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July 23, 2009

INDUSTRY ACCESS*

Graham Acquires FM Enterprises

Graham Architectural Products has acquired FM Enterprises, a Merrill, WI, based manufacturer of curtain wall windows, storefront windows and doors, and sunshades. The newly formed entity, FM Enterprises, a Graham Architectural company, will operate under the GAP banner, reported Window & Door. "FM is an excellent fit in both product and corporate culture for GAP," says Brian Hurley, president and CEO of York, PA-based Graham. "FM's product offering is precisely what we were looking for strategically to provide our valued customers with a well rounded product line. We are also excited to have the availability of a skilled workforce that the Merrill area can offer to GAP for future expansion opportunities. The addition of FM's products to our portfolio will enable us to better serve our customers by allowing us to supply the entire job from a single source, something that's important to many of our customers." 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 U.S. index of leading economic indicators rose 0.7% in June, the third straight monthly gain, according to the Conference Board, signaling that a recovery is likely in the second half of the year. Over the past six months, the index has improved at a 4.1% annual rate, up sharply from a negative 6.2% rate in the prior six months, reported The Wall Street Journal. This is the fastest pace since the first quarter of 2006. The trend is consistent with a slow recovery this autumn, according to Ken Goldstein, an economist at the Conference Board. Full Story

A new report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) will enable city and county leaders to paint a clearer picture of the positive impact of building new multifamily communities. Using a proprietary modeling method, the report found that the development of apartment and condo communities generates significant economic benefits for municipalities long after the building process has been completed. Full Story

The June Producer Price Index for Wood Doors (flush & panel, interior & exterior) was up 1.4% from 2008 and the Other Wood Doors (Incl. garage, screen, storm, etc.) PPI was up 2.5% compared to a year earlier. Compared to May, the unadjusted June PPI was unchanged for both Wood Doors and the Other Wood Doors category, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The PPI for Metal Doors, Sash & Trim was unchanged from May and up 3.7% from 2008. The PPI for Builders Hardware was down 1.6% from 2008 and down 0.3% from a month earlier. Click here to view the full June Producer Price Index report. (PDF file - Wood Door information is on page 16, Builders Hardware is on page 21 and Metal Door data is on page 22)

Some AEC firms are projecting that healthcare work could be off by as much as 50% over the next three years. Donations to hospitals are down, their endowments have been ravaged, and they can't borrow a dime because the debt markets are in chaos. As a result, hospitals are tightening their belts on capital spending, reported Building Design & Construction. Full Story

The 9th annual LEED Guide, a collaboration between ED+C and the USGBC is now available. This report contains just about everything beginners and novices need to know about LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System, as well as its related programs, projects, professionals and processes. Access the Guide

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

Feeling the effects of the struggling overall U.S. economy, nonresidential construction spending is expected to decrease by 16% in 2009 and drop by another almost 12% in 2010 in inflation adjusted terms. Commercial projects will see the most significant decrease in activity, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) semi-annual Consensus Construction Forecast. In contrast, most institutional building categories are expected to see much more modest declines over this period. Full Story

Reed Construction Data lists 20 of the largest upcoming construction projects in the U.S. South and Northeast.They are all in the planning stage and are mainly new projects, but may also involve additions and/or alterations. Full Story

A new $61 million building for the University at Buffalo engineering school will provide much more than new classrooms and meeting spaces for students when completed in 2011. It will be one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in the region, reported The Buffalo News. Full Story

A $754 million project is being proposed to replace the aging Wishard Memorial Hospital in downtown Indianapolis. Hospital officials say renovating the current facility is not practical because its mechanical systems are failing and the patient rooms can't accommodate modern equipment. Wishard's facility is spread over 17 buildings, many of which were built before World War II, reported The Chicago Tribune. Full Story

SECURITY & SAFETY

Campus Security magazine offers a starter guide to mass notification which outlines the benefits of closed-loop, private mass notification systems as opposed to the practices commonly used in K-12 and higher education. Full Story

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

More than $32.8 million in grants have been awarded to 18 states and the District of Columbia as part of a joint effort by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Justice to support schools in creating safer and healthier learning environments. The highly competitive Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative attracted 422 grant applications nationally, reported ED.gov. Full Story

