Tomorrow! METALCON Live! and RAINA Present – “NFPA 285 & Other Fire Considerations”

REGISTER TODAY AND EARN 1 AIA LU HSW

According to the Metal Construction Association, “Fire Safety is an important responsibility of the building designer and owner. Even if individual elements of a wall assembly are not combustable, the assembly must be tested. NFPA-285 is an important test that measures for vertical and lateral flame spread of the geometry and layers in a wall panel.” Don’t miss this FREE opportunity to learn more about the exterior wall assembly fire performance code with industry expert, Steve Gaynor, co-founder of RAiNA and Principal of PIVOTH.

NFPA 285 IS THE CRITICAL TEST FOR EXTERIOR WALL ASSEMBLIES.

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

In 2 Weeks – METALCON Live! and RAINA Present – “NFPA 285 & Other Fire Considerations”

REGISTER TODAY AND EARN 1 AIA LU HSW

NFPA 285 IS THE CRITICAL TEST FOR EXTERIOR WALL ASSEMBLIES.

According to the Metal Construction Association, “Fire Safety is an important responsibility of the building designer and owner. Even if individual elements of a wall assembly are not combustable, the assembly must be tested. NFPA-285 is an important test that measures for vertical and lateral flame spread of the geometry and layers in a wall panel.” In two weeks, you won’t want to miss this FREE opportunity to learn more about the exterior wall assembly fire performance code with industry expert, Steve Gaynor, co-founder of RAiNA and Principal of PIVOTH.

METALCON Live! TODAY at 1:00 pm EST – Important Air Leakage Testing Information and a Net Zero Passive House

REGISTER TODAY — EARN 1 AIA LU

In a few hours, join METALCON and the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) as they discuss the importance of air barriers on a building, now being recognized as more than simply saving energy. Industry expert, Adam Ugliuzza, ABAA Director of Sustainable Building Partners and Region Manager for Intertek Building Science Group in York, PA, will review why an air tight building is a key to moisture management in the building envelope, proper operation of mechanical equipment, reduction in dust, odors such as second hand cigarette smoke and cooking smells. He will also cover how it plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving the industry to a Net Zero Passive House building.

The question is — How do I know my building is airtight? The answer is — Whole building airtightness testing. Register NOW to learn about this testing.

METALCON Live! THIS Wednesday, 5/17 – Important Air Leakage Testing Information and a Net Zero Passive House

REGISTER TODAY — EARN 1 AIA LU

Join METALCON and the Air Barrier Association of America (ABAA) as they discuss the importance of air barriers on a building, now being recognized as more than simply saving energy. Industry expert, Adam Ugliuzza, ABAA Director of Sustainable Building Partners and Region Manager for Intertek Building Science Group in York, PA, will review why an air tight building is a key to moisture management in the building envelope, proper operation of mechanical equipment, reduction in dust, odors such as second hand cigarette smoke and cooking smells. He will also cover how it plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and moving the industry to a Net Zero Passive House building.

The question is — How do I know my building is airtight? The answer is — Whole building airtightness testing. Register NOW to learn about this testing.

Magnificent Metal Monday – Repurposed Steel Frame Used for Award Winning Office Project

Photo: Patrick Tang, Take Flyt Imaging, Building Design + Construction

Located in the redeveloped Hayden Tract neighborhood in Culver City, California, this three-floor office building offers about 25,000 sf of office and amenity spaces, as well as a variety of sustainable and energy-efficient components. Situated in a former industrial zone that has become a technology and corporate hub, Del Amo Construction has completed the adaptive reuse of 3516 Schaefer St and has been given the top Gold award in the commercial office category by the Los Angeles Business Journal.

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.

METALCON Live! and FMA Present “Roll Forming Safety” TODAY, May 3 at 1:00 PM EST

Join us in 4 hours and get your continuing education credit with this FREE webinar.

Whether you’re a fabricator with multiple machines or a contractor using a portable hand brake on the job site, maintaining a safe work environment is your top priority. With labor shortages as challenging as ever, how do you get your employees to eat, breathe and sleep safety while still meeting your production deadlines? Industry leaders from two companies with exemplary safety records, voestalpine Roll Forming, and AMS Controls, will lead the discussion on roll forming safety in today’s METALCON Live! presented by METALCON Live! and The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International^® (FMA).

