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Hilti Jaibot Construction Robot to Help Contractors on Jobsites

Duro Dyne’s Dyna-Tite Suspension System

New Feature to Collect More Accurate Time & Streamline Payroll

GRIPNAIL® Equipment Financing

Creating Data-Rich Models in Days, Not Weeks

In-Cab Technology: The Future of Fleet Safety

With vehicle crashes on the rise and cost of crash-related litigation skyrocketing, many businesses are leveraging in-cab technology to help protect their drivers, operations, and bottom line.

Residential Wage & Fringe Database

The Residential Wage & Fringe Database tracks benefit information for approximately 25 local areas. This information can be useful to contractors looking at bidding in areas outside their home local when they may not have the other area’s wage sheets.

Let's Talk Shop, Episode 16

Diversity and Equity in the Industry

Episode #16: Diversity and Equity in the Industry

In Episode 16 of Let’s Talk Shop, host Angie Simon, CEO, Western Allied Mechanical, chats with Leah Rambo, Training Director and Fund Administrator at Sheet Metal Workers Local 28, about the diversity, women in the trade and inclusion opportunities in NYC and how she helps ensure there are opportunities in the trade to remain equitable and competitive.

SMACNA’s New Website Is Live!

SMACNA has launched a new website, focused on the needs of members and chapter executives while also serving to raise awareness of our industry. The site contains many new features and advantages outlined below.

TAB Contractor, EB&I, Helps Businesses in New Mexico Evaluate Their HVAC Systems

The pandemic helped create some amazing opportunities for contractors like Tony Kocurek, owner of Energy Balance &, Integration (EB&I), an Albuquerque, N.M.-based TAB business. In 2020, EB&I helped customers from hospitals to casinos address their changing HVAC system needs, not only to deal with extreme climate issues, but also due to the pandemic.

Contractor Spotlightlight Video: EB&I

The pandemic helped create some amazing opportunities for contractors like Tony Kocurek, owner of Energy Balance &, Integration (EB&I), an Albuquerque, N.M.-based TAB business. In 2020, EB&I helped customers from hospitals to casinos address their changing HVAC system needs, not only to deal with extreme climate issues, but also due to the pandemic.

Pension Plans and the American Rescue Plan

The recently passed American Recovery Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) included several provisions that could impact multiemployer plans. This webinar for SMACNA members, chapter executives, and trustees outlined key provisions in the ARPA that are applicable to our industry.

Risk Management Seminars Coming to a Location Near You

SMACNA members are invited to attend an exclusive, complimentary Risk Management Academy session hosted by Federated Mutual Insurance Company.

Georgia-SMACNA, Inc.

Georgia-SMACNA, Inc., is a statewide trade association representing some of the industry’s most innovative and forward-thinking sheet metal contractors who specialize in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, Architectural & Industrial sheet metal, Manufacturing, Testing & Balancing, and Energy management.

Technology and the Future of Contracting Work

The economic recovery continues as we manage the new jobsite reality of additional processes and procedures to help combat the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. My virtual and now in-person visits with members have revealed that there is more focus on the jobsite, especially through two lenses: what keeps our people safe and what can help keep projects on time and on budget.

Capitol Hill Update: SMACNA Endorses Major School Construction and Retrofit Legislation

School Construction, COVID Tax Credits and Recently Endorsed Bills SMACNA has expressed support for S. 96, “The Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act” sponsored by Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI) and 27 cosponsors.

UV-C for HVAC Air and Surface Disinfection

Despite decades of research and thousands of applications in hospital emergency and operating rooms, urgent-care centers, universities, and first-responder locations, UV-C has not been widely leveraged. 

Improving Upper-Room UV With Ceiling Fans

Studies show that, in spaces with limited air mixing, natural convection generated by heat gains from occupants and equipment at the floor level can reduce the effectiveness of upper-room/air UV systems.

