Being a first-time visitor to the International Building Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, I was subject to what my colleagues warned me about: sensory overload. With over 1,800 exhibitors and more than 81,000 attendees (a record turnout), you are sure to get lost in the size and scurry of it all. With that, however, came the opportunity to touch nearly every facet of the residential construction industry. There are a ton of new solutions that manufacturers are putting out on the market to address challenges in the building industry. Whether it’s rising costs, the ongoing labor shortage, jobsite safety, or the ever present need to move projects to completion faster, someone out there is trying to solve the problem.
Case in point: I met with Tracy Collins at Six3tile to see and feel a product that should alleviate some of the pressure points around tile installations. Six3tile offers kits for showers and tub surrounds as well as kits for backsplashes that simplify and speed up the process of installation. Each tile panel covers 6 square feet for backsplashes and 10 square feet for the bathroom applications. The idea is to speed up the installation of tile and reduce the specialty tools and labor needed for a ceramic tile project. According to the company's testing, a typical job is completed two times as quickly. The line is available in different colors and patterns and is grouted like traditional tile. The company has been serving the multifamily market and modular home builders for about seven years and is expanding into contractor and DIY markets now. The product is fully manufactured in the United States and worth a look if you are looking to reduce labor cost on projects while still maintaining durability.
I couldn’t help being drawn into the Baldwin Hardware booth to look for any changes to a lockset offering I have installed many times over the years. There is something about the feel of a well-made handle or doorknob that elevates the hardware package for a home, and Baldwin always fit that bill. My issue as an installer was the long list of variables for Baldwin selection and high-end hardware in general. The parts needed were different depending on left- or right-handing of the door, knob, or handle, and backsets were all specific to the application. This order list would often cause mistakes and therefore delays. To solve this, Baldwin now has a latch assembly that is adjustable for all the variables above in one assembly. For Baldwin, this eliminates 12 different part options that would have needed to be ordered depending on the application. It appears, at first look, that the level of quality that is expected has been maintained but removing the Meccano set list of parts that often plagued me.
I first came across Jackery solar generators and battery packs when planning camping trips both for my own family and for Scouts. The company's offerings have grown from smaller solar and battery packs to a full home inverter power transfer system and a line of solar shingles coupled with expandable battery packs. If you just want an emergency backup or a full off-grid home, the company has a package. What interested me for the contractor was its line of portable power stations. With capacities of 5,000 and more running watts, could the days of a gas generator droning on all day at the jobsite be over? I, for one, will not miss angering the neighbors or having to negotiate with other trades for limited circuits on site. I am looking forward to testing a Jackery unit for JLC in the future.
On the safety side of things, the Little Giant ladder company is showing off some new and old offerings. It has never been one to compete on price, but I don’t mind: A good tool is one that you should have to buy only once. Falls from ladders are a problem for the construction industry and cost productivity, time, and money in claims every year. One area that has gotten me more than once in my career is missing that last step. With 20% of ladder accidents caused by the climber stepping off too soon, Little Giant is addressing this with its Ground Cue system. The last step has an audible click and tactile movement on contact that ensures you know when you have reached the end. Hopefully, a few ankles will be saved on site. As is the case for other innovations like the Platform Pro accessory that acts as a tool tray or standing platform rated up to 300 lbs. for articulating ladders, and the expanding line of stepladders with a caged-in top platform to keep a worker contained at the maximum height, feedback from the industry is worked into new offerings constantly. It's good to see a company focused on jobsite issues and taking that back to the factory to find solutions.
Following the safety theme, Metaltech also has some new ideas that caught my eye. Mostly known for Baker-style scaffolding, Metaltech has a solution for electrical work: a series of non-conductive fiberglass scaffolds. This series contains all the usual features of a Baker with stack-ability and guardrails; it also has a trap door for access from inside the frame to climb onto the platform. Another new addition to the company's lineup is its Climb-N-Go electric motor. This is an attachment that can be fitted to any of the company's racks and turn your scaffold into motorized transport. It is battery-powered and, best of all, those batteries can be from any of the major tool manufacturers. It comes with adapters so if you are running yellow, red, or teal batteries, it will take them all. There is no need for freight elevators to get a scissor lift to where you need it, and now you won’t lose time repositioning your work platform as you move about the room.
These are just a few of the innovations that I saw. Add insulation from recycled denim, tons of fire-resistant add-ons for new construction and retrofit (marketed as solutions for the L.A.-fires aftermath), along with countless software products that track leads, materials, and costs, and this column could go on for pages. What I did not see were a lot of the big names in tools. While I enjoyed talking to Paslode and Sawstop and seeing Stiletto, the red, yellow, and teal brands were mostly absent (beyond some modest offerings at the Lowe's and Home Depot booths). IBS is a show focused on the business and products of homebuilding, so if you are looking to see the latest in the tools and equipment that make finished homes, this will probably not be the show for you. For that experience, World of Concrete, JLC Live, and myriad local-distributor events are where to go.
More products and trends that were displayed will be seen in JLC in the coming months. For now, I am going to put my tired feet up and see if all those hours of watching poker tournaments will pay off at the tables. (Editor's note: They did not, so now I've got to get back to work.)
