Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/734400
54 | OCTOBER 2016 Reinforcing Steel base in order to maintain high levels of service and to develop repeat business. "We want to be the com- pany that can get the product to the work site on time to meet the contractors' needs, and we see ourselves as a partner rather than just a supplier," says spokesman Duane Kotun. With a focus on infrastructure, commer- cial, and residential development, Sherwood begins every project by analyzing construction drawings and then fabricating in either its Calgary or Edmonton facilities, with expert detailing to ensure the client gets a product that fits the exact requirement. In terms of mergers and acquisitions for 2016, BuildingPoint Canada has now joined Trimble's global distribution network and can now offer a comprehensive portfolio of building construction technology solutions across the design-build-operate (DBO) lifecycle. This offering translates into a complete BIM-to-field portfo- lio that contractors, site personnel, structural engineers, detailers and fabricators of all materials can share. One solution for reinforced steel offered by BuildingPoint is the Tekla Structures rebar detailing configuration. This BIM solution provides a model- based workflow where all construction information and details are stored in a central 3D model from which valuable information like quantity take-offs, pour reports, lift drawings, formwork, rebar place- ment and schedules can be derived. Information can also be tied in with Trimble's field solutions – state- of-the art Trimble Robotic Total Stations, which make laying out the anchor bolt points, sleeves, hangars and footings on site efficient and accurate, while shorten- ing project lifecycles. Another recent acquisition of note was LMS Reinforcing Steel Group (LMS) which earlier this year acquired Johasee Rebar (Johasee) of Bakersfield, California. LMS is now positioned to service residential and commercial clients' needs for rebar and post-ten- sioning (PT) fabrication and placing needs for projects in southern California as well as Western Canada. According to LMS, the use of post-tensioning is on the rise in Western Canada. "The use of PT allows for more complex architectural designs and cost-saving that result from shallower beams, thinner floors, fewer columns, lighter loads, smaller footings and less rein- forcing steel," says Ron McNeil, CEO and co-founder, LMS Reinforcing Steel Group. LMS Reinforcing Steel Group's PT division has suc- cessfully supplied and installed this product on unique and exceptional projects in the Lower Mainland. These include the Vancouver House condo tower, Parq Vancouver casino and resort, the AAA office tower The Exchange, River Green, the LEED Gold mixed-use development Marine Gateway, the 430,000-square- foot 745 Thurlow and the iconic Telus Garden. LMS has also successfully reintroduced the prod- uct in Alberta. "The Kelly Ramsey Tower in Edmonton is the first development in 23 years to feature PT," explains McNeil. LMS manufacturers post-tensioning in their custom-purposed 10,000-square-foot facility in Surrey, B.C. that supplies cable for projects through- out North America. If 2016 for reinforced steel manufacturers, suppli- ers and installers is a busy one, it remains for support- ive institutions and associations to try and ensure that the sector is nurtured in order to foster future growth – and on that score, the Reinforcing Steel Institute of Ontario (RSIO) continues working on several fronts to promote reinforced concrete as the most effective and efficient construction method. Specifically, the formation of a steering commit- tee has resulted in several initiatives, one of the most important being education and recruitment at the high school level as well as working with colleges and uni- versity programs on an advisory basis across Canada. As president Roger Hubbard points out, the RSIO is also helping members on a national basis with promo- tion and marketing efforts: "An example of the effort we're putting forward is the recent Buildex Show in Vancouver, where we introduced the Reinforcing Steel Industry of Canada to over 15,000 architects, engi- neers, contractors, students, and attendees." A PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY AGF GROUP Prepping steel at the Icône Condominiums project, Montreal, QC.