career, Brooke has counseled companies on matters pertaining to operations, contract law, risk management, employment, safety and environmental compliance.
Brooke earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a juris doctorate degree from Tulane University.
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Chris Shepherd
SVP, Operations
Chris was named Senior Vice President, Operations in January 2022, after joining the company in 2020 as Vice President of Quality Operations.
With over 25 years of experience in transportation services, Chris is a proven leader of complex field operations with a record of success in optimizing safety and service quality. His previous assignments include Vice President roles with CSX Transportation and American Commercial Lines. His areas of leadership have included operations, purchasing, and strategic planning in the barge transportation business and centralized train dispatching, terminal operations, and training for the Class 1 railroad.
Chris earned a B.B.A. degree in management from Georgia Southern University.
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Christa Harrell
VP, Human Resources
Christa has over 20 years’ experience in the locating industry, holding various positions within the organization that began with her role as a dispatcher. Through her years of experience, Christa has held the positions of Office Manager, Claims Coordinator, District Manager and Regional Director. Through her tenure of Operations Management, she was responsible for multiple new business start -ups and operational responsibility that spans a large geographical footprint across the Eastern and Midwestern United States.
Currently, Christa is responsible for Operations Services which includes the Information Systems, Human Resources and Customer Service Departments that provide support to all customers of USIC.
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Tom Karnowski
VP, Environment, Health & Safety
Tom joined the USIC team in 2016, after eight years with Granite Services, a GE affiliate.
At Granite, Tom held various leadership roles, including Global EHS Director, Global Training Director and Field Operations Leader.
Prior to Granite, Tom served on active duty as a US Navy submarine officer achieving fleet excellence awards in nuclear engineering and Chief Engineer from 1998-2008. He remains in service as a drilling reservist and was awarded a Joint Meritorious Service Medal and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal for his service in Afghanistan Operation Enduring Freedom 2012-2013. Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and an MBA from the University of Notre Dame.
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Darin Stalbaum
VP, Sales
Darin has been with USIC for over 10 years with a focus on underground utility damage prevention solutions. Darin managed USIC’s locating operations in Wisconsin from 2008 – 2010 while sitting on the state’s 811 Digger’s Hotline Operating Committee.
Since that time, Darin has played a key role in supporting USIC’s nationwide growth. In addition, Darin’s background includes over 11 years of operations and business development roles with Fortune 500 companies and completion of a nationally recognized leadership development program.
Darin holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from ISU, with minor studies in Safety Management.
Read Full Bio
David Parker
VP, Corporate Communication and Governmental Affairs
David joined USIC in 2020 and is a senior level Corporate Communications, Government Affairs, and Investor Relations practitioner. For over thirty years he has transformed communications as a strategic contributor, furthering the success of the enterprise within numerous diverse business environments.
David believes in leveraging communications and corporate affairs to help drive enterprise strategy. He crafts communication infrastructure to steadily contribute to equity value and sales revenue increases—while also being acutely responsive to unforeseen events.
He sees communication as part of the corporation’s nervous system, productively connecting personnel potentially isolated by distance, function, or sub-optimal organizational structure. A trusted advisor, valued business partner, and functional expert who understands the role ceaseless preparation, planning, and teamwork plays in navigating today’s challenging communication and legislative landscape.
Prior to joining USIC, David’s experience includes running his own boutique consulting firm focusing on strategic communication initiatives along with extensive executive experience across healthcare, transportation, retail, technology, pharmaceutical, and logistics firms, along with strategic communication consulting.
In his role at USIC, David also leads the marketing team, supporting the entirety of the USIC family of companies.
Read Full Bio
Robert Weaver
VP, Supply Chain & Fleet Management
Robert joined USIC in 2020.
An experienced leader in vendor and fleet management, he previously served as Vice President of Sourcing & Vendor Management for Erie Insurance Group, a Fortune 500 multi-line carrier, from 2014 to 2016; Director of Supply Chain for Cardon & Associates, one of Indiana’s largest operators of senior living and rehabilitation communities; and Director of Purchasing for national retailer Finish Line U.S.A. His expansive procurement background also includes roles with cement and concrete manufacturer Lone Star Industries, equipment distributor Alfa Laval Separation, and GE Transportation Systems. A certified supply chain management professional, Robert earned a B.S. degree in management from Penn State University.
Read Full Bio
Dane Dodd
VP, ADVANCED UTILITY SOLUTIONS
Dane joined USIC in March 2022 to lead USIC’s Advanced Utility Solutions Division, comprised of affiliate companies Blood Hound Private Utility Locating, Reconn Utility Services, and On Target Utility Services.
A proven business leader, Dane most recently served as Senior Vice President, U.S. Operations for Prosegur, a global supplier of security services and technologies, and previously held executive operational roles at Contemporary Services Corporation, a leader in public safety management for large, complex events. He has also served as an Infantry Officer with the U.S. Marine Corps.
Dane earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s CORe program.
Read Full Bio
Nationwide Locations
Select a location to view Contact Information
Select a Location…Alabama (AL)Alberta (Canada) (AB)Arizona (AZ)Colorado (CO)Connecticut (CT)Delaware (DE)Florida (FL)Georgia (GA)Idaho (ID)Illinois (IL)Indiana (IN)Iowa (IA)Kansas (KS)Kentucky (KY)Louisiana (LA)Maine (ME)Maryland (MD)Massachusetts (MA)Michigan (MI)Minnesota (MN)Mississippi (MS)Missouri (MO)Montana (MT)Nebraska (NE)Nevada (NV)New Hampshire (NH)New Jersey (NJ)New Jersey (NJ)New Mexico (NM)New York (NY)North Carolina (NC)Ohio (OH)Oklahoma (OK)Oregon (OR)Pennsylvania (PA)Rhode Island (RI)South Carolina (SC)South Dakota (SD)Tennessee (TN)Texas (TX)Utah (UT)Vermont (VT)Virginia (VA)Washington (WA)West Virginia (WV)Wisconsin (WI)Wyoming (WY)
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Technology | USIC
Technology | USIC
Thanks for printing! Don’t forget to come back to USIC for fresh articles!
DigCheck: Save time and money in the field.
TICKET RISK ASSESSMENT (TRA): A second set of eyes to prevent damages and protect lives.
Technology
A key differentiator for USIC
Being the leader in damage prevention, USIC leverages the latest and the greatest technology as a key differentiator for our customers and for our employees. With over 9,000 field technicians performing over 80,000,000 locates a year, USIC provides the best tools and technology to be able to get the job done most efficiently and effectively.
Our Service Stats
Download Our Brochure
Want to know more about our Technology Offerings? Click to view.
