NRMCA e-news
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
NRMCA's celebration of the 100th anniversary of ready mixed concrete in the U.S. continues its submissions for October with more Producer and Associate member profiles - see below for their respective Web site links. This week's industry milestone: The first fiber-reinforced concrete pavement was placed in 1971 at a weigh station entrance on I-71 in Ohio.
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.
Saunders Concrete Company, Inc. - Saunders Concrete was established more than 100 years ago in Syracuse, NY, by William F. Saunders. Today it is known as the Saunders Companies and has grown into a leading Central New York concrete and aggregate business with 11 satellite plants, nearly 100 mixer and dump trucks, more than 125 employees and is still family controlled. Read more.
An NRMCA Producer member since 1944 Sysdyne Corporation - Sysdyne develops, markets and supports automated control systems and software products to ready mix concrete producers, precast/prestress plants, block manufacturing and asphalt plants. The company was founded in 1976 as one of the first computer companies in concrete industry. Read more.
An NRMCA Associate Member since 2006
NEWS LINKS
Following last week's NewsLinks' item on the Wood First campaign in British Columbia, and news of devastating fires in wood-built structures in the province, there's news coverage detailing the responses of members of Canadian concrete and steel construction associations about the campaign by the wood industry to persuade provincial and federal governments to give wood preferential treatment over other building materials.
"The issue of Wood First is important to the members of the concrete industry and they were incensed by the process and what was going on inside B.C. politics," said Charles Kelly, president of the British Columbia Ready Mixed Concrete Association.
Source: October 16 posting in the Journal of Commerce. Read more.
From time to time, E-NEWS brings you news of artists around the U.S. who use concrete in their work. Next up in this periodic look at such folks is a Kansas man named Jason Kewley. Kewley’s home and yard are filled with unexpectedly detailed pieces that are commonly, though technically incorrectly, referred to as concrete art. "It’s actually Portland cement and sand, so it’s closer to mortar," Kewley said. "It’s all different concoctions."
Source: An October 19 article by The Emporia (KS) Gazette. Read more.
Yet another example of the durability of concrete. Concrete blocks designed to stop an army invading Britain are now being used to combat erosion on an east Norfolk beach. "The people of Hemsby, who are campaigning and raising funds for DIY coastal erosion defences, have been given permission to move the huge anti-tank defences in a bid to hold back the biting tide. The anti-tank defences have been on Hemsby beach for 60 years, installed during the second world war when Norfolk’s coastline was vulnerable to invasion."
Source: An October 19 posting on the Web site EDP24. Read more.
PAVEMENTS
Registration is now open for the new Designing Pervious Concrete Pavements for Municipal & Commercial Applications online course to be offered December 2-3 from noon to 2 p.m. Eastern time. This course will provide technical and detailed instruction on how to design and implement pervious concrete pavements as a solution to reducing stormwater runoff. Along with understanding the benefits of pervious concrete, attendees will learn the details of hydrological and structural design, specifications, construction testing and placement techniques, and durability and maintenance.
This course is intended for civil engineers, architects, landscape architects, and public works officials and others who design or inspect pavements and stormwater management systems. Participants will receive 4 continuing education hours upon completion of the course and quizzes.
Click here to register for the course. For more information contact Amanda Hult at ahult@nrmca.org or Shawnita Dickens at sdickens@nrmca.org.
PROMOTIONS
NRMCA Vice President, National Resources Amy Miller recently met with NRMCA Producer member Dolese Brothers near its Oklahoma City headquarters to discuss NRMCA’s Design Assistance Program (DAP). Miller met with Dolese sales staff across the state and sales personnel in Louisiana vio a video link. "Our members are sometimes surprised at the depth of resources we have at NRMCA," Miller said. "Our staff is not a large one, but we optimize our time and efforts to help members that want to grow their market. Dolese Brothers is an example of a company that has great depth and wants to use its assets to grow its piece of the proverbial concrete pavement pie."
