NRMCA's celebration of the 100th anniversary of ready mixed concrete in the U.S. continues in July with the histories of two more Producer and Associate members - See below for their respective Web site links. This week's industry milestone: the American Society of Concrete Contractors was organized in 1961.

Producer - TXI. In 1951, Ralph Rogers, a native New Englander, moved to the Southwest and organized the Kenilworth Corporation. Their first acquisition was the Texas Lightweight Aggregate Company in Eastland, TX. Under Rogers’ leadership, TXI began operations in September 1951 with four lightweight aggregate plants and five product plants in Texas and Louisiana. In August 1959, the company announced plans to build its first cement plant in Midlothian, TX. Read more.

An NRMCA producer member since 1997

Associate - Allison Transmission. James A. Allison established the Speedway Team Company in 1915 to support his Indianapolis 500 racing activities. A few years later, the Speedway Team Company changed its name to the Allison Engineering Company. By this time, Allison's reputation for quality is firmly established and the company receives recognition from the U.S. Bureau of Aircraft Production for its Liberty aircraft engines. Read more.

An NRMCA Associate member since 2001

The New York Building Congress has upped its construction activity forecast for New York City for 2014, predicting a need for more than 130,600 construction workers next year -- "within a hair’s breadth of the 2007 boom," according to this article. However, a new mayor will be key to the capital spending aspect of the forecast. "Now that construction is finally picking up, it is vital to ensure that the industry can find enough qualified workers," says Stephen Sandherr, CEO of the Associated General Contractors of America. "There are actions that policy makers should take now before a worker shortage cuts short the industry’s recovery."

The construction company Skanska USA announced that it has resigned as a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in protest of the organization's backing of the American High-Performance Building Coalition (AHPBC), which is lobbying against the use of LEED in government projects and on the Shaheen-Portman Energy Efficiency Bill. "Sustainability is one of Skanska's core values. And we will not be a part of an organization that supports the American High-Performance Building Coalition, which harbors the American Chemistry Council and opposes the implementation of a new, stronger LEED certification program," Michael McNally, Skanska USA CEO and president wrote in a blog post about its resignation.

Dutch scientists say their revolutionary concrete can cut urban air pollution by 45 percent. Eindhoven University of Technology scientists have installed air-purifying cement onto a city block in Hengelo, Netherlands, and published the results, which found that it reduced nitrogen oxide air pollution up to 45 percent in ideal weather conditions. This is an average reduction of 19 percent each day. The concrete, dubbed "photocatalytic," is made with cement sprayed with a chemical, titanium oxide, that neutralizes air pollutants, the researchers’ abstract states.

One way NRMCA helps convert projects to concrete is through the Design Assistance Program (DAP). This tool is highly underutilized despite being highly successful when used. Statistics show that the majority of projects that are run through the DAP are constructed with concrete. To increase usage of this program, NRMCA's national resource directors are taking steps to educate members on a personal basis regarding the use of DAP. Bob Chandler, vice president of NRMCA Producer member Chandler Concrete, recently had welcomed Senior National Resource Director Amy Miller to discuss the program with the Chandler Concrete sales team.

"It’s easy to explain why the industry should be using DAP; the success rate is very high," Miller said. "I enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to speak to this sales team and wanted it to know this service is mostly free and offers not only a design but also a jointing plan done in AutoCAD. Even for projects that will use concrete, we have the chance to help ensure the project will be jointed correctly and proper details noted for construction, allowing for a better end-product. DAP also gives us the opportunity to discuss with the designers and owners a correct design for future projects as well."

To discuss the DAP program and how it can work for your company, please contact a National Resource Director.

The NRMCA Pervious Concrete Promotion Subcommittee will meet at the upcoming NRMCA ConcreteWorks Conference & Expo at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa outside Las Vegas on Sunday, September 22, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Hills meeting room. Topics of discussion will include reviews of the proposed Pervious Maintenance Guidelines and the Guidelines for Specifying Pervious Concrete, reports NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Phil Kresge.

"There are a lot of exciting things going on with pervious concrete," said Kresge. "We still have a great opportunity to promote pervious concrete as 'the preferred' pervious pavement for stormwater management. But key to our success is having the right support materials in place. The development of these two guideline documents will allow us to respond directly to many of the questions and concerns of the design community."

NRMCA's national resource directors have scheduled three Webinars through the rest of July, one each on how to effectively communicate sustainability, roller compacted concrete and NRMCA's Concrete Pavement Analyst software. Click on the respective links below to learn more and to register.

