NRMCA e-news

A new Web site proclaiming "Converting Asphalt to Concrete" was recently launched by Michael Smith with NRMCA member company Somero and Clay Slocum and Nathan Forrest with state affiliate California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA), reports NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Jon Hansen. West Coast Concrete Overlay has project information, customer insight and contractor information on the success the team of CNCA promoters has had in a relatively short time working in partnership with Somero.

"We laid out in the fall of 2015 at ConcreteWorks how our focus for 2016 would be in partnering for success," Hansen said. "The partnership of Somero, the nation’s largest manufacturer of laser guided screeds, and Tom Tietz’s team of promoters has shown what can be done in just a little over two years of working together to get results. California has traditionally been an asphalt state for parking lots, but this team is proving that with collaboration change can come when owners are offered a choice."

According to the recently released 3Q 2015 Survey of Portland Cement Consumption by User Group, cement consumption grew 2.7 percent in the third quarter 2015 against the same period in 2014, with gains driven by the ready mixed concrete segment, which grew at a healthy 7 percent. Also exhibiting robust expansion was roller-compacted concrete and the pre-stressed concrete market (27 percent gains year-to-date).

Constraining further growth is the dramatic reduction in oil and gas well cement consumption, a reflection of the collapse in oil prices. The oil and gas well drilling segment fell another 34 percent in the third quarter 2015. According to PCA’s latest analysis, this segment will weigh on growth in 2016 as well.

According to a recent article in The Washington Post, builders are finding new ways to build resilient buildings that resist natural disasters. The article goes on to explain how builders are now integrating resiliency into their green building strategies. Concrete has long been recognized for its strength and durability, making it a perfect building material to resist natural hazards. As a result, a key component of NRMCA’s strategy to promote concrete buildings is to encourage states to adopt incentives and encourage resilient construction. To that end, NRMCA has authored model legislation that provides insurance subsidies for those who build a home or building to resist loss due to natural events.

In addition, NRMCA has resources to help members and state affiliates advocate for resilient construction, including developing legislation, talking points, public relations and other key strategies.

Recently, the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) released a white paper to promote the use of private and public incentives to achieve resilient communities. Several years ago, NIBS published a widely-cited study, Natural Hazard Mitigation Saves: An Independent Study to Assess the Future Savings from Mitigation Activities, which documented how every $1 spent on mitigation saves society an average of $4. (The study can be found here.) This new white paper focuses on capturing all of the potential incentives provided by the public and private sectors for pre- and post-hazard investment in resilient construction.The paper calls for  insurance rate reductions, federal grant programs and redefining appraisal standards among strategies to encourage home owners and building owners to invest in resilient construction.

NRMCA and industry supporters have been supporting federal and local resilience measures, including the Disaster Saving and Resilient Construction Act and Safe Building Code Incentive Act at the national level and resilient construction incentive legislation at the state level. 

NRMCA will update the Industry Wide Environmental Product Declaration for concrete in 2016 and the deadline to participate is February 29.  So far the following NRMCA members are participating:

A. Teichert & Sons, AAA Zoellner Materials, Inc., Aggregate Industries, American Ready-Mix, Anderson Concrete Corp., Angelle Concrete Group, LLC, ARGOS USA, AVR Inc. & Affiliates, B & B Concrete Co., Inc., Bichler Gravel & Concrete Co., Breckenridge Material Company, Builders Supply Company, Inc., CalPortland Company, Capital Concrete Inc., Carew Concrete, Carew Concrete & Supply Co., Inc., CEMEX Inc., Cemstone, Central Builders Supply Co., Centre Concrete Company, Chandler Concrete Co., Inc., Chaney Enterprises, Clyde CompaniesConcrete Supply Co., LLC, Delaware Valley Concrete, Delta Concrete Inc., Dolese Bros. Co., Essroc Ready Mix, GCC of America, Geiger Ready-Mix Co., Inc., Granite Rock Company, Greenhill Concrete Products, Inc., Harrison Ready Mix - Concrete Materials, Inc., Howlin Concrete Inc., imi, Ingram Concrete LLC, J. G. MacLellan Concrete Co., Inc., Jack B Parson, Kuhlman Corporation, Lafarge North America, Lehigh Hanson, Liquid Stone Concrete, Little Lisa, Inc. dba Wayne Concrete, Lynchburg Ready Mix, Manatt's IncMartin Marietta, Maschmeyer Concrete Company of Florida, Medina Supply Company, MMC Materials, Molalla Redi-Mix & Rock Products, Inc., MonumentalMullen-Telles, Inc., National Ready Mixed Concrete Company, New Enterprise Stone & Lime Co., Inc., Oldcastle, Prestige Concrete Products, Razorback Concrete Company, Redimix Companies, Inc., Rocky Mountain Pre-Mix Concrete, Rohrer's Quarry Inc., S & W Ready Mix Concrete, Shelby Materials, Smith Ready Mix, Inc., Spokane Rock Products, Inc., Spragues Ready Mix, Spurlino Materials, LLC, Stanwood Redi-Mix Inc.,Stoneway Concrete, The L. Suzio Concrete Company Inc., THOMAS CONCRETE, Titan America, Toxaway Concrete, Inc., Transit Mix Concrete Co., Inc.U.S. Concrete, Inc., VCNA Prairie, Inc. and Vulcan Materials.

