Masonry Magazine January 2005 Page. 17
A Changing Industry
"WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, we've seen a change in the last 20 years from a majority of union work to a majority of non-union work being done," says Adelizzi. "That obviously changes the complexity of the industry. It creates training, recruitment and pricing issues. Non-union business owners are generally more independent than union contractors are, in terms of standing behind an industry organization collectively to change things. Union contractors, obviously, are a little more organized, they're used to working together.
"I think the bigger change to the industry is the loss of markets. We have lost a lot of markets to competitive systems."
Adelizzi states that most mason contractors have remained relatively busy over the years, but this hid the fact that tilt-up, pre-cast and other competitors have collectively stepped in to steal away schools and other jobs that were traditionally masonry projects. This changing focus toward non-masonry building systems has created a need for an even stronger national masonry association.
"I think what has changed in MCAA is we saw a need for our organization to step up and try to lead the industry," Adelizzi says. "What MCAA's board has focused on for the last 10 years is that the contractor is the ultimate responsible person. It's their name at the bottom of a job contract to build a building. If there's a problem, the mason contractor is the first person they come to. They don't go to the unions, the manufacturers or suppliers."
Industry Leaders
"WE HAVE STRIVEN to become leaders in our industry, and there's a reason for that," says Mackie Bounds, MCAA Treasurer and Owner of Brazos Masonry in Waco, Texas. "Our industry has become so divided. Within the masonry industry, we have the brick industry, the block industry and the stone industry. Each one of those is promoting their product and can I fault them for it? No, not really-but also, yes, I can.
"The contractor and MCAA has become the leader to bring these fragmented industries together. And we are the right people to do that. We're the ones who are installing the products, and we're the ones wanting to sell wall systems, not just a material. MCAA has played a vital role in bringing that about."
While the work has just begun, Bounds feels that, if mason contractors are able to come together and speak with one unified voice, the only eventual outcome is for masonry to once again rule the construction market.
"We will be the number one force of the construction industry because we've got the best product," continues Bounds. "The product is long-lasting, durable, low maintenance, and for the price, you can't beat it. But what our problem is, the projects are being designed mainly with brick but no block backup. Or it gets designed with interior block walls but metal skin.
"What association is going to bring all of this together? Will the block people invite the brick people? Most likely not. Or what about the brick people inviting the stone people? No. There's only one group that's really interested in bringing our whole industry together, and that's MCAA."
Mark Kemp, Chair of the Silica Task Force and Owner of Superior Masonry Builders in Butler, Wis, takes it a step further.
"I believe in order to survive as a mason contractor, I have to be represented by someone who represents the masonry industry," says Kemp. "The spokesman for the masonry industry can only be MCAA. MCAA represents the whole masonry industry, union and non-union. While I am a union contractor, I have the same challenges as non-union contractors. It is imperative we put our differences aside for the benefit of uniting the masonry industry. MCAA is Superior Masonry's silent partner."
G. Alan Griffin, President of MCAA, says, "I think that being a member has so many advantages because the MCAA is working for mason contractors everyday, whether it is fighting for us as business owners in Washington, making sure standards and regulations are realistic, or promoting our industry."
Promotion
ONE OF THE MANY WAYS that MCAA has been a leader is through marketing the masonry industry. From the joint introduction of the new Masonry Systems.org web site and the co-location of Masonry Showcase with the Construction Specifiers Institute's Construct America, to even the OSHA Alliance signed in early 2004, MCAA has taken the steps to put masonry in front of architects, specifiers and other construction clients.
his changing focus toward non-masonry building systems has created a need for an even stronger national masonry association.
"The masonry industry has faced a number of hurdles in regards to competitive systems such as tilt-up, precast, EIFS and steel," states Colin Faul, MCAA's Director of Marketing. "In response to these groups, MCAA has had to defend the advantages of masonry over other systems, building upon masonry's time-tested durability, low maintenance, cost savings from using load-bearing design, acoustics, energy savings, fire resistance, mold resistance and even speed of construction."
"I do feel that MCAA has made an impact on the industry," says Frank Campitelli, MCAA Vice President and Owner of Baltimore Masonry, Inc., in Eldersburg, Md. "I feel that the web site and Masonry magazine articles have a positive influence. MCAA is playing a major role in advancing the MasonrySystems.org promotional campaign so that architects, specifiers and others can select, design and build with masonry systems. The Association web site is driving to be the most extensive site within the industry. Each week new information and resources are offered, and we're receiving more than 15,000 hits each day."