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IN THIS ISSUE:
NEWS LINKS
PAVEMENTS
PROMOTIONS
ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY NEWS
ENGINEERING
OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY & HR
SUSTAINABILITY
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
CALENDAR
NRMCA's celebration of the 100th anniversary of ready mixed concrete in the United States continues in E-NEWS this week with the histories of another Producer and Associate member. See below for the two companies we've selected this week, along with a link to that company's respective Web site for more information. This week's industry milestone: 1950's - Decorative Concrete Developed, Brad Bowman developed the Bomanite process, the original cast-in-place, colored, textured and imprinted architectural concrete paving, in the mid 1950's in Monterey, CA.
To have your company featured in this space in the coming weeks, please contact NRMCA's Kathleen Carr Smith at kcarrsmith@nrmca.org or 301-587-1400, ext. 1145.
Concrete Materials - Founded in 1930, Concrete Materials produced crushed rock from a small processing plant in west Sioux Falls. The company later added a small sand production plant near Rowene and, after World War II, opened Sioux Falls' first ready mixed concrete plant adjacent to the original rock quarry. Sweetman Construction Co. purchased Concrete Materials in 1952. Since its inception in the 1950s, the company has continued growing and expanding. Concrete Materials owns and operates aggregate and concrete production facilities in Chancellor, Yankton and Sioux Falls, and its service area encompasses eastern South Dakota and neighboring states. Read more.
An NRMCA Producer member since 2012
Arrow Magnolia - This NRMCA Associate member was founded by the Hanley family in 1927 as Magnolia Chemical. Arrow Chemical, started by Morris Shwiff in 1963, was led by the Shwiff and Kenner families from the late 1960’s up through 2004. Arrow and Magnolia merged in 1985, forming Arrow-Magnolia International (AMI). ChemCo Chemical (ran by Charles Davidoff and family) was acquired in 1990 and run as a separate division until 2005. This merger created the opportunity to become a NASDAQ-traded company in 1992. In 2005, the Tippeconnic family bought AMI and took it private, creating Arrow-Magnolia International Inc. Read more.
An NRMCA Associate member since 1979 
NEWS LINKS
The construction industry added 48,000 jobs in February, the ninth consecutive month of job growth for the sector, as more people are working in construction than at any point in the last three and a half years, according to an analysis of new government data by AGC of America. Association officials cautioned, however, that employment gains remain tenuous and could be undermined if Washington officials fail to reach a deal on federal investment levels later this month.
Source: The March 11 AGC SmartBrief e-newsletter. Click here to read the full AGC press release.
How large? At 7 a.m. last Saturday, 136 mixer trucks poured the final section of deck on the eastbound side of the new Bay Bridge eastern span. "This is really the last piece of the puzzle in terms of getting the deck sections in place," said Bay Bridge Spokesman Andrew Gordon.
Source: A March 8 report by the local CBS affiliate in the San Francisco Bay area: View here.
Researchers have demonstrated a way to give concrete surfaces the ability to heal when small cracks appear, an advance that could allow bridges and other structures to last longer. Even the tiniest cracks on the surfaces of concrete structures can lead to big problems if they aren’t immediately repaired. Now researchers have demonstrated a sunlight-induced, self-healing protective coating designed to fix cracks on the surface of concrete structures before they grow into larger ones that compromise structural integrity.
Source: March 6 article in the MIT Technology Review. Read more.
E-NEWS has reported on these concrete tents in the past and we just came across this latest offering. According to the manufacturer, The Concrete Canvas Shelter is a large inflatable tent made from a canvas-like fabric that’s flexible and lightweight. However, when water is added to the material, it hardens into concrete. The tent was created by a U.K.-based company, which was originally developed for military use and also in an event of a natural disaster where sturdy shelters need to be resurrected quickly (admit it, though - you're thinking it might be the perfect way to remove those 20-something offspring from your house).
Source: A Web site called psfk.com. View here.
PAVEMENTS
The NRMCA Design Assistance Program (DAP) has started 2013 out strongly. Over 15 concrete design reports and jointing plans have been presented to our partners in hopes of having concrete specified for more projects. DAP reports may be generated for streets and local roadway projects as well as parking lots. Besides conventional concrete, RCC, concrete overlays and pervious concrete may also be incorporated into the report recommendations. In 2012, DAP generated 44 concrete parking lot reports and/or jointing plans, with 14 of 16 of those reports proving to be successful in choosing concrete as the desired paving material.
