The Near - and Far - Future of Masonry

By Jennifer Morrell, Editor

As 2012 leaves the building, here’s what I know: We have an industry full of people just as strong as masonry itself. No one can be certain of what the next four years will hold. But I do know that most of our industry weathered a hell of a storm during the last four. 

Next year, whether we continue to bounce back or flatten somewhat, we still are far from where we stood in 2009 and 2010. Heads no longer hang down in despair and gloom when our staff attends trade shows, meetings and events. Companies are able to do what they do again, including looking to the future and what positive growth it holds. 

The near future looks a lot greener than it once did. Sustainability is a real component to how we do business, and that will only strengthen, year after year.

The near future also looks more technical and digital than ever. From iPads on the jobsite to contractor software back at the office, we are working more efficiently. Social media gives companies unique identities and exposure. Building Information Modeling and the design-build concepts create maps and records for the life of large construction projects. Every project can have a pedigree, if the contractors so desire.

The far future is a little trickier, but it is in our hands. We need to promote masonry. Masonry needs to be everywhere. I have had big players – suppliers – in our industry ask me why masonry still is relevant. We need to use our passion about our industry to educate others at every turn.

The far future also will depend on our ability to keep skilled workers. High school and technical school programs are strong and commendable, but we need to increase this in all areas of the country. Skilled labor is a good thing, and we need it if masonry is to thrive.

Our industry isn’t without worry, but we are solid. Masonry is solid. Masonry isn’t going anywhere, and neither are we.

Construction Employment Declines Over Fiscal Cliff Anxiety

Barely one-third of states added construction jobs on either a monthly or annual basis in November, as the prospect of a more severe contraction in 2013 keeps hiring down, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials noted that the threat of the looming fiscal cliff’s spending cuts and tax increases is offsetting slight growth in construction spending and keeping employment levels down.
 

“While construction spending has been rising for over a year, contractors have held down employment levels out of fear that failure in Washington to avoid the ‘fiscal cliff’ will trigger a recession and cause many projects to be canceled,” says Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “If the nation can get past this unnecessary, self-induced crisis, there should be a strong upswing in construction hiring in 2013.”

Simonson noted that only 20 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between November 2011 and November 2012, while employment shrank in 30 states. Hawaii jumped to the top ranking for percentage of new construction jobs (8.4 percent, 2,300 jobs), followed by Nebraska (7.3 percent, 3,000 jobs), Texas (6.7 percent, 37,400 jobs), Minnesota (6.5 percent, 5,900 jobs) and Arizona (6.2 percent, 7,000 jobs). Texas added the most new construction jobs over the past 12 months, followed by California (26,400 jobs, 4.8 percent), Arizona and Minnesota.

Among states losing construction jobs during the past year, Delaware again lost the highest percentage (-8.9 percent, -1,700 jobs), followed by Nevada (-8.2 percent, -4,400 jobs) and Arkansas (-7.3 percent, -3,400 jobs). New York lost the most jobs (-16,100 jobs, -5.2 percent), followed by Illinois (-11,200 jobs, -5.9 percent) and Pennsylvania (-10,700 jobs, -4.8 percent).

Among the 19 states that added construction jobs between October and November, Vermont had the largest percentage increase (4.4 percent, 600 jobs), followed by Louisiana (4.0 percent, 4,900 jobs) and Nevada (3.1 percent, 1,500 jobs). Michigan had no change in construction employment over the month, while 30 states and D.C. lost jobs, with D.C. having the steepest percentage drop (-7.4 percent, -1,000 jobs). Texas lost the largest number of jobs for the month (-8,300 jobs, -1.4 percent). Indiana had the second-steepest and second-largest declines (-4.8 percent, -6,200 jobs).

Association officials said the threat of the fiscal cliff was already having an impact on construction employment in most states. They noted that a survey of several hundred construction firms the association released earlier this month found that many firms have already delayed hiring or reduced staff because of the threat of federal spending cuts and tax increases included in the fiscal cliff.

“Thousands of construction workers will be spending the holidays wondering if their leaders in Washington can resolve the fiscal cliff before it costs even more jobs,” says Stephen E. Sandherr, the association's chief executive officer. “Cutting key investments and raising taxes on employers will undermine any chances for a construction industry recovery next year.”

View the state employment data by rank and by state.