"It was very interested in our DAP program and how it could utilize it to expand efforts related to concrete pavement opportunities," Miller continued. "I have no doubt it will keep us busy in the coming year. Also, I was extremely impressed with the work and relationships of General Manager Jeff Seeliger and his staff. This is a longstanding company that gives back to its employees and community. " While there, Miller also traveled with some Dolese personnel to a large general contractor to discuss the DAP program and ways in which Dolese/NRMCA could work with it to garner concrete opportunities in jobs. The contractor wished the meeting had happened just two weeks earlier because DAP could helped it win a very large job, Miller said. For more information, contact Amy Miller at amiller@nrmca.org. NRMCA Senior Director, National Resources Doug O'Neill and Jonathan Kuell, executive director of the Northern New England Concrete Promotion Association, recently met with a national design firm with offices in the New England region to discuss its pavement design recommendations and offer alternatives that would better protect the concrete industry, the design team and the owners involved with the projects.
"It was our understanding that it had already accepted the use of ACI 330R-08 in the section of its specification that recommends pavement options," O'Neill said. "But over the last several months we've continued to see the projects coming out of its offices in New England that still referenced AASHTO design methodology, significant reinforcement recommendations along with larger joint spacing than ACI 330R-08 suggests. These outdated design methods make it not only harder for concrete to compete in the marketplace because of the unnecessary costs associated with overdesign, but also creates a potential liability situation with recommending joint spacing that is outside of the industry standards." The design team representatives were a little surprised that the changes that it thought had been made were still not showing up in its reports and agreed to take the necessary steps to include ACI 330-08 wording in its recommendations going forward. "Jon and the NNECPA has worked closely with this firm for some time, offering it support and certification classes for its people, so this meeting and the subsequent quality communication back and forth further solidified the concrete industry's relationship with one of the most active geotechnical firms in the country," noted O'Neill. For more information, contact Doug O'Neill at doneill@nrmca.org. A recent cold call to a contractor in Colorado ended with NRMCA providing a parking lot design for a current project, reports NRMCA Vice President, National Resources Jon Hansen.
"No question, I was fishing for information," Hansen said. "I called a general contractor I knew that had relocated from Minnesota to Denver more than 25 years ago, inquiring if he knew of any concrete contractors who might be in the market to do concrete parking lot work. During our visit, he told me he was currently working on rehabilitating an old auto repair shop into an upscale restaurant and had just received his estimate to repair and resurface the asphalt parking lot. When asked if he’d ever considered a concrete overlay, he asked 'what’s that?'"
Hansen's Denver-based NRMCA colleague Amanda Hult then met the contractor at the site to survey the project, evaluate the existing asphalt condition and determine concrete overlay thickness. A couple of variations of the Design Assistance Program (DAP) have been done to accommodate landscaping required by the city, but the contractor believes the final DAP drawings will be everything the city will require for permitting. In addition to NRMCA helping with the project's design, a local NRMCA member was called in to assist in putting together the right contractor and ready mix supplier for the project.
ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY NEWS
The Manufactures, Products & Services (MPS) Division of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2014 Concrete Cares Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions in community service by an NRMCA producer member company, are now being accepted.
With ready mixed concrete plants in almost every community in America, NRMCA member companies are making a real difference. From Earth Day celebrations, to organized volunteering for Boys & Girls Clubs, local schools and recreation departments, to raising awareness for breast cancer screenings, ready mixed producers are at work every day in their communities. The Concrete Cares Award aims to recognize these efforts and shine a national spotlight on the positive impact ready mixed concrete companies have in hometowns across the nation. A donation, in the name of the selected honoree, will be made to the charity of their choice. The award will be presented at NRMCA’s Annual Convention, March 1-3, 2014 in Las Vegas, during the Association’s annual Awards Breakfast.
Ready mixed concrete producers that are members of NRMCA are eligible for nomination. To check out past honorees and submit a nomination for consideration, please use the form found here and forward the nomination form and supporting materials to Kathleen Carr-Smith, senior vice president, membership and communications, via e-mail at kcarrsmith@nrmca.org or mail to 900 Spring Street, Silver Spring, MD, 20910. Nominations must be received by Tuesday, December 31, for consideration.
NRMCA has a long tradition of holding regional meetings across the country as a means of fostering greater cooperation and communication between local, state, regional and national industry representatives focused on making concrete THE construction material of choice. We are pleased to bring Regional ConcreteWorks events to the Southwest Region on Thursday, November 7,and the Great Lakes Region on Friday, November 15. These meetings expands on our previous Regional Work Plan meetings by adding educational programming on critical industry issues and initiatives. The content has been selected by our state affiliate association partners to ensure we are delivering information on issues of local interest. To view the program and register for the Southwest event, click here, and to view program information and register for the Great Lakes event, click here.
