AISI Standards Council Seeks Proposals for Small Projects and Fellowships

Telling Industries Announces Environmental and Sustainability

Structural Thermal Break Manufacturer Joins Carbon Neutrality Partnership

Spackle by Dave Coverly

People

R. L. Reppert Achieves its 26th Consecutive ABC STEP Award

SAF Expands U.S. Footprint, Christens New Facility

SENCO to Create New Worldwide Headquarters Facility in Cincinnati

Building Talent Foundation and Simpson Strong-Tie Form Strategic Alliance to Promote Trades

KAI Build Named Missouri Women in Trades 2021 Breaking Barriers Contractor of the Year

R. L. Reppert Achieves its 26th Consecutive ABC STEP Award

R. L. Reppert Inc. announced it has achieved its 26th consecutive award in Associated Builders and Contractor’s STEP Safety Management System, meaning the company is 655 percent safer than the industry average. Founded more than three decades ago, STEP has evolved into a world-class safety program that dramatically improves safety performance among construction industry participants.

“Safety is of the utmost importance” stated Richard Reppert, president of R. L. Reppert Inc. Reppert referred to the company receiving the STEP award every single year since 1995 when the company became involved in the STEP program. “Our employees providing a good living for themselves and their family is not only important to our organization, but each and every one of them remaining healthy and safe during their daily activities is just as important as anything else we do. We want every employee to return home in a safe condition every single day. Our employees are the heart of our company” Reppert said about his employees, some of whom have been with the company for over 40 years.

STEP participants measure their safety processes and policies on key components through a detailed questionnaire with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incidents.

“Safety is a journey, and that journey is possible because of systems like STEP, which enables ABC member contractors like R. L. Reppert to have a safer and more productive jobsite,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “Committing to total human health is essential to ensure both the physical and mental health and safety of our workforce, and I commend R. L. Reppert for consistently fulfilling those commitments to raising the bar of safety performance.”

The contractor’s list of awards dates back to 1993. The company continues to maintain a family-type atmosphere despite continued growth. Starting with only four part-time employees, the company has grown to employee an average of 80 to 100 employees.

“We strive to ensure that all employees feel like a part of our organization, no matter what their role entails.” said Reppert about his employees.  

According to ABC’s annual Safety Performance Report, STEP participants, regardless of company size or type of work, and can reduce recordable incidents up to 85 percent, making the best performing companies more than eight times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average. Ratings range from Diamond, the highest, to Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Participant.

SAF Expands U.S. Footprint, Christens New Facility

SAF is expanding its capacity and capabilities with the opening of a new manufacturing location in Temple, Texas. The 60,000-square-foot facility will specialize in metal fabrication and distribution, including the manufacturing of panel systems and extrusions, sheet distribution and custom metal fabrication. SAF hosted a grand opening event for the facility—dubbed SAF Texas—in September.

Temple Economic Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization that works closely with local, regional, and state partners to assist with business expansion and relocation in Temple, helped SAF select the location for its new facility and will join SAF for the grand opening celebration.

“Our new Texas location was chosen for strategic reasons and is part of SAF’s ongoing commitment to more efficiently and effectively serve our customers,” said Penn McClatchey, CEO of SAF. “We’ve done business in the Lone Star State and the surrounding region for some time, so it was only natural for us to plant our flag there. With our new facility, we’re geographically closer to our customers, which means we can get product to them even more quickly than before.”

The new SAF facility is the latest addition to the company’s U.S. footprint of facilities in Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana and California. The company plans to hire up to 10 employees in various roles as it commences operations in Texas. The plant may eventually employ up to 50 people in the coming years.

“We are excited to welcome SAF to Temple, where the company will join a growing roster of manufacturing companies that select Temple for their operations,” said Adrian Cannady, president and CEO of Temple Economic Development Corporation.

In Temple, SAF will tap into a workforce that is skilled in manufacturing and fabrication. Temple has historically offered unparalleled expertise in precision products, specifically in the metal fabrication sector. With eight local colleges and universities offering certificate programs and degrees in manufacturing-focused academic disciplinary tracks, Temple boasts a highly talented labor pool.

SAF will offer pick-up and delivery as part of the Temple location’s portfolio of services by the end of 2021.

