BHMA ANNOUNCES SECOND JOINT INDUSTRY SUMMIT FOR SPRING 2004

Leaders to Address New Challenges Facing the Openings Industry

NEW YORK, NY — The Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) announces that the Second Joint Industry Summit will be held on Tuesday, April 20, 2004 at the Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage, California. The purview of the Joint Industry Summit is the openings industry, including doors, windows and associated hardware as well as the standards and codes that affect their use.

“Anyone who deals with building openings must be proactive in the use of standards. Products and their applicable standards are vital to the security and safety of openings,” said Peter Rush, Executive Director of BHMA. “New standards have been created in the areas of premises security, access controls and biometrics. In light of these new standards, all sectors of building management and construction are scrutinizing their security policies, their safety procedures and the local building codes. To facilitate the application of new standards and the continued response to new challenges, the BHMA Board of Directors will hold a Second Joint Industry Summit with its colleagues and leaders of sister organizations.”

BHMA has invited distinguished speakers to address such topics as wind testing methods for hurricanes and tornados; the demand for community tornado shelters and related codes requirements; the new component test standard SDI/BHMA A250.13; and topics relevant to designers and manufacturers of builders hardware and openings that contribute to fire safety by providing various means of egress.

The Summit provides a forum for the discussion of specific technologies, legislation and code changes; general trends affecting the industry; specific changes that are due to 9/11, the Northeast Blackout, and recent fires and panic incidents; and products increasing in demand in today’s environment.

As producers of locksets, latches, fire alarms, hinges and other hardware that is critical to the emergency egress through openings as well as the physical security of such openings, BHMA member companies are vital to the openings industry. Other associations that participated in the first Summit included AAMA, DHI, SDI, NAAMM, WDMA and CSDMA. For the Second Summit, BHMA has extended invitations to executives at these organizations as well as SIA, GANA and other key players in the insurance and security industries.

The Summit provides participants with an opportunity to express concerns about present codes and describe their proactive involvement in code development. For example, BHMA has a codes taskforce in place where each member monitors a specific area. DHI teaches about codes in its seminars. The CSDMA is involved in Canadian code development. NAAMM is involved in codes with NFPA and ANSI. AAMA also is very involved in codes. SDI moderates industry codes and relies on BHMA for updates. WDMA has a full-time staff person to handle their code needs.

The first Joint Industry Summit resulted in the creation of an industry-wide codes taskforce to promote fire door and hardware inspection, and in an initiative to develop education programs to present fire door issues and security considerations to various audiences. The Second Joint Industry Summit will provide opportunities for leaders to address these and many other challenges.

For more information about the Second Joint Industry Summit, please visit BHMA’s web site at www.buildershardware.com, or call Marlon Pando, BHMA Program Director at 212-297-2108.

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