Meriam Named STIHL Inc. Director of Sales

STIHL Inc. has announced the promotion of Steve Meriam to the position of director of sales. In his new position, Meriam will manage the continued growth of the STIHL brand and improvements in product sales and distribution in the United States.

Meriam began his career with forestry and logging jobs in Canada. He was appointed to territory manager of Manitoba and Saskatchewan for STIHL Ltd. by Fred Whyte, who started up the Canadian operation and is now president of STIHL Inc.

Meriam’s career moved in a new direction as he began selling the tools he once used, and his hands-on experience soon proved to be invaluable. He went on to hold multiple executive level sales positions at STIHL Ltd. prior to relocating to the U.S. in 1997 and assuming the role of branch manager at Northeast STIHL. He was later promoted to manager of national sales and product development for STIHL Inc. in October of 2002.

Construction Firms to Hire More Employees in 2013

Construction firms in the small and midsized business (SMB) sector expect to increase hiring in 2013, according to the results of a survey announced by Sage North America. The Sage SMB Hiring Outlook Survey revealed that SMB builders in the United States and Canada plan to add jobs as a result of increased demand for their products and services and an improved economic outlook. Sage, a provider of business management software and services to more than 6 million small and midsized businesses worldwide, conducted the survey among 361 executives of SMB construction firms.

The survey revealed that one-third of employers in the SMB construction sector have hired or plan to hire in 2013; of those, 84 percent seek full-time help. This supports the Bureau of Labor Statistics report that construction has gained an average of 27,000 jobs per month over the prior six months, suggesting an uptick in the once challenged construction industry.

“The construction industry is showing strong signs of recovery after several very challenging years, and we’re pleased to see that translating into increased hiring and a stronger employment outlook in 2013,” says Joe Langner, executive VP, Mid-Market Solutions for Sage North America. “Our survey shows that builders are cautious but confident, and we’re optimistic that employment in this sector will continue to improve.” 

Langner continues: “Mobile devices can certainly play a significant role in helping construction businesses. For instance, mobile technology can eliminate the need to haul bulky sets of plans and four-inch-thick books of project specifications to the job site. Mobility enables efficiency and increased collaboration between those on the job site and those in the office.”

When respondents were asked about the size of their workforce in 2013:

• 33 percent said they have increased or will increase workforce size
• 33 percent indicated they will keep their workforce size the same
• 10 percent stated they have decreased or will decrease workforce size
• 24 percent reported they have not yet determined how their workforce will change.

Among SMB builders who hired in both 2012 and 2013, 53 percent expect to hire more employees in 2013 than they hired in 2012, and 41 percent expect to hire about the same. Only 6 percent expect to hire fewer employees this year than last.

When respondents who planned to increase the size of their workforce were asked about the factors influencing their hiring decisions, 83 percent cited a stronger demand for their companies' products and services, and 36 percent cited a stronger economic outlook. Conversely, among respondents who planned to decrease their workforce or keep it the same, 57 percent indicated they were influenced by a steady or weakened demand for their products and services, while 53 percent cited economic uncertainty. 

The survey was conducted online among 361 U.S. and Canadian construction businesses between May 2 and May 15, 2013. The results have a margin of error of +/- 5% at a 95% confidence level.

Masons: Nonresidential Construction Index Hits Record High

FMI, a  provider of management consulting and investment banking to the engineering and construction industry, announces the release of The 2013 Second Quarter Nonresidential Construction Index report. The NRCI score of 60.1 is a 2-point improvement over Q1 and the highest score for the NRCI index since its inception in Q1 2009.
 
This isn’t a bullish trend yet, but it demonstrates that the nonresidential construction market continues to push upward. However, the index for the overall economy rose 7.9 points and the combined index sentiment for economies where panelists are doing business rose 5.8 points.

Current issues for the Q2 NRCI include the effects of sequestration on public and private construction. The majority of the respondents expect only a 0 to 4 percent reduction in their public works projects due to sequestration.
 
Panelists for this quarter’s NRCI also responded to questions about potential labor shortages after losing more than 30 percent of the construction labor force during the recession. The majority of panelists reported few labor shortages at this time. Looking at a year from now, 22 percent of panelists expect severe shortages for construction laborers, as well as shortages for select tradespeole.
 
