Kinetics Receives High Velocity Hurricane Zone Approval

The SprayFoam 2022 Convention & Expo Announces Keynote Speaker

Spackle by Dave Coverly

People News

SWACCA and NWCB Launch a New Online-Survey

GMS to Acquire AMES Taping Tools

L&W Supply Acquires G. Proulx Building Materials

CertainTeed Now Accepting Project Submissions for Gypsum National Trophy Award

Dow to Introduce Commercially Available Program for Carbon-Neutral Silicones in Building Façades

SWACCA and NWCB Launch a New Online-Survey

In 2009, the Northwest Wall & Ceiling Bureau published its Impacts to Labor Productivity in Steel Framing and the Installation and Finishing of Gypsum Wallboard Study, which was co-sponsored by the Northwest Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association, the Northern California Drywall Contractors Association, the Western Wall & Ceiling Contractors Association, and the Associated Wall and Ceiling Contractors of Oregon and Southwest Washington. The study was an empirical examination of 226 framing, gypsum board installation, and the finishing of gypsum board projects, performed by association and bureau members from Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and British Columbia, Canada.

The research tested 38 variables derived by an “Expert Panel” made up of industry executives and board members of the NWCB. Thirty-five of the variables were considered “impact variables” and were scored on a zero (no impact) to four (severe impact) range, and three variables which related solely to project scheduling were simply scored "yes" (one) or "no" (zero). The results of the study proved statistically that the impact variables were negatively correlated with labor productivity and that nearly all of the impact variables were statistically significant at or above the 99 percent level. What this means in short is, the more severe the variable was felt on the project, the greater the impact to labor productivity, and that our confidence level of that relationship is extremely high.

Although the original study proved statistically that the presence of specific variables or impacts to planned productivity are highly correlated to a reduction in labor productivities, a means by which the contractor could then utilize the study to determine the potential extent of those inefficiencies and their related costs was not provided. In 2017 the NWCB introduced an addendum to the study, the Impacts to Labor Productivity User Guide, that provided the contractor with very specific mathematical equations to estimate the potential impact and resulting costs to supplement the documentation establishing the certainty and extent of impacts to productivity suffered upon the contractor.

The research material used in the production of the original Labor Productivity Study is now over fifteen years old. The NWCB, its members and contributors to the original study have partnered with the Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance, SWACCA, to form a collaborative effort to update the original Northwest Wall & Ceiling Bureau 2009 publication. The goal is to produce a nationally recognized document addressing the concerns that we all face with common factors that impact job completion, no matter where the location or the type of wall and ceiling work. To the extent possible, all current members of SWACCA are being asked to assist in this effort by completing the provided on-line survey forms, for as many projects as possible. As with the original Study, we are asking that participants provide data on project that they consider good projects, average projects and bad projects. As mentioned above, the original study surveyed 226 projects, all of which were projects on the west coast. But to make this an authoritative, nationally recognized document on Labor Productivity in the Wall and Ceiling Industry, a survey of construction projects from across the country and in numbers that exceed those from the original study, are essential.

Dr. Gerald H. Williams, whose Portland Oregon firm, Construction Research Inc., co-authored the original study, will compile the results of hundreds of jobs performed by SWACCA contractor members. The survey and data collection will continue until September 30 and, provided there is good participation, the bureau hopes to provide results to the SWACCA members by later this fall. Dr. Williams notes that this update to the original study, which sampled 226 projects, provides the key “entitlement” elements for negotiating changes and that these elements are factors common to all trades.

GMS to Acquire AMES Taping Tools

GMS Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AMES Taping Tools Holding LLC. AMES is the nation’s foremost provider of automatic taping and finishing tools and related products to the professional drywall finishing industry. The transaction is expected to close in the company’s fiscal third quarter 2022 with a purchase price of $212.5 million in cash.

AMES provides a distinctive complement to GMS’s current offerings, significantly expanding the Company’s presence in the attractive tools and fasteners market. AMES’s portfolio includes the industry-leading finishing tool brand, TapeTech, and the top specialty interior finishing e-commerce platform, All-Wall. For the twelve months ended September 30, 2021, AMES achieved net sales of approximately $100 million.

“We are pleased to welcome the AMES team to GMS and provide a full suite of offerings for interior contractors and drywall finishers,” said John C. Turner Jr., president and CEO of GMS. “AMES has highly-respected brands and an entrepreneurial culture with an attractive growth plan, which all align well with our strategic priorities and provide an excellent opportunity for GMS to expand our presence in the growing ATF tools market. With its multichannel distribution model and strong customer relationships, AMES is expected to generate accretive EBITDA margins for GMS. We believe this transaction will add immediate benefits as part of one of our strategic growth priorities to diversify our core product offerings, and will further position GMS to drive long-term growth and shareholder value.”

