METALCON 2013: Helps You Build It Right, Earn Money And Enjoy The Process

By Marge O'Connor, DesignandBuildwithMetal

METALCON is set for October 1-3, 2013 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. It will be the fifth time Atlanta has been the show's host city.
Exhibitors will be hoping for the types of crowds seen in past years as they share new product, tools, machines and much more.

Like many successful trade shows – METALCON International offers the best in new products and industry expertise – all available in one place for a limited time. What makes METALCON different is its approach to making it an enjoyable, valuable learning experience.

METALCON enhances the process with an upbeat attitude that goes well beyond a few show days. As a key industry event since it started in 1991, METALCON has consistently promoted the use of metal in construction and brought long-lasting benefits to those who attend and those who exhibit. Both groups still rate face-to-face meetings as the best way to do business and this year’s event has new features and ideas for achieving their mutual business goals.

“METALCON is like a big reunion every year. For visitors, it’s great to meet the people who make the products they use. For manufacturers it’s a perfect opportunity to hear from customers and end users. This interaction makes for better products and building techniques. Plus, it’s a perfect way to build trust and to grow the industry. Each year we enjoy creating something new that helps everyone connect better and lets them have fun doing it. This year we added Metal in Action, created our own ME figure, enhanced our electronic communication, and brought in new education courses and presenters. Let’s face it we all want to enjoy what we do. That carries through from our staff to the event itself,” says Claire Kilcoyne, METALCON Show Director.

	METALCON Offers attendees plenty of opportunities for education - everything from seminars to presentations to demonstrations and more. To see all that is available at METALCON from an educational perspective, click here.
	New for 2013, Solar Bay presentations will be held in the newly created Metal In Action Arena. Demonstrations will also be conducted in this area of the show floor.   Metal in Action Arena Schedule Tuesday. October 1 12:30 - 1:45 Commercial Roofing - MCA 2:15 - 3:15 Solar Bay - Bryan Lynch, President, Isofoton USA 3:45 - 5:00 Residential Roofing - MCA Wednesday, October 2 12:30 - 1:45 Residential Roofing - MCA 2:15 - 3:15 Solar Bay - Rob Haddock, President, Metal Roof Advisory Group 3:45 - 5:00 Commercial Roofing - MCA Thursday, October 3 10:00 - 11:00 Residential Roofing - MCA 11:15 - 12:15 Solar Bay - Jerry Henniger & Dave Rowe, Englert Total Solar Solutions 12:30 - 1:30 Commercial Roofing - MCA

This year’s METALCON takes place Tuesday through Thursday, October 1-3, 2013 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. This is the fifth time in METALCON’s history that it has been in Atlanta, which is considered the hub of activity for Southeast construction.

This one-of-a-kind event draws designers, builders, developers, contractors, fabricators, and suppliers from 52 countries. Experts from more than 250 exhibiting companies, including 41 new companies, will give attendees insight into new products, technologies, and efficient ways to grow their businesses.  Attendees can capture all kinds of ideas about metal roofing, field techniques, trends and profitability as they roam the 200,00 square feet of product exhibits and attend the comprehensive multi-tiered education conference.

METALCON’s lively atmosphere starts in the registration area where a colorful video board runs the day’s schedule and previews of exhibitors’ products. The action continues into the exhibit hall with state-of-the-art, active booths, filled with people and lots of business discussions.

To make the best use of their time, attendess can download a FREE mobile METALCON app from their ANDROID or APPLE store. This allows them to chart their course ahead of time by marking which exhibitors to visit and what education courses to attend, then loading that plan into a mobile device for use during the show. But help from real live people is always available -- in an information booth on the conference level and at the Team METALCON booth #1937.

The newest highlight at METALCON is Metal in Action, an arena inside the exhibit hall that consolidates the hands-on parts of METALCON where industry specialists present the latest applications and field techniques in live demonstrations. Metal in Action combines the best of Solar Bay Live, the Metal Construction Association’s Residential and Commercial Roofing Demos, and Tool Day. With generous seating, it serves as a touchdown for attendees to learn in a comfortable setting.

“Metal in Action is another method of creating a more relaxed, interactive way to observe and learn. Participants will see the latest applications, have time to ask questions of the experts and mingle with peers. Putting these demos in one spot gives a broader picture of the industry and encourages visitors who came for the residential or commercial demos to stay for Solar Bay, and vice versa,” notes Kilcoyne.

Claire Kilcoyne and her team at PSMJ Resources have successfully managed METALCON since its inception in 1991.

The Solar Bay Live portion offers a special presentation each day that focuses on details of specific techniques used to install solar and metal combinations. The sessions also provide a basic understanding of technologies such as cool roofing, above sheathing ventilation and photovoltaic systems. It is an extension of Solar Bay, an area of the exhibit hall that features products and education about the growing use of the perfect combination of metal roofing with solar applications.

	Always looking to keep the show fresh, fun and engaging, PSMJ introduced a new show mascot, ME, which has been used in promoting the show in trade publications and on social media sites.

