The Concrete Producer articles from December 2003

The Concrete Producer archives from December 2003

Divide and fail.(Editorial)(Environmental Council of Concrete Organizations )
December 1, 2003... "We have met the enemy and he is us," rings true yet again. That is, unless someone up and does something. What am I talking about? It appears that our industry leaders are about to do battle amongst themselves, reportedly on your behalf, to...

Castle competition highlights expo.(News)(Mid-Atlantic Precast Association )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Mid-Atlantic Precast Association (MAPA) will celebrate its 25than anniversary with its Precast Castle Design Competition Expo & Awards Banquet at the Baltimore Convention Center on Dec. 4. Using as many precast components as possible,...

ASTM drafting dry condition standard.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... ASTM Subcommittee C09.20 on Normal Weight Aggregates is drafting a Standard Practice for Determining the Dry Condition or Constant Mass of Aggregates Used in Concrete. The subcommittee meets Dec. 7-10 in Tampa, Fla., and seeks experienced...

Paver sales jump 18%.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Concrete paver sales totaled an estimated 565 million square feet in the U.S. and Canada in 2002, an increase of 85 million square feet, or 18%, over the previous year. Average sales per manufacturer in the U.S. were 5.33 million square feet, a...

First emissions auction held.(News)(Chicago Climate Exchange )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) held its first auction of carbon monoxide emission allowances in September. Emission allowances were sold using sealed bids. Allowances are based on metric tons of carbon dioxide. The first auction made available...

Scholarships for construction-minded students.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The annual construction industry scholarship program from www.constructmyfuture.com is expanding to provide three scholarships for post-secondary vocational education with a construction focus. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 1, 2004....

Ready mix safety course offered.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) will hold a Safety Course for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry at the RMC Research Foundation Education Center in Silver Spring, Md., Dec. l0-12. The course teaches Occupational Safety...

Upcoming conferences & events.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... ACPA's 40th Convention The 40th Annual American Concrete Pavement Association Convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz., Dec. 2-5. As in past years, the chapter/state and IGGA/ACPA CPR divisions will...

Safety alliance signed.(News)(Occupational Safety and Health Administration/International Safety Equipment Association)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) have formed an alliance to promote worker safety and more healthful heavy construction workplaces. Both groups signed the...

Free concrete pumping manual offered.(News)(American Concrete Pumping Association )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The American Concrete Pumping Association (ACPA), Lewis Center, Ohio, has released a new safety manual for ready mix concrete truck drivers delivering to concrete pumps, it contains many aspects of safety on the job with a concrete pump, with...

Concrete expert elected to post.(News)(Dr. Arnon Bentur, v.p. RILEM)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dr, Arnon Bentur was elected vice president for RILEM, the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems, and Structures. He previously served as chairman of RILEM's technical activities committee. ...

Singling out ASCC?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... The "Who's Hot, Who's Not" graph (TCP 100: Construction Pours it On, Oct. 2003, p. 36) stated that none of the companies responding to your questionnaire belong to the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC). The comment seemingly...

ECCO roundtable.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... To: Gordon Nenna Georgia Concrete and Products Association, representative of ECCO The Atlanta Regional U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) would like to thank ECCO (Environmental Council of Concrete Organizations) for sponsoring the...

Double your pleasure: World of Concrete attendees can mingle with architects and engineers at the 2004 A/E/C show.(E-concrete)
December 1, 2003... You might want to rake another look at your plans for attending World of Concrete in February. That's because for the first time ever, you'll also have a chance to attend the A|E|C SYSTEMS-Technology for Design & Construction show. Any...

Automating cylinder strength test reports: economical hardware and software combo helps organize producer data.(What's New)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2003... Managers may not want to admit it, but reporting on concrete strengths is not nearly as fast as producing concrete. That's why many QC lab managers will be interested in a new technology that increases testing precision and decreases report...

Why 'greening' occurs.(Troubleshooting)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Q. A contractor we supply plans to pour a number of exposed architectural walls with an 8000-psi, 50% slag mix. In mock-ups, the concrete has a very dark green color, as if it is stained. The color is not fading very fast. Will the color...

