Industry News

Washington, DC - The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) reports that despite production bottlenecks and rising construction costs, total housing starts led by a strong multifamily reading posted a solid gain in February as demand stays strong and existing inventory remains at low levels.

New Haven, CT - The BILCO Company, in following the lead of its corporate parent AmesburyTruth™, has taken bold steps to prioritize environmental sustainability by improving processes at facilities.

Chesapeake, VA – Mitsubishi Chemical America’s ALPOLIC® Division, a leader in metal composite material (MCM) manufacturing, has announced its passage of the rigorous Canadian S-134 full-scale wall-assembly test designed to measure the fire spread and burning characteristics of an exterior wall with controlled fire exposure.

Washington, DC – Demand for design services in February grew slightly since January, according to a new report from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). AIA’s Architecture Billings Index (ABI) score for February was 51.3, up from a score of 51.0 in January. Any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings.

Oakland, CA – Feeney Inc., a leading manufacturer of stainless steel and aluminum railing systems and related architectural products, has debuted ColorEasy™, a new powder coating program for its DesignRail® Aluminum Railing System and Awning Kits. ColorEasy™ features 18 colors, including a mix of 15 trend-forward and classic colors along with three realistic wood grain finishes, for optimal design versatility.

Chicago, IL - The American Institute of Steel Construction has named Todd Alwood its new Vice President of Membership and Certification and promoted Michael Mospan to Vice President of Finance and Human Resources.

Kingscourt, Ireland - Kingspan Group, a global leader in advanced insulation and building solutions, and parent company of Kingspan Insulated Panels North America, has released its second annual report for its 10-year sustainability program, Planet Passionate.

Götene, Sweden - CIDAN Machinery Group has acquired long folder producer Thalmann Maschinenbau based in Switzerland. CIDAN Machinery Group is a world leading, innovative supplier to the sheet metal industry. The group operates manufacturing locations in Sweden and Austria and has office locations in several European countries, the United States and China. The headquarters of the company, founded in 1907, is based in Götene.

Washington, DC – The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) has released its March 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 58.2, easing from the February index of 61.8.

Cleveland, OH – The National Coil Coating Association’s (NCCA) Annual Meeting is scheduled April 24-27, 2022, in Sonoma, Calif. The theme is “Leading for Tomorrow” and the keynote speaker, Bill Fournet, will present “Lead for Tomorrow: How to Thrive in the Age of Disruption” on Tuesday, April 26. This thought-provoking presentation will provide attendees with proven tactics to respond well to any challenge or disruption that can be applied today to lead for a better tomorrow.

Arlington, VA - Construction employment climbed by 60,000 jobs between January and February as hourly pay rose at the steepest pace in nearly 40 years, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of just-released government data. Association leaders urged officials in Washington to boost support for career training and education to enable more workers to pursue high-paying construction careers.

Burlington, Ontario, Canada - AXYZ International, a leading manufacturer of CNC router systems and CNC knife systems, offers a webinar titled "Expand Your Cladding Fabrication Business With The AXYZ PANELBuilder" on two dates, March 17 and March 24. Two sessions will be held on each of those days - in the morning, 9:30 - 10 a.m. EDT; and in the afternoon, 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Green Bay, WI - Bay Insulation Systems, a leading supplier of metal building insulation products and systems, was recently recognized by the National Frame Building Association (NFBA) as a Platinum Winner of the Gail Miller Recognition Program for Excellence in Safety.

Hatfield, PA – Laminators Incorporated has released new Health Product Declarations (HPD) for three of their ACM products—Omega-Lite®, Glaze-Lite™, and Thermolite™. Omega-Lite and Glaze-Lite panels are composed of a polypropylene, corrugated core between finished aluminum sheets; Thermolite panels are constructed with an insulating foam core sandwiched between two corrugated, stabilizers and finished aluminum sheets.

Piqua, OH – Isiah Industries, maker of shake, shingle and tile-facsimile metal roof systems for the residential market, has announced the speakers and sponsors for its 2022 Metal Roofing Summit. The conference will be held April 26 – 28 at the University of Dayton Marriott in Dayton, Ohio.

Chicago, IL - The American Institute of Steel Construction is pleased to recognize more than 70 steel fabricators and erectors for their outstanding safety records in 2021. Most of this year's winners have earned the Institute's top safety award, the Safety Award of Honor, which is presented for a perfect record of no disabling injuries.

Cleveland, OH - The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) has added five new companies to its membership ranks. Sunward Steel Buildings joins as a Building Systems member, and four new Associate members include: RunToSolve LLC, Pacific Insulated Panel LLC, Simpson Strong-Tie Company and Building Envelope Consultants Ltd.

Cary, NC - Cornerstone Building Brands Inc., manufacturer of exterior building products, has announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by affiliates of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in an all-cash transaction with an enterprise value of approximately $5.8 billion, including the assumption of debt.

Kennett Square, PA – Metalwërks®, a U.S. manufacturer of metal plate exterior façade systems, integrated curtain wall components, and custom architectural features, recently completed a transition in leadership for the family-owned business. Stephen Scharr, formerly head of business development and sales, is now president of the company following the retirement of his brother and the company’s longtime president, Paul Scharr.

Chicago, IL - The Metal Construction Association (MCA) has announced the addition of two new companies to its growing members list. Recently welcomed into the trade group were Muskegon, MI-based Lorin Industries and Houston's Metallic Products.