NRMCA e-news

A harsh description to be sure, but San Francisco 49ers all-purpose offensive standout Reggie Bush has filed a lawsuit against the Convention and Visitors Center (CVC) and St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex as a result of a fall he took on a concrete path surrounding Edward Jones Stadium playing field during a game against the St. Louis Rams in November.

One of the big problems in setting up any habitation on Mars is the need to take everything needed with you on a mission. This requires a lot of rocket fuel and a very large rocket, something that makes an inflatable, lightweight habitat a more ideal scenario. As a result, NASA ran a contest last year for people who could propose designs for 3D printed habitats using resources available on Mars. The goal was clear: it wanted something a little more permanent and durable. Let's see... "permanent," "durable"? Does a certain building material come to mind?

From the awe-inspiring Pantheon to a Chilean cliff-top villa, an architecture critic for a British media outlet presents some of the world’s best concrete structures.

NRMCA Pavement Engineer Amanda Hult will host a free one-hour Webinar on Tuesday, January 26, at noon Eastern time to discuss the NRMCA's Design Assistance Program (DAP) and the Jointing Plan Assistance Program (JPAP) for Parking Lots and Streets and Local Roads. This Webinar will detail the free services provided to the industry through each program. Hult will discuss in detail the information provided in the deliverables as well as how to use this information as a part of a promotional effort.

The Webinar is ideal for individuals and companies involved in promotion or looking for assistance in gaining market share in concrete parking lots and streets and local roads. Designers and specifiers looking for information on how to submit for pavement design assistance are also invited to participate.

If you missed the opportunity in November to learn how you could increase your bottom line by over 100%, you now have a second chance. "Increase Your Profits with Roller-Compacted Concrete" (RCC) is a Webinar targeted at helping ready mix producers enter the RCC market. The Webinar will be held Wednesday, February 17, 2016, at 2 p.m. Eastern time and is free to NRMCA members. NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Phil Kresge will host the program and will be joined by Steven Tripp, marketing manager for NRMCA Producer member Chaney Enterprises, Gambrills, MD. Mr. Tripp will share Chaney’s experiences with RCC and how it has helped its production and bottom line. "From our experience, producing RCC is like printing money from your ready mix plant. It’s a game changer for our industry," Tripp has stated.

Kresge emphasizes that the Webinar is not about design and construction of RCC and, therefore, is not intended for the design community. "For any ready mix producer that wants to increase profits, attending this Webinar is a no-brainer," says Kresge. "RCC provides the opportunity to increase production without having to add additional equipment or manpower. This Webinar is focused on helping ready mix producers understand and capitalize on that opportunity. In short, this Webinar will show you how to sell more concrete than you can deliver!"

John Loyer has joined NRMCA as senior director, state and local government affairs. Mr. Loyer, who will be based in Arlington, VA, was been the CEO of his own consulting practice for nine years and has a broad background in local, state, federal, and international government affairs related to the building industry. In his new role at NRMCA, he will represent the Association at the state and local levels on issues ranging from building codes to sustainability and resiliency to legislative and regulatory areas affecting its membership and policies of the organization.

As one of the most successful energy efficiency and green building advocates in the U.S., Mr. Loyer has served as head of state government affairs for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) where he spearheaded the effort to create the International Green Construction Code in partnership with the International Code Council (ICC). He was also head of all government and regulatory affairs for a large international foam insulation manufacturer, Icynene Inc. and prior to that was the first energy efficiency and green building advocate for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

A certified code official, he has taught as adjunct faculty at Penn State University’s Pennsylvania Housing Research Center in the School of Engineering and was a guest lecturer at the University of Maryland School of Architecture. An accomplished public speaker, he has keynoted and presented at numerous conferences throughout the United States. Mr. Loyer holds a bachelor’s degree from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA, a master’s degree from McGill University in Montreal and a post-graduate diploma in legislative affairs from Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

John Loyer can be contacted at jloyer@nrmca.org or 703-675-7603.

NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Doug O’Neill is working on improving communication among state associations and NRMCA by way of a recent conference call. "Comparing notes on issues like how they are going after municipalities, how we can increase the usage of our DAP (Design Assistance Program), how those who face similar pervious concrete issues are handling those issues or just hearing how other state associations go about their promotion plans proved to be valuable discussion topics." he said. "We’ve had these types of calls before, but mainly the Northeast promoters were involved, so by having folks from the West and East coasts join in along with some from the Midwest, it has opened some conversations that might not have taken place otherwise."

