New England Concrete Masonry Association

A Word from the Board

Challenge brings change. Without a doubt our industry is experiencing one of the most challenging times it has seen in a very long time. How we will fare remains to be seen but if history teaches us anything it is that we will survive and emerge as a changed but stronger industry.

As we struggle with the challenges of the day there are many questions to be answered:

o Cut expenses or seek new revenue sources through increased marketing expenditures?

o Adjust workforce and production to meet the current market’s reduced demands or to build inventory for the turn-around?

o Go it alone or continue to share in the benefits of a group effort to grow the concrete masonry industry?

Each must answer these questions based upon their individual situation and beliefs.

NECMA has been challenged in this new world in which we find ourselves and has moved forward in answering these questions for our future. Clearly we remain committed to marketing the products and services of our members and to the promotion of the concrete masonry and hardscapes industry. This is the reason for our existence and it remains our mission. However, as all are now challenged to do, we must learn how to do more with less while remaining effective.

Take a look at some of the new initiatives the Association has launched in the past few months.

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OUR SPONSORS
Bergen Machine Columbia Machine, Inc. Dragon Product Company Foster Southeastern, an Oldcastle^â co. Lafarge North America Medway Block Company Norlite Corporation Pathfinder Systems Sandell^âManufacturing Co., Inc. Souhegan Valley Engineering, Inc. W.R. Grace & Company		A Word from the Board Challenge brings change. Without a doubt our industry is experiencing one of the most challenging times it has seen in a very long time. How we will fare remains to be seen but if history teaches us anything it is that we will survive and emerge as a changed but stronger industry. As we struggle with the challenges of the day there are many questions to be answered: o Cut expenses or seek new revenue sources through increased marketing expenditures? o Adjust workforce and production to meet the current market’s reduced demands or to build inventory for the turn-around? o Go it alone or continue to share in the benefits of a group effort to grow the concrete masonry industry? Each must answer these questions based upon their individual situation and beliefs. NECMA has been challenged in this new world in which we find ourselves and has moved forward in answering these questions for our future. Clearly we remain committed to marketing the products and services of our members and to the promotion of the concrete masonry and hardscapes industry. This is the reason for our existence and it remains our mission. However, as all are now challenged to do, we must learn how to do more with less while remaining effective. Take a look at some of the new initiatives the Association has launched in the past few months.


		NECMA News is now an E-Newsletter! The first and most noticeable is our new e-newsletter. NEMCA News has had a long tradition of bringing you news and information about the Association, our members, and the industry. This new format will continue that tradition while providing a more cost effective vehicle to do so. Your comments are welcome on this new endeavor. Members have long recognized the value of NECMA News in getting their message out to current and potential clients and have supported our efforts through placement of advertising in the hardcopy edition. Several had paid ahead for future issues and will be featured in the first few additions of the e-news version as delivery on that commitment. Advertising rates will be set for our new electronic publication in the coming months and information on these opportunities will be forthcoming soon. Watch your inbox for more information on this great promotional opportunity

		Brown Bag Education Series On June 5^th the first of our new architects training programs took place at the NECMA Headquarters office. The Brown Bag Education session offered a pair of AIA accredited courses (Fire Safety with Concrete Masonry Products and Segmental Retaining Walls – Construction Processes) free of charge to architects. The program also offers members the opportunity to meet with the architects that attend. Make sure to watch your inbox for more of these great sessions coming soon. As this program grows we hope to take it on the road to meeting space our members might have available. This will provide a great opportunity for members to showcase their products or services along with their facilities. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact NECMA Headquarters.

		NECMA to offer Consulting Work for VISION 2020 VISION 2020 is a grassroots effort that will promote masonry to cities, counties and municipalities across the United States and Canada, and explain the advantages of building with masonry products. This effort was born through a cooperative effort between the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) and the Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA). In 2008 the two groups recognized that identifying areas of common interest on which they can work together made sense as they launched efforts to recover lost market share. The focus of the VISION 2020 program will be to share a long-term vision with communities as they look to their future needs. Ann Wolter, a consultant for MasonrySystems.org, a website created to serve as a unified source for information on masonry describes the program; “We need to understand the challenges that our communities face and focus our efforts on the true, long-term owners of buildings; municipalities, school districts, and state, local, and federal governments. No one has a greater stake in the quality of what’s built in our communities than the communities themselves” she continues. “Masonry and masonry guidelines add value, beauty, durability, safety and tax-base stability.” VISION 2020 also has a goal of uniting the masonry industry. Over the years it has become fragmented. People see brick, block, stone, marble and granite as separate products. What will be presented through this marketing program are wall systems, regardless of the product. The expectation is that in the long run the entire industry will benefit. NECMA will be playing a key role in the development of this program. The plan is to create “toolkits” to be utilized by local teams in their efforts in their communities. There exists a wealth of information and marketing materials that has been developed over the years by the wide array of promotional organizations in the masonry industry. The challenge is to identify and centralize access to this wealth of materials and this is where the association will play an essential role. Over the coming months your Executive Director will be collecting and cataloging this information to facilitate access by the local teams as they develop. This will be a large undertaking and input is welcome from anyone who may wish to share their expertise or marketing materials.

