RaceTrak is a  gas/convenience store chain with more than 600 locations from Texas to Georgia that has had a strong preference for concrete parking lots for at least 20 years. The key reason is that the aesthetic look of concrete supports the inviting, bright and clean look of the stores that is so important to RaceTrak. The additional safety factor of good parking lot  illumination is also appreciated by the company and its customers, and management recognizes the increased benefits of concrete on that score as it quickly expanded the use of LED lights. Approximately 80% of the chain’s 80-100 new stores planned for 2016 are expected to include concrete parking lots.

When a large number of promoters from one promotion group signed up for a specific Webinar, it fostered a new idea in information transfer: Why not do a specific Webinar, customized, just for this group? "The Ohio Concrete Association was juggling four individual schedules to try and make a planned Webinar occur. NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Jon Hansen then suggested it tell NRMCA when the time was best for each of them; we then scheduled a dedicated Webinar just for it. The best part? NRMCA was able to bring examples of promotion that were specific to its geographical area, said Hansen who conducted the Webinar with his colleague Phil Kresge. All the microphones were opened during the Webinar, allowing everyone to ask questions and comment.

"This Webinar was the next best thing to sitting down across the table from each other and working through promotion challenges face to face," Hansen said. "We encourage everyone to think about this method of promotion training and contact us with ideas and topics you would like to bring to your group."

NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Phil Kresge recently hosted a lunch-and-learn presentation for representatives from the Architectural Transportation group in the New York City offices of HDR, Inc. The topic of the presentation was "Sustainable Development Utilizing Concrete Technology," and focused on the concrete industry’s sustainability initiatives. Special attention was given to the industry-wide Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) developed by NRMCA.

Kresge also discussed concrete’s role in sustainable development, focusing on the environmental benefits of concrete paving and structures. An introduction to pervious concrete was included. Throughout the presentation, Kresge highlighted the research being conducted at the Concrete Sustainability Hub at MIT. He encouraged the attendees to visit the Hub’s Web site as well as the RMC Research and Education Foundation's Web site to access the numerous research reports and other support materials available.

Headquartered in Omaha, NE, with 225 offices in eight countries, HDR, Inc. specializes in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services.

The preliminary estimate of ready mixed concrete produced in October 2015 is 34.2 million cubic yards, 2.5% lower than that in October 2014. The estimated production through October 2015 is 285 million cubic yards, 2.5% higher than that during the same period in 2014.

NRMCA is offering its information packed one-day course, Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems and Mixture Submittals, intended for concrete producers, contractors, engineers and testing labs on Wednesday, February 24 in Atlanta in association with the Georgia Ready Mixed Concrete Association and the Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia, Inc. This one-day course will cover code and specification requirements (ACI 318, 301, ASTM C94) governing ready mixed concrete and address many other topics, including:

• What are the durability exposure classes in ACI 318?
• What are the changes in the new ACI 318-14 that are related to ready mixed concrete?
• What are some specification revisions that can provide all around benefits in performance and cost?
• What are the causes for low strength problems and who is responsible?
• What should be on a concrete test report?
• Non-destructive testing, Coring – when and how?
• How to do a proper mixture submittal?

Course instructors are Luke Snell, P.E., FACI, FASCE, Western Technologies and Karthik Obla, Ph.D., P.E., NRMCA vice president, technical services. Producers, contractors, engineers and testing labs will find the discussions on investigating low strength problems and specifications very helpful in addressing issues that impact partnering, project cost and schedule. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will earn 8 professional development hours, a certificate of completion and credits toward NRMCA’s STEPS program.

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

The following is a summary of activity at the ASTM meeting held earlier this month Committees C09 on Concrete and C01 on Cement attended by NRMCA staff in Tampa, FL.

C09.20 Concrete Aggregates - A definition of "recycled material" as aggregate in the terminology of Specification ASTM C33 for Concrete Aggregates was approved after resolving several negatives that opposed the inclusion of this term. Recycled materials would need to meet the requirements of C33 with no changes to the specification. A specification for mineral fillers for use in concrete failed to resolve some negative votes, but is getting closer to approval. Mineral fillers, such as finely ground calcium carbonate or other crushed fines from aggregate may be used in self-consolidating or conventional concrete. The subcommittee will consider deleting the appendix to C33 that provides guidance on alkali aggregate reaction and instead refer to practice ASTM C1778 on alkali aggregate reactions. Revisions were approved to C29 for measuring bulk density of aggregates and additional revisions are ongoing.

