Industry News

Arlington, VA - Construction employment increased in 268 of 358 metro areas between December 2021 and December 2022, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of recent government employment data. Association officials said the industry faces some headwinds in 2023 that could undermine future growth in construction employment in many parts of the country.

Torrington, CT - East Coast Lightning Equipment Inc. (ECLE) announced it has relocated its manufacturing operations to a new 26,000-square-foot facility in Torrington, CT.

Chicago, IL – The Metal Construction Association (MCA) presented its annual Patrick R. Bush Service Award to LeeAnn Slattery and its Larry A. Swaney Award to Scott Kriner in appreciation for their service to the association and the metal construction industry. The winners were announced January 24 during MCA’s 40th anniversary dinner and celebration, part of MCA's winter meeting in Clearwater, Florida.

Green Bay, WI - EXPI-DOOR® Systems, a leading supplier of doors and windows, announces that Matt Dauphinais has been named as the new Plant Manager for the company's facility in Green Bay.

Cleveland, OH - The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) has added the Jacksonville University Basketball Performance Center to its library of free, downloadable resources for architectural students and their professors.

Elk Grove Village, IL - Petersen, maker of PAC-CLAD architectural metal cladding systems, now offers PAC-CLAD HT high-temperature, self-adhering roof underlayment, which is designed to provide premium waterproofing protection for a variety of roofing applications. PAC-CLAD HT underlayment offers protection against water and ice damming while withstanding extreme weather conditions.

DeLand, FL – Kingspan Insulated Panels North America announces brand-new environmental product declarations (EPDs) that provide detailed cradle-to-grave information to architects and building design professionals. The EPDs go a step deeper than is typical by providing more granular data about each specific manufacturing site, each specific product thickness and supplier-specific information which ties into each respective plant.

Pleasanton, CA - Simpson Strong-Tie, supplier of engineered structural connectors, announces the appointment of current company President and Chief Operating Officer Mike Olosky to Simpson Manufacturing Co. Inc.’s executive leadership team as Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Columbus, OH - Specifiers, distributors and coaters in the HVAC sector have another tool for their toolbox to improve the quality, durability and performance of HVAC equipment, thanks to AkzoNobel’s POLYDURE® portfolio of coil coatings.

Washington, DC – Demand for design services from U.S. architecture firms continued to contract in December, according to a new report from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The pace of decline during December slowed from November, posting an Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score of 47.5 from 46.6 (any score below 50 indicates a decline in firm billings). Inquiries into new projects posted a positive score of 52.3, however new design contracts remained in negative territory with a score of 49.4.

It is with great sadness that we at DesignandBuildwithMetal share news of the passing of Scott A. Kriner of Macungie, PA. Scott was known throughout the Metal Construction Industry for his intellect, his wit and his mastery of complex topics pertaining to metal. Scott founded Green Metal Consulting in 2009 and operated the company until 2020. He was formerly a technical consultant for the Metal Construction Association and a columnist for this website, contributing dozens of articles on various environmental topics.

Hatfield, PA – Throughout the last year, the Laminators Incorporated team has been eagerly working to expand their insulated glazing product line for the glass and glazing industry. After much planning, designing, and testing, Laminators is ready to introduce the newest member of their architectural product line—InfernoShield™.

Beloit, WI - Mule-Hide Products Co. Inc., manufacturer of low-slope roofing systems and products, has promoted Kyle Stavish to national business development manager.

Arlington, VA - Plunging prices for diesel fuel, lumber, and steel cooled inflation for materials and services used in construction in December, but relief may be short-lived, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of newly released government data. Association officials noted that contractors listed material costs as one of their top concerns in a survey the association released this month.

Cleveland, OH - The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) celebrated the achievements and efforts of its member firms during an awards ceremony held at the 2022 MBMA Annual Meeting in Fort Myers, Florida.

Moundridge, KS — Bruce Weaver, Chief Financial Officer at The Bradbury Co. Inc., was inducted into the Wichita Business Journal CFO Hall of Fame. Weaver, a Wichita State University graduate with a degree in accounting, started at the company in 1993.

Washington, DC – The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation has released its January 2023 Monthly Confidence Index (MCI-EFI) for the $1 trillion equipment finance industry. The index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $1 trillion equipment finance sector. January's index is 48.5, an increase from the December index of 45.9.

Pittsburgh, PA - Triangle Fastener Corporation has announced the launch of its new website. A new format provides easy access to product information for the metal roofing, flat roofing, post frame, and commercial/drywall industries.

Holmdel, NJ - Suntuity Solar – a member of the Suntuity Group of Companies based in Holmdel, New Jersey, is celebrating the success of its Referral Partner Program. Officially launched a little over a year ago, the program has become extremely popular with roofing contractors around the country seeking to generate supplemental revenue for their existing roofing business.

Tontitown, AR - Central States Manufacturing, Inc., a leading manufacturer of metal building components with 14 metal roofing and wall panel profiles, a full line of trim, accessories and structural purlins, has announced its acquisition by merger of Storage Structures, Inc., an innovative national metal building subcontractor specializing in the self-storage industry. The transaction closed on December 30, 2022, and Richard Allen has been named President of Storage Structures, LLC.