For metal building contractors and erectors, 2021 was a roller coaster ride with steel prices in total flux rising to all time highs and decreasing to all time lows. Paul Deffenbaugh, editorial director of Metal Construction News (MCN), comments, ” Price, availability and demand for construction materials all fluctuated widely in 2021, but despite that, the top metal builders report increases in the average tonnage and square footage. In fact, by all measures, 2021 was a very strong year for the metal building industry when looking at the largest contractors.”
According to BigRentz, Inc., the largest equipment rental network in the nation, “2022 will be a year of reemergence and growth in the construction industry despite rising construction costs and labor shortages.”
They added, “Since last year, the COVID-19 pandemic changed how the construction industry does business, from scheduling and closing projects to hiring workers to meeting with clients. Looking forward, many industry trends will be affected by the fallout from the pandemic. New technology continues to change the construction site, improve the ability to win projects, and increase profit margins. Trends and movements are changing the roles of industry professionals and frontline workers.”
With less than 14 days to go, METALCON is back and better than ever! There is no better place for the number one tradeshow in metal design and construction to meet in than the home of the number one NFL football team – TAMPA! It’s not too late to make your plans to attend. Read on for all of the show details you need to know for a safe and successful tradeshow experience.
WHAT: METALCON 2021
WHEN: October 6 – 8, 2021 (pre-show workshops take place on Tuesday, October 5)
METALCON is dedicated to making 2021 the safest event you attend all year.
We are only 14 days away from bringing the metal construction industry back together for the first time in two years and want you to know the health and safety of our attendees, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors, partners and staff is our top priority.
We are continuously monitoring the COVID-19 situation and working with the city of Tampa and the Tampa Convention Center to follow best practices and recommendations from public health officials, as well as national, state, regional, and local authorities including the CDC. As such, and in following CDC guidelines, METALCON strongly recommends all individuals, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, regularly clean hands, and mask regardless of vaccination status when you are in large gatherings.
How will the COVID-19 pandemic shape the future of the construction industry? Will we go back to business as usual or will there be wholesale changes in the types of construction work and how we work?
Survey results will be included in a special report on the future of the construction industry as a result of the pandemic scheduled to appear in the August issue of Metal Construction News.
Individual responses will be kept strictly confidential, unless you give consent. You can also enter your e-mail address at the end of the survey to be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card. Survey deadline is July 1 so don’t delay, respond today! Metal Construction News is METALCON’ssponsoring publication and producer of the official show guide. METALCON is scheduled for October 6-8, 2021 in Tampa, Florida.
Nominations are still open for METALCON’s NEW Top Product Award. Submit your nomination by July 1!
METALCON Live! continues today as CEO of Cotney Law, Trent Cotney, provides contractors with an overview of how to manage legal issues in a post-COVID world. If you are involved on any live of a construction project, you won’t want to miss this important webinar to learn important steps to protect yourself from a dispute. What you learn today could potentially save you thousands or millions tomorrow.
In a 2020 report, Arcadis found that the average construction dispute was valued at $18.8 million in 2019 and took 17.6 months to resolve (Credit: Levelset). Construction law protects parties involved in a construction project including commercial and residential projects. Parties including project owners, general contractors, subcontractors, equipment suppliers, design professionals, project managers, construction lenders and others may all find themselves facing a construction dispute at some point. As a result, parties on either side of a dispute should know how to protect themselves if wrongdoing has been alleged, such as defective construction or breach of contract, but also what to do if they are experiencing construction defects or a party has breached a contract they are a party to.
The pandemic has caused almost all major industries to evolve how they operate. During this program, gain an understanding of material shortages, updates to contracts, and changes to OSHA standards.
Join us next week — Wednesday, June 16 at 1:00 pm EST — for our next METALCON Live! webinar as CEO of Cotney Law, Trent Cotney, provides contractors with an overview of how to manage legal issues in a post-COVID world. The pandemic has caused almost all major industries to evolve how they operate. During this program, gain an understanding of material shortages, updates to contracts, and changes to OSHA standards.
Learn the jaw-dropping economic and market changes for metal construction and design decision-makers from industry experts. Added Bonus: Receive a FREE copy of the A/E/C Quarterly Marketing Report!
When: TODAY, May 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm EST
Where: Live! on Zoom and available on demand
This webinar earns you 1 FREE AIA LU / CEUAND A FREE COPY of PSMJ’s latest A/E/C Quarterly Marketing Forecast Report (value of $247!)
