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Firestop Industry Conference Announcement
FCIA Education and Committee Action Conference
(ECA) Sponsor Thanks
Insurance Issues
FCIA New Member Drive
McGraw Hill Economic Report
AFSCC News
FCIA Firestop Industry Conference
- November 12 - 13, 2003 - Orlando, FL - "Disney World
is about what's good in America and our world", state
Disney visitors from the US and Overseas. FCIA's Firestop
Industry Conference heads to the Contemporary Resort, at Walt
Disney World for our Fall Conference. Firestop Industry speakers,
new and renewal FM DRI Testing among other things will be
part of the agenda. (Renewing DRI's, visit FM
4991 Approval for FM CEU forms for filing). Young and
older (that means above 21), Disney is an awesome place. Mark
your calendars now.
FCIA ECA Sponsorships - FCIA
Thanks the sponsors who supported the Education and Committee
Action Conference" (ECA). Tremco, Inc. bought lunch Thursday
and Specified Technologies, Inc. on Friday; Jim Shriver, Thermafiber
brought the Powerpoint Projector, and Mark Schneider, ALBION
Engineering, supplied the "T-Shirts" for attendees.
The FCIA ECA Golf Outing was a great success with 12 people
on the links at "Stallion Mountain Golf Club", in
Las Vegas. Lonnie Rogers & HILTI, Inc. sponsored two golf
holes, and donated golf balls. (Many are still on the course
to be retrieved!) Dick Lintelmann, Nelson, Inc. and Chad Landry,
Tremco Sponsored a golf hole as well. Also, thanks to Charbel
Tagher& Specified Technologies, Inc. for a supply of Golf
Towels and tees, markers, and divot repair devices.
Firestop Contracting Insurance
- The FCIA office received a number of calls from member and
non member Firestopping Contractors about insurance rates
increasing specifically for Firestopping. FCIA member, Chris
Downey, (C.L. Downey Construction, Inc.) reports that in the
Carolina's, insurance carriers recommend covering Firestopping
work separately from other work, and not as part of another
trade's finished product. "A separate policy should be
purchased by an electrician, plumber or drywaller doing their
own firestopping work in addition to the trade they specialize",
according to Chris and his insurer.
Insurance companies see Firestopping as a separate trade,
as should General Contractors and owners buying this service.
Additionally, if the many "trades" don't have a
separate insurance policy for firestopping, they may not be
covered if a loss occurs. Typically, these "trade contractors"
only purchase general liability insurance for their primary
work; plumbing, electrical, drywall. This loss may not be
covered because the insurance firm may be unaware of the additional
risk associated with insuring a fire and life safety trade.
The GC's are responsible for insuring the complete project,
and will be "hung out to dry" if not covered for
firestopping through the trades, should a loss occur. You
can choose to make potential customers aware of this omission
by others, as you pay for "firestopping insurance",
while other trades may not.
Thanks Chris Downey for the idea that can move firestopping
to specialist contractors who provide an important fire and
life safety service to our communities. Respond to this Email
if you have experiences with this insurance situation so we
can build information about it.....
FCIA New Member Drive -
FCIA Announces a new "Firestop Contractor Member"
drive for 2003. FCIA Logo Sportswear & other prizes will
be given to the top 5 FCIA new member "ambassadors"
at the Firestop Industry Conference in November.
If you need an "Elevator Pitch" about FCIA, here
it is........"FCIA is a group of Firestopping professionals
concerned with fire / life and property protection in the
construction industry". Members benefit from FCIA by:
- www.fcia.org - Listing on FCIA's website, visited by over
2000 individual locations per month, is "worth it's
weight in gold", according to member Bill Hoos, who recently won a project from a lead generated
by a contact who found him on www.fcia.org .
- Discounts - The MOP ($50), FCIA Conferences ($100) are
all cheaper when buying or attending as a member.
- Code & Architectural Communications - FCIA is building
relationships and communication with those who influence
our industry's effectiveness in compartmentation and fire
/ life and property protection. FCIA is involved in NFPA,
CSI, SCIP, ICC and other organizations to promote quality
installation of firestopping by qualified firms (FCIA Members)
with code/fire officials, architects, engineers and specifiers.
