Steel Framing Industry Association

What Steel Framing Industry Association does

The Steel Framing Industry Association (SFIA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit trade association founded in 2010 and headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, dedicated to expanding the market for cold-formed steel (CFS) framing in construction. The association serves more than 1,500 member companies spanning the full CFS supply chain, including steel mills, coil coaters, processors, stud and connector manufacturers, panelizers, engineers, suppliers, and framing contractors, with secondary audiences among architects, building code officials, and industry analysts. SFIA advocates for favorable building code provisions, produces technical guidance, and runs third-party-administered certification programs to validate CFS product and installation quality.

SFIA's core technology and product surface centers on its role as an ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization maintaining 6 code-referenced framing standards and 12 test standards originally developed by the American Iron and Steel Institute. Core products include the SFIA Technical Guide for Cold-Formed Steel Framing Products (aligned with 2024 IBC, 2022 CBC, and 2020 FBC), the BuildSteel.org marketing platform reaching 12,000+ monthly visitors, Stud and Connector Code Compliance Certification Programs administered by Intertek, Contractor and Truss Fabricator Certification, an industry-wide Environmental Product Declaration, quarterly market data reports via sfiadata.com, and the Steel Framing Learning Portal on PathLMS. The association also publishes guide specifications, CAD construction details, a Fire and Acoustic Directory, and runs annual Industry Project Awards across categories such as sustainable projects, high-rise, mid-rise, and innovative products.

SFIA generates revenue primarily through recurring annual membership dues across 12 membership classes priced between roughly $1,958 and $6,050 per facility, supplemented by certification fees ($5,805–$6,780 per facility for stud/connector compliance, $750 for contractor/truss fabricator certification), market data report sales, and education/webinar revenue through the Learning Portal. With 13 staff, SFIA is led by Executive Director Don Allen (appointed August 2024, succeeding Larry Williams), Technical Director Patrick W. Ford, and Standards Committee secretariat Jay Larson, and operates in close coordination with strategic partners including the Association of Wall and Ceiling Industry (AWCI), the Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI), the Steel Deck Institute (SDI), and Intertek.

Name

Steel Framing Industry Association

Legal name

Steel Framing Industry Association

Website

https://cfsteel.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SFIA is a U.S.-based nonprofit trade association and ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization that serves more than 1,500 members across the cold-formed steel supply chain with standards, third-party certification programs, technical guidance, and market data.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Construction Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Fabricated Structural Metal Manufacturing (332312), Prefabricated Metal Building and Component Manufacturing (332311), Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (238120)

SIC

Fabricated Structural Metal Products (3440), Prefabricated Metal Buildings & Components (3448)

akta.pro primary industry

Cold-Formed Steel Framing & Studs (IMADACAF)

Keywords

• Cold-formed steel framing
• Construction industry association
• Steel framing standards
• Code compliance certification
• Trade association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Falls Church

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues collected from 12 classes of membership including manufacturers, contractors, steel mills, coil coaters, suppliers, and design professionals. Membership categories have different fee structures based on company type and facilities.
2. Certification Fees: Fees for contractor and truss fabricator certification programs, connector code compliance certification, and stud code compliance certification administered through Intertek.
3. Market Data Reports: Quarterly market data and nonresidential volume reports for cold-formed steel sold to industry participants. Companies contributing data may receive reports at no cost.
4. Education and Webinars: Revenue from Steel Framing Learning Portal offering live and on-demand courses, AIA-approved continuing education, and webinars on CFS framing topics.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Steel Framing Industry Association is a non-profit trade association that promotes the use of cold-formed steel (CFS) framing in construction through member services, technical resources, certification programs, and standards development. SFIA operates as an ANSI-accredited Standards Development Organization maintaining code-referenced framing and test standards, administers third-party Code Compliance Certification programs for studs, connectors, contractors, and truss fabricators via Intertek, and delivers design support, market data, education, and marketing through BuildSteel.org, the SFIA Technical Guide, and the Steel Framing Learning Portal.