TICKET RISK ASSESSMENT
TRA: The Prediction Engine – USIC can identify the next damage before it occurs by using historical ticket and damage information to identify leading risk factors on a one call ticket.
Each one call ticket is scored immediately upon receipt of the ticket, from highest risk to lowest risk. The top 10% highest risk tickets will cause 40-60% of damages to a utility infrastructure. Once a top 10% ticket has been identified, USIC will send a Damage Prevention Technician to audit the locate, and meet with the contractor. Read More
TICKET RISK ASSESSMENT Brochure
Want to know more about TRA? Click to view.
DIGCHECK
DigCheck is intended to give excavators and utility companies the ability to access our internal ticket information from the field. DigCheck provides an “at a glance” view as well as detailed ticket information including locator notes, photos, and completion times. Made for iOS and Android devices.
DIGCHECK Brochure
Want to know more about DigCheck Customer Portal? Click to view.
- Facility Owners Brochure
- Excavators Brochure
CUSTOMER PORTAL
All of your information is just a few clicks away! USIC, leader in Damage Prevention also delivers world class technology to help our customers interact with their data. The USIC Customer Portal is designed to give customers access to ticket information anytime they need it – on their
desktops and mobile devices. Our Portal technology lets you view and search for tickets in few easy steps.
President’s Award Recipient
USIC is the proud recipient of the Common Ground Alliance’s (CGA) President’s Corporate Award of Excellence for 2014. USIC was awarded this honor for contributions to DIRT data as well as an overall dedication to damage prevention at this year’s Annual Meeting at the CGA conference.
A Valued Partnership
USIC is a valued Disconnect/Reconnect partner of Ameren Missouri. USIC represents Ameren Missouri professionally and courteously while performing this critical service.
USIC’s performance consistently meets Ameren Missouri’s high safety, quality and efficiency expectations.
– Tommie Gray, Revenue Protection Manager, Ameren Missouri
2018 CGA Gold Sponsorship
USIC is proud to be a Gold Sponsor for this year’s CGA Excavation & Safety Expo. For more information please visit www.cgaconference.com.
US Infrastructure Corporation (USIC) Acquires On Target Utility Services
USIC is pleased to announce On Target Utility Services as the newest addition to the USIC family. For USIC, this transaction adds more than 280 technicians and strengthens its ability to service new and existing customers in the Northeast. This partnership further expands USIC’s diversification of services with the addition of utility services like metering, storm restoration, telecommunications, smart grid and power line solutions to provide even more support for our customers.
Great Partnership
Working with the team at USIC throughout our RFQ process was the continuation of a great partnership.
USIC, not only heard our needs and concerns, they asked the appropriate questions to fully understand where we needed to be in order to award a new contract to them. As a result, we highly recommend USIC as a partner in the protection of underground communications facilities.
– R. Wallace
WE ARE WITH YOU
Show
Our thoughts are with all whose lives will be impacted by Hurricane Ian. Please follow the guidance of your local authorities for remaining safe. Our Storm Response Teams are mobilized to support our utility and municipal customers in repairing infrastructure and restoring power as soon as safely possible, and our company is committed to providing support for our employees and communities in the storm’s aftermath and recovery. We are with you.
Press
Releases Show
USIC Expands Shareholder Base in Advance of Next Steps toward Achieving Most Desirable Workplace Status and Enhanced Value Creation for Customers
Aug 17, 2022 – INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–USIC, LLC (“USIC” or “the Company”), North America’s leading provider of underground utility locating services, announced today an expansion of its shareholder base.:no_upscale()/imgs/2021/09/20/12/4904779/d329cd0659070fd3fc674ee3d720844e597d6eb9.jpg)
Partners Group, a…
Read More
USIC’S SOUTHERN INDIANA DISTRICT EXCEEDS TWO MILLION MILES OF SAFE DRIVING!
Aug 15, 2022 – Shout out to our 811 Operations’ Southern Indiana District for leading the company in miles driven without a responsible vehicle accident (RVA) – over two million miles of safe, defensive driving!District Manager Tim…
Read More
Careers
at USIC Show
We are always looking for people who aspire to serve their communities, value quality work, prioritize safety, enjoy solving problems and love being outdoors. If you are a quality conscious, hard-working individual who loves working outdoors, then you should consider a career at USIC!
Learn More about working at USIC
Why is There a USIC Truck in Front of My House? [Answered 2022]
You may be wondering: Why is there a USIC truck in front of my house? It’s a utility company that marks underground lines on your property.
While you can’t control utility companies, there are some things you can do to limit their activities. One way is to limit the amount of time they’re on your property. USIC also follows a strict code of conduct, which includes the right to work around residents.
Related Questions / Contents
- What Does USIC on a Truck Mean?
- What Exactly Does USIC Do?
- What Type of Company is USIC?
- What is USIC Number?
- Is USIC a Good Job?
- How Many Employees Does USIC Have?
- How Long Does It Take to Get Hired at USIC?
What Does USIC on a Truck Mean?
When you see a truck bearing the initials USIC on its door, you should pay attention. These letters stand for Unites States Infrastructure Corporation and refer to a company that provides utility services in the United States. This company also has the right to use a certain area for easement or community benefit purposes. So, what does USIC on a truck mean? Read on to find out.
We’ve got answers for your questions.
The USIC family of companies is a strategic network of utility service providers who deliver innovative solutions to help their partners prevent damage to underground utilities. These companies provide complete utility services across the United States and Canada. They also manage OMERS Private Equity, which manages over CAD $6 billion in ventures. Moreover, USIC trucks can dig anywhere without asking for permission. Despite what you might think, utility companies don’t have unlimited rights to dig in your yard.
What Exactly Does USIC Do?
What Does USIC Do? is an acronym for United States Institute of Computational Intelligence. The USIC team is comprised of people with diverse backgrounds who help clients make the most of their data. USIC is the largest association for the development and management of complex computer-based systems and applications. USIC members serve clients in over 90 countries and employ over 20,000 people.
The USIC family of companies includes the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and the Department of Defense.
The USIC organization has a wide variety of jobs that require locating underground utilities. Its employees have extensive experience with locating, planning, and stamping utility lines. Those considering this job should be aware of the risks involved, including a long commute. Many employees outside of the San Francisco Bay Area must drive more than 100 miles a day. Parking is not provided for USIC employees. USIC’s services include underground utility locating, damage prevention, and infrastructure maintenance. While the USIC organization was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, it now employs more than 4,600 people throughout the United States.
What Type of Company is USIC?
What Type of Company is USIC? USIC is a company dedicated to serving the communities it serves. We value the quality of our work, the safety of our employees, and our environment. If you have the desire to serve communities and enjoy the outdoors, then USIC may be the right fit for you.