What are the jaw-dropping economic and market changes for metal construction and design decision-makers just over the horizon? Watch METALCONLive! THIS Wednesday to find out and receive a FREE A/E/C Quarterly Marketing Report!
When: THIS Wednesday May 5, 2021 at 1:00 pm EST
Where: Live! on Zoom and available on demand
This webinar earns you 1 FREE AIA LU / CEUAND A FREE COPY of PSMJ’s latest A/E/C Quarterly Marketing Forecast Report (value of $247!)
On behalf of the METALCON team, thank YOU, our metal construction community, for your support this year. Thanks to you we saw a 30% increase in our METALCON Blog readership! And despite having to postpone our in-person event, your support and participation for our new virtual programming has been nothing short of amazing! Since the launch of METALCONLive! in April, we have held 12 virtual events and have interacted with over 2,500 participants.
Looking back over the year, we shared hundreds of blog posts (143 to be exact!) in an attempt to keep you up-to-date with relevant industry information. Here’s a round-up of the top 10 “most-viewed” of 2020:
Photo Credit: ConstructionDive / Flickr; Robert Couse-Baker
Throughout the year, we have turned to various industry news sources in an effort to bring you a wide array of stories and information relevant to the metal design, build and construction industry. As 2020 winds down, here is a “round-up” of top news stories from this year by one of our sources, ConstructionDive. As you can imagine, most of the top stories relate back to COVID, but there are a few others sprinkled in to round out the year. For a look back at some of their top stories, here is their list in order of readership:
Fast Food Chain Responding to Changing Needs Due to Pandemic
As businesses continue to pivot and adjust to the changing times, fast food chains are responding as well. As reported by Building Design + Construction, Restaurant Brands International (RBI) will begin to roll out new designs for its Burger King chain that are only two fifths the physical footprint of its traditional fast-food restaurant to provide customers with different ways food can be ordered and delivered with an emphasis on mobile ordering and drive-thru.
CHICAGO – July 28, 2020 – The Metal Construction Association (MCA) is proud to report that its Virtual Summer Meeting, held June 15-18, enjoyed record high attendance, and promoted a positive outlook for the future of the metal construction industry.
With 166 registrants and an average of 50 people attending the council/committee meetings, the association reports the virtual meeting format gave more members and guests the opportunity to attend and engage with the association.
If you missed the announcement made over the weekend, METALCON 2020 has been postponed until the following year (see OFFICIAL RELEASE). Mark your calendar for the 30th Anniversary event scheduled for October 6-8, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. Knowing how important METALCON is to your business, the METALCON team is quickly pivoting to provide you with new virtual programming and essential training to help you take your business to the next level. As the producers of the only global event dedicated to the use of metal in design and construction, we are using our knowledge and resources to launch three new initiatives in the areas of safety, business development and industry briefs.
Three New Initiatives Launching in the Coming Weeks
Due to the ongoing concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic and mandates established by the state of Nevada, METALCON 2020 cannot take place as planned for this October and is postponing its 2020 show until October 6-8, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. Mark your calendar!
Construction Dive sites the following reasons as to why construction costs are projected to decrease:
A variety of pandemic-related forces have caused construction costs to decline slightly for the first time in a decade, which could lead contractors to feel a pinch in profits.
The Turner Building Cost Index, which measures costs in the U.S. nonresidential building construction market, fell to a value of 1177 in the second quarter of 2020, a 1.01% quarterly reduction from the first quarter. This is the first time the index from Turner Construction Co. has reduced in value since 2010.
“Trade contractor competition has increased in many areas as they work to secure backlog due to uncertainty they have about future opportunities,” said Attilio Rivetti, the Turner vice president responsible for compiling the Cost Index in a press statement.
It has been approximately five months since most states began their “lock-down” measures forcing members in our construction industry to react and quickly adjust to doing business differently. While the industry has shown great strength and resilience, designers, contractors, builders, manufacturers, etc, were forced to pivot and make necessary changes. So where are we today? How is the construction industry faring? Here is a round-up of some of the latest news and resources from several of METALCON’s partner associations and publications:
Modular buildings are used in all building sectors including housing, education, public and health and it’s popularity is due to reasons of safety, efficiency and costs. Many in the METALCON community are involved with providing the materials to builders, designers and sub-contractors in this part of the construction industry. Recently, modular buildings have been in high demand because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In their recent issue of their Modular Advantage magazine, Modular Building Institute (MBI) takes a deep look into the industry’s response and how modular companies worldwide rose (and rising) to the challenges and opportunities presented by the crisis.