• Thursday, July 18 - Effectively Communicating Sustainability
• Monday, July 29 - Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement
• Wednesday, July 31 - Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) Software

The full conference brochure for NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks & Board of Directors’ Meeting is now available online. This event is scheduled September 22-24 at the Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa outside Las Vegas. The brochure contains everything you’ll need to plan your trip, including keynote speakers, education seminar topics, a full schedule of events, housing information, and details on all the additional activities (National Mixer Driver Championship, exposition hall, networking events and more) that make this program a must-attend for the concrete industry.

In an effort to expand our "Green Meetings" effort, we will not be mailing a hard copy of the brochure this year, so be sure to download the online version and register early to take advantage of fee discounts. We also encourage participants to make flight and hotel arrangements as soon as possible. The NRMCA room block at Red Rock expires on Friday, August 30, but availability is on a first-come, first-served basis until the rooms sell out. In addition, please note that there is a large international music event in Las Vegas in the days preceding our conference and flights may sell out earlier than normal, so plan your travel early to have the most options available.

Please join us on the morning of Tuesday, September 24, for a Walk for Wellness to benefit the RMC Research & Education Foundation. The event will be held in conjunction with NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks Conference & Expo and Fall Board of Directors Meeting outside Las Vegas. Please join us in spreading awareness of how wellness is an important element of daily life, including at the workplace. Your 

participation is a tremendous opportunity to also support this initiative and the Foundation at the same time. Registration will be $25 per walker and will be complimentary for drivers participating in the 8th Annual Truck Mixer Driver Championship.

Last Friday, representatives from NRMCA met with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Anne Ferro, the FMCSA director of government affairs, the FMCSA associate administrator for the Office of Policy and Program Development and, via conference call, the FMCSA chief of Driver and Carrier Operations Division. Friday’s meeting was held at FMCSA’s headquarters to discuss the specifics of how the ready mixed concrete industry operates, how the hours of service (HOS) regulations affect the industry, assist FMCSA with moving forward on NRMCA’s application for an industrywide exemption from the new 30-minute break rule and to follow-up on Chandler Concrete Company’s invitation offering Administrator Ferro a plant tour down in North Carolina.

The meeting helped educate FMCSA on the ins and outs of the ready mixed concrete industry and how it makes concrete mixer drivers a unique class of commercial motor vehicle operator. NRMCA arrived at the meeting with materials highlighting the industry’s product, attention to safety, operations details and statistics, and NRMCA’s industry guidance on regulatory compliance. FMCSA stated it will be reviewing the materials NRMCA brought, in addition to what was sent with NRMCA’s exemption application, in order to appropriately consider and then publish the exemption request in the Federal Register within the next couple of weeks. Finally, Administrator Ferro confirmed her commitment and eagerness to attend the ready mixed concrete plant tour once a specific date can be arranged.

Once again, outstanding fleet graphics will be recognized when NRMCA and Concrete Products magazine team up to hold the 10th Fleet Graphics awards competition. The program honors the best ready mix truck paint and decal schemes, and recognizes individual companies’ methods of promoting professionalism and positive public image for the industry.

 

Award-Winning Categories: First Place, Second Place and Honorable Mention Award winners will be selected from producers in three fleet size categories: Fewer than 25 trucks; 26 to 75 trucks; and more than 75 trucks. Special awards will be presented to one-of-a-kind trucks that have unique designs or community service/promotional messages. There is also a fifth category for restored antique mixer trucks. All entries will receive a Special Recognition Award for showing their support of the industry.

 

Award Presentations: Plaques will be presented to winners during the 2014 NRMCA Annual Convention, which will take place in Las Vegas. Winning and Honorable Mention entries will be featured in an issue of Concrete Products and NRMCA’s Concrete InFocus magazines.

 

Entries & Deadline: Entries can be made electronically by completing the entry form linked below. Entries must include high resolution images of front corner angles and side views of a typical truck, plus a group shot of a fleet showing at least five vehicles. For trucks in the Specialty and Antique classes, include only the font corner angle and side views. Entries must be must be received at NRMCA by Wednesday, July 31.

 

Judging: NRMCA’s OES Committee will assemble a panel of judges representing concrete, trucking and advertising interests. Entries will also be judged by attendees at the 2013 ConcreteWorks to be held outside Las Vegas on September 22-24.

 

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. Winning entrants will be honored at the Awards Luncheon at NRMCA‘s ConcreteWorks which will be held outside Las Vegas in September. Winners will also be featured in a 2013 edition of NRMCA’s Concrete InFocus magazine as well as Concrete Products magazine. All entries (winning & non winners) will receive a recognition certificate for participation in the award program.

 

Entries will be reviewed by a panel consisting of regulatory officials and industry and environmental consultants. Entries will be judged based on an electronic narrative covering 11 criteria. Judges depend heavily on electronic images of submitted plants to complete their evaluations. Participants are required to submit electronic images that clearly demonstrate environmental systems and processes, and at least one image that offers a broad view of the plant site. Judging will take place in early August and entries not using this format will not be judged. All entries must be received by Wednesday, July 31.

 

Approximately 90 percent of producers’ expenses occur in operations and production. Therefore, it has never been more important for your plant crew to be efficient, productive and risk and regulatory savvy. To meet these challenges head on, NRMCA will cover the skills needed in the Plant Manager Certification workshop set for August 13-16 in Silver Spring, MD (metro Washington, DC). This class not only serves producers, but specifically meets the Army Corp of Engineers' contract spec requirement for personnel who must be certified as part of awarded federal contracts. It is also a required class in the NRMCA Operations and Production Track in the STEPS program.

 

NRMCA has extended the deadline for applications for the 2013 NRMCA National Mixer Driver Championship to this Friday, July 19. Please click here to download a copy of the application. This year’s championship will be held at Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa, outside Las Vegas from September 21-23. The driving course competition will be on Sunday, September 22, at 7 a.m.

For more information, contact Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org.

The Product Category Rule (PCR) for Concrete, developed and published by the Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) in November 2012, is being revised in order to address editorial and technical comments received during recent reviews by Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program operators. NRMCA, an EPD Program Operator for concrete products, provided input to the PCR during the verification process of the first North American concrete EPD developed and verified in April of this year. At the same time, ASTM International, also an EPD Program Operator, reviewed the CLF PCR while considering adoption of the PCR under its EPD program. The comments, which are primarily focused on issues related to reference standards and mandatory environmental impact reporting, will help ensure the PCR remains current.

NRMCA will continue to verify EPDs under the current CLF PCR, version 1.0, until version 1.1 is published. Any EPDs verified against version 1.0 of the CLF PCR will remain valid for a period of five years. NRMCA and ASTM have agreed to adopt version 1.1 and begin verifying EPDs once the new standard is published. Version 1.1 of the CLF PCR for Concrete is scheduled to be released in September 2013.

NRMCA recently revised its Environmental Program Operator (EPD) Instructions based on input from one of its EPD verifiers during the recent verification of the first North American EPD for concrete. Version 1.0 of NRMCA EPD Program Instruction, which were developed by NRMCA’s EPD Program Committee in August 2012, have been revised to version 1.1 to address minor issues related to reference standards and mandatory environmental reporting requirements. The revisions ensure that the NRMCA EPD Program remains as consistent as possible with other other EPD programs in order to support the use of that information in LEED v4, IgCC, Architecture 2030 Challenge for Products and other green building and environmental programs.

The House of Representatives is expected to consider H.R. 2218, the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013, legislation that will pre-empt Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classification of coal ash as hazardous waste, thereby preserving our industries’ recycle and "beneficial use" of the material. The legislation may come to the House floor for a vote as early as next week and industry partners would like to present a letter to all members of the House chamber in support of the legislation.

Please consider signing your company’s name to a joint letter in support of the legislation by e-mailing NRMCA’s Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org no later than noon Eastern time on Friday, July 19. The letter will be delivered to House members early next week in anticipation of floor action.

Last Friday, representatives from NRMCA met with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator Anne Ferro, the FMCSA director of government affairs, the FMCSA associate administrator for the Office of Policy and Program Development and, via conference call, the FMCSA chief of Driver and Carrier Operations Division. Friday’s meeting was held at FMCSA’s headquarters to discuss the specifics of how the ready mixed concrete industry operates, how the hours of service (HOS) regulations affect the industry, assist FMCSA with moving forward on NRMCA’s application for an industrywide exemption from the new 30-minute break rule and to follow-up on Chandler Concrete Company’s invitation offering Administrator Ferro a plant tour down in North Carolina.

The meeting helped educate FMCSA on the ins and outs of the ready mixed concrete industry and how it makes concrete mixer drivers a unique class of commercial motor vehicle operator. NRMCA arrived at the meeting with materials highlighting the industry’s product, attention to safety, operations details and statistics, and NRMCA’s industry guidance on regulatory compliance. FMCSA stated it will be reviewing the materials NRMCA brought, in addition to what was sent with NRMCA’s exemption application, in order to appropriately consider and then publish the exemption request in the Federal Register within the next couple of weeks. Finally, Administrator Ferro confirmed her commitment and eagerness to attend the ready mixed concrete plant tour once a specific date can be arranged.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives’ Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law held a hearing highlighting the Regulatory Accountability Act of 2013 (H.R. 2122). The hearing examined the burdensome impact new regulations have on businesses such as ready mixed concrete operations and cement plants. Testifying on behalf of the concrete and cement industries was NRMCA Executive Committee member and Government Affairs Committee Vice Chairman Robert Sells, president of Titan’s the Mid-Atlantic Business Unit.

