Sheet Metal Fabrication

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SNIPS NEWS speaks with five chapter executives from across the country for a Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) chapter checkup.

With core metal tariffs untouched and refund rules unresolved, contractors face ongoing price volatility and risk – making federal project bidding as unpredictable as ever.

A message from incoming SPIDA President Kyle Brumleu on the value of connection, collaboration, and continued growth in the sheet metal spiral duct industry.

Prefabrication is now at the center of project planning – helping contractors overcome labor shortages, boost quality, and speed up schedules.

Insulating a 62-inch duct is no small ask. Between engineering concerns with weight in an older building and the logistics of something so large, the folks at Hamlin Sheet Metal in Benson, North Carolina, needed an alternative to a double-walled system.

A perfect storm of South American mine disruptions, domestic hoarding, explosive demand from electrification and data centers, and new U.S. tariffs have driven copper inventories to historic lows, igniting an end-of-year price surge. 

With fresh investment and a renewed focus on HVAC sheet metal, Jake Olsen shares how Stratus is helping contractors run modern, data-driven fab shops – while staying true to the roots of the trade.

A look at how soaring private-sector investment in data centers is both fueling opportunity and compounding risk, as contractors battle international trade shocks, rising energy prices, and supply chain chaos.

A candid look at why most “smart” buildings fall short, and what it really takes to get building automation (and integration) right from the start.