One of the things I’m interested in when I read about top industry people or companies, is how they respond once they’ve achieved a certain level of success. There’s an old adage about how your character is not defined by how you treat people when you’re at the bottom, but rather, how you treat people when you’re at the top. It seems to me, the best people and companies are equally, if not more, respectful and generous once they’ve reached lofty levels of success.
A recent example of this concept crossed my desk recently, and I had to share. Greg Sharp is the president of Corner Solutions Inc., a company specializing in custom metal corners and column wraps. The company is based out of Auburn, Washington, but five years ago on a road trip with a brief stop in his family’s ancestral roots in southern Iowa, Sharp was struck by the special connection he felt to this small town.
After years of planning and purchasing real estate in Tingley, Iowa, boasting a population of 172, Sharp is roughly 120 days away from the grand opening of his new manufacturing facility in the town.
Sharp bought his old family farm and has a residence there, but also the lot where the new plant will be located, as well as adjoining property to clear out some very old dilapidated houses and turn the several block area into something that would attract tourists to the area. He also purchased additional property in the town to restore an orchard and an old schoolhouse, all in an effort to help revive this dying town.
The only other business of note in the town is a small café, and Sharp said he will tell his employees that on any day they are working in his facility, they can eat lunch at the café on his dime so that the town will see the increased cash flow.
This is an amazing story, one that Metal Construction News will follow as it develops, bringing our readers the in-depth reporting that stories like this demand.
Speaking of grand openings, our Special Report on page 22 features the new insulated metal panel manufacturing facility that NCI Group opened in Jackson, Miss., creating new jobs and providing much-needed stimulation to the local economy.
Follow us on Twitter @MetalConstruct
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Innovative Outlook for Composite Materials
Materials are very important in metal construction, obviously. Steel is the most ubiquitous metal, found in virtually every aspect of the metal building envelope. But composite materials are found more and more, especially in wall panels, and this is an area that looks ripe for additional innovation.
Composite materials are just that, a composite of more than one type of material. Today composite wall panels are often found utilizing aluminum, steel and zinc. Titanium is also being used for these applications, and I expect to see some new metals finding their way into this category.
For me, one of the more interesting aspects of these composite material panels is the ability to combine these metals with other non-metal materials to create panels that have additional functionality. For example, sandwiching a mineral-based core material between two sheets of composite metal can create a fire-resistant panel. Of course, using different core materials like plastics and foams can result in an insulated metal panel.
I'm very interested to see how the metal panel market makes use of composite material panels in the future. Is it possible that a composite material panel becomes more "green" than its steel or aluminum counterpart? What other types of materials will find their way into a composite material panel, and how big will the role of actual metal be in these panels in the future?
Want to comment, e-mail boneill@moderntrade.com
Follow us on Twitter @ MetalConstruct
Composite materials are just that, a composite of more than one type of material. Today composite wall panels are often found utilizing aluminum, steel and zinc. Titanium is also being used for these applications, and I expect to see some new metals finding their way into this category.
For me, one of the more interesting aspects of these composite material panels is the ability to combine these metals with other non-metal materials to create panels that have additional functionality. For example, sandwiching a mineral-based core material between two sheets of composite metal can create a fire-resistant panel. Of course, using different core materials like plastics and foams can result in an insulated metal panel.
I'm very interested to see how the metal panel market makes use of composite material panels in the future. Is it possible that a composite material panel becomes more "green" than its steel or aluminum counterpart? What other types of materials will find their way into a composite material panel, and how big will the role of actual metal be in these panels in the future?
Want to comment, e-mail boneill@moderntrade.com
Follow us on Twitter @ MetalConstruct
Friday, April 30, 2010
Future Looks Bright for Metal Building Systems
Metal buildings; pre-engineered buildings; metal building systems. Whatever you call them, they’ve been popping up all over North America in recent years with new, innovative designs and are becoming more and more affordable. Encompassing all aspects of the building envelope from the roof to the walls and framing, metal building systems appear poised to make a leap in market share once the economy and construction market truly recover.
