Merrillville – Readying for an Influx of Work
The Northwest Indiana-area is readying for an influx of commercial, roadwork and light industrial projects. Current and future projects exist of: New Franciscan Hospital in Crown Point, new schools and renovations for Hanover Community Schools, Crown Point Community Schools and Duneland Community Schools. Along with this work the area has ongoing maintenance work at industrial facilities. These projects are projected to create several thousands of man-hours for members.
To help grow market share, business representatives have been pursuing multiple solar projects in the area. There are currently nine large scale solar farms slated for development in NW Indiana. Each project may vary from a one year to two years in duration and have the potential to generate extensive man-hours and long-term employment opportunities for members. The team is currently in negotiations with owners and developers on these projects and feels optimistic about future opportunities. The solar trend is projected to continue to expand, so members are encouraged to contact the Merrillville training center to inquire about solar training programs.
Along with solar training tools made available at the Merrillville Training Center, there are other new opportunities to expand memberships opportunities. The training center recently invested in a mockup to include the scopes of the entire building envelope. This includes training opportunities in commercial flat rolled membrane roofing applications, the installation processes of several types of rain screens and various exterior cladding systems, including the science behind the systems and how to apply the weather and waterproofing membranes.
The NWI area has historically been a heavy industrial market with the majority of millwright man hours generated from the local steel mills and power generating stations. With a recent increase of construction projects in the light industrial market, the team has worked with contractors to find manpower. Recently, they’ve been successful in organizing a group of non-union light industrial workers to pursue this field.
Along with organizing this group comes the opportunity to work maintenance in eight new light industrial facilities, potentially generating several thousands of man hours for our membership. Considering the growth in the light industrial market in NW Indiana, we encourage our signatory contractors and membership to take advantage of the industrial maintenance training programs that are offered at our training centers.
