The Concrete Producer articles from July 2005

The Concrete Producer archives from July 2005

Home is where our heart is.(Editorial)(Editorial)
July 1, 2005... It's fun to watch how kids respond to their first taste of freedom. My 16-year-old daughter returned home recently from a month-long choral trip to Germany. After taking a quick look in the fridge, she went to check out her room. It was...

The right cure.(Opening of International Center for Concrete Research)
July 1, 2005... The grand opening of the International Center for Concrete Research (ICCR) literally started with a bang. When the 250 guests heard the compression break of a 14-year-old test cylinder, everyone jumped. Host Gary Mullings, an old pro at such...

Changes for Degussa chemicals.(News)
July 1, 2005... Degussa Admixtures Inc. has transferred its surface-enhancing chemical line to sister company Degussa Building Systems (DBS). Products transferring under the DBS umbrella include stains, coatings, release agents, form and surface retarders, and...

Grace buys Swedish admixture business.(Perstorp Peramin AB)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... W.R. Grace & Co. bought a portion of the concrete admixtures business of Perstorp Peramin AB (Perstorp) of Sweden. Perstorp sells admixtures to ready-mix and pre-cast concrete producers in Sweden and other Northern European countries. The...

Associations launch newsletter.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Portland Cement Association (PCA), National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), and the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) have teamed to launch Washington Briefing, a weekly electronic newsletter combining coverage of the...

Upcoming conferences & events.(News)(Calendar)
July 1, 2005... ConMat '05 The Third Annual International Conference on Construction Materials: Performance, Innovations, and Structural Implications will be held at the Sheraton Wall Centre in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Aug. 22-24. ConMat '05...

A better image: document imaging will rid your office of clutter.(E-CONCRETE)(Imaging Technology Group )
July 1, 2005... Do you knock into the coffee machine when you turn your chair around? Are you closer to the person sitting next to you in the office than you would like? Who wouldn't like a bigger office? Here is an idea to give yourself more space. And...

Bending without breaking: a Canadian invention helps with pavement slab durability.(Flexosol Inc.)
July 1, 2005... In many portions of North America, builders and homeowners often avoid using precast slabs because they're concerned with ground heave caused by the freeze-thaw cycle. Now, with a recently patented design, producers can offer their installers a...

Slimming down: manufacturers use incremental weight-saving designs to lighten trucks.(Fleet Factors)
July 1, 2005... Health experts believe the best way to begin a weight control program requires a little planning. They advise to record each meal's menu. By carefully examining a week's worth of meals, it's easy to design an effective approach to reducing the...

Measuring compressive strength.(Problem Clinic)
July 1, 2005... Q. Compressive strength is one of the most important measurements in manufacturing concrete. As a producer, I need to know whether this measurement is accurate. How can I be sure my concrete compressive strength results are correct? A....

English to metric.(Problem Clinic)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Q. We recently won the bid to supply a large project. The good news is that there's a large volume of concrete; the bad news is that the engineer has called for all of the measurements to be in metric. Converting our batching system to...

Our crystal ball: recent cement shortages are "just the beginning".(Concrete Returns)(Column)
July 1, 2005... Bill Allen and I love to debate the big picture. My partner has been expressing accurate opinions about trends and values in the ready-mixed concrete industry for more than a quarter century, and I have become a true believer in his crystal...

Hue pick your color: decorative concrete is not as easy as it looks.(As the Drum Turns)(Column)
July 1, 2005... As you may know, I got married recently, which meant moving into our new home. In the process, we've come up with plans to build an addition and add a concrete driveway. The addition planning has been fun. But I've been struggling with the...

Striking, yet functional: hurricanes were a major concern for the home's owner, architect, and concrete producer.(Concrete Express Inc.)(Cover Story)
July 1, 2005... David Howard enjoys making other people's dreams come true. So when someone was looking for an innovative home that would be attractive yet functional, Howard came to the rescue and provided his favorite building product--concrete. As the...

The cost of testing: don't overlook curing conditions when testing concrete cylinders.
July 1, 2005... Once again, the ready-mixed concrete industry faces the annual battle over testing. There is always the expectation that the problem is not with the concrete but with the testing. A 1000 psi drop in 28-day concrete cylinder strength can be...

