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Concrete Masonry Checkoff Unveils Five-Year Vision for Industry

The plan is built on strategic investments across six pillars: design assistance, educating design professionals, concrete masonry outreach, marketing, codes and standards, and university relations

The Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC) put the finishing touches on an ambitious five-year vision for the industry, targeting a 20% increase in market share, driven by increased demand for concrete masonry products.

“This is about building exquisite, enduring communities, one block at a time,” said Kim Spahn, CEO of CMC. “Success in the concrete masonry industry is a team effort. Our products and our people stand the test of time.”

The plan is built on strategic investments across six pillars: design assistance, educating design professionals, concrete masonry outreach, marketing, codes and standards, and university relations. While all six pillars play a role in the betterment of our industry’s future, the following highlights represent some of the most immediate, high-impact initiatives already in motion:

Education

CMC aims to host 750 educational events over the next five years, along with a goal of an additional 5,000 students being taught masonry.

Marketing

Intended for design and building professionals, CMC set a goal of 500,000 visits to its newfound BeautyofBlock.com site over the next five years, with a target of reaching 100,000 architects, engineers and contractors (AECs).

Design Assistance

CMC looks to assist more than 5,000 projects through its recently launched Block Design Collective, a virtual destination where AECs can access free CMU design support, education, training and online resources.

“We will invest every dollar as if it was our own,” said Spahn. “As we reflect and recalibrate, we’re not just funding programs — we’re strategically investing in these six pillars, ensuring each investment propels us closer to our goal of a 20% increase in market share."

After more than a decade in the making, the U.S. Department of Commerce authorized the establishment of CMC in 2021. CMC is entirely funded and led by industry, with a mandatory penny-per-block-sold assessment to support research, education and promotion around the value of concrete masonry construction.

“I believe the creation of the Checkoff is part of a broader mission: to restore trust, durability and resilience in America’s infrastructure,” said Spahn. “Increasing weather extremes and the unsustainable cost of rebuilding and repair require a new approach that combines safety, sustainability and affordability.”