Often when I’m paging through various publications and websites looking for interesting metal components or metal buildings, I find myself having to do a double-take, as many of today’s metal buildings aren’t easily identifiable upon first glance, thanks to the innovative coatings, paints and exterior insulating finishing systems (EIFS). Metal building systems have come a long way, and I think with some strategic education and marketing efforts directed at builders and end users, the growth of this market could outpace other segments in the immediate future.
The May issue of Metal Construction News is packed with great metal building information, starting with our cover story.
Top 100 Metal Builders
This is the 20th year we’ve provided rankings of the Top 100 Metal Builders based on tonnage and square footage, and on page 16 you can find out where your favorite builder ranks. Leading the way in tonnage for 2009 was Keller, Inc., based in Kaukana, Wisc., with more than 7,000 tons, and square footage leader was Ocala, Fla.-based Florida Metal Building Services with more than 2,600,000 square feet of metal buildings.
Profile on BlueScope Buildings
In our Profile story on page 38, we spotlight BlueScope Buildings North America, a leading metal building manufacturer that is utilizing this down economy to improve its efficiency and fully-integrate its multiple brands. The company’s strategic moves have put it in great position to grab market share once the economic pendulum swings back in a positive direction.
Follow us on Twitter @MetalConstruct
Send comments to: boneill@moderntrade.com
Often when I’m paging through various publications and websites looking for interesting metal components or metal buildings, I find myself having to do a double-take, as many of today’s metal buildings aren’t easily identifiable upon first glance, thanks to the innovative coatings, paints and exterior insulating finishing systems (EIFS). Metal building systems have come a long way, and I think with some strategic education and marketing efforts directed at builders and end users, the growth of this market could outpace other segments in the immediate future.
The May issue of Metal Construction News is packed with great metal building information, starting with our cover story.
Top 100 Metal Builders
This is the 20th year we’ve provided rankings of the Top 100 Metal Builders based on tonnage and square footage, and on page 16 you can find out where your favorite builder ranks. Leading the way in tonnage for 2009 was Keller, Inc., based in Kaukana, Wisc., with more than 7,000 tons, and square footage leader was Ocala, Fla.-based Florida Metal Building Services with more than 2,600,000 square feet of metal buildings.
Profile on BlueScope Buildings
In our Profile story on page 38, we spotlight BlueScope Buildings North America, a leading metal building manufacturer that is utilizing this down economy to improve its efficiency and fully-integrate its multiple brands. The company’s strategic moves have put it in great position to grab market share once the economic pendulum swings back in a positive direction.
Follow us on Twitter @MetalConstruct
Send comments to: boneill@moderntrade.com
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Growing Green Theme
This week, St. Patrick's Day comes along -- as a guy with the last name O'Neill, I do enjoy this holiday -- but the "wearing of the green" takes on a whole different meaning for me these days. I cannot even hear the word 'green' without immediately thinking of sustainability and eco-friendly products. And in this industry, that means metal buildings, metal roofing, metal wall systems and all the associated metal accessories.
While the people within our industry have intimate knowledge of just how 'green' metal building materials are and can be, one of the most important efforts happening throughout the metal construction industry --from coast to coast -- is the education of builders, contractors, specifiers and owner/developers about the true green benefits of metal buildings. As an industry we need to spread the word and reinforce the sustainable benefits of metal buildings, not just the recyclability of the materials (which should not be underestimated) but also the energy savings that can be achieved by using metal building materials when properly installed and insulated.
To that end, more and more companies across many industries now have employees with titles like Chief Sustainability Officer, Sustainability Manager, Director of Sustainability, Environmental Policy Manager, or Director of Environment, Energy & Safety, to name a few.
Are these simply added functions and responsibilities that have already been assumed by an individual or individuals at your company (minus the trendy title), or is there a need for such a position in your operation?
We'd like to know exactly how metal building manufacturers, suppliers and contractors are reacting to this evolving business climate, so please e-mail me with your comments, thoughts and opinions: boneill@moderntrade.com.
While the people within our industry have intimate knowledge of just how 'green' metal building materials are and can be, one of the most important efforts happening throughout the metal construction industry --from coast to coast -- is the education of builders, contractors, specifiers and owner/developers about the true green benefits of metal buildings. As an industry we need to spread the word and reinforce the sustainable benefits of metal buildings, not just the recyclability of the materials (which should not be underestimated) but also the energy savings that can be achieved by using metal building materials when properly installed and insulated.