Sells told lawmakers of the negative and overreaching impacts many regulations have on ready mixed concrete and cement operations, and which haven’t been given proper consideration by the business community and other stakeholders. He noted that the cost impact it takes to implement each rule ultimately stifles job creation and economic growth across the country and stressed the need for commonsense regulations versus just regulations for the sake of regulating by stating, "What we are asking for is a balanced and common-sense approach that provides for justifiable, achievable and cost-effective regulations."

Click here to access Sells’ testimony and the full hearing.

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 the Week of July 8 - 12, please click here.

NRMCA's Innovation in Training Award competition offers producers national recognition for outstanding contributions using progressive staff training as a sound management practice. The program salutes member companies that creatively met the challenge of distributing knowledge with staff or customers. The winner will be honored at the September 23 Awards Luncheon at NRMCA‘s ConcreteWorks outside Las Vegas. The winner will also be featured in a 2013 edition of NRMCA’s Concrete InFocus magazine. All entries (winning & non-winners) receive a recognition certificate for participation in the award program.

Entries will be reviewed by MTSU’s Concrete Institute Management (CIM) faculty. Judges depend heavily on documentation that supports how the training program impacted a producer’s bottom line. Detailed submittal information is on NRMCA’s Web site. All entries must be received by Wednesday, July 31.

 

NRMCA's July Internet Spotlight, good through Tuesday, August 6, is the Hot Weather Package. Now that the hot weather is here, help front line staff brush up on tips to help make the job go easier and get better results with a DVD copy of the How to Keep It Cool: a driver training video that offers tips for placing concrete during hot weather; and 50 copies of the two page Concrete In Practice, Topic #12 Hot Weather Concreting. Each is an easy to understand, informative and comprehensive source of timely and important information.

July 18, Free Webinar

Urban Physics: City Texture Matters

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

July 18, Webinar

Effectively Communicating Sustainability

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

 

July 29, Free Webinar

Design Assistance Program (*NRMCA Members Only)

Email: Amanda Hult

 

July 29, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement

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

 

July 30, Webinar

Behind the Wood First Initiatives 

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

July 31, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software

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

 

July 31, Webinar

The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots

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

 

August 1, Webinar

Sustainable Design with Concrete

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

 

August 6, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete - Part 1 (*Part 2 on August 13)

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

 

August 5-8 Online Course

Concrete's Role in Sustainable Development

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 12-15 Online Course

Pervious Concrete: A Stormwater Solution

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

 

August 13-16, Silver Spring, MD 

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

August 15, Free Webinar

Quasi-Steady-State Equilibrium Estimation of Concrete Pavement CO2 Sequestration

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

August 22, Webinar

Effectively Communicating Sustainability

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

 

August 27, Webinar 

Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans

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

 

August 27, Webinar

Hazard Communication Standard Training for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry

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

 

August 27, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Your Third Choice for Pavement

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

 

August 27-29, San Jose, CA

Concrete Durability Course

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

 

August 30, Webinar

ACI 330 R-08 – The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design

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

 

September 10, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software

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

 

September 10, Webinar

The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots

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

 

September 12, Webinar

Effectively Communicating Sustainability

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

 

September 19, Free Webinar

Coal Ash Material Safety—A Health Risk-Based Evaluation of USGS Coal Ash Data from Five US Power Plants

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

September 22-24, Las Vegas, NV

ConcreteWorks & Board of Directors' Meeting

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

 

September 26, Webinar

Sustainable Design with Concrete

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

 

October 1, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete - Part 1 (*Part 2 on October 8)

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

 

October 1-4, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP I: Introduction to Concrete Fundamentals—Concrete 101

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

 

October 15, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Your Third Choice for Pavement

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

 

November 5, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software

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

 

November 5, Webinar

The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots

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

 

November 7, Webinar

Sustainable Design with Concrete

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

 

November 8, Webinar

ACI 330 R-08 – The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design

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

 

November 12-14, Silver Spring, MD

The Effective RMC Supervisor Course

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

 

November 19, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete - Part 1 (*Part 2 on November 26)

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

 

December 3-5, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP II: Customer Business Knowledge

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

 

December 4-6, Orlando, FL

Environmental Professional Certification Course

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

 

December 5, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Your Third Choice for Pavement

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

 

December 10-13, Orlando, FL 

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

December 23, Webinar

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete - Part 1 (*Part 2 on December 30)

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