		NECMA Golf Outing – Wet but Wonderful It rained for 40 days and 40 nights .... well, maybe not quite that long! But it sure seemed like it! In the spring that just never seemed to dry out the golf Gods took pity on the NECMA Golf Outing held June 23rd at the Sterling National Country Club and held off the rain for most of the day. More than 70 attendees enjoyed a day of golf with friends old and new. After being directed to the course and welcomed by the Lehigh Northeast Cement Company sponsored signage, players sharpened their skills on the Mortar Net-sponsored putting greens and driving range and then enjoyed the Hohmann & Barnard, Inc. sponsored lunch before venturing out to take on the challenging course. The day was cool and a bit damp but the rain held off for the most part. The on-course beverage cart sponsored by ECi Advantage proved popular although I’m not sure it if was for the drinks or the drivers! Competition for the Lafarge North America sponsored skill events (closet to the pin & longest / most accurate drive) was hot and heavy and there was keen interest in the A. Jandris sponsored scoreboard. Again this year was the “Money Ball” competition proved a popular and entertaining event. Our thanks go to this year’s winner Nick Carlucci of C&A Masonry who donated his winnings to NECMA. Following the spirited competition on the course came time for attendees to mingle and build relationships for the future during the cocktail hour and the Sandell^® Manufacturing Company sponsored dinner topped off by the Medway Block sponsored sundae bar. This annual event continues to be very popular. Our thanks go to all the companies that contributed prizes to the raffle and to our sponsors for their support, especially in these challenging times. Winners this year were: Team Gross First Bob Durocher Jolley Concrete Block, Inc. Gary Jensen Spino Brothers Masonry John Searles Jolley Concrete Block, Inc. Doug Smith Sika Chemical Corporation Second Dave Collins North Shore Technical High School Donald Ducharme Greater Lowell Technical School Dan O’Connell North Shore Technical High School William Piper Greater Lowell Technical School Third Seth Bussaglia S.B. Stonework / S.B. Wood, Inc. Alan Heaton ECi Advantage Ed Miranda Southridge Farm & Nursery Team Net First Nick Carlucci C&A Masonry Inc. Kevin Kilcoyne Kevin M. Kilcoyne CPA David Marchand UNILOCK Frank Sheehan Medway Block Co., Inc *Second* Henry Camosse Camosse Masonry Supply, Inc. Dan Craig Liberty Construction Inc. George Prunier G.N. Prunier & Sons, Inc. Mark Eldridge Third Scott Launier Terracon Consultants, Inc. Larry Provost Terracon Consultants, Inc. Stewart Rappaport S.R. Weiner & Associates, Inc. Jeff Checkoway W/S Development Associates, LLC Straightest Drive Mark Eldridge Longest Drive Donald Ducharme Closest to the pin Jeff Nickerson & Ward Pendleton

		NECMA Welcomes New Members ECi Advantage Alan Heaton Clifton Park, NY ECi (eCommerce Industries, Inc.) is a leading provider of "best in industry" business management and e-commerce systems software for growing and midsize companies. ECi has specialized in growth empowering software solutions for more than 30 years. ECi's solutions are known for a combination of technological innovation, top-ranked customer support and business consultancy that fuel the expansion and efficiency of every aspect of companies' operations in the office products, furniture, equipment, building materials, hardware, janitorial/sanitation, retail and distribution industries. Conproco Corporation Jeff Perkins Dover, NH Conproco has over 30 years of experience in developing innovative products for the construction industry. Our products help the design professional and contractor create, recreate and preserve distinctive structures. Our products bring together time-proven materials and the latest in construction materials technology. This gives us the unique capability of meeting both the structural and aesthetic objectives of your project. When you work with Conproco, you get more than quality products. We are ready to support you by phone, fax, email and on-site when you have questions about design, construction and application procedures.
		MasonrySystems.org Has this ever happen to you? You get a call from an architect who’s looking for contemporary examples of the use of masonry in school design to show a prospective client. Or, A general contractor asks you to tell him the difference in cost between a masonry cavity wall and a steel stud system. Or, Your foreman calls and says he needs to show his crew some proper flashing details right now! How would you like to have instant access to this information and so much more? Welcome to MasonrySystems.Org (MSO), our industry’s first comprehensive website. That’s right, the next time you or your clients need to know more about any aspect of masonry design or construction, start your search at www.masonrysystems.org. The site has been designed as a unified source of information, inspiration and interaction for anyone and everyone who builds or designs with brick, block or stone. MasonrySystems.Org is the brainchild of the Masonry Executives Council, an informal coalition of state and regional association executives who share programs and ideas about how to promote the use of masonry wall systems in our respective markets. The goal of the coalition is to develop a single, powerful marketing tool that could be used by everyone in our industry. The goals were simple: Make it easier and more compelling for our customers to choose masonry over other building systems. Promote the entire wall system, not just brick or block or stone or labor. Make use of the medium that most of our customers prefer – the Internet. Provide both technical information and design inspiration, and keep it current and ever changing. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Capitalize on all the great information that already exists throughout our industry. After two years of effort, MasonrySystems.Org is ready to serve, pulling together all the pieces of the masonry puzzle in one user-friendly place. The site doesn’t try to replace or compete with all of the great masonry websites that are already out there. Instead, MSO acts as a gateway to all of the best information that exists about the masonry wall system – just better organized! Be sure to check out MasonrySystems.Org at your earliest opportunity. Take a look at the Masonry Gallery of great masonry projects from all over the country. Review 11 different masonry wall system profiles. Study the section called Masonry Basics, which contains primers on 25 different components of masonry walls. Search for architectural details, presentations, publications or standards in the Knowledge Base. And in a few weeks’ time, visit the online wall cost calculator. This section and several others are still under development. There will always be something new for you to see on MasonrySystems.Org. If we’ve done our job right, we’ve taken some of the mystery out of designing with masonry and provided you with the ammunition you need to convince your own clients that masonry is a fantastic choice for virtually any type of building.
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