NRMCA Associate members play a vital role in helping NRMCA provide service and value to its members. NRMCA is pleased to announce that NRMCA Associate member Dell Technologies has introduced its Member to Member (M2M) discount program exclusive for NRMCA members for 2020. The company, which sells small business products and Dell-branded electronics and accessories, is offering up to 40% off to fellow NRMCA members. Click here to view Dell Technologies’ NRMCA-dedicated services and explore its offerings. NRMCA is thrilled to be working with Dell Technologies as it adds to the many membership benefits of belonging to the Association.

Neither membership in the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association nor participation in the M2M Benefits Program can in any way be construed as an endorsement, explicit or implicit, of any company, product or service by the Association. NRMCA accepts no responsibility in any dispute between supplier and customer. The M2M Benefits Program is intended solely as an informational service. Participating companies are responsible for insuring all M2M Benefit information is correct. For more information, contact Jacques Jenkins at jjenkins@nrmca.org.

NRMCA is looking for good men and women to serve on the Board of Directors. While serving on the Board requires both commitment and energy, it is a rewarding opportunity to give back to the industry.

NRMCA represents a broad range of ready mixed concrete companies across the United States and our success is a direct result of the skills and expertise of our professional staff working in conjunction with our Board of Directors. Director nominees must be committed to promoting NRMCA programs and working in the best interest of its membership and the industry at large. The Board provides strategic direction, fiduciary oversight and governance of the organization’s operations.

Nominees are vetted by the Nominating Committee, which consists of the current chairman of the Board, the immediate past chairman of the Board, and past chairmen of the Board for the previous seven years who are still in an active capacity in the industry. The selected slate of nominees is then presented to and elected by the general membership and will serve a three-year term that begins immediately following the annual convention in 2021.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, July 24. Please click on links below for more information or contact NRMCA's Heather Houck at hhouck@nrmca.org.

• 2021 Board of Directors Letter
• Board Job Description 2020
• Board Nomination Form 2020
• Board Terms of Service 2021 - 2023

Please also consider submitting entries to NRMCA's 90th Anniversary photo contest; entries are being accepted through July 17.

The NRMCA Durability Course that offers the NRMCA Concrete Technologist Level 4 Certification was successfully offered online using the NRMCA training portal and delivered using GoTo Webinars. There were 38 registrants. The typical 2-day course was administered during the week of June 15-19 in two 2-hour sessions each day. Course content that included presentation slides, class notes, additional reference publications, and review quizzes were posted on the training portal. Recordings of the live sessions were posted on the training portal after each session for those who missed it or those who wished to revisit the presentation. Attendees also participated in a group project case study to use ConcreteWorks software that assists with service life prediction of reinforced concrete related to corrosion and temperature prediction of mass concrete members. Groups of eight interacted separately by meeting online to determine their concrete mixture proposals and presented to the full group at the end of the course.

The course was taught by Mike Thomas, professor at the University of New Brunswick, Kevin Folliard, professor at the University of Texas at Austin and NRMCA's Executive Vice President of Engineering Colin Lobo. The course training portal was efficiently managed by Shawnita Dickens. The 2-hour (open-book) exam was offered on June 22. The attendees were engaged in the course and indicated that the online offering worked well. The results of the exam will be reviewed and disseminated in about a week.

For more information, contact Colin Lobo at clobo@nrmca.org.

The Summer 2020 newsletter of the National Concrete Consortium includes the following items:

• Moving Advancements into Practice (MAP) - Brief on Development of an Improved Design Procedure for Jointed Unbonded Concrete Overlays on Concrete or Composite Pavements

• FHWA Concrete Clips - Curing and Internal Curing

• Time-Lapse Infrared Thermography Applied to Concrete Bridge Deck Inspection Surveys - The Federal Highway Administration mandates that all [bridge] structures in its inventory are to be inspected every two years. Consequently, deck surveys are conducted to identify unseen damage within them. A significant number of bridges in Virginia have concrete decks with an overlay. Methods commonly deployed on these decks are limited in the quantitative results they can provide. To overcome these limitations, an improved method of applying infrared thermography using time-lapse technology is introduced. Following a simulated parametric study, a time-lapse infrared thermography data collection system was acquired along with a basic program to analyze the data qualitatively. A novel physics-based program was also developed to analyze the data quantitatively.

