Industry News

Pittsburgh, PA – PPG (NYSE:PPG) has announced the launch of PPG AQUACRON® Waterborne Shop Primers (WSP) for structural steel. This breakthrough technology is suitable for all climates and combines rapid curing with a smooth finish and low volatile organic compounds* (VOCs), delivering a balance of properties unmatched in existing waterborne primers.

Kennesaw, GA – Direct Metals®, an international steel service center with headquarters in Kennesaw, Georgia, and a warehouse in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, has put into service a new state-of-the-art shear.

Bowling Green, KY – Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings, one of the world's leading manufacturers of coil and extrusion metal coatings, has announced the completion of a major expansion at its coil coatings manufacturing plant in Bowling Green, KY, to align production of its popular products with an expected trajectory of positive growth in the metal roofing and construction markets.

Dubuque, IA – Klauer Manufacturing Company, a leading manufacturer of steel siding, soffit, fascia, rain ware, and roofing accessories for residential and commercial applications, is pleased to announce the addition of Katherine Dean as Territory Manager, supporting customers across Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Western Pennsylvania.

Wausau, WI – Apogee Architectural Metals has published a new white paper that addressing facility-focused design aspirations and evidence-based performance requirements to serve immediate and emerging patient needs. Titled “Health Care in Focus”, the 36-page publication details safety, wellness and resilience benefits and specification considerations for windows, entrances, curtain wall, storefront and other aluminum-framed fenestration systems. It is available for download at https://apogeearchmetals.com.

Cleveland, OH – The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) is pleased to announce the winners of the fifth annual MBMA Student Design Competition. On March 3, 2026, the association granted $32,000 in awards to 10 winners and their faculty advisors in both Undergraduate and Graduate Divisions in an online ceremony. A record number of submissions were received this year with 28 undergraduate entries and 52 graduate entries. That’s almost double the number of graduate submissions compared with last year.

Portland, OR – Driven by a strong and growing residential metal roofing market, the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), the leading nonprofit trade organization representing the industry in the U.S. and Canada, has grown its ranks for 2026, adding to both its manufacturer and contractor memberships.

Arlington, VA – Construction employment declined by 11,000 jobs in February, with decreases in both residential and nonresidential segments, according to an analysis of new government data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. The decline follows stronger hiring in January than previously reported and suggests contractors are becoming more cautious about adding workers amid uncertainty about materials prices and demand for projects.

DeLand, FL – Kingspan Insulated Panels North America has announced a partnership with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR), a renowned team with a rich legacy in motorsports. Together, the duo will enter veteran driver Conor Daly in the No. 23 DRR Chevrolet Dallara Firestone car in the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 24, at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).

Schaumburg, IL – The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) has formalized its 2027 conference events schedule, which includes a return to an exclusively in-person Summer Summit. The in-person Summer Summit will take place May 10-12 at the Hilton Downtown Tampa in Tampa, FL. The FGIA Southeast Region Summit will immediately follow on May 13 in the same location.

Oklahoma City, OK – Meeting the needs of contractors has always been Flex-Ability Concepts’ focus. Its latest offering, Slotted Flex-C Trac, adds slotted legs for deflection to the original Flex-C Trac. This gives framing contractors an additional method to create high-quality curved walls, columns and S-curves in specific applications.

Wausau, Wisconsin – Apogee Architectural Metals has named Jacob Johnson as vice president of sales for the western and southern regions. He will report directly to company president Troy Johnson (no relation), and work closely with Jon Close, who continues in his role as vice president of sales. In his new position, Jacob Johnson will serve as a core member of Apogee Architectural Metals’ leadership team assisting in shaping enterprise strategy, operating priorities and long-term growth decisions.

Cleveland, OH – The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) presented Dr. Benjamin Schafer with the 2026 Duane S. Ellifritt Research Award. Named after MBMA’s original director of research and engineering, this honor is given annually to a researcher whose contributions led to advancements within the metal building systems industry. Dr. Schafer accepted the award at the 2026 MBMA Research Symposium in Orlando, FL. Dr. Schafer is the Willard and Lillian Hackerman Professor of Civil and Systems Engineering and the Director of the Ralph O’Connor Sustainability Energy Institute (ROSEI) at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Washington, DC – The AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index® (ABI) dropped to 43.8 in January, down from 47.1 in December, signaling a greater number of firms experienced a decline in billings compared to the previous month. The billings index is a monthly measure of business conditions as reported by member firms of the American Institute of Architects.

Morrilton, AR – In 2026, BITEC, Inc. is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Founded in 1986 by Bruce Shealey, who recently retired after serving the roofing industry for 60 years, BITEC has its roots in a modified bitumen technology that originated in Italy.

Vacaville, CA – All Weather Insulated Panels (AWIP) is proud to announce the launch of its fully refreshed website, designed to elevate user experience and better serve customers, partners, and the industry. AWIP has also unveiled its new domain, awip.com.

Schaumburg, IL – The Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA) has updated the Aluminum Material Council (AMC) portion of its site with webpages covering aluminum-focused sustainability. This new industry resource discusses the life cycle of aluminum fenestration products and the recyclability of that material. View it at FGIAonline.org/AMCsustainability.

West Chester, OH – ClarkDietrich has unveiled a new version if its iTools app, featuring design and navigation improvements. Launched in 2013, ClarkDietrich iTools is a free online resource (accessible on desktop and mobile) for architects and contractors who are evaluating purchasing decisions and product selection for steel framing projects, providing access to design lookup tools, ClipExpress products, cost-saving calculators, sustainability options and product submittals.

Dublin, Ireland – Kingspan, a global leader in high-performance insulation and building envelope solutions, has announced its collaboration with Buildner on the eleventh edition of the MICROHOME competition, offering a $115,000 prize fund.

Channahon, IL — VALTO Engineered Materials, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-quality fiberglass reinforced panels (FRP), has introduced GLASBOND with an ASTM E84 Class A Fire Performance rating for its peel-and-stick panel and trim profile system. Class A per ASTM E84 is the highest fire-resistance rating requirement, common on many assembly and institutional occupancies where FRP is specified, including hospitals and schools.