C09.26 Chemical Reactions - A ballot to reapprove ASTM C289 failed and this method will not be maintained in the future. ASTM C289 is a chemical method for determining the reactivity of aggregates and is not considered to provide reliable results.

C09.40 Ready Mixed Concrete - After attempts spanning several years, a new specification for reuse of fresh returned concrete was approved. Several negatives had to be addressed – some philosophically opposed to the secification, and others addressing specific technical details. The specification will establish limits and criteria for the returned concrete that can be reused by top-loading fresh material to create a new batch. The subcommittee will include a reference to this specification (when published) in ASTM C94. A key provision is that the use of returned fresh concrete is permitted when approved by the purchaser of ready mixed concrete.

A revision to C94 that permits the use of electronic delivery tickets was approved. There were several concerns with this proposal that needed to be addressed. Other minor revisions to C94-15a were also approved. These were primarily clarification items and corrections of minor errors.

The subcommittee will revisit the issue of eliminating time limits to delivery (90 minute), consider a performance-based option and scheduling when ordering concrete, permitting job site adjustments using admixtures and propose several revisions in the testing sections of the specification. Researchers from the CIM program at New Jersey Institute of Technology presented some preliminary information on a research program that is focused on the 90-minute time limit for delivery of concrete. The research report, when completed, will be provided as technical information to support the subcommittee's ballot item on this issue.

C09.60 Fresh Concrete Tests - Minor revisions were in process for slump (C143), density or unit weight of fresh concrete (C138) and the volumetric air method (C173). A precision statement based on a recently completed interlaboratory study is being proposed for the pressure air method (C231).

A new practice on measurement of electrical resistivity of fresh concrete was balloted. It was suggested that the method could be used to estimate water-cement ratio (with pre-established calibration), estimate setting time, evaluate uniformity of mixing and to predict early age strength. Several negatives were recorded for this proposed standard.

C09.61 Strength - Revisions to ASTM C39 were proposing tolerances on test age and the time from which the age of the cylinder begins were approved. Revisions to C31 and C78 were approved to permit the use of beams with 4 x 4 inch cross section for flexural strength measurements. The subcommittee is also working on an interlaboratory study to develop a new precision statement for flexural strength tests. The subcommittee considered proposals to include provisions for preparing and testing cube specimens for strength of concrete. Proponents will likely develop a separate standard for testing cubes rather than including provisions in the existing standard. 

C09.66 Fluid Penetration - The subcommittee continues to work on finalizing the surface resistivity test using Wenner probe which can be used for concrete quality assurance.  

C01.10 Hydraulic Cement - Revision to cement standards are discussed in an ASTM AASHTO harmonization task group to ensure the requirements in the equivalent ASTM and AASHTO specifications are consistent. Revisions were approved to revise the requirements for loss on ignition and insoluble residue limits in ASTM C150 that restrict the ability to incorporate 5% limestone. A revision to remove the requirements for limestone to be added to blended cements in specification C595 was approved. These requirements set limits on the methylene blue index and total organic carbon on limestone. Research has indicated that these limits do not impact the performance of cement.

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

Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released its long-awaited final rule for mandating Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) for Hours of Service (HOS) compliance. Unfortunately, as we anticipated, the final rule does hold a requirement for the industry to install and use ELDs. While there are a lot of items contained in the rule that will need to be fleshed out, the main provisions concerning the ready mixed concrete industry include:

1. Short-haul drivers that are able to take advantage of the 100 air-mile logging exemption are exempt from installing and using ELDs. However, if a driver exceeds the exemption thresholds (works past 12 hours, or drives past 100 air miles) at least 8 days in any 30-day period, then that driver/truck will need to install and use ELDs until the rolling 30-day period is reset. This is essentially the Trojan horse that requires ELDs in all Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs). Unfortunately, the ready mixed concrete industry will potentially trip this threshold during large jobs or during the busy months;

2. ELDs will only be required in trucks manufactured after the year 2000;

3. New paperwork retention requirements and specific ELD configuration requirements;

4. The rule will be effective 60 days after it’s published in the Federal Register (December 16, 2015); and

5. Carriers will have two years from the date of publication in the Federal Register to install and start using ELDs (December 18, 2017).

