By request of the Ready Mixed Concrete Manufacturers Association (RMCMA) in India, NRMCA engineering staff Karthik Obla and Colin Lobo delivered a modified version of the NRMCA Technical Short Course in Mumbai, India, in June. The goal of RMCMA is to develop a personnel certification program that raises the bar for its members and the overall evolving ready mixed concrete industry in the Subcontinent. The principal members of RMCMA sent higher level technical personnel to the course. This group will determine the changes needed to the program to be consistent with Indian standards.

The course was delivered over four days with an examination on Day 5. With 20 attendees, 17 were successful in obtaining the first certification – NRMCA Concrete Technologist India. Obla and Lobo were also requested to present to the Mumbai Chapter of the Indian Concrete Institute on new developments in the U.S. Lobo presented on the evolution to performance-based specifications in the U.S. and Obla discussed pervious concrete technology as an adoptable technology in India considering the built infrastructure and water shortages. There were about 200 attendees at this event hosted by Ultratech Cement and the presentations were well received with continuing discussion and questions.

For more information, contact Colin Lobo at clobo@nrmca.org or Karthik Obla at kobla@nrmca.org.