Industry News

Chesapeake, VA – Mitsubishi Plastics Composites America Inc. has announced the availability of downloadable Product Transparency Declarations (PTDs) for its polyethylene and fire-resistive-cored ALPOLIC® metal composite materials (MCM).

Elk Grove Village, IL - Bill Barker recently concluded 27 years in the metal market working for Petersen Aluminum Corp., a career which endured such changes as consolidation on the producer side, Reynolds closing its doors, the influence of imports on pricing, numerous customers going out of business, and many more challenges.

Beloit, WI - In recent weeks, building products distributor ABC Supply Co. Inc. has opened two more branches - one in Philadelphia, PA and the other in Newnan, GA.

Raleigh, NC – FMI, a leading provider of management consulting and investment banking* to the engineering and construction industry, announces the release of the 2014 Fourth Quarter Nonresidential Construction Index report. The NRCI shows a slight increase from 62.5 in the third quarter to 62.8 in the fourth quarter of 2014. This is nearly 5.5 points ahead of fourth quarter 2013. An NRCI greater than 50 indicates improvement or expansion.

Norcross, GA – Hunter Douglas Ceilings has expanded its facility in Norcross, Georgia, adding equipment and operational footprint to meet growing interest in its innovative line of metal ceilings and wall systems. The 40 percent expansion brings the facility’s operating space up to 100,000 square feet.

Hatfield, PA – Laminators Inc. has announced the availability of a new Architectural Color Chart Brochure, featuring 50+ swatches of their PVDF/Kynar 500, Polyester, Designer Series and Natural Series colors and finishes. Also included in the brochure is a Panel Size and Finish Chart to assist customers in selecting the best color(s) for their specific application.

Deland, FL — Kingspan Insulated Panels North America has introduced the latest addition to its cold storage ceiling and wall product line—the KS45 FRP. This new cold storage wall panel has been specifically designed and developed as a Kingspan CLEANsafe finish. This helps satisfy concerns for void-free applications on Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) in food manufacturing and processing facilities. They are enforced by both the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The KS45 FRP provides the clean, durable finish required by the high performance properties of all Kingspan PIR insulated metal panels.

Rogers, MN - Quality Metalcrafts LLC/AMERICLAD® announces the acquisition of a second site in Rogers, Minnesota. With the addition of the new site, the company will be operating out of total of over 130,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space in Rogers.

Washington, DC – Headed by the continued strength in the multi-family residential market and the emerging growth for institutional projects, demand for design services continues to be healthy as exhibited in the latest Architecture Billings Index (ABI). As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the October ABI score was 53.7, down from a mark of 55.2 in September.

Falls Church, VA - Following seven years of slow and uneven growth in demand and pricing, 2015 will be the strongest year yet for cold-formed steel and related products, according to Kathryn Thompson, CEO of the Thompson Research Group. In a forecast prepared for the Steel Framing Industry Association, she notes that there are markets and segments that will be clear winners, as well as structural changes that will require companies to adjust.

Minneapolis, MN - The Valspar Corporation offers a new online experience for architects and design professionals at ValsparInspireME.com. The homepage welcomes visitors to “dream in color” by drawing from inspirational content including a project gallery full of Valspar-coated project photography, a vast color library, and educational resources. Order color samples with a simple click, share inspirational content with Valspar’s social media networks, and view Valspar’s videos where architects discuss their inspirations and projects.

Niles, OH– Niles Expanded Metals & Plastics has announced the acquisition of a second expanded metal manufacturing center at MetalSpand in Waurika, Oklahoma. Niles gained operational control of MetalSpand, Inc. on October 27. The new location will be operating as MetalSpand by Niles.

Washington, DC - The Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI) will host a webinar to introduce participants to D112-13, AISI’s “Brick Veneer Cold-Formed Steel Framing Design Guide,” on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. EST. The new publication updates CF03-1, “Steel Stud Brick Veneer Design Guide,” which was published in 2003. The webinar is designed for architects, engineers, building officials and contractors. Participants are eligible for 1.5 continuing education units.

Kingspan, a global leader in high performance insulation and building envelopes, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Building Products ("BP") division of Vicwest Inc. ("Vicwest").

Cambridge, MD - Cambridge Architectural, an industry leader in flexible woven wire mesh for interior and exterior building applications, has expanded its product portfolio and is now offering anodized aluminum mesh in eight colors for interior applications such as ceiling canopies and architectural drapery.

Raleigh, NC – VMZINC®-US, the international brand name of rolled zinc products manufactured and sold by the Building Products Unit of the Umicore group, has announced that Marketing Assistant Chandra Hester has been appointed to the 2015 North Carolina Modernist Houses (NCMH) Advisory Council. NCMH is an award-winning nonprofit organization dedicated to documenting, preserving and promoting modernist residential design across North Carolina.

Deland, FL — Kingspan Insulated Panels recently participated in its first trade show south of the border. The company's participation as an exhibitor at the Expo CIHAC 2014 trade show in Mexico City, Mexico coincides with the company's increased attention on that market.

Denver, CO - New Tech Machinery, supplier of portable rollforming equipment, announces the addition of the TRQ250 Trapezoid panel, along with introduction of the SSQ275 New Lock Panel Program.

Chicago, IL - The Metal Construction Association (MCA) has released new research findings that conclude that certain metal roof systems can last at least 60 years, meaning they do not require replacement during a commercial building’s service life.

Houston, TX - NCI Building Systems, Inc. (NYSE: NCS), a leading manufacturer of metal products for the nonresidential building industry, announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pittsburgh area-based CENTRIA, an internationally recognized leader in the design, engineering, and manufacturing of architectural insulated metal panel (IMP) wall and roof systems and a provider of integrated coil coating services for the nonresidential construction industry.