The Design Assistance Program has revised the fee schedule to encourage more submittals from the industry. For parking lots, NRMCA Producer members and State Affiliates may submit projects free of charge. There is also no fee for any submissions from NRMCA National Accounts.
The list of National Accounts and additional information on the Design Assistance Program may be found by clicking here or contacting NRMCA's Amanda Hult at ahult@nrmca.org or 720-648-0323.
PROMOTIONS
In a quest to further concrete pavements in Mississippi, NRMCA Producer member Delta Industries recently conducted several presentations for the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT). As part of these presentations, NRMCA's Amy Miller and her colleague Brian Killingsworth spoke to separate audiences that included MDOT commissioners and MDOT engineers. The presentations were established by Delta Industries, most notably Delta President and NRMCA Immediate Past Chairman Dave Robison and Les Howell, Delta vice president and chief engineer.
"The goal of these presentations was to present basic educational information to an audience that doesn’t work with the technical details of pavements every day and more in-depth information to an audience that does," Miller said. "When people think of concrete pavements, they most often think of highway pavements. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that over 60% of paved lane miles in the U.S. are streets and local roads. As an industry, we’d like to see a more balanced pavement system and the process of getting there has to start somewhere. Basic education and information is the first step."
"The presentations were well received by the MDOT commissioners and the executive director’s staff, as well as the district engineers," added Howell. "They are always looking for solutions to help with the high cost of maintaining the state’s infrastructure and they have always been receptive to considering the latest technologies related to materials."
For more information, contact Amy Miller at amiller@nrmca.org.
NRMCA's national resource directors have a key promotion-focused Webinar scheduled for this Friday: Effectively Communicating Sustainability. Just see the link below to learn more and register today.
ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY NEWS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded NRMCA Producer member CalPortland Company a 2013 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year - Sustained Excellence Award for its energy efficiency efforts. The company will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, March 26. Glendora, CA-based CalPortland has been an ENERGY STAR partner since 1996. This is the ninth consecutive year CalPortland has been awarded the ENERGY STAR award at the national level with the last seven awards for maintaining Sustained Excellence.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. CalPortland Company operates in seven states in the Western U.S. and two Canadian territories.
For more information about CalPortland Company, visit www.calportland.com or by e-mail, info@calportland.com. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call 888-782-7937.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has awarded the winners of the 2013 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards. Award winners were honored in late February in St. Petersburg, FL, for implementing hearing loss prevention practices in the work environment.
NRMCA member Vulcan Materials Company earned one of the awards; it was cited for its data-driven hearing loss prevention program, innovative and cost-effective noise measurement and control strategies. Vulcan provides extensive noise measurement and control training for select employees to function as industrial hygiene support staff. Vulcan was also praised for integrating GPS technologies and video into their noise measurement protocols for mobile workers.
Click here to view the award recipient presentations and here for more information on the awards program.
The Walk to benefit the RMC Research & Education Foundation that took place at NRMCA’s Annual Convention in San Antonio, TX, was highly successful. With the participation of walkers, contributions in support of walker efforts and contributions from those who decided to "Sleep-In" for the Foundation, we were able to raise $4,000 to benefit the Foundation and increase awareness of the important work it funds. The walkers had a brisk but fun walk during the event that took place early Tuesday morning of last week.
We would like to particularly thank Michele Stropoli for raising $1,075 in support of her participation in the walk. We would also like to thank flashlight sponsor McNeilus, pre-walk coffee sponsors BASF Corporation and Trimble Construction Logistics, and general sponsor Texas Aggregate and Concrete Association for their sponsorship of the event.
The next exciting event for the RMC Research & Education Foundation will be the Walk for Sustainability, which will take place in conjunction with NRMCA’s International Concrete Sustainability Conference in May. Look for more details soon. Please visit www.rmc-foundation.org for more information about the work of the RMC Research & Education Foundation.
NRMCA Associate member Brett Admixtures has announced the death of its owner, John Walker Brett, who died earlier this month at the age of 77. Brett was president of the company from October 1988 to his retirement in July 2010. Survivors include his wife, Lois Julson-Brett and numerous children, grandchildren and other family members.