• Investigation into Shrinkage of High-Performance Concrete Used for Iowa Bridge Decks and Overlays - Phase II Shrinkage Control and Field Investigation - This Phase II research project on the shrinkage behavior of high-performance concrete (HPC) used in Iowa bridge decks and overlays evaluated several concrete mixes, building off or modifying mixes developed in Phase I. Based on shrinkage behavior and mechanical properties, the mixes studied in Phase I were characterized as having either high, medium or low cracking potential. In this Phase II study, three concrete mixes (Mixes 6, 8 and 2, characterized in Phase I as having high, medium and low cracking potential, respectively) were selected for further investigation. The selected mixes were modified using three shrinkage control technologies: shrinkage-reducing admixtures (SRAs), cementitious materials (CM) and internal curing (IC) agents, respectively.

• Development of Rapid PCC Pavement Repair Materials - Since pavement repair and construction represent a significant percentage of federal and state funding, new materials were investigated to reduce cost and generate a more resilient material. The goal of this project was to develop cost-effective, high-performance concrete materials for rapid pavement repair while minimizing environmental impact. An experimental study was conducted to investigate sustainable concrete with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), lightweight aggregate (LWA) and other materials to be used in rapid full-depth repair. To minimize cracking at an early age, internal curing (IC) was adapted with the RCA and LWA. RCA and LWA are viable and practical ways of producing rapid-repair concrete with less drying shrinkage.

• Development of Improved Guidelines and Designs for Thin BCOA - This report summarizes the investigations undertaken by the University of California Pavement Research Center between 2014 and 2017 to develop recommendations and guidance on the use of thin bonded concrete overlay of asphalt (BCOA) as a rehabilitation alternative for California based on the adoption of, and improvements to, the technology developed in other U.S. states. The main tasks of the project included (1) laboratory testing of four rapid-strength concrete mixes and a number of concrete-asphalt interfaces, (2) evaluation of the construction of a full-scale test track, (3) monitoring of the structural and hygrothermal responses of six thin BCOA sections to the ambient environment, (4) accelerated pavement testing with the Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) on 11 thin BCOA sections, (5) finite element method modeling and (6) development of a set of recommendations for the design and construction of thin BCOA pilot projects in California.

Click here to access the newsletter which includes links to each of the above reports.

Last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published guidance for reopening non-essential businesses. The guidance stresses businesses to continue following state, federal and CDC requirements. It also encourages the continuation of “workplace flexibilities, such as remote work and alternative business operations, to provide goods and services to customers.” The guidance also includes a number of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to assist employers and highlights a number of actions businesses should consider when crafting a plan before reopening, including:

1. Conducting a hazard assessment;
2. Hygiene requirements/practices;
3. Social distancing;
4. Identification and isolation of sick employees;
5. Return to work after illness or exposure;
6. Controls (i.e. engineering, work practices, PPE);
7. Workplace flexibilities;
8. Training; and
9. Anti-retaliation.

Click here for OSHA’s announcement and here to review the guidance. For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.

With so much focus on “back-to-work” and the ready mixed concrete industry as “essential work,” the following NRMCA classes are open for registration. Please note that they are required courses to earn CCPf certification in NRMCA’s STEPS Operations and Production career track. They are pivotal for industry-specific career development and staff retention.

• October 20 – 22, Concrete Safety Course, Mendota Heights, MN
• November 10 – 12, Effective RMC Supervisor Course, New Orleans
• November 17 – 19, Environmental Course for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry, Glendora, CA
• December 15 – 18, NRMCA Plant Manager Certification Course, Phoenix

For more information about standardized ready mixed concrete-specific career development through the STEPS program, e-mail Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org. For more information about the courses and registering, please e-mail Jessica Walgenbach at jwalgenbach@nrmca.org.

