Industry News

Washington, DC — The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) has released the January 2022 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI-EFI). The index reports a qualitative assessment of both the prevailing business conditions and expectations for the future as reported by key executives from the $900 billion equipment finance sector. Overall, confidence in the equipment finance market is 63.9, unchanged from the December index.

Newton, MA — METALCON, the only global event dedicated exclusively to the application of metal in design and construction, announces its 2022 Call for Presentations. The program committee is seeking dynamic presenters who can educate, engage and inspire attendees with presentations on real-world topics, challenges and opportunities in the industry.

Schofield, WI —Airolite has expanded its lineup of stationary louvers with the addition of the new K630 extruded aluminum stationary louver.

Cleveland, OH - The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) presented several awards at the 2021 MBMA Annual Meeting, held December 8-9 in Indian Wells, Calif. The honors included 13 Industry Advocate Awards and two Prestigious Innovation Awards.

Bryan, OH — Altenloh, Brinck & Co. US, Inc. (ABC US), manufacturers of SPAX® engineered fasteners, today announced that Bob Gleason has been promoted to Regional Sales Manager in the Lumber Yard division for SPAX, located in Texas.

Moundridge, KS — The Bradbury Group announces the addition of Thomas Hofstetter to its North American customer service and sales support team. As a Service Technician for The Bradbury Group, he will focus on servicing Athader equipment and customers.

Toronto, ON, - Balcan Innovations Inc., the parent company of Covertech Flexible Packaging, which manufactures rFOIL insulation, has acquired Reflectix Inc., a leader in reflective insulation and radiant barriers.

Hatfield, PA – Laminators Incorporated has announced the launch of a new company logo as part of the ongoing evolution of their company’s brand. The refreshed logo reflects a more modern look that captures who they are today as well as into the future.

Charlotte, NC - Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE) announces that it will build its new state-of-the-art sheet mill in Mason County, West Virginia. The West Virginia location on the Ohio River provides Nucor with important transportation and logistics advantages, and a strengthened ability to serve customers in the Midwest and Northeast, the two largest sheet consuming regions in the U.S.

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) (“U. S. Steel”) has announced that its next-generation highly sustainable and technologically advanced steel mill will be located in Osceola, Arkansas, close to U. S. Steel’s cutting-edge Big River Steel plant. The facility is engineered to bring together the most advanced technology to create the steel mill of the future that delivers profitable solutions for the company's customers.

Atlanta, GA — SAF, a global metals distributor, fabricator, and finisher, is substantially improving its ability to confirm the quality of coatings it applies to aluminum, thanks to the introduction of a new tool. The company is now incorporating X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) technology into its polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) finishing process. The enhancement enables SAF to provide its customers with verification that its coatings meet key industry standards for performance and durability.

Colorado Springs, CO – S-5!, one of the world's leading authorities on metal roof attachment solutions, will present its WindClamp2X technology next month at the International Roofing Expo (IRE) in New Orleans. Additionally, Rob Haddock, S-5!’s Founder and CEO, will offer his course on the fundamentals of Understanding Metal Roofing: Part I and II, providing the opportunity for attendees to earn continuing education credits.

Washington, DC - New home sales posted a solid gain in November, driven by strong buyer demand, low existing home inventory and buyers' anticipation of future higher mortgage rates. Sales of newly built, single-family homes in November rose 12.4% to a 744,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate from a downwardly revised reading in October.

Grand Island, NE - Chief Buildings, a premier metal building system manufacturer, announces the purchase of a new manufacturing plant in Lancaster, South Carolina. Expanding their manufacturing footprint in the southeast will increase Chief’s level of service to their Authorized Builder network with added capacity and increased resources.

Cleveland, OH - The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) elected its 2022 board of directors at the association’s annual meeting held December 8-9, 2021, in Indian Wells, California.

Grayslake, IL — Sheet Metal Supply Ltd., has announced the launch of a new website. In addition to being easier to navigate and more intuitive, the new site reflects increased capabilities and capacities resulting from the company's recent move to a larger building, and the addition of new equipment.

Cleveland, OH - Garland Industries announces the promotion of Matthew McDermott to president of The Garland Company, its commercial roofing division for the United States. Garland’s commercial roofing division is the company’s flagship roofing brand and the original core business of Garland Industries.

Portland, OR — Freezing temperatures and big jumps in heating bills have homeowners throughout the U.S. and Canada searching for relief and long-term solutions. While the Metal Roofing Alliance can't offer any quick fixes to what homeowners may currently be experiencing, it does have some suggestions that could help save money in the long run.

Washington, DC - National nonresidential construction spending was virtually unchanged in November on a monthly basis, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $820.6 billion for the month.

Arlington, VA - Construction employment increased in nearly two out of three U.S. metro areas between November 2020 and November 2021, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of recent government employment data. Association officials said the job gains were welcome news for the industry but cautioned that it will be difficult for construction levels to return to pre-pandemic levels amid tight labor market conditions.