Jay Davisson, President and CEO of AMES added, “We are excited about the opportunity to join the GMS team. Like GMS, customer service has been a cornerstone of the AMES business since our founding over 80 years ago. Building on our strong, existing relationships, we are excited to bring our customer-first culture and deep industry matter expertise to GMS to create a best-in-class product and service experience for our customers and growth opportunities for employees.”

AMES services customers through its multichannel distribution model including:

1. AMES Stores: supplies, supports and services residential and commercial interior finishing applications through a network of more than 85 store locations that sell drywall finishing products and provide drywall contractors with the option to purchase or rent ATF tools from a 100,000-tool fleet shared by AMES stores platform-wide.
2. Dealer Distribution: sales of market-leading TapeTech Automatic Taping and Finishing Tools and related TapeTech branded products through dealers and distributors, including a significant relationship with GMS’s subsidiary, Tool Source Warehouse.
3. All-Wall E-Commerce Platform: Leading E-Commerce retailer of specialty interior finishing tools and related products.

GMS expects to fund this transaction with cash on hand and borrowings under the Company's ABL credit facility. In connection with this transaction, GMS will be exercising the $100 million accordion within the company’s ABL agreement, increasing the ABL borrowing limit from $445 million to $545 million.

Following the closing of the transaction, AMES’s current management team, including President & CEO Jay Davisson, will continue to lead the business, which will continue to operate under the “AMES” brand—as it has for more than 80 years.

GMS expects to leverage its existing relationship with AMES and the sourcing arrangements at GMS’s subsidiary, Tool Source Warehouse, to expand and enhance AMES’s distribution model, better capitalize on available growth opportunities and provide an even higher level of service to customers.

This transaction is expected to close in GMS’s fiscal third quarter of 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

L&W Supply Acquires G. Proulx Building Materials

L&W Supply Corporation, a distributor of top-quality building materials and specialty products in the United States, announced that it has acquired the assets of G. Proulx Building Materials in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

By acquiring G. Proulx, L&W Supply will increase its team of experienced associates and strengthen its presence in the southeast Florida market. This addition brings the number of L&W Supply locations servicing Florida to 15.

Founded in 1979, G. Proulx services the commercial and residential markets with building products including wallboard, steel framing, insulation and related products. The G. Proulx associates will continue to work at this location, ensuring customers receive seamless access to the products and expertise they need to run their businesses.  

“We are excited to welcome the G. Proulx associates to the L&W Supply family. Their commitment to customers over the past 42 years has made them a leader in the market,” said Tim Mahaffey, vice president of L&W Supply’s Southeast Region. “This acquisition allows L&W Supply to enhance our service to customers and build deeper relationships with contractors and builders in southeast Florida.”

CertainTeed Now Accepting Project Submissions for Gypsum National Trophy Award

CertainTeed Gypsum is now accepting project submissions for the Sixth Gypsum National Trophy Awards, which recognizes some of the most outstanding work in the industry using the company’s products.

The award competition, which began in 2012, invites drywall contractors from across the United States and Canada to submit their most innovative drywall projects for consideration in the Trophy. Project winners will be selected from both residential and non-residential categories by a panel of industry experts, based on the criteria of building solutions for sustainability, comfort, safety, aesthetics, and modularity to build a better world. The award ceremony will be held in San Francisco in November, to honor craftsmen and craftswomen and their projects in front of industry peers as the best in the business.

“The CertainTeed Gypsum National Trophy expresses our appreciation and respect for talented building professional partners who have demonstrated outstanding drywall craftsmanship and skill,” said Najwa Khoury, vice president of marketing for CertainTeed Gypsum. “It is an opportunity for us to honor those who use gypsum products to demonstrate innovative architectural design to create lasting impact.”

Interested parties must complete project submissions by May 1. Any project completed by the entry deadline is eligible. A full list of instructions and guidelines to submit projects can be found at certainteed.com/trophy.

Dow to Introduce Commercially Available Program for Carbon-Neutral Silicones in Building Façades

Dow announced the plans for 2022 to launch the world’s first commercially available carbon-neutrality program for silicone materials used for structural glazing, insulating glass, and weathersealing. Selected DOWSIL Materials will include PAS 2060-certified carbon certificates from Dow’s backward integrated siloxane productions and carbon reduction investments. This carbon offset program, whose theme is “Designing with more freedom by engineering less impact,” can help to decrease the environmental impact of buildings and achieve better green building certification ratings.