To download a copy of the full report, click here. For reprint permission or to schedule an interview with the author, please contact Sarah Vizard Avallone at 919.785.9221 or savallone@fminet.com.
 

MCAA Presents Wall Bracing Course in Denver

On Tuesday, May 21, 2013, the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) hosted the Masonry Wall Bracing Seminar with the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI) in Denver.

The Masonry Wall Bracing Seminar has been developed to provide contractors with the know-how to confidently design and construct bracing for a variety of common masonry structures. This is an opportunity to save your company money by designing your own wall bracing, rather than paying a structural engineer.

Rashod R. Johnson, P.E., taught the course, sponsored by Damian Lang of EZ Grout. The four hour course taught project managers, safety managers, and foremen to understand and implement the OSHA regulation on wall bracing, and the Standard Practice for Bracing Masonry Walls Under Construction. EZ Grout’s Hog Leg system was also demonstrated before and after the class. By the end of the seminar, most of the foremen stated they were much more comfortable erecting masonry wall bracing than before they took the course.

Please contact the MCAA at 800-536-2225 if you would like to host an in-house Masonry Wall Bracing Seminar at your company.

MCAA hosts Masonry Day at the Park in Dallas

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) hosted “Masonry Day at the Park” in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

Attendees enjoyed an exciting evening of baseball with their friends in the masonry industry and supported the MAC PAC when the Texas Rangers faced off against the Oakland Athletics. The Athletics defeated their American League West rivals 1-0 in a pitcher’s duel on a cool night at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

A total of $4,750 was raised at the event for the MAC PAC and MAC PEC.

The MAC PAC helps elect pro-construction federal candidates to office who support the MCAA on important industry issues. Contributions raised at this event were exclusively for the MAC PAC and will be used to support pro-masonry candidates.

The MCAA would like to thank Buddie Barnes of Dee Brown Inc. for all of his hard work in setting up this event. Please contact the MCAA at 800-536-2225 if you would like to hold a MAC PAC event in your area.

Laying the Foundation on Capitol Hill

By Stephen A. Borg

What another great week we had during the annual Masonry Industry Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., May 6-8, 2013. Nearly 25 members of the Mason Contractors Association of America hit Capitol Hill to meet with Members of Congress and their staffs and to meet with Federal Agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 

One of the most exciting aspects to this years fly-in was the participation of several new MCAA members who had never traveled to Washington, D.C., in years past to make their voices heard. One of them told us, “What a week! I would attend again in a heartbeat!” 

Not only do we try to make your time in Washington fun, we also allow you to have high-profile meetings with Members of Congress who want to hear your stories and are eager to help you and your businesses succeed.

Over this 1 ½-day period, we met with more than 100 Member of Congress’ offices, where we expressed concerns related to the job-destroying burdens of the overbearing, unneeded regulations coming out of Federal Agencies such as OSHA; pushed for the enactment of a “check-off” program that would benefit the concrete masonry industry through research and development, education, and promotion of concrete masonry products; and expressed our thoughts and concerns over the current immigration reform debate occurring in Congress.

During this time, we also presented our 2013 MCAA Freedom and Prosperity Award to Representative Reid Ribble from Wisconsin, Representative (now Senator) Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin, Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri, and Senator Tom Udall from New Mexico. 

These four Members of Congress have played a vital role in ensuring that small businesses and the construction industry are able to get our economy back humming again, and have thrown their weight behind our efforts to enact a check-off program that would benefit the concrete masonry industry. We look forward to continuing to work with them in the years to come and to work with the many new Members of Congress we were able to reach during this week.

If you have read this column over the years, you may be thinking I am starting to sound like a broken record. But it is important to remember that telling your story is not a once-a-year event. This is just the beginning of your job – telling your story to our elected officials. Each of our elected officials is charged with representing you in government and, without hearing from you, they are not able to adequately represent you and your businesses. 

As many of our first-time Conference attendees learned, Members of Congress want and need to hear about your businesses, your stories, and your communities. We need to make sure that they are continually hearing those stories. I would encourage you to invite your Member of Congress to visit one of your jobsites; and visit him or her back in your state and share who you are and how your business is impacting the District as well as how the masonry industry plays an integral role in our local and national economies.

