NRMCA e-news
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
PAVEMENTS
NRMCA Senior Director, Building Innovations, Gregg Lewis recently spent some time in Connecticut and New Jersey reaching out to developers of low- and mid-rise residential construction to better understand the decision making process of using wood framed construction. With the assistance of NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Doug O’Neill and two NRMCA Producer members, Silvi Concrete and Suzio Concrete, the NRMCA promotion team was able to make some significant connections within the development community in both states. Most notably, Zach Rich, director of concrete promotion/sales with Silvi Concrete, set up multiple meetings with local developers which proved to be most informative and could lead to increased opportunities in those markets.
"Zach’s personal relationships with these firms not only got us in the door but provided us with instant credibility and allowed us to open up lines of communication that would otherwise not been accessible." O’Neill said. In Connecticut, NRMCA Immediate Past Chairman Ric Suzio and Len Suzio of Suzio Concrete facilitated meetings with two developers. "Just like with paving promotion, when our members can introduce us to or facilitate us into a client or contact, our efforts are enhanced significantly," O'Neill added. "It’s clear that NRMCA members have considerable influence within their local markets and that effective promotion can sometimes come down to their willingness to reach out to help us connect. Our thanks go out to both Silvi Concrete and Suzio Concrete for their efforts in helping us make these valuable connections." For more information, contact Doug O’Neill at doneill@nrmca.org or Gregg Lewis at glewis@nrmca.org. As reported last week, the Portland Cement Association North Central Region (PCA-NC) hosted another in its series of concrete forums late last month in metro Minneapolis, reports NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Jon Hansen. The afternoon session, Retail and Commercial Concrete Parking Lot Pavements, was targeted to business owners and focused on new and overlay parking lot pavements with a strong emphasis on the growing number of commercial parking lot overlay projects like the Pinehurst Country Club and Elway Auto Dealerships in Colorado.
Another chance to present the session occurred last week, when PCA-NC Executive Director Doug Burns was invited to present the commercial program to the Minnesota Park and Sports Turf Managers Association at its September meeting in St. Louis Park, MN. "This is what we all hope happens from a local event like the Minnesota Concrete Forums," said Hansen who was the keynote speaker at the event. "One person in the audience who sees the value in what is presented and realizing the need for a larger audience to know the information, is the core of concrete promotion...and an exact model of how information currently is transferred and knowledge gained in the construction industry." For more information, contact Jon Hansen at jhansen@nrmca.org. For more information about the Minnesota Concrete Forums, contact Doug Burns at dburns@cement.org. The Promotion Track at the upcoming ConcreteWorks Conference & Expo to be held September 20-22 in San Antonio features numerous seminars on promotion for both local paving and structures. For attendees with an interest in concrete paving promotion, seminars will cover a variety of topics, including how to get started with overlays of asphalt parking lots and how to improve concrete success rates through producer/contractor collaboration. Also relating to parking lots, a seminar will describe how to expand business by targeting key market segments (churches, hospitals, etc.) while another session explains the differences between NRMCA Boot Camps and Parking Lot Promotion Workshops. Additional seminars will describe approaches for promoting concrete through LEED projects, how to expand opportunities through street and local road projects and What Works in Concrete Promotion, the popular fast-paced session that includes numerous five to 10 minute presentations about concrete promotion successes.
All ConcreteWorks attendees are also welcome to participate in the Promotion Committee Meeting on Saturday, September 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. Promotion of local paving and structures will both be included on the agenda.
For more information, contact Glenn Ochsenreiter at 240-485-1140 or glenn@nrmca.org.
BUILDINGS
In response to the Avalon Bay development's devastating apartment fire in January in Edgewater, NJ, the developer pledged in February to go beyond the basic building code in upcoming projects in New Jersey. Specifically, Avalon Bay officials said they would increase the use of sprinklers and masonry fire walls in subsequent developments. One of the more recent media reports suggests the developer may be backtracking on this pledge. In an online post two months ago, New Jersey Hills Media Group Contributing Writer Edward Burke quoted Roseland Mayor John Duthie as saying that Avalon Bay’s Ron Laddell replied negatively to a letter sent earlier this year from a Roseland code official requesting the attic installation of sprinklers.
"Duthie said that Laddell in his reply letter indicated the building codes of Roseland and the state do not require attic sprinklers and thus Avalon Bay would not be providing them," the article stated.
Now according to Myles Ma with NJ.com, Ronald Ladell, senior vice president for AvalonBay, repeated the original pledge (to the increased use of sprinklers and fire walls) at a zoning board meeting in Wayne, NJ, on Monday, August 3.
"NRMCA applauds Avalon Bay’s focus on improving the fire safety of its upcoming New Jersey projects and hopes – for its residents’ sake – that it will continue to honor its pledge to do this," said NRMCA Senior Director, Building Innovations, Gregg Lewis. "The leadership Mr. Ladell shows in this case has the potential to move the real estate development industry as a whole to embrace higher quality building standards. Like Avalon Bay’s future tenants and the New Jersey media, we’re excited to watch this play out."
Click here to read the original E-NEWS article on the subject (listed under the Sustainability section). For more information, contact Gregg Lewis at glewis@nrmca.org. ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY NEWS
This week, NRMCA continues to highlight companies that have chosen to exhibit at this fall's annual ConcreteWorks conference in San Antonio, TX. The conference is one of the industry's best opportunities for ready mix producers to interact with companies that provide goods and services to the concrete industry. This week, our spotlight continue with the companies listed below:
BASF Corporation - Through its Master Builders Solutions brand, BASF provides new and innovative chemical admixture technology for improving strength, durability, water resistance, aesthetics and sustainability of concrete. Concrete producers have come to rely on the technological expertise and experience of BASF to develop and implement innovations to improve placing, pumping, finishing, appearance, performance and sustainability characteristics of concrete.
NRMCA has been proud to count BASF as a member since 1941 and for its support of the association through its annual Super Sponsorship. BASF will be located in Booth 2. Fritz-Pak - Fritz-Pak Corporation manufactures concrete admixtures in water-soluble bags for direct addition to ready mix trucks at the plant or jobsite. The product line is over 25 years old and the company holds several patents on the manufacture of the products. At the conference it will be highlighting our Savings and Applications guide for implementing our products in ready mix operations.
An NRMCA as a member since 2007, Fritz-Pak will be located in Booth 36. Schwing America, Inc. - Schwing America is a member of the Schwing Group, a worldwide, designer, manufacturer and distributor of premium concrete production and handling equipment, headquartered in Herne, Germany. Schwing is committed to supporting its customers’ success, excels in producing high quality concrete equipment used in even the most demanding construction applications through innovative engineering, premiere manufacturing and optimum after-sales support. Schwing America, located in St. Paul, MN, offers industry leading concrete pumps, truck mixers, batch plants, reclaimers and genuine parts for distribution in North and South America.
An NRMCA member for more than 30 years, Schwing America will be located in Booth 24. The NRMCA Pervious Concrete Promotion Subcommittee will hold its next conference call on Tuesday, August 18, at 2 p.m. Eastern time. All interested individuals are invited to participate. Discussion will focus on the development of the first proposed Pervious In Practice brief; Do’s and Don’ts of Specifying Pervious Concrete. Additionally, there will be discussion regarding the upcoming Pervious Concrete Roast, which will be held October 1 - 2 at the CalPortland Henderson, NV, facility.
The Pervious Concrete Promotion Subcommittee is open to all NRMCA members and invited guests. All interested individuals should RSVP via e-mail to NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org. Conference call agenda and minutes of previous conference call will be distributed prior to the call. Call-in phone number is 866-670-0780 and the conference code is 145632. OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY & HR
Last Thursday in Chicago, NRMCA Vice President, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs Kevin Walgenbach testified before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) during a joint public hearing on proposed Phase 2 regulations intended to mandate increased fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions from heavy-duty vehicles, such as ready mixed concrete trucks. The new standard aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 24 percent with a similar fuel efficiency increase for covered vehicles, model years 2021-2027.
Although NRMCA holds concerns with the proposal regarding costs and technology reliance, last week’s testimony focused on truck weight issues. "Due to the reality of the necessary configuration of trucks hauling ready mixed concrete, combined with current regulations from numerous other U.S. regulatory bodies, weight poses a very unique and continuing challenge to the concrete industry," testified Walgenbach. "The consequence of adding more weight to mixer trucks for Phase 2 compliance results in achieving the opposite goal of Phase 2. Simply put, if the industry is forced to reduce payload in order to meet low weight tolerances, the industry will then be forced to use more trucks, making more trips to deliver the same amount of concrete. More trips means increased emissions, increased fuel consumption, more trucks sitting in traffic, and longer hours for industry drivers."
"The ready mixed concrete industry is merely asking for the opportunity to be compliant with Phase 2 and still be productive. To this end, NRMCA recommends that EPA and NHTSA, instead of pushing weight reductions, advocate for increased weight tolerances in amounts large enough to offset the weights of new equipment and technology that will be employed for compliance with Phase 2," Walgenbach concluded.
There will be a second public hearing Tuesday, August 18, in Long Beach, CA. Written comments on the proposal are due Thursday, September 17.
Click here for more information and to review the proposed rule. For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org. Last Wednesday, the Senate unanimously confirmed Greg Nadeau as the new Federal Highway Administrator. Prior to his confirmation, Nadeau served as deputy administrator since 2009 and also served as acting Federal Highway Administrator from July 2014 to February 2015. Nadeau’s transportation oriented career started with positions in the Maine Department of Transportation.
Also last Wednesday, President Obama officially nominated T.F. Scott Darling III to be the next Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration administrator. Darling held the title of acting administrator from 2014 to 2015. Darling has been the FMCSA chief counsel since 2012. Before Darling’s role as chief counsel he was deputy chief of staff and assistant general counsel at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority.
For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.
NRMCA's OES Department is accepting registrations for five face-to-face classes beginning in November. With a clear understanding that operations people multitask, these classes collectively focus on giving participants immediate skills to juggle compliance parameters along with efficiency and competency processes. A registration fee discount is extended to those member companies who send three or more people to one class.
• Effective RMC Supervisor Certification – Silver Spring, MD, November 17-19.
• NRMCA Safety Course – Charlotte, NC, November 17-19.
• Environmental Professional Certification – Orlando, FL, December 3-5.
• Plant Manager Certification Course – Orlando, FL, December 8-11 and Birmingham, AL, April 5-8, 2016.
These classes are required to earn NRMCA's STEPS "Operations and Production" Track certification, CCPf. STEPS is the ready mixed concrete’s industry most prestigious employee professional development program, supporting career enhancement and job retention/succession planning. For more information, contact NRMCA's Jessica Walgenbach at jwalgenbach@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 August 3 - 7, 2015, 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 Jill Landry at jlandry@nrmca.org.
Earlier this month, Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK) held a markup hearing on legislation blocking the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan. The legislation titled the Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act (ARENA) is sponsored by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and would completely halt the rule from going into effect and also further limit the EPA’s authority to rewrite the rule. The measure passed by a voice vote after a failed attempt at the initial committee meeting earlier that day. Nine Democrats walked out of the markup hearing, preventing Republicans from a quorum to be able to vote on the bill. In a final effort to clear the measure, Chairman Inhofe scheduled a last minute meeting in a conference room across from the Senate floor later that day in order to vote on the measure again before the August recess.
The House has already passed similar legislation (HR 2042) which would delay the EPA’s rule and provide states the option to opt out of the rule if they determine its implementation would increase electric utility prices or disrupt power reliability. The Obama Administration released the final rule on August 3 and it will go into effect 60 days after it is published in the Federal Register. The rule targets power plants and would reduce carbon emissions by 32 percent by the year 2030. States must implement their own plans to reduce carbon emissions or else the EPA will step in and enforce the rule.
For more information, contact Jill Landry at jlandry@nrmca.org.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
The NRMCA August Internet Spotlight, good through Monday, August 31, is the NEW Mixer Truck Driver’s Manual – BIGGER and BETTER! Now at 8½ x 11 in size and 76 pages, this guide now includes full-color safety decals. In addition it’s complete with such topics as U.S. D.O.T. regulations, including Driver’s Hours of Service (HOS), safety precautions, equipment inspection and maintenance procedures, driver duties and other essential information. The manual also educates truck mixer drivers about concrete and customer relations. Easy to understand and containing common sense information every driver should know, this truck mixer "Bible" should be in every cab. Purchase the new manuals today for the same low regular member price of $16 per copy (or $14 for 20 or more copies), through August 31.
CALENDAR
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.
August 17, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete (Part 1)
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
August 20, Free Webinar
Streets & Roads Elected Official Advocacy
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165
August 24, Free Webinar
Roller-Compacted Concrete for Streets and Roads
Email: Jacques Jenkins, 240-485-1165
August 24, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete (Part 2)
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
August 27, Nashville, TN (Tennessee Concrete Association)
Pervious Concrete Technician Certification
Email: dsparkman@tnconcrete.org
September 4, Little Rock, AR (Arkansas Ready Mixed Concrete Association)
Pervious Concrete Technician Certification
Email: madison.rita@att.net
September 20 - 22, San Antonio, TX
NRMCA's ConcreteWorks 2015
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
September 28 - 30, Ontario, CA
Concrete Durability Course
Email: Karen Bean, 240-485-1168
October 6 - 8, Webinar
Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems and Mixture Submittals
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
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 4, Free Webinar
STEPS A Long Term Career Tool for the RMC Industry
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
November 17 - 19, Silver Spring, MD
Effective RMC Supervisor Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
November 17 - 19, Charlotte, NC
NRMCA Safety Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
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
2016
January 26-29, Omaha, NE
NRMCA 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 13 - 15, San Diego
NRMCA's Annual Convention
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
May 15 - 18, Washington, DC
International Concrete Sustainability & Self-Compacting Concrete Conference
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
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