Stone Joins Brick and Block at the Board Table

The Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute (RMMI) has changed its bylaws to add a new membership category to its organization. Stone Manufacturers have been welcomed into the organization and will have two seats on the board of directors, alongside the brick manufacturers, block manufacturers, masonry contractors and materials suppliers.

This is a significant change to the organization, which has not changed its membership categories since its incorporation in 1986. The two newly created board seats will be divided, with one representing natural stone and the other representing manufactured stone.

“This is a big change for RMMI,” says Board President Jim Serowski, of JVS Masonry. “There was a rift in the masonry industry between the brick and block guys and the stone manufacturers. By bringing everyone together at the board table, we are working to unify the industry.”

While the Rocky Mountain Masonry Institute’s mission is to promote masonry wall systems throughout the Rocky Mountain Region, it has traditionally focused on brick and block. The addition of the Stone Manufacturers expands the organization’s efforts to include all types of masonry, as defined by the building codes. The 2009 International Building code defines the two primary types of masonry: Section 2102, paragraph 39, defines masonry as a “combination of building units or materials of clay, shale, concrete, glass, gypsum, stone or other approved units bonded together;” and Section 2102, paragraph 75, defines stone masonry as “masonry composed of field, quarried, or cast stone units bonded by mortar.”

There are currently five stone manufacturer members in RMMI: Environmental Stoneworks, Coronado Stone, Legacy Stone, Telluride Stone and Pine’s Stone Company. Prior to this bylaws change, the stone companies were classified in the Contributing Member category with insurance companies and scaffolding suppliers.

“We welcome this historic opportunity to partner with RMMI and other masonry manufacturers and contractors to move our industry forward together,” says Todd Bonnes, general manager of the Rocky Mountain Region for Environmental Stoneworks.

An election will be held later this month to select the individuals who will represent the Stone Manufacturers on the RMMI Board of Directors.

McGee Wins NCMCA Sigmon Award

Seventeen-year-old Wriston McGee, an apprentice with McGee Brothers Co. in Monroe, N.C., has won the David R. Sigmon Award and is the champion of the 2011 North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association Masonry (NCMCA) Apprentice Skills Contest. Wriston, the son of Chris and Lori McGee of Monroe, joined 15 other NCMCA working apprentices in the May 21 competition at Custom Brick and Supply Co. in Raleigh. Wristen is enjoying a good run as a competitive apprentice and won the championship at the 57th Annual N.C. Department of Labor State Fair Masonry Apprentice Skills Completion in October. NCMCA member firms provided some $10,000 in cash, materials, equipment and tools for the event held annually the third Saturday of May.

Belden Brick First to Get ISO14001

The Belden Brick Co. is the first manufacturer of brick products to receive ISO14001Certification, given to businesses that show environmental responsibility through compliance with government regulations, verifying this compliance through strict documentation.

The entire process took about one year, once the decision was made for Belden Brick to pursue ISO 14001 Certification. After a team of third-party auditors came to the company in March, Belden had to wait 30 days for the results. The company received official notification that they had received certification on May 6.

The certification lasts for three years and shows proof that the company follows environmentally responsible practices, meets legal requirements, and seeks opportunities as environmental stewards. Yearly follow-up audits keep company operations alert as it works to maintain the certification.

Boral Unveils Architectural Design Brick Series

Boral Bricks has launched four brick collections within its new Architectural Design Series. The series is intended for commercial construction and consists of the following: Freedom collection, Liberty collection, 17th Century collection and Main Street collection.

“Our new Architectural Design Series offers classic beauty and strength as a commercial brick option,” said Bob Kepford, president of Boral Bricks. “This new series validates Boral’s rich history and tradition of brick making for any style of construction. We feel we are poised to become a major player again in commercial brick as the economy continues to improve.”

The Main Street collection consists of Boral’s traditional red and red range of colors and textures in a modular size brick. The Main Street collection features 13 unique colors, including Chocolate Wirecut, Meltone Range, Red Wirecut Bostonian and Select Smooth Red to name a few.

The Freedom and Liberty collections are traditional commercial brick in a modular style. The Freedom collection comes in seven colors, including Citadel, Manhattan, Pebble, Regiment, Sunset, Varsity and Wheat. The Liberty collection comes in six colors, including Battleship, Bisque, Cannon, Freedom, Merlot and Slate.

The 17th Century collection is similar to Boral’s residential 17th Century brick. Slight irregularities and softer shape help mimic a historic look. Each brick is unique in that it is created in a sand-dusted wooden box, so no two bricks are exactly alike. The 17th Century collection is available in modular and queen sizes. The collection comes in the following colors for the modular style, Cambridge, Chateau, L200/232 and S200/232. In the queen style, the collection includes Buckskin, Dover, Normandy, Orleans and Regency.

For additional information on Boral’s Architectural Design Series and other brick products, visit www.boralbricks.com.