To that end, more and more companies across many industries now have employees with titles like Chief Sustainability Officer, Sustainability Manager, Director of Sustainability, Environmental Policy Manager, or Director of Environment, Energy & Safety, to name a few.
Are these simply added functions and responsibilities that have already been assumed by an individual or individuals at your company (minus the trendy title), or is there a need for such a position in your operation?
We'd like to know exactly how metal building manufacturers, suppliers and contractors are reacting to this evolving business climate, so please e-mail me with your comments, thoughts and opinions: boneill@moderntrade.com.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Good Signs for the Industry
Last week's International Roofing Expo in New Orleans was the first big-time metal construction trade show since last fall's Metalcon. Like many, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, as the down economy of 2009 has extended into 2010, although by some reports in our industry we are already starting to see signs of recovery.
That said, the 2010 budgets for trade show exhibition, travel and attendance were no doubt determined using 2009's revenue numbers, which would point to a down year for nearly all industry events.
As a result, I was pleasantly surprised as I walked onto the tradeshow floor at IRE and saw aisles filled not only with quality metal roofing companies, but with attendees talking business and looking to make or maintain relationships.
I can say with complete confidence that, other than Greenbuild, which is benefitting from the popularity of the green building trend/movement, the 2010 International Roofing Expo was the best trade show I've attended in the last two years. There was a buzz about the event; attendees were packing the aisles; and virtually every exhibitor I spoke with said they not only had great foot traffic, but were receiving a large number of high-quality leads.
In addition, the conference program offered strong educational opportunities and, maybe even more important, they all appeared to be well attended. Even the last session on the final day of the show -- a presentation by Rob Haddock on PV systems and standing seam metal roofs -- had roughly 40-50 people in the audience, which is a very strong number.
From start to finish, this year's IRE show was a wonderful event, and it might prove to be just the kick-start to 2010 that our industry needed.
Find videos from the IRE show floor and also a peak at Rob Haddock's conference session on PV and standing seam metal roofs on our video page: http://www.moderntrade.com/Default.aspx?PublicationID=2&Video=Yes
Follow us on Twitter @MetalConstruct
To comment, email boneill@moderntrade.com.
That said, the 2010 budgets for trade show exhibition, travel and attendance were no doubt determined using 2009's revenue numbers, which would point to a down year for nearly all industry events.
As a result, I was pleasantly surprised as I walked onto the tradeshow floor at IRE and saw aisles filled not only with quality metal roofing companies, but with attendees talking business and looking to make or maintain relationships.
I can say with complete confidence that, other than Greenbuild, which is benefitting from the popularity of the green building trend/movement, the 2010 International Roofing Expo was the best trade show I've attended in the last two years. There was a buzz about the event; attendees were packing the aisles; and virtually every exhibitor I spoke with said they not only had great foot traffic, but were receiving a large number of high-quality leads.
In addition, the conference program offered strong educational opportunities and, maybe even more important, they all appeared to be well attended. Even the last session on the final day of the show -- a presentation by Rob Haddock on PV systems and standing seam metal roofs -- had roughly 40-50 people in the audience, which is a very strong number.
From start to finish, this year's IRE show was a wonderful event, and it might prove to be just the kick-start to 2010 that our industry needed.
Find videos from the IRE show floor and also a peak at Rob Haddock's conference session on PV and standing seam metal roofs on our video page: http://www.moderntrade.com/Default.aspx?PublicationID=2&Video=Yes
Follow us on Twitter @MetalConstruct
To comment, email boneill@moderntrade.com.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Live from MCA Meeting
Last week I was lucky enough to escape the Chicago winter for balmy Naples, Florida, and the Metal Construction Association's 2010 Annual Meeting. It was my first MCA meeting, but I was nonetheless impressed by the turnout of industry "heavy-hitters" in the wake of a difficult 2009.
The attendees came together to work in specific committees tackling topics like wall panels, roofing, sustainability, and of course, METALCON. Each meeting included spirited and insightful discussion, as the MCA members worked together toward the betterment of the metal construction indsurty as a whole.
