NRMCA e-news

National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

PAVEMENTS

NRMCA Producer Member Hosts Three Parking Lot Boot Camps Over Two Weeks

When GCC America Vice President, Ready Mix & Aggregates, Doug Roark attended a session on Parking Lot Boot Camps at last year's ConcreteWorks, he left knowing he wanted to bring the training to his entire ready mix division, reports NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Jon Hansen. In doing so, Roark established a new record at NRMCA: hosting three Parking Lot Boot Camps over two weeks.

"Doug wanted to get his entire ready mix division trained quickly, but bringing everyone into one central location would be a problem. So we scheduled Boot Camps in Tulsa, OK, and Rogers, AR, in week one, then Sioux City, IA, in week two," said Hansen, who conducted the Boot Camps with Phil Kresge, NRMCA senior director of local paving. "The latest Boot Camp in Sioux City has already resulted in two projects the attendees identified after attending camp; one being a concrete overlay of an asphalt lot and the other a high school parking lot project that was slated to go asphalt. Now that’s putting what they learned into quick action."

For more information on conducing a Parking Lot Boot Camp for your company, contact Jon Hansen at jhansen@nrmca.org or any member of the NRMCA Local Paving Team.

Massachusetts Promoters, NRMCA Team Up to Educate University

Massachusetts Concrete & Aggregate Producers Association Executive Director Craig Dauphinais recently was called into a situation at the University of Massachusetts' Amherst campus by NRMCA member Ralph Olds with Construction Services, Inc., a division of Carroll Concrete in NH. The university has experienced some deterioration on some sidewalks on campus and is planning more sidewalk construction for the spring and summer. NRMCA’s Senior Director, Local Paving, Doug O’Neill was also called in to assist them in addressing school officials' concerns.

The promotion team of Olds, O'Neill and Dauphinais met with university facilities personnel, members of the design team, the general contractor and the concrete contractor. They visited the sites of concern beforehand and then addressed the specific issues associated with the deteriorated pavement. One of the contributing factors was that the university had been specifying 5,000 psi concrete in an attempt to improve the performance, yet it may have added to some of the problems since it made placement more difficult for the contractor, O'Neill said. Proper placement techniques, proper curing and jointing were also discussed and a follow-up meeting has been scheduled to help them understand ACI 330, and review steps they can take to prevent further scaling and cracking problems. A Design Assistance Program project customized for the university has also been completed; the promotion team stressed that future parking lot paving projects should include a legitimate concrete alternate in order to provide a competitive balance.

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

BUILDINGS

NRMCA Launches Build with Strength Campaign

NRMCA unveiled Build with Strength, a multi-million dollar coordinated industry campaign to better educate the design/build and code communities about the benefits of concrete buildings. The program is based on a significant research investment made by NRMCA to better understand the motivations behind the use of certain construction materials, including concrete. The research showed that a great majority of the design/build community was favorable to concrete construction because of attributes like strength, durability and ease of use. However, certain misconceptions about cost and environmental impact often led decision makers to choose less safe building materials such as wood and wood products.

The campaign relies on an unprecedented communications strategy that includes a Build with Strength branded Web site, video content, a multi-city media tour, rapid response capabilities, advertising, social media properties and stakeholder engagement opportunities. Additionally, the campaign is designed to drive industry and project decision makers to resources such as Webinars and live seminars for technical support and design assistance while also building an advocacy network that will support concrete’s position in building codes, standards and rating systems at the state and local level. The campaign has already been activated in both Washington state and Maryland where state legislators were considering legislation that would have greatly impacted the construction materials market.

For more information, contact Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org or 847-918-7101.

NRMCA Webinar: Seven Things You Can Do To Place More Concrete in Buildings

Are you tired of watching wood buildings going up and wondering why they are not concrete? Are you wondering how you can change this alarming trend? Come learn about the seven things you can do to help win back share of concrete in buildings from wood and steel. In September 2015, the NRMCA Board of Directors adopted a comprehensive building promotion plan to stem and regain concrete’s loss of market share in the low/mid-rise buildings market. The main strategy: direct project promotion where NRMCA, members and industry partners work directly with developers to provide technical support and design assistance with the primary objective of converting wood and steel designs to concrete. Two other strategies provide support, including communications and advocacy. This Webinar will lay out the seven basic steps toward gaining back that lost share and increase the amount of concrete placed in buildings.

To register, click on one of the following dates (*each date is Eastern time):

• Thursday, April 28 - 11 a.m.
• Thursday, May 26 - 11 a.m.
• Thursday, June 23 - 11 a.m.

