Industry experts say innovation is plenty but could be promoted better

by David Flaherty | 30 January 2025 8:29 am

Experts from across metal construction came together to discuss innovation and identify the next “aha” moment they see for the industry.

The innovation panel was held during the Metal Construction Association’s (MCA) annual winter meeting from January 20 to January 22 in Cape Coral, Fla. Speakers on the panel were Mark Carlisle, marketing manager for the U.S. Steel Corporation; Eddie Barron of the National Coil Coaters Association; Rob Haddock, founder of S-5!; Larry Peters of the Copper Development Association; and Brian Smallwood, construction market manager of Steel Dynamics Inc. Jeff Henry, MCA executive director, served as the moderator.

Henry started by asking the participants to identify some innovation landmarks for the industry.

According to Haddock, when U.S. Steel recently raised the life warranty[1] for Galvalume steel from 25 years to 45 years, it was a “huge, huge move for the industry.”

“It’s a recognition of the performance of Galvalume-coated steel,” he said.

Barron believes the metal construction industry is “more innovative than we give ourselves credit for.” The improvement he is most enthusiastic about is electron beam coating technology. In this process, a focused beam of high-energy electrons deposits a thin material layer onto a metal surface, creating a coating with specific properties like improved wear resistance, corrosion protection, and enhanced surface finishes.

According to Barron, this technology has been around for 30 to 40 years and was standard in the industry until the recession of 2008, but it is now “starting to come back.”

“Painting companies will all tell you they are investing in it,” he said.

Smallwood said electron beam coatings are much more sustainable and have “all kinds of benefits.”

On the ever-evolving topic of AI, Barron says impacts can be seen in the booming sector of data centers, although he warned this won’t last forever. On the industry level, he believes “every single company should be developing an AI strategy.” However, he did acknowledge that this technology has risks, such as intellectual property (IP) possibly falling into the wrong hands.

Henry asked the panelists how the metal construction industry compares to its competitors.

Peters believes the mass timber industry is heavily pushing its marketing message, adding that it is not always about the reality of the situation but how it is presented. Barron says the industry has a fantastic opportunity to show how metal buildings can solve some problems contractors experience when using other materials. For Haddock, he feels the industry is underpromoting itself.

Further, Haddock expressed his surprise that the U.S. market lags behind the rest of the world in embracing solar energy.

“It’s a global happening. It’s not a fad; it’s not going to go away,” he said. Pointing to the financial efficiency of solar, Haddock says most projects pay for themselves within three to five years—and sometimes even quicker.

He said only a tiny percentage of roofs in the country have been “solarized,” with the majority being residential.

“It actually makes more sense for commercial [buildings],” he added.

The discussion ended with the panelists sharing how more innovation can be created in the metal construction industry.

“A crisis creates the need for innovation,” Smallwood said. He added, “You have to look stupid sometimes when you are doing something others haven’t.”

Carlisle said that innovation is expensive and risky but worth it. “You have to be willing to take risks,” he said.

Barron said a major obstacle to innovation is often a lack of education. “There’s a lot of gaps in the understanding of what’s available,” he noted.

For Haddock, innovation comes from thinking “outside of the box.” He explained that the COVID-19 pandemic forced the industry to innovate differently. “We just reinvented how we do our business,” he said.

Peters pointed out that another route of innovation is to return to techniques that were common in the industry years ago and fell by the wayside but remain relevant today.

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/articles/mca-innovation-panel/

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