Design & Build With Metal: METALCON '09 Exceeds Expectations

Pardon me for being a pessimist, but as I packed my bags for this year’s METALCON show in Tampa, Florida, I did so hoping for the best but expecting the worst. I knew the show would go on as scheduled—of that I was certain. The big question in my mind was, would anybody actually come? Much to my surprise and great relief, the answer was a resounding YES!

In light of the dismal economic environment—as reflected by the loss of approximately 1.5 million construction industry jobs since December 2007—METALCON 2009 was an unequivocal, amazing success. And it was just what the metal construction industry needed. It’s certainly what I needed. Claire Kilcoyne and her staff at PSMJ Resources, Inc., and everyone at the show's primary sponsor, the Metal Construction Association, are to be congratulated and commended for putting together a show program that made METALCON a “must attend” event for thousands of contractors, architects and other construction industry professionals.

Among the biggest draws at METALCON this year was the new Solar Bay. What a hit it was with attendees. Throughout the three days it was standing room only as presenters explained the benefits and intricacies of rooftop energy systems. There were full-scale mockups of various photovoltaic systems—from crystalline panels to adhesive-mounted thin film laminates—as well as solar heating systems that use the sun’s energy to lower the demands on HVAC systems.

There were also great crowds at the seminars and MCA demos. Focusing on commercial roofing, residential roofing and wall panels, the demonstrations showed attendees just how easy working with metal construction products and systems can be. The demonstrations lasted upwards of an hour or so and while we can’t show you any of them in their entirety, you can get a sense of what they were like by visiting www.youtube.com/designwithmetal.

I was impressed with the crowds on the show floor and I think the vast majority of other exhibitors were too. And it wasn’t just the size of the audience—down only slightly from last year despite all that has happened—it was the quality. Exhibitors confided in me that they’d always been able to make sales on the show floor at METALCON and this year was no exception.

One of the things that left me feeling so good about the show too was just the overall positive vibe. It was energetic and upbeat. I don’t doubt there were those in attendance who still feared for their jobs and/or the survival of their businesses, but the sense I got from most people was that conditions out there have stabilized. Depending on the nature of their businesses, some people were actually having good years. Others said things for them had been “okay” or were beginning to “pick up.” I heard several people describe how sales had been very uneven—up one month and then right back down the next. Still, they were thankful for even a temporary uptick.

I was also uplifted by this year’s ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring U.S. Army SSG Paul Russell Marek. For those who don’t know the back story, Russ lost both his legs and an arm, and suffered severe head injuries, as the result of an explosion while serving a tour of duty in Iraq in 2005. During METALCON 2006 at the Tampa Convention Center, Marek, through the non-profit Homes For Our Troops program, was awarded materials for a steel-framed home and $25,000 in financial contributions to help with his construction in his hometown of Melbourne, Florida. He was bound to a wheelchair and could hardly speak back then but in returning three years later to help cut the ribbon on this year’s show he was walking with the assistance of two canes and was able to say thanks for all he’d been helped. His fight should inspire us all to keep plugging away and be thankful for how good we have it in this country. Certainly it's been a difficult year for the U.S. economy but the challenges are pretty minor in the grand scheme of things.

If you’d like to see a video of the ribbon cutting ceremony, please click here.

Bob Fittro is editorial/content director for DesignandBuildwithMetal.com. He has been covering the metal construction industry, with a focus on the architectural/design community, since 1985. To contact Bob, call (567) 207-2255 or email bobf@designandbuildwithmetal.com.

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