Western Builder articles from July 2006

Western Builder archives from July 2006

Award Winner.
July 6, 2006... Staff National Survey & Engineering, a division of R.A. Smith & Associates, Inc., Brookfield, Wis., received a first place award in the "Interactive Web mapping" category of the Wisconsin Land Information Association's annual conference...

Buechel Named VP.
July 6, 2006... Staff Buechel Stone Corp. announced that Scott Buechel has been appointed vice president of the board of directors for the Building Stone Institute (BSI). The Building Stone Institute is the natural stone industry's premiere trade...

Show Business.
July 6, 2006... Staff STS Consultants, Ltd. (STS) has been involved in the early planning stages for a new 12-screen Marcus theater in the I-43 Business Center in Green Bay, Wis. STS has provided geotechnical engineering, surveying, civil site...

AGC Honors.
July 6, 2006... Staff More than 90 contractors were recognized for exemplary safety records at the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Greater Milwaukee's Past Presidents and Awards Night. The banquet, which serves to honor the past presidents of...

Work Complete.
July 6, 2006... Staff Selzer-Ornst Co. has completed the conversion of warehouse/manufacturing space for Blue Cross Blue Shield at Summit Place in West Allis, Wis. The space is comprised of over 150,000 square feet to accommodate the relocation of...

Teamwork.(Tweet/Garot Mechanical's Zero Injury Program and safety management analysis)
July 6, 2006... By Barry Gantenbein, Editor, Western Builder Tweet/Garot's broad-based approach to safety results in 2.5 million hours worked without a lost-time accident Ask Chris Warren, CHST, safety director for Tweet/Garot Mechanical in Green Bay,...

She's The Boss.(Stacy Fett starts construction firm)
July 6, 2006... By Barry Gantenbein, Editor, Western Builder Seeing an opportunity, Fett starts woman-owned construction firm A lot of people talk about starting their own company, but not many really go through with it. Stacy Fett, owner of Stone...

At the Crossroads.
July 6, 2006... Staff Interstate highways have served Wisconsin well, but increased funding is needed to meet rising demands on system, TRIP reports For the last 50 years, Wisconsin's Interstate Highway System has remained the most critical link in...

Working Efficiently.(workplace efficiency management tips)
July 6, 2006... Staff Convert e-mails to tasks to better manage inbox and increase productivity Sometimes you despise that relentless harbinger of the Information Age - e-mail. You're drowning in it. Every time you see the escalating inbox tally, or...

National Champs.(Brief article)
July 13, 2006... Staff The University of Wisconsin-Madison has won its fourth straight American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) National Concrete Canoe Competition. The Badgers defeated entries from 22 other top engineering schools from across the...

Green Building.
July 13, 2006... Staff Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC) has broke ground for its new energy-efficient commercial office building in Madison, Wis. The 34,000-square-foot facility will be located at University Research Park in Madison and...

On The River.
July 13, 2006... Staff VJS Construction Services, Pewaukee, Wis., is the general contractor for River Renaissance in Milwaukee. Construction is underway with an anticipated completion date of May 2007. The seven-story, 80-unit luxury condominium...

Public Works Awards.
July 13, 2006... Staff Three members of the American Public Works Association (APWA) Wisconsin Chapter have received top national honors for their work. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District Northwest Side Relief Sewer Project has been named...

2006 Officers.
July 13, 2006... Staff Jim Bartelt, Bartelt Insulation Supply, Inc., Appleton, Wis., has been lected president of the Insulation Contractors Association of Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Scott Berken, Sprinkmann Sons Corporation, Wrightstown,...

On The Job.
July 13, 2006... Staff Creative Constructors, LLC, Menomonee Falls, Wis., has been awarded the contract for the multi-purpose building on the Southern Oaks Girls School Campus in Union Grove, Wis. The $1.2-million project features a 10,000-square-foot...

Proving Ground.
July 20, 2006... By Barry Gantenbein, Editor, Western Builder Pair of warm mix asphalt test sections placed in Oak Creek Except for the 75 or so yellow-vested visitors to the site, it seemed like a typical asphalt paving project for the crew from Payne...

