The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has spread to the ready mix industry when Barb Alford and her son Joel decided that a bucket of ice water wasn't enough to prove their support of ALS funding. Using a mixer truck from NRMCA Producer member Ozinga Bros., they endure a solid 30 seconds of an ice water monsoon spraying from the back of the truck.

One of the world's greatest engineering feats, the Panama Canal, recently turned 100 and NBC News recently posted a pictorial essay that captures in at least a small way the challenges facing engineers and workers, not the least of which was supplying concrete to the site. How much concrete? At the Gatun Lock on the Atlantic side of the canal, workers poured enough concrete to build a wall eight feet wide, 12 feet high and 133 miles long. Read more and view pictures.

Montreal's newest concrete slab building is brightened with film stills by Thomas Edison. Architects used images filmed by the inventor in 1901 to bring life to the Edison Residence, an infill project just completed near McGill University. Built on what had been a vacant parcel since the house that once stood there burned down in the early 20th century, the architects used Edison's film as a way of referencing the site's own history while cleverly playing with notoriously unplayful concrete. Say what? The world's most versatile building material is "notoriously unplayful"?

Source: An August 13 posting on the Web site CityLab. Read more, view photos.

NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Phil Kresge recently met with engineers at the Richmond, VA, office of Timmons Group Engineering where he gave a presentation on designing and specifying pervious concrete, and fielded several questions on its durability and efficacy. Additionally, he introduced attendees to resources available through NRMCA, particularly the Design Assistance Program (DAP). The meeting was facilitated by Ann-Germaine Danz, director of industry services for the Virginia Ready-Mixed Concrete Association (VRMCA).

There is significant interest in pervious concrete among designers and specifiers throughout Virginia, as they look for innovative ways to comply with new stormwater regulations that have recently been enacted, Kresge said.

With 12 offices in NC and VA, Timmons Group provides site engineering, stormwater management, and environmental and geotechnical engineering services throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Clients include many local, state and federal government agencies.

This week, NRMCA continues to highlight one of the companies that has chosen to exhibit at this fall's annual ConcreteWorks conference in Indianapolis. The conference is one of the industry's best opportunities for ready mix producers to interact with companies that provide goods and services to the concrete industry. But you must hurry, exhibit space is going quickly, there's less than three weeks to register. This week, Command Alkon is the ninth company in the series.

Command Alkon provides software and hardware solutions for producers of ready mixed concrete, concrete products, aggregate, asphalt and cement. NRMCA is grateful for Command Alkon’s annual sponsorship of this and other NRMCA events throughout the year. Command Alkon will be located in Booth 207.

NRMCA ConcreteWorks is scheduled for September 21-23 in Indianapolis. The following are highlights of the Technology Track sessions:

• Nuts and Bolts of NRMCA’s EPD, CSR and HPD Programs (September 22, 9 - 10 a.m.) – NRMCA has developed several programs to help its members on the evolving transparency requirements for sustainability reporting that are being required by engineering design firms for the LEED v4 rating systems and other standards. This session will discuss reporting requirements pertinent to the ready mixed concrete industry for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), Corporate Sustainability Reports (CSRs) and Health Product Declarations (HPDs).
• Developing an International Responsible Sourcing Certification System for Concrete (September 22, 10:30 a.m. to noon) – In the green building arena, product suppliers are being asked to report on their environmental, health and social performance through corporate social reporting (responsible sourcing). A new organization – the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC) – was established to administer a certification system. NRMCA believes that participation in this endeavor can help member companies obtain financial stability, increase productivity and expand their market.
• Understanding the Needs of the Contractor: The Customer is Always Right (September 22, 2:15 - 3:45 p.m.) – Michael Schneider with Baker Concrete, representing the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), will provide an overview of issues important to the contractor for a successful project. He will discuss issues on scheduling, rate of placement, consistency between loads and various other requirements for fresh concrete that are important to the contractor depending on the placement method and application being built.
• Real-time Concrete: Addressing the Challenges of Batching Variability - Improve Efficiency and Save Money (September 22, 4:15 - 5:45 p.m.) – There are various opportunities for evaluating and improving plant performance considering consistency in batching and quantifying inventory and impact on quality of concrete. This session will discuss real-time batching tools that can help producers realize the benefits of these tools in terms of efficient material usage, savings in material costs and improvement in quality and overall performance.
• Internal Curing – Value Proposition for the Ready Mixed Concrete Producer - The Value is Yours to Offer (September 23, 8 - 9:30 a.m.) – General concepts on internal curing for high performance concrete will be discussed. The value proposition that ready-mixed producers can provide by using these principles in value added products to customers will be documented by case studies in various applications. When properly used, internal curing can reduce shrinkage and associated cracking and improve the service life of concrete structures. The session will discuss mixture proportioning and quality control requirements for furnishing high-performance concrete using internal curing.