A half-dozen senators friendly to labor have decided to drop a central provision of a bill that would have made it easier to organize workers, reported the New York Times on the Web. The so-called card-check provision - which senators decided to scrap to help secure a filibuster-proof 60 votes - would have required employers to recognize a union as soon as a majority of workers signed cards saying they wanted a union. Currently, employers can insist on a secret-ballot election, a higher hurdle for unions, reported the New York Times on the Web. Full Story

A federal grant program to assist U.S. communities as they adopt and administer construction safety codes got a major endorsement from six U.S. Senators. The measure was re-introduced in Congress with bipartisan support after the House passed a similar measure last year that was set aside as Congress focused on the economic crisis. Read the letter

On July 1, Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued notices seeking to inspect the Form I-9s of 652 employers throughout the U.S. to determine whether they are complying with employment eligibility verification laws and regulations, reported the Jacksonville Business Journal. Full Story

SMALL BUSINESS NEWS

Eligible To Work

On July 9, regarding the E-Verify program, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced: "After a careful review, the Administration will push ahead with full implementation of the rule, which will apply to federal solicitations and contract awards Government-wide starting on September 8, 2009."

In the same announcement, Secretary Napolitano said this about the No Match Rule: "It is DHS's intention to rescind the Social Security No-Match Rule, which has never been implemented and has been blocked by court order, in favor of the more modern and effective E-Verify system."

E-Verify is the controversial electronic eligible to work verification system the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operates. One of the problems with the E-Verify system itself is the lag time. It is not "instant" verification. Under the program, employers enter the I-9 information into a computer program and submit the information to the federal government. It is then compared with information on both the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) databases. If SSA records confirm a legal work-authorization status, the employer is notified that the employee is verified. If the SSA cannot confirm the eligibility, the employer is notified that the employee has received a tentative non-confirmation finding. The employee can dispute the finding within a specified period of time, usually 10 days.

"No match" refers to another even more controversial project proposed by the Bush Administration. Under the "no match" program employers who receive letters from the Social Security Administration, noting multiple errors with the social security numbers filed with W-2s (a long-standing initiative), would also receive a letter from the DHS at the same time, warning the employer that they need to fix the errors or risk liability for "knowingly" hiring illegal aliens.

Last week the Senate adopted amendments to make the E-Verify System permanent, to require Federal contractors to use it AND to block DHS from rescinding the No Match Rule.

The House version did not include any of the eligibility for employment verification amendments. The Senate bill also includes a provision to allow employers to use E-Verify to check the status of current employees, as currently it can only be used for new hires.

So the bill heads to a conference committee. At this point, there is no indication when a conference committee will be convened.

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.

This material is protected under copyright law and contains confidential information. It is for the sole personal, informational use of DHI members. It cannot be distributed, reprinted, referenced as a source for attribution, or otherwise made public.

DHI NEWS

Register by July 31st, 2009 and take advantage of ADVANCE REGISTRATION SAVINGS for DHI's 34th Annual Conference and Exposition, September 16 – 25, 2009 in Orlando, FL!

With DHI's Full Conference Package as low as $195*, you will receive 3 FULL days of conference and exposition activities, including complete access to:

Industry Marketplace
Forum for the Future Kick-off Luncheon
Exhibit Hall
Opening Reception on the Trade Show Floor
Forum for the Future, including the release of cutting edge industry research, a short and long-term economic forecast as it impacts our industry, problems to avoid as the recession ends and ways to recession-proof your business, and a discussion of distribution channel partners' best practices.
Forum for the Future Wrap-Up Luncheon
Closing Reception on the Trade Show Floor
Conference Education Sessions

Click here for the complete conference brochure and to register online!

* Members only rate. Price for non-members is $295. Offer valid only through July 31st, 2009.

DHI’s 34th Annual Conference and Exposition HOUSING UPDATE!
September 16 - 25, 2009 in Orlando, FL

SPACE IS FILLING FAST! Rates start as low as $125 a night, so make sure you reserve your room before they sell out!

DHI's Headquarters Hotel: Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
$189 single/double
$209 triple
$229 quad

Radisson Resort Orlando-Celebration
$125 single/double

For more information about the hotels and rates, please visit the DHI conference website at www.dhi.org to make your housing reservations online or contact the DHI Housing Bureau at 866-578-8809. Be sure to book your reservation by Monday, August 10, 2009 to take advantage of DHI’s discounted Conference rates.