ROSEMONT, Ill. — According to experts in construction, the market for metal in building projects is increasing, particularly in retrofit, insulated metal panels and in cold-formed steel framing. Specialists presented sessions on these topics as part of the new education conference at METALCON International, which took place October 9-11, 2012 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL.

Claire Kilcoyne (center), METALCON Show Director, and Todd Miller, President of Isaiah Industries and Chairman of the Metal Construction Association, cut the ribbon to open the 2012 show, which featured a revamped educational conference format.

“In researching topics and speakers for this year’s program we recognized several areas of growth,” noted Claire Kilcoyne, METALCON Show Director. “Retrofit, IMPs and cold-formed steel framing seemed to stand out as topics we needed to cover in depth. So we have put together new programs tailored to specific disciplines. It’s all aimed at meeting the needs of the professionals who want to design and build with metal and come to METALCON to do that.”

The 2012 METALCON International featured a new education format that offers more in-depth learning opportunities in the classroom and on the exhibit floor. The show provided up to 30 hours of education, moving from a traditional 1.5-hour multi-track program to longer three-hour sessions tailored to specific disciplines.

According Kilcoyne, the format is more efficient for attendees while offering them a more valuable learning experience. “We created this concept based on research with attendees and speakers,” she said. “The three-hour format helps focus on details of a specific course. Attendees can earn three hours of AIA Learning Units and three Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for each full session they attend.”

Today were are several sessions designed to help attendees tap into the growth areas of retrofit, IMPs and cold-steel framing. They include the special program “Metal Roof Retrofit: Use the KISS Method,” presented by Chuck Howard of Metal Roof Consultants.

A comprehensive session about IMPs was presented by Steven R. Webster, president of Dutton & Garfield, Inc., and Ken Buchinger, Vice President of Business Development and Research & Development for MBCI. Titled “Capture Your Part of the Growing Insulated Metal Panel Market with the Right Applications, Products and Techniques,” the session was sponsored by the Metal Building Institute.

Since 1994 METALCON has had many programs about steel framing, one of which eventually became Stud U. This year the topic wass covered in a new two-part program called “Stud U for the Masses.” The sessions were sponsored by the Steel Framing Alliance, Premium Steel Building Systems, and FrameCad Solutions, and taught by the steel industry experts who spearheaded Stud U: Maribeth Rizzuto, LEED AP, director of Education and Sustainable Construction for the Steel Framing Alliance and Managing Director of the Cold-formed Steel Engineers Institute; Danny Feazell, President of Premium Steel Building Systems and the former president of the Mid-Atlantic Steel Framing Alliance; and Nader Elhajj, Director of Middle East and Africa for FrameCad Solutions.

 METALCON is produced by PSMJ Resources, Inc. and sponsored by the Metal Construction Association. For more information, visit www.metalcon.com.