Safety on Our Mind – FMA Announces 2023 Safety Award Winners

Experts say safety should never be an afterthought. The set-up, operation and maintenance of roll forming equipment requires a keen safety awareness for anyone working in the same facility. Creating a safe place for employees should be at the top of the list.

The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International®, (FMA), puts safety  as one of the organizations’ top priorities with their annual Safety Awards and Annual Safety Conference. Announced last month in the fabricator, “The Safety Awards program are open to all FMA Business members and acknowledges metal fabrication companies for achieving safety records better than the OSHA recordable rate for their North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes. Sponsored by CNA Insurance, the awards will be presented at next week’s FMA’s Annual Safety Conference.”

METALCON Live! and FMA Present “Roll Forming Safety” Next Wednesday, May 3 at 1:00 PM EST

Get your continuing education credit with this FREE webinar – RESERVE your virtual seat TODAY!

Whether you’re a fabricator with multiple machines or a contractor using a portable hand brake on the job site, maintaining a safe work environment is your top priority. With labor shortages as challenging as ever, how do you get your employees to eat, breathe and sleep safety while still meeting your production deadlines? Industry leaders from two companies with exemplary safety records, voestalpine Roll Forming, and AMS Controls, will lead the discussion on roll forming safety in next Wednesday’s METALCON Live! presented by METALCON Live! and The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International^® (FMA).

Magnificent Metal Monday – Cuba’s Corrugated Metal

Photo Credit: Tara O.

If you have ever traveled to the Caribbean, especially to some of the more impoverished islands, it is common to see homes resembling “sheds” versus sturdier structures. It’s not often I get “personal,” but having just returned from Cuba, I thought I would take a deeper “dive” into the history of corrugated iron, given its prevalence in island construction.

While most of my time was spent exploring Cuba’s underwater life, I got a glimpse of “life on land” while traveling from Camaguey to the port village of Jucaro (about a 3 hour drive). Mostly a rural area, it was easy to see the wide use of corrugated metal for the roofs and sometimes the siding.

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.

Magnificent Metal Monday – Aluminum “Main Act” in “Amorphous” Design of New Theatre in China

Credit: Dezeen | Open Architecture

Dezeen reports, “Chinese studio Open Architecture has revealed the visuals for the new Yichang Grand Theatre in China, which will have an amorphous form intended to evoke flowing water.”

The 70,000 square-meter theatre will be located at the Pinghu Peninsula in Hubei Province, at a site where the Yangtze River meets the Huangbai River tributary.

To achieve these design goals, curved, matte anodized aluminum tubes will be used on the building’s outer surface.

“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.

Magnificent Metal Monday – Innovative New Door Frames by Schweiss

Schweiss Doors Erects New Manufacturing Building As Showcase For New Door Frames
Photo Credit: Schweiss Doors | DesignandBuildwithMetal.com

A leader in hydraulic doors and header frames for over 40 years, Schweiss continues to innovate. Recently featured in DesignandBuildwithMetal, their latest is erecting a new manufacturing facility to serve as a showcase for the company’s new “free-standing” header frames. The 90 by 94-foot metal building will have an inside clearance of 20 feet and will feature three hydraulic doors that illustrate the company’s free-standing header frames integrated into the hydraulic doors, allowing the doors to support themselves with no reliance on the building structure itself. Owner Mike Schweiss says, “The building and free-standing hydraulic door design will be a real exhibit that displays the new stand-alone hydraulic door. There’s nothing on the market like it.”

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.

MBMA Announces 2022 Student Design Competition Award Winners

Winning Design by Bobby Buttrick, Graduate Student at Univ. of Mass; Photo Credit: MBMA

The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA) has announced the winners of its second annual Student Design Competition, granting $28,500 in awards to six winners and to their faculty sponsors in an online ceremony. Two of the top winners hail from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst! The competition took place during the 2022 fall semester, with entries due January 6, 2023. This year’s contest for undergraduate and graduate architecture students challenged each participant to create an innovative metal building design for a fire station and department headquarters. 

Congratulations to Bobby Buttrick, who was awarded the top prize of $5,000 and to Pranav Amin for earning first place and $4,000 in the “Graduate Division.” Both are graduate students at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and advised by Professor Stephen Schreiber, Chair of the Department of Architecture in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts. 

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.

