Masonry Magazine January 1972 Page. 24
First Masonry Conference Held
at Michigan State University
The Michigan State Conference of Bricklayers, Masons and Plasterers International Union of America and the Michigan Mason Contractors Association recently held an all-day Masonry Conference at Kellogg Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing. The joint labor-management conference, a first for the Michigan area, was designed to review the "State of the Art" of the masonry industry.
A stimulating industry challenge by Dr. Lawrence Borosage, professor, College of Education, Michigan State University, reminded the attendees of the changes that will be taking place in the United States in the next 30 years and the need for the masonry industry to keep abreast of the changes.
A decline in the use of masonry in construction as well as the need for a joint national promotional effort and the vehicle by which the national program is gaining acceptance were discussed by International Masonry Institute representatives Donald R. Bidwell, chairman, and Neal English, executive director, and John T. Joyce, secretary of BM & PIU.
A stirring luncheon address, "The Architect's Challenge to Masonry," by Constantin V. Micuda, AIA, vice-president of O'Dell, Hewlett & Luckenbach, Inc., reminded the 70 business agents and mason contractors from areas throughout the state that masonry is a preferred architectural material by 90 percent of the design profession: however, the use of the product has been reduced by better marketing methods of competitive material systems.
An economic forecast of Michigan's growth as well as an outline of promotional activities was discussed by Frank Soave, vice-president, John A. Heslip, executive director, and James R. Snyder, trustee, of the Masonry Institute of Michigan.
Led by moderator Robert F. Ebeling, secretary of the Mason Contractors Association of America, a panel of the officers of the Michigan State Conference including Andrew Virtue, Donald LeMarbe and George Spencer, and the Michigan Mason Contractors Association represented by Norman Parker, Gerald Burde and Albert Hazewinkel, discussed methods of organizing a state promotional program.
Highlight of the conference was the "President's Challenge," an address by Thomas F. Murphy, president of BM & PIU. He reminded the attendees that they have a "moral responsibility" to cooperate jointly in national and local programs that will increase the bricklayers' role in the construction industry.
IMI Chooses Three Main Themes
for Promoting Masonry in '72
Bolstered by increasing support from mason contractors and BM&PIU members across the United States and Canada, the International Masonry Institute has mapped out an intensive communications program for 1972 that will utilize advertising, publicity, direct mail literature and seminars to promote loadbearing masonry construction. The cost advantages and fire protection qualities of masonry will be stressed.
The plan, already approved by the IMI Board of Trustees and Advisors, focuses on three major objectives in 1972:
-Selling masonry in the United States and Canada.
-Providing promotional support to local masonry industry groups.
-Intensified efforts to broaden IMI's financial base.
IMI's efforts to promote masonry construction in the United States and Canada and its support of local activities will center around the three program themes of loadbearing, cost, and fire protection.
Loadbearing
Masonry loadbearing design has made important strides forward in the past several years, but it still has only scratched the surface of its tremendous market potential for the masonry industry. The system offers great benefits in terms of saving time and money for the construction industry and for those who own and occupy buildings.
The benefits are particularly attractive for such structures as apartments, dormitories, motels, and small office and institutional buildings. IMI will promote these advantages to designers, builders and owners of these types of buildings through a broad, coordinated program of advertising, publicity efforts and educational seminars.
The educational seminars will inform architects and engineers about the advantages and techniques of loadbearing masonry construction. The seminars will be held in various cities in the United States and Canada.
Comparative Cost
The subject of the relative cost of a masonry wall as compared with the cost of competitive materials is one of the most misunderstood areas in the construction field. IMI began its wide-ranging efforts to correct this misunderstanding in its first comprehensive advertising campaign in 1971, and the results of this campaign have been impressive. During 1972, IMI will continue to expand its activities to drive home to architects, engineers, owners and investors,