Every business in our industry plays a role in the success of the entire team. No one is too small or too large to be on the playing field.
Some companies, however, make the all-star team more often than others. Just like major athletes, these companies continue to hone their skills and reach beyond the norm to turn out products and applications that get noticed and that improve the industry as a whole. It’s this type of innovation and team leadership that keeps all of us moving forward.
It’s what led the Glenview, Ill.-based Metal Construction Association to form METALCON International nearly 20 years ago. The industry needed a place to show what it has to offer and to educate designers, builders and building owners about the benefits of integrating metal products into their projects. This annual event has done what was intended. It’s been a consistent, driving force for increasing the use of metal in construction.
Together, METALCON and the MCA help keep the industry vibrant. The MCA has paved the way for the use of metal in construction by monitoring and acting on codes and standards that previously limited metal’s use, by supporting product performance testing and research, and by creating technical materials that provide important background and installation details for users and building owners.
For 19 years, METALCON has been the MCA’s best marketing tool. It has expanded visibility for the innovations and technologies that are making metal the choice for all kinds of projects, especially those with green-building aspirations.
Why is METALCON so successful? Show management listens to its audiences, monitors the market and always offers something new. It’s a formula that gives visitors and exhibitors the education and tools to keep their businesses strong year after year.
But there’s another important aspect of METALCON. We all know that whether you’re buying a tool for your business, a car or a new golf club, you like to try it out first. That’s the advantage attendees have at METALCON. You can see, touch and sometimes even try products and talk with the leaders in the industry who create them.
It’s the best chance for users and producers to learn from each other, and it provides an enormous exchange of ideas you can’t get elsewhere. You can e-mail, be LinkedIn and Twitter, but there’s nothing like face-to-face discussions with top industry talent to develop communication that keeps all of our businesses moving forward.
Although construction starts and the design index have started to inch up, we’re still facing some challenges. Now is the time to look at those as tomorrow’s opportunities. At METALCON, you can get what you need to capture more business and stay strong and competitive for what lies ahead.
The energy and enthusiasm that pulses through METALCON is a great reflection of our industry. We’re always on the move, keeping that business momentum going. And you’re part of that. We’re all on the same team; if we let our momentum stop, we’re no longer in the game.