NewsLinks

Interesting News from Across the Web

• Washington State Officials Mandate Low-Impact Construction in Metro Seattle: In an effort to reduce pollution in Puget Sound, a state appeals board in Washington has ordered builders to implement low-impact construction techniques such as green roofs and porous pavement. Environmentalists hailed the new requirement, which could mean the end of curb-and-gutter road construction in new subdivisions. The American Society of Civil Engineers' ASCE SmartBrief electronic newsletter included stories from local Seattle newspapers: the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and The Seattle Times.
   

• ICF Storm Resistance featured in TV News Video: ICFs were featured recently in a "Safe & Affordable" segment on WCCO television news in Minneapolis-St. Paul, demonstrating how concrete homes can protect against the destruction from tornados such the one that hit Hugo, MN, earlier this summer. Click CLICK HERE for this extremely supportive story.
   

• Missouri Contractors Turn to Concrete: An August 25 article in the Springfield (MO) Business Journal states that "asphalt has long been the pavement material of choice for area road construction projects, but the rising cost and dwindling availability of the petroleum-based product has hardened concrete's foothold as a competitor."
   

• Charlotte Contractors Face Rising Materials Costs: The August 22 edition of the Charlotte Business Journal said construction companies are changing how they do business to cope with escalating costs of building materials: CLICK HERE. Source: AGC SmartBrief electronic newsletter.
   

• Denver Area Views Concrete Favorably with Asphalt: Continuing the theme found elsewhere in the U.S., Denver-area municipal road departments are turning to concrete for paving as the rising price of crude oil also raises the price of asphalt. An article was posted in the Denver Business Journal: CLICK HERE.
   

• Curbing Stormwater Runoff in Vermont: State DOT engineers are using pervious concrete and extolling its virtues for a park-and-ride lot adjacent to a local Interstate. Television station WCAX posted an August 28 video report and article on its Web site: CLICK HERE. NRMCA producer member Carroll Concrete supplied the concrete. Thanks to Jonathan Kuell, executive director of the Northern New England Concrete Promotion Association, for sending the link.
   

• Utah Parking Lot Features Pervious Pavement: Like their counterparts in New England, state officials in Utah recently discussed their favorable response to a pervious parking area. Television station KSL filed this report on August 26 –  CLICK HERE. NRMCA producer member JB Parsons Companies supplied the concrete for this project.

Concrete Pavement Analyst Version 3 Finalized

NRMCA's Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) is a powerful parking area concrete promotion design and costing software tool that quickly and accurately quantifies the differences between concrete and asphalt pavements. Using ACI and Asphalt Institute recommendations, CPA compares total ownership costs, providing specifiers the information they need to make sound pavement decisions. Since Version 1 was introduced in 2004, thousands of ready mixed concrete professionals have used it to make the compelling case for concrete.

Version 3 features:

• A new asphalt cost calculator – allows for easy conversion of in-place square foot cost to in-place per ton cost.
   

• The ability to include aggregate sub base into concrete cost calculation to more accurately reflect real-life designs.
   

• Re-formatted, user-friendly reports are concise, easy-to-read.
   

• Updated default values for material and labor costs.

Existing CPA discs can be traded in for Version 3 for $3.50 each. Without trade-in, new copies are $25 for members/partners ($100 for non-members). Existing CPA Program Partners pay only $5.00 for new discs. Organizations can become partners through a purchase of 100 discs for $1000.  

Contact:  Jacques Jenkins at 240-485-1165, or buy online.

August PPI: Asphalt and Steel Race to Top of Price Chart

(Click graph to enlarge & for more info)

Asphalt prices logged another large monthly gain, increasing 9.8% from July to August, while steel prices rose 2% over the same period for the 10th straight monthly hike, according to the August Producer Price Index (PPI). Lumber prices increased 0.6% in August. Concrete declined slightly (0.1%). Over the last year, steel prices are up 40.8% and asphalt has increased 46.6%. Concrete prices are up 3.6% and lumber prices are down 5%.

NRMCA provides excellent tools and strong support for ready mixed producers to expand market share. Many items are available for immediate download here on the Concrete Promoters' Resource Center website, ConcretePromotion.org.

