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NRMCA Extends ConcreteWorks Early Bird Registration Deadline, Hotel Reservation Cut-Off Date

The early bird registration deadline for NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks 2017 has been extended through Friday, August 11, at 5 p.m. Eastern time. Register by the end of the week to save more than $100 on your registration fee. NRMCA has contracted a block of rooms at the resort at a discounted rate of $209/night plus taxes and a $20/night resort fee. The resort fee will cover several in-room amenities. Hotel reservations can be made by calling the Gaylord Texan directly at 877-491-5138 and asking for the "NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks 2017" rate or we encourage you to make your hotel reservations online. The hotel reservations cut-off date is Wednesday, September 6, or when the block sells out, whichever occurs first.

You may register online or by downloading a fax back registration form. For more information, please contact the NRMCA Meetings Department at meetings@nrmca.org or 888-846-7622 ext. 1152.

Pavement

NRMCA Boot Camp Contractor Overlays Lot While Keeping Business Office Open

Dylan Milis, owner of Milis Flatwork in Kaukauna, WI, sent photos this week of a fast track parking lot overlay project he recently completed for a doctor’s office near his shop, reports NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Jon Hansen. Milis, a firm believer that opportunity is everywhere, reports the project is 10 minutes from his business location, Hansen said. Meeting the owner’s requirements of no down time, the project was prepped early in the week, requiring 5,000 square feet of the existing pavement to be removed to make grade transition work. Milis also overlaid the existing concrete curb on two island in the middle of the lot, using details from the Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots to complete the transition challenges on the 70,000 square foot project (see before and after photos below).

"It was a crazy schedule to prep in stages during the week to be ready to place concrete on Thursday and Friday, then clean up and stripe on Saturday so the patients could use the full lot on Monday," Milis recounted.

Millis, an American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) member, will be the featured speaker at NRMCA's ConcreteWorks on Tuesday, October 3, from 11 a.m. to noon in a Paving session titled NRMCA and Contractor Partnering: A Success Model for Moving Your Paving Market.

For more information contact Jon Hansen at jhansen@nrmca.org.

Association & Industry News

Ready Mixed Concrete Production Statistics Updated Through May 2017

The estimated ready mixed concrete produced in May 2017 is 32.4 million cubic yards, 8.2% higher than that in May 2016. The estimated production through May 2017 is 130 million cubic yards, 2.1% higher than that during the same period in 2016.

Ready mixed concrete production is estimated from cement shipments reported by the U.S. Geological Survey. NRMCA members can view additional details here.

MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub Receives "Living Laboratory" Grant on Life Cycle Assessment

The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub) has been chosen as one of four recipients of a grant from the MIT Office of Sustainability. The Campus Sustainability Incubator Fund supports projects that "use the MIT campus as a test bed for research in sustainable operations, management, and design." The team is being led by Executive Director Dr. Jeremy Gregory and Co-Director Dr. Randy Kirchain who will implement the CSHub’s quantitative approach to evaluating the life cycle economic and environmental impacts of new buildings proposed for the MIT campus.

The next free public Webinar that will discuss the CSHub’s Building LCA work will take place on Thursday, August 17, at 11 a.m. Eastern time. Click here to register. For more information, please contact MIT CSHub Communications Coordinator Anne Yu at anne@mit.edu or 617-549-1969.

Foundation to Hold 6th Annual Walk for Wellness at ConcreteWorks

The RMC Research & Education Foundation will hold its 6th Annual Walk for Wellness on Sunday, October 1, at 8:30 a.m. (registration at 8 a.m.) in conjunction with NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks and the National Truck Mixer Driver Championship. The 5K Walk, which emphasizes the importance of wellness not just in everyday life but at work as well, will take place on the grounds of the ConcreteWorks host hotel, the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. You do not need to be registered for ConcreteWorks to participate in the walk. Registration is $25 and is fully tax deducible.

Click here for more information and to register. You may also contact Jennifer LeFevre at jlefevre@rmc-foundation.org or 240-485-1151 for more information.

Nominations Sought for RMC Research & Education Foundation Board of Trustees

Nominations to fill the seats of eight expiring terms of the RMC Research & Education Foundation Board of Trustees are now being accepted. The Board will hold an election to fill the expiring terms at its next meeting, Monday, October 2, 2017. To nominate an individual for the Board, please contact Foundation Executive Director Julie Garbini at jgarbini@rmc-foundation.org or at 240-485-1150. Nominations must be received by Friday, August 18, 2017.

