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Welcome!
Welcome to the March edition of New(S)olutions, our monthly newsletter.
In this edition, we will tell you about two completed projects, update the progress on another, look at building with glass, give you some helpful business tips, share some humor and update you on the state of our industry.
If you would like to forward this newsletter to friends or colleagues, it's easy! Just click on the Forward email link at the bottom of this newsletter.
And please, give us your comments and suggestions on things you'd like to see and how to improve our newsletter. Email your suggestions to [email protected]. Sincerely, Custom Components Company "Your Custom Solutions Provider" |
 Custom Components Completes Lynn University Remembrance Plaza
Custom Components Company just finished a new project, the Lynn University Remembrance Plaza in Boca Raton, FL. The new structure,  pictured on the left, tells the story of four university students and two professors who lost their lives on January 12, 2010 when a 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti. The students and faculty were part of a group that went to Haiti in January 2010 as part of the Journey of Hope - one endeavor in the university's tradition of service. Remembrance Plaza will be a place of remembrance and reflection... a place of inspiration. Using elements of light, water and trees, the memorial plaza features: six triangles/prisms of light, representing each of the lost individuals; a waterfall cascading from the roof of the memorial flowing onto six steps and into a lake; a bas relief map of Haiti including the story of the Journey of Hope; a royal palm - the national tree of Haiti; and benches for students and other guests to reflect, study and visit. The memorial was designed by Sousa Architecture of Miramar, FL, and Gerrits Construction, Inc. of Boca Raton, FL was the general contractor.
Custom Components Company, through its Engineered Services™ brand, consulted with the design architect, Luis Sousa and provided a complete engineered product solution for this one-off glass application. In addition to final product design, structural engineering was provided to insure full building code compliance. The glass prisms are made from nearly a quarter of a million dollars of Narima™ dichroic color effect glass from Schott North America, a unique glass that produces dazzling variable color effects. TriView Glass Industries, LLC (City of Industry, CA) did the lettering, fabrication, laminating and tempering of the glass. Faour Glass of Tampa, FL provided installation services in the placement of the glass prisms.
The 48" x 96" high glass prisms consist of two layers of glass sandwiched around the Narima™ inner layer with a matching top. Each prism contains a printed memorial statement about each of the students and professors. The six prisms have accent lights and sit on a concrete base that appears to float in the middle of a reflective pool. Each glass panel in the prisms is retained by custom stainless steel point mount connectors. As a contribution to the Remembrance Plaza, Custom Components Company supplied our engineering and design services, through our Engineered Services™ brand, at no cost.
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January Construction Spending Slips From Year End
Construction spending inched down less than 0.1 percent in January, following a large upward revision in December and November, according to a new analysis of federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. All forms of residential construction did well for the month and year-over-year, while private nonresidential spending was mixed and public construction declined amid continued congressional delays in passing a host of long-term infrastructure and tax measures.
"The strong gains in single-family homebuilding in December and January probably have a lot more to do with the unusually mild weather compared to year-ago conditions, than surging demand for new homes," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "Meanwhile, private nonresidential activity dropped after an exceptionally large jump in December, but the January total was still up an impressive 17 percent from a year ago." Read more |
Architecture Billings Index Positive For The Third Straight Month
On the heels of consecutive months of strengthening business conditions, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) has now reached positive territory three months in a row, according to a February 22 news release from the American Institute of Architects, Washington, D.C. As an economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine-to-12 month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The AIA reported the January ABI score was 50.9, following a mark of 51.0 in December. This score reflects a slight increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 61.2, down just a notch from a reading of 61.5 the previous month. Read more
Source: usgnn
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Building With Glass
To appreciate how glass can be used structurally, make your way to the  103rd floor of the Sears Tower in Chicago and take a step on to "The Ledge," a series of four transparent boxes suspended over the sidewalk a quarter-mile below. The glass walls are connected to the beams, and to the glass floor, with stainless steel bolts. But what's really saving you from oblivion is the glass itself.
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5 Ways To Get Your Company Found On The Web
How do your customers find you? It seems like that should be a simple question to answer but the reality is it can be tricky. Potential customers have more and more options to find the product or service they are looking for--and it's your job to make sure your business can be easily found.
Seventy percent of consumers say online search is their preferred method for finding information about local businesses, so it's critical for small businesses to manage their online presence.
