Building an infrastructure

The makers of off highway equipment are still in an upturn, though sales have slowed in the U.S. This industry has been hiring extensively. For example, Liebherr has invested more than $25 million at its Newport News, Va., since 2005. It has added more than 3,000 jobs last year.

But some companies at the huge ConExpo conference in Las Vegas are seeing slower growth in North America, creating some uncertainty about forthcoming investments. Most manufacturers still expect to see steady growth in the BRIC countries, Brazil, Russia, India and China. Growth in these countries has plenty of impact on U.S. manufacturing. But for those who make construction equipment, opportunities in these emerging countries is helping create demand that's sometimes difficult to fill.