The Keelen Group looks forward to continuing these discussions as Congress continues to do its work through the remainder of 2013. We would encourage anyone who is being impacted, both positively and negatively, by the Federal Government, to keep their eyes out for information related to the 2014 Masonry Industry Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., and join us in ensuring that Congress hears your voice, gets out of the way, and allows the masonry industry to get our economy moving again.

Stephen A. Borg is VP of The Keelen Group, www.keelengroup.com.

Rental Revenue to Top $38 Billion in 2013

The equipment rental industry in the United States is expected to generate $33.6 billion in revenue in 2013, according to the American Rental Association’s (ARA) latest forecast from the ARA Rental Market Monitor, updated in May. This figure represents a 7.3 percent increase over 2012, with revenue growth reaching 7.9 percent in the fourth quarter according to the latest quarterly forecast.

In the U.S., the construction market and consumer spending are expected to be the most important drivers of growth of the equipment rental market in 2013. “The U.S. equipment rental market is expected to continue its upward trajectory and show significant growth through 2017. Strong growth in real residential construction through 2015 will fuel the construction and industrial equipment segment, which is projected to grow 9.8 percent in 2014 and 11.8 percent in 2015,” according to the U.S. economic analysis from the ARA Rental Market Monitor.

In Canada, the equipment rental industry is forecast to generate nearly $4.6 billion in revenue in 2013, a 3.1 percent increase. In total for North America, equipment rental revenues in 2013 are expected to reach $38.2 billion.

By the end of the current five-year forecast in 2017, North American equipment rental revenue is expected to surpass $50 billion to reach $51.6 billion, with U.S. rental revenue at $46.3 billion and rental revenue in Canada at $5.3 billion.

“The industry continues to build customer demand, which drives the growth of the equipment rental industry. Listening to ARA members from around the country and looking at the forecast of IHS Global Insight, there is unlimited potential for the equipment rental industry,” says Christine Wehrman, ARA’s executive VP and CEO.

“Rental has grown during the anemic economic recovery through increased penetration. As industrial and construction markets continue to improve, rental will see further growth from a larger share of the equipment market, leading to double-digit revenue gains by 2014,” says Scott Hazelton, a senior partner with IHS Global insight, which compiles data and analyses for the ARA Rental Market Monitor.

The ARA Rental Market Monitor is a subscription-based service for American Rental Association (ARA) members provided by ARA and Rental Management as part of a partnership with ISH Global Insight, an economic forecasting firm based in Lexington, Mass.

Simpson Strong-Tie Honored with Sphere 1 Partner of the Year Award

Simpson Strong-Tie has been recognized as 2012 Preferred Supplier Partner of the Year by Sphere 1, a cooperative of independent tool and fastener distributors. Simpson Strong-Tie received the premier award over 84 other Sphere 1 preferred suppliers for the second year in a row.

Individual awards were presented to companies that performed well in one of the six different criteria categories established by Sphere 1. The Preferred Supplier Partner of the Year Award goes to the organization that ranks highest overall across all six criteria, including sales volume increase over the previous year, growth percentage, number of members purchasing from the supplier, completion of Gateway for Growth Programs and Sphere 1 University student course completions in 2012.

“Congratulations to Simpson Strong-Tie for winning Partner of the Year again," Sphere 1 CEO Carol Shackelford says. "We appreciate their participation and the commitment from their outstanding team. Simpson Strong-Tie will have another opportunity to exclusively showcase their wonderful line-up of products to our membership at our Annual Member Meeting next year in May in San Antonio, Texas.”

“Being awarded the Preferred Supplier Partner of the Year for the second consecutive year is a great achievement, and we thank the Sphere 1 membership for this outstanding recognition. We look forward to continuing our fruitful relationship with Sphere 1 by providing the membership with the products, testing and customer service we are known for,” says Simpson Strong-Tie President Terry Kingsfather.

The award was presented at Sphere 1’s Annual Member Meeting on May 7-9, 2013 in Tucson, Ariz.