Funeral services are scheduled for Thursday, March 14, at 3 p.m. in St. Cloud, MN, at the Love of Christ Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from noon to 3 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to either the church or the Quiet Oaks Hospice House, 5537 Galaxy Road, St. Augusta, MN 56301.
ENGINEERING
Previously HPC Bridge Views, the newsletter now covers an expanded scope to go beyond high performance concrete and will include articles related to longevity, preservation, materials and innovation in concrete bridges. Full Article.
Fully Precast Bridge System used in Washington State Highways For Life Project, Part 1 - Research, Bijan Khaleghi, Washington State DOT. The Washington State Department of Transportation’s Highways for Life project offers a precast concrete bridge system that is suitable for high seismic regions and accelerated bridge construction projects. Part One of the article discusses the research behind the project. Full Article.
Improving Concrete Bridge Decks with Internal Curing , Jason Weiss, Purdue University; Carmelo DiBella, Global Consulting, Inc., Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center; and Dale Bentz, National Institute of Standards and Technology. Transportation agencies strive to provide durable, long lasting concrete bridge decks. Internal curing is one method that has been developed to design concrete to be less prone to early-age cracking. Full Article.
Preserving Bridges - It Means More than You Think, Anwar Ahmad, Federal Highway Administration. Bridge preservation actions and strategies should be considered during all phases of a bridge’s life, from the initial planning through design, construction, service life and decommissioning. Full Article.
Concrete Bridge Views is published jointly by the Federal Highway Administration and the National Concrete Bridge Council.
The March 2013 Focus newsletter published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) includes the following topics:
• Meet the New Steel Bridge Design Handbook
• Pavement Management Roadmap: Achieving the Long–Term Vision for Pavements
• SHRP 2 Implementation Assistance Program Now Accepting Applications
• Building a Better Concrete Pavement
• Join the Asset Management Book Club
• Infrastructure Innovation Webinars
• Highway Technology Calendar
Click here to view the newsletter.
OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY & HR
This month's NRMCA Plant Manager Certification class to take place in Houston is sold out; the next class is scheduled for August 13-16 in Silver Spring, MD (metro Washington, DC). Plant managers serve a vital function, with responsibilities that affect issues from regulatory compliance to product quality, safety and profitability. NRMCA’s certification program helps you make sure that they are up to speed on product knowledge, plant safety, environmental regulations, plant operations and ready mixed concrete industry business principles. This course establishes basic industry standards, measured through certification. Please note that batchmen are required to pass exams by the Army Corps of Engineers for federally awarded projects BEFORE work commences.
Click here for more information, registration options and staff contact.
SUSTAINABILITY
NRMCA, in partnership with the Concrete Joint Sustainability Initiative (CJSI) and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), completed the nine Adopting Disaster Resilient Construction at the Local Level Workshop series last week in Orlando, FL.
The purpose of the workshops was to educate decision makers at the local level on the importance of disaster resilient construction to enhance community continuity in the face of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, earthquakes and floods. Topics covered during the seminar include local disaster risk assessment and mitigation, resilient construction methods, FORTIFIED design and construction programs, building code requirements, safe rooms and storm shelters, flood resistant construction and fire resistance.
The focus now shifts to Identifying localities with individuals who will promote disaster risk reduction and the adoption of code-plus measures in their communities. From this short list, NRMCA and CJSI affiliates will provide support, tools, resources and recognition. Local affiliates will be asked to identify key stakeholders, add capacity and promote disaster resilience through established relationship with target audience.
NRMCA will update the www.nrmca.org/resilience Web site as a resource for interested parties and local advocates. Contact NRMCA’s Tien Peng at 206-913-8535 or tpeng@nrmca.org for more information.
The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSHub) is seeking builders to volunteer for a Focus Group to develop models for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for different construction systems with a focus on housing. LCA is a method that allows decision makers to quantify the environmental performance of buildings. The intention is to develop tools that help speed the adoption of such strategies by identifying information that is useful to decision makers. In the focus group, the CSHub hopes to gain insight on multiple issues from the builders’ participation. These include the use of environmental performance metrics in decision-making, when and how tools are used to determine LCA, and how to increase accessibility of tools to decision makers.