Product overview

SFIA offers a comprehensive portfolio of products and services focused on cold-formed steel framing in construction. The core offerings include the SFIA Technical Guide providing design specifications, the BuildSteel.org marketing platform connecting members with 12,000+ monthly visitors, and third-party certification programs for studs, connectors, and contractors administered by Intertek. Supporting services include Environmental Product Declarations, quarterly market data reports, LEED guidance, guide specifications, and construction detail libraries. The Steel Framing Learning Portal (PathLMS) delivers AIA-approved courses, business, and technical education. The association also publishes industry awards recognizing excellence in CFS construction projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SFIA Technical Guide for Cold-Formed Steel Framing Products (2026 Edition) Comprehensive technical reference for designing with cold-formed steel framing members, including section properties tables, limiting wall heights, combined axial and lateral loads, floor/roof joist spans, header loads, web crippling loads, and fastener specifications. Meets 2024 IBC, 2022 CBC, and 2020 FBC requirements. Targeted at engineers, architects, and designers specifying CFS framing.
• BuildSteel.org Marketing Platform Member-powered marketing platform featuring product and provider directory, case studies, project profiles, and job board. Receives over 12,000 visitors monthly and delivers BuildSteel newsletter to 9,000+ inboxes weekly. Targeted at SFIA members seeking market visibility and building professionals researching CFS framing.
• Stud Code Compliance Certification Program Third-party certification program administered by Intertek for cold-formed steel structural and nonstructural studs and track. Includes unannounced plant audits and testing for mechanical properties, coatings, dimensions, and labels. Endorsed by the Association of Wall and Ceiling Industry. Targeted at stud and track manufacturers.
• Connector Code Compliance Certification Program (C3) Industry-first certification program for cold-formed steel connectors covering materials, corrosion protection, manufacturing tolerances, and marking requirements. Third-party audits conducted annually by Intertek with unannounced plant visits. Provides the SFIA Certified Cold-Formed Steel Connector label. Targeted at connector and accessory manufacturers.
• Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) Program Industry-wide EPD providing cradle-to-gate environmental impacts based on one ton of industry-averaged CFS framing products, valid through May 27, 2026. Includes LCA data and free specification review for architects. Supports LEED v4 BD+C documentation. Targeted at SFIA members and architects specifying CFS framing.
• Contractor and Truss Fabricator Certification Program Certification program for professional CFS contractors and truss fabricators demonstrating proficiency through online exams, safety/quality documentation, and on-site observation by licensed engineers. Certification valid for two years with renewal options. $750 for first location, $300 each additional; renewal $495 first location, $200 each additional.
• Steel Framing Learning Portal (PathLMS) Online learning platform offering on-demand CFS framing courses including AIA-approved courses, business courses, technical courses, and SFIA certification programs. Hosts live webinars with new content added monthly. Targeted at design professionals, contractors, and SFIA members seeking continuing education.
• Quarterly Market Data Reports Statistical quarterly summaries of cold-formed steel volume data by region (West, North Central, South Central, East) and application (Structural and Nonstructural). Includes nonresidential market indicators and sentiment data. Contributing companies receive reports at no cost; others purchase via sfiadata.com.
• SFIA Standards (6 code-referenced framing standards and 12 test standards) ANSI-accredited code-referenced cold-formed steel framing standards and test standards previously developed by AISI and now maintained by SFIA as an accredited ANSI Standards Development Organization. Provides the regulatory foundation for CFS framing design and code compliance. Targeted at engineers, code officials, and manufacturers.

Quantifiable outcome

• CFS construction cost premium reduced to 0.92% when insurance savings are included, compared to 2.61% for hard construction costs alone
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IntertekcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party administrator for SFIA Code Compliance Certification Program (C3), conducting unannounced plant inspections and product audits for cold-formed steel framing members and connectors. Intertek periodically visits member facilities and audits individual products for mechanical properties, coatings, dimensions, and labels.
• Association of Wall and Ceiling Industry (AWCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSFIA is the only Code Compliance Certification Program endorsed by AWCI. Contractors certified through SFIA's Contractor Certification Program are also encouraged to become members of AWCI. SFIA holds its annual meeting in conjunction with AWCI's Build25 convention.
• Cold-Formed Steel Engineers Institute (CFSEI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFSEI is an affiliated organization focused on enabling efficient design of cold-formed steel structures. SFIA provides complimentary CFSEI membership to all member categories, including free access to Tech Notes and discounts on webinars. CFSEI complements SFIA's market promotion with engineering expertise.
• Steel Deck Institute (SDI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing AISI's withdrawal of ANSI accreditation at end of 2023, AISI's sponsored American National Standards and registered projects were transferred to SDI. SFIA maintains standards originally developed by AISI.
• Wei-Wen Yu Center for Cold-Formed Steel StructuresminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center at Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla) dedicated to CFS research and education. SFIA is listed as a sponsor. Hosts the Wei-Wen Yu Cold-Formed Steel Library with technical documents and proceedings.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Canadian Sheet Steel Building Institute (CSSBI): Canadian industry association for sheet steel building products. Comparable as a regional CFS trade body with overlapping standards, certification, and member categories serving the Canadian market.

Broad incumbents

• National Frame Building Association (NFBA): Trade association for post-frame construction contractors and suppliers. Comparable as a frame-building trade body that runs certification programs and produces technical publications for a related but distinct construction framing segment.
• Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry (AWCI): Larger trade association for wall and ceiling contractors that endorses SFIA's certification program. Comparable as a construction trade association with overlapping membership, co-located annual convention, and broader scope covering drywall, plaster, and acoustics.
• American Wood Council (AWC): Trade association representing wood product manufacturers, including the dominant competing framing material. Comparable as a competing-materials SDO advocating favorable building codes and publishing technical design resources.

Direct peers

• American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC): Trade association and standards developer for structural steel construction. Comparable as a steel construction SDO serving engineers, fabricators, and erectors with code-referenced standards, certification, and technical publications.
• Metal Construction Association (MCA): Trade association promoting metal in construction through technical resources and advocacy. Directly comparable mission, member overlap with SFIA's metal framing contractors and suppliers, and similar certification/education programming.
• American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI): Trade association for the North American steel industry that historically developed CFS framing standards before transferring them to SFIA in 2024. Directly comparable as a steel-industry standards body with overlapping technical scope and member base.
• Metal Building Manufacturers Association (MBMA): Trade association representing metal building systems manufacturers. Comparable as a metal-construction SDO providing technical resources, code advocacy, and certification-adjacent programs for a similar member profile.
• Steel Deck Institute (SDI): Trade association for steel deck manufacturers that received AISI's transferred standards projects. Directly comparable as a competing SDO in adjacent steel-framing categories and a co-stakeholder in cold-formed steel code development.
• Structural Building Components Association (SBCA): Trade association for structural building components manufacturers including trusses and wall panels. Comparable as a trade body running truss fabricator certification, producing technical publications, and serving an overlapping manufacturer/contractor base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CFSteelIndustry
• Facebookfacebook.com/The-Steel-Framing-Industry-Association-507995506004661
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/steel-framing-industry-association

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Steel Framing Industry Association