“The commercial introduction of our carbon-neutrality program for DOWSIL Silicones for building facades represents a true evolution in silicone carbon-neutrality,” said Markus Plettau, Dow’s global segment leader for building facades. “Aligned with the industry efforts towards developing net-carbon-zero buildings to reduce CO2 emissions, Dow is leading the way in decreasing the embodied carbon present in construction materials.”

According to the World Green Building Council, the building sector is responsible for approximately 39 percent of global CO2 emissions. This includes both embodied carbon and building operations. While the production of Dow’s silicon products requires energy, the use of these products requires very low energy in applications such as prefabricated façade elements and glass insulation, helping to significantly improve the energy efficiency of buildings. In addition, their proven durability allows the insulated building envelope to last more than 50 years. The energy or carbon ratio for silicone sealants conserves up to 20 times more energy than what is needed to produce them for insulated glass, according to the Global Silicones Council.

Carbon-neutral silicones can reduce to net zero the carbon needed to produce the silicone polymers that are the building blocks of our products. Carbon-neutral silicones for specific building projects is a revolutionary offering, especially for technologies linked to the silicon metal manufacturing process, where Dow is uniquely positioned.

Plettau is positive that silicone will remain the technology of choice when it comes to building and construction, not only because of its long-term performance and carbon footprint but also because it equips buildings with enhanced energy and greenhouse gas emissions performances. “The carbon-neutrality program for DOWSIL Silicone materials is not only an advantage for architects, builders and building owners, but also a key to achieving significant ongoing carbon reduction through integrated design solutions, allowing these industry professionals to design with more freedom by engineering less impact,” added Plettau.

Kinetics Receives High Velocity Hurricane Zone Approval

Kinetics Noise Control Inc. announced the Vibration Isolation Roof-Curb Model ESR has received High Velocity Hurricane Zone approval from Miami-Dade County Product Control Section, NOA No. 21-0809.01.

The High Velocity Hurricane Zone is a special section of the Florida Building Code that lays out strong hurricane wind provisions. This code helps to establish better building materials, which have gone through higher testing to ensure they can perform well under extreme pressure and wind.

“We are beyond excited to receive this exclusive classification for our ESR roof curb,” said Kinetics Director of Sales Lee Chiddention, “It’s a huge honor to know our product has achieved the specifications and testing requirements necessary to receive such a title.”

Kinetics ESR is a heavy-duty, complete vibration isolation roof curb and rail for over 20-ton packaged rooftop units. It features high-frequency noise isolation pads, code-compliant seismic and wind restraint, and access ports for each isolator to inspect, level, or change springs after equipment placement. Available in 1-, 2-, and 4-inch deflection, featuring powder-coated steel springs with 50 percent overload capacity.

NOTICE OF ACCEPTANCE (NOA)

Product Information for NOA 21-0809.01

The SprayFoam 2022 Convention & Expo Announces Keynote Speaker

The Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance announced it has secured Shawn Van Dyke as keynote speaker for the SprayFoam 2022 Convention & Expo to be held February 28 through March 3 in San Antonio. A construction business expert, coach and author, Van Dyke will present All-Star Creator: How Employees and Employers Create a Culture that attracts Top Talent, a session designed to provide attendees with a framework for attracting and creating an all-star team amidst the skilled labor gap. Van Dyke’s keynote will be held March 2 at the largest annual U.S.

“This keynote is expected to pack the house,” said Rick Duncan, executive director of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance. “Shawn Van Dyke is a widely respected construction business expert and author and his session topic couldn’t be more timely. The spray foam and construction industries are both experiencing a deep labor shortage and attracting quality talent and assembling effective teams is top-of-mind with everyone.”

“The construction industry has done a poor job of giving up-and-coming generations a reason to pursue construction opportunities as well as a clear path for doing so,” said Van Dyke. “My session is designed to give company owners and employees ideas for building a culture that attracts talent from both within and outside the industry.”

The SprayFoam Convention & Expo brings together industry participants in insulation, roofing, specialty applications, and related equipment. Attendees explore the latest developments in Spray Polyurethane Foam including solutions for maximizing energy efficiency, weather resiliency and performance in residential and commercial construction. The latest spray foam materials solutions are featured. Attendees also navigate opportunities and challenges affecting their business and the industry, learn about installation best practices and engage in meaningful networking opportunities with industry leaders, customers and peers.

In addition to the keynote address, the event features numerous educational sessions, a robust exhibits hall, the SPFA Professional Certification Program, an annual Golf Tournament, VIP events, and an entertainment-filled Close-Out Event Party. The SprayFoam Show 2022 will be held at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio. For schedule and hotel information, visit sprayfoam.org/sprayfoam2022.