By cornellroofing Commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Kansas City • Construction • General 0 Comments

Celebrating Skilled Trades Professionals

The third Friday of each September is recognized as National Skilled Tradesmen Day. This year, that lands on Friday, September 16th. Skilled trades professionals deserve much more than one day to be celebrated. At Cornell Roofing & Sheet Metal, we value our skilled crews and the dedication they bring to each project, every day.

The contributions these men and women make in our communities is beyond measure. Not only do they work hard to build and maintain the buildings, homes, other facilities and critical infrastructure systems we all use and benefit from, but their skills also keep us safe and drive our national economy.

 

Now, more than ever, there is a demand for skilled trades professionals in our workforce. Construction industry experts predict a shortage of skilled workers by 2050 (if not sooner). Currently, for every three skilled trades professionals retiring, only one joins the workforce. When there are not enough skilled trades workers, construction slows, putting a drag on economic development. 

 

Join us in celebrating the skilled trades professionals in your life. Let them know how much you appreciate their contributions. Encourage young people to consider a career in the trades. It can be a rewarding career path with many benefits, and one where you can see the impact of your work daily.

 

To learn more about Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, visit www.CornellRoofing.com or call 816-252-8300.

 

By cornellroofing Commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Kansas City • Construction • General • General Information 0 Comments

Women in Construction

In March, we not only celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day (March 8), we also take time to recognize Women in Construction Week (March 6-12). This is a week sponsored by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) to celebrate the contributions and achievements of women in our industry, as well as the enormous opportunities for growth.

Being a certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise, Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal understands the important role women have in our industry. Our Owner and President, Mary McNamara has paved the way for many – women and men – in our rapidly growing industry. Under Mary’s leadership, Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal has broken records for revenue growth year over year – a huge accomplishment for a company that is nearly 100 years old.

While women make up 47% of the entire employed population, they represent just 10.9% of the workforce in the construction industry. However, we see that tide changing, not only in commercial roofing, but across the construction industry in general. Industry analysts are predicting an additional 2 million jobs will be added in construction in 2022 alone. This is a prime opportunity for women seeking positions in the skilled trades, management, and executive leadership. Women are encouraged to consider construction as a rewarding career path with an abundance of opportunities.

To learn more about Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal and our team, visit www.CornellRoofing.com or call 816-252-8300.

By cornellroofing Commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Kansas City • General • National Roofing Contractors Association 0 Comments

National Safety Month

June 2021 marks the 25th year for National Safety Month, sponsored by the National Safety Council. Safety is paramount in our line of work at Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal. Whether installing new roofing 10 stories high in Kansas City’s skyline or fabricating in our sheet metal shop, Cornell crews take safety seriously.

A lot has changed when it comes to safety since our company started in 1927. While there are many more protections in place, you can never take safety for granted. We continuously look for ways to maximize and enhance safety protocols for our crews. National Safety Month is a reminder for us – and all construction companies – about the importance of working toward our common goals of reducing workplace injuries and accidents, and improving safety on our job sites.

This year, the National Safety Council recommends a focus on the following safety topics to bolster Safety in the workplace:

  • Prevent Incidents Before They Start: Identifying risks and taking proactive safety measures to reduce hazard exposure on everything from ergonomics to chemical management is important in creating a safe workplace.

 

  • Address Ongoing COVID-19 Safety Concerns: While we are making strides against COVID-19, the pandemic remains. Employers play an important role in the return to physical workspaces, building trust around vaccines, mental health and much more.

 

  • Ensuring Individual Security on the Job: Being able to work without fear is necessary for an inclusive safety culture. Leading organizations focus not only on physical safety but psychological safety as well.

 

  • Ongoing Advancements to Your Safety Journey: Safety is all about continuous improvement. Whether organizationally or individually, the National Safety Council has resources to lend a hand. Visit NSC.org for more information.

 

To learn more about Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, visit www.CornellRoofing.com or call 816-252-8300.

By cornellroofing Commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Kansas City • General 0 Comments

Celebrating Administrative Professionals

Our Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal crews working in the field and in our shop are on our project front lines delivering top-quality work for our customers. But there are Cornell team members working “behind the scenes” whose work is just as important to our success; the professionals of Cornell’s administrative team.

This month, we are celebrating National Administrative Professionals Day on April 21st (the Wednesday of the last full week in April each year). This is an opportunity to recognize the vital role individuals in administrative positions play in business. At Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, we value our administrative team and appreciate all they do to contribute to our success.

Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal’s daily administrative functions for human resources, accounting, scheduling, reporting and service are managed by a team of experienced professionals with industry expertise. These folks keep our office operations running smoothly to support our leadership team and crews in the field, ensuring we meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. 

The hard work and dedication of our administrative professionals does not go unnoticed. Join us in celebrating our amazing administrative pros at Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal! 

To learn more about Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, visit www.CornellRoofing.com or call 816-252-8300.

By cornellroofing Charity and Community Involvement • Commercial Roofing and Sheet Metal Kansas City • General • Products & Information • Projects 0 Comments

Longevity: 4 Keys to 94 Years in Business

Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal is among a handful of locally owned and operated businesses in Kansas that have sustained across multiple generations, nearing or past the 100-year mark. As a business that has been operating for over 94 years and is still growing, we are sometimes asked about our key to success. This kind of longevity can’t be attributed to one single key; it involves many factors in addition to sheer hard work and determination.

 

 

 

Here are four keys to our success at Cornell:

Team of Champions

The people at Cornell are what drives our success. Our engaged group of skilled professionals are passionate about their crafts. We’re united in delivering the highest quality results for our customers. Giving your team the respect they deserve and resources they need to grow and thrive in their careers will go a long way.

Innovation

Change is the one constant in business. Being open to new ideas, methods, technologies and processes not only gives you a competitive edge, it can also help you improve your service to customers and optimize your bottom line. 

Flexibility

Expect the unexpected. As so many companies have seen over the last year, changes outside your control can drastically impact your business. Consider the what-ifs, have a contingency plan, get creative and be ready to shift gears as needed to protect your business and continue your commitment to customers.

Community

Never forget where you came from. Being involved in your community is not only good for business, it is vital to creating an environment for success in which your company – and your community – can thrive. This includes investing time and donating to local community efforts as well as supporting industry associations that provide resources for your company and team. 

 

Whether you’ve been in business nine months or over 90 years, these keys can help you stay grounded and serve as a foundation for growth. At Cornell, we are excited for what the future holds and celebrating the milestones ahead. To learn more about Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, visit www.CornellRoofing.com or call 816-252-8300.

By cornellroofing American Subcontractors Association • General • Products & Information • Projects • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Re-roofing City Hall – Cornell Roofing

Commercial roofing, commercial roofers, KCC roofing, Kansas City Roofers, KCChambersThe challenge:

Facing the re-roofing of City Hall in Kansas City. The building opened at a cost of around six-million dollars. This was 30% over budget, but hey, these were the Pendergast years. Such spending was not uncommon given the 30 million-dollar bond package that was pushed through with many cries of tampering and fraud. This funded City Hall, Municipal Auditorium and numerous additional projects at the time.

At 30 stories and 443 feet, KC’s City Hall is the third largest building in the city. It is also still one of the tallest city halls in the nation. When it was completed in 1937, it was the tallest building in the state. The sheer height created some special challenges Commercial roofing, commercial roofers, KCC roofing, Kansas City Roofers, KCChambersfor Cornell Roofing. From both safety and equipment standpoints, our team was up to the challenge!

Iconic Architecture:

Neoclassic architecture with incredible interior and exterior art deco details and imported stone from around the world, made the building one of the most beautiful to this day. The story of the development of the city’s third city hall (the first two were in what is now the River Market), is still impressive to this day, leaving many first-time visitors in awe.

In order to accomplish the task of re-roofing City Hall, Cornell brought in one of the largest cranes in the Midwest. And, we’re not talking about any regular crane. Weighing in at 550 tons, The Blue Hat Crane’s impressive reach allowed the Cornell team to reach the 443 foot roof with height to spare. This allowed our team to safely bring materials up and debris down in order for safety during the process of re-roofing City Hall.

When not in operation, it covered almost the entire South side of the building, along with one lane of Locust street.

The Nitty Gritty:

The assembly of the crane was captured in the video below. Taken from the roof and set to fast motion, it is hard to tell what you are looking at. From this vantage point, men appear to scurry back and forth.  In a little over one minute, you can see the day passing while the re-roofing of City Hall was underway. Look close and you can also see a crane we needed just to assemble this beast! A day-long effort just to prepare for the job ahead.

Cornell Roofing & Sheet Metal is proud to play a part in maintaining one of Kansas City’s true architectural masterpieces.

