Register for our upcoming joint webinar “Summer Savings Update on Tools, Health Plans and 401 K MEP” as well as some answers for FAQs. The webinar will be hosted on GoToWebinar on Tuesday, June 23rd from 2 – 3 PM CT. Webinar information will include:
 
• Learning about our latest savings program with MSC Industrial Supply and Ace Hardware as well as our Health Plans and the new 401K MEP Plan from Transamerica.
• Leveraging our collective volume; our company can save on day to day operating expenses and provide even more cost effective employee benefit solutions.
• Learn about other ways to cut costs on your indirect expenses such as gasoline, shipping, consumer financing, uniforms and over 25 additional services.
• Members who engage with the MSP save enough to pay for their association dues many times over each year.
 
To register for Summer Savings Update on Tools, Health Plans and 401 K MEP on Jun 23, 2020 2:00 PM CDT please click the link below:
 
Register for the webinar here!
 
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
 
If you have any questions, please reach out to corey@americanfenceassociation.com.
 

AFA is conducting a Call for Presentations for upcoming virtual and in-person events. AFA is looking for a wide array of topics that are innovative, engaging, inspiring, and informative for fence and deck contractors across the USA. AFA’s goal is to offer relevant, timely education and training to help attendees do their jobs more effectively and make their businesses more successful. Attendees are interested in hearing the latest trends, installation techniques, and best practices from industry experts and peers.
 
VIRTUAL EVENTS
Webinar presentations are scheduled throughout the year. All completed submissions for webinars are peer-reviewed on a rolling basis; if your session is accepted as a webinar, staff will reach out to confirm and schedule.
 
IN-PERSON EVENTS
Our next planned in-person event is FENCETECH in Nashville, Tennessee, scheduled for February 23-26, 2021. Educational programming is conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 23 and 24, 2021. Presentations begin as early as 8:00 a.m. and run throughout the day, ending as late as 5:30 p.m.

Please click to visit the Call for Presentations section on our website to find out more information and to submit your presentation!

*PLEASE NOTE: We currently expect to hold FENCETECH 2021 in person, but arrangements are subject to change depending on COVID-19. We will keep all of our speakers informed as the situation changes.

American Ground Screw, Inc. is proud to announce the first product certified under the International Code Council’s (ICC) acceptance criteria for screw foundation systems (AC443). The ICC is a worldwide leader in building safety, whose model codes and standards form the basis for building codes in most American cities, counties and states.

With this certification, builders in the United States will be able to use this simple but powerful technology to build foundations with a fraction of the labor, expense and environmental impact. Thanks to ICC certification, the American Ground Screw puts a better foundation solution in the hands of all builders.

From wooden privacy fences to temporary fencing for the construction and event industries, ground screws provide a sturdy, permanent, yet removable and re-usable foundation for all fencing needs. Quick to install without the need for concrete footings or post holes, American Ground Screw's solutions dramatically reduce labor and materials costs while minimizing environmental impact.

American Ground Screw is a global pioneer in ground screw foundations for residential, solar and commercial use. Offering a quality alternative to concrete and deep foundations, American Ground Screw solutions create strong, safe, long-lasting foundations for virtually any building application in any landscape.

New colors, shapes and accessories enhance CertainTeed’s siding offerings

CertainTeed, a leading North American brand of sustainable building materials, introduces the next generation of its Cedar Impressions® siding: Double 7-inch 3G Straight Edge Perfection Shingles and Cedar Impressions accent panels, now offered in new colors and shapes.

The 3G profile is engineered to provide superior aesthetics, simplified installation and enhanced performance. New features include slanted, tapered gaps with deeper shadow, high-definition texture and an offset corner to replicate a woven appearance. The new double course panel provides more coverage and requires fewer fasteners than single course siding, allowing installers to comply with social distancing measures, with fewer people and less time required per job.

The new profile also includes CertainTeed’s signature installation features, such as continuous lock, EasyMeasure™ tape measure, engineered side tabs with lead-in, HammerTapper™ hammer assist pads, SureStop™ to prevent hard nailing, hidden drainage holes, friction dots to support the panel, reverse texture backing and the built-in PanelThermometer™ temperature spacing indicator.

CertainTeed is a leading North American brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, solar, fence, decking, railing, trim, insulation, drywall and ceilings. Through the responsible development of innovative and sustainable building products, the company has helped shape the building products industry for more than 115 years.

The Eel Screed 6100 allows contractors, rental customers and other operators to finish concrete screeding quickly and comfortably.

Curb Roller Manufacturing, a world leader in shaped concrete roller screeds, introduces the Eel Screed 6100, a corded roller screed designed for operator comfort and easy transportation. The innovative design of the Eel Screed 6100 allows contractors, rental customers and other operators to finish concrete screeding faster and more comfortably than alternate methods.

The Eel Screed features a direct drive system, eliminating troublesome pulleys and linkage belts and adding to the unit’s ease of maintenance. A variable speed control, ergonomically integrated into the unit’s handle, allows working speeds between 0-300 rpm and provides ease of operation to adjust for different slump conditions or delivery rates. A single button directional change allows for fast and easy directional adjustments in confined areas or complex pours and the multi-position handle accommodates three positions for enhanced operator comfort.

