Masonry Magazine March 1979 Page. 10
79 MCAA CONFERENCE REPORT
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efficiency, and a energy-use computer program. BIA's research and marketing efforts in 1979, Gleason indicated, will concentrate 60% on the residential market and 40% on non-residential to obtain data on what products the masonry industry should develop and have "on the shelf when the need arises.
Paul Lenchuk, president of the National Concrete Masonry Association, McLean, Va., warned that "We are in a fight against extinction of concrete masonry." According to him, there is a "serious fight" going on with lightweight (10 pounds psf or less) construction materials such as wood, glass, metal and gypsum. Lenchuk disclosed that NCMA is still having a "great deal of trouble" with the image of concrete block, still referred to by some as "cinder" block, giving the impression of a cheap, ugly product to be avoided. This, despite the fact that there now are 1,350 concrete block plants in the nation that produced 3.5 billion equivalent units in 1978. That production, Lenchuk said, was the second best in the industry's history and represented about one-half of the total masonry units produced. Lenchuk indicated that NCMA is currently spending about $500,000 a year to get the message about concrete block to architects and engineers. "Ultimately, however, the success of block depends on the mason contractor and how he utilizes it in the field," he said. "Loadbearing masonry is a prime example of how cooperation between mason contractors and block producers can pay off to the mutual benefit of both industries."
Thomas O'Connor, director of economic research for the Portland Cement Association, Skokie, III., reviewed 1978 cement production figures and gave an outlook for 1979. Addressing the causes of last year's cement shortage, O'Connor said the most obvious factor was that the economy and construction experienced an exceptionally strong expansion in the second, third and fourth quarters of 1978. In addition, construction activity shifted dramatically to the West and South. "The third cause of the shortage is that cement manufacturing is the most capital-intensive industry in the U.S. economy." O'Connor noted. "Any one of these factors will not in itself cause a shortage, but the combination of them can cause severe market disruptions. In 1978 the demand simply outstripped potential supplies."
Despite the accelerating capital costs, new plants are being announced and many existing facilities are scheduled to be modernized, O'Connor said. Six new cement plants have recently been announced, representing 5 million tons of new capacity, and 16 expansions and modernizations are scheduled involving nearly 15 million tons of capacity. "Over the next four years the industry expects that 20 million tons of capacity will be affected, representing an increase in capacity of 10 million tons," O'Connor indicated. "These increases in capacity are heavily concentrated in areas that are currently experiencing shortages." That was the good news. O'Connor then laid on the bad news: "Indications that foretell a substantial decline in the housing market cannot be ignored. Also, as the economic expansion peaks, a significant reduction is expected in the rate growth of industrial/commercial construction. "Market softness way develop before year end. If the market softens, be prepared to recognize it and react to it."
The final speaker at the March 4th Management Institute was John G. Spaulding, 1979 president of the National Association of Brick Distributors (NABD) and president of Spaulding Brick Co., Sommerville, Mass. Spaulding urged more pooling of promotional resources by the major associations representing the masonry industry to ward off the aggressive competition from other building systems. He suggested that the sales force of the NABD, which numbers about 1.000, could do a more effective job of selling masonry to architects, engineers and building owners if given the proper promotional tools. "Utilizing our troops in the field, we can get a lot of the thousands of square feet of wall area we have lost to glass, aluminum, steel and precast concrete back into brick and block construction." Spaulding said.
Official MCAA Conference Opening
With the majority of the delegates registered and on hand. Monday, March 5 marked the Opening Session of the 29th Annual MCAA International Masonry Conference in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott. The day's activities began with MCAA's traditional ceremony of presenting the colors, this year by the Color Guard of the Sixth Marine Corps District Headquarters in Atlanta, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. The Rev. Oscar M. Braunschweig of St. John Lutheran Church, Romeo, Mich., delivered the invocation, preceding the welcome address by MCAA Georgia state chairman C. L.. Cook.
Jay Gleason (at the microphone), president of BIA, gave MCAA members an update on his association's activities at the MCAA Management Institute on March 4. With him at the speaker's table (from left) are John G. Spaulding, NABD; Paul Lenchuk, NCMA: Eugene George, president of MCAA, and Thomas O'Connor, PCA.
10 MASONRY/MARCH, 1979