We are currently seeking individuals who have the passion for helping people find the solutions to their problems. To find out more about the types of opportunities we have available at USIC, please read our company profile below.
USIC is a utility damage prevention service provider that performs locating services for member companies in the U.S. and Canada. Their technicians work to protect the infrastructure of utility companies, as well as the assets of telecommunications and utility companies. We also provide underground utility locating services. USIC was acquired by OMERS Private Equity in 2010 and expanded its geographic reach. However, the company has not yet achieved the growth it hopes for.
What is USIC Number?
If you’ve ever wondered “What is a USIC Number?” you’re not alone. USIC provides a complete suite of utility services to prevent underground utility damage and save lives. USIC’s Truework employee verification process automates the verification process and can be completed within 24 hours.
By using Truework, you can verify an employee’s USIC Number in as little as two minutes. To learn more about USIC, read on.
Is USIC a Good Job?
A job with USIC requires professional know-how. The work involves operating large equipment, implementing them in the field, and maintaining safety protocols. USIC employees undergo 40-hour classroom and on-site training before they can begin their work. While employed, they can pursue continuing education or training. In addition, USIC provides excellent benefits for its employees. Among these benefits are competitive salaries, flexible schedules, and a fun workplace.
As of 2014, USIC employed between 5001 and 10,000 people, depending on the location. In Illinois, five jobs are relevant to USIC Locating Services. However, none of them pays more than the state average of $40,928, the average pay for USIC Locating Services. If you’re interested in this position, consider applying for the USIC Utility Locate Technician position.
This position involves locating underground utilities before construction. While utilities can be dangerous, utilities locators must ensure that construction is done safely.
How Many Employees Does USIC Have?
How many employees does USIC have? According to their website, USIC employs anywhere from 5001 to 10,000 people. This figure is unusually high, as the company’s staff is composed of a wide variety of backgrounds. For example, eleven percent of staff are women and thirty-four percent are members of ethnic minorities. The company also has an unusually conservative political affiliation, with 72.0% of employees belonging to the Republican Party. USIC employees typically stay with the company for four years, and their average salary is $38,651 annually.
Chuck Porter joined USIC in 2021 and leads the company’s commercial strategy. He has over 30 years of experience in sales and marketing, and has served as CCO of several companies, including Honeywell Intellrated and Duravant.
He has also served as Vice President and General Manager of North America for VideoJet, a leading manufacturer of high-quality coding equipment. His experience with USIC makes him the perfect candidate for the position.
How Long Does It Take to Get Hired at USIC?
To get hired at United States Infrastructure Corporation (USIC), you will have to go through a process that consists of two phases: the application phase and the interview phase. USIC’s recruitment process will present important information and detail the requirements for the job. Once you have been accepted for an interview, a recruiter will contact you to schedule a telephone interview. The recruiter will ask you questions regarding your educational background, work experience, and the skills needed for the position.
For those interested in working for USIC, competitive wages, flexible schedules, and a great working environment are some of the company’s perks. One complaint about USIC, however, is its long commute.
Many employees outside the San Francisco Bay Area are required to travel more than 100 miles round trip each day, and the company does not offer employee parking. USIC specializes in underground utility locating, damage prevention, and infrastructure maintenance. The company was founded in Indianapolis in 1932, and now employs over 4,600 people throughout the U.S.
Learn More Here:
1.) History of Trucks
2.) Trucks – Wikipedia
3.) Best Trucks
USIC Local Truck Driving Jobs in Schenectady, NY
Class B Vacuum Extraction Technician Job
USIC, LLC (USIC) is one of the nation’s fastest growing underground utility locating companies. By locating underground utilities, we are protecting the communities where we live and work.
We have a great (VAC) Vacuum Excavation Technician opportunity which is focused on exposing utilities for design and excavation purposes.
Vacuum Excavation Technicians are responsible for travelling to an assigned work site to perform vacuum excavation.
There are several different names for this type of work including, hydro excavation, potholing, keyholing and airvac. Vacuum excavation involves soil extraction through vacuum when using pressurized water or air for breaking ground.
This position requires you to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions and use a company provided laptop to document the project. You will perform various vacuum excavation activities near utilities, including: core drilling, shoveling, back filling and construction labor.
We are currently hiring throughout Schenectady, NY. The starting pay for this position is $18 per hour.
These are daytime, full time positions and some overtime may be required. Training will be provided. No industry experience is necessary.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be able to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions; outdoor experience preferred
Must be able to work in a confined space; walk, bend, and lift up to 75 pounds
Must be computer proficient
Must be available to work overtime and some weekends (as needed)
HS Diploma or GED required
Previous vacuum excavation experience preferred
Previous road machine operator or hydrovac experience preferred
Class B CDL required and safe driving record required
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Pay: $18 per hour
BENEFITS INCLUDE:
-100% paid training
-Company vehicle – all vehicle expenses paid
-Company laptop, phone and equipment
-Advancement opportunities – we promote from within the company
-Medical, dental, vision and life Insurance
-Paid holidays
-401(k) with company match
How to apply for this Driving Job
Fill out a Gary’s Job Board application. That same application can be used to apply to as many jobs as you’d like. Create a Driver’s Account.
Person to Contact about this CDL Job: Avien Conguta
USIC Phone Number: (407) 480-5572
Tell em’ Gary’s Job Board sent you.
This truck driving job may have an alternate application method. Look in the description area below for more information. All companies will accept a Gary’s Job Board application in addition to their other methods.
Gary ‘s Job Board. Fill out ONE application to send to ALL companies
Full CDL Job Information
| Question | Answer |
| Company Name | USIC |
| Class of CDL | Class B |
| Job Position/Title | Vacuum Extraction Technician |
| Type of Route | Local |
| # of seats to fill | 3 |
| Person to Contact about this Job Profile | Avien Conguta |
| How to Apply | Create a Driver s Account to Apply |
| City | Schenectady |
| State | NEW YORK |
| Minimum Years of Experience Required | |
| Does the driver need to have a Hazardous Materials Endorsement? | No |
| Does the driver need to have a Tank Endorsement? | No |
| Does the driver need to have a Doubles/Triples Endorsement? | No |
| Does the driver need to have a Passenger Endorsement? | No |
| Dui? | Never |
| Traffic tickets allowed in the last 3 years? | None |
| Any at fault accidents allowed in the last 3 years? | No |
| Do you require a company provided DOT physical? | No |
| What does the job pay? | $18 per hour |
| Please describe any benefits you offer (Very important so we can help you find the right candidate) | BENEFITS INCLUDE:
-100% paid training |
| Please describe the job in detail | USIC, LLC (USIC) is one of the nation’s fastest growing underground utility locating companies. By locating underground utilities, we are protecting the communities where we live and work.
