Sheet metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association

Kyong Tae Chang, president of Preferred Mechanical, along with six other Hawaii member contractors were installed at the Sheet Metal Contractors Association (SMCA) of Hawaii’s bi-annual installation event, April 14. The installed officers will serve two-year terms.

SMACNA member Limbach Company has big plans for National Safety Stand-Down Week, May 7 to 11.

Contractors interested in learning about the consequences of their chapter and local union’s bargaining agreement to adopt the crew-cost method will want to attend SMACNA’s second webcast for a more detailed overview of the process.

As of this year, the costs of certain energy efficiency improvements can now be immediately deducted as business expenses rather than recovered far more gradually through decades-long depreciation schedules.

The Director Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations for SMACNA's Board of Directors.

The College of Fellows Golf Outing always gets SMACNA’s Annual Convention off to a spirited start. This year’s event on the La Costa Champions Golf Course will be no exception.

With the searing summer heat approaching, SMACNA encourages members to give workers information and training on the hazards of working in hot environments.

Associations are often designed to meet the needs of current members, not future members, and senior executives, not young staffers. As a result, associations often meet resistance from its chief stakeholders to create opportunities for young professionals or customize their engagement value proposition to the unique needs of their juniors.

“We are proud to welcome the new chapter of Hawaii into SMACNA,” said Vince Sandusky Chief Executive Officer, SMACNA. “I have seen first-hand the passion these contractors have for the work they do, and we look forward to working with them in the future.”

A single moment of distraction behind the wheel can have devasting effects for you, your employees, your business, and your family.

As summer is not far away many people will be traveling to America’s national parks. Unfortunately, after decades of unreliable funding, the National Park Service (NPS) has an infrastructure repair backlog of hundreds of thousands of buildings estimated at $11.6 billion (FY 2017).

SMACNA and SMART recently agreed to allow local bargaining parties to adopt a crew-cost method to determine how much wage equalization is owed when a contractor fabricates in a lower wage area and the item is installed in a higher wage area.

More and more SMACNA chapters and members are offering college scholarships to deserving students thanks to the assistance of the College of Fellows Endowed Scholarship Program.

May 4 is the deadline for SMACNA members to submit their 2018 safety survey and qualify for a national safety excellence award.

Falls are a leading cause of fatalities for construction workers. That is why it is important that the construction industry stop work and openly discuss fall hazards and how to prevent them, during the 5th annual National Safety Stand-Down Week, May 7-11.

California is seeking input on a plan to update its building energy standards to increase energy efficiency, clear the way for clean energy heating and hot water, and, for the first time, require new homes to install rooftop solar panels.

Legislative involvement is a right and a privilege for each citizen but is also a responsibility. If we want our industry and the country to prosper, we should advocate policies supporting a vibrant infrastructure policy, sensible pension policy, and national economic policy that support a thriving HVAC marketplace.

Distracted driving is a public health issue that affects us all. There are serious risks associated with using cell phones, pagers, and laptop computers while driving a company or personal vehicle, as is frequently discussed by SMACNA’s safety community.

The responsibilities and job description of a chapter executive are vast. They encompass everything from event planning, marketing, recruiter, mediator to CEO.

SMACNA and SMART recently agreed to allow local bargaining parties to adopt a crew-cost method to determine how much wage equalization is owed when a contractor fabricates in a lower wage area and the item is installed in a higher wage area.

Under a recent federal court decision, the city of Cincinnati may require companies bidding on city contracts to have apprenticeship programs, as well as health and retirement plans.

Without a doubt the HVAC industry is making a difference in the lives of people. By delivering an energy efficient product, our companies improve the lives of the American people time and time again.

Leaders from both labor and management joined forces at the 2018 SMACNA/SMART Partners in Progress Conference, Feb. 13-14, and accepted the challenge to work together to sustain and expand market share where opportunities exist.

SMACCA Milwaukee’s new Youth Apprenticeship Program is demonstrating that the trades are not only capturing the hearts and minds of high school students, it is convincing educators, counselors, and parents that construction can be a practical and rewarding alternative to college.

Some projects bring a sense of personal achievement that goes beyond the satisfaction of a job well done. Providing sheet metal elements for the new Detroit Red Wings stadium, now Little Caesar’s Arena, was just such a project for Glenn Parvin, president of SMACNA member Custom Architectural Sheet Metal Specialists (CASS) in Detroit, and for members of Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 80 who worked on the job.

Fueled by a soaring U.S. economy and lower corporate tax rates, industrial sector experts anticipate a 5.9 percent increase in overall U.S. industry plant spending to $328.5 billion in 2018. The spending forecast is up by $18.35 billion from last year according to the industry market research provider, Industrial Info Resources.

When preparing their bids and budgets, many members use SMACNA’s Financial Survey Report as a guide to compare their numbers to responses from other companies operating in the same markets and geographic areas.

With the recent imposition of tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, steel prices are already increasing. To minimize the risk of rising material costs and contractors’ potential liability, SMACNA members should fully understand their contracts and ways to limit their exposure to price changes.

The SMACNA Leadership Development Program, which runs from May 21-24 in Chapel Hill, N.C., is an executive-MBA-style course.

SMACNA continues its persistent work on Capitol Hill to move composite plan legislation forward. SMACNA’s goal is still to move the composite plan legislation forward before the end of the year.