Articles

For 23 years, PCG has celebrated the holiday season with its now-famous custom trays—handmade in-house, stocked with treats, and paired with signature PCG coffee mugs that many clients proudly collect. What began as a simple piece of galvanized brake metal has evolved into a fully welded, 1/8-inch aluminum tray measuring 15½” x 18”, cherished by clients and often raffled off by their employees. With more than 1,200 trays, 4,800 mugs, 10,000 muffins, and 14,400 cookies delivered since 2002, this annual tradition has become a hallmark of PCG’s appreciation. This year marks a record number of trays, including shipments to out-of-town partners, and PCG is offering a behind-the-scenes look at how each one is crafted. Clients who partnered with PCG throughout 2025 should watch for their tray to arrive in the coming weeks.

PCG sets the industry standard for ACM fabrication lead times—delivering in two weeks or less through in-house production, rapid field measurement, and unmatched scheduling control.

Discover how Pierre Construction Group’s founder, Dave Westcott, grew from a hands-on builder into a successful construction specialty business owner. Learn how family values, strong relationships, and problem-solving built a thriving legacy now carried forward by his son, Collins.

Learn how to add lights in canopies with expert tips on planning, selecting exterior-rated fixtures, weight limits, and proper installation. Get professional guidance for your canopy lighting project.

Discover why PCG is the architectural metal company of choice for contractors and architects. With 35+ years of experience, we deliver expert design assistance, transparent communication, flexible project management, and reliable service from start to finish.

Pre-manufactured aluminum canopies provide durable, low-maintenance exterior coverage for commercial and institutional buildings, with projection capabilities that depend on design type, wall support, and geographic location. Overhead-supported systems typically extend up to 8 feet without posts, while outrigger-supported designs offer up to 6 feet of projection with a lower profile aesthetic. Proper engineering analysis considers critical factors including wall attachment methods for various building materials, local wind and snow load requirements, and structural spacing to ensure optimal performance. Professional design and location-specific engineering stamps guarantee that each canopy system meets building codes and provides long-term reliability for architects, contractors, and building owners.

Discover customizable architectural aluminum sunshades that reduce energy costs by up to 25% while enhancing building aesthetics. Choose from hundreds of colors, support options, and blade designs. Get expert fabrication with 4-6 week lead times.

While ACM (aluminum composite material) has been transforming building exteriors since the 1960s, many architects and building owners don’t realize there are two distinct installation systems available. Wet-seal and rain-screen ACM systems use identical panel materials but differ significantly in their joint construction—wet-seal systems use caulked sealant between panels for complete watertightness, while rain-screen systems feature splines that create deeper reveal joints.

Learn effective solutions to minimize oil canning in metal roofs and walls: choose panels with striations/pencil ribs, use composite materials, or thicker gauges. Get expert installation tips.

A question we sometimes hear is “Why do you need downspouts installed prior to a dock canopy installation?”

The preferred approach is to have the roofer’s downspouts installed before our mobilization and this approach is based on 20+ years as a subcontractor installing these canopies. This best practice remains valid today for a few important reasons.