Western Builder articles from January 2009

Western Builder archives from January 2009

2009 Will Be A Crap Shoot.(Editorial)
January 5, 2009... By Mike Larson, Editor Uncertain global economy, unknown amount of federal stimulus, deep but as-yet-unspecified cuts in state budget, and fluctuating material prices make the year unclear There are so many powerful economic currents...

Interlocking Permeable Pavers Offer Natural, Sustainable Drainage.
January 5, 2009... By Rebecca Sonnentag, County Materials Corp A starting point for future riverfront redevelopment in the city of Neenah, WI, a walkway of interlocking, permeable concrete pavers is providing a test area for permeable paving applications and...

Precast Concrete Used For Credit Union's Green Building.
January 5, 2009... By Mike Larson, Editor BCI (formerly Bukacek Construction), Racine, WI, is the general contractor constructing a new $6-million credit union on Milwaukee's east side for Racine-based Educators Credit Union (ECU). The new three-story,...

Crane Lifts Polar Bear.
January 5, 2009... Edited by Mike Larson Crane ride returns 1,500-pound animal to its normal zoo habitat It turns out that Zero the polar bear is not smarter than the average bear. After falling from his habitat at the Milwaukee County Zoo on...

Adding ACP News To Your Home Page Is Quick And Easy.
January 5, 2009... Staff Do you want to keep up with the latest local construction news as soon as you turn on your computer? Do you have a favorite news subject or ACP blog you want delivered right to your computer's home page every morning? You...

New TyRex Catalog Available.
January 5, 2009... Staff TyRex, LLC, Cincinnati, OH, has published a 36-page, full-color catalog that details its full line of commercial tools and fasteners. The products include auto-feed screwdrivers, pneumatic screwdrivers, gas-powered fastening...

Schmitt Joins JSD As Field Crew Chief.(JSD Professional Services, Inc.)(John D. Schmitt)(Brief article)
January 5, 2009... Staff John D. Schmitt has joined the Verona, WI, office of JSD Professional Services, Inc., as a field crew chief. He has more than 20 years of field and office experience as an engineering technician, including preparing construction...

Agreement Will Help Boost Water Quality.
January 5, 2009... Staff Wastewater treatment systems serving 25 million homes across the country will be improved, thanks to an agreement between EPA and 14 national organizations. The organizations will work together to improve management of septic...

JLG Manuals Now Online.
January 5, 2009... Staff JLG Industries, Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company, McConnellsburg, PA, has made the operator, service and parts manuals for JLG[R], SkyTrak[R], and Lull[R] models available to view and download at its website, www.jlg.com . ...

Plank Enterprises Moves To Larger Headquarters.
January 5, 2009... Staff Plank Enterprises, Eau Claire, WI, the holding company for LDPI Lighting, has recently moved from its former 70,000-square-foot location in the Banbury Place complex to a 125,000-square-foot building at 4404 Anderson Dr. The...

Wanco Makes Website Easier To Navigate.(Website overview)
January 5, 2009... Staff Highway safety and traffic control products manufacturer Wanco Inc., Arvada, CO, has revamped its website, www.wanco.com , to be more user friendly. The website update coincides with the release of several new products, and with...

Wisconsin's RMT Completes California Re-Powering Project.
January 5, 2009... Staff The WindConnect team from RMT, Madison, WI, recently completed repowering the Edom Hills Wind Farm in Riverside County, CA. The repowering project replaced 139 aging turbines with eight Clipper Liberty 2.5-megawatt turbines and...

Mechanical And Sheet Metal Contractors Honor Sturdivant.
January 5, 2009... Staff The Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of North Central Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Fox Valley Sheetmetal Contractors Association have named Michael F. Sturdivant of Tweet/Garot Mechanical Inc. as their "Contractor of the Year"...

Doosan Upgrades Mobile Generators To EPA Standards.
January 5, 2009... Staff Doosan Infracore Portable Power, Statesville, NC, has upgraded 10 of its mobile generators to meet the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) current standards for mobile, off-highway, diesel-powered equipment. The 10 models...

Book Club For Green-Building Pros.
January 5, 2009... Staff The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Island Press have launched GreenWorks, a book club offering books about green building. Green Works offers books selected by a panel of leading experts in the field. The books are...

Concrete Associations Sponsor Contest For Architecture Students.
January 12, 2009... Staff Registration is now open for the 2009 "Concrete Thinking for A Sustainable World" international student design competition. The contest challenges students to investigate innovative applications of portland-cement-based materials...

Schuchardt Joins KBS.
January 12, 2009... Staff KBS Construction, Inc., Milwaukee, WI, has hired Joseph Schuchardt as a senior project manager in its Madison, WI, office. He has 20 years of experience and is currently working on the North End project in Milwaukee.