NRMCA's ConcreteWorks Offers Promotion/Sales Track

NRMCA's Fall Conference, now known as ConcreteWorks, was created in 2006 as a combination of three important annual events: the Business Administration Conference, the Operations, Environmental and Safety Forum & Expo and the National Mixer Driver Championship. For the first time in 2008, the conference also features a comprehensive concrete promotion track. ConcreteWorks is also known for great networking, social events and keynote presentations,

All industry participants with a special interest in concrete promotion and sales are invited to attend the new conference track. With more than 500 attendees in 2007 and strong growth expected in 2008, this is a great chance to expand promotion know-how while interacting with members and peers from around the country. Please note that NRMCA is offering a travel stipend to encourage the participation of promoters from the staff of state affiliated organizations.

Concrete promoters are also invited to attend NRMCA' Promotion Committee meeting Saturday, October 18, from 3-5 p.m. and the Pervious Subcommittee meeting from on Tuesday, October 21, from 1-4 p.m.

RPGs Vote to Dissolve, Join PCA

To date, a total of five Regional Promotion Groups (RPGs) have opted to dissolve and join the Portland Cement Association: the Great Lakes Cement Promotion Association, the Northwest Cement Producers, the Rocky Mountain Cement Council, the South Central Cement Promotion Association and the Southeast Cement Association. Three others – the Arizona Cement Council, Northeast Cement Shippers Association and the North Central Cement Council – will vote on alignment in the next month.

From PCA Executive Report, September 8, 2008.

NRMCA Offers Parking Lot Design Seminars for Specifiers;

Contractor/Producer Training with ASCC

Modeled on the successful  pervious concrete design seminars offered across the U.S. over the past two years, NRMCA is planning to offer conventional design seminars with local and state partners. The initial four seminars are set for the last two months of 2008 with 20 more planned for 2009.

NRMCA is also working with the American Society of Concrete Contractors to offer design, promotion and construction training to ready mixed producers and contractors in 2009. The first of these two-day events (Building a Successful Concrete Parking Lot Construction Business) will be offered January 20-21 in St. Louis, with three additional sessions to be offered in other locations during the year.

Carolinas State Association Launches Parking Lot Promotion Web Site

For More Information:  Contact CRMCA's Jason D. Wimberly at 704-717-9199, or by e-mail at wimberly@crmca.com.

ACPA Airport Pavement Design Seminar Set for Denver in October

The concrete pavement industry is responding to airport owner demands for quality and efficiency in construction of airport pavements.  A limited number of seats are still available for the American Concrete Pavement Association's next Airport Pavement Design Seminar, scheduled for October 7-9 in Denver. This comprehensive, hands-on training course covers the design and construction of concrete pavements for airports. CLICK HERE (pdf) for more information.

PCA Announces 2009 Schedule of Courses

The Portland Cement Association's 2009 course schedule continues its commitment to offering seminars that address current industry concerns and challenges. Programs use a combination of practicing professionals with solid experience and the latest in simulations to enable participants to master the skills they need. The courses stress discovering and understanding real-world problems through laboratory experiences that reinforce practical and immediate solutions.

Scheduled courses include:

Kiln Process: February 10-13; September 22-25
Design & Control of Concrete: February 23-26; October 19-21
Mill Grinding: March 3-5; October 27-29
Troubleshooting: Solutions to Concrete Field Problems: March 9-11; November 2-4
Cement & Concrete Overview: April 2-3
Cement Manufacturing for Process Engineers: December 8-11

NEEDED:

Concrete Ads, Flowable Fill Photos & Videos for Promotion Resource Center

The online Concrete Promoters' Resource Center (ConcretePromotion.org) features an ever-expanding repository of downloadable resources, thanks to numerous promoters who have provided material now available for the benefit of all. NRMCA is offering a section on the site with copies of ads that organizations have used to promote concrete – please send anything you have on any application, including promotion of the "green" benefits of concrete.

Another particular need is good flowable fill photos and videos. Thanks to Myron Hillock at Somero Enterprises for sending photos of pervious placements with a laser screed (CLICK HERE for the Resource Center photo section).

If you have any content you would like to share, please send to NRMCA's Glenn Ochsenreiter at glenn@nrmca.org.

NRMCA Seeks Promoter of the Year Nominations

The NRMCA Promoter of the Year Award recognizes the contributions of industry advocates who seek to maximize concrete's share of the construction materials market, spread concrete innovation and support the positive image of the industry's quality, value and professionalism. You can help one of these industry champions receive deserved acknowledgement by nominating him or her for this prestigious award. The most recent Promoter of the Year Award was presented to Barrett Reese of Texas Industries.