 

 

 

By cornellroofing General • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Happy Veteran’s Day

Cornell would like to say thank you to all who have served our nation and we hope everyone has a wonderful Veteran’s Day.

By cornellroofing General • Projects • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Safety on the Job At Cornell

 

Safety on the job site is a must when you are hundreds of feet in the air. Roofers and team members, each with his or her own job to do to, move past one another. Roofing equipment and supplies are also in the mix on the job site. Today, job site safety is a team effort and it all starts with a mindset: No one gets hurt today.

Different job sites present different challenges. At Cornell Roofing and Sheet Metal, safety planning is part of every job’s roofing process.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), sets Standards, Guidelines and Regulations all employers and employees must follow to help keep their employees safe.

At Cornell, our team members and roofers take classes and maintain study habits to stay informed and up to date on their certifications. OHSA has 10 and 30-Hour Certification programs. Annually, OSHA also ranks it’s most violated OSHA Standards. Year after year, Fall Protection is the number #1 OSHA Standard cited.Roofers, roofing material, metal roof, Kansas City roofing, roofing safety, safety regulations, commercial roofing, roofing system, fabrication, Cornell safety, osha, osha roofers, roof systems

Mary McNamara, President of Cornell commented, “At Cornell we continue to invest the time, training, certification support, and equipment needed to keep our people safe.” Cornell just added the “All-In-One Rail System” from Leading Edge Safety. This job site addition adds to our employees safety on the job site.

Mary added, “We are proud of our team. Working together, we’ve had one of our safest years on record.” Some construction fencing was added to help keep debris from blowing off the roof.

For the FULL LIST of Construction Industry Regulations(Standards) visit the OSHA laws and regulations page.

 

One look through the OSHA Standard Number 1926 and you’ll see just how important and serious staying on top of the regulations are for the safety and comfort of roofers and other employees in the construction industry.

To the entire Cornell Family, other trades and suppliers, keep up the great work and stay safe on your job sites!

By cornellroofing American Subcontractors Association • General • Products & Information • • • • • 0 Comments

Cornell’s Andrew Christ Joins ASA Board on DC Fly-In

Commercial Roofing Kansas City, Commercial Sheet Metal FabricatorsCornell’s Andrew Christ, joined the rest of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA), Board as part of a “DC Fly-In” to meet with House and Senate Congressional Members. Eight upcoming legislative issues concerning America’s subcontractors are on the agenda including; Retainage, Bid Listing, and Change Orders.  According to Andrew, “During our fly- in, we met with nine Congressional Members, or their staffs, to inform them we support these issues as an organization.” Andrew added, “Members included; U.S. House Small Business Committee, three U.S. Senators, and four Members of the House of Representatives.”

Mary McNamara, Cornell President, added, “Supporting the industry has always been a part of Cornell’s Mission and Vision. We are proud of the work Andrew and the rest of the ASA Board are doing at the local and national level.” Andrew currently serves as Vice President for the ASA of Greater Kansas City.

The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) is the national trade association promoting the rights and interests of contractors and suppliers. It is dedicated to quality construction, ethical and equitable business practices, safety in the workplace, and industry best-practices. The ASA represents more 2,400 construction subcontractors who employ over 18,000 employees annually impacting buildings and communities across the nation.

For more information on the ASA National click home below:

Home

For more information on the ASA of Greater Kansas City: https://www.subcontractorskansas.com/

By cornellroofing American Subcontractors Association • General • Products & Information • • • • • • • • • 0 Comments

Builders’ Association EXPO Winner!

The 2019 KC Builders’ Association EXPO was another winner as was John Florez of Hodnett Photographers. John took home a new, 4K, 55″ Smart TV! According to John, it will be a timely addition for his home on game day, GO CHIEFS!

In addition to the opportunity to mix and mingle with other trades, suppliers and contractors, Cornell continued its long tradition of support as a Sponsor of The Builders’ Association EXPO 2019.

The Builders’ Association EXPO had some great training and continuing education opportunities as well. Cornell’s Assistant Project Manager, Victor Speers, took full advantage, attending; Construction Technology: What’s Next? Led by McCownGordon’s It Director, Justin Burns and The Softer Side of Cybersecurity, led by Robert Hunter, President of The Hunter Group.

Victor added, “The classes I took were informative, timely and dealt with real-life issues we are facing more and more everyday.”