SENCO to Create New Worldwide Headquarters Facility in Cincinnati

KYOCERA SENCO Industrial Tools has announced a major investment in its 500,000-square-foot Newtown, Ohio-facility for the construction of a new 32,000-square-foot addition and 8,000-square-foot renovation of existing space.

The expansion will add offices for sales, marketing and administrative staff, bringing all Cincinnati-based employees under one roof and making the Broadwell Road facility as the official worldwide headquarters.

“This is a great move for us to bring all our employees back together after working in separate buildings for decades,” said Cliff Mentrup, CEO of KYOCERA SENCO. “We continue to invest in our business, and we see a great benefit in putting our U.S. manufacturing and Cincinnati-based business operations under one roof.”

Kyocera Corporation, of Kyoto, Japan, acquired SENCO in 2017 and has invested millions of dollars in the Broadwell Road facility to support manufacturing equipment and research and development projects over the past three years.

The project is scheduled for completion by 2022 and will not only include expanded office space but also an employee cafeteria serving hot meals and a dedicated training, product education and innovation center.

Building Talent Foundation and Simpson Strong-Tie Form Strategic Alliance to Promote Trades

Building Talent Foundation and Simpson Strong-Tie announced a strategic alliance to promote the growth of the residential construction industry workforce in the United States. BTF is a non-profit organization focused on connecting young and underserved people to skilled trades training and career opportunities. Simpson Strong-Tie, the leader in engineered structural connectors and building solutions, is committed to giving back to its communities by contributing to the quality of construction trades education and the promotion and advancement of the trades.

“Supporting the next generation of skilled trades talent is an important part of our commitment to our customers and our industry. We’re excited to begin working with Building Talent Foundation to help people find education, training, and employment opportunities as they launch their careers in construction,” said Simpson Strong-Tie CEO Karen Colonias.

BTF's mission is to advance the education, training, and career progression of young people and people from underrepresented groups, as skilled technical workers and business owners in residential construction. BTF collaborates with all members of the residential construction sector to meet measurable outcomes for the industry and for communities. Simpson Strong-Tie joins BTF’s cross-sectoral coalition of employers and educators as an Innovation Partner. Simpson Strong-Tie is donating a total of $600,000 to the foundation as part of its commitment over the next three years.

“Collaboration is the path to building a sustainable residential construction workforce for the future,” said Branka Minic, CEO of BTF. “We’re thrilled that BTF Founding Partners KB Home and Ashton Woods connected us with Simpson Strong-Tie. Together, we can accelerate towards our objective of bringing 100,000 new skilled trades workers into construction by 2030.”

In October, BTF is coordinating a two-day event for career technical education program students from the Dallas Independent School District. Students will connect with industry leaders during a visit to the Simpson Strong-Tie plant in McKinney, Texas.

“Partnering with Simpson Strong-Tie is an honor," said Sheryl Palmer, chairman of BTF’s Board and Chairman and CEO of Taylor Morrison. “Both of our organizations are dedicated to strengthening trades education. By working together, we can leverage our collaboration to connect young people with role models, education, training, and career opportunities.”

KAI Build Named Missouri Women in Trades 2021 Breaking Barriers Contractor of the Year

KAI Build has announced that it has been named the 2021 Breaking Barriers Contractor of the Year by the Missouri Women in Trades organization. KAI accepted the award during MOWIT’s Blue Collar Black Tie Awards Gala honoring and celebrating women in the trades in September at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 Grand Hall in St. Louis, Mo.

“KAI Build strives to give women opportunities to achieve higher levels of construction leadership through our hiring process and programs,” said KAI Build’s Director of Project Management Gyasi Haynes. “Our culture and our goal is to be the most diverse organization the construction industry has ever seen. We are excited to have such great women working at KAI who are leading the way for other women and minorities. We are grateful for all our women team members and all that they do to be a part of the mission and vision of KAI.”

Founded in 2008, MOWIT works to expand opportunities for women to enter and succeed in apprenticeship and careers in the construction and building trades in the greater St. Louis area. MOWIT works with employers, unions, educational organizations and other entities to increase women’s equal employment and working conditions.