Additional Regional ConcreteWorks events are being scheduled in the Atlantic, North Central, South Central, Rocky Mountain and Northwest regions – if you work in one of these areas and wish to receive program information when it becomes available, please contact NRMCA’s Nicole Maher at nmaher@nrmca.org. For those working in the Gulf Coast, Lower Atlantic and Northeast regions, 2013 events have already been held, but will be scheduled again in 2014.
The Fall edition of NRMCA's quarterly magazine, Concrete InFocus, has a number of timely and informative articles available only online, including Elements of a Quality Management System for a Concrete Producer: Part 15 of the NRMCA Concrete Quality Series. Look for more highlights of online articles in upcoming editions of E-NEWS.
OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY & HR
Registration closes on Thursday, October 24, for NRMCA's annual training course for front line supervisors. The class will be held November 12-14 at NRMCA headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the most common business lawsuit filed is by employees against their employers - and the employees cite their direct supervisor as the cause. Therefore, the class audience is plant and area managers, operations, dispatch, fleet and driver supervisors, as well as QC supervisors. Content includes industry-specific, hands-on exercises to develop solid procedures to increase efficiency and profitability using better communication skills with front line employees.
This class is scheduled for just once a year. Training reduces risk: No producer’s bottom line can afford an expensive internal attack!
Click here for registration options and NRMCA staff contact for more information.
SUSTAINABILITY
Lionel Lemay, NRMCA senior vice president of sustainability, participated in Converge 2013 last week in Vancouver, Canada. The conference was a gathering of national leaders in the Canadian materials and construction industries to discuss the impacts of materials, new technologies and product choices on sustainable building practices. Converge 2013 was an informed dialogue between all stakeholders regarding current government policies about the use of materials, including an independent assessment of the real-world effectiveness of British Columbia’s "Wood First" policy. Leaders from the concrete, steel and wood industries came together to share what each sector is doing to push the Canadian construction sector forward. The conference was the first of its kind in North America and is the brainchild of British Columbia Ready Mixed Concrete Association Executive Director Charles Kelly.
Lemay presented Social Values, Social Responsibilities and the Concrete Industry and participated on a panel discussion on industry initiatives to incorporate life cycle thinking into product evaluation and process improvements. The discussion centered on research being conducted at MIT and progress toward meeting reporting requirements in LEED v4, including Environmental Product Declarations, Responsible Sourcing and Material Ingredient Disclosure. For more information on NRMCA sustainability initiatives, visit www.nrmca.org/sustainability or contact Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org or 847-918-7101.
The nonprofit group Architecture 2030 is launching a new initiative called the 2030 Palette - a free, visually oriented online design tool which strives to provide architects, planners and designers with information to help their project reduce fossil fuel energy use, preserve ecosystems, make more effective use of site renewable resources and, ultimately, adapt to climatic change. The widely adopted 2030 Challenge aims to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in new construction and to achieve carbon neutrality of our built environment by 2030. A full public release is scheduled in November in Philadelphia at GreenBuild 2013.
The 2030 Palette resource is organized as a set of interrelated elements called swatches, which are grouped into broad categories at different scales labeled region, city/town, district, site and building. Each swatch provides a brief technical description/design guideline, with an accompanying set of illustrative photographs, links to other relevant swatches within the 2030 Palette, and a listing of tools and resources: books, publications, and Web sites.
After a long career in passive solar architecture, Ed Mazria, founder of the non-profit Architecture 2030, has been charged with steeply reducing the carbon footprint of architecture – most notably with his 2030 Challenge. The 2030 Challenge for Products takes the goals to the next level, challenging product manufacturers to create products that meet a carbon footprint of 50% below the product by 2030. A year ago, in an effort to help concrete producers reduce their carbon footprint and meet this challenge, NRMCA announced that it had signed on to the 2030 Challenge for Products.
