An NRMCA Producer member in New York State recently held meetings with one of its main flatwork contractors in order to express its desire to help build the contractor's business, reports NRMCA Senior Director, National Resources, Doug O’Neill. "The message was clear, we want to help build your business, we want to support your efforts to increase your yards placed on each project," O'Neill said.

Contractors are usually the first to hear about new projects as they are tied in to the development community and are often aware of upcoming projects in advance of most ready mixed concrete producers. These contractors have developed relationships with the developers, designers and, in some cases, the owners. Who better to start asking the question, "What about the parking lot?" This particular contractor operates a laser guided screed and installs mainly interior floors. The concept of actively promoting the move outside to place a parking lot never crossed his mind until these meetings took place, O'Neill said.

Once an opportunity is uncovered, the contractor can turn to his producer for promotional support, which includes using NRMCA’s Design Assistance Program to help get a competitive design offered. Once a contractor understands the resources available to it from its supplier and from NRMCA to help convert parking lots that would have automatically gone asphalt in many markets across the country, it starts asking the questions. Then it starts targeting opportunities that it would have otherwise ignored. It becomes the ready mixed concrete producer's best salesperson.