Magnificent Metal Monday – Fire Resistance Ratings

This Wednesday, June 7th, Steve Gaynor of RAiNA and PIVOTH, will share important information about the exterior wall assembly fire performance code during our next METALCON Live! webinar. In addition to understanding the exterior wall assembly, knowledge about construction types is vital for firefighters and anyone in the construction industry. Thanks to BigRentz, here’s a look at the five building construction types and their respective fire resistance ratings.

At the IBHS facility in South Carolina, Daniel Gorham and his colleagues test building materials in a wildfire simulation. Engineers designed and built a full-size duplex home. On one side, the house has cedar siding, vinyl gutters, single-pane windows and bark mulch around the foundation. On the other side, the house is designed to be fire-resistant, with cement siding, metal gutters, double-pane windows and gravel around the foundation.
Credit: Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety

What’s NEW for METALCON 2023?

Make your plans today to attend the ONLY global event dedicated exclusively to the application of metal in design and construction! Registration is open for METALCON 2023, scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 18 – Friday, Oct. 20, with pre-show workshops beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Check out what’s NEW for 2023, what’s returning, and pricing information (special note: the sooner you register, the more you save).

NEW FOR 2023

METALCON Training Zone – Sponsored by Sherwin-Williams

Led by John Sheridan of Sheridan Metal Resources and his team of experts, the training zone will provide hands-on training featuring demonstrations and education (in both

Magnificent Metal Monday – MRA’s Best Residential Metal Roofing Contest Q1 Winner

As announced by DesignandBuildwithMetal, the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA) has named a beautiful copper metal re-roofing project, installed by Istueta Roofing and manufactured by Metal Master Shop, as the winner of its Best Metal Roofing Project competition for the first quarter of 2023.

Celebrating MCA’s 40 Years – “Life with MCA Over the Years” by Six Industry Veterans

The Metal Construction Association (MCA) kicked off their 40th anniversary at its Winter Meeting held in January in Clearwater, Florida, and will continue to celebrate throughout the year. MCA’s 40th Anniversary is covered in depth in this month’s issue of Metal Construction News including a look back at the association’s history, a look forward at their newest program “Future Leaders,” a list of service award winners, current MCA Members, and featured here, interviews with six industry veterans to see how “Life with MCA Over the Years” has been.

“How Hot is Metal Roofing Growth” – MetalCast with Renee Ramey of the Metal Roofing Alliance

LISTEN TO THE METALCAST HERE

Last month Heidi J. Ellsworth, owner of RoofersCoffeeShop™ and MetalCoffeeShop™, sat down with the “leading lady of metal,” Renee Ramey, executive director of the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA), to talk about the growth of residential metal roofing and the driving factors of this growth.

April is National Welding Month – Tune in Tonight to AWS’ Weld Wednesday

The metal construction industry is the sum of many parts, an integral one being welding. Since 1996, the American Welding Society has designated the month of April as National Welding Month to bring awareness to the welding industry and its available career paths. This year’s theme, “Be Part of The Future of Welding,” celebrates the industry’s vast and diverse welding community. With welding and other skilled trades continuing to see labor shortages, it is more important than ever to bring awareness to the importance of this industry.

Magnificent Metal Monday – Broad Street Self-Storage Case Study

Photo Credit: Inside Self-Storage

According to Storeganize, “The self storage industry, currently valued at $54 billion, is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.53% between 2022 and 2027 to hit a whopping $83.6 billion at the end of the forecast period, with the North American market is projected to contribute the largest chunk of this figure.” Given this projected demand, how will communities maintain their aesthetics as green space or older buildings give way to these typically nondescript, linear, modular looking buildings? Take a look at this MCA Case Study where metal roofing and wall panels achieve a desired aesthetic for a visible self-storage facility in a southern Californian town.

