The MCAA Fabrication Conference opens with an inside look at Binsky & Snyder, this year’s host contractor, and their transition to a fabrication-first approach grounded in operations science.
Presented by Binsky leadership, this session will walk through how the company is rethinking its design, fabrication, and installation workflows to reduce variability, improve flow, and increase reliability across projects. The team will share how operations science is shaping decisions on shop layout, scheduling, and coordination between teams.
Whether you’re looking to scale production or streamline your process, this session offers practical insight from a contractor that’s applying proven systems thinking to real-world construction challenges.
You don’t need a data scientist to start making data-driven decisions in your fabrication shop. This session breaks down how contractors are using simple tools—like spreadsheets, Power BI, and production tracking software—to gain insights into shop performance. Learn how to build basic dashboards, track key metrics, and spot trends without needing advanced coding skills or a full-time analyst. If you’re trying to get better visibility into your throughput, labor efficiency, or production bottlenecks, this session will show you how to start using your data now.
Explore how to insert technology into fabrication and field workflows in ways that transform processes. This session will focus on how contractors can leverage solutions to create streamlined, scalable processes that allow them to operate with the precision and efficiency of a manufacturing facility. Learn how to leverage Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), fabrication solutions, robust analytics, and field tools to develop an enhanced operational model that enables direct collaboration between shop fabrication and field installation.
By strategically implementing these connected technologies, contractors can achieve unparalleled scale and efficiency, enhanced operational performance, driven innovation, and realized significant efficiency gains throughout their operations. This is a session you won’t want to miss!
This session gives you a powerful new way to understand and manage the chaos of a constantly evolving fab shop. You’ll walk away with a clear framework for identifying what really matters in your shop’s operations and how to make that visible and repeatable for your team. By the end of the hour, you’ll know how to break down complex workflows into simple, repeatable building blocks—ones that are easier to train, easier to adjust, and much easier to remember. You’ll leave with a fresh perspective on how your shop runs and a strategy for capturing that in a way that keeps up with change, without getting bogged down in it.
In today’s rapidly evolving construction market, mechanical contractors face the ongoing challenge of balancing in-house fabrication capacity and capabilities with fluctuating project demands. This session will explore how adopting a marketplace approach, connecting buyers with specialized prefabrication suppliers, can help mechanical contractors dynamically manage fabrication capacity, expand their business opportunities, and improve overall profitability.
The construction market is shifting—fast. Billions are being poured into data centers, semiconductor plants, and other mega projects across the country. These projects offer massive opportunity for mechanical and plumbing contractors, but they also come with high expectations.
This session will explore the market potential of this sector and the growing list of table stakes: advanced VDC capabilities, fabrication capacity, strong coordination workflows, and off-site manufacturing (OSM) strategies. It’s not just about size—it’s about readiness.
These projects aren’t reserved for the largest firms. For the industry to take on this volume of work, it’s going to take collaboration across contractors, partners, and trades. This session lays out the opportunity—and the path forward.
VDC can evolve from a design coordination tool into a powerful driver of downstream value in MEP firms—unlocking efficiencies in prefabrication, material handling, and field installation. Success requires aligning all teams—project management, VDC, prefab, and field—around defined roles within an integrated execution strategy.
Learning objectives:
In today’s competitive construction and fabrication landscape, data-driven decision-making is essential for maximizing productivity and staying ahead of industry trends. This presentation will share Dodge Data & Analytics’ latest research findings on fabrication, paired with real-world throughput benchmarking data.
With all that goes into the construction planning procurement process, identifying areas for improvement can be challenging. Construction managers require a reliable way to ensure they’re making informed decisions throughout every step of the overall process and optimizing operations at every checkpoint—one of which is receiving materials at the jobsite.