NRMCA is still combing through the 516-page rule, so there will be more analysis yet to come. As well, in early 2016 NRMCA plans to hold a Webinar that will cover the new HOS changes contained in the FAST Act along with these new ELD requirements. On the advocacy front moving forward, NRMCA believes that given the progress made on HOS requirements contained in the FAST Act, those provisions hold the potential for possible remedies specific for the ready mixed concrete industry.

The pre-published final rule can be found here. For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.

NRMCA will offer its Plant Manager Certification course four times in 2016. Please plan carefully if your company needs certified staff for a contract. Note that classes typically sell out at least one month in advance.

1.January 23-26, Omaha, NE *Sold Out 

2.February 23-26, Honolulu. Plane fare from West Coast to Honolulu is reasonable this time of the year. This is a once-in-a-life time opportunity for mainlanders.

3.April 5-8, Birmingham, AL, only Eastern U.S. location in 2016

4.December 2016 location and dates will be announced soon.
 

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 2015 Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Driver of the Year Award winner will be honored at an awards presentation ceremony at NRMCA’s Annual Convention in San Diego in April 2016. All nomination applications are due no later than Thursday, December 31.

 

Speakers have been selected for the 2016 International Concrete Sustainability Conference (2016 ICSC) scheduled for May 15-18 in Washington, DC. Speakers from nearly 30 countries will present the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research, tools and solutions for sustainable concrete manufacturing, design and construction. Engineers, architects, public works officials, material suppliers, researchers, academics, students, contractors, and concrete industry professionals are invited to attend the conference. The 11th annual ICSC makes its way to the U.S. capital for the first time. Nearly 100 researchers and practitioners will present on topics ranging from resilience and low impact development to life cycle assessment and material science. Topics related to corporate social responsibility will also be presented. Visit www.2016ICSC.org for a list of speakers.

For the first time, the 2016 ICSC will be co-located with International Self-Consolidating Concrete Conference (SCC 2016). Primary sponsors, the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) and NRMCA hope that combining these important conferences will provide the best learning opportunities on the latest advances in concrete technology as they relate to SCC and concrete sustainability in general. The SCC conference will feature nearly 200 expert researchers and practitioners from nearly 50 countries presenting on topics ranging from SCC materials and design methodology to production and quality control. Performance measurement, economics and sustainability of SCC, and many case studies involving the use of SCC in iconic structures will also be presented.

For more information contact Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org or 847-918-7101.

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 December 7 - 11, 2015, please click here.

On December 11, the House cleared a five-day extension of federal spending in order to avert a government shutdown. The negotiations of the $1.1 trillion bill are taking much longer than anticipated which might indicate a larger bill containing a tax extenders package is on the horizon. The biggest delay in introducing the spending bill, also referred to as the Omnibus, are Republican policy riders and a provision to repeal the crude oil export ban. Since this is a must pass bill, Republicans and Democrats are crafting a measure that will provide a big win for their respective parties. The House is expected to introduce the Omnibus and tax extenders package on Tuesday and then the Senate will combine both into one broad package.

In lieu of a firm deal, a backup tax extenders bill was introduced and passed in the House Ways and Means Committee on December 7. HR 34, the Tax Increase Prevention and Real Estate Investment Act of 2015, is a two-year bill that includes the earned income tax credit and a delay in the Obamacare "Cadillac" Tax. Also included in the measure is a provision important to the ready mixed concrete industry to extend the 50 percent bonus depreciation for property purchased in 2015 or 2016 and a provision to extend expensing limits and phase-out amounts for Section 179 to $500,000 and $2 million, respectively. The current expense limit is $25,000 and the phase-out amount is $200,000. Congress is still negotiating the final details of the tax extenders package which is set to expire at the end of this year. While the details are not public yet, it is highly likely that there will be a provision to extend bonus depreciation and increase Section 179 expensing levels.

