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Explore the Latest from Charlotte Pipe & Foundry and Autodesk in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Charlotte Pipe & Foundry - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Charlotte Pipe & Foundry
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry is the nation’s leading maker of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings for the plumbing industry.

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Autodesk, Inc. - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Autodesk, Inc.
Revit supports sheet metal fabrication workflows through utilization of sheet metal libraries defined in Autodesk’s Fabrication products (CADmep, CAMduct, and ESTmep). Using the Fabrication libraries enables detailed definition of materials, connectors, seams, fittings, and other data. After authoring the model in Revit, the Revit Extension for Fabrication may be utilized to share Revit authored model data with CAMduct.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

MCAA and the UA File Joint Comments on Multiemployer Pension Reform

The UA and MCAA continue to actively press for balanced multiemployer pension reform this year. In a joint letter to the Senate, the two organizations detailed specific elements of compromise to ameliorate the damaging aspects of the recent Grassley/Alexander proposal. The organizations’ goal is to attain consensus compromise that gets multiemployer pension reform back on track for possible enactment this year.

In the joint letter transmitted to the Senate on January 14, 2020, the UA and MCAA outline the key elements of analysis and potential compromise. The letter:

  • Continues strong support for the adoption of new plan designs such as Composite Plans as a key element in restoring options to ground the multiemployer defined benefit system in more sustainable models going forward as a viable option to conversion to defined contribution plans overall, as is prevalent now in the single employer system.
  • Backs the PBGC partition elements of the Grassley/Alexander proposal generally, with some substantive and procedural modifications.
  • Calls for substantial moderation of the proposed PBGC premium increases.
  • Demonstrates the imperative need to moderate the crippling imposition of significantly detrimental mandated lower asset return assumptions in the near term.
  • Backs the proposed new Zone status provisions, with some needed clarifications.

The joint letter also transmits the two latest UA/MCAA/Horizon Actuarial Services analyses of pension reform impact on UA/MCAA plans based on the comprehensive data in the MCAA/Horizon database of all multiemployer plans nationwide.

Joint Letter

Analysis of Grassley/Alexander Proposal

Multiemployer Pension Plan Reform Policy Issues

How to Log in to the WebLEM+Plus When It Goes Live on January 27th

Here’s how to log in to the WebLEM+Plus as an Administrator or Non-administrator…

As of January 27th the WebLEM Administrator for MCAA member companies will be able to log in to the WebLEM+Plus using their current User ID and administrator password. (If you forgot your administrator password, use the “Forgot Password” link to reset your password.)

IMPORTANT: The current WebLEM will not be available January 24-26 while we make the switch to the WebLEM+Plus. On January 27 you will be able to log in with your current credentials (as outlined earlier in this article).

Once you’ve logged in to the WebLEM+Plus as the Administrator, we urge you to change your administrator password and create a shared password for the rest of the staff in your company. The shared password is a new feature that allows the company administrators to create unique passwords for their employees.

Non-administrators can access the WebLEM+Plus by using their current User ID followed by “.shared” (i.e. 58575.shared) and their current WebLEM password (which is comprised of six alphanumeric characters).

On January 27, the WebLEM Administrator of each member company will receive an email from support@weblem.org. Along with other useful information, this email will reiterate the details on how to access the new WebLEM+Plus database and update your passwords.

To help ensure proper delivery of emails to your inbox, please add support@weblem.org as a legitimate email to your Whitelist.

Here’s what you will find in the WebLEM+Plus: a complete buildout of the Work Activity Method Labor Units (over 100,000 labor units have been added to the LEM), allowing you to easily identify shop and field labor separately.

Additionally, as more contractors use BIM in virtual design and construction, they are faced with many limitations, such as: 1) a lack of drawing content specific to manufacturers; 2) software systems that don’t connect; and 3) no drawing standards. The goal of MCAA’s WebLEM+Plus is to become a single solution to all these challenges.

1) Features currently being added to the WebLEM+Plus will allow manufacturers and drawing content providers to attach their drawing content technical data, pictures of each product, item weight, and so forth to each labor unit.