FREE WEBINAR TOMORROW – METALCONLive! and the FMA Present “Roll Forming Basics”

REGISTER HERE

Join us tomorrow, March 8, at 1:00 pm EST for a live presentation with leading roll forming expert, Paul Tiefenthal, as he covers the basics of the roll forming industry. Roll forming isn’t a single process carried out on a single type of system, but a family of processes performed on a variety of systems. Learning about roll forming is a matter of learning about roll forming lines, the processes they perform, and the roles and capabilities of auxiliary equipment including seam welders, and more. Discover all this and more details about what makes roll forming an indepth process.

METALCONLive! and the FMA Present — Roll Forming Basics — Next Wednesday, March 8

REGISTER HERE

Join us next Wednesday, March 8, as leading roll forming expert, Paul Tiefenthal, leads us in an important presentation on the basics of the roll forming industry. Roll forming isn’t a single process carried out on a single type of system, but a family of processes performed on a variety of systems. Learning about roll forming is a matter of learning about roll forming lines, the processes they perform, and the roles and capabilities of auxiliary equipment including seam welders, and more. Discover all this and more details about what makes roll forming an indepth process.

METALCONLive! Offers Predictions for 2023 and Beyond

Industry Experts Agree Metal is Well Positioned for 2023 and Beyond

In the first METALCONLive! of the new year, Paul Deffenbaugh, editorial director of Modern Trade Communications, led a discussion with leading industry experts about the state of the metal construction industry and what we can expect this year. According to Jeff Henry, MBA, CAE, executive director of the Metal Construction Association, “The industry is strong, but we still face challenges in 2023.” From an architects standpoint, Brent Schipper, AIA, LEED AP, founding principal of ASK Studio, is not feeling quite as optimistic as they are starting to see their backlogs starting to drop, but feels “the pace of construction in 2023 will become the most critical priority.” Renee Ramsey, director of the Metal Roofing Alliance, shared data from their 2021 study saying, “We saw a 17% market share in the residential reroof market, which is a primary audience for metal roofing. While not a huge increase, we are happy to see it continue to move in an upward pace.”

Brent Schipper, AIA, LEED AP, founding principal, ASK Studio\

Jeff Henry, MBA, CAE, Executive Director, Metal Construction Association

Renee Ramey, Executive Director, Metal Roofing Alliance

2023 State of the Metal Construction Industry LIVE Tomorrow at 1:00 PM – RESERVE YOUR SEAT

In less than 24 hours, join us for the first METALCONLive! of the year!

Get answers to these burning questions about the year ahead —

• Will the packed production schedules continue?
• Are supply chain challenges finally fading?
• What design trends will your clients be demanding and which ones are destined to be yesterday’s news?

Reserve your “seat” now for tomorrow’s METALCONLive! at 1pm EST. Our panel of experts representing every corner of the metal construction industry will share their observations, thoughts, and opinions on where we are now and where we’ll be this time next year.

Magnificent Metal Monday – World-Class Projects on Saadiyat Island Aim for Culture and Calm

On this day of observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream of living in a world of peace among all beings, we travel to Saadiyat Island, a 10 square mile island which aims to bring “culture and calm” together, perhaps just a place Dr. King envisioned in his speech “I Have a Dream.” Lying approximately 10 miles from the center of Abu Dhabi, in addition to its white sandy beaches, it is fast becoming a world-renown international cultural destination. With two projects already open, and four under construction, here is a look at the cultural assets all brimming with the use of metal that truly showcases the union of art and form.

Industry Experts Will Peer into the 2023 Crystal Ball

In just one week, join us for the first METALCONLive! of the year, next Wednesday, 1/18, LIVE at 1pm EST for “The 2023 State of the Metal Construction Industry” presented by METALCONLive! and Metal Construction News. REGISTER NOW!

Do you want answers to these burning questions about the year ahead?

• Will the packed production schedules continue?
• Are supply chain challenges finally fading?
• What design trends will your clients be demanding and which ones are destined to be yesterday’s news?

If you answered yes to any of them, then reserve your “seat” today for next week’s METALCONLive! on January 18 at 1pm EST. Our panel of experts representing every corner of the metal construction industry will share their observations, thoughts, and opinions on where we are now and where we’ll be this time next year.