The Breaking Barriers Contractor of the Year award is given to the nominee who can demonstrate programs, initiatives and efforts that have supported women entering and succeeding in these programs. Nominations were open to contractors that are signatory with any of the St. Louis area unions listed in the St. Louis Construction Cooperative’s Construction Careers handbook.

KAI Build, which is a member of The St. Louis – Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council, has a workforce that includes 20 percent women, with 25 percent of women in leadership roles. KAI also reported a 20 percent increase in female workforce participation in the last year.

“Nothing beats their intentional programs to hire and support women, while going the extra mile to hire women for supervisory positions. They have shown themselves as excellent, honorable, diligent and committed to the woman mandate,” said MOWIT Board Member Rochelle Bonty.

AISI Standards Council Seeks Proposals for Small Projects and Fellowships

The American Iron and Steel Institute Standards Council is seeking research proposals for its 2022 Small Project/Fellowship Program. Launched in 2014, AISI’s Small Project/Fellowship Program identifies and provides funding for research projects that will significantly impact the reliability, performance and cost-competitiveness of cold-formed steel products. The program provides a streamlined mechanism for AISI’s standards development committees (the Committee on Specifications and the Committee on Framing Standards), industry stakeholders, academics and students to collaborate on relatively short-term, highly focused and mutually beneficial projects.

The small project and fellowship requests should be developed and submitted by a project team that includes a student (if known at the time of submittal), an academic advisor from the student’s academic institution and an industry advisor. Either the academic advisor or industry advisor must be a member of the relevant AISI standards developing committee. Project selections are based on several factors, including:

• The potential for long-term impact on the industry;
• Steel industry engagement and co-funding, and;
• Results for the AISI standards development committees, the student, and the academic institution.  

AISI funding is limited to $10,000 on small projects, which include stated deliverables; and $6,000 on individual fellowships, which do not include overhead expenses. AISI anticipates funding three to six projects in 2022. Project ideas may be generated by the AISI standards developing committee, industry advisor, academic advisor or student. A list of potential project ideas is available from Helen Chen, manager of AISI Construction Standards Development, who can be reached at hchen@steel.org.

Proposals for the 2022 Small Project/Fellowship Program are due to AISI by November 1. Requests should be submitted via email to Jay Larson, secretary of the AISI Standards Council, at jlarson@steel.org. Winning projects will be determined and announced by the AISI Standards Council in January.

Telling Industries Announces Environmental and Sustainability

Telling Industries LLC announced that its cold-formed metal framing products now carry the SFIA Environmental Product Declaration.

Telling is now a recognized holder of latest LEED certification, EPD. The company’s manufacturing processes and products underwent rigorous audits by SCS Global Services to qualify for the SFIA EPD program listing. Telling has joined other businesses and organizations around the world working to provide products and services that meet the highest environmental, social, and quality standards.

Structural Thermal Break Manufacturer Joins Carbon Neutrality Partnership

Schöck North America announced that its parent company, Schöck Bauteile GmbH, has entered into a collaborative partnership with Kassel University and ten other companies to become climate neutral by developing pathways for sustainable enterprises.

The project, called “Paths to a Climate-Neutral Company,” identifies opportunities for climate neutrality in operational practice, and develops measurable plans that can be applied by the partner companies. The results will be used to develop guidelines that companies in any industry can use as a model for implementing climate-neutral practices.

The participating companies represent the energy, automotive, chemical, financial services, technology, electronics, and building materials industries.  

Completion of the project is expected early in 2023.

“Schöck’s primary focus has always been on the development of structural thermal breaks and other building components that reduce energy consumption, improve building envelope performance and create more comfortable living spaces,” said Tracy Dacko, marketing manager for North America, adding, “Our participation in this program demonstrates not only our commitment to improving the built environment, but to do so in a way that is responsible, sustainable and renewable.”

People

As part of the expansion, SAF has promoted from within to fill key leadership roles at its Texas branch. Wayne Sharp has been promoted to general manager of the new location. Previously based in Atlanta, Sharp most recently served as account manager and has been with the company for nearly 20 years.

Patrick Russ has been promoted to fabrication supervisor of the new Temple manufacturing facility. Russ has been with SAF for six years and most recently served as assistant supervisor at SAF West in Redding, Calif.