PRESIDENT’S REPORT
	January – December 2007 Presented at Annual General Meeting – 28 May 2008
The Concrete Masonry Association of Australia (CMAA) is funded by members of the concrete masonry industry with the primary aim of maintaining and improving the concrete masonry market nationally. The CMAA members and their customers benefit from the technical information published by the CMAA – most of which is free on its website. The Association also participates in conferences and seminars and continues to provide a technical advisory service for the construction industry and other users of concrete masonry products. Some of the major activities of the CMAA during the calendar year 2007, supporting the industry vision and mission include: Regulatory CMAA represented the industry on some 16 main Australian Standards Committees and 18 Sub-committees. Of note is the Association’s representation on AS1170.4-2007 Earthquake Actions. Without CMAA’s successful representation on this committee, masonry walling would have suffered unjustified onerous design inputs with its obvious market implications. This Standard now maintains the past “status quo” for masonry walling design. CMAA represented the industry on the Australian Building Codes Board’s associated working groups, particularly in the areas of sustainability and energy provisions.

Building Products Innovation Council (BPIC)

• CMAA is a founding member of BPIC and is represented on the BPIC Board
• BPIC strategic objectives include:
  • Supporting and lobbying government to move towards national consistency in building regulation
  • Being involved at national government policy level on sustainability and all its issues
  • Becoming involved in changes to building products driven by economic and socio-political factors, ie life-cycle assessment issues

Publications Development and release of PERMPAVE® Concrete Segmental Permeable Pavement Software MA45 – Revision Concrete Masonry Handbook MA55 – Revision Design and Construction of Concrete Masonry Buildings DS3 – Revision Concrete Masonry Lintels DS4 – Revision Compressive Load Capacity of Concrete Masonry DS5 – New Concrete Masonry Fences

New Data Sheet on Concrete Masonry Fences

Research

• Single Leaf Walling – Truss Cleat Hold Down Capacity
  Final report received from James Cook University, Queensland

Education

• Participating in and supporting 6 national seminar presentations
• Participating and presenting expert papers at four national conferences
• Regular liaison with TAFE and universities
• Provision of a national technical service to member companies and customers
• Development and maintenance of national CMAA web site – most publications are available in free downloadable electronic format
• Formal partnership with Queensland University of Technology and support for M Dhanasekar, Professor of Infrastructure, Engineering.
  A web-based elective Masonry Design course will be developed and conducted in 2008

Brick and Blocklaying Initiatives CMAA worked closely with the clay industry at the national level to support and endorse the training organisation, Australian Brick and Blocklaying Training Foundation (ABBTF) A CMAA NSW Promotional Committee organised the 8th Biennial Golden Trowel Award in cooperation with TAFE NSW Illawarra Institute - Wollongong. Bathurst TAFE won the event and was one of 15 teams from across Australia competing for the prestigious Golden Trowel Award – there were 9 teams from NSW and one each from ACT, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. This biennial two-day national blocklaying competition encourages excellence among apprentices while recognising the valuable skills of young people in a skill shortage trade.

The future viability of the industry is dependent upon the leadership and innovation of its participants, including a strong and viable CMAA. The principal activities of the CMAA are geared towards regulatory, technical and educational issues and challenges. In the medium- to long-term, these activities strengthen the image and technical base of the industry as a whole in an effort to maintain, support and increase the use of concrete masonry products.

The CMAA achieves its objectives well with limited resources, staffed by a small professional team:

• Alan Pearson, Executive Director
• Tiere Morgan, Administration Manager
• Wilma Robinson, Administrative Officer
• Rod Johnston, Consultant
• Brian Shackel, Consultant
• Bob Lenstra, Consultant

Their professionalism, focus and passion continue to produce results that support and enhance the industry. The support of the Sponsoring, General Members and Associates, and their staff is acknowledged and essential to the success of the CMAA.

I would also like to acknowledge and thank Colin Kupke for the leadership he provided to the CMAA and the industry during 2007. His commitment and dedication to the future of the Australian masonry industry was highly regarded. Colin resigned as President of the CMAA in early January 2008 and as Vice President, I have been very pleased to take over from him as we move toward the Annual General Meeting of the association.

Malcolm Pointing
General Manager - Hanson Building Products
President - Concrete Masonry Association of Australia


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