We have a great (VAC) Vacuum Excavation Technician opportunity which is focused on exposing utilities for design and excavation purposes. Vacuum Excavation Technicians are responsible for travelling to an assigned work site to perform vacuum excavation. There are several different names for this type of work including, hydro excavation, potholing, keyholing and airvac. Vacuum excavation involves soil extraction through vacuum when using pressurized water or air for breaking ground. This position requires you to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions and use a company provided laptop to document the project. You will perform various vacuum excavation activities near utilities, including: core drilling, shoveling, back filling and construction labor. We are currently hiring throughout Schenectady, NY. The starting pay for this position is $18 per hour. Must be able to work outdoors in all types of weather conditions; outdoor experience preferred We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. |
| Apply | Create a Driver s Account to Apply |
Training will be provided. No industry experience is necessary.USIC Partners with Derive to Improve Fleet Operations With Vehicle Software Upgrades
USIC Partners with Derive to Improve Fleet Operations With Vehicle Software Upgrades
USIC partners with Derive to improve fleet operations with vehicle software upgrades
Derive Systems
USIC decreasing fuel costs, mitigating accidents, and improving driver safety with Derive’s auto technology
Broomfield, Colo.
(April 18, 2019) – Derive Systems, a leading B2B and B2C automotive technology provider with over two million software installations on the road, announces its successful installation of customized vehicle software upgrades for USIC’s North American fleet. USIC is the most trusted name in underground utility damage prevention with over 75 million locates annually.
With over 9,000 utility vehicles in operation, USIC desired to decrease costs associated with fuel use, establish improved accident prevention measures to mitigate accident costs, improve productivity, and improve overall driver safety. Additionally, as a business that typically experiences high fleet driver turnover, USIC wanted to find a solution that would meet its goals without requiring extensive training to shift driver behavior.
“As part of the proactive approach USIC was looking for, we customized their fleet vehicle settings related to both forward and reverse speed and fuel consumption with a single ‘install-it-and-forget-it’ solution,” Erica Fine, Senior Director Enterprise Sales at Derive explained.
“Now, our client can experience guaranteed fuel savings and improved fleet safety and sustainability with one solution.”
“Our senior leadership couldn’t be more pleased with Derive’s technology and customer service and are glad to have chosen them to optimize our fleet operations,” said Phil Samuelson, USIC’s Fleet Leader and the 2018 Edward J. Bobit Professional Fleet Manager of the Year.
Derive provided a dedicated high-quality project team that, along with the client’s dedicated project team, enabled USIC to successfully install Derive calibration software on over 8,000 in-field and upfitter vehicles over a four-month period.
About Derive Systems:
Derive Systems is a leading automotive technology provider, with over 2 million software installations. Derive connects vehicles to the digital world, enabling individuals and fleets to take control of their vehicles and optimize the way they behave. The Derive Systems platform writes directly to the vehicle control modules, integrating third party software, applications, and data so that each vehicle performs specifically to unique requirements, preferences, and conditions.
Derivesystems.com
About USIC:
Performing over 75 million locates annually, USIC is the most trusted name in underground utility damage prevention. From local infrastructure to national networks, USIC’s 8,500 highly trained technicians drive over 200,000,000 miles to protect underground utilities across the country – keeping you connected to your customers and keeping the public safe. Our mission is to deliver quality, efficient, safe, and innovative solutions to protect our partner’s infrastructure and critical assets. USICLLC.com
For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]
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USIC partners with Derive to improve fleet operations with vehicle software upgrades
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Right now, they’re just driving the way they want to, and they’ll continue to drive that way except they’ll be limited to what I set the speed limit at. As easy as [installation] is, we can have anybody do it.
Brian Carroll | Fleet Manager, Canaveral Port Authority
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..and My Truck Friend
Apple metamorphosis, AMD expansion and killer trucks
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Service in partnership with Tinkoff Investments. Quotes are updated every 15 minutes
Mikhail Gorodilov
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Apple wins Oscars and accelerates inflation in the services sector. AMD is trying to hit Intel where it can. Self-driving trucks enter the labor market.
Disclaimer: When we say that something has grown, we mean a comparison with the same quarter a year earlier. Since all issuers are from the United States, all results are in dollars. When creating the material, sources were used that are inaccessible to users from the Russian Federation. We hope you know what to do.
A New Hope: Slow Change in Apple’s Business
Tech giant Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has seen a number of significant changes over the past few weeks that both its shareholders and outsiders should be aware of.
Subscriptions. The company is currently working on introducing a paid subscription to its devices. It’s hard to say exactly how it will look. But it is very likely that this plan will operate on the same model as car leasing: in fact, the same loan, but cheaper and more flexible.
Different device types are expected to have different subscription plans. The launch of the subscription will occur at the earliest at the end of 2022, but the idea itself may be wrapped up altogether, since now the company also continues to experiment with installments.
In 2015, the company launched an iPhone upgrade program: through a partner financial institution, users could pay the cost of an iPhone for 24 months and exchange it for a new model every 12 months. The company also allows Apple Card users to pay in installments the cost of their purchases of Apple products. Payment for tablets and laptops can be stretched for 12 months, and for watches and smartphones – for 24 months.
Given the installment hype artificially inflated in Western countries by startups like Affirm, I would expect the company to play with installments for a long time and maybe even prefer it to a subscription program.
For investors 12/28/21
Affirm review: investing in installments
By the way, many large companies have already started experimenting with subscriptions. Think of the infamous American fitness equipment manufacturer Peloton, which is now testing the ability to share its bikes and workout programs as part of a monthly subscription of $60 to $100 per month.
Investors 01/21/22
Peloton shares fell almost 24% in a day
The American airline Alaska Air Group is also testing the subscription in its business. The potential upside of introducing device subscriptions is really big: Apple could start capturing market share from cheaper Android and Xiaomi. If a subscription to her devices costs relatively moderate money, then her products will be in demand and everyone who does not buy her smartphones because of the exorbitant price will take her smartphones by subscription. Moreover, this will allow Apple to count on a more or less stable inflow of money.
Investors 21.02.22
Bundle of investment news: Intel expansion and subscription to flights
The risks here are also great: hardware is not the same as cloud services, it may not be returned and the company will lose money. It is clear that these risks are especially high in Asia and Africa, where Apple’s position is currently weak. And collecting smartphones through collectors in these areas will, of course, be extremely costly.
Reduced production of devices. The company reduced the volume of orders for the production of iPhone SE model by 20% – this is about 2-3 million pieces – due to well-known events in Eastern Europe. Moreover, an important point in making a decision for the company was a drop in demand.