But the one group that stood out for me was the Market Development meeting, where Randy Giggard from FMI, a management consulting and investment banking firm, discussed the Consolidated Construction Industry Statistical Program -- a research project from the MCA-FMI partnership.
While the results presented were preliminary and the project is not yet completed, the statistical information regarding the metal construction industry was extremely interesting. Of course, this information is "classified" until the MCA releases it to the public, but let's just say that while business was down last year, the numbers reflect a healthy industry that has weathered the storm much better than some of the reports of doom and gloom.
I hope to share these statistics with the readers of Metal Construction News in an upcoming issue very soon, so keep reading the magazine and website to stay up to date.
To comment, e-mail me at boneill@moderntrade.com.
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MetalConstruct
The attendees came together to work in specific committees tackling topics like wall panels, roofing, sustainability, and of course, METALCON. Each meeting included spirited and insightful discussion, as the MCA members worked together toward the betterment of the metal construction indsurty as a whole.
But the one group that stood out for me was the Market Development meeting, where Randy Giggard from FMI, a management consulting and investment banking firm, discussed the Consolidated Construction Industry Statistical Program -- a research project from the MCA-FMI partnership.
While the results presented were preliminary and the project is not yet completed, the statistical information regarding the metal construction industry was extremely interesting. Of course, this information is "classified" until the MCA releases it to the public, but let's just say that while business was down last year, the numbers reflect a healthy industry that has weathered the storm much better than some of the reports of doom and gloom.
I hope to share these statistics with the readers of Metal Construction News in an upcoming issue very soon, so keep reading the magazine and website to stay up to date.
To comment, e-mail me at boneill@moderntrade.com.
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MetalConstruct
Friday, January 15, 2010
Trade Shows to Rebound or Regress?
Trade Shows to Rebound or Regress?
I have a love-hate relationship with trade shows. I love them because I enjoy seeing the industry physically come together and do business, develop relationships, and just “talk shop.” As a writer/editor, I love having access to many of the industry movers and shakers, the decision-makers who really drive the industry. I love the energy I feel as walk into a crowded, bustling trade show floor.
I hate the way my feet feel after a day of walking those carpet-over-concrete aisles. I hate having to scramble to create an e-show daily to be e-mailed to our readers, often the same day that trade show news breaks. I hate bad room-service at the hotel. I hate seeing empty conference rooms or lonely exhibitors sitting in their booths. I hate to see a trade show in decline.
This leads me to 2010. I’m very curious what 2010 will bring for trade shows and industry events of all kinds. Going into 2009, I knew it would be very challenging for any industry event -- people just weren’t going to trade shows, and the economy was a big factor. But, now that we’ve had a year to adapt to this down economy, will attendees and exhibitors return to trade shows? Some say the economy is on the rise -- slowly. Some say we’ve hit rock bottom…and we’re still there.
Regardless of the details, we should be more prepared today to deal with this economy than 12 months ago. Will that result in increased attendance at industry events, or will the numbers plateau, or even decrease? Time will tell, but that’s a potential trend I’m watching very closely.
I have a love-hate relationship with trade shows. I love them because I enjoy seeing the industry physically come together and do business, develop relationships, and just “talk shop.” As a writer/editor, I love having access to many of the industry movers and shakers, the decision-makers who really drive the industry. I love the energy I feel as walk into a crowded, bustling trade show floor.
I hate the way my feet feel after a day of walking those carpet-over-concrete aisles. I hate having to scramble to create an e-show daily to be e-mailed to our readers, often the same day that trade show news breaks. I hate bad room-service at the hotel. I hate seeing empty conference rooms or lonely exhibitors sitting in their booths. I hate to see a trade show in decline.
This leads me to 2010. I’m very curious what 2010 will bring for trade shows and industry events of all kinds. Going into 2009, I knew it would be very challenging for any industry event -- people just weren’t going to trade shows, and the economy was a big factor. But, now that we’ve had a year to adapt to this down economy, will attendees and exhibitors return to trade shows? Some say the economy is on the rise -- slowly. Some say we’ve hit rock bottom…and we’re still there.
Regardless of the details, we should be more prepared today to deal with this economy than 12 months ago. Will that result in increased attendance at industry events, or will the numbers plateau, or even decrease? Time will tell, but that’s a potential trend I’m watching very closely.
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