Having all that information specific to a manufacturer in one location will allow MCAA contractors to move seamlessly from estimating to virtual construction to fabrication and manufacturing to installation, all the while allowing contractors to keep the data consistent and accurate.

MCAA is actively working with many of our Manufacturer/Supplier Council members to connect their specific product data to our labor units. (We are initially working with manufacturers such as Victaulic, Milwaukee Valve, NIBCO, Viega, Weldbend and Zurn.)

Also, thanks to MCAA contractor member U.S. Engineering for donating its drawing content library to accelerate the effort of helping manufacturers get their data connected for our members’ use. And thanks to Manufacturer/Supplier Council member Trimble, which will be offering its Building Data and SysQue content to MCAA members at a special discounted price.

2) We’ve also created and made the unique data identifier available for our members to download and be the central data key that connects all the software systems they use.

3) And, we are publishing the first-ever drawing content standard to help all industry partners work together better.

At MCAA we’re excited about this project, so mark your calendar for January 27th. Once it goes live keep checking the WebLEM+Plus for real-time updates, such as when specific manufacturers get their information connected and available.

Should you have questions at any point, please feel free to contact MCAA’s Nick Nikpourfard at nickn@mcaa.org.

Student Chapter Competition Final Four Announced

Congratulations to our four finalists for this year’s Student Chapter Competition: Ball State University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park and the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The MCAA Student Chapter Competition drew a record 33 submissions this year.

Thanks to Fresh Meadow Mechanical Corporation of Fresh Meadows, New York for providing this year’s project details.

The project tasked students with developing a proposal to be the prime contractor on a chiller and cooling tower replacement project in the Penn South building in New York City. The project includes the completion of all plumbing, piping and HVAC, electrical, controls and any other work required to complete the project as described in the bid documents.

You can see the final four teams compete at MCAA2020 on Monday, March 16 from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from these students’ insightful approaches to a real-world contracting bid!

The winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence Breakfast featuring Joe Montana on Wednesday, March 18 at 6:30 a.m. The top competition prize is $10,000. The second-place team will receive $5,000 and the other two finalists will each receive $2,500.

Each of the other six teams in the top ten will receive a Certificate of Merit and a check for $1,000. Congratulations to those recipients:

National Issues Conference Registration Is Open

Our industry’s legislative agenda is packed with critical legislation and regulations that will affect your company’s future. The 2020 National Issues Conference provides updates on these issues and a chance to share your concerns about them with your House and Senate representatives. Join us from May 5 – 7, 2020 in Washington, D.C. Your participation is essential to gaining credible outcomes for our industry!

Student Chapter Member Finds Internship Opportunity at the GreatFutures Forum

Andrew Nguyen has accepted a summer internship with MCA of Metropolitan Washington (MCAMW) member The Bowers Group, also known as W.E. Bowers. Andrew is a junior at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, studying Building Construction.

He shared that, “…attending The 2019 Great Futures Forum was my first experience with MCAA and my golden ticket into the mechanical contracting industry.”

Andrew first met members of the W.E. Bowers team at The Great Futures Forum Job Fair. “We had a great conversation where I told them about my interest to pursue a path revolving around technology within the industry,” he says. “One of the W.E. Bowers representatives mentioned that she could see if there could be an opportunity for me there with their BIM Coordinator. After the job fair, she notified me that there was an opportunity for me to interview for an internship at the Sterling, Virginia, office.”

During the interview, Andrew learned that he will be assisting with implementing new 3D modeling, fabrication, and product tracking software to help the company increase efficiency and organization. He also toured the company’s Beltsville, Maryland, fabrication shop.

