A New First Impression

by marika_gabriel | 3 November 2023 1:00 pm

[1]As I write this, fall is in the air—which always reminds me of apples. As I review comments regarding some of our Metal Building Contractors & Erectors Association (MBCEA) members, I am unfortunately reminded of bad apples.

Our industry is known for our bad apples, much more so than our top-quality contractors and erectors.

The MBCEA is making a concerted effort to recruit the top builders and erectors in our industry. Contractors and erectors like Kaiser Martin Group, Briner Building, Merit Builders, Rice Companies, Fleming Steel Erectors, Steinberger Construction, and Span Construction & Engineering are just some of our member companies I look up to, to inspire my own company to do a better job. I follow them on LinkedIn and look forward to reading their posts.

If you are looking for a contractor or erector to supply and erect a metal building system for your project, how do you vet them? Low price is often just a low price. Do you look at the past projects on their website? Do you ask for insurance limits, copies of their training manuals, and references from previous clients? It takes a little bit of effort on your part to help us weed out less than competent erectors.

The standards for AC478 accreditation will help elevate the professionalism of our industry as more erectors and contractors become accredited. Accreditation has really caught on with our members to differentiate themselves from the competition. The Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA), MBCEA, and International Accreditation Service (IAS) are working with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) to educate them on the flexibility of using metal building systems and the importance of introducing AC478 and AC472 into their specifications.

Social media is an important part of accentuating the positive. Engage with us on LinkedIn. Like and share the material on the MBCEA YouTube channel. Did you know our last three Building of the Year projects are commemorated in professional videos, that we have a public service announcement to promote temporary bracing and other videos highlighting quality, safety, training, and building integrity through our accreditation program AC478? Look at the Building of the Year videos for Dunn Building Company, Foundation Steel and Brentwood Builders, and Lemartec Corporation, a MasTec company.

Bad reputations and poor results typically come from lack of training—well, we can help with that, too. The MBCEA “members only area” includes tools, templates, and training materials. If you do not know how to access it, reach out to Sasha Demyan, our executive director, at sdemyan@mbcea.org. Our sister agency, Metal Buildings Institute (MBI), has partnered with the leader in craft training, the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). Together with MBCEA subject matter experts, we are producing an affordable and comprehensive metal building assembly training program, presented in the way students learn today. This multi-year, million-dollar investment will provide the tools we need to recruit, train, and develop craft workers skilled in the unique needs of our metal buildings.

As all this comes together, the MBMA and MBCEA are framing a strategy to participate in the 2024 AIA conference to deliver/share a message of the entire metal building system industry to the 15,000-plus architects, designers, and specifiers who will attend.

This “introduction as a united industry” is an opportunity to make a new first impression. As we endeavor to recast our future, it is time to remind ourselves of the MBCEA association pledge (see Code of Conduct). These standards are our framework for success.

Code of Conduct: Members of the Metal Building Contractors & Erectors Association (MBCEA) pledge to:

Adhere to metal building systems manufacturers’ drawings, specifications, and installation manuals. Strive for excellence in all aspects of business by using only legal and ethical business practices. Promote the advancement of metal building systems’ sales and steel erection, and promote the trade craft Metal Building Assembler. Provide employees with opportunities for education through company-sponsored learning programs. Comply with applicable safety and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and adhere to industry best practices. Provide a working environment that promotes the safety and health of all. Avoid conduct and practices that would discredit the metal building industry.

Take a moment to consider the following: Are you living up to these high standards? Do you sometimes look the other way or make excuses for safety and quality infractions, or are you committed to doing the right thing? Do you always promote a culture of safety first?

Make sure your team members understand their roles in our pledge. They are our future and play an integral role in this course correction. We need them to absorb the training we provide, to embrace the importance of safety first. Ensure they understand the unforeseen consequences of posting silly social media memes about unsafe practices. Perhaps, harness their social media skills to promote the best aspects of working with metal building systems. Encourage them to like and share MBCEA collateral.

Reaching New Heights Together is the MBCEA motto. Rewriting our reputation so we are known for the integrity of our complex builds and our commitment to safety and training is an important step along the way. We must start a new chapter and move forward together.

Jennifer Heimburger has been with Heimburger Construction Inc. (HCI) since 1999. Her father, Bob Heimburger, started the family business in 1978. HCI has been affiliated with Butler Manufacturing since its inception. Both Jennifer and Bob have served on Butler’s advisory council, and Jennifer was the first female chair in 2016. HCI achieved the AC478 accreditation in 2021 and strongly supports the efforts of the Metal Building Contractors & Erectors Association (MBCEA) to help other erectors attain accreditation. She has served as MBCEA president since 2022.

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/articles/columns/a-new-first-impression/

---