Earlier this week, House Democrats introduced H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, to invest $1.5 trillion in infrastructure, housing, broadband, drinking and wastewater, clean energy, healthcare and more. The legislation is built around the INVEST Act, which passed from the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee last week (see above E-NEWS item). Text of the legislation is available here, a section-by-section breakdown here and a fact sheet here. NRMCA will report further as it analyzes the legislation. The legislation could be brought to the House floor as soon as early July.

For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.

Last week, Treasury and the Small Business Administration (SBA) released loan forgiveness application and accompanying instructions. After feedback from loan recipients, the SBA published a subsequent forgiveness application in a shorter “EZ” format (the original form is here, instructions here, the EZ form here and EZ form instructions here). As always, NRMCA urges members to consult with their lenders and attorneys to ensure compliance with these programs. You can find more resources and guidance on the PPP program here.

In early June, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act into law, relaxing the 75/25 rule and extending the window for using Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds. While NRMCA believes additional reforms are necessary and continues to advocate for additional reforms, including clarity on retroactive forgiveness rules and tax deductible expenses, this legislation will provide some needed flexibility for NRMCA members who have received PPP loans.

On Friday, Treasury and the Small Business Administration, in response to pressure from Congress, announced that they would make public the names, identifying data and loan amount ranges for PPP loan recipients. The disclosure will include business names, ZIP codes, business type, demographic data, jobs supported and more.

For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.

The Build With Strength (BWS) webinar series concludes today, Wednesday, June 24, at 2 p.m. Eastern time with Specifying Sustainable Concrete. Led by Lionel Lemay and Colin Lobo, the presentation outlines how concrete performance can be improved while lowering the environmental footprint by implementing performance-based specifications. If you missed any part of the Build With Strength webinar series, recordings of the presentations are available on-demand and can be accessed here at your convenience. They are free and provide American Institute of Architects (AIA) Learning Units and/or Professional Development Hours (PDH) for continuing education requirements.

• Specifying Sustainable Concrete
• Pathway to Resilience
• Zero Energy Schools
• The Business Case for Building Multifamily Buildings with Concrete
• Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Buildings
• The Balanced Design Approach to Fire Safety
• The Environmental Impacts of Building Materials
• A New Generation of Tilt-up Buildings
• Achieving Resilience with ICF Construction
• Economical Design of Insulating Concrete Forms

Build With Strength is a coalition led by NRMCA that promotes standards advocacy to leverage policies promoting safety and resiliency and help place more concrete. For more information, contact Lionel Lemay at llemay@nrmca.org.

NRMCA will offer the nuts and bolts of concrete materials, mixtures and construction practices in its new Fundamentals of Concrete Webinar Series. From the materials used to make concrete, the standards they must meet, the way it’s made, delivered, placed and finished, if you are a design professional, contractor, concrete producer or supplier to the concrete industry, this course is a must. If you are new to concrete, this will be your crash course on your way to becoming a concrete pro. If you’ve worked with concrete for a long time, this will be an excellent refresher on the latest methods, techniques and standards for concrete. The course is taught online, in three parts, made up of three sessions each for a total of nine information-packed webinars. Sessions will be recorded for later viewing if you miss a session. Each part costs $150.

Part 1: Essentials of Quality Concrete | Register Online
Session 1 – July 15, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Concrete Materials Part 1
Session 2 – July 22, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Concrete Materials Part 2 and Fresh Concrete Properties
Session 3 – July 29, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Hardened Concrete Properties

Part 2: Forming, Handling, Placing and Finishing Concrete | Register Online
Session 1 – August 5, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Concrete Forming and Site Preparation
Session 2 – August 12, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Delivery, Placing and Finishing
Session 3 – August 19, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Extreme Weather Conditions and Troubleshooting

Part 3: Concrete Standards, Requirements and Specifications | Register Online
Session 1 – August 26, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Standards for Concrete Construction
Session 2 – September 2, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Standards for Production and Delivery
Session 3 – September 9, 2-3 p.m. eastern: Project Specifications for Concrete

Visit www.nrmca.org or Contact Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org for more information.