Please click here to view the Board of Trustees Position Description.

Government Affairs

NRMCA Advocacy News Roundup Updated Through August 6

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 July 31 - August 4, 2017, please click here.

If you would like to receive this weekly updated link in a separate e-mail, or if you have questions or comments about the roundup, contact NRMCA’s Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.

NRMCA Praises Senate for Confirming Trump Labor, Energy Nominees

Last week in the final hours before adjourning for August recess, the Senate confirmed 65 of President Trump’s nominees, including appointments to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In confirming Marvin Kaplan to the NLRB, and Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to the FERC, the Senate has installed three individuals that NRMCA has been supporting since their nominations. In March in a Government Affairs Committee meeting, NRMCA presented Mr. Kaplan as an exemplary nominee who would not engage in the kind of overreaching the Obama-era was accused of. While Mr. Kaplan’s confirmation restores a 2-2 Republican-Democrat balance on the NLRB, it will allow the Republican members to hold a 2-1 majority in the large number of 3-member panels that hear labor disputes. The confirmation of Mr. Chatterjee and Mr. Powelson provide a quorum at FERC, allowing it to resume activities for the first time since February. FERC is responsible for permitting decisions on energy infrastructure projects like natural gas pipelines and export terminals.

Each of these nominees will play a role in President Trump’s deregulation and economic recovery agenda, by ensuring that businesses are not hampered by an overzealous NLRB and that permitting for energy infrastructure projects can be approved expeditiously. NRMCA applauds these confirmations and will continue to push the Senate to pass Trump’s last NLRB nominee to ensure an NLRB that upholds the law and does not overstep its bounds.

For more information or with any questions, please contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org or 240-485-1156.

NRMCA Urges Members to Tell Department of Labor to Rescind Persuader Rule

In June, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, asking for public input on rescinding the persuader rule. NRMCA supports DOL rescinding the persuader rule and urges NRMCA members to express their support for doing so. The persuader rule was issued by the Obama administration and changed the federal disclosure requirements to require virtually all interactions between employers, including ready mixed concrete owners/companies, and labor law experts to be disclosed. This rule will make it more difficult for ready mixed concrete owners and employers the opportunity to secure sound legal advice and guidance on many issues which arise in the workplace, and allowing them to legally communicate with employees about the pros and cons of unionization. In addition, it infringes on basic First Amendment rights and attorney-client privilege.

Click here to tell labor officials how devastating this rule is for you and your business. For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org or 240-485-1156.

Plan Now to Participate in CONCRETEPAC Trivia Night

Don’t miss the Government Affairs Trivia Night at ConcreteWorks! This event will be a fun-filled evening of delicious Tex-Mex food and mind-tingling trivia! You and your table will compete for the Concrete Crown by correctly answering more trivia questions than your rival tables. Trivia will consist of unique categories like "Concrete Connoisseur," "Political Animals" and "NRMCA Names and Numbers," as well as standard trivia favorites such as pop culture, sports, cinema and music. In addition, each table will have the opportunity to bid on special guest teammates to join your table for a round.

The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 30, at the Five Points Patio at Cowboys Golf Club. Trolley service is available from NRMCA's ConcreteWorks. All entrees are considered contributions to CONCRETEPAC and will support the vital work of CONCRETEPAC and the NRMCA Government Affairs team’s federal advocacy efforts.

Click here to register for this event and fax to 301-920-2590. For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org or 240-485-1156.

Buildings

Massachusetts City Near Boston Casts Unanimous Vote for Safer Building Codes

Last week, Waltham, MA, city councilors voted unanimously to call on the state of Massachusetts to implement tighter restrictions on the size of wood-frame residential buildings after a massive ten-alarm fire that destroyed a wooden apartment complex under construction in late July. The fire was the Boston-area’s second major wood-frame fire in a month and the fourth since the start of June. The incidents come at a time of increasing concern over the use combustible building materials in the low- to mid-rise residential building market, as a number of wood-frame apartment complexes have been the site of notable fires in Charlotte, NC; Warner Robins, GA; Midvale, UT; Oakland, Dorchester, Lawrence and Lowell, MA; East Hollywood, CA; Waterbury, CT, Emeryville, CA; St. Petersburg, FL; Arlington, VA; College Park, MD; Overland Park, KS; Raleigh, NC; and Maplewood, NJ. There have been dozens over the last few years.

"The buildings made of this material have shown a propensity to erupt into a conflagration," Waltham Council Vice President Robert G. Logan said in a Boston Globe article. "So I think the state needs to go back and rethink whether or not to allow that kind of construction, especially in buildings of that size."

