Build Back Better - In the Fence Industry

by Mark Levin, CAE, CSP

Executive Vice President, Chain Link Fence Manufacturers Institute

The excitement is growing because of the influx of dollars from the 2022 infrastructure bill into many parts in the construction industry. Those dollars, combined with the billions that the government paid out to states as part of the COVID relief program, have created confidence that long-delayed projects will start rolling again.

In Maryland, for example, the governor has reiterated his commitment to finish the Purple Line, a public transit system connecting two of the counties that border Washington, D.C.

There are going to be ample opportunities for the fencing industry to prosper from these infrastructure dollars, as well as from projects that had been slowed down by the pandemic, such as pre-funded military base expansion and upgrades. While it looks like it will be a good period for the fence industry from an economic standpoint, it’s also a good time for the industry to address some new challenges and create some new opportunities.

The industry needs to undertake some type of coordinated effort to address ongoing workforce shortages.

This has, of course, been a problem since long before the pandemic. We must admit that things have gotten worse and there is no clear course of action that the industry (collectively) has set out to deal with it. It’s still a day-to-day fight to find, train, and retain skilled workers. There are several construction industry workforce coalitions working on this, so where is the fence industry coalition on workforce development?

Everyone should be thinking about being part of FenceTech 2023.

What? We just finished FenceTech 2022. We must get back to work. New Orleans 2022 doesn’t count. AFA took (or had to take) a risk on New Orleans this year for several reasons, and it was just unfortunate that timing didn’t work out the way everyone had hoped. We all know that the hardest thing to do is to regain customers (attendees) or partners (exhibitors). If we’re going to rebuild the country and the industry back better, we need to also rebuild the industry’s most important event back better.

Fencing companies need to continue developing their value proposition to owners and customers.

The industry has been so busy keeping up with demand and trying to find workers and supplies over the past two years that we may have missed some chances to “re-brand” the fence industry’s niche in the broader construction field.

With everyone else still scrambling to stay ahead of workplace shortages, this may be a good time to solidify the fence industry’s role as a valued partner on projects. No longer an afterthought, fencing is an integral part of the planning, design, specification, and security requirements of projects ranging from residential homes and neighborhoods to crossborder electrical power grids.

It’s time to stake out fencing’s “seat at the table”. It’s time to exert a true leadership role in building the USA back better. IGD International Gate Devices E/Z SLIDE BOTTOM TRACK™ HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM TRACK

DYNA BIGNELL PRODUCTS LLC

201 W 3rd Street Clare, Michigan 48617 (989) 418-5050 www.dynabignell.com | dynabignell@gmail.com

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