Sheet metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association

​SMACNA’s Council of Chapter Representatives met in Boston earlier this month to discuss current industry issues, examine market opportunities, and exchange ideas in open forums.

Even in this day and age, finding a female millennial sheet metal apprentice is rare. Find one like 25-year-old Catie Rogers and you struck gold.

The workers of KSM Metal Fabrication, in Troy, Ohio, recently traded in their hard hats for oven mitts and jumped on the bandwagon to make donuts for a good cause.

To stand out from competitors and win "the war for talent," construction companies should take an introspective look at their recruiting and retention practices.

On June 5, the U.S. Senate passed a bill that gives the Small Business Administration (SBA) increased flexibility and oversight in lending practices related to the SBA's 7(a) loan program.

With the hot summer months and heightened work schedules, SMACNA contractors are urged to provide workers with information and training on the real health hazards of working in hot environments.

You may have noticed a new version of SMACNews in your email inbox, but just wait until you see it in print. The newly redesigned SMACNews print edition will be arriving through the mail this week and it is sure to turn a few heads with the new, distinctive look and a significant increase in content.

Architecture firm billings rose for the seventh consecutive month, with the pace of growth in April increasing modestly from March, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) May Architecture Billings Index (ABI).

One of the best ways to prevent and control occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities is to minimize hazards and risks in the design stage of a building’s life cycle. SMACNA is involved in the national initiative, Prevention through Design (PtD), that promotes eliminating hazards and controlling risks to workers “at the source” or through design.

America’s closest allies plan to slap billions of dollars in tit-for-tat tariffs on U.S. goods after the Trump administration announced it’s imposing steel and aluminum duties on them.

Redfin provides some interesting market data that can help contractors gauge market growth or decline (if you believe in the data). One of the insightful trends Redfin tracks is its users’ online home searches. Home searches are a leading indicator of moves, according to Redfin senior economist Taylor Marr.

In recent years, sports stadiums have become showcases for green design. An added benefit of environmentally friendly arenas is they are cheaper to operate.

For many, travel reaches its highest point during the summer months. There are precautions you should take when traveling with your smart phone, tablet, or other device, as they are all full-fledged computers and susceptible to a multitude of online risks.

To provide customers with the best user experience, SMACNA has redesigned the online bookstore with a new layout that makes it easier for users to find just the right book in seconds.

SMACNA contractors actively engaged in hands-on learning about SMACNA’s most prominent standards during SMACNA’s two-day Technical University held in April at the Sheet Metal Contractors Association of Philadelphia and Vicinity’s new chapter headquarters in Warminster, Pennsylvania.

SMACNA welcomes returning Bronze Associate Member ALAN Manufacturing Inc. of Wooster, Ohio.

“Challenging” is a major understatement for the award-winning architectural work performed by SMACNA architectural contractor CMF Inc. of Orange, California, on Apple Inc.’s innovative $5 billion new Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The Metal Construction Association recently presented the Chairman’s Award to SMACNA member MG McGrath, Maplewood, Minnesota, for their sleek wall panel work on the renovation to the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky.

What is the best way to attract new talent into the sheet metal and HVAC trades?

After years of short-term, last-minute extensions to the nation’s airport operation and maintenance program, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act (H.R. 4) extending FAA programs for another five years through 2023.

SMACNA contractor ACCO Engineered Systems, Glendale, California, got the call to complete a fast-track construction project for their client, the University of Southern California’s new Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience based just 40 miles away in Los Angeles, California.

In addition to developing and issuing highly regarded industry standards, SMACNA’s Technical Services Department continuously fields questions about technical aspects of sheet metal construction and the application of specific SMACNA standards.

Many members consider SMACNA’s Financial Survey Report an essential industry resource—to benchmark their company’s performance, analyze key metrics, and justify costs—to improve their profitability and cash flow.

Attendees of SMACNA’s Project Managers Institute perfected their project management skills including leadership, financial management, and project planning during SMACNA’s sold-out course in Raleigh, N.C., in April.

SMACNA welcomes these new members, including from our newest chapter, SMACNA Hawaii.

SMACNA continues to be a leading advocate on Capitol Hill urging action by Congress this year to pass the Giving Retirement Options to Workers Act (the GROW Act, H.R. 4997), endorsing composite plans as a multiemployer pension option.

When I started penning this issue’s column on leadership, I took a bit of time to think about the “big picture.” Many of you business owners know what that includes—four generations of ownership, expectations of employees, staff morale, company trajectory, and leadership development—these are the topics that keep many of us up at night, but for me, they get me excited about the future prospects of my company.

In addition to the flag presentation, Rep. Fitzpatrick discussed industry issues at the recent dinner with members of the SMCA Philadelphia chapter including Bill Reardon, chapter executive director, and Peter Jenkins, director of labor relations.

Smartphones, combined with the Internet of Things (IoT), not only allow people to remain plugged in with friends and family, they are also becoming a popular way to keep plugged in to what’s happening in the home.

SMACNA Premier Partner Daikin Applied designs and manufactures technologically advanced commercial HVAC systems for customers around the world. Its parent company, Daikin Industries, has more than $17 billion in revenue, 67,000 employees, 90 production sites, and customers in more 150 countries.