State of the Metal Construction Industry in 2013 and the Outlook for Guam & Metal Buildings

A Repeat of 2012.  Lack of focus on selling the value of steel buildings over price.  Lack of definitive direction in Washington.  Those are just some of the things being said by the leaders of the metal construction industry on the outlook for 2013.  

Metal Construction News is the original news magazine of the metal construction industry and has been the premier source for news, products and strategies since 1994.  The Monthly publication talked to the industry leaders about what the new year can expect to hold for the business. 


The discussion on metal construction in the residential market, change in public policy, the workforce and the evolution into a sustainable industry were thought provoking. 

For the islands of the Western Pacific, metal buildings have been a part of the landscape since 1945.  If you look closely, many of those original structures are still standing in varying degrees of deterioration.  For the most part, these steel icons have stood the test of time.  

Today, demand is on the rebound.  Smaller projects are featuring steel buildings.  Contractors are revisiting steel versus concrete as a solution to their project needs.  While the Butler brand has been front and center on Guam.  Ceco is now making a run on the marketplace.  The end result has been more competitive pricing and quality products entering the region. With many taking a second look at the Guam Buildup and associated structures needed, metal buildings could once again be the owners choice.  

Why is this encouraging?  

Construction materials made up 3% of imports into Guam in July 2012. Steel structures accounted for $432,997 or about a quarter of the construction material imports.  This is an encouraging sign and expect it to grow in the months to come.  2013 could be a great year for the metal buildings industry on Guam. And on the heels of a anticipated ramp up in 2014 and 2015, this could be even better for metal buildings here.