Trade News
ClarkDietrich Wins SFIA “Sustainable Project” Award
Acrisure Arena, located in Coachella Valley in Calif., is 300,000 square feet in size, has seating for more than 11,000 people, and has hospitality suites and club spaces for premium ticketholders. The arena is home to the Seattle Kraken’s American Hockey League team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, and includes an adjoining community ice-skating facility that serves as a year-round community gathering space.
The company provided 471 tons of cold-formed steel for the construction of the arena.
ClarkDietrich is the SFIA 2024 Industry Project Awards winner for Acrisure Arena in the “Sustainable Project” category. The SFIA Awards entry was submitted by Jennifer Edgar, vice president of marketing at ClarkDietrich.
ClarkDietrich’s win was announced at the 2024 SFIA Awards ceremony, which was recently held live and posted online. The SFIA 2024 Industry Project Awards, an annual awards competition, focuses on CFS manufacturing and construction. This year, designers, manufacturers, distributors and contractors entered a variety of projects in the competition.
CISCA’s First-ever Contractor Challenge
The first-ever CISCA Contractor Challenge will kick-off at the CISCA 2025 Summit in Las Vegas, this April 21-24. The competition will highlight and celebrate the craftsmanship of CISCA contractor members and allow opportunities for contractor members to highlight their top talent.
Each CISCA contractor member may enter a single, two-person team for the Challenge. A limited number of teams will participate in the competition as space is limited. Teams will layout and install a specialty ceiling or wall system in a 12 feet by 12 feet space. The Challenge takes place over a two-day period at the annual Summit event with a designated viewing pavilion planned at the installation area. There must be a person from the company registered for the entire Summit event.
Judges will evaluate and score each team’s craftsmanship and other criteria. Winning teams will be eligible for prizes and top teams will be announced at the CISCA awards ceremony during the Summit event.
For more information, visit https://www.cisca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3597.
ATAS Announces Dates for Metal Wall Panel Seminars
ATAS International announced the 2025 dates for its popular metal wall panel installation seminars. Classroom learning and hands-on installation practice, along with a factory tour where applicable, are covered during the seminar. Classroom learning includes education on ATAS’ specific wall panels, common substrates to which panels are applied and tools recommended for panel installation. For the hands-on installation portion of the seminar, three different panel applications will be covered: horizontally applied panels over open framing, vertically applied panels over a solid deck and metal shingles applied over a solid deck.
The first day begins with lunch at ATAS, followed by training, and ends with a group dinner at a local restaurant. The second day begins with breakfast at ATAS, followed by the balance of the training. The dates and locations for the 2025 seminars are:
Allentown, Pennsylvania (ATAS headquarters)
- June 11-12
- Oct. 15-16
Mesa, Arizona
- May 14-15
- Sept. 10-11
University Park, Illinois
- April 2-3
- July 23-24
- Nov. 12-13
Classes are taught by industry experts with many years of experience working with metal wall cladding. For more information or to register for a session, visit www.atas.com/in-person-installation-seminar.
Department of Defense Eliminates Biden’s Project Labor Agreement Mandate Policy
Associated Builders and Contractors celebrated a February decision by the U.S. Department of Defense, released to the public, which will restore merit-based competition for taxpayer-funded construction projects procured by military agencies.
“The DoD’s new policy effectively eliminates President Joe Biden’s controversial rule requiring anti-competitive, inflationary, union-favoring project labor agreements on federal construction projects of $35 million or more––but only for DoD construction solicitations,” said Ben Brubeck, ABC vice president of regulatory, labor and state affairs. “The DoD’s policy remains in effect until it is rescinded. Other federal civilian agencies are still subject to Biden’s harmful pro-PLA rule.
“ABC has fought hard to restore merit-based fair and open competition in federal contracting so all Americans and all qualified construction firms can compete on a level playing field to build and rebuild America,” said Brubeck. “While we are pleased with the DoD’s policy change, ABC will continue its tireless efforts advocating for this pro-taxpayer policy to be adopted government wide permanently.”
The Biden PLA policy has been widely criticized by the construction industry, taxpayer watchdogs and lawmakers for needlessly inflating construction costs, delaying projects and effectively steering contracts to unionized firms and union labor at the expense of taxpayers and federal laws requiring fair and open competition.
“ABC has testified before Congress that, when mandated by government, PLAs increase construction costs by an estimated 12 to 20 percent, reduce competition from qualified contractors and their employees, steal money from the paychecks of token nonunion workers permitted on PLA projects and exacerbate the construction industry’s worker shortage,” said Brubeck. “Typical PLA mandates discourage competition from some of the best bidders and nine out of 10 U.S. construction industry workers by forcing contractors to sign special union collective bargaining agreements, hire workers from union halls and apprenticeship programs and accept compulsory union representation on behalf of any members of their existing workforces. This exposes those workers to union wage theft of up to 34 percent of their compensation unless they join a union and vest in union benefits plans.”
MCA Releases 2024 Annual Report
The Metal Construction Association has released its 2024 Annual Report, now available on the association’s website.
The report highlights MCA’s key achievements throughout the year, including advancements in advocacy, educational resources, and marketing initiatives, all of which have contributed to the continued growth in the metal construction industry.
Key features in the report include:
Industry Insights: MCA published an in-depth, 70-page annual statistical report, offering valuable data-driven insights. The report is free to members and available to nonmembers for $3,500.
Scholarship Program: MCA launched its first class of scholarship recipients, awarding funds to support the education of member company employees and their families, including spouses, children, and grandchildren.
Sustainability Promotion: The association introduced an alternative logo to emphasize the sustainability of metal in the building envelope.