The Metal Building Contractors & Erectors Association has had a busy few months. Due to the COVID pandemic, they shifted gears and changed their 51st Annual Conference from a three-day live event into a 30-day online event last month. Additionally, MBCEA formally recognized their 2020 Building of the Year winners during this “virtual event,” which is typically done in person at the annual conference.
As we head into this holiday weekend, be sure to carve out some time to read the feature story posted yesterday by Metal Construction News titled, “Uncharted Waters.” Paul Deffenbaug, editorial director, asks five industry experts to weigh in on the current business environment given the disruption caused by the coronovirus pandemic. They all respond to questions covering these five key areas: length of time for the industry to bounce back, the greatest challenges being faced as a result of coronavirus from a business perspective, the effect on the labor shortage, the best tactical moves to address the changing market and recommendations to get the industry back on track.
If you haven’t heard yet, METALCON 2020 is full steam ahead for October 21 – 23 in Las Vegas! METALCONLive! switched gears this week to bring you a LIVE update from the team whose number one priority is to provide the safest and healthiest environment possible for the event.
BREAKING NEWS! “PEDAL TO THE METAL” – METALCON 2020 IS ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR LAS VEGAS, OCTOBER 21-23!
Join us TODAY from 1:00 – 2:15 PM EST for this special LIVE and ONLINE Las Vegas Episode of METALCONLive! when we answer questions about our 30th anniversary event with special guests, featuring Brian Yost, COO with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
“Buy America” – Cost of Capital Is at Its Lowest in Decades
Steel Dynamics Inc., Hopes to Make U.S. More “Steel Sufficient” with Construction of its New Steel Mill
Continued Focus on Training and Education Will Be Key for Greater Usage of Metal
METALCON Co-Founder and CEO, Frank A. Stasiowski, FAIA, in partnership with the Metal Construction Association and Rob Haddock, CEO and Founder of S-5! Metal Roof Innovations, continued to highlight “Build Back Better” with a special focus on steel with guests Brian Smallwood, Market Manager-Construction for Steel Dynamics, Inc., and Marines Hagemann, Director of Client Experience for Allied Steel Buildings.
What’s happening in the steel industry and how will it affect your metal construction bids and contracts?
This burning question and more will be answered today during METALCONLive! Register now for your virtual seat and join us at 1:00 PM for this robust conversation.
METALCON Co-Founder and CEO, Frank A. Stasiowski, FAIA, in partnership with the Metal Construction Association and Rob Haddock, CEO and Founder of S-5! Metal Roof Innovations, continued the focus on “Build Back Better” with special guest Mark Kalin (FAIA, FCSI, LEED), President of Kalin Associates Specifications and highly experienced specification writer, author, speaker and registered architect. See below for Mark’s valuable insight of the specifications industry and strategies to leverage more metal sales with architects.
The coronavirus shutdown has been going since the middle of March with states ordering shelter in place restrictions at varying times. Now, nearly two months later, the country is trying to open back up for business. MCN’s third survey in the last month delves into attitudes within the metal construction industry about the threat and how it has affected its businesses.
REGISTER for today’s LIVE event hosted by METALCON Co-Founder CEO Frank A. Stasiowski, FAIA in partnership with the Metal Construction Association, and Rob Haddock, CEO and Founder of S-5! Metal Roof Innovations as they draw upon their combined years of industry experience in the A/E/C and metal construction industries. Today’s discussion will explore the architect’s role in the metal design process and how will the glut of steel in the market affect the metal construction industry?
TODAY’S SPECIAL GUEST:Mark Kalin,President at Kalin Associates Specifications
Mark Kalin (FAIA, FCSI, LEED) is a highly experienced specification writer, author, speaker, and registered architect. Mark is a CSI certified construction specifier, USGBC LEED accredited professional, and one of only 27 individuals advanced to fellowship in both the American Institute of Architects and the Construction Specifications Institute. Mark has been involved in over 4,000 specification projects since 1984, including 250 LEED projects. He has taught Architectural Specifications at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.
METALCON Blog 