The Harder Work: Reputation Management and Trust Building

We continue the series on the “harder work” of leadership — important but not urgent responsibilities that are easy to put off, in some cases for decades. In this installment, we’ll examine the responsibility of owners and senior leaders to incessantly enhance their organization’s reputation, refusing to believe it will stand untarnished without constant attention.

Deteriorating Backlogs: Responding to a New COVID-19 Reality

When 2020 kicked off, the construction industry was flying high. With a steady flow of work and bidding opportunities, large infrastructure projects on the horizon and sureties offering a seemingly endless supply of bonding, most contractors were hitting all-time-high revenues and profits, with healthy backlogs to keep the momentum going.

The Bidding Hack: 5 Ways to Increase Your Bid Win Rate

The pandemic led to one of the most difficult years in memorable history for the construction industry — one in which specialty contractors were hit particularly hard. According to a recent report from Autodesk, project bidding dropped roughly 34% in the 60 days following March 19, 2020, the day the first U.S. stay-at-home orders were mandated.

INDUSTRIAL: Putting on the Finishing Touch

The heater boxes fabricated and installed by H.M. White help ensure the paint looks great on every Ford vehicle built at a suburban Detroit factory.

RESIDENTIAL: HVAC Rebates Help “Frontline” Customers

When COVID-19 hit, SMACNA St. Louis looked for ways to help contractors help their customers who worked on the frontline of the pandemic.

HVAC: Now Serving Improved Restaurant Air Quality

As cities and states begin to loosen capacity restrictions, SMACNA members are finding their ventilation expertise in demand as operators work to ensure patrons’ comfort and safety. 

ARCHITECTURAL: Metal Press Brakes, Automation Lead to Architectural Improvements

Metal presses are one of the most basic tools of the sheet metal trade. “When we renovated the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, we shaped the gutters, flashings and downspouts with our press brake,” said David Parke, VP of construction operations at Honolulu-based Dorvin D. Leis Company, Inc.

New Technologies Promise Improved Safety and Efficiency

By now, many of us have seen the videos on the internet of industrial robots traversing warehouse obstacle courses like contestants on American Ninja Warrior. 

EPA Signs SNAP Rule 23

On April 23, the EPA signed the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Rule 23, which expands the list of substitutes for refrigeration and air conditioning.

Call to Members! Share Your Story with Us!

We’re asking you to share your company’s recent experiences with workforce development, community engagement and more.

ACHR News: SMACNA educates young people on sheet metal careers

SMACNA is working to raise awareness among young people of the opportunities available in the sheet metal industry, particularly as 35% of the workforce is set to retire over the next five years. SMACNA's Ignite Your Career initiative includes a website, key partnerships and multi-platform advertising campaign, while the association is also promoting diversity through roundtables, collaboration with other groups and the Women in Construction Leadership Council.

Webinar: Fall Prevention: Slips, Trips, Falls and Common OSHA Citations

Each year, jobsite and workplace hazards related to falls continue to be a common source of OSHA citations, with slips, trips and falls among the most frequent sources of claims.

How 2020 Shaped HVAC Filtration Trends

A recent blog post by Johns Manville examines how for many years there has been a trend toward higher performance filter systems that are also more energy efficient. When COVID-19 surfaced, it accelerated this trend and gave global visibility to the importance of improved indoor air quality in both residential and commercial applications.

Bipolar Ionization Spurs Interest as COVID-Fighting IAQ Solution

In Las Vegas, the tourism-dependent casino industry has been among the hardest hit by COVID-related shutdowns, capacity restrictions and the CDC’s recommendation to avoid nonessential travel.

EPA Signs SNAP Rule 23

On April 23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) Rule 23 - New listings for refrigeration and air conditioning; revised listing for fire suppression.

Protecting Ventilation Openings for Storm Shelters & Tornado Safe Rooms

Protecting ventilation openings for storm shelters is critical when severe weather strikes. Both FEMA and the ICC have specific standards for tornado and storm shelters. Do you know what these are?

GRIPNAIL® Equipment Financing

GRIPNAIL® is now offering interest free financing* on their full line of automated duct lining machinery. Don’t let your equipment eat into your bottom line. Make your sheet metal shop run at peak efficiency with the legendary reliability you expect from GRIPNAIL.

