Masonry Magazine December 2001 Page. 11
Where do you think the masonry industry will be in ten years?
If we are able to continue to bring in new craftsmen and women of diverse demographic backgrounds we will continue to be successful. We, as an industry, need to provide more turnkey solutions to the architectural designer and structural engineer to utilize multiple types of masonry products on their projects. For the existing companies, and the new ones to be created, it will be the challenge of providing the product and service that the customer and marketplace desires while trying to incorporate and adapt to the changing workforce that will determine if they are able to succeed.
Who do you think our industry's biggest competitor will be in ten years?
We have a great menu of products to offer the design professional that are often competitive or even less expensive than other materials. Our products are generally respected by the marketplace and provide design and build flexibility to the project. Even with these inherent advantages we are often our own worst enemy. We have fragmented marketing, often with no coordination among our multiple products. We expect each project architect to be fully familiar with masonry detailing and design to the extent that they are expected to create each design from scratch. I believe masonry can compete with any other product system in the market, and if we as an industry would simply do a better job of presenting our total package, I am certain the results would be substantial.
In the past few years, the federal government's involvement in regulating our industry has increased. What do you feel are the most critical issues we will be faced with from future government regulations?
We need to stay vigilant as an industry in monitoring and lobbying the government programs which are impacting our industry. We have safety issues such as unnecessary tie off requirements and potential ergonomic legislation. We have seismic regulations which could eliminate the practicality of masonry solutions or make masonry wall systems non-competitive. We also share problems with other industries and small companies related to unnecessary regulations, reporting, and taxation issues.
Who do you feel has a greater impact on our industry: engineers or general contractors?
The modem day general contractor is becoming more of a construction manager, which in turn forces the masonry contractor to become a trade contractor. Although there are inherent risks and problems for the masonry contractor with the changes of this relationship, there is also a lot of opportunity. The construction manager will need for future mason contractors to fill the full-service role of a trade contractor. Therefore, I believe it is the architect and engineer who will most impact our industry.
The thing I like most about being a member of the Mason Contractors Association of America is
It represents our industry on a national basis and across all the product lines. Our firm has been involved with the MCAA for almost 40 years and I would suggest that there may not have ever been a greater opportunity than what is available now for the MCAA to shape the future of the masonry industry.
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MASONRY DECEMBER, 2001 11