Happy New Year!

As we close out 2022 and welcome in this New Year, we want to take a moment to thank the nearly 5,000 visitors to our METALCON Blog this past year from all corners of the world including the U.S., Canada, Ireland, India, UK, Philippines, Australia, Germany, France, and Mexico! The METALCON team is already working hard to continue to provide worthwhile and relevant content to help the metal construction industry navigate and be prosperous in 2023! Exciting METALCON announcements are coming soon including:

Outlook for Construction in 2023

According to Construction Dive, “The industry will continue to face labor shortages, high materials costs and other headwinds, but infrastructure will be a bright spot.” Top construction economists say much like in 2022, signals are mixed. In a recent article, they took a look at five key indicators and what they suggest for contractors in the year ahead.

Magnificent Metal Monday – MCN 2022 Project Excellence Awards

As announced earlier this month by Metal Construction News, the Grand Award winner in their 2022 Project Excellence Awards is none other than a parking structure! Chosen for its innovative use of metal, the top honor goes to the City of Hope Northeast Parking Structure, Duarte, Calif. Calling it “the most innovative use of metal we’ve seen of all the entries,” the MCN Award Judges selected it saying this project “took something that was so mundane and turned it into a civic presence.” A clear testament to the versatility of metal in the design and building process.

Self Storage Boom Means Greater Demand for Metal Buildings

Photo courtesy of Metl-Span

In a recent article, Building Design + Construction reports, “Nearly 60% of the country’s top 100 metros are building storage units at a higher rate than the national average.” In September, Metal Construction News featured the trend saying, “Over the last five years, there has been 255.5 million square feet of storage space built, equivalent to 16% of the total inventory. With one in three Americans using self storage units, the self storage industry is quite robust.” And with the vast majority of these storage buildings being made from steel, the metal industry has also seen steady growth in its demand for pre-engineered structures, insulated metal panels and automated technology for unmanned storage projects.

Magnificent Metal Monday – Park Union Pedestrian Bridge a “Work of Wonder”

Recognized by Architectural Digest as a 2022 Work of Wonder, this winning project also won first place in the 2022 MCA Design Awards for the Single-Skin Metal Wall Panel category, as announced at METALCON in October. Spanning 250 feet over an active railyard, the Park Union Pedestrian Bridge in Colorado Springs, Colorado, connects visitors to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum with America the Beautiful Park. According to the MCA Design Award judges, “This pedestrian, bike, and wheelchair-friendly bridge looks like a sculpture, truly an outstanding level of craftsmanship.”

Cast your Vote for Annual Metal of Honor Awards

Now in its 19th year, Metal Roofing Magazine will present its Metal of Honor Awards in their April issue. Cast your vote for the suppliers who do the best job of providing the services and products you need to successfully run your business. Select three from the existing list, or if you don’t see your favorite supplier listed, you can nominate up to three.

Magnificent Metal Monday – Thanksgiving Station Building Cladded with MCM

Photo: Corey Middleton / Metal Construction News

With the sounds, tastes and smells of Thanksgiving still fresh in our minds, let’s travel to Thanksgiving Station, a relatively new residential and commercial mixed-use community located within Thanksgiving Point, located in Lehi, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. Appropriately named to express gratitude after receiving the land as a gift from her husband, wife of tech giant WordPerfect co-founder first established Thanksgiving Point in 1995 as a nonprofit indoor and outdoor farm, garden and museum complex. Much growth and expansion has occurred over the past 20 years including the Thanksgiving Station Office Park, a 1,000,000-square-foot mixed-use development that has offices, restaurants, fitness centers, a park and access to public transportation.

When architecture firm Beecher Walker sought to create the 150,000 square-foot building Thanksgiving Station 3, the fourth of five buildings, to embody the innovation associated with prospective tech company tenants, they turned to a design that integrated boxy forms clad with metal composite material (MCM) and glazing.