The company also plans to reduce orders for the production of AirPods by 10 million before the end of the year for the same reasons. This is approximately 10% of the total number of headphones sold annually.
The company has also reduced the price of buying old iPhones through the exchange program – higher prices for older models can be found on marketplaces like eBay. Usually, the higher the purchase prices for old iPhones in Apple stores, the more incentives smartphone users have to come and exchange them for a fee.
Among Apple smartphone users, 25% have older models – iPhone 8 or even older. This, of course, is a very large potential audience for buying new iPhones.
Some analysts believe that the drop in trade-in prices suggests that Apple is not worried about demand for new iPhones and that it is doing well in its business. But I’m not so optimistic: against the backdrop of news about a decrease in device production, it seems to me that Apple is simply cutting costs. 92
Oscar. The Apple TV+ streaming service film CODA: Child of Deaf Parents won three Oscars at the last Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Film Awards. It is important that the film received the main award – “Best Film”.
In my opinion, this can bring a lot of new subscribers to the company’s streaming service for a number of reasons.
Firstly, it may attract many talented filmmakers to her studio. In this environment, the Oscar is still considered a very important medal, much like a CFA diploma among financial analysts. And in theory, these creators can greatly improve the quality of Apple-produced content, which in turn will help attract many new subscribers.
It is not so important here that “CODA” is not a very attractive product from a commercial point of view. The main thing is that it is a professionally staged film with difficult production decisions, which means that its director Shan Hader will quite cope with some comic book. By the way, many talented directors like Gregory Hoblit and Nicole Cassel are in “honorary exile” on television.
Secondly, while the Oscars are rapidly falling in viewership, it is still a big event with over 10 million viewers. It is not watched by taxi drivers, but by a quite solvent audience. Often – left-liberal views and with money. Relatively speaking, readers of the New York Times. Let’s see if the company’s victory at the Oscars will lead to an influx of paying subscribers. But, it seems to me, receiving an award increases the chances of this.
Source: Daily Shot, The Oscars’ viewership over time Source: Daily Shot, The Oscars’ viewership over time
In sum, all three pieces of news indicate that the company has not yet abandoned its plans to move into the service sector. She has 785 million paying subscribers across all of her services: Music, TV+, Arcade, news and more. This is 165 million more than a year ago. It is logical that the company wants to further develop this segment by increasing the audience of paid subscribers and selling them more and more of its services.
Investors 10/07/20
Headphones, Fortnite and TV shows: how Apple makes money
But this path will be thorny: a US court ordered Apple to allow developers of third-party applications to make in-app purchases bypassing the Apple payment system. And this means that the most marginal way “to own a marketplace, receive a commission and do nothing” for the company is gradually closing. She will have to spend a lot of money on the development of her own services, which will not be very good for her accounting and profit indicators. Still, devices account for the majority of the company’s revenue, and this is the area in which the company is strong.
Investors 09/13/21
Bundle of investment news: Apple, Boeing and Mastercard
Apple has a lot of money, and it can afford to spend generously on experiments. This threatens the entire economy with an increase in wages both in the field of content production and inflating the cost of various start-ups. This means that Apple’s current and potential competitors in the services market should be prepared to compete with the apple company for employees, content and audience.
Road Warriors: How Automated Trucks Can Destroy Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs
American researchers from Carnegie University and the University of Michigan have published a study called Impact of automation on long haul trucking operator-hours in the United States on how self-driving trucks will impact the US labor market. Here’s what you can learn from there:
- self-driving trucks can handle 94% of all long-distance transportation in the US;
- Depending on the scale of the reception of self-driving trucks, the labor market for drivers and operators in this area will suffer: there may be no need for a very, very large number of human workers – in the range from 30 to 500 thousand people.
The study is extremely interesting, and I advise everyone to read it. For investors, it is relevant for two reasons.
First, it shows great potential for this technology to be adopted, which will be a great joy for companies like TuSimple (NASDAQ: TSP).
Secondly, it allows us to predict the great socio-economic upheavals that can occur if mass unemployment caused by robotization of labor begins. It is unlikely that all these lost drivers will just sit back and watch as they are replaced by algorithms.
In this regard, people responsible for making decisions can turn the wick on and slow down the automation of labor in order to avoid serious shocks. In principle, this is not a fatal option: automation will still occur, just not so forced. So TuSimple and others like her will still be able to make good money – albeit not immediately.
Head in the clouds: AMD buys Pensando
The semiconductor colossus AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) has announced the acquisition of private cloud company Pensando.
Here’s what investors need to know:
- $1.9 billion purchase price;
- Pensando is a cloud company providing a platform and software for various computing solutions. Her clients include Goldman Sachs, IBM, Microsoft and Oracle;
- the transaction will be closed sometime in the second half of this year;
- I didn’t find anything about the company’s financial performance and profitability. The only number is annual revenue, it is 110 million. Although this is not accurate. But if the company does sell that amount of solutions every year, then the fact that AMD paid more than 18 of its annual revenues is an extremely generous deal.
These AMD moves are related to the plans of the company’s management to compete with Intel in the field of creating chips for data centers: by now, AMD’s share in this market has decreased to 1% and it is trying to correct this state of affairs. After all, the growing need for computing in the corporate sector makes data centers one of the most high-margin and promising specializations in the semiconductor market.
Well, the plan is actually not the worst and in some ways even logical. Unlike Intel, AMD does not have its own production: outsourcers make chips for it, test and assemble components from them, and, given the situation on the market, attempts to develop their own production will cost the company a pretty penny. After all, all the major players spend a lot of money to expand their production capacity, which leads to an increase in prices in this area. And the company’s cloud software will enhance AMD’s existing offerings.
Pensando is, if I may say so, an “intellectual” business, just the area in which AMD is strong simply because of its specialization. Therefore, let’s hope that the new acquisition of the company will be of great benefit.
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Guess the tune: why it’s time for investors to pay attention to musical assets
The French holding Vivendi was valued on the stock exchange at €45.5 billion. Just a few years ago, this was unthinkable. How did musical assets first lose their value, and 20 years later become expensive and in demand again?
On Tuesday, September 21, the French holding Vivendi completed the listing of Universal Music Group on the Euronext exchange in Amsterdam, which was valued at €45.5 billion. The company’s value increased by more than a third compared to previous estimates. This year also saw the IPO of one of the largest independent distributors, Believe Music; last year, the second of Warner Music’s three music majors;
The growing interest of investors in the music industry since the first lockdown and bans on concert activity is rightly called a gold rush.
According to their goals, music companies’ listings can be divided into two categories. For independent technology companies that have disrupted the status quo, such as Spotify and Believe Music, listing on the stock exchange opens up access to capital. Believe, for example, raised €300 million in IPOs for deals in developing countries and upgrades to its platform. For majors, the issue of raising capital is not so relevant, because they are already profitable and can use loans. For them, entering an IPO is an opportunity to increase or fix the return on investment for shareholders.
