Atlanta was a resounding success for METALCON attendees. With dynamic exhibits, inspiring keynotes, hands-on workshops, expanded networking and free educational sessions, the event brought together attendees from 50 countries to connect with leading industry experts.
“I came to learn about the metal building industry, and boy did I ever,” said attendee James Conway of Davie, Florida. “I attended educational sessions, did a lot of networking and received a lot of on-the-spot education directly from the exhibitors — and the opening keynote was very inspiring.”
Conway was referring to former National Football League Most Valuable Player and Super Bowl Champion quarterback, Joe Theismann, who opened the show with his keynote, Game Plan for Success. Theismann discussed the injury that abruptly ended his career and how he quickly realized the importance of team and leadership.
“You can’t do it yourself,” he said. “You need competition. It’s what drives us. It’s not about you: it’s about the people you lead, and you can’t forget that. Write down what your team wants to accomplish and your goals—personally, professionally, spiritually and financially. We have to provide the people we lead with the tools to be successful. As you lead people, think of them as your crew. Every member of the team has contributed to you being there.”
He continued, “Take time to congratulate yourself; be happy with you; like who you are. Enthusiasm carries us. You get excited and people around you get excited. If you don’t believe in who you are, who is going to believe in you?”
Theismann talked about customer service. “Customer service is all about relationships. People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care.”
On day two, keynote speaker Dr. Anirban Basu, Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., a Baltimore-based economic and policy consulting firm, presented The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly: Financial Outlook and Trends for Metal Construction.
AkzoNobel’s CERAM-A-STAR® Expressions, mimics naturalmaterials
Malco Tools’ Jon Olson answers questions
Combilift featured two equipment solutions 
METALCON 2024’s State of the Industry Panel 
“Coming into 2023, we thought a recession was inevitable,” said Basu. “2022 was a terrible year. It simply has not transpired. Consumers have gone on a spending tear and retail sales are up, but on services such as travel and concert tickets.”
“As of September 2024, there were 7.4 million job openings (288,000 available in construction) with job growth every month since December of 2020,” he said. “Certain areas of the labor market have weakened, and construction wage premiums are down compared to other jobs. Personal savings were up during the pandemic, and all those saving have now been spent. Prices are still rising.”
He cited a 23% overall inflation rate with the top three categories including energy, transportation services and tobacco and smoking products—not groceries. And credit card debt is the highest it has been since 2004 at $1.14 trillion. “Consumers cannot keep spending as they have been,” said Basu. “Further economic slowing is in front of us.”
Basu’s main takeaways were:
“We are a deeply indebted society currently facing high borrowing costs.
That makes me pessimistic regarding the near-term outlook.
Geopolitical and federal elections don’t help—source of additional concern distraction and risk.
Expect a slowdown next year, but baseline case no longer calls for recession.”
On the closing day of the show Dr. Melissa Furman of Career Potential, a consulting, training and coaching organization presented Relevant Leadership: Navigate, Empower, Transform.
“The business landscape moving forward is going to be different,” said Furman. “The workforce is aging so brace for the shift. Baby boomers currently make up 33% of the workforce so organizations are soon going to feel a leadership gap.”
Top 10 recommendations to stay relevant (with the top three being the most important):
1) Mindset is everything — Growth vs. fixed. “Train your brain that when you say something negative ‘flip it’ and say the same comment in a positive way.”
2) Self-awareness — Know who you are! Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify emotional information in oneself and in others, and the ability to manage emotions and focus.
3) Learn about others — Workers want to be respected: paid well; mentored; challenged; promoted; involved in decisions/provide input; appreciated; trusted; empowered; and valued…“No one cares about the pizza!”
4) Communication — “Figure out your preferred mode of communication and make sure if you are managing a team, they know how you want to be communicated with.”
5) Manage burnout
6) Be tech savvy
7) Be socially responsible and trusted
8) Be innovative & adaptable
9) Develop advanced problem skills
10) Be data savvy — “Educate yourself on what to do with the data — ‘data will tell you any story’.”
Show attendees had the unique opportunity to network with peers and explore the latest innovations across more than 260 exhibits. The popular “Metal and Mimosas” women’s event reached full capacity, uniting women in the metal construction industry, with an inspiring keynote to kick off the gathering.