As consumers become more Internet savvy, it's imperative that businesses take ownership of their Internet presence and manage it. Your company can show up in various places on the Internet without your knowledge through public records, directory listings, personal blogs, etc. No matter who put your company information out there, you should take it as an opportunity to increase awareness of your company. Following are five steps you can take to do just that. Read more
Source: www.manta.com
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Museum Tower Update
Custom Components Company is making progress on the Museum Tower project in Dallas, TX. The project is a 42 story condominium development,  featuring 116 residences in the heart of the Dallas Arts District, and is currently the tallest new structure to be built in the city. Upon completion, it will stand as the 2nd tallest all residential building in Dallas, behind Gables Republic Tower.
Museum Tower is a joint venture by Dallas developers John Sughrue and Lyle Burgin (Brook Partners, Inc.) and Dan Boekman and Greg Greene (Turtle Creek Holdings, Inc). It's highly acclaimed architects include Scott Johnson of Los Angeles based Johnson Fain, and Gromatsky, Dupree & Associates of Dallas. Austin Building Company of Dallas is the general contractor.
We are nearing 50% completion of the installation. The south tower elevation is installed, and we will be moving to the north elevation next week. We are installing from the 43rd floor down to the 3rd floor an additional 3,800LF of railing, for a total of over 7,900LF of custom aluminum and stainless steel railing with 7/16" laminate glass with Dupont's SGP™ inner layer and a custom frit gradient pattern.
Click here for installation photos
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Exact Words
The homeowner was delighted with the way the painter had done all the work on his house.
"You did a great job." he said and handed the man a check.
"Also, in order to thank-you, here's an extra $100 to take the missus out to dinner and a movie."
Later that night, the doorbell rang and it was the painter.
Thinking the painter had forgotten something the man asked, "What's the matter, did you forget something?"
"Nope." replied the painter. "I'm just here to take your missus out to dinner and a movie like you asked."
Source: www.contractorcity.com
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How Do You Get Somebody To Do Something?
If you have ever been in management, you know that this is challenge number one. The other night I was watching the newly popular television show "Under Cover Boss". If you're not familiar with the show or the premise, it's basically this: the CEO of a company goes undercover (disguised in some fashion) out in the field or trenches of his or her own company to find out what is really going on with the employees and customers.
In this episode, the CEO visits one of his branch restaurants and finds the manager intimidating and abusing the employees with his management style. This resulted in the employees not following procedures and the customers not being treated properly. The CEO was so upset that he closed the restaurant right on the spot until the manager and employees could be retrained.
The point is that the method that the manager was using was not productive to the overall success of the business. There is a better way to get people what you want and need them to do. As Michael Leboeuf said, "The greatest management principle in the world is: The things that get rewarded and appreciated get done." Employees respond far better to reward and appreciation (particularly appreciation) than to fear and intimidation. The funny thing is, appreciation generally costs you nothing, but the results are huge. Teddy Roosevelt said it another way, "Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care."
Southwest Airlines gets it. They treat their employees extremely well. Why? Because they know if they do, their employees will treat the customers extremely well. It shows in Southwest's success.
How do you get somebody to do something? Reward and appreciation.
Dave Janosz
Marketing Manager
Custom Components Company |
Custom Components Completes Palomar Medical Center Project
Custom Components Company recently completed a project to supply custom railings, handrails and cladding for the newly constructed Palomar  Medical Center West in Escondido, CA. The $956 million, 740,000 square foot, 11 - story building will feature 288 private, single patient rooms, 50 emergency and trauma rooms and 12 operating rooms. The hospital's unique design will meld high tech within a healing environment of gardens, terraces, and outdoor balconies. Waiting areas will have access to fresh air and two story courtyards on each floor which will bring the calming power of nature to patients and families. Natural light will permeate the structure; even the traditionally stressful environments of trauma and emergency will feature skylights and courtyards, creating a brighter, greener atmosphere. The signature 1.5 acre green roof and terrace above the surgery, cardiology and interventional radiology suites will offer yet another opportunity to experience the beauty of drought resistant and native plants - and it is also designed to deflect light and heat to provide a natural cooling system for the facility. CO Architects of Los Angeles were the architects on the project. DPR Construction of San Diego was the general contractor. The new facility is scheduled to open in summer of 2012.
Custom Components Company supplied over 1,300LF of our Series 700 glass railing, stainless steel hand rails, stainless steel cladding and installation to Clark Steel Fabricators of Lakeside, CA.