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In 2011, Access Industries, owned by billionaire Leonard Blavatnik, bought Warner Music for $3.3 billion. time. In 10 years, from 1999 to 2009, US recording industry revenues halved, from $14.6 billion to $6.3 billion. five times more than the purchase price. Amid the global pandemic, this was the largest IPO since the beginning of the year, and Warner Music has gone public for the second time. In the case of Universal Music, Vivendi’s shareholders have been asking management for several years to list the label as a standalone company, which has quadrupled in value in eight years.
The first companies to make money from recording music were record players: they hired writers and performers, fully bought the rights to the music and sold it on various media. For 100 years, bigger companies have been buying up competitors, and from a chaotic infrastructure by the millennium, we have only three major labels that control 70% of the world’s music catalog.
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The most profitable for the music industry was 1999, when CD sales peaked – the total income from recorded music reached $ 25 billion. The industry has not returned to this level until now. In June 1999, everything turned upside down: Napster appeared (peer-to-peer file sharing network) and in just a year and a half gained an audience of 80 million people who illegally downloaded music and exchanged files via torrents.
By the end of 2001 in the US, the majors had turned into national anti-heroes, as they began to subpoena ordinary Internet users and sue them for hundreds of thousands of dollars. More than 30,000 lawsuits have been filed against individuals for illegal file transfers, but this has not helped in the fight against piracy. The Majors couldn’t figure out how to sell music in the digital world on their own. There were attempts to make their own players for listening to legal content, but they all remained unclaimed corporate products.
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A new era in music consumption was launched by Steve Jobs with a new Apple product – the iPod. The corporation independently determined the price for downloading one track – 99 cents. In the next decade, Apple became a central figure in the music industry.
While the company enjoyed its role as the savior of the music industry, Daniel Ek, who worked for μTorrent for a year, began to develop a competitor by offering a fast and convenient service as an alternative to inconvenient file sharing services. Spotify first copied the content of any pirate site and gave access to the music catalog. Every year the company’s business model has changed: from unlimited free access to music listening to the freemium model, when you can listen to music for free, but with a lot of audio advertising. Spotify, like Apple, has not only found a way to monetize content that people have stopped paying for, but has also changed consumer habits.
Downloading music on a per-track basis has forced an industry that has long built its business model on selling albums to come up with new ways to make money from singles. Spotify has created an entire genre of music that is comfortable to listen to in the background and never ends thanks to algorithms and endless playlists. In the 20 years since the total collapse of all the usual ways of monetization, both music services have been able to put a price tag on music: first 99 cents for a single, then $9.99 a month for unlimited access to music from around the world.
In parallel, the majors lobbied for a more active fight against infringement of intellectual property rights, and in 1998 the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) was passed in the United States, a copyright law updated to reflect digital realities.
The law was supposed to restrict the illegal distribution of any content on the Internet. Attempts by major record companies to block Napster, pressure on legislation to tighten measures to ban the distribution of illegal content, and a gradual revaluation of the value of music as an asset has become more protected and, finally, ceased to be free. It remained to oblige all music services to work only under a license and set up a system that would automatically track violations of rights and block illegally used content. Musical assets have become strictly protected at all levels.
This could not fail to notice investment fund managers and music top managers.
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In 2018, Merck Mercuriadis, former manager of Guns N’ Roses and Morrissey, founded the Hipgnosis Songs Fund, a music catalog investment management company. Based on the belief that time-tested songs are like gold or oil, he bought a catalog of 302 songs that included great hits from pop stars Justin Bieber, Beyoncé and Rihanna. The massive transition to online due to the pandemic and the acute shortage of offline entertainment have led to the fact that in 2020 streaming revenues for all majors grew by 20-30%.
Against this backdrop, in the summer of 2020, at the height of the pandemic, Hipgnosis raised over £200m in additional investment. And two months later, he raised an additional £190m in just 72 hours. In three years, Hipgnosis has raised over £1bn to manage its music catalogues, a completely unexpected phenomenon.
In addition to Hipgnosis, more and more players are entering the music catalog investment market. Recent examples include private equity fund KKR and major publisher BMG, who have joined forces to invest more than $1 billion in music catalogs.
Universal spent $300 million on the Bob Dylan catalog, and the European Pythagoras Music Fund raised €100 million to “search for local Bob Dylans”. Increasing competition drives up asset prices, sometimes for no good reason.
In the listing documents, Universal Music disclosed that 75% of its revenue comes from the top five markets of the US, Japan, England, Germany and France, with the rest of the world generating 25% of its revenue. At the same time, the company names emerging markets as the main future driver of growth, where legal ways of listening to music and its monetization are just beginning to come.
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Since 2017, Spotify has doubled the number of subscribers in developed countries, to 200 million people, while in developing countries their number has almost tripled to 140 million. In Russia, this process started in 2013 with the adoption of the “anti-piracy” law . Major labels first put pressure on VKontakte users, who began to receive requests to remove music. Lawsuits followed against the social network itself. 92
044 Despite the fact that some of the claims were dismissed, the courts ordered VKontakte to introduce technology to remove pirated music. All this forced VKontakte to sit down at the negotiating table with the copyright holders and eventually legalize all the music. And now its monetization through advertising and paid subscription is being actively introduced.
The “Gold Rush”, which many experts call 2020, is a time to look for new sources of income in the music market, which is financially dependent on concerts. Performances by pop stars like Taylor Swift or Drake still make more money than streaming, but over the past 20 years, the industry has bounced back and regained control of music distribution and revenue. Monetizing anything that might be of interest and diversifying the business is the next big challenge.
how corporations monopolized the US music market – Media on vc.ru
According to Wired, the US music market is controlled by three labels, streaming services are taking away listeners, and music venues have suffered during the year of the pandemic. Only a new antimonopoly law can change the situation.
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Retelling of Wired material.
Vinyl records in a San Mateo store, USA Unsplash
United We Stand: how music labels merged into conglomerates
Until the 1950s, there were many small labels in the American industry that promoted artists. From the mid-1960s, some of them began to unite – to manage major musicians and their records.
As a result, at the turn of the 1990s and 2000s, five major labels dominated the market: Universal, Sony, Warner Music, BMG and EMI. Sony bought BMG in 2003, and nearly a decade later, Universal Music took over EMI. There are only three major labels left.
Sony Associated Press office
Listeners and small companies in the industry asked officials to block both deals, arguing that the combined giants would get too large an artist base and control over the distribution of physical copies of the albums. However, the antitrust regulator approved both mergers.