Collaboration with construction industry is an important part of the ongoing MIT research. The CSHub researchers value the time of the builders and are looking for 1-1/2 hours to join a Webinar where they will be asked questions, viewing a presentation and responding to a few multiple choice surveys.
If you know a builder that may be interested or want more information, contact NRMCA’s Tien Peng at 206-913-8535 or tpeng@nrmca.org.
Since its founding nearly 20 years ago, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has evolved into one of the most influential organizations for the construction industry. Its goal is to utilize its members’ collective energies to transform the marketplace and it has certainly done just that. Construction companies worldwide are shifting their business toward green building, with 51 percent of respondents to a survey by research firm McGraw-Hill Construction saying they expect more than 60 percent of their work to be green by 2015.
The new LEED v4 is due to be balloted by the membership this June. Only USGBC members in good standing as of March 31 can vote. By becoming a member, our industry can have an influence on the updates to the family of LEED documents and the USGBC as a whole. Joining the USGBC has never been easier or more affordable. The new membership structure features four dues packages: Organizational, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Each package has a distinct price point and its own set of benefits. This change is intended to help broaden the base of green building supporters and open the door to new members by removing the barrier to entry. Membership starts at just $300 for the Organizational package, though at that level you will not be able to enjoy certain discounts.
While only organizations and businesses can join at the national level of USGBC, influence is strongest at the local level. There are 77 local chapters of the USGBC nationwide where individuals can join and participate. The local chapters are where you can promote your interests, network with allied professionals and learn about green-building policies.
Click here for additional details and to become a member or contact NRMCA's Tien Peng at 206-913-8535 or tpeng@nrmca.org for more information.
NRMCA has finalized the speaker schedule for the 8th Annual International Concrete Sustainability Conference, May 6-8 at the Hotel Sofitel San Francisco Bay. The conference opens with a welcoming reception on Monday, May 6, from 6 - 7 p.m. The Opening General Session starts at 8:30 a.m. on May 7 with Bill Childs, president of Chaney Enterprises and chairman of NRMCA. Dr. Michael Lepech of Stanford University will discuss how innovations in the area of Virtual Infrastructure Management are leveraging the benefits of concrete technologies. Francesca Desmarais of Architecture 2030 will provide an update on the Architecture 2030 Challenge, a key program driving transformation of the building sector. Suneel Vanikar of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will present the latest sustainability initiatives for highway construction.
A total of 18 technical sessions will feature 54 world renowned speakers presenting on topics ranging from green concrete and low-impact development to life cycle assessment and functional resilience. Organizations represented during the technical sessions include Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Cambridge, University of California at Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, FHWA, NASA, PE International, Climate Earth, Skidmore Owings and Merrill, Arup, AECOM and Wildlife Habitat Council just to name a few.
The Closing General Session on May 8, 3:30 - 5 p.m. will feature a panel discussion titled Transparency and Material Ingredient Disclosure: What Google is Doing to Keep its Buildings Healthy. The panel will include representatives from Google, DPR Construction, KPFF Consulting Engineers, Central Concrete, MIT and BASF.
Visit www.concretesustainabilityconference.org to register for the conference and follow links for complete conference schedule and speaker lineup. For more information, contact NRMCA's Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org or 847-918-7101.
Suneel Vanikar (shown here), team leader of the pavement design and analysis team for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), will present the latest sustainability initiatives for highway construction at the 8th Annual International Concrete Sustainability Conference,
 May 6-8, in San Francisco. His presentation will include discussion of the FHWA Invest highway sustainability rating tool during the opening general session. In addition, Ahmad Ardani, manager of concrete laboratories for FHWA, will present Enhancing the Performance of High Volume Fly Ash Concretes Using Fine Limestone Powder during the technical sessions. Other pavement-related presentations include:
• Dr Jim Alleman, professor at Iowa State University, will present The Science and Engineering of Photocatalytic Pavements: Update on the 1st US ‘TX Active’ Highway Application
• Ross Bentsen, materials engineer for Quigg Engineering, Inc., will present Ternary Blend Concrete with Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement as an Aggregate in 2-lift concrete pavement by the Illinois Tollway
• Dr. Liv Haselbach, associate professor at Washington State University, will present Quasi-Steady-State Equilibrium Estimation of Concrete Pavement CO2 Sequestration
• Dr. Jason Ideker, assistant professor at Oregon State University, will present Perceptions and Usage of Recycled Concrete Aggregate Within Transportation Agencies in North America
• Jim Mack, director of market development for CEMEX, will present Designing Sustainable Concrete Pavements using the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide
• Arash Noshadravan, postdoctoral associate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will present Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Pavements Under Uncertainty and Variation
• Jessica Slater, transportation materials specialist at CTL Group, will present Pavement Albedo: Importance and Measurement
• Omar Swei, researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will present Characterizing and Implementing Uncertainty in the Life-Cycle Cost of Pavements
Visit www.concretesustainabilityconference.org for a complete list of conference speakers and other details about the conference. For more information, contact NRMCA's Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org or 847-918-7101.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Media articles on Congress, transportation infrastructure, regulation, heath care, 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 the Week of March 4 - 8, 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 Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.