Good Business.(employee training yields profit)
July 20, 2006... Staff Expense of training employees brings rate of return of 2-1 The last paragraph of the introduction to a study done more than 12 years ago addressing contractor training programs rings true today: No matter what the size and type...

Editor's Report.
July 20, 2006... By Barry Gantenbein Returning to Waukesha from Reedsburg last month, an accident closed eastbound traffic on I-94. My family and I left the Interstate at Highway 26 in Johnson Creek, and finished our trip home on Highway 18. Before...

In Memoriam.(Carolyn Kay Waelti passes away)(Obituary)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff Carolyn Kay Waelti, 63, of Delavan, Wis., died June 24, 2006, at Aurora Lakeland Medical Center following a vehicle crash. Waelti was the wife of Gerald Waelti, former executive director of the Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement...

Bakke Passes Away.(Gus Bakke)(Obituary)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff Gus Bakke, who served as the first Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) secretary after the agency was established in a 1967 reorganization of state government, died June 17, 2006, in Menomonie, Wis. A graduate of the...

Engineering Award.(2005 Professional Development award)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff KJWW Engineering Consultants won the 2005 Professional Development Award for Private Practice sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). The award has been presented annually since 1983 to an...

Boyd Honored.(David S. Boyd)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) has inducted David S. Boyd, FAICP of Madison, Wis., into the membership of AICP's College of Fellows. Boyd, who was selected as a Fellow of AICP for individual achievement in...

On The Job.(VJS Construction Services)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff VJS Construction Services (VJS), a general contracting, construction management and design-build firm located in Pewaukee, Wis., is the general contractor for the Grace Center/Grace Evangelical Church in downtown Milwaukee. ...

Upgraded Machine.
July 20, 2006... Staff Komatsu America Corp. has introduced its new PC600LC-8 hydraulic excavator, which is available through Roland Machinery Company's 15 locations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Komatsu has developed an...

Generator Sets.
July 20, 2006... Staff Cummins Power Generation's expanded line of factory-installed weather-protective and sound-attenuated enclosures include generator sets from 230 kilowatts to 1,000 kilowatts in size. Standard features include all-steel construction,...

Expansion Anchor.
July 20, 2006... Staff Hilti KB-TZ Expansion Anchor is suited for seismic and cracked concrete applications. With unique wedge design and available in carbon and Type 304 stainless steel, medium-duty KB-TZ anchor features raised dog point impact section to...

Spiral Saw Bits.
July 20, 2006... Staff RotoZip[R] by Bosch launched XBits, a spiral saw bit line that includes XB-DW, which cuts drywall; XB-MP, a multi-purpose bit cutting wood, fiberglass, OSB, laminates, plastic, and siding; XB-TC, which cuts ceramic wall tile, cement...

Tile Saws.
July 20, 2006... Staff Target Tilematic G2 model cuts 15 inches diagonally, up from 12 inches, and will rip cut 24-inch tile. Super Tilematic G2 cuts 22 inches diagonally, up from 18 inches, and will rip cut 31-inch tile. New galvanized pan resists rust...

Engines.
July 20, 2006... Staff Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power adds two vertical shaft Big Block engines, the 895 and 993 cc, to its lineup of horizontal shaft Big Block engines. The air-cooled engines feature an advanced debris management system incorporated...

Erosion Control Product.
July 20, 2006... Staff Dustbuster is a foam that blankets, captures and agglomerates airborne dust particles from sources such as stone, coal, cement processing, and other material, handling operations and controlling dust from drilling, crushing and...

Stair Tread.(Sure-Foot Industries Corp.)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff Sure-Foot[R] Industries Corp.'s Glow-in-the-Dark Boldstep Aluminum Tread is a permanent metal tread that recharges in low light and emits glow protection for over 20 hours. Made with epoxy material, dirt/oils do not penetrate the...

One-Ton Bags.(Strong Man Building Products Corp.)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff For transportation of up to 2,000 pounds of bulk material, Strong Man Building Products Corp. offers One-Ton Bags constructed from high-quality, tightly woven polypropylene. Used to transport sand, mulch or construction debris from...

Steel Framing.
July 20, 2006... Staff Trakloc[R] International introduces a patented fastener-free wall assembly system for non-load bearing walls. Self-locking, adjustable system of steel framing eliminates screwing stud and track together, eliminates cutting and...