Today Universal Music is so big that its sub-labels – Capitol Records, Interscope, Def Jam, Republic – have their own subsidiaries.
Concentration is always dangerous, antimonopoly services are needed to combat it. When artists and their music are represented by only three companies, this is obviously a problem.
Martin Mills
In the early 2000s, the US Department of Justice suspected market leaders of abusing their dominant position.
Companies refused to license music catalogs to online services, instead launching their own streaming products such as Pressplay and MusicNet. The government ultimately took no action.
Leading labels still distribute over 80% of music on physical media, writes Wired. In 2018, independent record stores in the US reported “weird” shipments. Instead of a new release, trucks brought cough syrup to one point, only four records to another.
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A few months earlier, Warner Music had outsourced shipping and storage to Direct Shot Distributing, which worked with Universal and Sony. It is not clear why the major labels chose one fulfillment company whose mistake endangered the existence of hundreds of stores and distributors.
Vinyl Plant EMI VF
Major labels have significantly narrowed the definition of “popular music” and squeezed out independent artists, Wired believes. 90% of the songs that hit the Billboard charts over the past ten years were released by artists from major labels.
The industry has become less diverse and innovative: 740 fresh songs entered the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966, while by 2001 this number had dropped to 308. : overinvesting in the most profitable artists and albums. The success of the strategy was reinforced by other “whales” of the music industry: Spotify, Apple, YouTube and other platforms, says Wired.
OK Computer: the rise of online music and what it led to
From 1998 to 2013, industry revenue fell by more than half, from $14 billion to $6 billion, as CD sales declined due to the advent of online music.
Streaming has become the main means of mass distribution of music and the main source of income for the industry. Analysts believe this market will generate $75 billion a year by the end of the decade, more than three times what it was at the end of 90’s.
As streaming grew, so did the power of corporations to distribute music. Spotify and YouTube account for three-quarters of the world’s streams. And if you add products from Apple and Amazon to them, you get almost the entire market, Wired notes.
The level of control in these few large companies is very dangerous.
Louis Posen
Services have made major labels even richer. In 2019, the MBW Research Group estimated that each of the three major labels was making about $1 million per hour from streaming.
The top seven artists on Spotify make about $450,000 a year, while 99% of the rest of the artists earn an average of $26 a year.
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The publication calls payments to musicians microscopic. To earn $1,472 on YouTube, the minimum monthly salary in the US, an artist needs over 2 million streams. Spotify doesn’t offer much more than a third of a cent for one listening.
Streaming generates 80% of all industry revenues. Music services are in dire need of large companies, and they are increasingly relying on streaming, the newspaper writes.
This position allows Spotify to charge “huge” fees from labels big and small for the right to access audiences. In the pre-streaming world, the revenue from album sales was divided as follows: 70% went to the label, and 30% was spent on creating, distributing and selling records. Today, that 30% is taken over by Spotify.
Spotify Unsplash
In 2019, Spotify launched the Marquee service, where labels can pay for pop-up ads that encourage users to listen to a new record or artist.
Marquee Service by Spotify
In November 2020, the service announced the Discover program – with its help, labels and copyright holders can promote their tracks through “radio” in exchange for a low royalty rate. Music with the help of algorithms gets into the recommended collections.
Berklee College of Music professor George Howard believes that this mechanic is reminiscent of payola – payments to radio and TV channels to promote performers by creating artificial interest. It also breaks the myth of Spotify’s business model: that users hear music based on collected data about their preferences, writes Wired.
The more often copyright holders promote tracks on platforms, the worse it is for the listener. At the same time, streaming services want to save on royalty payments, says Kevin Erickson, head of industry nonprofit Future of Music Coalition. Erickson adds that the services are artificially lowering musicians’ payouts, and this is especially hurting obscure artists.
Spotify disagrees and argues that despite the promotional tools, the success of a song is determined by the listeners.
Artists are forced to forego their earnings to be featured on the Discover program in order to be featured in the listener’s selections.
This is a win-win situation for the service, in which even the most influential labels will feel pressure due to the market power of Spotify, writes Wired.
The publication notes that at least before the pandemic, most “middle class” bands could rely on concerts and tours to support their music and make money from it. However, the laws of the market intervene in this area as well.
Live From: What’s Happening at Concert Venues
About 90% of US concert venue owners surveyed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic said they would go bankrupt within six months without federal support. It is the second year, and the money has not been allocated, hundreds of independent establishments have closed, the newspaper notes.
In October 2020, Lollapalooza co-founder Mark Geiger announced that he was raising funds for the SaveLive project. This is a private fund to rescue independent establishments that are on the verge of closure.
According to Geiger’s plans, the clubs will become his property: in order to receive investments from SaveLive, the owners must transfer a controlling stake in the establishments to him. Wired notes that this can hardly be called charity.
The publication believes that the idea of the project is similar to Live Nation, a company that has taken over the live performance industry.
In the late 1990s, when it was still called SFX, the corporation spent $1 billion and became the largest owner of independent concert promoters and venue owners.
In 1999, Clear Channel Corporation bought it for $4.4 billion. Antitrust regulators did not stop the deal.
By 2005, Clear Channel had spun off its live music division into a new separate company, Live Nation. She became the largest artist manager and event organizer in the United States and the second largest concert hall owner.
Live Nation has since conglomerated Liberty Media:
- Ticketmaster ticket service.
- SiriusXM satellite radio monopoly.
- And market leader Pandora online radio.
Office Liberty Media Glassdoor
In 2020, Liberty Media received permission to take control of iHeartMedia, the largest owner of radio stations in the US. The antimonopoly authorities approved all transactions.
Market participants fear that the conglomerate will only provide services to friendly artists, labels and venues.
The combined company may use 850 radio stations, a satellite broadcaster and an online radio station to promote Live Nation artists, tours and festivals served exclusively by their own Ticketmaster service.
Independent artists and small businesses in every segment of the industry will be left out, writes Wired.
In late 2019, the US Department of Justice discovered that Live Nation had abused its position for several years and banned artists from venues that refused to use Ticketmaster. The ministry could have sued for violating the antitrust law, but didn’t.
In February 2021, Live Nation announced that it had $2.5 billion in cash reserves, and in April 2020 it received $500 million from Saudi investors, a luxury Wired estimates is not available to independent venues and promoters.
Rage Against the Machine: How the US Government Can Affect the Balance of Power
Endless mergers in the music industry have led to the concentration of power in a few companies and the violation of antitrust laws. After years of inaction, the U.S. Antitrust Service appears poised to end mergers and disperse power, Wired said.
In late 2020, the US Federal Trade Commission sued Facebook for acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp due to crackdown on competition between apps. The case was the first major monopoly case in years and demonstrated the government’s willingness to prevent harmful mergers.