The Latest Advancements in Airtightness Testing

From blower doors setups that can test any sized building, to handheld commercial duct testers, Retrotec's line of building diagnostic tools push the industry forward.

When Disaster Strikes Your Electrical Systems

Electricity is vital to our world and businesses, and our reliance on electrical systems creates a risk. Could you continue operating your business without electricity?

Tru-Duct Fabricates Lightweight Phenolic Ductwork for Customer

By fabricating Thermaduct’s round InspiralR and Kingspan KoolDuct rectangular systems, Tru-Duct was able to provide ductwork for this facility that would not require additional structural considerations and eliminate the need for most seismic bracing.

The Market's Most Powerful Cordless Metal Cutting Solutions

Hilti's SSH 6-A22 double-cut shear uses two separate cutting edges to remove thin strips of material and is equipped with a "chip clipper" to terminate the cut without any other tools required, while the SPN 6-A22 nibbler operates like a fast-moving miniature punch-and-die, removing small bits of metal quickly, with extreme precision and accuracy.

Maximize Your ROI with the New D-Max 2.0 Titan

This workhouse model replaces the existing D-Max 1.6E and the D-Max 2.0E for a more powerful tubeformer, offering both high-speed and heavy gauge capacities.

Video: See the Titus HEPA Room Air Cleaner in Action

The Titus HEPA Room Air Cleaner (THRC) is the ideal solution to improve indoor air quality. When equipped with the optional Germicidal Ultraviolet light, it provides superior defense against the spread of infectious airborne particles.

NEW: T&M Ticket to Change Order Workflows in Procore

Procore is the only solution that seamlessly connects the billing process for out-of-scope work from field to office. Say goodbye to damaged or illegible tickets and surprise costs at closeout.

Milwaukee® Launches Major Expansion of Their Headlamp Offering

The leading jobsite lighting provider in the industry, Milwaukee Tool, continues to expand their rapidly-growing Personal Lighting family of products with a major expansion of their headlamp solutions. The line-up includes a new rechargeable light – a game-changing USB Rechargeable BEACON™ Hard Hat Light, which provides 360° of personal safety lighting.

Insulating Plenum Spaces

Knowing which duct insulations to use in plenum spaces can be challenging. Plenums are used to house ducts, pipes, electrical cables, and are common in commercial settings. They often have unique requirements for the materials that are used inside them.

Case Study: Trump International Hotel Waikiki

Energy-efficient, weather-resistant packaged central plants quickly replaced an aging rooftop HVAC system at this five-star hotel, reducing labor costs and installation time by more than half, and trimming utility bills by an estimated $500,000 annually.

FMI Special Report: 10 Things Leaders Must Consider in a Post-Pandemic World

The COVID-19 pandemic fully accelerated changes in the construction industry, and now moving forward, the question is not only how to recover, but also how the future will look...

News Release: April Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Increases in speeding, cell phone use, and hard braking caused over 43,000 deaths in 2020 — almost 3,000 more deaths than in 20191 — so refocusing company drivers on safety is truly a life-saving endeavor.

Rooftop Ductwork – Round or Rectangular?

This technical resources bulletin discusses the differences between round and rectangular duct types, and factors to consider when choosing the appropriate duct type for rooftop ductwork applications.  

Federated Insurance

SMACNA Premier Partner
P O Box 328, 121 East Park Square
Owatonna, MN 55060
Ph: (507) 455-5200
Web: www.federatedinsurance.com/association-groups/smacna
Email: PJCunningham@fedins.com

Federated Mutual Insurance Company is proud to partner with SMACNA for the benefit of all members. Since 1904, Federated Mutual Insurance Company has provided insurance that helps protect not only businesses, but business owners’ peace of mind. Our programs and risk management resources are tailored to the exposures of your industry. Visit the SMACNA association page for more on the products and services we offer, and to locate your local marketing representative or association account executive.