MCAA Regional Report, Region B

Words: Gary JoynerAlabama - Roy Swindal
Florida - No State Chair
Georgia - John Doherty
Kentucky - No State Chair
Mississippi - No State Chair
North Carolina - Calvin Brodie
South Carolina - No State Chair
Tennessee - Brian Proctor
Virginia - No State Chair

Alabama

No report as of this writing.

Florida

Masonry construction in 2014 took a breather from the 30+% gains in 2012 and 2013.

The largest masonry segment in Florida is residential, consuming approximately 70% of all concrete masonry units. Residential is flat in 2014 over 2013, definitely not was predicted or forecasted. This surprised the market but has had some unintended positive contributions to the market. More on this later. Overall, the Florida residential markets are running at about 56,000 SF units in 2014, compared to a normal year of 100,000 single family units. At the peak, we hit over 200K SF units. See chart below:

Florida Housing Permits
Florida Housing Permits
As shown above, multi-family construction in Florida continues to expand; however, 80% of MF construction in Florida is wood construction and does not have a large impact on masonry construction.

The commercial markets, representing 25% of the masonry consumption, did have a great year increasing almost 30% in 2014 over '13. This market is following up on the blistering increases in residential the previous two years. There is typically an 18-20 month lag between residential and commercial. We experience residential built first then commercial a couple of years later. We are expecting a dip in commercial the end of 2015.

Our labor situation is tight but manageable. The flat residential markets have helped our total masonry labor shortage in 2014. However, commercial masonry contractors are feeling the shortage the most. One would think this would be good for our apprentice programs, but it is not. Masonry contractors are not supporting our apprenticeship programs yet and we are still at 3 active classes in the entire state. The good news is that we are going ahead in starting 4 more classes with little to no contractor participation. It is turning out to be a real struggle to get contractors to look to the future and begin preparing now for the inevitable and growing masonry skills shortage in the future.

The big news in Florida in 2015 was the Florida legislature passing the Florida Masonry Education Act into law. This Act creates the Concrete Masonry Education Council which will decide how to "voluntarily" raise industry funding to support education of the trade and public about masonry.

Georgia

No report as of this writing.

Kentucky

No State Chair

Mississippi

No State Chair

North Carolina

Economic Conditions/Forecasts

There is economic improvement in all sectors, especially in the larger North Carolina urban areas. Generally, masonry contractors 1 performance numbers are improved compared to last year at this time. There is conflicting opinion on what 2015 holds for the economy in general and the masonry business specifically. Several construction supplier/trade associations predicted a significant upswing in construction spending in 2014, but it appears the turn-around is progressing somewhat slower than their forecasts suggested. There is evidence the political uncertainties of the Affordable Care Act and the dysfunction of national leadership is having a somewhat chilling effect on economic growth. A super competitive environment continues to aggravate the issue of misclassified employees.

Workforce Development Activities

High school vocational programs remain the main systematic means of attracting and training future masons in North Carolina. NCMCA continues to partner with BIA-SE, the Carolinas Concrete Masonry Association and the North Carolina Masonry Instructors Association to host the SkillsUSA Regional and State Masonry competitions, an event with some one hundred students participating. North Carolina apprentices won recognition in national competitions during 2014. Masonry student Daniel Furr claimed the post-secondary Gold Medal at the SkillsUSA National Competition in Kansas City. North Carolina apprentices, Kelton McGee and Kale Hallman, each won First Place recognition at the MCAA Skills Challenge at the World of Masonry. The NCMCA Masonry Contractor Certification Program includes an important component for training foremen and superintendents, with hundreds of individuals participating in the program. The Annual Spring NCMCA Masonry Apprentice Skills Contest, a true family event celebrating the masonry trade, attracts 2e to 30 NCMCA-member working apprentices and is set for May 16, 2015 in Raleigh. The Annual North Carolina State Fair Masonry Apprentice Skills Contest celebrated its sixty-first year this past October.

Masonry Marketing Activities

Emphasis continues to be on promoting certified masonry both to owners, and to designers and specification writers. Also to masonry contractors as potential participants in the NCMCA certification program. Presently, some 497 individuals and some 88 firms have participated in the program. Thirty-two firms have become certified, although several are presently suspended for failing to maintain the strict requirements for company certification (such as continuing education and individually certified individuals on staff.) In the spring of 2014, NCMCA began the sixth series of certification classes (11 classes per session) with some 34 students participating. The effort to promote certified masonry with specification writers is showing results with several projects either underway or completed that required the masonry subcontractor be certified. NCMCA continues to investigate ways to make the NCMCA and MCAA certification programs more closely aligned. The NCMCA curriculum now includes the MCAA “Masonry Quality Institute” as a requirement for owner/principle certification The leadership of NCMCA remains fully committed to certification as a means to maintain masonry market share by improving perception among not only owners and architects, but also general contractors and masonry contractors themselves. NCMCA has partnered closely with the Carolinas Concrete Masonry Association in the CCMA’s “Understanding Masonry” initiative, a program CCMA developed with the Masonry Institute of Michigan to dispel misconceptions about the cost and performance of masonry wall systems. The program has been presented to architects, material suppliers, masonry contractors and construction mangers across both Carolinas. NCMCA and several individual NCMCA member firms have stepped up as early financial supporters of the new The Masonry Foundation in recognition of the need for ongoing promotion and research to sustain the masonry industry. NCMCA continues financial support of BIM-M for much the same reasons.

