NRMCA e-news

As reported in September 2013 E-News by Vice President Amy Miller, a high profile Las Vegas, Nevada, engineering firm expressed a desire to become a "go to" firm for concrete paving design in the predominate flexible pavement region in Southern Nevada. Miller, Vice President Jon Hansen, and Tom Tietz, executive director of the California Nevada Cement Association, (CNCA) met with the firm on the last day of NRMCA's ConcreteWorks and presented an introduction to designing parking lots using ACI 330. Since September of 2013, the firm has been involved in designing three concrete parking lots using ACI 330 guidelines.

Last month, Hansen, along with Tom Tietz and Clay Slocum, Pavement Engineer with CNCA were back at the firm for a two hour Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) training session. With the core knowledge of ACI 330 learned earlier, the 18 attendees learned how to customize the CPA data base with local data to make the design process easier and faster. They also learned the value of evaluating rigid and flexable pavement sections for determining comparable design.

For more information, contact Jon Hansen atjhansen@nrmca.orgor Tom Tietz at tom.tietz@cncement.org.

The preliminary estimate of ready mixed concrete produced in December 2013 is 19 million cubic yards, 8.7% higher than in December 2012. The estimated ready mixed concrete production for 2013 is 301.3 million cubic yards, 4% higher than that in 2012.

Registration continues for NRMCA's Plant Manager Class taking place March 25-28, 2014 in Oklahoma City. 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.

The Safety Contest & Benchmarking Survey has for years been a safety performance and incentive/award program aimed to foster safe practices at ready mixed concrete plants across the nation. The Safety Contest & Benchmarking Survey is a per-plant contest open to all facilities operated by NRMCA member companies in good standing in 2013. Companies with more than one division are encouraged to distribute entry blanks to individuals responsible for keeping safety records at each plant location. Entries must be received at NRMCA via e-mail no later than April 15, 2014. Entry forms should be emailed to Karen Bean at kbean@nrmca.org by Tuesday, April 15, 2014.

For more information on, and to download the 2014 Safety Contest & Benchmarking Survey entry form please click here or contact Karen Bean, Gary Mullings.

This survey is filled out by industry fleet managers and/or financial managers early each year, based on data gathered from the previous calendar year’s performance. The Fleet Benchmarking Survey is used to establish industry benchmarking norms and procedures.  Information gathered from the annual Fleet Benchmarking Survey is published in a full report in Concrete InFocus magazine each autumn.  A shorter Executive Summary of the survey is also made available to all. The deadline for submitting completed entries (via email to gmuillings@nrmca.org) is Tuesday, April 1, 2014.

For more information on, and to download the 2014 Fleet Benchmarking Survey entry form please click here or contact Gary Mullings.

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. Any NRMCA member company producing ready mixed concrete from a fixed plant location in the U.S., its territories or Canada is eligible to enter.  Awards will be determined upon individual plant merits; companies may choose to enter plants from any or all of the five production volume categories. All entries and photos must be received (via email to gmullings@nrmca.org) by Thursday, July 31, 2014.

For more information on, and to download the 2014 Environmental Excellence Awards entry form please click here or contact contact: Gary Mullings.

NRMCA has certified an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for CeraTech, Inc., an associate member of NRMCA. "This is the first non-portland cement concrete EPD certified by NRMCA," stated Lionel Lemay, Senior Vice President for Sustainable Development at NRMCA. "This is exciting and demonstrates CeraTech’s commitment towards environmental excellence by reporting their environmental impacts in an EPD," added Lemay.

The EPD covers concrete made with ekkomaxx™ cement concrete for a 6,000 PSI general use, fast drying, and low heat of hydration mix produced in the U.S. The EPD was independently verified under the NRMCA’s EPD Program which was established in 2012.

Incorporated in 2001, CeraTech, Inc., develops additives that, when combined with fly ash, meet ASTM C1157 as a hydraulic cement system. All CeraTech brands are non-portland cements for concrete. CeraTech does not own any concrete plants, but distributes throughout the U.S. to a network of CeraTech Preferred Producers with ready-mix plants producing ekkomaxx^TM cement concrete along with other brands of non-portland cements.

CeraTech engaged LCA consultant Martha VanGeem, to conduct a comprehensive LCA and develop the EPD. They followed the North American Product Category Rule for Concrete developed by the Carbon Leadership Forum, relevant international standards and the NRMCA EPD Program Instructions to complete the EPD. The LCA and EPD were independently verified by Athena Sustainable Materials Institute. As required by the international standards, NRMCA published the EPD on its website.

For more information about NRMCA’s EPD Program and to download a PDF of the CeraTech EPD, visit www.nrmca.org/sustainability/EPDProgram. Contact Lionel Lemay of NRMCA at LLemay@nrmca.org or 847-918-7101.

Educational Activities Committee (EAC) Chairwoman Vicki Tyminski extends a warm invitation to all attendees at NRMCA's 2014 Annual Convention to join the Spring EAC Meeting, Saturday, March 1, from noon to 2 p.m. at The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas. A buffet lunch will be served. As the industry recovers, more producers are evaluating what industry-based training would best serve their staff and companies. Hear about new mixer driver training materials, industry career planning support and NRMCA-sponsored CONEXPO-CON/AGG seminars.

Please join us for a frank discussion about what your company could use to keep employees performing at a national standard. That includes foreseeable publications, classes, Webinars and out-of-box ideas: creative input is most welcome.

For more information, contact staff EAC liaison Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org or 240-485-1164.

NRMCA's Sales Skills, CCSP IV, is scheduled March 18-20, in Silver Spring, MD (Metropolitan Washington, DC) . This innovative three-day course provides a sales framework and toolkit that can immediately adapt to your organization’s strategies to drive revenue. Master the most up-to-date, industry-related, sales fundamentals through ready mix-specific simulations, role plays and case study analyses that include the challenges of selling concrete's sustainability attributes as well as applying tools for pervious and parking lot sales.

Get Results Now: This course is recommended for professionals of all levels, so whether you deal with internal or external customers, these skills will make an immediate impact on your work!

• Volume and Value: Sell both for short and long term results.
• Secrets to Good Relationships: Solve problems and win loyalty.
• Who Calls the Shots?: Find and communicate with decision-makers.
• Role-playing is Serious Business: Learn how practice makes perfect.
• Close Calls: Overcome obstacles and close the sale.

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