NDA Gathers in Las Vegas

Some 1,000 attendees gathered March 5-8 at The Mirage in Las Vegas for the National Demolition Association (NDA) Annual Convention.

Demolition contractors and others involved in the industry toured the convention’s exhibit hall, took part in committee meetings, attended receptions and banquets and heard from several guest speakers.

Keynote speaker Clyde Fessler, who was active for many years in marketing and merchandising for motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson, provided an insider’s insight on how the company sharply upgraded its product quality and exponentially built its brand in a two-decade span.

In another session, Nathan Brainard of Insurance Office of America, Longwood, Fla., let the demolition industry know that his industry considers the demolition industry to have a high “hazard index” rating—but that there was hope.

Brainard related several ways in which contractors can help themselves lessen the chances of injuries and accidents and then take advantage of a clean track record via lower insurance rates.
He also listed misconceptions contractors might hold, including that “all policies are the same.” Instead, said

Brainard, there is a long list of clauses and exceptions that can differ from policy to policy.
The NDA’s Tuesday morning session featured an Industry Round Table in which seven different demolition contractors offered summaries of business conditions in their regions and their views on key industry issues.

“There seems to be a lot going on right now; we have work on the books,” said Mike Casbon of ERM Inc., who is working on a major project in Texas for the global demolition and environmental remediation company.
Tom Robinette of Chicago-based Robinette Demolition Inc. said the Chicago area is “seeing a significant increase in bid requests, which has caused some increase in activity—but others are waiting to pull the trigger,” he says of property owners and developers.

Another regional demolition viewpoint came from Ron Richey of Eugene, Ore.-based Staton Cos. “Up in the Northwest, we have a pretty robust demolition market,” he commented, citing work on government facilities and the demolition of obsolete industrial plants, including paper mills. “Overall, there’s some work to be bid and some profit to be had.”

The NDA’s 2012 Annual Convention will be in San Antonio March 10-13 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center & Grand Hyatt Hotel.