Industry News

Washington, DC – The American Institute of Architects' AIA/Deltek Architecture Billings Index® (ABI) closed out 2025 in negative territory with a December score of 48.5, up from 45.3 in November. Any score below 50 indicates a billings decline, although this month’s score indicates that fewer firms reported a decline in billings in December than in November.

Itasca, IL – The Roofing Alliance has announced the winners of this year's Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards, the recipient of its Best of the Best Award, and the Construction Management Student Competition winners. All were recognized at the NRCA’s Industry Awards and Reception, held during the International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas on January 21.

Portland, OR – The Metal Roofing Alliance has announced the launch of its new and improved website. Designed with homeowners in mind, it promises to make learning about residential metal roofing—and connecting with trusted professionals—easier than ever.

Colorado Springs, CO – Mariella (“Mari”) Escobedo, a construction management student at Ball State University and a native of South Bend, Indiana, has been named the S-5! Scholarship recipient for the 2025–2026 academic year. Escobedo was selected for her academic excellence, demonstrated leadership potential and commitment to pursuing a career in the construction industry.

New Franklin, OH – RICOWI, the Roofing Industry Committee on Weather Issues, has announced the release of the Texas A&M Hailstorm Report. This report, the latest completed by the organization, is available for download from the RICOWI website.

Cary, NC -- (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cornerstone Building Brands, Inc. (“Cornerstone Building Brands”), a leading manufacturer of exterior building products in North America, has named multi-platinum award winning country music artist Jordan Davis as its 2026 Home for Good project ambassador. Continuing its commitment to building stronger, more sustainable communities, the company is entering its 10th year of partnering with the global housing nonprofit Habitat for Humanity, pledging to donate building products valued at half a million dollars, as well as support home builds and volunteer efforts to help build and remodel affordable housing in partnership with families across North America in 2026.

Washington, DC – The Equipment Leasing & Finance Association (ELFA) has released its January 2026 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI), revealing confidence in the equipment finance market rose to 64.6, up from 58.3 in December, and the highest level since February 2025. The index provides a qualitative assessment from key executives in the $1.3 trillion equipment finance industry.

Mason, Ohio – Clopay Corporation, a leader in closure products for commercial, residential, industrial, institutional, and retail applications, introduces a compact solution for its Counter Fire Doors: the AlarmGard® Conceal Motor Operator. Offered under the Clopay®, Cornell®, and Cookson® brands, the new space-saving motor operator delivers dependable alarm-triggered closure during a fire event while streamlining aesthetics. By enclosing the motor and controller within the door hood, AlarmGard Conceal reduces headroom requirements for the coil and operator by 11 inches, representing a 34% reduction in space compared to standard operators.

Boucherville, Quebec – Norbec has announced the appointment of Jimmy Wead as the new Regional Technical Sales Manager for the U.S. Midwest, supporting the Building Envelope and Controlled Environment Division.

Chicago, IL – The Metal Construction Association (MCA) presented its Patrick R. Bush Service Award to Rob Haddock of S-5! and its Larry A. Swaney Award to Renee Ramey of the Metal Roofing Alliance. The awards were announced on January 14 during MCA's 2026 Winter Meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

Winston-Salem, NC – Registration is now open for the 2026 National Convention & Trade Show, taking place May 5–8 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event brings together steel erectors, fabricators, contractors, and industry partners for education, networking, and peer-driven discussion. This year, SEAA is launching a new dedicated registration portal that serves as the central hub for attendee registration, exhibitor booth selection, and event participation.

Cleveland, OH – The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) has published PRx Performance Headquarters as part of its Architectural Significance in Metal Buildings series. This 12-page folio is the newest addition to MBMA’s library of free, downloadable resources for architectural students and their professors. It explores the design and construction of the PRx Performance corporate headquarters, manufacturing and distribution facility in Fargo, ND. The folio, along with all the MBMA student resources, is available at https://www.mbmaeducation.org/resources/ and on the MBMA website at https://mbma.com/architectural-folios.

New Haven, CT – From its inception as a small iron shop to manufacturing the first metal basement door to worldwide expansion as an industry leader in specialty access products, BILCO’s first 100 years have demonstrated innovation and engineering excellence.

Chicago, IL -- EINPresswire.com/ -- Builder Pipeline has announced the launch of its next-generation construction marketplace, a platform purpose-built to modernize the way installers and suppliers connect, collaborate, and conduct business. Designed by building industry veterans, the platform consolidates the quoting and ordering lifecycle into one streamlined, connected environment.

Virginia Beach, VA – The Reflective Insulation Manufacturers Association International recently elected a new board member to the 2026 Board of Directors. New Executive Officers were also elected.

Gallatin, TN – Simpson Strong-Tie, an industry leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, marked the grand opening of its newest manufacturing plant, located in Gallatin, with a ribbon cutting, celebration and tours on Thursday, January 15, 2026.

Colorado Springs, CO – S-5!, an innovator and world leader in the field of engineered, manufactured, metal roof attachments, introduces its new S-5-TH™ clamp for attaching a wide range of rooftop accessories to T-shaped metal roof profiles.

Vacaville, CA – All Weather Insulated Panels (AWIP) is excited to announce its participation in the 2026 International Roofing Expo (IRE), the premier roofing and exteriors event in North America. The tradeshow will take place January 20–22, 2026, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Arlington, VA – Construction employment declined by 11,000 positions in December, with modest decreases in both residential and nonresidential sectors, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of newly released government data. Association officials noted that the new employment figures reflect the same contractor concerns identified in the group’s newly-released 2026 Construction Hiring & Business Outlook.

Washington, DC – The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation (the Foundation) has released its December 2025 Monthly Confidence Index for the Equipment Finance Industry (MCI), revealing confidence in the equipment finance market remains steady at year end, and at a heightened level for the seventh consecutive month. The index, which provides a qualitative assessment from key executives in the $1.3 trillion sector, was 58.3 in December, easing from 59.9 in November.