With concrete’s simple composition of gravel, sand, cement and water dating back centuries, the topic of any innovation in concrete can be perceived in the construction industry as counterintuitive.

NRMCA's Ready Mixed Concrete Delivery Professional Driver of the Year Award acknowledges the significant contribution of ready mixed concrete truck drivers to the growth and success of individual companies and the ready mixed concrete industry. As a salute to these key members of the concrete production and delivery team, the award recognizes the driver’s career achievement, safety, professionalism, competence and customer service skills in a manner that will enhance the industry and public image of the career ready mixed concrete delivery professional. The 2018 Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Driver of the Year Award winner will be honored at an awards presentation ceremony at NRMCA’s Annual Convention in Houston in March 2018.

Applications are due no later than Friday, December 29, 2017 via e-mail to NRMCA’s Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org. Click here for more information and to access the nomination form from NRMCA's Web site.

Registration continues for the last Plant Manager Certification, December 12-15, in Orlando, FL. This 4-day course is industry specific and concentrates on issues that challenge plant managers all across the county. The intense learning course includes the latest on product knowledge and technical standards, safety culture and OSHA-based regulations, operational and maintenance skills, current environmental issues and regulations from EPA as well as labor law issues and the challenges of supervision and training of industry personnel. The NRMCA Plant Manager Certification is required on all Army Corps of Engineer jobs and is considered the industry gold standard of training for all ready mixed concrete plant managers.

Click here for more information, registration options and staff contact.

The annual NRMCA Dispatcher Training Forum will be held January 9-11 in Orlando, FL. As the new year launches, it is time to make sure experienced as well as neophyte schedulers and dispatchers are primed to make the order flow seamlessly.

NRMCA recently published the results of a survey of insurance costs for both wood-frame and concrete buildings. The report, authored by Dr. Pieter VanderWerf and Nicholas Haidari of Boston College, details the results of a comprehensive survey of insurers on what rates they would charge on a reference building, one built with wood-frame and one built with concrete, in five different reference cities. Insurance quotes showed the concrete building less costly to insure than the wood-frame building for both builder’s risk insurance and commercial property insurance.

NRMCA has announced a new course titled Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Buildings in the October issue of Architect magazine and in Hanley Wood’s online university. When looking at the environmental impact of a building, it is important to assess every stage of the environmental life cycle: from material extraction to product manufacturing, to building operations and maintenance, through end-of-life. Concrete offers environmental attributes that help reduce overall environmental life cycle impacts of a building. This course explores how life cycle assessment can be used to measure and lower the environmental impacts of buildings.

The green building movement continues to gain momentum as developers, government agencies and designers build structures to minimize environmental impact. NRMCA will host training sessions to build industry awareness.

NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Ken Justice recently presented concrete parking lot design and overlays to the Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks in Springfield, MO. The audience consisted of consultants, contractors, MODOT personnel, public works employees and NRMCA members. 

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 October 9 - 13, 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.

Is your Representative a Member of the Ready Mixed Concrete Caucus? There is a lot going on in Washington – tax reform, infrastructure, regulatory reform – and it is imperative that the ready mixed concrete industry has a voice on Capitol Hill. That’s why NRMCA has formed the Congressional Ready Mixed Concrete Caucus. The caucus is a bipartisan group of Members of the House of Representatives that promotes and enhances public awareness of the nation’s production of ready mixed concrete. When the ready mixed concrete industry needs to speak with one voice on Capitol Hill, the Ready Mixed Concrete Caucus is a great way to do it.

NRMCA is now accepting entries for its 2018 Kids Art Contest, sponsored by the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau. The theme for the contest is "Make America’s Roads Great Again." The contest is open to children up to grade 12 who have a relationship with an NRMCA member.

NRMCA will teach a NEW curriculum for CCSP Module II, Understanding Your Concrete Contractor's Business, from December 5-7 in Silver Spring, MD (metro Washington DC). As sales staff prepares for 2018, it is the best time to immerse it with knowledge how customers' businesses work. Just because business is good, it does not give sales reps a free pass: they need to be able to tactically react in a more face-paced, demanding environment. Topics tie directly into what a sales rep should know that impacts business, including learning about contactors’ estimating methods, bidding, design, procurement, project planning and scheduling. Those that pass the optional exam receive credit toward CCSP Module II certification (please note that this is a required class for STEPS recognition).

Click here to register, more information and staff contact.

*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site along with more items listed for the remainder of 2018.