AWCI is highly regarded by members of our industry as providing
valuable technical and product information, education and training,
industry contacts and the collaborations essential to operating a
successful business, and is the principal organization advocating the
interests of contractors, suppliers and manufacturers in the wall and
ceiling industries.
Twenty-six lathing and plastering contractors assembled March 11,
1918, to form the Contracting Plasterers International Association.
The founders of this new organization planned for the CPIA to perform
two important functions: to establish friendly and cooperative
interests among the members and to provide service to the building
public.
As time passed, the CPIA would change its name four times to mirror a
change in the industry or in the association's membership. The first
name change occurred in 1955. In an effort to oppose any effort to
separate the lathing from the plastering trade, the new name became the Contracting Plasterers' and Lathers' International Association.
In 1969, when the volume of drywall/acoustical tile being contracted
by CPLIA members had increased significantly, the association changed
its name to the international association of the Wall & Ceiling
Contractors. After a successful merger with the Gypsum Drywall
Contractors International, iaWCC's name was changed to a combination
of the two merging organizations, iaWCC/GDCI. The two associations
consolidated July 1, 1976.
Finally, after the merger had "settled," the name was changed to the
Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industries International, and
more recently, the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry.
Today, 90 years since its founding, AWCI continues to
provide benefits for acoustical, ceiling, drywall, EIFS,
fireproofing, insulation, plaster, steel framing and stucco
contractors, suppliers and distributors, manufacturers and those in
allied trades. |