Competitor/Trends

Because masonry has traditionally been held in such high esteem in the Carolinas, masonry seems to be holding its own as a preferred building system against powerful promotion efforts from competing systems. There seem to be some inroads being made in more accurately and more favorably promoting masonry wall systems in cost comparison to competing wall systems, i.e. the CCMA “Understanding Masonry” program.

South Carolina

We are very pleased to announce that there is a newly formed statewide masonry contractors association in South Carolina. 2014 has been a very busy year forming our association with unification of the previously independent associations throughout the state. 2015 will be the official first year of operation for the South Carolina Masonry Contractors Association.

Although the Commercial Market is a little slow I think we will see that change due to the growth in industry coming to South Carolina. The Residential market has seen a steady increase over the last 2 years that has created a major labor shortage in all of the residential construction phases and especially Masonry. We still have a major Training problem due to company's doing very little training since 2007. Due to School Budgets being cut the Masonry vocational training programs were the first to be cut. Working with the schools and vocational programs to help get Masonry back in the training class is something the SCMCA needs to do ASAP.

Tennessee

No report as of this writing.

Virginia

Much has been happening to promote masonry in the Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia Areas. Recent events and projects thus far by the Mid-Atlantic Masonry Association:
  • A Board of Directors, By Laws and Committee Structure is in place: Education, Promotion, Membership, Workforce, Events, and all are active to set priorities to promote masonry as the building system of choice.
  • We have created a database of architects and engineers in the Maryland, DC and Northern VA areas - mailing and email addresses -and will continue to expand on this.
  • Member training sessions October 21, 201 3 and February 21, 2014 on the new "Concrete Masonry Basics" seminar developed by PA Concrete Masonry Association. Free Member Training to present this important one hour seminar to architects and others for education credit hours.
  • October 31, 2013 - Fire Safe Construction Cost Comparison Study Training -Columbia, MD. Free Member Training to present this important one hour seminar to architects and others for education credit hours.
  • A Masonry Tip Postcard "On Line Resources for Architects and Engineers" was sent to the architects in the Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia areas that gave information on technical resources available for masonry design.
  • December 3, 2013 -- Seminar presented at Esocoff Architects in Washington, DC about the Energy Efficiency of Masonry by Dr. Mark McGinley from the University of Louisville. Approximately 40 attendees received this important information.
  • December 1 7, 201 3 -Seminar presented at Structural Engineers Institute meeting in Baltimore on the Next Generation Block which allows for higher energy efficiencies and higher design strengths for masonry walls.
  • January 9, 2014- MAMA Member/Prospective Member Training, NCMA Lab Testing Training/Board Meeting--- Herndon, VA- to showcase testing methods for block, mortar and grout.
  • March 2, 2014 -- Bull and Oyster Roast -- in Glen Burnie, MD
  • September 8- 11, 2014- Display on Masonry Cavity Wall and Thermal Performance at the national Construct Show held at Baltimore Convention Center that drew attendees primarily from the Mid-Atlantic Regions
  • A Masonry Tip Postcard "Do Concrete Masonry Walls Require Continuous Insulation? - NO "was sent to the architects in the Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia areas that gave information on compliance with the IBC and IECC (Energy) Codes.
  • October 21, 2014- Golf Outing Univ. of Maryland Course
  • The masonry instructors attended the PCMA Annual Masonry Instructors Workshops in September 201 3 & 2014. They interacted with the instructors in PA for best practices, the seminars, etc. .. We are also working on apprentice training and Skills competitions for 2014.
  • Updates for members on the new OSHA Silica Rule and its impact on the industry.
  • Our website is up and running www.midatlanticmasonryassociation.org It features a listing of the current members by category and some information about us as well.
Plans for 2015 -just a start!
  • January 2015 -Seminar at NCMA Lab on Field Testing of Masonry, Herndon, VA
  • Seminar on Code Requirements for Continuous Insulation and Thermal Performance and how masonry complies - to be scheduled near Washington DC area.
  • Possible Apprentice Training Program facilitation in Maryland and Virginia areas through the NCCER Course developed for masonry
  • Bull Roast February 15 in Glen Burnie- more information to come!
  • Assistance is coordinating the MCAA Regional Conference for late March 2015 near Baltimore airport
  • Much more on the way...
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