The response was positive from those who attended and the goal now is to develop an agenda with some more timely topics in time for a spring conference call.

For more information, contact Doug O’Neill at doneill@nrmca.org.

The Portland Cement Association (PCA) is marking its 100th anniversary in 2016. The official launch of the centennial celebration will take place February 2 - 5 in Las Vegas at the World of Concrete trade show and continue March 14 - 15 for PCA members at its Spring Congress in Chicago. Other notable dates for PCA include May 24 - 25 for the 2016 DC Fly-In, Washington, DC, and a July 18 open house at PCA's Skokie, IL, headquarters to showcase its campus to local politicians, government officials, local construction and business leaders, CTLGroup clients and potential clients.

For more information, contact PCA's Erik Rancatore at 847-972-9138.

NRMCA has scheduled a free Webinar titled Performance–Based Specifications – State of the Industry and Way Forward for Wednesday, January 27. It will discuss the efforts in encouraging the adoption of performance-based specifications for ready mixed concrete, the obstacles faced and the resources developed to address them. A review of the state of prescription in a sampling of project specifications will also be discussed. The more significant items that deviate from industry standards were developed as informational Specification in Practice (SIP) topics. Each SIP identifies the commonly found prescriptive requirement, discusses the real or perceived basis for the requirement, describes adverse implications of the requirement, suggests alternative performance criteria and Illuminates the benefits of using performance-based alternatives in place of prescriptive requirements.

The attendee learning objectives are:

1. Relate the requirements in your specifications to industry standards;

2. Understand the benefits of performance-based alternatives that support improved fresh and hardened concrete performance;

3. Evolve design office specifications to reduced prescription with alternative performance-based requirements; and

4. Recognize the synergy between performance-based specifications and quality, sustainability and cost.

This webinar is approved by AIA and attendees can get 1 LU hour upon request.

Click here to register and here for more information about performance-based specifications.

On Friday, January 22, at 2 p.m. Eastern time, NRMCA will host a free Webinar to outline the new changes for federal drivers’ Hours of Service (HOS) regulations in 2016. Over the last decade, the federal drivers’ HOS regulations have been subject to numerous court actions and congressional meddling. Now, once again, there are recent, new revisions to the HOS rules, including the confusing 30-minute break, 24-hour restart provision and when mixer drivers need to use logs.

Do you know how these changes impacts your drivers? Is your company in compliance? Do you know how to be compliant? This 60-minute Webinar will explain what the law is, how the industry is impacted, and what your company and drivers need to do, or don’t do, to be compliant.

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

Remember, staring Monday, February 1, employers must display their OSHA 300A Log where their employees have access to it. The summary log needs to stay posted until April 30, 2016.

Registration for NRMCA’s 2016 Safety Course is now open. The upcoming course will take place March 15-17 in Des Moines, IA. This 2.5 day course teaches participants about OSHA safety compliance. It begins with why safety is so important and details the reasons why an effective safety program actually saves money through loss prevention and control. Participants learn about electrical safety, machine guarding, fall protection, hazard communication, confined spaces, personal protective equipment, fire fighting and evacuation, maintenance shop safety, chute handling, fleet safety, pre-trip inspection and more.

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 January 4 - 8, 2016, please click here.

Join us for a Webinar on Tuesday, January 19, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern time to discuss how these victories and more will impact your operation and save you time and money. Passage of the 2015 Highway Bill and the year-end spending package marked the successful culmination of years of legislative and grassroots efforts by NRMCA and industry partners. From the new log book exemption to favorable hours of service rules, the ready mixed concrete industry scored several great legislative victories in 2015! 

Topics include: 

• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Reform; 

• Environmental Streamlining Reforms; 

• Highway Funding Levels; 

• Industry Tax Incentives and Extensions; and 

• Many other industry priorities

NRMCA will host its first quarterly "DC Days" for 2016 on Tuesday, February 9. Please join your industry peers on Capitol Hill to advocate for resilient construction legislation, including the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) and the Disaster Savings and Resilient Construction Act of 2015. Details for the event include the following: 

Who: Members of NRMCA’s Government Affairs Committee, Board of Directors and any association members are invited to participate.