The electric-powered Eel Screed requires a 120-volt, 60-hertz outlet or generator. Internal cord storage provides for easy machine transport and protects the cord from damage. 
Also included is a lightweight design and folding handle, as well as a heavy-duty kickstand to avoid setting the unit in went concrete or dust.

Curb Roller Manufacturing is a world leader in shaped concrete roller screeds with 10 years in business. Their products are ideal for everyday concrete work, including shaping standard curb, gutter, and sidewalks, as well as also flume, v-gutter, swale, and other unique shapes.

Cellular access control product manufacturer CellGate has launched a football-themed Shared Revenue Program to security industry dealers and installers. The new pogram is a component of CellGate’s year-long “This Changes Everything” marketing campaign - a reference to the cumulative impact of the long list of new products, features and programs CellGate is introducing throughout 2020.
The Shared Revenue Program was developed by CellGate’s President Noel Gouldin and the Vice President of Sales, Ken Shaw. Their goal was to create a simple, fun and easy-to-explain program that would  incentivize dealers and installers in the fence and gate industry to sell CellGate systems.

CellGate has been providing access control and security monitoring products utilizing cellular network technology since 2006. They offer a complete suite of cellular-based security products, encompassing streaming video, smart keypad entry, voice and camera solutions.

LP Building Solutions, a leader in high-performance building solutions, has expanded its performance fencing offerings with the introduction of LP Elements® Performance Fencing 76 Series. LP Elements fencing is designed to stand up stronger and longer than typical softwood fencing alternatives and is developed to defend against twisting, cracking or warping. The new product debuts in four finished colors and is available in a primed option at The Home Depot.

The 76 Series of LP Elements fencing enters the market in part through a partnership with The Home Depot in key markets. Featuring a narrower picket than the 92 Series, the 76 Series of LP Elements Performance Fencing is resistant to impacts from small rocks and other everyday life objects like baseballs up to 50 MPH. Both 76 Series and 92 Series can withstand wind gusts up to 200 MPH. They are engineered to defy termite damage and fungal decay.

Partnering with The Home Depot helps DIY homeowners, fence installers and contractors more easily find fencing by LP. Starting this summer in the Phoenix and Dallas markets, The Home Depot will offer Primed 76 Series pickets that can be painted any color as well as Finished 92 Series pickets in Mojave Ridge.

“The Home Depot will be the first retail customer partnership for LP Elements Performance Fencing, and we are excited to bring our fencing products directly to consumers through this partnership,” said Jenni Galiotto, Business Development Manager, LP Building Solutions.

LP Building Solutions manufactures uniquely engineered, innovative building products that meet the demands and needs of the building industry, including durable and dependable exterior siding and trim systems, engineered wood framing and structural panels for single-family homes, multifamily projects, repair & remodel markets, light commercial facilities and outdoor buildings

Preparing Your Facility for Getting Back to Work
 
As we continue to do our best to stay safe at home, business owners everywhere are thinking about the days ahead and getting back to work. What will that look like? How will things change? What will it take to ramp up and be ready to have my team back on-site, and to welcome customers again? While you make sure everyone stays safe & healthy, let us help make sure your facility is ready to go.
 
Let’s start with the basics: Your workplace kitchen and restrooms. With increased attention to appropriate handwashing, you’ll want to ensure your automatic soap and paper towel dispensers are up and running, and that you have an ample supply of backup batteries available to operate them without interruption. Your team and customers alike will feel more confident and stay healthier when they know that you take these things seriously.
 
Some workplaces will check employees’ temperatures before having them back. If your business is one that does, make sure your thermometer is powered up with a supply of replacement alkaline or coin cell batteries.
 
You’ll also want to be positive that your facility itself starts out clean and stays clean in the days to come, which means your scrubber/sweeper machinery is powered up and ready to go. Batteries charged and in place, clean and rinsed solution and recovery tanks, new scrubbing brush or pad, squeegee, and scrubbing head skirt.
 
Speaking of facilities, let’s switch from looking down at the floor to looking upward. Exit signs and emergency lights are an essential part of any emergency safety plan, but they’re so easily overlooked. Make sure yours light up when they’re supposed to by checking that they’re properly powered. If your battery is charged and functional, but you’re still having trouble, you may need a new fixture.
 
While things are relatively quiet, you might take this time to check on your APC UPS systems. Have you checked the maintenance logs lately to make sure that upkeep is happening and that your batteries are fully powered? Your data, equipment and devices are only as good as the backup system protecting them. Check that yours is operating at its best. 
 
Finally, take a walk outside. During the daylight hours, check your generator or other backup power system. Double check that those batteries are charged and ready at full power in the event of a summer storm or power outage. That way, you’ll stay up and running and not lose any more time or business. Then, after dark, take some time to do a perimeter walk. Check your business’s outdoor safety, parking lot and landscape lighting. Present your business in its best light, and also maintain a safe environment for your customers or employees and that may be working late shifts.
 
If you need any assistance - battery testing or even an in-person or virtual site walk - to ensure you have all of your power and lighting needs accounted for, we’re here for you. Set up your account. Already have one? Great! Login here.