Click here for more information or contact NRMCA's Tien Peng at 206-913-8535 or tpeng@nrmca.org.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
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 October 14 - 18, 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 Elizabeth Fox at efox@nrmca.org. EDUCATION &TRAINING
As a tough year closes, now is the best time for sales reps to really concentrate on mastering how their customers' businesses work. No rock should be left unturned for possible quick orders or to tactically plan for 2014. To help, NRMCA will offer a hands-on, updated workshop, CCSP Module II, Understanding Your Concrete Contractor's Business, December 3-5 in Silver Spring, MD, at the RMC Research & Education Foundation Center.
Topics tie directly into what a sales rep should know that impacts business, including learning about contactors’ estimating methods, bidding, design, procurement, project planning and scheduling. Those that pass the optional exam receive credit toward CCSP Module II certification. This is a required class for STEPS recognition.
Click here to register or for more information.
On Wednesday, November 20, from noon to 12:30 p.m. Eastern time, NRMCA will host a free Webinar, STEPS™ A Long Term Career Tool for the RMC Industry. Because STEPS® (Seminars, Training, & Education, Programs) continues to play an important role in the ready mixed concrete industry as its premier certification program, this short, FREE Webinar will discuss what the program is and how to enroll. Learn how STEPS® encourages industry employees to participate in a broad range of technical, operations, sales and sustainability classes through NRMCA, state associations and through their respective companies. The program also builds industry-wide standards for consistent performance that not only enhances business outcomes but also illustrates to employees that they have a device to plan long-term ready mixed concrete careers.
Click here to register. For more information, contact Eileen Dickson at 240-485-1164 or edickson@nrmca.org. PRODUCTS & SERVICES
NRMCA's October Internet Spotlight, good through Tuesday, November 5, is the new Hazard Communication for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry Guide. The new Hazard Communication Standards (HCS) from OSHA requires chemical manufacturers, distributors or importers (including ready mixed concrete producers) to make adjustments to their Hazard Communication Plan; NRMCA wants to make sure our members are ready for these new OSHA requirements taking effect on Sunday, December 1. As another vital addition to the NRMCA Safety Series, this CD-based PowerPoint training guide provides the ready mixed concrete producer with the tools to train employees on OSHA's new Hazard Communication Standard changes.
Order this important safety topic online today receive 20% off. Regular member price is $85, Internet Special $68.00, plus shipping. Discount Code: ISOCT13. CALENDAR
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.
October 29, Free Webinar
Green-Star Auditor Certification
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
November 4, Nashville, TN
Pervious Concrete Technician Certification
Email: Darla Sparkman
November 4, Webinar
Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
November 4, Webinar
The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
November 4-8, Silver Spring, MD
Concrete Technologist Training & Certification "Short Course"
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
November 7, Scottsdale, AZ
Regional ConcreteWorks, Southwest Region
Email: Nicole Maher, 240-485-1158
November 8, Webinar
ACI 330 R-08 – The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
November 8, Phoenix, AZ
Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification
Email: Susan Kregar, susan@azconcrete.com
November 12-14, Silver Spring, MD
The Effective RMC Supervisor Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
November 15, Okemos, MI
Regional ConcreteWorks, Great Lakes Region
Email: Nicole Maher, 240-485-1158
November 19, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete - Part 1 (*Part 2 on November 26)
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 2-3, Online Course
Designing Pervious Concrete Pavement for Municipal & Commercial Applications
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
December 3, Webinar
Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 3, Sacramento, CA
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems and Mixture Submittals
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
December 3-5, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP II: Customer Business Knowledge
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 4, Glendora, CA
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems and Mixture Submittals
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
December 4-6, Orlando, FL
Environmental Certification Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 9-12, Online Course and Certification
Concrete's Role in Sustainable Development
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
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
2014
January 14, Webinar
Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
January 20-23, Webinar
Building Green with Concrete
Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535
January 28, Webinar
RCC: Intro to Design and Construction Webinar
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
February 11-12, Online Course
Designing Jointed Concrete Pavement for Streets and Parking Areas
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
February 24-27, Webinar
LCA of Concrete Structures
Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535
March 18, Webinar
Controlling Moisture in Concrete Slabs
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
March 25, Webinar
Concrete Overlays for Streets and Local Roads and Parking Lots
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
May 6, Webinar
Soils 101
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
June 17, Webinar
Concrete Pavement Jointing Plans
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
August 19, Webinar
Controlling Moisture in Concrete Slabs
Email: Amanda Hult, 303-953-2382
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