Participation is encouraged since LEED v4 requires companies to have participated in the industry average to be able to submit EPDs for LEED certification.

Michael Wymant, an expert in real estate management and construction, 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. Most recently, Mr. Wymant led corporate energy and sustainability initiatives for an international real estate management firm. Prior to that, he was the senior consultant for sustainable construction for a New York City-based contractor. He has been active in the USGBC since 2004 and a faculty member of USGBC since 2007.

Mr. Wymant earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario, a Masters Certificate, Real Estate Law, from Northwestern University and Master of Environment and Business from the University of Waterloo. He is a LEED-Accredited Professional in both Building Design, and Construction and Operations and Maintenance.

Mr. Wymant will be based in Chicago. He can be reached at MWymant@nrmca.org,

The NRMCA Pervious Concrete Promotion Subcommittee will hold a conference call on Tuesday, March 1, at 2 p.m. Eastern time. The focus of the call will be to identify the topics for the next two Pervious In Practice documents. The conference call is open to all NRMCA members and invited guests. Call in number is 866-670-0780 and the conference code is 145632.

Interested individuals who have not already RSVP'D should do so by contacting NRMCA Senior Director, Local Paving, Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org.

After concrete is formed through the solidification of a mixture of water, gravel, sand and cement powder, is the resulting glue material (known as cement hydrate, CSH) a continuous solid, like metal or stone, or is it an aggregate of small particles? As basic as that question is, it had never been definitively answered. In a paper published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Georgetown University and France’s CNRS (together with other universities in the U.S., France and U.K.) say they have solved that riddle and identified key factors in the structure of CSH that could help researchers work out better formulations for producing more durable concrete. (*The MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub is sponsored by the RMC Research & Education Foundation and Portland Cement Association.)

NRMCA in association with the Northern New England Concrete Promotion Association is offering the one-day course Improving Concrete Quality, intended for concrete producers, ingredient material suppliers, engineers, testing labs and contractors. The course will take place Wednesday, May 4, in Manchester, NH. Improving Concrete Quality, a new book authored by one of the instructors, and other NRMCA resources provide the basic content for the course.

Improved concrete quality can benefit all stakeholders in a concrete construction project. This course will answer some of the following questions:

• How do you know if you have good quality? What should be your quality metric?
• How to become more profitable through better quality?
• What are all the key statistical calculations you need to know in concrete?
• How to control the mixing water content in concrete?
• How to deal with temperature and delivery time variations?
• What is the most effective way to ensure that your materials ingredients are of good quality? 
• How to improve batching accuracy, mixing uniformity?
• How to identify non standard testing and curing? How to improve testing quality?
• Tests a producer should do, internal audits and many more.

Course instructors are Kevin MacDonald, Ph.D., FACI, Beton Consulting Engineers LLC, and Karthik Obla, Ph.D., P.E. at NRMCA. Producers will learn readily implementable steps to manage variability and attain a more consistent product; ingredient suppliers will learn how material variation affects concrete variation; engineers will learn the opportunity for improving quality through specifications and testing lab professionals will learn to measure and improve testing quality. Upon successful completion of the course, attendees will earn 8 professional development hours, a certificate of completion and credits toward NRMCA’s STEPS program.