Reflecting on his student chapter experience and his interactions with MCAA and the MCAMW, Andrew said, “My experiences with the MCAA are all filled with grateful memories of meeting people who generously continue to open doors for me full of opportunity and improvement. Everyone I meet is obviously passionate, not just about their profession, but also about introducing new generations into the field. It’s both relieving and exciting to feel welcome in a field where I am new and unfamiliar, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

He adds, “Working with my student chapter was an experience of personal and team development as well. The students within the chapter push and support each other as we all build our experiences and knowledge of the industry. In addition, the MCAMW have been our backbone as the team and I advance into the field by connecting us to the community and building up the resources we have available.”

To preview students’ resumes and to see who will be in Maui, visit mcaagreatfutures.org.

Ever Popular MSCA Service Managers Training Program Registration is Now Open

The 2020 MSCA Service Managers Training Program is now open for registration. Scheduled for April 27-30, 2020 in Baltimore, MD, this intensive four-day class will provide service professionals with critical management and leadership skills to enhance their performance, provide added-value to their company and ensure their success.  The program was developed with the service manager’s typical day-to-day problems in mind and will address key topics in financial management, communication, conflict resolution, leadership, coaching and motivation.

The course content has been revamped in order to keep up with our ever changing industry and will feature a new instructor! Class size is limited and program sells out quickly so register today.

Celebrating the WiMI Mentorship Program

A unique opportunity for young professional women in our industry to connect with a seasoned executive who can help foster mentee career development and leadership growth. This program is designed to guide our industry into the future with a diverse, exciting group of women who may have never connected otherwise. It will enable women from all spectrums of the mechanical and HVACR service industry to connect and learn from each other through support, guidance and counsel.

If you would like to participate, please complete the application and return to MCAA as soon as possible.

Explore the Latest from Zurn Industries, LLC and Applied Software in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Zurn Industries, LLC - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Zurn Industries, LLC
Contractors have waited long enough for a floor drain that’s easy to install and built for the long haul. Zurn’s EZ1–available in cast iron and plastic–ships complete, and is adjustable and durable.

Learn More

Applied Software - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Applied Software
Applied Software is the Southeast’s premier Autodesk software reseller, providing design technology planning, training, mentoring, and solutions to help clients improve project performance and workflows.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

2020 UA HVACR Regional Training Dates Now Available

The United Association (UA) Education and Training Department have released  2020 schedule for the HVACR industry courses. These courses are offered through the 2020 Regional Training System, in an agreement with the major HVACR manufacturers, Carrier Corporation, Daikin, and Johnson Controls.

Courses will be taught by authorized-factory instructors, incorporating manufacturer-specific curriculum. Course size is limited so early registration is encouraged. These courses are designed to provide the best possible training for the UA local unions, keeping up to date with current HVACR industry requirements for project specifications in high performance buildings.

Study Reinforces the Value of Joint Apprenticeship Programs

A new study on Illinois apprenticeship programs shows that apprenticeships are the bachelor’s degrees of the construction industry. Joint labor-management programs, in particular, provide a more effective and inclusive offering than unilateral (open shop) programs in key areas such as training hours, graduation rates, and competitive earnings that rival the performance of Illinois’ four-year universities.

The study, titled The Apprenticeship Alternative Enrollment, Completion Rates, and Earnings in Registered Apprenticeship Programs in Illinois, provides 5 key takeaways from analyzing 17 years of apprenticeship data in Illinois:

1) Joint labor-management programs enrolled 97% of all construction apprentices in Illinois.

2) Joint construction programs require 27% more hours of training (7,306 hours) than the minimum requirements to earn a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois (5,760 hours).

3) Joint construction programs have a completion rate of 54%, on par with Illinois’ public universities (61%), higher than for-profit institutions (43%), and significantly higher than employer-only programs (31%). The ABC completion rate in Illinois is a dismal 16%.

4) The racial diversity of graduates from joint construction programs is similar to Illinois’ public universities, and joint construction programs are both more diverse and have higher completion rates among people of color, women, and veterans than employer-only programs.

5) Despite a higher likelihood of suffering an unemployment spell, a union journeyworker earns about as much over a career ($2.4 million) as a worker with a bachelor’s degree ($2.5 million after student debt).

Read the Study

The Next-Generation of MCAA’s Most Valuable Resource Goes Live on January 27th!

