More than week has passed since the June Modular Home Builder Breakfast where Andy Gianino, president of The Home Store, spoke about the future of the modular housing industry. During that time I have reflected on what happened. First, let me thank everyone that came to the breakfast and hopefully you had a good experience.
When Andy began talking about improving our industry through consolidation of builders something rather magical happened. Everyone started talking. Not just talking about what Andy had to say but spontaneous discussions about every phase of the modular industry. It has been years since this has happened. It’s what’s needed right now for modular housing.
For more than a decade builders and factory owners and management have had no forum to speak at to get things off their chests. No meetings, no councils and certainly not any place where both factories and builders could speak their minds without bashing a single factory.
The timing was right and Andy was the catalyst that opened the floodgates of pent up frustrations. His talk, short changed by all the people wanting to speak, was indeed the best thing that could have happened. As I sat there listening to first one builder say something, then another followed by factory person after factory person, I marveled at the years of hard work, industry knowledge and entrepreneurship sitting in front of me.
Some people said nothing and that was OK as there were plenty that did. Was anything resolved? No. Were any plans made? No. What did happen was the germ of an idea that everyone can sit down and begin working on what Andy called the “betterment” of our industry.
The real question that needs answered is what is the next step? Well, that is a tough one, isn’t it.
Andy has agreed to return in October and hopefully we will have begun thinking about our future and this time let him guide us through his thoughts.
To better understand the direction Andy would like to see our industry go, Click Here to read his article which was the basis for his talk last week and what he will continue in October.