Project Disruptions Impacting Construction Industry

FMI, a provider of management consulting and investment banking to the engineering and construction industry, released its annual CURT Owners Survey. The report is based on surveying 45 member of the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT). CURT provides a national and international forum for the exchange of information, views, practices and policies of construction users from an array of industries and represents nearly $200 billion in capital and maintenance spending power. 

The 2012 survey reports that project disruptions, in the form of delays, cancellations and funding challenges, are having a significant impact on owners' capital programs with 83 percent reporting project delays, 41 percent reporting project cancelations and 93 percent reporting the need to use self-funding for projects.
 

How capital program owners respond to both the current and future environment will significantly influence their ability to effectively plan, design, procure and manage capital projects. Based on survey responses, many capital-program owners have already begun the process of identifying future challenges and mitigating the impact. However, more than half are not confident in their responses to date.

The survey addresses:

• Identifying future issues that may impact capital programs and the degree of preparedness to address those issues
• The level of staffing changes during the past four years and anticipated staffing trends going forward
• The degree of project disruptions affecting capital programs
• The continued evolution of project delivery systems and procurement methods

Traditional design/bid/build re­mains the most commonly selected delivery method. However, as project size increases, the use of other project delivery methods increases significantly.

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.

Maxwell Systems Launches 'My Maxwell'

Maxwell Systems Inc., a provider of construction business management software solutions, has unveiled enhancements and redesign of online customer-exclusive support and resource website to deliver a fresh look, added convenience, and other enhancements.

Accessible via secure login at www.maxwellsystems.com/mymaxwell, the site provides what customers need for around-the-clock access to support, training, product information and account details, and much more from a central location. It is a flexible way customers can learn more about using Maxwell Systems software to its fullest, and so work with greater ease and efficiency, while maximizing their technology investment through the lifetime of the solution used, whether construction estimating software, construction accounting software, construction project management software, or complete construction software.

The My Maxwell website is a convenient way for contractors to accomplish more in less time with greater ease and efficiency. Users can live chat with a support tech; download valuable software updates; submit product enhancement requests; watch self-paced training videos; coordinate classroom or on-site training; and reference thousands of searchable, helpful how-to articles, user guides, tax information, product news, and more.

"The redesign makes it easier to get to favorite features and puts navigation at a glance," says Mike Zarzeka, VP, customer operations at Maxwell Systems. "Plus the entire site is now packaged neatly and conveniently within the Maxwell Systems home page. So My Maxwell, made available exclusively to customers with an active Maxwell Systems support agreement, is now a single bookmark for a powerful online resource."

Power Climber Launches New Organizational Structure

Power Climber, a division of SafeWorks LLC, announced a new organizational structure and improved product, designed to revitalize the brand and promote future growth. Power Climber is supporting the best dealer network in the powered access industry by restructuring its management
team.

In conjunction with the announcement, three senior leaders have been appointed to key positions:

• Mike Russell, eight-year Power Climber veteran and president-elect of the Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA), now oversees the sales and business management functions responsible for increasing sale coverage and driving operational excellence throughout the United States.

• Colby Hubler, key account manager, brings more than 10 years of scaffold and access industry experience, taking on the dealership relationships.

• Teresa Kinney, regional sales manager, puts more than eight successful years of experience to use sharing sales responsibility for the dealership network.

In addition to the management restructure, Power Climber is investing in the refreshment of several of its key products. First and foremost is the revitalization of its signature PC1 traction hoist. The new and improved model marries the trusted PC1’s breech reeving capability with the proven low voltage performance of the newest models. With the deepest voltage operating range on the market and the easy-to-replace motherboard, the new PC1 manages poor power better than the competition. For more details, check out the brochure at www.powerclimber.com/pdfs/PC1_Oct_2012_Final_Web.pdf.

Liz Callahan has been a recognized leader within the suspended scaffolding industry and a great contributor to SafeWorks and to the industry as a whole through participation for a number of years. She has recently decided to leave the company in pursuit of other opportunities.

H.B. Fuller Construction Products Opens R&D Center

H.B. Fuller Construction Products has opened a research and development center in Aurora, Ill. The facility features new equipment and updated and expanded lab space that further enhances the capabilities of the company’s research and development efforts.

The new center, formerly based in Palatine, Ill., was relocated to H.B. Fuller Construction Products headquarters in Aurora to allow for improved collaboration with various departments of the company.