For more information, contact Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org or 847-918-7101.

ASSOCIATION & INDUSTRY NEWS

NRMCA's Lobo Honored by ACI

NRMCA Senior Vice President of Engineering Colin Lobo has received the American Concrete Institute's (ACI) Arthur R. Anderson Medal "for his extraordinary dedication to codes and specification development, driven by his professionalism, deep understanding of concrete materials and the practice of concrete production and construction technique." Lobo is secretary of ACI Committee 329, Performance Criteria for Ready Mixed Concrete and either currently serves or has served on numerous ACI technical committees. He became a Fellow of ACI in 2002 and received the institute's Henry C. Turner Medal in 2013. Lobo has been with NRMCA since 1991.

OPERATIONS, ENVIRONMENTAL, SAFETY & HR

Deadline Nears to Comply with OSHA Hazard Communication Regulations

Employers must have and start using the newest Hazard Communication (HazCom) labels and Safety Data Sheets (SDS) Wednesday, June 1, update any "alternative labeling", and finally conduct training again on the HazCom changes. To help ready mixed concrete companies comply with these changes NRMCA has created the Hazard Communication Standards Guide. This CD-based PowerPoint training guide provides the tools to train employees on OSHA's new Hazard Communication Standard changes and what employers need to know to be in compliance. The guide includes a CD with training PowerPoint, trainer notes, attendee slides, sample SDS for ready mixed concrete and OSHA QuickCards highlighting the new Hazard Communication Standard changes. Finally, a quiz and training documentation form are enclosed to help keep track of personnel training.

Click here for more information on OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard. Click here to obtain NRMCA’s Hazard Communication Guide. For more information, contact Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org or Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.

Deadline Extended for 2016 Fleet Benchmarking Survey

The 2016 Fleet Benchmarking Survey "sponsored by Lytx DriveCam" 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. This year’s form includes new questions on mixer drum composition, idle time and types of fuel being used. The Fleet Benchmarking Survey is used to establish industry benchmarking norms and procedures. Information gathered from the annual Fleet Benchmarking Survey is published in NRMCA's Concrete InFocus magazine each autumn. A shorter Executive Summary of the survey is also made available to all.

The deadline for submitting completed entries is Friday, April 29. Click here for more information, staff contact and to download the entry form.

Deadline Extended for Safety Contest, Benchmarking Survey

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. It is a per-plant contest open to all facilities operated by NRMCA member companies in good standing in 2015. 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 e-mailed to Karen Bean at kbean@nrmca.org by Friday, April 29. Click here for more information and staff contacts.

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

NRMCA Advocacy News Roundup Updated Through April 15

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 April 11 - 15, 2016, 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.

NRMCA Quarterly DC Days, Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In Set for May

NRMCA encourages you to join our industry allies for its second quarter DC Day for 2016 on Wednesday, May 11. Working from the victories NRMCA scored in the FAST Act and year-end spending package for the ready mixed concrete industry, we will advocate for the inclusion of appropriations language dedicated to advancing industry initiatives for resilient construction and to further clarify the FMCSA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the Carrier Safety Fitness Determination. Additionally, we will advocate for a legislative fix to the Hours of Service language for the 34-hour restart which was omitted by error in last year’s bill. Face-to-face advocacy clearly pays off and is the best way to help lawmakers understand our industry and the impact their decisions have on your operations in their state. You are the 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. The legislative successes NRMCA and our association volunteers scored in the FAST Act on behalf of the industry were proof of that!

Please also join NRMCA for the Transportation Construction Coalition’s (TCC) 2016 Legislative Fly-in on Capitol Hill May 10 - 11 and make the case to fix the Highway Trust Fund. Join hundreds of other industry leaders in delivering our message to Members of Congress to thank them for passage of the five-year "Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, but most importantly to tell them that the job is not done yet. Congress passed the FAST Act last year which included several funding patches for the bill; however, it did not address the revenue shortfall that the Highway Trust Fund continues to face.