Magnificent Metal Monday – MCA Design Winner Spotlight on Rose Hill Project

Photo Courtesy of CetraRuddy Architecture, Esto/David Sundberg, Rockefeller Group

Last month at METALCON in Indianapolis, the Metal Construction Association announced the winners of their MCA 2022 Design Awards, a new awards program serves to recognize MCA member companies for their contributions to making an architect’s designs come alive with metal in construction. Taking first place in the Insulated Metal Panels category, MCA Members Kingspan and 3A Composites were recognized for their work on Rose Hill, a 45-story residential building located in the NoMad neighborhood of Manhattan (area that lies North and West of Madison Square Park in NYC). What makes this building truly unique is the elegant and intricate filigree with post-era detailing, accomplished only by the use of metal.

Magnificent Metal Monday – METALCON People’s Choice Winners Announced

From left, Jim Bus of ATAS International, Inc; Heidi Ellsworth and Karen Edwards of Roofers Coffee Shop; and Dale Nelson and colleagues with Roof Hugger, LLC accept top product awards at METALCON ’22.

While foot traffic began to slow on the final day, the excitement grew in anticipation for the announcement of this year’s METALCON Top Product People’s Choice Award winners. Returning for its second year, METALCON attendees were invited to vote on-site this month in Indianapolis for their top three choice products among the winners of the METALCON Top Products Awards which were announced last month.

Congratulations to this year’s METALCON People’s Choice Award winners including ATAS International, RoofersCoffeeShop/MetalCoffeeShop, and Roof Hugger. Continue reading for details on their winning products.

Magnificent Metal Monday – MCA 2022 Design Awards Announced at METALCON

MCA Design Awards at METALCON

Last week at METALCON 2022, the Metal Construction Association announced the winners of their MCA 2022 Design Awards. Positioned down the show floor’s “power aisle,” the projects were on display for everyone to see while walking from exhibitor to exhibitor. The new awards program serves to recognize MCA member companies for their contributions to making an architect’s designs come alive with metal in construction. Lori Reynolds Morrow, LEED Green Associate at Sheffield Metals International, was the emcee for the awards presentation during METALCON.

A panel of architects along with MCA members, judged submissions based on overall appearance, significance of metal in the project, and innovative use of metal. Winners were announced in the categories of Custom and Ornamental, Insulated Metal Panels, Metal Composite Material Panels, Single-Skin Panels, Roofs – Commercial and Residential, and Retrofit.

Magnificent Metal Monday — Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines … Only 2 Days till METALCON ’22

Super-Charge Your Metal Knowledge at METALCON ’22 — Learn from Metal Hall of Famers

With METALCON ’22 roaring into Indianapolis this week, it’s time to make your final plans to maximize your time at the most influential metal construction and design event in the world. While meeting with exhibitors is an essential part of the event, so can learning from experts to super-charge your knowledge. Here is your “ultimate road-map” to navigating the show floor, where EVERYTHING happens ON THE SHOW FLOOR … AND … included in your Total Experience registration (see FLOOR PLAN). REGISTER HERE!

METALCON is thrilled to welcome four MCN Hall of Famers as presenters this year including:

• Jim Bush, 2014 inductee and VP of Sales and Marketing of ATAS International presenting “Above-Sheathing Ventilation: The Forgotten Cool Roof” in the Sustainability Learning Center.
• Rob Haddock, inaugural inductee in 2012 and CEO and Founder of S-5!, presenting one of the specialty workshops titled Understanding Metal Roofing: Parts 1 and 2
• Chuck Howard, 2014 inductee and owner of Metal Roof Consultants, presenting in the Main Theatre as a panelist in the State of the Industry.
• Todd Miller, 2020 inductee and president and co-owner of Isaiah Industries Inc., presenting Take Your Metal Roofing Business from Good to Great in the Best Practices Learning Center and Oilcanning: The Why and Can You Avoid It? in the Technical Know-How Learning Center.

