
Ron Traxler, Executive Director
NACBE
The National Association of Construction Boilermaker Employers is celebrating 50 years this year, and the organization is as needed and relevant as ever.
“Since NACBE's inception, we have worked diligently with the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers and our contractors to strengthen the relationships between our employers, employees and, most importantly, our customers, to present a unified force to meet the client community needs," said NACBE Executive Director Ron Traxler.
Traxler gave an overview of what NACBE does and how it fits into the tripartite concept. Safety is the top priority initiative.
“NACBE members are resolute that safety is paramount,” he said. “We collaborate with MOST and area training centers to educate about safety and develop safe work environments.”
The NACBE Safety Committee has regular meetings and roundtable discussions to discuss safety issues, and at events such as the National Tripartite Alliance conference and informal settings. NACBE relies on contractors, owners and Boilermakers to talk about what they see on job sites and how safety can be improved. He noted that, unfortunately, this year there were several fatalities in the heavy construction industry.
“No one likes talking about it, but it happens, and we need to try to prevent those,” Traxler stressed. He talked about NACBE awards programs, such as the annual Safety Awards and Project Performance Awards that spur friendly competition for better safety.
He also discussed the NACBE Quarterly Safety Index reports that are sent out to members. There are still many NACBE members who do not submit their data to be added to the report. Traxler said that needs to improve so safety issues can be identified and solutions brought forth.
NACBE also publishes man-hour reports, and quarterly man-hour reports are available on the organization’s website. They also provide man-hour projections and a three-year forecast is sent out quarterly built from data provided by NACBE members. Man-hour statistics are published by NACBE annually and are also available on the website.
“We need your participation,” he emphasized.
Traxler said that when it comes to issues faced by Boilermakers, owners and contractors: “There are a lot of elephants in the room. We talk about a lot in our caucuses, those issues or elephants in the room. But I like solutions. I want to get rid of the elephants and have more solutions, but we can’t do it alone. We can make it work, but we have to have your participation.”
In addition to safety programs and relationship-building events like the MOST National Tripartite Alliance conference, Common Arc is another major NACBE initiative.
“The forward-thinking program was created to give Boilermakers a competitive edge and advantage by saving Boilermakers, contractors and owners thousands of dollars by providing skilled, trained professional craftspersons readily available to go work the very first day on the job,” Traxler said.
He reported that so far in 2025, Common Arc has completed 13 test events, with nine more scheduled; Common Arc assisted with 17 boot camp tests events, with seven more on tap. There are currently 6,000-plus active Boilermaker welders in the Common Arc database. It is a major cost savings for everyone. In 2024, the average cost to quality a Boilermaker welder through Common Arc testing was $342.16, as opposed to $1,500 for job site testing. The cost to maintain a welder’s certification through updates and record keeping in Common Arc is just $27.19.
He said there is a big need for proctors to help administer the tests, and NACBE needs to know of anyone who might be a good fit so they can be added to the list and interviewed.