The registration fee of $175 includes conference materials, legislative briefings, continental breakfast and a Capitol Hill reception. Any cancellation fees after April 28 will be non-refundable. This year’s meeting will again be held at the Hyatt Regency Washington at 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001. However, the hotel’s room block is currently full so to make your hotel arrangements please consider booking a room at one of the following hotels: The Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel at 1-202-638-1616; Washington Court Hotel at 1-202-628-2100; Hotel George at 1-202-347-4200; Washington DC Marriott Marquis at 1-202-824-9200; Renaissance Washington Hotel at 1-202-898-9000; Grand Hyatt Washington at 1-202-582-1234 or Washington Marriott Metro Center at 1-202-737-2200. Some hotels above within a 2-block walk of the Hyatt Regency Washington (the Marriott Metro Center, Renaissance Washington Hotel, Washington Marriott Marquis and the Grand Hyatt Washington are about 1.5 miles from Hyatt Regency Washington).

Click here to register for the TCC Fly-In. For more information contact Jill Landry at jlandry@nrmca.org.

CONCRETEPAC Holds Successful Fundraiser at NRMCA Convention

CONCRETEPAC enjoyed another successful NRMCA Annual Convention last week, raising a record-breaking, grand total of $195,000. CONCRETEPAC is the ready mixed concrete industry’s leading political action committee that supports pro-business, pro-ready mixed concrete candidates in its effort to build a concrete majority. Activities kicked off with CONCRETEPAC’s Annual Golf Tournament on Saturday, April 9, at the legendary Torrey Pines course in San Diego. Some 40 golfers enjoyed partly sunny skies at the home of the 2021 U.S. Open. The winning foursome was Norm Jagger and David Loomes of LafargeHolcim, Chris Regas, Roebuck Consulting and Dave Sternquist; Sioux. Denzil Schmitz of ABC Polymer Industries won the longest drive competition for the men, with Deb Carew of Carew Concrete & Supply Co. winning the longest drive for the ladies. Bob Carroll of Carroll Concrete was the winner of the closest to the hole competition.

On Monday, April 11, CONCRETEPAC hosted its BACK-the-PAC Appreciation Reception & Dinner with Live & Silent Auction. The auction featured many new and exciting donations, including an all-inclusive vacation to the Riviera Maya, Mexico, several pieces of fine jewelry, a sportfishing adventure in Key West, as well as a weekend beach and golf trip to one of the first resilient construction luxurious beach communities along the Emerald coast of Florida. CONCRETEPAC thanks all who donated live and silent auction items, the spouses, Concrete Industry Management students who volunteered their time to help with setup, and NRMCA staff for its assistance with the event. Special thanks are also due to our masters of ceremony, Mike Philipps of Cemex and Ric Suzio of the L. Suzio Concrete Co., as well as our live auction spotters.

Marshall Anthony Miller of LafargeHolcim was the lucky winner of the 2016 Door Prize Drawing and will collect a $30,000 cash prize. The winning ticket was drawn from a PAC-to-PAC contribution made by LafargeHolcim USA employees' Political Action Committee. Allen Hamblen of CalPortland was the top ticket seller for this year’s door prize drawing.

CONCRETEPAC also thanks its 2016 corporate sponsors. This sponsorship money helped to underwrite the expense of hosting this year’s golf tournament and BACK-the-PAC Appreciation Reception & Dinner. This year’s sponsors were: Landmark sponsors CEMEX, Command Alkon, Concrete Supply Company, Euclid Chemical Company, GCP Applied Technologies, LaFargeHolcim, Oldcastle Materials Co., Ozinga and US Concrete. Red sponsors were Breckinridge Materials, Chandler Concrete Co., Inc., Chaney Enterprises, Lehigh Hanson Company, Sika and Spartan Materials. White sponsors were Allen-Villere Partners, Ash Grove Cement Co.; Dolese Bros. Co., Irving Materials, McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing; MMC Materials and Vulcan Materials.

For more information, please contact NRMCA’s Cara Gavagan at cgavagan@nrmca.org.

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Mixer Truck Driver's Manual is April Internet Special

The NRMCA April Internet Spotlight, which will be good through Tuesday, May 3, is the Mixer Truck Driver's Manual. This manual educates truck mixer drivers about concrete and customer relations. It also highlights driver duties, safety precautions, equipment inspection and maintenance procedures, and what the driver should do in case of an accident. This 74-page manual is easy to understand and contains common sense information every driver should know.

Order online today and receive 20% off the regular member single set price of $16 (making this Internet Special offer $12.80, plus shipping). Please use discount code: ISAP16.

CALENDAR

A Look Ahead

*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.

April 25 - 26, Foxboro, MA

North East ConcreteWorks 2016 Conference

Email: Tamara Waugh, 240-485-1132

April 28, Webinar

Seven Things You Can Do To Place More Concrete in Buildings

Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101

May 3, Free Webinar

The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots