NRMCA e-news

The increasingly popular NRMCA Parking Lot Boot Camp heads to the Eastern shore of the United States this week. Hosted by an NRMCA ready mix Producer member, the workshop will be conducted by vice presidents, national resources, Amy Miller and Jon Hansen who will conduct the 10-hour parking lot training session by focusing on how to find, bid, sell and deliver a concrete parking lot project to owners while partnering with contractors to make it happen. Boot camp covers all parking lot options, including new construction, parking lot overlays, a section on pervious concrete and roller compacted for parking lot applications.

You can find more information on the Parking Lot Boot Camp by viewing the new brochure. For more information, contact Jon Hansen at jhansen@nrmca.org or any national resource director.

In the just-released Spring edition of NRMCA’s qaurterly magazine Concrete InFocus there is an article by CEMEX’s Jim Mack titled "How the Concrete Paving Industry is Incorporation Sustainability into Our Practices." This is an excellent, succinct statement of the concrete industry’s sustainable initiatives and practices along with how the MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub is advancing these efforts. The article very effectively connects the dots between sustainability practices in the concrete industry and MIT-recommended approaches and tools  that are available to agencies so they can compare equivalent designs in regard to both environmental impact and cost. These tools enable competition that paves the way for taxpayer benefits and expanding concrete opportunities. These benefits and opportunities will be the focus of a follow-up article that will be published in the summer edition of the magazine.

Gregg Lewis, AIA, LEED AP, has joined NRMCA as senior director, building innovations. His primary objective will be to offer technical expertise to developers and design professionals in order to incorporate cutting-edge concrete solutions into their building projects. Mr. Lewis, based in Southwest Virginia, is an award-winning architect with over 20 years of experience providing sustainable and economical building designs to his clients. In his new position at NRMCA, he will integrate teams of architects, engineers and contractors to offer durable, energy efficient and economical concrete solutions that meet the needs of both building developers and their tenants.

 

Mr. Lewis is a longtime advocate of sustainability and green building, spending his entire career creating green homes, buildings and communities. One of his crowning achievements was spearheading the internationally acclaimed Cradle to Cradle Home Design Competition challenging designers worldwide to consider the life-cycle of building design and construction. Over the last several years, while working with AECOM, Mr. Lewis coordinated design, technical assistance and economic analysis for multiple USAID Haiti earthquake recovery projects totaling over $100 million. His most recent effort centered on a non-profit group he founded called More For Our Money to encourage legislative and public awareness campaigns focused on improving competition and value in the highway infrastructure throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

 

"Gregg’s addition will help NRMCA strengthen its presence in the building sector nationally, ensuring the concrete is well represented," said NRMCA President Robert Garbini. "With the growing emphasis on life-cycle cost analysis, resilient construction and energy efficiency in the building industry, it is important that the concrete industry underscores its strengths in those areas."

Lewis holds a bachelor’s degree in architectural history from Trinity College in Hartford, CT, a master of architecture degree from Yale University and an MBA from Wake Forest University. He is a registered architect in Virginia, a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified EarthCraft Builder with the Virginia Sustainable Buildings Network, and a Building Performance Institute Building Analyst.

For more information, contact Mr. Lewis at glewis@nrmca.org or 540-529-3893.

Concrete’s price increased 4.7 percent compared to last year, according to the January Producer Price Indices (PPI). Year-over-year declines in steel (-1.5 percent) and lumber (-0.5 percent) and an uptick in asphalt (1.3 percent) were also reported. Since 2013, steel has maintained a relatively narrow range of price movement. This is likely due to moderated global economic conditions. Asphalt has shown a slight but consistent rise during the same period.

On a month-to-month basis, concrete and lumber were up 0.7 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively. For lumber, the increase came on the heels of three months of consecutive declines. A strong start to the year in terms of the housing market could boost lumber prices as the construction season begins to unfold later in the year. Asphalt’s 0.4 percent decline was the first since the previous July and falls within the three to six month lag period that embodies the correlation between oil price movement and asphalt price. This may indicate the start of a significant drop in asphalt prices during the coming months.

Concrete is an essential construction material for roads, buildings or infrastructure projects. Concrete is almost always the right choice because it can be customized for strength, durability cost, and sustainability. A July workshop at the Portland Cement Association's suburban Chicago headquarters is an attempt to ensure that the right curriculum is available to students in engineering and architecture schools. The Professors’ Workshop is designed to provide faculty in engineering, architecture and construction management programs the tools to teach the latest developments in concrete design, construction, materials, pavements and sustainability.

NRMCA is among the several industry organizations that sponsor this week-long workshop that provides opportunities to facilitate exchange of ideas between professors from many universities. Companies or local industry groups often sponsor professors from their local universities to attend this workshop. The handout material and presentations provided to the professors exceeds $2,000 in value. The registration fee is very nominal. Space is limited to first come, first served basis.

The workshop is scheduled for July 20 – 24 in Skokie, IL. For more information, visit www.cement.org.

NRMCA is proud to announce the return of its Antique Mixer Truck Calendar for 2016. NRMCA is seeking pictures of refurbished antique mixer trucks; should you have an antique mixer truck, we encourage you to submit your high resolution picture(s) along with a short description of the truck (make, model, year, location, etc.). NRMCA is also looking for black and white pictures from years gone by of your fleet to supplement the calendar.

Images must be submitted no later than Monday, June 1. Please submit all pictures and descriptions via e-mail to either Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org or Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org. Thank you in advance for your participation. We look forward to seeing your submissions.

Just in time for the busy season, NRMCA launches its latest online safety lesson for mixer drivers, Working Safely On and Around Mixer Trucks. According to OSHA, slips, trips and falls constitute the majority of workplace accidents. That includes 15% of all workplace deaths. As a result, this lesson discusses safe practices for mixer truck drivers who climb up and down steps and ladders to their truck cabs and discharge hoppers approximately 10 times each day. It reviews and emphasizes the use of three points of contact and various safety procedures on and working around mixer trucks when mounting or dismounting these vehicles. Specific challenges for front and rear discharge mixers are covered. Additionally, the lesson covers ergonomic best practices to help mitigate possible muscle strains, sprains, or tears due to repetitive actions while working on and around a mixer. Keep your drivers safe and mitigate possible injury!

This title joins four others in the Online Safety Series (OSS) library. Each streamed lesson in the library is about 20 minutes long and includes quizzes to provide proof of training and comprehension. They are accessible online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with one month streaming access per title per company: $100 member, $400 non-member.

The second Women in Concrete Forum will open the 10th annual International Concrete Sustainability Conference, to be held in May in Miami. The Women in Concrete Forum, sponsored by NRMCA, the Women in Concrete Alliance (WICA) and the Iberoamerican Federation of Ready Mixed Concrete (FIHP), will feature speakers and panel discussions on the role of women in the concrete industry and how gender diversity can help meet the challenge of concrete industry sustainability. Both women and men are invited to participate. The forum will take place from 1–5 p.m. on Monday, May 11, at the InterContinental Miami Hotel. The International Concrete Sustainability Conference, featuring over 60 experts from around the world, takes place May 11-13 at the same location. Featured speakers for the Women in Concrete Forum include:

• Esther Arteta, director of quality, Cementos Argos, Colombia

• Amparo Bocanegra, director of human resources, Cemex Colombia

• Kristen Braden, construction project manager, H.R. Gray

• Teresa Cendrowska, vice president of global cooperation, ASTM International

• Anne Ellis, past president ACI International / vice president, innovation and knowledge share director, AECOM

• Julie Garbini, executive director, RMC Research & Education Foundation

• María José García, director, Federación Interamericana del Cemento

• Kimberly Kayler, co- founder, Women in Concrete Alliance, president, Constructive Communication, Inc.  

• Mónica Manolas, vice president of human resources, Cemex USA

• Lori Tiefenthaler, vice president, sustainability and marketing communications, Lehigh Hanson

For the first time in its history, the opening general of the International Concrete Sustainability Conference will feature three prominent women keynote speakers:

• Nichole Hefty, chief, Office of Sustainability, Planning Division, Miami-Dade Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, U.S., will discuss the challenges of climate change and steps Miami-Dade County is taking to mitigate weather disasters

• Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), U.S., will present Resilience on the Rise: A Report on the Disaster Safety and Mitigation Movement

• Kirsten Ritchie, director of sustainable design, Gensler, U.S., will address the growing demand for transparency and corporate social responsibility in the building sector

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 March 9 - 13, 2015, please click here.

The Educational Activities Committee invites ready mix producers to submit their company’s most innovative training initiatives of 2014-2015. Companies must submit their entries no later than Friday, July 31. The Innovation in Training Award winner will be recognized at NRMCA's ConcreteWorks to be held in September in San Antonio, TX. Additionally, the winning submission will be featured in a best-practices article in NRMCA's quarterly magazine, Concrete InFocus. MTSU's Concrete Institute Management program faculty will serve as judges.

NRMCA's Sales Skills, CCSP IV, is scheduled for March 31 - April 2, 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; and

• Close Calls: Overcome obstacles and close the sale.

March 23, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Elected-Official Advocacy

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

March 24-27, Salt Lake City Sold Out

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

March 25, Webinar

Sales Management 101...

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

 

March 31-April 2, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills Workshop - 24 hours

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

 

April 6, Free Webinar

Roller-Compacted Concrete for Streets & Roads

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

April 6-8, Nashville, TN (Presented by Tennessee Concrete Association)

CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills

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

 

April 7, Webinar

Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Program

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

 

April 7, Webinar (Part I) (Part II is April 14)

Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete

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

 

April 7, Portland, OR

Building Green with Concrete

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

April 20, Webinar

Roller Compacted Concrete: Another Choice for Pavement

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

 

April, 28, Orlando, FL

Handling Concrete Specifications

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

 

April 28, Columbus, OH (Presented by Ohio Concrete)

Pervious Concrete Contractor Certification

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

 

May 11-13, Miami

International Concrete Sustainability Conference

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

 

May 13, Webinar

Personal Leadership and Coaching

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

 

May 19, Wheaton, IL

Building Green with Concrete

Email: Tien Peng, 206-913-8535

 

June 2-4, Nashville, TN

Concrete Durability Course

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

July 6, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion & Advocacy Overview

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

July 13, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Team Building & Situation Analysis

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

July 20, Free Webinar

Streets & Roads Promotion for DOTs, Counties & Municipalities

Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165

 

September 9, Webinar

Recruiting & Hiring Top Performing Ready Mix Sales Reps

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

 

October 13-16, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module I: Concrete 101

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

 

November 2-6, Silver Spring, MD

Annual Concrete Technologist Training and Certification Course "Short Course"

Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168

 

November 10-12, Silver Spring, MD

Effective RMC Supervisor Course

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

 

November 18, Webinar

Sales Performance Assessments and Reviews

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

 

December 1-3, Orlando, FL

Environmental Course

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

 

December 1-3, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module II: Customer Business Knowledge

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

 

December 8-11, Orlando, FL

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

 

February 23-25, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge

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

March 15-17, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills

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