The NRMCA Research Engineering and Standards (RES) Committee will meet on Sunday, September 21, from noon to 6 p.m. The NRMCA Excellence in Quality Awards will be presented to successful member companies at the Awards Luncheon on September 22 from noon to 2 p.m.

The popular NRMCA Annual Concrete Technology Training and Certification Program (Short Course) is scheduled for November 3-7, 2014, at the RMC Research & Education Foundation Center in Silver Spring, MD. The course provides a fundamental understanding of concrete, aggregates and concrete making materials; requirements in industry codes and standards and proportioning concrete mixtures. Attendees have the opportunity to obtain industry-recognized NRMCA certifications: NRMCA Level 2 and 3 Concrete Technologist certification and an optional NRMCA Grade II Field Testing Technician certification. These industry certifications are essential for technical service personnel with suppliers of materials to the concrete industry and with concrete producers.

Registration for the course will close at a maximum of 40 people due to space restrictions. Interested persons should register early!

At this year’s NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks being held in September in Indianapolis, there will be a host of different education seminars on ready mixed concrete safety issues. The scheduled sessions pertaining to industry safety issues include:

• Working Safely Around Concrete Pumps: Life Saving Practices, presented by: Gary Brown, RL McCoy, Inc.

• OSHA’s New Respirable Silica Rule: What You Need to Know, And When You Need to Know It, presented by: Walt Tharp, IMI

• Sleep Apnea and RMC Drivers: It’s Not a Snoozer, presented by Jeff Hinkle, Chandler Concrete and Tim Kauzlick, CEMEX

• 11 Backing Accidents for Every 100 RMC Trucks: We Need Help, presented by Dale Kotzea, GCC Ready Mix

• Truck Talk Panel: Mixers, Engines and Transmissions, presented by various heavy-duty truck industry professionals

The Green Building Institute will begin to update the Green Globes ANSI Standard document with First Consensus Body Meeting set for Friday, September 5. Thirty-two have been selected to date for voting seats on the Consensus Body, including NRMCA Vice President of Sustainability Tien Peng. Participation is available to the public.

Since 2006, when the Portland-based Green Globes standard first launched in the U.S., the developers of the standard has been competing for market share against the popular US Green Building Council’s counterpart, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Recently, there were major victories for Green Globes as the GSA (General Services Administration) recommended Green Globes as an alternative to LEED for federal buildings in the GSA portfolio. U.S. Department of Defense also decided to allow its facilities to use the Green Globes' certification program.

Media articles on Congress, transportation infrastructure, regulation, taxes and other subjects, each of which relate to the ready mixed concrete industry, are updated each week by NRMCA's Government Affairs staff. To access the most recent compilation of articles for August 25 - 29, please click here.

NRMCA is set to introduce a new one-day course, Improving Concrete Quality, intended for concrete producers, ingredient material suppliers, engineers, testing labs and contractors. The course will be offered on Wednesday, October 15, in Silver Spring, MD. Improving Concrete Quality, a new book authored by one of the instructors, and other NRMCA resources provide the basic content for the course.

All stakeholders in concrete construction benefit from improved concrete quality. This course will delve into quantifying tangible and intangible benefits due to improved quality. It will discuss variability associated with concrete ingredient materials, manufacturing and testing – means to measure and thereby improve concrete quality. Basic statistical concepts will be presented to measure and monitor quality and to recognize when action is needed. Other key topics include recognizing abnormal material variation, tracking and improving batching accuracy, including mixing water, internal testing, identifying non standard testing and initial curing, essential elements of a quality management system, internal audits and tests a concrete producer should do.

Course instructors are Kevin MacDonald, Ph.D., FACI, Beton Consulting Engineers LLC, NRMCA's Karthik Obla, Ph.D., P.E., and Colin Lobo, Ph.D., P.E. Producers will learn readily implementable steps to manage variability and attain a more consistent product; ingredient suppliers will learn how material variation affects concrete variation; engineers will learn the opportunity for improving quality through specifications and testing lab professionals will learn to measure and improve testing quality. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will earn 8 professional development hours, a certificate of completion and credits toward NRMCA’s STEPS program.

Click here for more information.

Under the direction of NRMCA’s Executive Committee, the Educational Activities Committee (EAC) will discuss current NRMCA certification courses as well as future ones that support the improvement of the industry. Because members cite in the annual survey the number one reason they join NRMCA is industry-specific training, this will be a vital discussion. Therefore, EAC extends a warm invitation to all attendees at NRMCA's 2014 ConcreteWorks to join the meeting on Sunday, September 21, from 4 - 6 p.m. at the JW Marriott Indianapolis. 

As the industry recovers, more producers are evaluating what industry-based training would best serve their staff and companies. Please join us for this frank discussion about what your company needs keep employees performing at a national standard. That includes foreseeable publications, classes, Webinars and out-of-box ideas: creative input is most welcome.

Each module of NRMCA's Certified Concrete Sales Professional (CCSP) series will be held in Silver Spring, MD (metro Washington, DC), beginning in October and ending in March 2015. A discounted fee is extended for those who register for all four classes and to companies who send three or more people to one class. The schedule is as follows:

 

• Module 1: Concrete 101, October 7-9

• Module 2: Understand the Contractor's Business, December 16-18

• Module 3: RMC Business Knowledge, February 24-26, 2015

• Module 4: Professional Sales Skills and Promotion, March 31-April 2, 2015

 

Each class stands alone so it does NOT have to be taken consecutively or collectively. The well-respected, updated content is a valid way to refresh sales skills that emphasize the industry’s aggressive stance toward winning business. Additionally, these are the required courses in the STEPS® Sales and Promotion certification program, where those in the field earn the industry's most prestigious capstone certification, the CCPf.

 

The NRMCA September Internet Spotlight, good through Tuesday, September 30, are the NRMCA promotion brochures. NRMCA promotion brochures help you support your business by promoting specific concrete applications and benefits. Designed to inform specifiers, engineers, architects, contractors and their clients, each features four, 8.5"x11" pages of important information, supported by detailed charts and attractive photos. There is also room on the back for a label with your contact information. Make them part of your promotion efforts.

September 4, Webinar

Sustainable Design with Concrete

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

September 8-10, Orlando, FL

Concrete Durability Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

September 9, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Part 1 (Part 2 is September 16)

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

September 12, Free Webinar

Winning Initial Streets & Roads Projects in Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

September 12, Webinar

Designing Concrete Parking Lots the Right Way!

Email: Amy Miller, 904-264-8850

 

September 15, Webinar

Pathways to Resilience - A Guide to Developing a Community Action Plan

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

September 21-23, Indianapolis

NRMCA's ConcreteWorks & Board of Directors' Meeting

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

September 30, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

September 30, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Program

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

October 6, Webinar

Pathways to Resilience - A Guide to Developing a Community Action Plan

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

October 7, Webinar

Sustainabile Design with Concrete

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

October 7-10, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module I, "Concrete 101" - Technical/Product Knowledge

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

October 14, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Elected Official Advocacy

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

October 15, Silver Spring, MD

Improving Concrete Quality

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

October 17, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion & Advocacy Overview

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

October 22, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Team Building & Situation Analysis

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

November 3-7, Silver Spring, MD

Annual Concrete Technologist Training and Certification Course "Short Course"

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

November 7, Webinar

Designing Concrete Parking Lots the Right Way!

Email: Amy Miller, 904-264-8850

 

November 18-20, Silver Spring, MD

The Effective RMC Supervisor - Silver Spring, MD

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

November 19, Webinar

Sales Performance Assessments and Review for Ready Mix Sales Managers

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

November 20, Webinar

Sustainable Design with Concrete

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

December 2-5, Austin, TX

CCSP Module I, "Concrete 101" - Technical/Product Knowledge

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

December 3-5, Phoenix

Environmental Professional Certification Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

December 5, Free Webinar

Winning Initial Streets & Roads Projects in Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

December 9-12, Phoenix

Plant Manager Certification Course

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

December 16-18, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module II: Customer Business Knowledge - Understanding the Concrete Contractor's Business

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

2015

 

January 15, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Elected Official Advocacy

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

January 16, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion & Advocacy Overview

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

February 17-19, Silver Spring, MD

Dispatcher Training Forum

Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

 

February 24-26, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module III: Business Skills Basics for Profit - General Business Knowledge

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154

 

March 31 - April 2, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills Workshop - 24 hours

Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154