Hawley And Senso Earn Roundabout Designer Certification.(R.A. Smith National)(Patrick Hawley and Doug Senso)(Brief article)
January 12, 2009... Staff Patrick Hawley and Doug Senso, project managers in the transportation division of R.A. Smith National, recently earned Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) certification to design single-lane roundabouts. Hawley's and...

Pokos Joins JSD Professional Services.
January 12, 2009... Staff Grant Pokos, PE, has joined JSD Professional Services, Inc., Verona, WI, as a project engineer. He has more than nine years of experience in civil engineering design, particularly stormwater management, erosion control, and...

Kelly-Schultz Joins JSD Professional Services.
January 12, 2009... Staff Christopher M. Kelly-Schultz, EIT, has joined JSD Professional Services, Inc., as a Project Engineer. He has more than nine years of experience in civil engineering and land surveying, and has been registered as an...

Kohler Now Makes Diesel Engines For North American Market.
January 12, 2009... Staff Kohler Co.'s Global Power Group, recently unveiled its first line of diesel engines for the North America market. The new family of Kohler diesels includes seven air-cooled models from 6.7 to 34.9 horsepower and six liquid-cooled...

Mead & Hunt Earns Awards For Airport Work.
January 12, 2009... Staff Mead & Hunt recently received a 2008 Airport Safety Award from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Great Lakes Region for its work on the La Crosse, WI, Municipal Airport. On the project, Mead & Hunt designed a runway...

Concrete Masonry Lab Earns Accreditation.
January 12, 2009... Staff The International Accreditation Service (IAS) has fully accredited the National Concrete Masonry Association's (NCMA) research and development laboratory as meeting International Standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005. The NCMA...

Gibson Is Aleco's New Regional Manager For Upper Midwest.(David Gibson)(Brief article)
January 12, 2009... Staff Aleco, one of the U.S.'s largest manufacturers of impact doors and PVC strip doors for industrial, commercial and institutional use, has named David Gibson as its Region Account Manager for the Upper Midwest. Gibson has more...

CONEX Wisconsin / N. Illinois Trade Show, Jan. 28-29.
January 19, 2009... By Mike Larson The CONEX Wisconsin / Northern Illinois show is coming up in just over a week. This year's edition will again be held in the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park, West Allis, WI. Show hours will be 9:00...

Applied Ingenuity Yields Unique Safety Solution.(Editorial)
January 19, 2009... By Mark Miner, Miron Construction Co. Using the same kind of creative thinking used to solve construction challenges, Miron Construction and its suppliers create an effective new safety tie-off system. Edited by Mike Larson During...

How To Handle An OSHA Site Inspection.
January 19, 2009... By Mike Larson, Editor Although no sane person relishes an OSHA inspection, being prepared and cooperative can help make things go smoothly OSHA. It's a name that can strike cold, clammy terror into the hearts of even hardened veteran...

Alternative Anti-Icer May Ease Road-Salt Shortage.(ice-melter)(Editorial)
January 19, 2009... Story by Mike Larson, Editor Emerging product keeps melting at colder temperatures, won't harm plants, and is less corrosive to steel A relatively new ice-melter may be one answer to the salt shortage plaguing people responsible for...

Reed Construction Data Launches SmartLeads.
January 19, 2009... Staff Reed Construction Data's (RCD) new SmartLeads online construction project lead service gives contractors greater flexibility, along with access to view thousands of construction leads. Reed Construction Data...

Thelen Joins MSA As Planner.(MSA Professional Services Inc.)(Jeff Thelen )(Brief article)
January 19, 2009... Staff Jeff Thelen has joined MSA Professional Services, Inc. (MSA), Baraboo, WI, as an associate planner. His experience includes working with state, local and academic organizations. Before joining MSA, Thelen was a regional planner...

Ellis Stone's Pierce Earns LEED Accreditation.
January 19, 2009... Staff Pat Pierce, assistant project manager for Ellis Stone Construction Company, Stevens Point, WI, has earned the USGBC's LEED Accredited Professional certificate.

Hatfield, Bricker, Collins, and Lerner Join JSD.
January 19, 2009... Staff Four new professional employees have recently joined JSD Professional Services, Verona, WI. Deborah J. Hatfield , PE, is a senior project engineer. She holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of...

Groth-Designed Church Dedicated.(Evangelical and Reformed Church)(Groth Design Group)(Brief article)
January 19, 2009... Staff The newly constructed Evangelical and Reformed United Church of Christ in Waukesha, WI, was dedicated on December 7, 2008. The new building incorporates a keystone, cornerstones, reclaimed brick, three stained-glass windows, the...

Dial 511 For Wisconsin Road And Traffic Info.
January 19, 2009... Staff Anyone wanting information about road conditions and traffic on Wisconsin's major highways can now simply dial 511, thanks to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's (WisDOT) new 511 Traveler Information System. The 511...