Click here for more photos
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About Custom Components Company
Custom Components Company is the premier manufacturer, fabricator and supplier of architectural engineered products, including interior and exterior railing systems, interior aluminum office fronts, stile and rail doors and sun control devices. For clients interested in custom engineered products, Custom Components' Engineered Services brand offers full design, engineering and fabrication of one-of-a-kind architectural elements. Through a national network of independent architectural representatives and an in-house staff of engineers, Custom Components offers the highest level of technical and product assistance to building and design professionals.
For any project large or small, if we don't already have what you need, we will build it for you and make your vision come alive.
For more information, give us a call or visit our website at www.cc-aep.com.
Custom Components Company "Your Custom Solutions Provider"
13902 Lynmar Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33626
1-800-516-9474
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Visit Our Website
It's user friendly, informative and easy to navigate. The site is designed to showcase our products and projects, as well as provide information, photos, drawings and specifications that the architectural and building community needs to assist them in making their project decisions. Visitors can view a vast array of our products and services and see past and present project details. The site also includes links to current news, the company blog, corporate e-brochure, online store, the ability to subscribe to the company newsletter and a contact page where visitors can ask questions and request information.
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Visit Our Online Store
Visit our online store. It has been completely redesigned and upgraded. We've added more products, more photos, a better shopping cart and loads of other features to enhance the online buying experience.
Click here to go to our online store
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Quote of the Month
"Fear kills more people than death." - General George Patton
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Trivia Question
Who said: "Form follows function - that has been misunderstood. Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union."
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What's Is This?
Hint: It's the view from a building. What building?
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Visit Our Blog
Come view our blog. We created it to help our customers and potential customers improve their businesses.
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Exceeding Expectations For Fun And Profit
 Jayme Broudy of the Contractor's Business School answers a contractor's question: "Dear Jayme: I can't spend a lot of money on marketing. How can I set myself apart from my competitors without a big budget?"
Read Jayme's answer here
Source: designandbuildwithmetal.com |
The 10 Most Inspiring Glass Buildings In The World
Philip Johnson said, "Architecture is the art of how to waste space." And what better way to do it than  by using glass! In a world where the cost of building materials, labor and design processes can hinder creativity, it's a wonder such amazing structures get built. However, when it comes to glass - one of the most beautiful, extravagant, and perhaps underrated materials - inspiration appears to flow freely. This creativity needs to be celebrated, so here is a countdown of the 10 most inspiring glass buildings in the world...
Click here to see the buildings
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Connect With Us!
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter, view our blog on Blogger.com and see our work on the Behance Network.
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Our Corporate Presentation
 Take a look at our corporate presentation. It will give you a detailed understanding of our company, our experience and our capabilities. It also includes an overview of our products and services, our project resume and photos of some of the projects we have worked on. Click here to view the presentation |
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Solving An Important Employee Problem
Customers always complain...mainly with the intention of getting you to lower your pricing. That's not what this column is about. There are complaints even more important than customer's...these are complaints from your employees. If you don't resolve them, they will spread like a cancer and sicken your whole company. Here's the problem: Read more
Source: Paul Bieber at usgnn.com
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Give This Tool A Whirl
A construction site can be a very dangerous  place. That's why we keep preaching job site safety. But we are not the only ones. The major power tool manufacturers have taken on the task of making sure that their tools are used responsibly. Take a look at this video that shows how important it is to use power tools properly on the construction site.
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10 Rules For High Performance Teamwork
The greatest accomplishments in life are not achieved by individuals alone, but by proactive  people pulling together for a common good. Look behind every winner and you will find a great coach. Look out in front of every superstar and you will see a positive role model. Look alongside every great achiever and you will find caring people offering encouragement, support and able assistance. |
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"Enshrouded Figure" - Al Hamra Firdous Tower in Kuwait
Described as a 'enshrouded figure' by architects and engineers Skidmore, Owings and Merrill  (SOM), the recently completed Al Hamra Firdous Tower in Kuwait City now spirals towards the gloriously sunning skies over the Persian Gulf. Three glass veils on the north, east and west sides of the form are counteracted by a near-opaque stone wall on the south face, shielding the volume's inhabitants from the often harsh glare of the Kuwait sun. Read more |
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In Case You Missed
Us...
In case you missed some of the past editions of our monthly newsletter, you can access them by clicking on the link below.
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Our Brands
 RAILING SYSTEMS INTERIOR OFFICE FRONTS  SUN CONTROL DEVICES CUSTOM PRODUCTS |
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