In this issue
4 Construction Law:
Intellectual property for
the construction industry
6 Mason and machine:
North Carolina bricklayers
take center stage nationally
8 NCMCA takes financial
“leap of faith” in hiring
new Workforce Development
and Training Coordinator
10 ASAC reconstitutes Charlotte
chapter, creating competition
for NC subcontractor
association representation
12 14
PROJECTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATION
NEWS Publisher’s
Viewpoint Mark Buckshon, publisher
As we prepare this issue of North Carolina Construc-
tion News for publication, I’m reminded of the wonder-
ful complexities, challenges and opportunities in this
state’s architectural, engineering and construction com-
munity. There’s growth, creativity, technology, innovation,
and solid crafts and trades skills and it doesn’t take long
to see the opportunities ahead in a growing economy.
There are challenges as well; a mixed bag of policies
and initiatives that can be seen either as wonderful or
woeful. The crackdown on illegal immigration, for exam-
ple, helps provide job security and improved wages for
properly qualified and legal U.S. residents. It also cre-
ates serious labor shortages and pushes many workers
to the edge of the economy.
The steel and aluminum tariffs will give a boost to
the U.S. steel manufacturing industry, but could have un-
intended negative consequences for component fabrica-
tors (who may find they are now woefully uncompetitive
with foreign producers shipping material into the U.S.
around the raw steel limits). General contractors and
suppliers with fixed-price contracts may be blindsided
by extra costs for which they cannot recover.
These issues remind me of the importance of indus-
try associations, which can effectively serve as advo-
cates for your business. You’ll see some of the initiatives
of the North Carolina Masonry Contractors Association
(NCMCA) in this issue. There are several other associa-
tions reflecting general and specific industry groups as
well. If you aren’t already a member, consider joining the
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Caroli-
nas Associated General Contractors (CAGC). If you are
interested in a general subcontractor’s association, you
have a choice: the North Carolina Subcontractors Al-
liance (NCSA) or the American Subcontractors Associa-
tion of the Carolinas’ reconstituted Charlotte chapter.
NCCN editor Mark Buckshon can be reached by
email at buckshon@ncconstructionnews.com
or by phone at (888) 627-8717 ext. 224.
North Carolina Construction News (NCCN) is distributed
throughout the Carolinas construction industry.
For information contact:
Chase, Phone: 1-888-627-8717 ext 212
chase@ncconstructionnews.com www.ncconstructionnews.com. ISSN 1940-3682.
2 — March-April 2018 — The North Carolina Construction News
NCCN is circulated on a controlled circulation list to qualified
readers including members of most major construction asso-
ciations in the Carolinas. The magazine is supplemented
by a weekly e-letter which reaches more than 4,000 industry
leaders each week.
Construction industry
worries about Trump’s steel,
aluminum tariff plans
North Carolina Construction News staff writer
The construction industry is worried about President
Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25 percent tariff on
steel and a 10 percent tax on aluminum imported to the
United States.
The policy will increase the construction costs, ac-
cording to construction experts. Ultimately, the extra
costs could make it harder for future projects to get
completed. “Rising construction costs, along with labor costs
and bank financing constraints, have been a significant
factor in limiting property development over the course
of this [economic] expansion,” Sam Chandan, the asso-
ciate dean at the New York University’s Schack Institute
of Real Estate, said in a statement to Commercial Ob-
server. “Policies that add to cost pressures exacerbate
drags on new supply.”
While making foreign steel more expensive via taxes
could mean companies may further use domestic steel,
the U.S. industry will not have the supply to keep up
with the demand, said Louis Coletti, the president and
CEO of the Building Trades Employers’ Association.
“The U.S. steel manufacturers cannot produce the
quantity of steel needed. Steel manufacturers are al-
ready telling contractors to expect price increases,” Co-
letti said. “The lack of steel availability will also cause
scheduling delays that will add to additional cost in-
creases. This policy will have a detrimental impact on
the economic growth of [New York] and the nation.”
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
also issued a statement regarding President Trump’s
announcement to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum
imports. “It is unfortunate that President Trump has decided
to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel imports and 10
percent on aluminum imports. These tariffs will trans-
late into higher costs for consumers and U.S. busi-
nesses that use these products, including home
builders,” NAHB chairman Randy Noel said, adding that
“given that home builders are already grappling with 20
percent tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber and that
the price of lumber and other key building materials are
near record highs, this announcement by the president
could not have come at a worse time.”
“Tariffs hurt consumers and harm housing affordabil-
ity. We hope the administration will work quickly to re-
solve these trade disputes regarding lumber and steel
so that businesses and consumers have access to an
adequate supply at a fair market price,” Noel said.
The North Carolina Construction News — March-April 2018 — 3