Gehl Donates Skid Loader to University of Wisconsin -- Washington County.
January 19, 2009... Staff Gehl Company, a manufacturer of compact equipment used in construction and agriculture, has donated a Gehl 5240E Skid Loader to assist the University of Wisconsin - Washington County (UWWC) with campus maintenance and groundskeeping....

Metal Forms Corp. Starts Steel-Sculpture Division.
January 19, 2009... Staff Metal Forms Corporation (MFC), Milwaukee, WI, a manufacturer in the concrete construction industry since 1909, has started a steel-sculpture division named Meta Art(TM). The new Meta Art division joins the company's Steel Form,...

Roland To Carry New Komatsu 280-Ton Dump Truck.(Brief article)
January 19, 2009... Staff Roland Machinery's 15 dealer locations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana will carry Komatsu's new 860E-1K electric-drive, rigid-frame dump truck, which offers a payload of 280 tons and a factory-installed trolley-capable...

Ahern Names Mak HVAC Assistant Project Manager.(J.F. Ahern Co. )(William Mak )(Brief article)
January 19, 2009... Staff J. F. Ahern Co., Fond du Lac, WI, has appointed William Mak as HVAC Assistant Project Manager at the Company's Milwaukee, WI, office. Mak is currently working to obtain a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering from the...

Milt Lunda Was Influential In Construction And Beyond.
January 19, 2009... Staff Milt Lunda, former owner and president of Lunda Construction, Black River Falls, WI, died at the age of 88 on December 11, 2008. Lunda earned a degree in civil engineering from Marquette University, served with the U.S. Navy in...

Tagliapietra To Lead Michels' Wind Farm Effort, Henschel Promoted To GM.
January 19, 2009... Staff Michels Corporation, Brownsville, WI, has named Senior Vice President Ron "Tag" Tagliapietra to lead its wind-farm construction activity and build on the company's 1,000-plus megawatts of wind-energy construction experience. ...

WisDOT Seeks Public Comment On Transportation Plan.
January 26, 2009... Staff The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is seeking public comments on its long-range transportation plan, Connections 2030. Public meetings have been held in Madison, La Crosse and Milwaukee. Seven meetings are still...

Trimble Names Keynote Speakers For User Conference.(Conference news)
January 26, 2009... Staff Trimble, Sunnyvale, CA, has named keynote speakers for its International User Conference, Trimble Dimensions 2009, which will be held Feb. 23-25, 2009, at the Mirage Hotel, Las Vegas, NV. The conference will focus on applying...

Orion Energy SystemsWins Global Award For Sustainable Technology.(Orion Energy L.L.C.)(Brief article)
January 26, 2009... Staff Energy-efficient and directly renewable technology from Orion Energy Systems Inc., Manitowoc, WI, has received the Platts Global Energy Award for Sustainable Technology Innovation of the Year. The award recognizes the company...

ABC Reaches Membership Milestone.
January 26, 2009... Staff The Associated Builders and Contractors of America (ABC) has reached a milestone by hitting the 25,000-member mark. The organization has 79 chapters across the U.S. ABC's member companies work primarily in the commercial and...

Wisconsin Earth Movers Name New Officers.(Wisconsin Earth Movers Association )(Brief article)
January 26, 2009... Staff The Wisconsin Earth Movers Association (WEMA) recently named its officers for 2009. They include: President - BradOttum, Relyco, Inc.; Vice President -Mike Sikma, Musson Bros.; and Secretary-Treasurer - Chad Johnson, Hoffman...

Mechanical And Sheet Metal Contractors Award Scholarships.
January 26, 2009... Staff The Mechanical Contractors Association of North Central Wisconsin has awarded scholarships to Megan Bessett and Cameron Kerkhoff. Bessett, a 2008 graduate of Preble High School, is attending the University of Minnesota - Twin...

Eppstein Uhen And Tri-North Honored For PIKE Building.(Eppstein Uhen Architects Inc. and Tri-North Builders)(Brief article)
January 26, 2009... Staff Eppstein Uhen Architects and Tri-North Builders have been recognized in a regional construction competition for the design and construction of PIKETechnologies' new 40,000-square-foot world headquarters in Madison, WI. The...

Topcon VP Auletto Retires.(Topcon Positioning Systems Inc.)(Brief article)
January 26, 2009... Staff Dominick Auletto, vice president of Topcon Positioning Systems (TPS) and a survey industry leader for almost three decades, has retired. Auletto held many positions in more than 28 years with TPS. He was one of the first...

Manitowoc Names Schwer VP Of Engineering And Innovation.
January 26, 2009... Staff Manitowoc Crane Group has appointed Andreas Schwer as senior vice president of global engineering and innovation. Schwer was most recently vice president of design and development at EADS Eurocopter. He has also held leadership...