“The new facility will allow the research and development team to work more closely with sales, marketing, operations and other departments,” says Greg Schad, technical director for H.B. Fuller Construction Products. “Working in tandem with these departments, the R&D team will better understand our customer’s needs, allowing us to better serve them.”

Designed to meet the needs for formulating advanced technology materials, including water-based, reactive and cement chemistries, the center is equipped with state-of-the-art climate controls to meet the constant temperature and humidity requirements for industry specifications, such as ANSI A118 and ISO 13007.

In addition, H.B. Fuller Construction Products has invested in new and upgraded testing equipment to perform the most demanding test methods for the construction industry. The facility also features expanded lab floor space, allowing H.B. Fuller Construction Products to add new R&D resources for their growing market presence.

Full Contact PM for Mason Contractors: The Blessings of Leasership

By “Coach Gary” Micheloni

Right now is a weird time for me, and maybe for you, as well. But as I sit here, thinking about this column, I realize that I am in some kind of a convergence of seasons. It is just three days prior to our national elections – a “season” that has been going on for the longest time. The time for Halloween has passed, and Thanksgiving is almost upon us, officially launching the onset of the holiday shopping season. Along with them, the holidays that are centered on our faith are just around the corner.

The elections leave me both hopeful and troubled. I’m not ambivalent about my choices for those seeking political office, so I know how I hope things will turn out. But I realize that things might not all go the way I would like, and my concern is how that all affects the country.

Everywhere you look, leadership is clearly on display. I have watched in amazement the resilience and resourcefulness of those whose neighborhoods have been damaged by Super Storm Sandy. People are grateful for help, no matter the direction from which it comes. Many of those who expected the federal government to ride in like the cavalry and save the day have been very disappointed; simultaneously, they have been overwhelmed by the generosity and efforts of their neighbors – even strangers – who have pitched in.

I mentioned the convergence of seasons, simultaneously living through a bunch of them that are seemingly unrelated. Yet, there still is actually a common thread: the American Experience. These seasons come from our common traditions.

About half the country will be disappointed in the elections, the other half will be ecstatic.

But here’s the thing about our country: We may have a transition of power from one administration to another, or the present administration may remain there. Either way, love it or hate it, we have all agreed to go through this as Americans, we will stand by the process, and the whole thing will happen without bloodshed.

This is an astonishing thing, seldomly seen anywhere else in our world. Jefferson was so right when he spoke of these “precious blessings.”

So many countries around the world can’t even imagine such a thing. To advocate for freedom is often a death sentence. Again, the precious things we sometimes take for granted, that we ignore by not caring enough to cast an informed vote, would astonish the majority of people in the world who can’t come to terms with the notion of being free to open a business, speak what’s on your mind, worship as you choose, have the right to own property – and to defend it. Doubt me? Talk to someone who has emigrated here from a country run by a dictator. Such people are blessings to us, and demonstrate the continuing opportunities here, right at our feet.

And through all of this long, political season, on which billions of dollars have been spent, Americans still have enough confidence to enjoy the silliness of Halloween, the somber and joyous gratitude of Thanksgiving, the real reverence of the holidays of their faith, of the reverie and promise of New Year’s Eve and Day.

Our country has been blessed, even before its beginning as a nation, because of the leadership and vision of its founders. When the country was being built, its leaders adopted the principles that established its plumb lines and boundaries. Moral, ethical and religious values were part of its fabric. In other countries, the reality was “the king is law,” but our leaders turned that on its head and demanded that “the law is king.” Real leadership!

Don’t lie awake at night, worried about what may or may not happen. Dig in. Pitch in. Go “all in” for 2013 and for your family. There is an old saying that there are three types of people: those who watch things happen, those who make things happen, and those who wonder, “What happened?”

Come Nov. 7, MCAA still will be here, with a plan in place to move our industry forward next year. We are waiting for your involvement and leadership, because a breakout year in 2013 won’t happen without you. 


Coach Gary’s Corner: What’s your plan for growth in 2013? Coaching will help you get there in less time, and with more success. Ask Coach Gary to speak for your group, association or convention, or even to coach your company. Coach Gary’s first book, “Get Paid for a Change!” is available at Amazon.com. Pick it up there; change your business. And, get his FREE scheduling seminars at www.MicrosoftProjectClasses.com. Gary Micheloni is a working project manager, speaker, author, consultant and coach. Write him at FullContactTeam@gmail.com. Copyright 2012 Gary Micheloni