President's Message: Moving Forward Toward Greater Success

Nearly every economist and housing expert agrees that residential construction will continue to grow at a strong pace this year and be a bright spot in our nation’s economy. With jobsite labor availability still lagging far behind what builders need, it is clear that demand for the off-site construction products and services our industry offers will continue to grow at a strong pace this year. With even conservative estimates putting single-family housing starts over one million, the strongest pace since 2006, there should be more than enough work for all of us!

Within that environment, we will have an even greater need for the information, tools, resources, and industry best practices SBCA has to offer. Over the past five years, we have been transforming SBCA to be ready for this moment. It started with the scope of work realignment between SBCA and TPI to put component manufacturers (CMs) in the driver’s seat for the areas that most affect their business and market development efforts. Next, we forged a multi-year strategic plan to focus our efforts on the products, services, and support mechanisms our members identified they needed most.

Finally, we have transitioned from using an outside management company to having our own dedicated staff. These experienced, skilled, and passionate men and women will work exclusively alongside our engaged membership to drive the association and our industry forward into the future. 

SBCA’s primary mission is to help our members expand their markets and the use of structural components in every building possible. To fulfill that mission, we will not only seek to capitalize on the trends we see occurring in the construction industry today but will also challenge ourselves to lean forward and keep an eye toward the future. Going forward, SBCA will rely on the powerful tools today’s technology provides to manage data and clearly communicate information to a wide array of audiences. At the same time, we will push our members to look for similar ways to leverage technology to improve their own businesses. 

Ultimately, 2021 represents a fresh start for SBCA. It’s critical we hear from you and gather a greater perspective on what your needs are now as well as what you foresee happening in your market over the next few years. The more real-time information SBCA has on emerging trends, the better we will be able to come alongside members and support them in achieving greater success.

I look forward to jumpstarting this process at SBCA’s first Open Quarterly Meeting (OQM) in San Antonio, Texas, January 26-28. If you aren’t able to join us in person, 
I strongly encourage you to call in and participate!