Through the Build with Strength initiative, NRMCA has resources to help members and state affiliates advocate for resilient and safer construction, including model legislation, talking points, public relations, and other key strategies. To learn more about how NRMCA can assist in state advocacy, please contact NRMCA Vice President, State and Local Government Affairs, John Loyer at 703-675-7603 or jloyer@nrmca.org.

OES

FMCSA Creates Pilot Program to Determine Crash Preventability

In late July, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced it had established a pilot program which would allow carriers to potentially dispute who is or isn’t at fault in any of their drivers’ crashes. The program is accepting requests for data reviews (RDRs) as of August 1, 2017. However, FMCSA has specified that only certain types of accidents are reviewable and there is a strict process for the RDR that has to be adhered to. Specifically, the crashes that can be reviewed have to fall into one or more of the following eight categories:

1. When the CMV was struck by a motorist driving under the influence (or related offense);

2. When the CMV was struck by a motorist driving the wrong direction;

3. When the CMV was struck in the rear;

4. When the CMV was struck while it was legally stopped or parked, including when the vehicle was unattended;

5. When the CMV struck an individual committing or attempting to commit suicide by stepping or driving in front of the CMV;

6. When the CMV sustained disabling damage after striking an animal in the roadway;

7. When the crash was the result of an infrastructure failure, falling trees, rocks, or other debris; or

8. When the CMV was struck by cargo or equipment from another vehicle.

In addition to meeting one or more of these categories, FMCSA will also attempt to "use the preventability standard in 49 C.F.R. 385, Appendix B: 'If a driver, who exercises normal judgment and foresight could have foreseen the possibility of the accident that in fact occurred, and avoided it by taking steps within his/her control which would not have risked causing another kind of mishap, the accident was preventable.'’’

Click here For more information on the program. Click here to review the program's Federal Register notice. For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.

Registration Now Open for Upcoming Operations-Focused Workshops

NRMCA is now offering two operations-focused workshops beginning in November, each focusing on a specific audience. They are:

*New Senior RMC Operations Manager Workshop - Registration is now open for a new one-day interactive workshop for senior and middle operations and production managers on Tuesday, November 14, in Dallas. The workshop’s goal is to give attendees a head start to develop 2018 strategic, organizational and personal skills that help them more effectively manage, coach, motivate and assess their teams as well as their direct report supervisors. The class will be facilitated by a former executive coach for IBM who also understands the ready mix business model. The curriculum offers insight into peak performance and critical motivation factors that can lead to your team’s success. The workshop also includes a networking dinner with peers on Monday night.

Space is limited to 25 - do not delay registering. *Please note that this is NOT a workshop for entry-level supervisors - the listing below is for them. Click here for more information and registration options.

Workshop for RMC Operations Supervisors - With hiring and retention of paramount importance in the economic recovery, it is critical that ready mixed concrete front line supervisors understand the scope and tasks they are expected to execute. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the most common business lawsuit filed is by employees against their employers; the employees cite their direct supervisor as the cause. Therefore, the class content supports plant, operations dispatch, fleet and driver managers and supervisors, as well as QC supervisors. Content includes industry-specific, hands-on exercises to develop solid procedures to increase efficiency and profitability using better communication skills with front line employees. The class will be held January 23-25, 2018 in Orlando, FL.

This Effective Supervisor Course is held just once a year. Training reduces risk: No producer’s bottom line can afford an expensive internal attack. Click here for registration options, NRMCA staff contact and more information.

Registration Continues for Fall Safety Course in October in Denver

Registration for NRMCA’s Fall 2017 Safety Course is now open; please note that this course has a limited number of seats and will sell out very soon. The course will take place October 17-19 in Denver. This 2.5-day course teaches participants about OSHA safety compliance, beginning with why safety is so important and details the reasons why an effective safety program actually saves money through loss prevention and control. Participants learn about electrical safety, machine guarding, fall protection, hazard communication, confined spaces, personal protective equipment, fire fighting and evacuation, maintenance shop safety, chute handling, fleet safety, pre-trip inspection and more.

Click here for location details, registration options and staff contacts.

Calendar

A Look Ahead

*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.

August 15, Jackson, MS

Regional ConcreteWorks, Gulf Coast Region

Email: Tamara Waugh, 240.485.1132

August 23, Fargo, ND

Regional ConcreteWorks, North Central Region

Email: Tamara Waugh, 240.485.1132

September 18 - 20, Salt Lake City

Concrete Durability Course