August 9, 2007

INDUSTRY ACCESS*

KC Operations of Ankmar LLC Merge with Indiana-based Company

Equity Capital Group, the owner of ECP Safe-Way Door LLC of Warsaw, IN, has taken majority ownership of Ankmar Door Manufacturing Inc., which makes steel garage doors, reported The Kansas City Star. Gallagher Industries, a Denver private equity firm, will continue to own Ankmar’s operations in Denver, which include a garage-door installation services division and a wood-panel manufacturing operation. Gallagher was seeking to exit the steel-door portion of the business although the Denver firm will continue to hold a minority stake in the Kansas City, KS, operations. Full Story

Click here for more Industry Access news including recent new hires, merger & acquisition activity and who's offering new products.

* DHI Members may submit news releases to be considered for inclusion in DHI's IndustryWatch. Send to: jmadden@dhi.org.

BUSINESS UPDATE

The economic environment for all construction markets continued to improve over the last month, with more slow-but-steady improvement expected through next year. The only negatives, all impacting the housing market, were a 20-basis-point rise in fixed mortgage rates from early June to mid-July, another increase in homes-for-sale and a five point drop in the Consumer Confidence Index. The trends were positive for income, consumer spending, jobs and capital spending, according to Reed Construction Data. Full Story

If you are a developer or contractor who does not want to see your profits converted into litigation costs, you should follow these key rules: Know your rights and obligations, get your financial house in order before breaking ground, organize your time well and be mindful of emerging technology, reported California Construction. Full Story

Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Intl. has challenged its 16,500 members and the industry at large to dramatically improve their energy efficiency. At its annual conference in Manhattan, BOMA unveiled its Market Transformation Energy Plan. The centerpiece of the plan is the so-called "7-Point Challenge" which explicitly lists steps that BOMA members and others can take to reduce their use of natural resources, non-renewable energy sources, and waste production, reported Buildings.com. Full Story

Canada's red-hot construction sector showed little sign of slowing in June with the value of building permits slipping only 0.4% from a peak in May to the second-highest level on record, according to Statistics Canada. Analysts had expected permits to retreat by 9.8% in June after double-digit growth the previous month had taken them by surprise. Statscan revised upward the May increase to 23.2% from the 21.4% reported last month, reported The Toronto Star. Full Story

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

More companies are planning, building, and operating distribution centers with an eye toward environmental sustainability. DC Velocity looks at some examples in a special report in its August issue. Full Story

With local governments being in an ideal position to advance the green building movement, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has adopted a resolution supporting the American Institute of Architects (AIA) SustAIAnability 2030 Challenge that calls for public buildings to be carbon neutral by 2030. Full Story

SECURITY & SAFETY

A broad range of access card readers designed to grant or deny entry to office buildings, airport terminals and other sensitive areas are inherently insecure and easy to hack, according to a researcher who spoke and demonstrated his methods at the DEF CON hacker conference, reported The Washington Post. Full Story

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

Business leaders and environmentalists are praising the unanimous approval by Howard County Council (MD) of the Ulman administration's "green" buildings legislation. The measures offer up to 75% in property tax credits for five years as an incentive for commercial building developers. They also set aside 100 housing allocations annually for environmentally friendly green residential projects anywhere in the county, reported The Baltimore Sun. Full Story

The Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act, a bill designed to help parents and prospective college students evaluate the level of fire safety at college campuses, got one step closer to becoming law on July 24 when it passed the U.S. Senate. The House of Representatives will take up the bill when it reconvenes in September, reported Security Systems News. Full Story

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

Energy Legislation

The first legislation is H.R. 3221, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security and Consumer Protection Act. The bill, which passed by a vote of 241-172, is designed to promote energy conservation and renewable energy.

One of the more contentious issues will be on how it will achieve renewable energy, particularly electricity. The provision, offered as an amendment by Representative Tom Udall (D-NM), will require electric suppliers, other than governmental entities and rural electric cooperatives, to provide at least 15% of their electricity using renewable energy resources by the year 2020. This amendment, which was blocked by the Senate when their energy bill was considered several months ago, was approved by a 220-119 vote. It faced opposition from utility trade organizations that will now face a stiff mandate that is not similarly applied to government entities.

The other energy bill, H.R. 2776, the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act, passed by a much closer margin of 221-189. This legislation contains $16 billion worth of tax incentives to encourage the use of clean energy.

Tax Gap

Last week, the Treasury Department released a report concerning their efforts to implement their tax gap strategy. Entitled, “A Report on Improving Voluntary Compliance,” the report details steps currently being taken by Treasury, as well as those under development, to address key elements of the tax gap. The report was good news for small businesses as it did not add more regulations.

Employment Verification

It appears as if the Department of Homeland Security will soon make final regulations regarding employees with questionable identification. The regulation, which was originally issued for comment last year, established new scenarios in which an employer could be deemed to have "constructive knowledge" that the employee was an alien not authorized to work in the United States. The employer would have 60 days upon receiving a "no-match" letter to terminate the employee. The regulation is currently being reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget.

With the failure of the Senate to reach a consensus on comprehensive immigration reform legislation, it is expected that Congress will act on some of the provisions in a piecemeal manner. For example, Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) has introduced S. 1984, a new enforcement and verification bill.

DHI's Jerry Heppes sits on the board of the Small Business Legislative Council. If you'd like more information on these or other issues affecting small businesses, feel free to contact him at jheppes@dhi.org.

DHI NEWS

Have you made your plans to attend DHI’s 32nd Annual Conference and Exposition, October 13 – 20, 2007 in Nashville, TN?

Make sure you reserve your spot for this industry event TODAY! This is your only opportunity this year to stay connected to the heart of the industry and be empowered by ALL that is available to you at this year’s event! As a leader in Life Safety and Security, you can’t afford to be left out!

Take Advantage of Launch Pricing for the Fire Door Assembly Inspection Class (FDAIC)! You can become a Fire Door Assembly Inspector! For the first time, this class will be offered at DHI’s upcoming Conference and Exposition! Upon the successful completion of this class, you will also be eligible to enroll in the Intertek Certification Program to become a Certified Fire Door Assembly Inspector!

Have you completed the mandatory pre-requisites? Contact DHI at 703-222-2010 to find out how you can fulfill these requirements prior to the FDAIC.

Self-Study Course: Fundamentals of Architectural Doors and Hardware
COR110 Basic Hardware
COR115 Hardware Applications
COR140 Using Codes and Standards

Individuals certified as Architectural Hardware Consultants (AHCs), Certified Door Consultants (CDCs), Electrified Hardware Consultants (EHCs) and/or Architectural Openings Consultants (AOCs) are already eligible to enroll in the FDAIC.

To register, go online to www.dhi.org/annual or contact DHI directly at 703-222-2010 and we can get you registered over the phone!

HOUSING IS FILLING FAST— Contact the Housing Bureau directly at 866-578-8809 to make your reservations!

Advance your career, improve your business and change your life with DHI education! Don’t miss the LARGEST selection of DHI courses in ONE location!
Take advantage of this expanded DHI education session to continue your education, earn CEP points or work towards a professional certification. Come experience the most comprehensive and unparalleled technical education for the openings industry!

PLUS! Buy one day of education and receive access to the Conference and Exposition FREE! For a complete course listing and to register, go online to http://www.dhi.org/education/courselistings.asp or contact DHI directly at 703-222-2010.