When you log onto the WebLEM on January 27th you will be automatically redirected to a new MCAA member landing page for the WebLEM+Plus, which is the next generation of our most valuable resource.

Here’s what you will find there: a complete buildout of the Work Activity Method Labor Units (over 100,000 labor units have been added to the LEM), allowing you to easily identify shop and field labor separately.

Additionally, as more contractors use BIM in virtual design and construction, they are faced with many limitations, such as: 1) a lack of drawing content specific to manufacturers; 2) software systems that don’t connect; and 3), no drawing standards. The goal of MCAA’s WebLEM+Plus is to become a single solution to all these challenges.

1) Features currently being added to the WebLEM+Plus will allow manufacturers and drawing content providers to attach their drawing content technical data, pictures of each product, item weight, and so forth to each labor unit.

Having all that information specific to a manufacturer in one location will allow MCAA contractors to move seamlessly from estimating to virtual construction to fabrication and manufacturing to installation, all the while allowing contractors to keep the data consistent and accurate.

MCAA is actively working with many of our Manufacturer/Supplier Council members to connect their specific product data to our labor units. (We are initially working with manufacturers such as Victaulic, Milwaukee Valve, NIBCO, Viega, Weldbend and Zurn.)

Also, thanks to MCAA contractor member U.S. Engineering for donating its drawing content library to accelerate the effort of helping manufacturers get their data connected for our members’ use. And thanks to Manufacturer/Supplier Council member Trimble, which will be offering its Building Data and SysQue content to MCAA members at a special discounted price.

2) We’ve also created and made the unique data identifier available for our members to download and be the central data key that connects all the software systems they use.

3) And, we are publishing the first-ever drawing content standard to help all industry partners work together better.

Soon the WebLEM Administrator of each member company will receive an email from the support@weblem.org. The email will provide you, among other information, details on how to access the new WebLEM+Plus database and update your passwords.

At MCAA we’re excited about this project, so mark your calendar for January 27th and then keep checking the WebLEM+Plus for real-time updates, such as when specific manufacturers get their information connected and available.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Nick Nikpourfard at nickn@mcaa.org.

MCA Eastern Missouri’s Student Chapter Member Finds Full-time Opportunity at Murphy Company

MCAA congratulates Paige Theby, a member of the MCAA Student Chapter at the University of Missouri-Columbia, for graduating with a B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. She is excited to start her career as an Engineer with the Murphy Company.

As part of her student chapter experience, Paige competed in the final four of the MCAA Student Chapter Competition at MCAA19 in Phoenix, Arizona. She also attended the 2018 GreatFutures Forum and the 2019 GreatFutures Forum in Washington, D.C.

Through her MCAA experiences, Paige says, “I have met so many professionals in different sides of the industry that I feel comfortable enough asking them questions and have them involved in our student chapter meetings.”

She was a Building Engineering Sales Engineer Intern for Johnson Controls in the St. Louis office, where she assisted the sales team with estimates, walk-throughs, and field surveys. The internship experience led Paige to know mechanical contracting was for her.

Paige reflects on the benefits of being a part of a student chapter and having the MCA of Eastern Missouri’s support in steering her in the direction of mechanical contracting.

“It has definitely taught me to get out of my comfort zone and get out of the traditional mechanical engineering job the university steers you towards, which is design, and not everybody wants to do design.

I think it’s really neat that they [MCA] are focusing on and teaching the younger generation about the mechanical contracting industry.”

At Murphy Company, Paige will be the first Engineer to go through their Inaugural Integration Rotational Program. She says, “I will spend a couple months in estimating, engineering, operations and BIM and at the conclusion of the program we will identify the best fit for me as a full-time position.”

To preview students’ resumes, visit mcaagreatfutures.org.

Find the Latest from IFS North America and Lincoln Electric in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

IFS North America - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
IFS North America
IFS believes that service complexity shouldn’t be a hurdle to business success; it should be an asset for your business, and a value that gets passed to your customer. It’s no wonder, then, that IFS achieved the highest score in complex service and support in Gartner’s Critical Capabilities for Service Management. See how IFS stacks up here.

