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Industry Today

Are We Driving A Stick Shift?
Tuesday, January 8, 2013 - 08:06

I am a thirty-something so my experiences with a stick shift automobile are contained in three short memories. My most recent memory of a stick shift was driving the company’s 20-foot flatbed to Las Vegas when we wanted to swap it out for our newer automatic. Then there was the “little young lady from Pasadena” that drove me around in her 1970’s beige Volvo when I was a sophomore in high school. All I can say is that it pays to date older women.

My most vivid memory though is from when I was eight-years old. I can remember my dad trying to teach my mom how to drive the family’s Datsun hatchback stick in the parking lot of the local K-Mart. She couldn’t quite get the rhythm of letting off the clutch while pressing the accelerator. There’s nothing like sitting in the back of a vibrating Datsun in the middle of an empty parking lot. So, why do I bring this memory up?

It’s because our current construction industry feels like learning how to drive a stick shift. We slowly ease off the clutch, press the accelerator, and roll along with some good housing numbers for a few weeks and then with a rev and a swift jerk, construction seems to grind to a halt.

Sure, the Hurricane Sandy recovery is going to bring construction jobs to the northeast, but how long will it really take to start re-building? If you are any kind of estimator, you know that no project begins overnight, especially when Congress just passed a Sandy Aid package last Friday.

Last November, I was like many others who believed that there would be a change in the White House simply due to the economic winds that were blowing. I thought there was no way that the electorate was going to put up with the current administration when all of the economic indicators were down, but I was wrong. It seems to me that there was a lot of money sitting on the sidelines waiting for the election results and I do not think those who are holding the purse strings are willing to wait another four years to see if the other party makes its way back to the top.

So, when will we see construction catch the accelerator and run without stalling again? If I were a betting man, I would say in the next 12-18 months. People have money to spend and for too long they have played it safe. They will no longer accept the .001% growth of a normal, yet safe savings platform. They will not look at it as protecting their money, but will begin to look at it as losing money on opportunities that they did not take.

Let’s all hope that those who want to play the market again, will invest in new homes and commercial construction so that those with a stake in the industry can shift into high gear and start cruising again.

Written By: Gary W. Jayne II, Sales Manager for Flannery, Inc. and a Historical Observer (but not a certified Economist).
 

Bloggin' Ain't Easy!
Monday, October 29, 2012 - 15:08

As many of you may have noted, this is the first blog from Flannery in some time. In fact it is the first blog since May 17!? All we can say is, "Bloggin' Ain't Easy!" We could have rambled and scrambled to post a new blog, but all of us in Flannery's marketing department have been diligently preparing and finalizing our latest Product Catalog.

With our new catalog going to print in the next few months, Flannery will also be able to begin a website "remodel" that has also been a concern for us. Flannery has continued to add new products to its drywall and stucco trim lines as well as opening up a new product line for Millwork Panels. Keep your eyes close to this site to see those new trims which will be posted shortly.

Flannery appreciates all of the efforts that Architects and Product Specifiers have done to include our products in their projects. We also want to thank the many architects who have permitted our trims to be an economical alternative to our industry competitors.

If you have a blog topic about aluminum trims or the stucco and drywall industries, please submit it to us and we may write about it. We will mention you and your company's information as being the basis of our current blog post. Send your possible blog topics to info@flannerytrim.com. 

Is it the Election or the Euro?
Thursday, May 17, 2012 - 09:21

As we march closer to November and the coming decision of the American people to re-elect the president or choose a new individual, how much will the outcome affect the construction industry? How much of the current financial crisis in Europe will truly affect the American construction industry? As I talk to many contractors around the country, optimism has returned, but will the uncertainty of a close election and the European market make their optimism turn into worry about another decline in new construction start-ups?

Many political strategists speak about the benefits that a Democratic president might have on the economy versus a Republican president, and vice versa. The main question that I ask when it pertains to forecasting future business is, “Where is the money?” The president’s party affiliation has little to do with those who actually control the purse strings of construction projects.

Most projects are built with money that has been financed through a bank. Last time I checked, most of the big banks give money to both political parties and both candidates. Banks and other institutions have been doing the typical “hedge your bet” strategy for years. The president’s political leanings rarely seem to influence the release of funds from the banks to the building owner who wishes to build something. So, what might cause a large bank from releasing funds to the construction industry for new projects?

Answer: A Financial Crisis. The current upheaval in the European market is not just causing the Dow to drop a few points. People in high places are waiting to see what the European Union will do to save the Euro. While the American mentality leads most of us to think we are not influenced by the politics and issues of the European continent, I would argue that we all need a good history lesson.

When the U.S. economy falters, the European economy stumbles. When there is political upheaval in Europe, it causes the U.S. to readdress its foreign policy. The world has shrunk so much due to technology, that it would be difficult for the banks in the U.S. not to tighten their lending policies in order to cover their possible losses in the European market. The impact will be felt in the construction industry just as it will be in all U.S. industries. The depth of that impact will not be known for many more months or even years.

Written By: Gary W. Jayne II, Sales Manager for Flannery, Inc. and a Historical Observer (but not a certified Economist).

 

Stop Ruining Your Aluminum Trim (Part 2)
Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 10:47

Last week I began by discussing how expensive aluminum trims can be ruined in a stucco wall system when proper installation techniques are overlooked. While our website, www.flannerytrim.com, outlines proper installation of trims, it is important that certain design techniques are followed in order to ensure the most aesthetically pleasing effect of an aluminum reveal.

1. Have the right tools for working with aluminum extrusions. A carbide tip blade with a 100-120 teeth ratio is preferred for cutting aluminum extrusions. I would also recommend spraying a blade lubricant on the blade between each cut. This will reduce your blade ware and will prevent the blade from melting the aluminum instead of cutting through it.

2. Try not to jamb one reveal into another when creating a horizontal and vertical intersection. It is much more appealing for aluminum trims to be mitered and pieced together rather than jammed and overlapped. Aluminum trims cut cleanly and allow the installer to create crisp intersections and joints. Always make sure your outside and inside corner miters line up and are tight together. You may want to consider ordering factory fabricated intersections and corners. They are cut and welded in the factory, which reduces your “in the field” labor costs. A clear silicon or sealant is preferable when sealing all butt joints.

3. If you do need to overlap and jamb horizontal and vertical reveals together in order to create an intersection, make sure you are consistent with which line continues and which one is broken off. Typically, many trade books prefer the vertical reveals on a plaster wall to be continuous while the horizontal trims stop and start as they come across the vertical reveal plane. If the installer is not paying attention they will alternate between the two and this creates a sloppy look that even someone outside the trade will recognize as an inconsistency.

4. Make sure to mask and protect all aluminum reveals from the stucco cement application process. A vinyl tape is preferable since they typically leave the least amount of glue residue when removed. Also, determine where your trowel man is going to trowel the stucco to, in relation to the aluminum reveals on the wall. If the reveals have the typical 3/16” plaster keys, then you have to determine whether or not you want to protect that little flange or cover it with stucco. Too often, half of the reveals’ stucco keys are covered with stucco while the others are not. This is another inconsistency that will need to be avoided.

These four practices are minor ways that every contractor that works with aluminum trims will want to consider following. Everyone at Flannery knows how expensive aluminum trims can be as well as just how beautiful they can make a wall appear. With the right planning and effort, the expense of aluminum plaster trims will be well worth it for the building owner as well as the contractor’s reputation.

Written By: Gary W. Jayne II, Sales Manager for Flannery, Inc.