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

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP). The CPP, finalized and published last August by EPA, aims to limit the carbon emissions from power plants. Specifically, the CPP is designed to cut emissions by 32% from 2005 levels by 2030. By a vote of 5 to 4, the Supreme Court stayed the rule at the request of a coalition of 26 states claiming the CPP would cause them irreparable harm. The court stated the CPP was on hold while other various ongoing cases challenging the CPP were still pending.

Previously housed under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Environmental Information, the Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Program will now fall under the EPA Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. EPA is stressing that this is strictly an organizational change and NOT a TRI reporting requirement change. The TRI Program "tracks the management of more than 650 toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health and the environment." Specifically, "U.S. facilities in certain industry sectors must report annually how much of each chemical is released to the environment and/or managed through recycling, energy recovery and treatment." This information is then submitted annually to EPA and compiled in the TRI.

Facilities that handle toxic chemicals, including ready mixed concrete plants, are required to calculate the quantities that were handled; if any quantity is over an allowable threshold, that chemical and amount would need to be reported under the program. Should a facility need to report, the reporting deadline is July 1 each year.

The early registration deadline for the 2016 International Concrete Sustainability Conference (2016 ICSC) and 2016 Self Consolidating Conference (SCC 2016) is Monday, February 29. Registrants receive a $100 discount if they register before this date. The combined conferences, scheduled for May 15-18 in Washington, DC, will feature over 250 speakers presenting on the latest developments in concrete materials, manufacturing, design, performance and sustainability.

SCC 2016 will feature nearly 160 expert researchers and practitioners from nearly 50 countries presenting on topics ranging from SCC materials and design methodology to production and quality control. Performance measurement, economics and sustainability of SCC, and many case studies involving the use of SCC in iconic structures will also be presented.

2016 ICSC will feature nearly 100 researchers and practitioners from 30 countries to present the latest advances, technical knowledge, continuing research, tools and solutions for sustainable concrete manufacturing, design and construction. Topics include resilience, low impact development, life cycle assessment, material science and social responsibility.

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 February 8 - 12, 2016, please click here.

Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held its first Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) reauthorization hearing of the year titled "The Importance of Enacting a New Water Resources Development Act". The hearing included several witnesses: Bob Portiss, director, Tulsa Port of Catoosa Port; John Swearingen, senior vice president of Marathon Petroleum; Rob Roberson, director of corporate logistics, Nucor; Norma Jean Mattei, president-elect, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE); and Kyle Makarios, director of government affairs, North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.

The Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has currently only issued roughly half of the implementation guidance from the 2014 WRRDA bill which included three provisions on resiliency drafted by NRMCA. NRMCA’s first provision was a directive to the secretary of the Corps to encourage the use resilient construction techniques when carrying out corps projects. Also included in the last Water Resources & Reform Development Act bill were two studies: one to be conducted by the National Academy of Sciences regarding the reduction on long-term costs and vulnerability to infrastructure through the use of resilient construction techniques and another to be conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office to make recommendations on the use of resilient construction techniques to reduce future loss from flood, storm and drought conditions. NRMCA coordinated with several of the witnesses on the panel to ensure that importance be placed through their testimony on the need for the Corps to follow through with delivering guidance on the use of resilient construction techniques when carrying out projects. In addition, numerous senators highlighted the need for including resilient construction in the efforts to mitigate from the destruction of natural disasters during the hearing.

On Tuesday, February 9, NRMCA kicked off its first Quarterly DC Days for 2016. As part of the official schedule, a congressional briefing was held with the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, the National Concrete Masonry Association and the Portland Cement Association along with the offices of Senators Roy Blunt (R-MO) and Bill Nelson (D-FL). The briefing was titled "Mitigating the Rising Costs of Natural Disasters" and was moderated by Steve Szoke, senior director, codes and standards, at the Portland Cement Association. Speakers on the panel included: Cary Chors, CEO of American Cement Company; Tom Chizmadia, senior vice president of public relations and sustainability of Lehigh Hanson; James Ryan, CBO code administrator for the city of Overland Park, KS; Tom Stokes, president of Truland Homes (FORTIFIED Builder); Leslie Chapman-Henderson, president and CEO for Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, Inc (FLASH) and Lionel Lemay, senior vice president, structures and sustainability of NRMCA.