Angle Grinder.(Michigan Pneumatic Tools)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff Michigan Pneumatic Tools' NPK NAG-LW-U5 Angle Grinder features a quick release spindle locking mechanism. The 5-inch angle grinder has a composite plastic handle with two-step safety throttle lever mechanism. With left or right-hand...

Heat Gun.
July 20, 2006... Staff H1600, a three-speed, variable temperature heat gun by Metabo, features a 13-amp motor with double fan and easy-to-clean air filter. Airflow and temperature are easily adjusted with one hand, and non-slip pads allow users to stand...

Stencil Kit.(from J.L. Geisler Corp.)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff Stencil kits for marking curbs at sewer drains are available from J.L. Geisler Corp. Kits include 3-inch roller, ink pad, quart of white and quart of green stencil ink, reusable background stencil, and reusable no-dumping stencil...

Spool Gun.
July 20, 2006... Staff Magnum[R] 250LX, a compact spool gun for Lincoln Electric's Power MIG(TM) 255C and Power MIG 350MP wire feeder/welder systems, is lightweight and well-balanced at 3 pounds, excluding cable weight. Rated at 280 amps/60-percent duty...

Tapping Tools.
July 20, 2006... Staff Four new tapping tools have been added to Klein Tools' line, including three Cushion-Grip Triple Taps and one Cushion-Grip Six-In-One Tap. All four form new threads, reform burred or damaged threads, clean out obstructions, and...

Compressors.
July 20, 2006... Staff AirSource and AirSource Plus portable rotary-screw compressors from Ingersoll Rand come in a compact size, with overall width of 67 inches and height of 59 inches. Both models feature a new modular design canopy, made of...

Proportioner.(Reactor E-10)(Brief article)
July 20, 2006... Staff Graco's Reactor E-10 is a compact/portable proportioner used to apply polyurethane foam and coatings. One person can easily maneuver and operate the unit in high- or low-pressure spraying, extrusion joint-filling and pouring...

Centennial Celebration.(of Valders Stone and Marble Inc.)(Company overview)
July 20, 2006... By Barry Gantenbein, Editor, Western Builder Valders Stone & Marble marks 100th anniversary A quarry founded in Valders, Wis. in 1906 to produce lump lime along with quarry and crush stone is now producing dimensional cut limestone...

New Division.
July 27, 2006... Staff VJS Construction Services (VJS), a general contracting, construction management and design-build firm in Pewaukee, Wis., has announced their new aviation division (also located in Pewaukee), VJS Lincoln Co. The new division will...

ASA Honors.(American Subcontractors Association )(Brief article)
July 27, 2006... Staff J.H. Findorff & Son, Milwaukee and Madison, Wis., has been selected General Contractor of the Year by the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) of Greater Milwaukee. The award, the first for the contractor, was presented at...

Election Results.(Brief article)
July 27, 2006... Staff Steve Garrison, Duwe Metal Products, Menomonee Falls, Wis., has been elected president of the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) of Greater Milwaukee for 2006-2007. Linda Lucas, Hess Sweitzer Painting, New Berlin, Wis.,...

Seven Straight.
July 27, 2006... Staff Creative Constructors, LLC, a general contractor/construction management firm in Menomonee Falls, Wis., has been presented with a Perfect Safety Award from the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Greater Milwaukee and the...

One-Year Warranty.
July 27, 2006... Staff A new one-year, unlimited-hour standard warranty went into effect earlier this year for virtually all New Holland construction equipment products. Products covered by the one-year, unlimited-hour warranty include New Holland...

Welding Blog.
July 27, 2006... Staff Miller Electric Mfg. Co. (www.MillerWelds.com ) has created a welding blog. Blog is short for Weblog, which is an online diary where contributors share their ideas, opinions and other information. Miller invites people who work...

At Work.(Vetter Denk Architecture)(Brief article)
July 27, 2006... Staff Beyer Construction, New Berlin, Wis., has started construction of 161 First Building, a mixed-use development in Milwaukee's Fifth Ward. The project developer and owner is Vetter Denk Architecture of Milwaukee. In 2004,...