Hello, Mr. Roboto

Words: Jennifer MorrellHey, I’m an old-school kind of girl. I still like to hold a magazine or book in my hands. I still buy CDs — and read all of the liner notes. I was late to the online bill-paying party, but I did get finally there.

When I conduct interviews with sources for articles, I shorthand my notes with pen and paper, and then transcribe them immediately into a Word document (yes, really). For me, it works. I organize my thoughts and actually have the entire article figured out via the transcribing process.

So, while my profession requires me to keep up with ever-changing software and digital advancements nearly daily, I’m still a traditional person at heart. I don’t automatically embrace every latest-and-greatest piece of technology; I sometimes have to be educated and convinced as to why it’s better than the “old way.”

Like many of our readers, the idea of masonry robotics seems almost oxymoronic in nature. How can masonry — true masonry — be anything but a hands-on, skilled human labor? How on earth could masonry involve a robot? To open your eyes and, possibly, your mind to the concept, we’ve included an article explaining how masonry robotics might actually help to advance masons on the jobsite on page 36 of the January 2015 issue. Give it a read, and let me know your thoughts on this level of technology as it applies to our masonry industry by emailing jmorrell@lionhrtpub.com.
MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 24 Recap: Gary Hensley, VP of Sales at Oldcastle Adams
July 2025

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Gary Hensley joins Justin in Indianapolis to talk about his story within the masonry industry, how he got started, how he's seen it evolve, and where he sees it going. Why the Masonry Industry? Concrete and

The Enduring Power of Structural Masonry
July 2025

Masonry has been holding its ground for millennia — literally. And thanks to the simple brilliance of arching action, it continues to do so with strength, style, and surprising efficiency. In an era of advanced modeling and fast-moving schedules, one time

Building More: Slow, Fast, or Consistent. What is Tempo?
July 2025

It was a drizzly midweek day when I rolled up to the project we were working on just outside of town. The foreman paced the scaffolding, rain hood half-zipped, barking at two laborers who were sprinting bricks like they were late for a flight. Forty feet

Marvelous Masonry: Belém Tower
July 2025

The Belém Tower in Lisbon, Portugal, stands as a testament to stone construction's enduring artistry and technical prowess. Erected between 1514 and 1519, this iconic structure served as a defensive bastion at the mouth of the Tagus River and as a ceremon