Speed networking provided attendees with the chance to make more connections in one hour than at any other event, while the METALCON welcome party and The Backyard networking area proved to be major highlights, offering relaxed yet productive spaces for building relationships and sharing insights.
“We spoke at The Design District about barndominiums, barndo trends and about the outreach we are looking to do with consumers,” said Oliver Bell, COO of the Barndominum Company. “It was very well attended. We had architects, designers, and engineers. There is a lot of excitement in the metal world over what is going on and the potential in the residential space. We met a lot of great people, saw a lot of new products, and got a lot of great ideas.”
Next year, METALCON will take place from Oct. 21-23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
METALCON Announces Top Products Award Winners
METALCON exhibitors were invited to nominate their standout products for the event’s Top Products Award. The top three award winning products were unveiled at this year’s show in Atlanta. Winners were determined via an electronic voting process, which took place before and during the event, with more than 1,100 votes from industry professionals.
The 2024 METALCON Top Products Award winners are:
First Place: PPG
Product: PPG DuraNEXT™ Energy Curable Coil Coatings
PPG DuraNEXT™ energy curable coatings use an electron beam or ultra-violet energy to convert a liquid coating into a fully cured solid finish in seconds, without any significant loss of thickness or weight. This family of backers, primers, basecoats and topcoats represents an alternative to traditional coil coating systems.
“We are thrilled to be recognized as the number one top product in the metal construction industry,” said Craig Smith, PPG Global Technical Platform Director, Coil Coatings. “Our innovative technologies boost productivity by eliminating the need for substrate heating and reducing curing time, as there’s no waiting for solvents to evaporate. Additionally, our products are engineered to maintain the finish durability and aesthetic appeal of coil-coated products, offering exceptional hardness, scratch and chemical resistance, and high flexibility.”
From left, Doug Viuhkola, Technical Service Manager, Coil PPG Industrial Coatings; Judy Geller, METALCON Vice President of Tradeshows, (presenting the awards on behalf of METALCON); Mary Syverson, Senior Marketing Manager, Malco Tools, Inc.; and Stephen Gosk, CEO, MetalForming, Inc. Courtesy of Neubek Photographers.
Second Place: Malco
Product: Power-Assisted Seamer/Cutter
Malco’s power-assisted seamer and cutter is ideal for effortless seaming, cutting and removal of 1” or 1.5” single and/or double mechanical lock standing-seam panels efficiently. The new seamer enables the mechanical lock of standing seam panels in less time while enhancing safety and expanding the range of compatible panel profiles. The power-assisted cutter cuts below the mechanical lock and through clips with precision, allowing for quick and safe removal of standing seam panels without damaging the cutting discs.
“Malco’s power-assisted seamers and cutters are the latest innovative, high-quality additions to our metal roofing portfolio, representing the fastest seaming and cutting machines on the market,” said Shane Norman, senior product manager at Malco. “We are honored to be recognized as a top product in the industry.”
Third Place: MetalForming LLC
Product: Stolarczyk Coil Processing Solution
The new Stolarczyk Coil Processing Solution combines advanced technology, ease of use and robust performance in a single, comprehensive system. It features a Decoiler with 7-roll CNC straightening system and laser-hardened rolls to eliminate coil set and ensure flat sheets, along with a 3-roll rotating film application for surface protection. The system’s Slitting-Cutting section (ST-1250) uses large-diameter slitting knives (over 8”) and a digital positioning system for precise cuts, while heavy-duty guillotine shears with 4-sided blades handle length cuts. The Stacking Table automatically lowers as stack height increases, with adjustable side and end stops for alignment. The system smoothly transitions into a high-speed Tension Stand & Recoiler at up to 150 feet per minute with easy one-person operation.
“Each year, we look forward to discovering the latest technologies and innovations presented at METALCON,” said Stephen Gosk, MetalForming President & CEO. “This year, we are proud to be recognized for contributing one of the standout solutions.”
To be eligible for consideration, products must have been introduced to the market after Jan. 1, 2023 and its manufacturer a participating exhibitor at METALCON 2024.