What: The first of the committee's quarterly "DC Days" for 2016 will be an opportunity to meet with your congressional members and their staff to talk about issues of importance to our industry. This quarter's DC Day will focus specifically on educating key Members of Congress about resilient construction and related legislation and also on our top priorities in the upcoming WRRDA bill.

When: Tuesday, February 9 

Where: Washington, DC 

Why: Last year, NRMCA and our association members logged more hours on Capitol Hill than any previous year. As a result, we were able to secure many ready mixed concrete industry victories from the new logbook exemption to favorable hours of service rules in legislation like the highway bill and tax exemptions in the year-end spending package passed by Congress. Face-to-face advocacy clearly pays off and is the best way to help lawmakers understand our industry and the impact of their decisions have on businesses in their state. You are your best advocate for your business. Taking the time to educate decision makers can help ensure that fixes to issues result in positive outcomes for the entire ready mixed concrete industry.

CONCRETEPAC had a record year of fundraising collecting $260,000!  But, that’s not all! Thanks to your hard work and support, CONCRETEPAC also raised $85,000 in corporate sponsorship! CONCRETEPAC is the ready mixed concrete industry’s leading Political Action Committee that supports federal candidates running for election who will champion a pro-ready mixed concrete, pro-business legislative agenda. We thank everyone who supported this year’s program and those who supported CONCRETEPAC events during our meetings and conventions with corporate sponsorship.  

Those sponsors included our CONCRETEPAC Landmark Super Sponsors: CEMEX, Concrete Supply Co., Grace Construction Products and U.S. Concrete. Other CONCRETEPAC sponsors include Argos Ready Mix Corp, Ash Grove Cement Co., CalPortland Co., Chandler Concrete Co., Chaney Enterprises, Central Concrete Supermix, Continental Cement, Breckenridge Materials, Dolese Bros. Co., Essroc Cement Corp, Euclid Chemical Co., GCC Ready Mix, Geiger Ready-Mix Co., Inc., Greenhill Concrete, Inc., Irving Materials, Inc., Kearney Concrete Co., LafargeHolcim, Lehigh Hanson, MMC Materials, Inc., Oldcastle Materials, Ozinga Bros., Inc., Port Aggregates, Inc., Ready Mix USA, Sioux Corporation,  Inc., Co., Stephens Mfg., Titan America and Votorantim Cimentos.

Registration is now open for the 2016 NRMCA Annual Convention CONCRETEPAC corporate sponsorship. Click here if you wish to become a CONCRETEPAC corporate sponsor.

For more information, contact NRMCA’s Kerri Leininger at kleininger@nrmca.org.

Cara Gavagan has joined NRMCA’s Government Affairs Department as senior director of government and political affairs. Ms. Gavagan will be responsible for spearheading fundraising associated with NRMCA’s CONCRETEPAC, the concrete industry’s premier Political Action Committee (PAC). She will also manage the association’s high-impact political programs on Capitol Hill. Ms. Gavagan was previously the director of PAC operations at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) where she helped to created a $1.5 million per cycle PAC. She managed ACEC’s fundraising and event planning associated with all PAC activities and political involvement as well as coordinated its marketing and other association communications.

Prior to working at ACEC, Ms. Gavagan was manager of political affairs at the American Health Care Association. She hold a Master of Arts in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Catholic University.    

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. These classes typically sell out-don’t wait.

Once a year, NRMCA offers CCSP III, Fundamentals of RMC Accounting, Finance, and Business Law: CCSP Module III, Business Knowledge. In 2016, it will be held February 23-25 in Silver Spring, MD. The class is geared toward mid-level, non-financial managers in sales, operations and administrative support. The material covers industry-specific accounting basics, cost and break-even analysis, pricing and legal issues. Topics include interpreting a ready mixed producer's internal balance sheet and profit & loss statement, the importance of cash flow and collections, as well as costing projects for optimal financial return and construction financing. Antirust compliance and the fundamentals of contract law are also introduced. Each is critical to a producer to assure a sales staff sells every cubic yard profitably.

Participants receive Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and, if they pass an optional exam, can use the class toward Certified Concrete Sales Professional (CCSP) and STEPS certifications.

NRMCA's annual Sales Skills Seminar, CCSP IV, runs March 22-24 in Silver Spring, MD. 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.

 

 

January 13 - 15, Orlando, FL *Sold Out

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 *Sold Out

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 *Sold Out

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