- Relationships - FCIA is the "Hub of the world for
Firestopping", and includes a forum for contractors,
manufacturers, distributors, code officials, fire marshal's
inspectors and architects / specifiers to meet and discuss
life safety through firestopping.
- E-Newsletter - Published 9 times per year, the FCIA E-News
is full of information valuable to your firm.
- Conferences - Educational speakers provide industry leading
presentations about topics that make your operations better.
And, the ability to meet with other contractors, manufacturers,
and associate members of FCIA brings big benefits to your
firestopping knowledge.
FCIA is the place to be...... Bring the prospective member
to FCIA's website, www.fcia.org while on the phone, or face
to face, to promote the benefits of FCIA membership. Once
FCIA's industry impact, resources, and dynamics are understood,
the value FCIA membership offers more than offsets the financial
investment !! We track this by the "Sponsor Name"
on the FCIA Membership Form. Make sure your name is listed
to receive credit towards rewards.
Dennis Nolan - State of Nevada - Dennis, a speaker at the
ECA Conference in Las Vegas appreciated speaking to the FCIA
Membership. "I certainly did enjoy the opportunity to
speak to the FCIA. It was extremely encouraging to find out
there actually are some people trying to do the right thing
on purpose!" A couple of people asked for the web site
reference to obtain documentation of President
Truman's 1947 Fire Prevention Conference quotes. If you
need to reach Dennis,
E-mail him.
FCIA at the NFPA Show - FCIA Members Rick Stokes,
FIREBLOCKERS, Inc. and Don Sabrsula, FIRESAFE of HOUSTON,
Inc., attended and worked the Trade Show Booth at the NFPA
Show. FCIA is displaying at three shows this year:
- The CSI Show- Construction Specifications Institute and
International Facilities Management Association (April,
2003, well attended)
- NFPA - National Fire Protection Association (May 2003)
- ICC - The International Code Council "ICC Show",
September 6 & 7, at Opryland, Nashville, TN. Don Murphy,
PPMI Firestop, Inc., and The Marketing Committee seeks volunteers
for the ICC Show. Respond to this email if you are available
McGraw Hill Construction Outlook
- In mid May, the "Construction Outlook" forecast
by Bob Murray, McGraw Hill's Construction Economist, was presented
in Chicago. Below is "The Construction Economy Scorecard"
summary from the presentation by industry segment for planning
your strategies:
The Construction industry continues to enjoy a robust environment,
overall. Although total Construction value in dollars have
leveled off or is down since last year, ($490.3 billion, 2003,
vs. $501.4 billion in 2002) construction market activity is
high in comparison to years past ($447.2 billion, 1999). Looking
forward, the upcoming Tax Cut stimulus will help the economy,
but not immediately. Employment and spending are strengthening
in 2003, with 2004 looking better according to Bob Murray.
Here's a few summary points:
- Residential - The lowest mortgage interest rates
in over 25 years keep this market robust even through some
early signs of slowing. Repair market continues be brisk
with refinancing keeping the supply of money to buy strong.
Concerns are the unemployment rate and consumer confidence
levels have a way to go before reaching 2000's numbers.
- Multi Family - 2003 will bring a slight increase
in activity over 2002, with the Northeast and California
strong as demand increases due to the "Echo Boom"
kids aging into their 20's and looking for apartments/condos.
Additionally, downtown "redevelopments" to turn
cities into "24/7" places to live and work, has
helped this market and retail.
- Institutional - Although Libraries, Courthouses,
Ball Parks, Museums and College/University construction
have decreased, Elementary through High Schools continue
to expand as kids fill classrooms and referendums for expansion
pass...until the 9th grade through 12th grade population
peak is past in around 2006. Universities, with equal population
demands, had endowments invested in stocks (that declined)
limiting the ability to fund construction expansion programs
recently.
- Public Works - There is a near term decline in
public works projects like sewage treatment plants, water
supply, etc. Transportation is expected to decline slightly,
short term, with a long term upward trend. Airport terminal
and runway construction will recover sometime in 2006 to
pre 2001 levels. Concerns continue to be funding sources
as fiscal spending at state and federal levels change.
