Jon Castro of B&I Contractors in Fort Myers, Florida, kicked off the forum with a panel that discussed estimating and assembling bids. General Sheet Metal team members then gave an overview of their operation, then attendees boarded a bus for a tour of the Clackamas facility.

Chris Cullum of Cullum Mechanical Construction in North Charleston, South Carolina, called General Sheet Metal a “very well-managed company that has invested well in equipment, technology, and people development — a first-class operation!”

The second day of the forum featured panels on the use of AI, processes for managing project expectations, and change order best practices. The final day’s meetings wrapped up with a panel on culture and team-building. Members took part in a discussion on merging the gap from field to office, and on implementing culture changes. Several show-and-shares on prefab strategies were the highlights of the last day.

“It was great to have a show-and-tell and be able to see things put into action. Visualization was key,” said Ashley Duncan of General Sheet Metal.

The forum concluded with a breakout session, during which members discussed estimating, project management, and inventory management.

“I learned how much we all face similar issues but overcome them in different ways,” said Mike Keenan of VHV Co., an HVAC contractor in Winooski, Vermont. “It seems that over the few years I’ve been attending, the group is collectively leaning into each other very well. It’s always great to see the progress from year to year.”