Nominees must be employees of an NRMCA ready mixed producer member company and must have worked in the industry for at least five years. The award will be presented during NRMCA's Annual Convention at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, March 15-18, 2009.

CLICK HERE for more information, or contact NRMCA's Michelle Barringer by email or at 1-888-846-7622, x1143.

NRMCA Names New National Resource Director for Southeast Region

NRMCA is pleased to announce the addition of Amy Miller, PE, as national resource director (NRD) for the Southeast region. Miller, who will be based in Jacksonville, FL, was previously employed at Grace Construction Products where she was a key accounts manager for the Southeast and previously was part of Grace's Engineering Services Group. Before Grace, Miller worked as a consulting engineer and a sales engineer where she was heavily involved with land development issues and, especially at Grace, she was focused on strategic issues and relationship building at the executive level.

Miller is a professional engineer, holds a bachelor's degree in environmental engineering and a master's in business administration from the University of Florida, is a founding member and director of a chapter of the Florida Structural Engineers Association and is a Certified General Contractor in Florida.

Miller joins NRMCA's other five national resource directors operating in all regions of the country and will report to Managing Director, National Resources, Dan Huffman. In her new position she will apply her impressive credentials to the heavy national focus on parking lot promotion along with advancing all ready mixed concrete products, with a special emphasis on NRMCA's highly strategic National Accounts Program. Through teamwork with our industry's peer organizations and other promoters among NRMCA's membership, Miller's cooperative style and personal skills will stand out, Huffman noted. While she will work mostly in the Southeast Region, like the other NRDs Miller will interact with NRMCA's clients and members nationwide as needs warrant.

Ohio Promoters Create Impressive Pervious Display at Cleveland Event

Ohio Concrete NE recently participated as a sponsor of an event called The Burning River Fest which commemorates a time when the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland caught on fire back in the 70's and the need for environmental awareness now. Ohio Concrete NE Director Bob Banka, other state promoters and River Fest officials built a water park to give the patrons of the event a place to cool down on a hot August day using pervious concrete as the pavement. Thirteen companies, including BASF, Lafarge, St. Mary's Cement, Axim, Essroc, Euclid, Mack Concrete, Consumers Supply, Chas.E.Phipps, Lakota Concrete, R.J. Platten, The Great Lakes Construction Company and Donley's,

as well as the Great Lakes Cement Promotion Association all joined to make the event happen.

The resulting "Pervious Concrete Hydra Park" consisted of a 155' x 16' slab of colored pervious concrete with a #9 stone with four water jets that were installed in the concrete to spray water into the air. Banka said the slab was built on top of a 18" recharge bed that was laid on a non-woven geo-textile fabric. In addition, an 8" perforated pipe was installed down the center of the recharge bed to capture some of the water that was then pumped into a 500 gallon admix tank to showcase how we could harvest the water for irrigation purposes. Then, to really drive home the vision of what pervious concrete does, three concrete blocks were set into place on one end of the slab; two 4' x 5' sections of both regular pervious concrete made with a 3/8" limestone and colored pervious concrete made with the #9 stone between the ridges of the blocks with two sprinklers that sprayed water all day on River Fest attendees.

On the day of the event, most of the companies that helped build the Hydra Park showed up to man the booth and more than 10,000 people saw, many for the first time, what pervious concrete is and what it can do for the environment, Banka said. He and his colleagues spoke to more than 1,000 people, handed out more than 700 flyers on pervious concrete, gave away more than 100 T-shirts that highlighted all of our member companies and even had a shiny mixer truck onsite for kids to get their photos taken. Media attention included a photo in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and a possible article in an upcoming edition of Cleveland Magazine, Banka added.

NRMCA Adjusts Default Values on CPA Software

With costs rising continuously since 2005, particularly in the asphalt market, NRMCA has adjusted the default values for material and labor in its Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) software program. Mid-Atlantic Senior Director of National Resources Phil Kresge recently polled the industry and has determined that the following values accurately represent national averages for each of the markets. These revised values appear in new CPA Version 3.0 and can be set as the default in earlier CPA versions by accessing the configuration screen, entering the new values and saving as user defaults.

Please note these parameters vary widely and the best approach is to use whatever numbers are most relevant in your market. The new default values are provided here as formatted in the CPA program: 

NRMCA thanks the industry members who responded to the CPA survey and assisted in calculating these new values. For more info, contact Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org.