Orlando, Fla. – More than 1,100 ironworkers, contractors and business owners gathered in sunny Orlando to celebrate safety in the construction industry and to discuss best practices and innovative ideas at the North American Iron Workers/IMPACT Labor-Management Conference February 28-March 2, 2016.

The conference is IMPACT’s showcase, where the Iron Workers and their contractors exhibit their expertise: unparalleled safety, unrivaled quality and supreme productivity. The conference helps build new relationships and strengthen existing ones between ironworkers, contractors and end users.

This year’s conference featured speakers who engaged attendees with a variety of topics, ranging from retrospectives on ironworking careers, safety certifications and the owner’s role in driving results. Comprised of seasoned and emerging construction and business professionals, the speakers provided members with techniques for solving everything from basic problems, like securing qualified manpower (or understanding construction contract terms and conditions), to monumental issues, such as ensuring a safe workplace.The diverse topics were beneficial to every level of construction or business professional.

“In today’s recovering economy, it’s increasingly important for all members of the industry – ironworkers, contractors and end users – to come together and work in a collaborative fashion,” said IMPACT CEO Kevin Hilton.

The Iron Workers and IMPACT also honored 2015’s top projects with their Project of the Year awards. The winning projects all had safety ingrained as the top priority were completed by the end of 2015 and used creative solutions to make sure the jobs were done right the first time.

“When you focus on safety, the results come. We have no higher commitment than our commitment to safety, and we make it a point of focus every step of the way,” said Iron Workers General President and IMPACT Labor Co-Chair Eric Dean. “Our next highest commitment is to quality, productive work, which is required to drive the results we consistently deliver.”

The five Project of the Year winners were:

·         Bridge/Structural: Koch Skanska, Inc. and Iron Workers Local 40 (New York) for their work on the World Trade Center Oculus Project for The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

·         Architectural/Ornamental: Enclos Corporation and Iron Workers Local 5 (Washington) for their work on the National Museum of African American History for The Smithsonian Institute

·         Reinforcing:West Wind Reinforcing and Iron Workers Locals 846 (Aiken, S.C. regional) and 847 (Phoenix, Ariz. regional) for their work on the Dupont Ileminte Silos for The Mississippi State Port Authority

·         Industrial/Rigging/Machinery Moving: National Steel City, LLC. and Iron Workers Local 92 (Birmingham, Ala.) for their work on the Plant Gorgas Civil Prime Contract/Pants Leg Project for Southern Company

·         Fabrication:Waiward Capital and Iron Workers Locals 720 (Edmonton, Alberta), 725 (Calgary, Alberta) and 805 (Calgary, Alberta) for their work on the NWR Sturgeon Refinery for North West Redwater Partnership

“The successes of the Iron Workers and of IMPACT are directly related to the success of this conference and the commitment to excellence by our board of trustees, staff and partners,” said IMPACT Management Co-Chair and CEO of Ben Hur Construction Co. in St. Louis William Brown. “The attendance at this conference alone is confirmation of the value of our programs and the need in the market for what we do.”