Learn More

Lincoln Electric - MCAA Virtual Trade Show
Lincoln Electric
CrossLinc™ Technology and Flextec® multi-process welders from Lincoln Electric enable voltage control at the wire feeder, saving time while enhancing quality and productivity.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

CBCA Decision Marks Win for MCAA Contractor

Once again, the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals has published a decision in a construction case in which the mechanical subcontractor (a large MCAA member firm located in New England) claimed a substantial loss of labor productivity due to unforeseen conditions and design defects. The subcontractor’s labor productivity expert, Mr. Paul Stynchcomb, CCM, PSP, CFCC, testified regarding the impacts to the subcontractor and by utilizing the MCAA labor inefficiency Factors, the MCAA overtime inefficiency publication and in some areas, a measured mile analysis, the subcontractor was awarded over $2,000,000 in labor productivity damages.

This is another important acceptance by a major Board of Contract Appeals of the use of the MCAA labor inefficiency Factors and the MCAA’s overtime inefficiency data. See: Suffolk Construction Company, Inc. v. General Services Administration, CBCA 2953, 2954, 2955, 3596, 4175, 5006 December 2019.

Read the CBCA Decision

Learn More About the Factors, Overtime Inefficiency and the Measured Mile

Walter Sperko Receives ASME’s J. Hall Taylor Medal

Walter Sperko, long-time consultant for the National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau (NCPWB), received the 2019 J. Hall Taylor Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

The medal is presented for distinguished service and eminent achievement in the field of codes and standards pertaining to the broad fields of piping and pressure vessels. Walter was recognized for his leadership and professionalism in the advancement and recognition of ASME Codes and Standards, especially for significant contributions to the standardization of qualification of welders, welding operators and brazers and the procedures they follow in ASME construction.

Walter became the NCPWB’s Technical Consultant in 1987. Since then, he has been helping our contractors address issues raised by inspectors and owners and their sometimes-unrealistic demands.

Our members get the full benefit of Walter’s vast knowledge of piping, welding and metallurgy.

Walter holds five patents and serves on various Code committees including:

ASME Board on Pressure Technology, Codes and Standards
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Committee

  • Standards Committee IX (Welding and Brazing), Vice-Chairman
  • Standards Committee II, Subgroup on Strength of Weldments
  • Standards Committee III (Nuclear)
  • ASME B31 Code for Pressure Piping Standards Committee
  • ASME B31.9, Building Services Piping

American Welding Society

  • Technical Activities Committee
  • International Standards Activities Committee
  • D10 Committee on Pipe and Tube

The NCPWB congratulates Walter on his achievement.

MCA-Omaha Student Chapter Member Finds Internship Opportunities with MCAA Members

Last summer, Caleb Kowalski, a member of the MCAA student chapter at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, had the opportunity to work with Southland Industries in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his internship, Caleb performed various project management tasks on the site of a new hotel and casino.

“This gave me great insight into the industry by being a part of one of the biggest construction projects in Las Vegas. My team members at Southland Industries were great resources for me and were always willing to help me along the way, and I am grateful for this incredible experience,” he said.

This summer, Caleb will stay closer to home and intern for MMC Mechanical Contractors, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska. As a member of their operations team, he will  be doing project management work at local job sites.

Caleb reflects, “while being a part of MCA-Omaha, I have been able to travel to multiple MCAA events, including the 2018 GreatFutures Forum and the 2019 MCAA Convention.”

Caleb received the William A. Bianco Jr. Memorial Scholarship at MCAA19. He was also recently elected as the MCA-Omaha Academy President for 2020.

“Since joining MCA-Omaha, I have had opportunities that I never thought were possible, and I know this is the industry for me,” he added.

MCAA congratulates Caleb on all his successes, and on finding his great future in our industry.

You can meet student chapter members like Caleb at mcaagreatfutures.org.