METALCON is the only annual tradeshow exclusively devoted to the application of metal in design and construction. This year’s event will be held at the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) in Atlanta from October 30 to November 1, 2024.
METALCON quickly became an industry staple after Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer Frank Stasiowski of PSMJ Resources, Inc. partnered with the Metal Construction Association in 1991 to launch the show. “It really took off,” Vice President Judy Geller says. “It filled a niche in the market for something important.”
Focusing on this specific niche has been key to the event’s popularity. “Rather than going to a construction event where you’re pushed and pulled into 20 different directions and there’s so much going on, METALCON focuses exclusively on the application of metal in construction and design,” Geller explains. “It means that there’s an opportunity to really see the newest innovations and, probably even more importantly, talk to participants in the industry who really are experts in the application of metal.”
While the show has a specific focus, its attendees vary widely. Virtually anyone who works with metal in design or construction will benefit from attending. This includes manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, engineers, contractors, architects, specifiers, and designers.
“If you’re a contractor or you’re an architect, a developer, a specifier or designer—whatever role you may have—you have various questions, challenges, and solutions, and METALCON is going to have that expertise on-site to help you address your challenges and help you [find] solutions and real information on the spot,” Geller says.
There is also a wide variety within each of these professional categories represented. For instance, “There’s a huge spectrum of contractors that would benefit from attending the show,” she says. “It could be anyone from a general contractor to a roofing contractor to a sidewall and gutter contractor.”
Architects considering metal as a building option will find a wealth of knowledge at the show. For example, they “may be trying to figure out, ‘Do I want to do a metal or an asphalt roof?’ They’re going to want to see the newest options.”
They can also experience the aesthetics of metal as a building material. “You can do all kinds of beautiful designs using metal,” she says. “It’s not just plain old metal anymore; you can make it really quite stunning.”
It should come as no surprise that, with so much to offer to so many different professionals, the turnout at METALCON each year includes “all of the major and minor players who are involved in metal, whether it’s installing, selling, designing, fabricating, buying, or designing.” And that goes for more than just the attendees, as the exhibitors also cover the full gamut of the industry. There are nearly 30 categories of exhibitors at this year’s METALCON, covering everything from panels, decorative metal, roof-top products, coatings, fenestration, and framing to insulation, equipment, modular construction systems, energy-efficient applications, and custom fabrication, just to name a few.
“We call it the A-to-Z spectrum of manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, consultants. Any kind of solution provider is at METALCON,” Geller says.
A total of 250 exhibitors are slated to be at this year’s show. “There’s a lot going on at METALCON. The entire industry is there and there’s an opportunity for the attendees to explore everything that’s new and innovative in metal construction and design, from roofing to wall panels, to you name it. We cover any application of metal in the entire building envelope.”
There will be over 35 free educational sessions in the exhibit hall, conveniently located right on the show floor. Each session takes place at one of four learning centers with different areas of focus. For example, the Technical Knowhow Learning Center focuses on different technical issues of applying metal, while the Best Practices Learning Center educates attendees on the business aspect of applying metal. This center is particularly helpful for professionals looking to broaden their horizons. A typical example is “a roofing contractor who only does asphalt roofing, that is interested in expanding their business and embracing metals,” says Geller. “We’re going to be able to help those who are new to metal add it to their businesses.”
New for 2024 is a learning center focused on building performance. “There’s a lot of focus on building performance in this day and age because of sustainability, net zero goals, recyclability, and climate,” she says. “Metal can play a crucial role in building performance, particularly in terms of sustainability and durability in the face of severe weather. That is why we created this Building Performance Learning Center to focus on those specific issues.”
Of course, networking is another key advantage of attending the show. “METALCON provides absolutely outstanding networking opportunities as well. After all, the “Who’s Who” of the industry is there.”
METALCON will be introducing a number of new networking opportunities this year, in addition to keeping the existing ones. “We are going to be having a speed networking event in an area of the show floor called The Exchange,” Geller says, “and we’re also offering small group roundtable discussions where there will be multiple topics.” Each roundtable will have a moderator and will focus on a timely issue. For instance, “one of the topics may be metal mythbusters. There are many myths about applying metal, and this is going to be a roundtable forum to talk about it.”
A big networking party will open the event. “Everybody is invited to attend our ‘Metal Mash Up’ welcome party on Wednesday afternoon,” says Geller. “We’ll have music and snacks and drinks, and it will just be an opportunity to really kick off the event in a fun way, and we’re doing that right in the exhibit hall on the floor. And then on Thursday, we are going to be having a networking reception in an area of the show floor called The Backyard, which is also new this year. And in ‘The Backyard,’ you’re going to be able to play simulated golf, take a little break from all of the innovation and education on the show floor. It’s going to be just a fun area to relax, putt for a few holes.”
The result is a show that offers both breadth and depth, providing something for everyone. “There’s a lot going on in terms of the vast spectrum of exhibitors, the depth of education we’re offering, the huge focus we have on networking this year. I would call that our triumvirate of what’s important at the event this year.”
The team will keep thinking ahead to continue to improve and expand the tradeshow. “We always have future plans,” Geller says. “We’re always going to be looking at how to expand the show and make sure that it is relevant to the industry and people who want to participate in the industry. We are always looking for opportunities to expand on our education. This year, it’s building performance; next year, it’s going to be something else.”
The convention uses feedback to ensure that it will deliver the tradeshow experience that industry insiders want in the future. “A lot of times, our new ideas come from the evaluations that we put out to our exhibitors and the attendees,” she says. “They give us some really amazing clues about what they are looking for, and we definitely do take those to heart.”
This year’s show in Atlanta will draw a sizable crowd, and next year, the tradeshow’s Las Vegas location is expected to draw very large numbers, based on past experience. “Las Vegas is always a massive year for METALCON. It’s always exciting, and I know that we’ll have all kinds of new things to be offering.” So mark your calendars for this year’s show—and next year’s as well. There is too much to experience at METALCON to miss this major industry event!