Senator Amy Klobuchar drafted and submitted a new antitrust law to the Senate for consideration. According to it, the authorities will oblige companies to prove the benefits of mergers. If the government decides that the deal promotes competition, it will approve it.
Amy Klobuchar
The law will also apply to companies that control the recording of compositions. The House of Representatives is also working on ways to limit the power of large IT companies.
Stronger antitrust enforcement is important to the music business as companies quickly merge in this market, writes Wired.
In February 2021, Sony spent $430 million to acquire AWAL, a major independent digital music distributor. Liberty Media has created a targeted mergers and acquisitions company (SPAC) – a “dummy” to which any media project can be attached for subsequent listing.
An expanded monopoly law could prevent a conglomerate like Liberty Media from using radio and streaming to increase the number of tours and artists under Live Nation’s control. Now any company that owns more than 30% of the market will be controlled by anti-monopolists.
Wired believes the new legislation will help independent artists, venues and labels earn more. After all, the authorities will influence intermediaries who reduce the income of performers and take money for reaching an audience, distributing music and accessing concert halls.
Today there are more artists in the world than ever, and the distribution of creativity has become easier, since there is no need to produce and ship physical copies of albums. The only problem is monopolization, writes Wired.
transactions – Newspaper Kommersant No. 57 (3388) of 04/03/2006
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Bertelsmann sells its stake in Sony BMG
Last Monday, The Financial Times, citing sources close to the company, reported that the German media group Bertelsmann plans to sell its stake in the record company Sony BMG, as well as subsidiary music publisher BMG Music Publishing. Sony BMG is a 50/50 JV between Bertelsmann and Japan’s Sony Corp. and is the world’s second-largest record label after Universal Music. BMG Music Publishing is the third largest music publishing house in the world. According to experts, their total cost is $ 3.5-4 billion. According to The Financial Times, plans for the sale are still under development, but Bertelsmann has already turned to investment banks with a request to begin preparations for the upcoming deal.
GM in talks to sell stake in Isuzu
Last Thursday, the world’s largest automaker, General Motors (GM), said it was in talks to sell its stake in Japanese truck maker Isuzu Motors. GM owns 7.9% of Isuzu, the market value of the stake is Ґ38 billion ($320 million). With a proposal to buy back shares of Isuzu GM turned to three Japanese companies – the diversified concern Mitsubishi Corp. (already owns 0.2% in Isuzu), trading company Itochu Corp. (0.7%) and Mizuho Corporate Bank (2.8%). No decisions have been made yet.
At one time, GM acquired stakes in small Japanese automakers to strengthen its position in the Japanese market. Meanwhile, in the native American market, the company began to lose ground under the onslaught of Asian manufacturers. In 2005, the company’s losses amounted to $10.6 billion, and it is in the process of restructuring. The decision to sell the stake in Isuzu was part of GM’s broader asset review program. In October 2005, GM sold a 20% stake in Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd (Subaru car manufacturer) for $740 million, and in March of this year, for $2 billion, 17% of 20% of Suzuki Motor.
jurisprudence
Enron defense stripped of four counts
Enron’s Judge Sim Lake dropped four counts of charges against former top executives last Tuesday, and the prosecution ended its case. Jeffrey Skilling was cleared of two charges of securities fraud by defrauding analysts and filing false reports with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and one of providing false information to auditors. Kenneth Lay is cleared of securities fraud charges by defrauding analysts. However, the number of remaining counts remains impressive, with Geoffrey Skilling now charged with 28 counts of defrauding investors, fraud and conspiracy, and Kenneth Lay with six counts of fraud and conspiracy. If the former defendants are found guilty on these counts, they could face decades in prison.
“Patent trolls” got to eBay
Last Wednesday, the US Supreme Court began hearings on the lawsuit filed by MercExchange against the world’s largest online auction eBay. MercExchange accuses eBay of illegally using its patent. The fact is that MercExchange owns a patent for one of the online shopping technologies called Buy it Now. In 2003, a court in the Eastern District of Virginia had already ordered eBay to pay MercExchange $35 million, but failed to meet MercExchange’s demand that eBay be banned from using the technology. The US Court of Appeals later overturned that decision, banning eBay from using its Buy it Now technology. Now eBay is trying to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeals to the highest court in the United States. The eBay case has once again raised the extremely acute problem of the so-called patent trolls, or patent hunters. This is the name given to companies that register patents for acquired or proprietary technologies, but do not use them in business, but only try to get money through the courts from those who, formally violating patent law, use technologies to conduct business. Large companies believe that the activities of “patent trolls” only harm the economy, and call for changes in patent laws or taking action against such companies.
rules of the game
The EU continues its fight against Microsoft
Last week, EU Commissioner for Antitrust Policy Nelly Kroes said that on March 20 she sent a letter to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer regarding the Windows Vista operating system. Ms. Cruz warned Mr. Ballmer that she could ban the sale of this product in Europe if it did not comply with European antitrust rules. Windows Vista is expected to be the first major update to Microsoft’s product line since Windows XP was released in 2001. Nelly Kroes is concerned that Vista could be equipped with options that would give Microsoft an edge over other software players. So, according to Google and other companies that provide Internet search services, Microsoft can use the Internet Explorer 7 browser to direct the user to its own search engine. For its part, anti-virus software maker Symantec has informed EU regulators that Microsoft may include an anti-virus in Vista, making it unprofitable to purchase Symantec products. Recall that in March 2004, the European Commission fined Microsoft almost $600 million for violating antitrust rules. On Thursday and Friday, closed-door hearings were held in Brussels on whether Microsoft managed to comply with the requirements then presented. If the commission’s decision (which is expected within the next few weeks) is negative, the company faces a fine of $2 million for each day of delay.
Japan’s steelmakers set up a perimeter defense
Japan’s third-largest steelmaker, Nippon Steel, said last Wednesday that amid growing industry consolidation, it has put in place a plan to protect against hostile takeovers. Now, if any company in the future expresses its intention to increase its stake in Nippon Steel to 15% or more, the company’s management will raise the issue of an additional issue with shareholders in order to dilute the buyer’s stake. In addition, the plan allows for the maximum delay in the transfer of an undesirable proposal to shareholders: depending on the application, the board of directors of Nippon Steel can reflect on it from 12 to 30 weeks, while the usual period is no more than 12 weeks. Finally, if the board of directors finds the proposal “harmful”, it can take defensive action without the consent of the shareholders. For example, Nippon’s rules allow it to increase its outstanding shares by another 45%.
On the same day, a joint announcement was made by Nippon Steel and two other Japanese steel companies, Sumitomo Metal Industries and Kobe Steel.