Compressive vs. flexural strength.(Troubleshooting)
December 1, 2003... Q. Is there a good way to correlate core compressive strength and flexural strength? I have a job in which there was only one beam broken at 28 days, and there are not enough sets to perform any statistical analysis. We are planning to core the...

So, you want to be a dispatcher? Most days are hectic, but the mission is always accomplished.(As The Drum Turns)
December 1, 2003... I'm sure most of you will agree, one of the unique thinks about being a dispatcher for a ready mix company is there are never two days alike. At least that's the way it was when I was a dispatcher. Some days are smooth as silk. But when I think...

Mixing a winner: most ICF contestants changed their designs for the second round.(Mix Designs for ICFs)(insulated concrete form)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... Richard Szecsy describes a three-point strategy he used in the ICF Mix Design contest. First, work backwards from the answer. Second, use the best available technology. And finally, use a team approach to solve the problem. That strategy...

Rolling ahead: with a stronger economy, manufacturers are delivering more choices for severe duty vocation fleet managers.(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... Better times are ahead for manufacturers in 2004, according to many forecasters who watch the tracking industry. For the last three years, most fleet managers have avoided purchasing either replacement or additional trucks. Their forecasts...

We can prevent this!(Products for the Pros showcase)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2003... And at n lower cost than you pay now! Bead Plus IGN admix is specifically formulated to reduce water absorption and efflorescence in concrete blocks, pavers, roof tiles and bricks as well as low-slump precast and architectural concrete...

Computer enclosures.(Products for the Pros showcase)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2003... Protect your computers from the harsh elements of the workplace. The unique dust shield fan & filter system stops contaminants as fine as .1 of a micron from damaging your computer and computer related equipment We also manufacture custom...

Price breakthrough for dust collectors.(Products for the Pros showcase)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2003... Filter Technology Ltd. has engineered a reliable filtration system that does the same job as stainless steel at a fraction of the cost. The low density rotationally molded polyethylene body is rated for service from -20 to 250 degrees F. Four...

Reclaimer.(Products for the Pros showcase)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2003... The Concrete Cyclone Reclaimer continues to be the easiest to maintain, simplest to operate and most economical waste concrete reclaimer in the market place. The Cyclone is sturdy as ever and built of the finest materials available. We...

Texturing tools.(Products for the Pros showcase)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2003... Scofield announces a new generation of HIGH OUTPUT LITHOTEX[R] Pavecrafters[R] tools for imprinting and texturin. The improved polyurethane composition provides significantly lighter weight without reduction in durability for a longer working...

Paper or plastic? Plastic bags are 10% cheaper than paper.(Product Pulse)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... If you bag dry-mixed concrete, mortar, and other products for contractors or retailers, you probably have used paper bags without giving it a second thought. Well, it's time to start thinking about a new method, as a sea change may occur soon....

The cutting edge: make plans now for Orlando.(World of Concrete)(2004 World of Concrete )(Calendar)
December 1, 2003... There always is uncertainty as the calendar flips from one year to the next: What are your business prospects? Will you miss out on any concrete industry innovations? Rest easy. A visit to the 2004 World of Concrete will put your mind at ease....

The place producers call home.(Producer Center Products)(Directory)
December 1, 2003... Concrete producers will not be taking full advantage of the 2004 World of Concrete unless they visit the show's Producer Center. In its fourth year, the Producer Center will showcase more than 170 exhibitors, its largest showing ever. THE...

Expand your horizons: CD-ROM gives insights on cementing materials.(Bookshelf)(Supplementary Cementing Materials CDROM )(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... Need to train new employees or salespersons? Or do you just want to expand your knowledge of fly ash or silica fume? Here an interactive distance learning program is specifically designed to train individuals on cement and concrete technology....

Covering up your problems (again): producers continue to eliminate hydraulic cylinder problems with lightweight protective covers.(Fleet Factors)(Advertisement)
December 1, 2003... When I recently received a phone request for some information about a product I wrote on a few years ago, I found myself perusing past columns. We've published some great information. So for our many readers, the subject of shrouding hydraulic...