Many fab shops have made the transition to digital fabrication workflows from BIM to Fab to Field eliminating paper and PDFs. But even the most advanced shops continue to struggle with the mess of hand drawn, emailed, texted and screen grabbed field tickets for piping fab – the weakest link in the digital fabrication chain. That era is over. This session will cover a case study from Southland Industries on how using Field Orderz, the newest tool in the Stratus ecosystem, to replace hand-drawn tickets with a fully digital, mobile-first solution to keep their shop and field in sync, and allow their fab shops to work from one consistent fabrication system to manage, track, analyze and schedule all fabrication requests from both BIM and the Field.
The role of the fabrication shop foreman has changed. It’s no longer just about knowing how to weld—it’s about managing people, coordinating logistics, and overseeing operations from a higher level. This session will explore how the most advanced contractors are redefining the foreman’s responsibilities to focus on scheduling, material flow, equipment management, and team leadership. Learn what skills matter most today, what tools are helping them succeed, and how your shop can better support this critical leadership role.
Sponsored by SMACNA
Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the industry’s most advanced multi-trade fabrication operations. This session previews how Hill Mechanical is approaching fabrication with a focus on strategy, scale, and integration across design, shop, and field workflows.
As the host of the 2026 SMACNA Fab Forum, Hill is setting the tone for what modern fabrication can look like. From layout to logistics, attendees will learn how they’re leveraging technology and process alignment to drive productivity and consistency at scale.
As labor shortages and demand for precision grow, more contractors are turning to automated welding to boost output and consistency in their fabrication shops. This session will review multiple automated welding solutions currently being used in the industry—highlighting their capabilities, setup requirements, training needs, and where contractors are seeing real ROI. We’ll look at how these systems fit into existing workflows and what it takes to make them successful. Whether you’re just exploring automation or already implementing it, you’ll leave with a clearer view of what’s possible and practical for your shop.
Using the model to drive fabrication is now standard, but getting it right takes more than just a good design. This session will share practical tips and tricks for improving model-based workflows—covering everything from detailing best practices to setting up your model for smoother fabrication, fewer errors, and better use of your data. You’ll also learn how to get more out of your fabrication shop by aligning your model with shop capabilities. Whether you’re looking to speed up production, improve accuracy, or better coordinate with the field, you’ll walk away with real-world advice you can apply right away.
Today’s fabrication tool shops are becoming more than storage rooms—they’re turning into digital hubs that support the entire construction process. This session looks at how contractors are using software to track tools in real time, assign them to specific projects or crews, schedule maintenance, and monitor usage across the company. Learn how smarter tool tracking improves accountability, reduces downtime, and gives both the fab shop and the field what they need to stay productive. See what the tool shop of the future looks like—and how to start building yours.
This interactive general session takes the pulse of mechanical and plumbing contractors across the country. Led by Jonathan Marsh of Steel Toe Consulting, the session combines real-time polling with guided roundtable discussions to surface insights on the technologies, workflows, and strategies shaping the future of fabrication.
Live polling results will be compared to last year’s responses, offering a snapshot of how the industry is evolving. From digital tools to prefab priorities, this session isn’t just a report—it’s a conversation. Join your peers, share your perspective, and see where you stand in the crowd.
This interactive roundtable brings the conference full circle by starting with the best ideas and innovations shared over the past two days. Industry leaders will dive into real-world practices that drive success in their shops—covering everything from process workflows and digitization to tool setup, material logistics, and manpower management. Expect open discussion, honest takeaways, and practical advice you can bring back to your own operations.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest city, is notable for its rich history, on display at the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed) and other American Revolutionary sites. Also iconic are the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, immortalized by Sylvester Stallone’s triumphant run in the film “Rocky.”
Following the opening session, attendees will have the opportunity to see Binsky & Snyder’s fabrication operations firsthand. These guided tours will walk through the company’s fabrication and manufacturing space, highlighting how operations science is being applied on the shop floor.
Attendees will see how Binsky’s layout, scheduling, material flow, and team coordination strategies are built to support predictable outcomes and scalable production. From spool assembly to multi-trade rack builds, the tour provides a real-world look at how theory meets execution.
If you’re aiming to improve shop throughput, reduce bottlenecks, or better align your fabrication efforts with field delivery, these tours will offer practical takeaways from a contractor who’s doing it.
