Masonry Magazine May 2008 Page. 33
Mortarless block systems give masonry contractors a greater variety of products to offer clients. Azar also has a system that allows masons to quickly stack block over a level first course, Ross says, noting that contractors can save money by using one or two masons to set the block, then using non-skilled labor to carry the materials.
"The savings are in the time," he says. "In the amount of time it would take you to do 250 to 400 blocks, you could easily do 600 of our blocks."
Mortarless block appears to be gaining in popularity because of advancements in built-in interlocking systems, Thomas says, adding that the ultimate success will depend on profitability.
"The only way mason contractors will invest in the cost of purchasing interlocking block is if they find a way to make money out of it," he says. "If it's a win-win for them, then they are likely to figure out how to incorporate it into their projects."
Mortarless block systems also give masonry contractors a greater variety of products to offer clients, Johnson says.
"New technology allows you to get a lot of looks or faces," she says. "If I'm a mason, it gives me a range of offerings for my customers. All that this does is it says, 'I don't have to sell high-end jobs every day of the week.'"
Ross says mortarless systems are being embraced in all geographic regions and will gain a greater market share. "I honestly feel it's the block of the future," he says. IMAS
Brett Martin is a Minneapolis-based freelance writer with 15 years of construction and writing experience.
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