The NRMCA’s Annual Safety Award acknowledges the significant contribution that safety work practices gives to the growth and success of individual companies and the ready mixed concrete industry as a whole. The NRMCA Annual Safety Award is presented to an individual or company whose actions represent the very highest in the advancement of safety in the ready mixed concrete industry. The award program is generously sponsored by the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau. The deadline to submit nominations is this Friday, June 26.

The award may be presented to an individual whose single action or long-time commitment to safety and health in the ready mixed concrete industry exemplifies superior performance in the field of safety. Examples of the award winner could be a ready mixed concrete truck driver whose actions were lifesaving. Other examples could include plant managers, safety managers and company officials who have outstanding long-time dedication to safety and health in the ready mixed concrete industry. Other examples would be an individual’s involvement community safety activities. This award may also recognize a corporation, coalition or organization that was unrelenting in its pursuit of safety for the industry. Nominees may have created and implemented a life-saving and or injury-preventing safety solution.

Examples of the award winner could be a ready mixed concrete producer company, a ready mixed concrete state association or an industry related equipment or material supplier. Criteria for selection of the individual or company may include evidence of the following:

• Reduction of accidents/incidents;
• Demonstration of leadership in safety;
• Identification, evaluation and control of hazards;
• Development of safety-conscious policies and procedures;
• Active promotion of safety in the workplace;
• Innovation and enthusiasm in marketing safety;
• Collaborative and proactive work toward improving safety;
• Placing a high personal value on safety; and
• Mentoring of others in safety.

Nominations shall be made by submitting a detailed explanation for why the individual or company should be considered for the award. The explanation should focus on highlighting the criteria listed above. Submissions should include necessary supporting documents, including a high-resolution electronic image of the nominee (if an individual), a high resolution company logo and other relevant images.

Entries must be e-mailed to Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org by Friday, June 26. Click here for more information on the award and to access the nominating form.

NRMCA’s Commitment to Environmental Excellence Awards competition offers producers national recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment and maintaining sound management practice in their operations. The program salutes companies that have not only met, but surpassed governmental compliance measures and demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through plant and staff investment. NRMCA member companies producing ready mixed concrete from a fixed plant location in the U.S., its territories or Canada are eligible to enter. Awards will be determined upon individual plant merits. Winning entrants will be honored at the Awards Luncheon at NRMCA‘s ConcreteWorks this September in Denver. Winners will also be featured in a 2020 edition of NRMCA’s Concrete InFocus magazine and industry trade publication Concrete Products.

Entries and photos must be e-mailed to Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org by Friday, July 24. Click here for more more information, to download the entry form and staff contact.

Last week, NRMCA hosted virtual Town Hall events with two Members of Congress, Reps. John Katko (R-NY) and Dan Bishop (R-NC). On Wednesday, June 17, Rep. Katko stepped out of the marathon Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee markup to spend an hour with NRMCA President Mike Philipps and NRMCA members from around the country. He expressed his hope that Congress could coalesce around a bipartisan infrastructure package, but shared his frustrations about the partisan nature of the T&I markup. Rep. Katko also talked about bipartisan legislation he has introduced to expand the Employee Retention Tax Credit, his participation in the Problem Solver’s Caucus and the importance of bipartisanship in Congress.

On Friday, June 19, Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) joined NRMCA Past Chairman Henry Batten and NRMCA members to discuss the upcoming elections and the impacts of COVID-19 on the small business community. Rep. Bishop discussed needed changes to the Paycheck Protection Program and the necessity of liability protections for businesses.

During the shutdown, NRMCA Government Affairs has been active hosting virtual meet and greets, town halls and fundraisers for candidates and Members of Congress, including Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), Bruce Westerman (R-AR) and candidate Jeff Coleman in Alabama – in addition to last week’s town hall events with Reps. Katko and Bishop. More industry Town Hall events will be announced once they're scheduled.

For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.

On Wednesday, June 17, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee began a two-day, 24-hour markup of the INVEST Act, legislation to reauthorize surface transportation programs. (Text here, fact sheet here, amendments here, amendment votes here). The five-year legislation funded highway programs at $319 billion, transit programs at $105 billion and rail at $60 billion, with another $10 billion for safety programs. Well over 300 amendments were offered, many of which were rolled into a 99-page manager’s amendment. Ahead of the markup, NRMCA was briefed by Republican staff on the Republican alternative plan, which was offered by Ranking Member Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO).