2023 Top Metal Builders – Deadline to Submit Tomorrow

Each year, Metal Construction News publishes its list of Top Metal Builders by identifying the largest metal building contractors and erectors as measured by square footage and tonnage. This year’s list will be published in the May issue of MCN and it is a great way to raise the profile of your company and help differentiate you from your competitors. The deadline to enter is TOMORROW, Friday, March 17 so take a few minutes to complete a simple survey and enter your company for consideration. 

Go online and complete the form or download the form to submit by email.

VIEW the 2022 Top Metal Builders.

Metal Construction News is a publication partner of METALCON and sponsors the official show guide.

Int’l Women’s Day and WIC Week – Featuring Women of Excellence in Metal Forming & Fabricating

Today is International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week is underway so let’s take a look at some of the women who are making strides and positively impacting the metal forming and fabricating industry. MetalForming Magazine, in conjunction with the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) and with the support of the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), presented its Seventh Annual Women of Excellence (WoE) in Metal Forming and Fabricating Awards at the end of last year. The annual program is designed to recognize the increasing role of women in manufacturing and to spur continued advances. From scores of entries, 35 honorees were selected, representing a full range from leadership positions to those on the shop floor.

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.

Magnificent Metal Monday – Women for Women

Women’s Opportunity Center, Rwanda. photography by © Elizabeth Felicella

In celebration of this week’s International Women’s Day and Women in Construction Week, Magnificent Metal Monday travels to Kayonza, Rwanda, to highlight an architectural project designed by acclaimed female-owned Sharon Davis Design and constructed to help empower women. Now reaching a decade, the Sharon Davis Design firm collaborated with the humanitarian organization Women for Women International in 2013 to create the Women’s Opportunity Center (WOC) in order to energize the small community’s subsistence-agriculture economy through female empowerment.

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.

Metal Construction Hall of Fame Call for Nominations

Metal Construction News‘ call for nominees for this year’s Metal Construction Hall of Fame is underway. Founded in 2012, this annual award honors those individuals who have made significant contributions to the success, innovation and growth of the metal construction industry.

The deadline to nominate is March 10, 2023.

Click here to nominate a person to the Metal Construction Hall of Fame

METALCON Future Leaders Program Seeks Nominations for Advisory Council

The Future Leaders of METALCON is a new program for rising stars, up-and-comers, management trainees, apprentices and others, roughly age 40 and under, ready to take their career to the next level. This new program is a critical step to focus and steer the metal construction industry toward the future. Last year, METALCON and the Metal Construction Association (MCA) saw the successful launch of the Future Leaders Program, virtually and then in person at METALCON in Indianapolis. Last month, the second Future Leader’s Program was held at MCA’s Winter Meeting, and featured a panel of industry experts moderated by Heidi Ellsworth, CEO of RoofersCoffeeShop, followed by a reception (link to watch program below).

Magnificent Metal Monday – IDEAS² Award Winners

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) has announced its annual Innovative Design in Engineering and Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS²) Award winners for 2023. These awards are the industry’s most prestigious design honor, recognizing projects that illustrate the exciting possibilities of building with structural steel and highlighting the many ways steel can help express architectural intent while harnessing its unique advantages for both simple and complex structural systems. This year’s winners are a mix of adaptive reuse and brand-new structures.

AISC President Charles J. Carter, SE, PE, PhD., says, “I love how this year’s winners not only use steel to create modern masterpieces but also take full advantage of steel’s unique ability to give a second life to structures that would otherwise be demolished.” Winners are listed below, separated into the categories of “Less than $15 million,” “$15 – $75 million,” “$75 to $200 million,” and “Greater than $200 million.”

METALCON 2023 Call for Presentations – Deadline is Approaching

METALCON 2023 returns to Las Vegas this year and we want YOU to take “center stage” in our nation’s “City of Lights.” We are seeking individuals who want to educate, engage, inspire and present material in ways that will enhance the attendees’ experience. The deadline is approaching to submit your topic in our call for presentations. Topics that address real-world, metal-related opportunities and challenges toward a variety of disciplines of the metal construction community with a special interest in technical aspects, building codes, case studies, and sustainability will be considered.

NEW FOR 2023: All topics submitted will be considered for BOTH in-person education at METALCON 2023 AND for our year-round METALCONLive! programming.

SUBMIT YOUR PRESENTATION BY FEBRUARY 14.

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.