The briefing highlighted the human, environmental and economic costs of natural disasters, mitigation strategies on how to build safer and stronger before and after a disaster and disaster savings legislation. Mr. Stokes even provided an overview of the FORTIFIED standards he implements when building homes in the Gulf Coast region and the benefits to homeowners who purchase these homes. The briefing was widely attended by House and Senate staff and resilient construction coalition and industry partners.
                               

In addition to the briefing, NRMCA met with members of Congress to address other critical advocacy issues impacting the ready mixed concrete industry, including pension reform, and reauthorization of the Water Resources Reform Development Act and National Flood Insurance Program. The day ended with an industry event co-hosted by NRMCA and other association partners in support of the Honorable Dan Lipinski (D-IL) who is running for re-election in Illinois. Congressman Lipinski was a big champion of the ready mixed concrete industry during the recently passed Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act.

If you or someone from your company would like to participate in the next Quarterly DC Days, please contact NRMCA’s Jill Landry at jlandry@nrmca.org. For more information, contact Kerri Leininger at kleininger@nrmca.org.

NRMCA encourages you to join our industry allies for the Transportation Construction Coalition’s (TCC) 2016 Legislative Fly-in on Capitol Hill on May 10 - 11. The registration fee includes conference materials, legislative briefings, continental breakfast and a Capitol Hill reception. The registration fee is $175. Any cancellation fees after May 7 will be non-refundable. This year’s meeting will be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington at 400 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001. To make your hotel reservation, please contact the Hyatt Regency Washington Hotel at 800-421-1442 or 202-737-1234. Ask for the group code: TCC Fly-In rate of $329 per night. The cut-off date is April 11.

Once the season is rockin’ and rollin’, log on for information and insight that will drive your business while helping you manage your staff! The price is a bargain and you lose no time being away from the action in your market.

• Webinar #1: Sales Management 101... for Ready Mix Sales Managers - Wednesday, March 1, noon - 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. In this 90-minute Webinar, you will learn the critical skills of effective sales management that can help you build a top-performing sales team. This session is filled with tips and techniques to benefit both new and experienced ready mix managers.

• Webinar #2: Personal Leadership and Coaching -  Wednesday, May 10, noon - 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. This 90-minute Webinar is designed for every ready mix concrete manager – sales, service, dispatch, admin and executive – any manager who wants to become a more effective leader and coach.

• Webinar #3: Recruiting & Hiring Top Performing Ready Mix Sales Reps - Wednesday, October 11, noon - 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. Hiring is the #1 challenge of every ready mix sales manager. In this 90-minute Webinar you will learn how to spot potential top sales performers and how to identify the warning signs of a possible "wrong hire".

• Webinar #4: Sales Performance Assessments and Reviews...for Ready Mix Sales Managers - Wednesday, December 6, noon - 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. How do you know if your sales rep is performing at the top of his or her ability...and if not, what you can do to help him or her? In this 90-minute Webinar you will learn to identify the specific "barriers" that may be holding back your sales reps and how to create a personal coaching and motivation strategy to improve performance.

 

The 2016 NRMCA Annual Convention will be held April 10-12 at the Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego; during the convention, the Educational Activities Committee (EAC) will hold its meeting from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 10. Details on the meeting room, agenda and previous meeting minutes will be sent closer to that date.

Click here for more information or contact EAC liaison Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org or 240-485-1164.

February 23 - 25, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge

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

 

February 23 - 26, Honolulu *Sold Out

Plant Manager Certification Course

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

 

February 24, Atlanta *Sold Out

Handling Concrete Specifications

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

 

March 1, Webinar

Sales Management 101... for Ready Mix Sales Managers

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

 

March 15 - 17, Des Moines, IA 

NRMCA Safety Course

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 4, Manchester, NH

Improving Concrete Quality

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

 

May 10, Webinar

Personal Leadership and Coaching

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

 

June 6 - 8, Silver Spring, MD

Concrete Durability Course

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

 

September 18 - 20, Nashville, TN

NRMCA's ConcreteWorks 2016

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

 

October 4 - 7, Silver Spring, MD

CCSP Module I: Concrete 101

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

 

October 11, Webinar

Recruiting & Hiring Top Performing Ready Mix Sales Reps

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

December 6, Webinar 

Sales Performance Assessments and Reviews... for Ready Mix Sales Managers

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