The popular MCA demos provide insight on roofing and tool technologies, with discussions and demonstrations of the latest techniques and trends. Attendees can ask questions, have one-on-one discussions with experts and work with tools.

The residential demos focus on proper detailing of metal roof installations, including techniques used with natural metals (copper and zinc) as well as pre-painted aluminum and steel in both standing seam and metal shingle applications. Commercial demos focus on retrofit techniques, including how existing flat roofs can be converted into sloped metal roof systems and how existing aged metal roof systems can be retrofitted with a new metal roof without removing the existing roof.

The tools feature of Metal in Action expands from a single day to a three-day bonus where participants can test the latest tools every show day during exhibit hours. Tools available in the tool demo area are also incorporated into the general demos so attendees can see the tools in action on roof and wall installations and then personally try them in the tool demo area. This year’s tools include drills, power tools, portable hand and electric seamers, and portable sheers.

The 2013 conference program retains its successful 3-hour format tailored to specific disciplines, which creates more opportunities to delve into important techniques and issues. For each full session, attendees can earn 3 hours of AIA Learning Units, 3 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) and Health Safety and Welfare (HSWs). Programs are designed to meet the needs of residential roofing contractors; commercial roofing contractors; cold-formed steel design professionals; architects and engineers; building owners, developers, facility managers; and metal product manufacturers.

Topics run the gamut from the basics of metal roofing to improving field techniques, gaining more business and making more profit.

A timely new topic is Resilient Buildings: Helping to Prevent Damage from Natural Disasters, presented by Robert Neper, AIA, LEED AP, Senior Associate, Perkins+Will. From each natural disaster we learn new ways to build back better and to make structures more resilient to nature’s fury. In this session Neper talks about how these discoveries affect design and construction needs now and in the future, what that may mean for capturing future business, and why creating more resilient structures is part of the new normal in green building. It runs Wednesday, October 2.

Rebuilding and re-purposing are also highlighted in Retrofit Roofing from A to Z targeted to design and construction professionals involved in re-purposing existing buildings and building owners/managers wanting to reduce operating costs. This program offers a wealth of information about retrofitting existing buildings with metal roofs – from design, application, product selection, green benefits, and funding. Also featured are green design and construction benefits such as integrating renewable solar hot air/water and power generation into the retrofit project. This session is also held on Wednesday, October 2.

Productivity and profitability are covered in a new technology program called Rollforming Software to Substantially Increase Productivity in Trim Shops that is also held on Wednesday, October 2. This new course shows metal component manufacturers and roofers with metal shops how to improve automation, decrease errors/defects, reduce cost, increase profits, and speed delivery. Plus it shows how to benefit from the latest server-oriented architecture – Georgia Tech’s GTMI Innovation Solutions Summary for solving today’s challenges.

The ever-popular basics remain part of the 2013 conference line up. Understanding Metal Roofing, with Rob Haddock, often billed as "Metal Roofing 101," has consistently been the top drawing session since it began at the first METALCON in 1991. In it Haddock presents very technical information in a common sense fashion that makes the art and science of metal roofing clear, concise and understandable.  This is a fantastic overview of metal roofing for beginning and experienced professionals; it runs on Tuesday, October 1.

STUD University, led by Danny Feazell (kneeling with on the left in the picture above), will be back in 2013, providing attendees with an opportunity to learn all about cold-formed steel framing. The program begins on September 30 and concludes October 2.

Another popular, action-filled program is STUD University led by Danny Feazell can learn more about cold formed steel framing in STUD U, which focuses on the growing steel framing market and how to be part of it. This three-day program offers an easy-to-understand, yet comprehensive explanation of framing with cold-formed steel in classroom and hands-on sessions in the exhibit hall. It begins on Monday, September 30 and runs through Weds, October 2.

Complementing these traditional programs are sessions focused on how to use technology to run your business more efficiently. The latest is Your Digital Tool Box, in which Dan Dawes and David Barista simplify the options in electronic tools and how to apply them to your best advantage. They cover which are the best apps and how to use them in a variety of ways such as coordinating construction projects, managing business operations, and creating successful marketing programs.

But it’s not all high tech. There’s a lot about people in a must-attend program called Say Hello to Humor and Goodbye to Burnout! with Jody Urquart. This entertaining, interactive session shows you how to handle the most challenging people and how humor can help you stay in control and positive in any business setting.

A complete list of programs is available at metalcon.com. For all courses, online registration ends Sept 17. After that date all registration will be onsite.

METALCON is produced by Newton, MA-based PSMJ Resources, Inc. and sponsored by Chicago-based Metal Construction Association, an organization of leading manufacturers and suppliers whose metal products are used in structures throughout the world.  PSMJ is the world’s leading authority on the effective management of architecture, engineering and construction firms. For more information about exhibits or conference programs, contact show management, PSMJ Resources, Inc., at 800-537-7765 or 617-965-0055.