Unfortunately, the starkly partisan formulation and consideration of the legislation all but guaranteed that Congress will be forced to pass an extension to the FAST Act before the September 30 expiration deadline, rather than produce a bipartisan reauthorization. In addition to reauthorizing and increasing funding for surface transportation programs, the legislation includes several provisions supported by the ready mixed concrete industry:

• Dedicated funding for repairing and replacing bridges;
• Resilience funding to enhance the durability of infrastructure; and
• Research grant funding for materials that reduce emissions.

Notwithstanding these policies, the legislation also includes provisions adverse to the ready mixed concrete industry, including:

• Natural infrastructure is included as an alternative to traditional infrastructure;
• Increase in minimum insurance coverage for heavy trucks; and
• Delay of FMCSA’s June 1 Hours of Service rule.

NRMCA had worked to ensure that an amendment was included to prevent the delay of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Hours of Service rule announced on June 1. NRMCA champion Rep. Mike Bost (R-IL) offered an amendment to strike the delay, but it was defeated on a largely party-line vote, despite NRMCA’s outreach and advocacy to all committee members. In addition, several amendments worth watching were either withdrawn or defeated, including an amendment by Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) to streamline federal permitting and an amendment by Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL) to institute a privately-funded infrastructure bank that could fund up to $1 trillion in infrastructure projects.

The INVEST Act, as amended, was reported favorably out of committee and was expected to serve as a large, $1.5 trillion package announced last week by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that included investments in housing, clean energy, schools and clean water (see related E-NEWS item below).

As the surface reauthorization moves to the floor in the House and the Senate continues to consider possibilities for passing a combined surface and water reauthorization, NRMCA will continue to advocate for the industry’s priorities.

For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.

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

June 24, Build With Strength Webinar
Specifying Sustainable Concrete
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

June 25, Smyrna, Tennessee – Sponsored by TCA
Volumetric Mixer Operator Certification
Email: Darla Sparkman, 615-360-7393

June 26, Smyrna, Tennessee – Sponsored by TCA
Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification
Email: Darla Sparkman, 615-360-7393

July 14 – 16, Nashville, TN – Sponsored by TCA
Certified Concrete Sales Professional (CCSP) Module IV Course
Email: Darla Sparkman, 615-360-7393

July 15, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Part 1, Essentials of Quality Concrete: Concrete Materials Pt 1
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

July 22, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Pt 1, Essentials of Quality Concrete: Concrete Materials Pt 2 & Fresh Concrete Properties
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

July 29, Online Course | 2 - 3 pm ET
Fundamentals of Concrete Part 1, Essentials of Quality Concrete: Hardened Concrete Properties
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

August 5, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Part 2, Forming, Handling, Placing & Finishing Concrete: Concrete Forming & Site Preparation
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

August 12, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Part 2, Forming, Handling, Placing & Finishing Concrete: Delivery, Placing & Finishing
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

August 19, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Part 2, Forming, Handling, Placing & Finishing Concrete: Extreme Weather Conditions & Troubleshooting
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

August 26, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Pt 3, Concrete Standards, Requirements & Specifications: Standards for Concrete Construction
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

September 2, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Pt 3, Concrete Standards, Requirements & Specifications: Standards for Production & Delivery
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

September 9, Online Course
Fundamentals of Concrete Pt. 3, Concrete Standards, Requirements & Specifications: Project Specifications for Concrete
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

September 25 – 29, Denver
NRMCA's ConcreteWorks
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852

October 8, Nashville, TN
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems and Mixture Submittals
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852

October 20 – 22, Mendota Heights, MN
Concrete Safety Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852

November 10 - 12, New Orleans
Effective RMC Supervisor Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852

November 17 – 19, Glendora, CA
Environmental Course for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852

December 15, Charlotte, NC
Improving Concrete Quality Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852

December 15 – 18, Phoenix
NRMCA Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852