It's the time of year to show your support for one of NRMCA’s most important programs – CONCRETEPAC. Registration is now open for corporate sponsorship of CONCRETEPAC  events being held during the 2016 NRMCA Annual Convention at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego from April 10-12, 2016. These are CONCRETEPAC's  largest events of the year and we hope you will consider supporting the concrete industry's premier political action committee through corporate sponsorship. This year’s events include a golf tournament and the CONCRETEPAC ‘Back the Pac’ Appreciation Reception & Dinner with live & silent auctions, followed by the most coveted event of the year, a door prize drawing for a 2016 Cadillac ATS Sedan or $30,000.

As you know, supporting  CONCRETEPAC is an excellent way for your company to advertise in front of the industry's top executives. More than 400 of the ready mixed concrete and cement industry's top executives will be in attendance. In addition, registering as a corporate sponsor of CONCRETEPAC helps NRMCA to underwrite the costs associated with hosting fundraisers.  Remember, corporate funds may be used to sponsor CONCRETEPAC  events.

Click here to become a corporate sponsor of CONCRETEPAC. For more information, please contact NRMCA’s Kerri Leininger at kleininger@nrmca.org.

This is your last call to submit entries for NRMCA's 2016 Kids Art Contest, sponsored by the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau. The theme for the contest is "Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Driving Safety". The contest is open to children up to grade 12 who have a relationship to an NRMCA Member.

• All entrants must be related to or sponsored by an NRMCA member.

• Contestants are limited to one entry each.

• Artwork should be 100% produced by the entrant and be original.

• Entries may be in a medium of the artist's choice (oil, water color, pastels, pencil, pen and ink, charcoal, crayon, etc.). Entries can be a drawing, collage, painting or other two-dimensional work.

• Entries must incorporate a ready mixed concrete truck in some manner, but should not be limited solely to a picture of a ready mixed concrete truck.

• Entries must be on 11" x 14" flat paper. We encourage artwork to be on good quality bond or drawing paper, or illustration board. Entries should not be framed or matted.

• For contact purposes, please include artist’s name, address, phone number, age and grade, and the name of the NRMCA Member and that relationship to the artist on the back of their artwork.

• Entries must be post marked no later than December 31, 2015.

Entries will be divided into the following grade categories: pre-K - K; 1-3, 4-6 and 7-12. First, second and third place winners will be selected from each grade category. Prizes will be awarded in each grade category ($100 first; $50 second and $25 third place). Entries will be judged only against others in their grade category and based on originality, effort, creativity, composition and interpretation of the theme "Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Driving Safety".  

Winners in each category will be announced at NRMCA’s Annual Convention, March 13-15, 2016, in San Diego. First place entries will be auctioned off at the CONCRETEPAC Auction. Images of the winning entries will be used later in the year to create a 2017 NRMCA calendar; winners and each sponsoring member will receive a free copy of the calendar. Selected entries will also be displayed at NRMCA’s Annual Convention. NRMCA reserves the right to copy and modify any entry for reproduction. Entries will not be returned and may be used for future promotional opportunities.

Entries must be post marked no later than December 31, 2015, and should be mailed or delivered to:

Jill Landry

NRMCA 

900 Spring Street

Silver Spring, MD 20910 

RMC Business Knowledge for Sales Reps (CCSP III) - February 23-25, Silver Spring, MD. Click here for more course information, staff contact and registration options.

Professional Sales Skills (CCSP IV) - March 15-17,  Silver Spring, MD. Click here for more information, registration options and staff contact.

 

January 13 - 15, Orlando, FL

Dispatcher Training Forum

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

 

January 20-21, Webinar

Building Green with Concrete

Email: Tien Peng or 206-913-8535

 

January 26 - 29, Omaha, NE

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

January 27, Free Webinar

Performance–Based Specifications

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

 

February 8 - 12, Des Moines, IA

Regional Concrete Technologist Training and Certification Course "Short Course"

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

February 23 - 25, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge

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

 

February 23 - 26, Honolulu

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

February 24, Atlanta

Handling Concrete Specifications

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

 

March 22 - 24, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills

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

 

April 5 - 8, Birmingham, AL

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

April 10 - 12, San Diego

NRMCA's Annual Convention

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

 

May 15 - 18, Washington, DC

International Concrete Sustainability & Self-Compacting Concrete Conference

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101