Congratulations goes to Steve Coppinger, director of energy services, CalPortland Company, for winning the coveted door prize at the CONCRETEPAC Denim and Diamonds Appreciation Reception & Dinner held last week during NRMCA’s Annual Convention in San Antonio, TX. As this year’s door prize winner, Coppinger, will have his choice of a 2013 Cadillac ATS or $30,000.
Over the course of the week, several events were hosted and over $173,000 was raised benefitting CONCRETEPAC, the ready mixed concrete industry’s leading political action committee that supports federal candidates running for election who will champion a pro-ready mixed concrete, pro-business legislative agenda. CONCRETEPAC currently boasts a balance of over $508,500 in reserves. We thank all of our supporters and sponsors of CONCRETEPAC events during the convention. It was a very successful week for CONCRETEPAC.
For more information, contact NRMCA's Kerri Leininger at 240-485-1159 or kleininger@nrmca.org.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
NRMCA's March Internet Spotlight, good through Tuesday, April 2, are the NRMCA Promotion Flip Books. Each of these nine Flip Books are designed to assist in promoting the benefits of concrete to specifiers. These comprehensive 20-page presentations consist of clear, bulleted text and supportive illustrations to be viewed by the specifier, backed by key additional information that only the salesperson can see. Each Flip Book comes with a Windows PowerPoint version on CD-ROM for electronic presentations, which also enables the editing and printing of page updates.
Order online today and receive 25% off. Regular member price is $29, Internet Special $21.75, plus shipping. Discount Code: ISMAR13.
CALENDAR
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.
March 15, Webinar
Effectively Communicating Sustainability
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
March 19, Webinar
Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 19-21, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module IV: Sales Fundamentals
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 19-22, Houston, TX
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 20, Charlotte, NC
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems & Mixture Submittals
Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168
March 21, Webinar
Environmental Product Declarations
Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535
March 26, Webinar
Green-Star Auditor Certification
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
April 4, Baton Rouge, LA
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems & Mixture Submittals
Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168
April 8-11, Online Course
LCA of Concrete Structures
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
April 19, Webinar
Effectively Communicating Sustainability
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 888-84-NRMCA, x1165
April 23, Webinar
Using a Sales Customer Relationship Management System
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
April 24, Webinar
Sustainable Concrete-The Role of Performance-based Specifications
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
May 6-8, San Francisco, CA
International Concrete Sustainability Conference
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
May 12-15, Chicago, IL
Fifth North American Conference on Design and Use of Self-Consolidating Concrete
May 20-23 Online Course
Pervious Concrete: A Stormwater Solution
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
June 3-5, Chicago, IL
Concrete Durability Course
Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168
June 11, Webinar
Concrete Overlays for Streets and Local Roads and Parking Lots
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
June 25, Webinar
Controlling Moisture in Concrete Slabs
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
August 11-15, Montreal
ISARC 2013: 30th International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction, Mining & Petroleum Industries
Email: Chantal Murphy, 514-939-2710, ext. 1309
August 13-16, Silver Spring, MD
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
August 27, Webinar
Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
September 22-24, Las Vegas, NV
Concrete Works & Board of Directors' Meeting
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
November 19-21, Silver Spring, MD
The Effective RMC Supervisor Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 4-6, Orlando, FL
Environmental Professional Certification Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 10-13, Orlando, FL
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
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March 13, 2013
 
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