Four key trade associations representing the steel stud industry have joined together to promote the use of cold-formed steel framing in construction. Representatives from the Steel Stud Manufacturers Association; the Steel Framing Industry Association; the Certified Steel Stud Association; and the Steel Market Development Institute, a business unit of the American Iron and Steel Institute, met in Chicago last week to establish a coalition to address market threats initiated by the lumber and masonry industries in recent years, particularly in the mid-rise construction market.
The coalition developed a plan to work together on research, code advocacy and promotion of the cold-formed steel framing industry. The coalition’s mission—to increase the demand for cold-formed steel in the construction sector—will be further discussed at a follow-on meeting on September 17.