MCM System Fabricator Certification Program: MCA strengthened and updated the program to highlight the certified companies’ experience, services, systems, and financial strength.
New Technical Resources: MCA extended its library of more than 120 white papers and guides adding three new white papers:
“Our achievements would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our members,” said Jeff Henry, MCA’s executive director. “As we begin 2025, we are excited about the continued progress we will make together.”
ICC Wind-Load Product Listing Approve Kebony’s Cladding
Kebony North America announced that it has received an ICC-ESL Product Listing for its 1x6 dually modified wood Click-In Cladding System, as well as Florida Building Code approval across 60-plus counties in Florida for additional CCS configurations.
“ICC certification is recognized all over the world, and both ASTM E330 and FBC approval are especially important to architects and building envelope consultants designing for high-impact wind environments,” said Andy Hehl, director of Kebony North America. “The products are tested under a quality system that’s audited by an accredited third party, and everything is consistently controlled and produced to the highest standards.”
Kebony’s 1x6 cladding was tested by ICC-NTA Testing Services in vertical and horizontal applications, fastened with concrete anchors.
Further engineering calculations were performed on the CCS with 1x8 boards, varying rail and fastener spacing using different fastener types and substrates. These details are included in a supplement that also includes mile-per-hour wind speed conversions from the design pressures that ASTM E330 provides.
Nichiha Products Confirmed to be Compliant With Build America, Buy America
Nichiha USA has confirmed its compliance with the Build America, Buy America requirements of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. The legislation requires any infrastructure project funded by any Federal Financial Assistance to apply a domestic content procurement process. This means that all iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials used in an infrastructure project must be produced in the United States.
BABA requires that the product must be manufactured in the United States and that the cost of the components of the product that are mined, produced or manufactured in the United States be greater than 55 percent of the total cost of all components of the product. An extensive audit by Nichiha determined that the cladding company’s production, manufacturing, packaging and related operations are compliant with the directive.
“Nichiha continues to be deeply committed to manufacturing the most resilient, durable building envelope solutions right here in the United States, ones that also drive head-turning aesthetics,” said Vance Thomas, director of warranty technical services at Nichiha. “Our hard-working employees, first-class facilities and penchant for products of the highest quality all embody the spirit of American craftsmanship.”
The news comes on the heels of the company’s two Georgia-based manufacturing facilities each securing environmental product declarations from the International EPD System, the highest standard for third-party, vetted sustainability efforts. The brand’s Plant No. 2 facility, which manufactures Nichiha architectural wall panels, and the Plant No. 1 facility, which produces NichiProducts, are vital for domestic operations, employing nearly 600 Americans.
“The BABA compliance, our EPD achievements and our continued investments in our Georgia facilities underscore our ongoing commitment to transparent, domestic manufacturing,” Thomas said.
The certification reaffirms the brand’s commitment to the middle-Georgia economy. Previous efforts include a $150 million investment into the company’s Macon, Georgia, facility, which created 100 new jobs for the region in 2022, and a $120 million facility expansion in Macon-Bibb County in 2018.
Telling Industries Reports a Strong 2024
Telling Industries reported a strong performing 2024, as the company celebrated 20 years in operation, as well as other goals met. The manufacturer also opened a new plant in the fourth quarter of 2024 in Plant City, Fla.
In addition, the company has continued to expand its manufacturing capabilities, capacity and products in its plants in Cambridge, Ohio; Osceola, Ark.; and Windsor, Conn.
For more information, read the full report here.
Spackle by Dave Coverly
People News
W&C contributor Tim Rogan passed this January. Known throughout the industry—particularly for his knowledge on plastering/EIFS/stucco systems—he wrote several articles for the magazine over the years.
Rogan was the founder and principal of Houston Exterior Wall Inspection & Testing. He was also vice president of Houston Lath and Plaster. He is survived by his wife Debbie.
“Tim was a valued member of the Stucco Industry and had built his reputation as a veteran installer of all styles of plaster,” said Chris K. Little, senior project manager at ClarkDietrich. “His contributions to ASTM and other trade groups made us think deeper about plaster applications.
“He was a fun-loving guy who used life experiences to tell stories across his 35 years in the greater Houston market.”
“Tim Rogan was an expert, a mentor, colleague—but most of all—a friend. He had a unique gift of bonding with people and bringing people together,” said Bruce Honore III, of Precision Development, also of Greater Houston and past W&C cover star. “Whatever you needed, a colleague to discuss a problem or friend to catch a drink with he was there to answer the call.”
Over his career he owned both supply and services companies (related to plaster), served on numerous committees related to lath/plaster/stucco, and provided expert opinions on numerous construction defect cases at a national level.
“Aside from being a cool dude that would give you the shirt off his back, Tim was very active in the lath and plaster industry,” said Chad Dupree, of Diversified Plastering Inc., also of Texas and past W&C cover star. “Tim was an ‘Old School’ guy that was all about doing it right. Tim and I were able to do a lot of work together over the last several years and I think we both wished we had met each other earlier in life.”
Benjamin Obdyke has promoted George Caruso to the role of president.
Rockfon North America, part of ROCKWOOL Group, has named Mike Goyette as its new vice president of sales, effective immediately.
The Western Wall & Ceiling Contractors Association recently welcomed three new members to its Executive Board. The new members are Leah Wimberly of Pacific Wall Systems, Inc.; Marty Bowers of Versatile Coatings Inc. and Jordan Poole of Poole’s Construction Inc.
Bowers
Wimberly
Poole
xxxxxx
xxxxxxx.