- Hospitals - A bright spot in the construction environment
over the past few years, this segment will decline some
in 2004, then remain strong long term due to an aging population.
The Growth will continue in both new construction and renovation.
- Offices - As employment declined ("The Tech
Bubble"), so did demand for offices. This market has
been so depressed, that it will increase in '03, with a
stronger upturn in 2004-2006. There was a marked increase
in regional cities like Madison & Milwaukee WI and Indianapolis,
IN.
- Hotels - A 2% Growth in Mid-Scale, (Hilton Gardens
type) properties and Casinos is projected. Occupancy rates
are weak at 59%.
- Retail - The competitive landscape in retailing
means much rehab work to keep stores looking fresh. This
construction will continue to the foreseeable future. The
residential boom in inner cities is fueling retail expansion
there as well.
- Industrial - With production capacity usage at
about 73%, expansion is unlikely. As the dollar value falls
vs. the Euro and Yen, this should help our exports, increasing
manufacturing here, and the demand for space. The Automotive
Industry bottomed out in 2003.
Overall, McGraw Hill sees the construction industry as much
more stable now than in the 70's or 80's due to offsetting
patterns in different industry sectors and a strong single
family housing market. Also, the total construction value
is to rebound by about 4% in 2004. The risk to this forecast
is in schools and hospitals due to funding problems from states
and federal government.
For Firestopping what does a this economic news mean? First,
firestopping, performed by a specialty firestop contractor,
is a concept that is "relatively new", when compared
to plumbing or roofing. The new IBC and NFPA Codes have reduced
the need for compartmentation in buildings, which reduces
the demand for Firestopping. However, Firestop Contracting,
as a "specialty trade", is growing faster than the
general construction market due to a low market share already.
Estimates of the "Specialty Firestop Contractor"
performing all trades work, range from 25 -35%. That leaves
about 65 - 70% of the market still available for growth. Additionally,
there still isn't 100% enforcement yet for Firestopping....meaning
opportunity exists specialize in Firestop Contracting and
impact fire / life safety and property protection.
AFSCC News - FCIA is a member
of the "Alliance for Fire and Smoke Containment and Control"
(AFSCC). The AFSCC consists of members from all "Passive
Fire and Life Safety Systems" industries; Fire Walls/Floors,
Fire Dampers, Fire Doors, Firestopping, and others. The major
firestopping manufacturers are also members, and have supported
AFSCC with personnel and funding.
The "Alliance for Fire Safety" (AFS) is a committee
of the AFSCC, charged with turning codes back to safer buildings
through a balanced approach of Fire and Life Safety that includes
compartmentation and sprinklers as a part of the total building
protection package. The adoption of less stringent height
and area tables has reduced the need for compartments in buildings
meaning less "passive" fire / life safety and property
protection. The AFS is managing a PR Campaign, run by the
Al Paul Lefton Company, a PR Firm in Philadelphia. To fund
the campaign, manufacturers and contractors have made financial
donations, as Charbel Tagher, STI explained at the "Education
and Committee Action Conference in Las Vegas. Donation forms,
and a newsletter are posted at www.fcia.org/articles . The
AFSCC Annual Meeting is June 18 & 19, Denver CO. If you
are interested, visit their website
for registration info.
As the school year winds down, graduations take place, and
vacations start, the FCIA Office wishes a great summer season
to it's members and friends. Bill McHugh, FCIA Executive Director
Bill McHugh, FCIA Executive Director
Copyright FCIA 05/30/03. Permission is hereby granted to
forward, print, circulate, quote with credit to FCIA.
FCIA is a non profit, volunteer organization of Firestop
Contractors, Contractor Branch Offices, Manufacturers and
Associate Members interested in furthering life safety through
the Professional Specialty Firestop Contractor concept, (experience,
value, expertise) and life safety in the industry. For more
information, contact the
FCIA Office
1257 Golf Circle
Wheaton, IL 60187
630.690.0682 Phone
630.690.2871 FAX
Email: info@fcia.org
Website: www.fcia.org
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