CONTINUE FOR YOUR “ULTIMATE ROAD-MAP” TO EXHIBITS AND EDUCATION …

METALCON 2022 TOP PRODUCT AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Now in its second year, METALCON is thrilled to announce this year’s TOP PRODUCT Award winners. This year’s exhibitors were invited to nominate their top metal products introduced to the market after Jan. 1, 2021 in one of 15 product categories, “We are very excited to announce our METALCON Top Products Award winners and showcase the industry’s top products and technologies at our show in Indianapolis,” says Judy Geller, METALCON’s Vice President of Tradeshows. Winners were determined by an electronic vote and all winning manufacturers are exhibiting at METALCON ’22.

Award winners are invited to showcase their top products with special product recognition at their booths next month at METALCON. Attendees will be given the chance to vote on-site for their top three choice products and the METALCON People’s Choice award winners will be announced at “The Deck” (show management booth) on Friday, Oct. 14 at 12:30 p.m.

METALCON ’22 EDUCATION SPOTLIGHT – PRESSING TECHNICAL ISSUES TACKLED

For over 30 years, METALCON has been a place for new ideas, inspiration, connections, and most importantly, ANSWERS to the questions that keep you up at night. Code compliance? Fire prevention? Rain Screen Assembly? Air Flow? These topics and more will be tackled in our Technical Know-How Learning Center. Conveniently located on the show floor, respected thought leaders will share proven strategies and technical how-to’s to address the challenges impacting your business right now (and help you sleep better at night!).

FINAL DAYS TO VOTE FOR METALCON’S TOP PRODUCT!

VOTE TODAY | DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 5

It is time for YOU to vote for the 2nd annual METALCON Top Product Awards!  Its simple and the survey will take less than 5 minutes. Select your favorite top product in each category at the bottom of each page of the survey. Categories include: accessories, insulation and weather barriers, paint and coatings, roll forming equipment, roof product, safety products, structures product, technology, walls product, and construction tools and equipment.

NEW Online METALCON Product Marketplace

NOW available on the newly updated METALCON website, browse our NEW METALCON PRODUCT MARKETPLACE — an exclusive virtual catalogue of products to get the best deals available in metal construction. You can communicate directly with a supplier by sending a brief e-mail directly via the marketplace. Request a quote, make an inquiry, or prepare for METALCON 2022 by scheduling an appointment in advance with the exhibitors you would like to see while at the show. Over 100 products are featured in 23 metal construction categories.

All of the companies featured in the Product Marketplace will be exhibiting at METALCON 2022.

Magnificent Metal Monday – MCN 2021 Grand Award Winner

The Grand Award winner in the 2021 Metal Construction News Project Excellence Awards and the New Metal Roofs category winner was the New York City-based Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library Rooftop Terrace. The project is noteworthy for its “wizard’s hat-shaped roof” that gracefully disguises the rooftop mechanical equipment above the public terrace. The judges selected it calling it a “brilliant solution for urban design building detail,” citing its roof that was “not typically expected on a historic building.”

Photo: John Bartelstone, courtesy of New York Public Library / MCN

Get to Know Indy – Hotels, Convention Center and Walkability

Courtesy of VisitIndy; Click HERE for a 3D Interactive Map of Downtown Indy

The hallmark of the Indy convention experience is the ease and convenience it offers to meeting attendees. The Indiana Convention Center is positioned in the southwest quadrant of downtown and the building is surrounded by hotels and connected by climate-controlled skywalks and when you step outside, it is an easy walk to parks, attractions and hundreds of restaurants and bars in the heart of the city.

HOTEL INFORMATION – Book today with METALCON’s Housing Company

METALCON has contracted hotel rooms with two of the hotels closest to the convention center — the JW Marriott Indianapolis, which is connected to the center, and the Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, which is connected to the center via a Skywalk. Rooms are still available but going fast so book today. Globetrotter is the only official housing agency for METALCON. Make your reservation by contacting Globetrotter directly at (877) 904-6835, (301) 570-0800 (press 2 for Meetings), by e-mail or click HERE to complete a reservation request form.