Record run: international attendance at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005 also was an all-time high.(Products for the Producer)
July 1, 2005... If you kept bumping into equipment, booths, and people at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2005, there was a very good reason. A record 124,800 people attended the five-day show at the Las Vegas Convention Center in March. The event spanned a...

Zinc-plated wedge anchors.(Anchors Away: Accessories are key to making your concrete shipshape.)
July 1, 2005... Ankr-Tite wedge anchors are made of zinc-plated carbon steel. They need less rotation to achieve required torque, making set up faster. They also have a safety shoulder feature which supports clip when the anchor is under strain. Enlarged...

Connect rebar in the field.(Anchors Away: Accessories are key to making your concrete shipshape.)
July 1, 2005... The Lenton taper-threaded splice can quickly and easily connect two pieces of rebar in the field. The taper-threaded design assures strength, consistency, and reliability while simplifying installation. The product meets ACI's full-tension...

Fast, easy splice.(Anchors Away: Accessories are key to making your concrete shipshape.)
July 1, 2005... The OS Splice Clip is a cost effective, reliable method for joining small diameter reinforcing rebar. The splice, which exceeds the yield point of steel, is quick and easy to install, and doesn't require trained technicians. The splices can be...

Anchors for concrete panels.(Anchors Away: Accessories are key to making your concrete shipshape.)
July 1, 2005... Halfen cast-in-place anchors provide simple, adjustable connections for restraining concrete panels. The restraint strap welds to the structural steel for a secure connection. The anchors are also available for near-edge conditions and...

Carbon steel drop-in anchor.(Anchors Away: Accessories are key to making your concrete shipshape.)
July 1, 2005... The HDI drop-in anchor is made of carbon steel and is perfect for hollow core panels, precast plank, and post-tensioned slabs. At 3/4 inches, it requires shallow drilling for fast installation. The lip design is flush, providing consistent...

Easy-to-install rebar coupler.(Anchors Away: Accessories are key to making your concrete shipshape.)
July 1, 2005... The Bar-Lock coupler system provides a simple, quick, cost effective method for splicing smooth or deformed rebar in tension or compression applications. They are effective when used as a positional coupler when the rebar is fixed in place or...

Safety for ready-mix drivers: the manual offers safety guidelines for drivers delivering to concrete pumps.(Bookshelf)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Safety Manual for Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Drivers provides safety guidelines for ready-mix concrete truck drivers who are making deliveries to concrete pumps. This 14-page document informs the drivers of ready-mix trucks about the...

Posi-Turner[R] Rotation Beams.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... Posi-Turner[R] Rotation Beams This Posi-Turner[R] quickly, easily, and safely rotates concrete molds from the pour position to the stripping minutes. Posi-Turner's can be used for any application that required mold or product rotation in the...

Admixtures for colored concrete.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... Award winning projects begin with award winning materials. CHROMIX[R] Admixtures for Color-Conditioned[TM] Concrete are colored, water-reducing, set-controlling admixtures for ready mixed architectural concrete. Coloring concrete integrally,...

Colors for concrete.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... Cobalt blues are the most stable of all blues and we have been producing them in Cincinnati, Ohio since 1933. We are a fourth generation, family owned business that has grown to become the world's largest producer. With demonstrated world-class...

Super strong 22 Kp lifting system.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... Our popular Ring System is available in 15 Kp and 22 Kp capacities. The all new 22 Kp system has all of the advantages of our 15 Kp version, including reliability, ease of use and spall-free lifting. Simply add the inserts before curing, move...

Price breakthrough for dust collectors.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... Filter Technology Ltd. has engineered a reliable filtration system that does the same job as carbon steel at a competitive cost. The low density rotationally molded polyethylene body in the 5-Ft. model accepts from 16 to 37 filters for air...

Molecular Cement Dissolver.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... "Back-Set" Molecular Cement Dissolver is a unique acid alternative formulated by RoMix, Inc. "Back-Set" works on the molecular level breaking down the ionic bond of the portland cement, turning it to a rinse free mud] "Back-Set" is...

Mixer drums & accessories.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... 400 brinnell drums. Reduced Weight= Increased Payload. Here at Shumaker Industries we are concluding a study on the abrasion resistant qualities of domestically milled AR400 steel. In 1998 we introduced several test drums into the market that...

Biodegradable releases.(Producer Products showcase)
July 1, 2005... Strong Products LLC's unique, high-performance biodegradable releases have been embraced by concrete precasters, construction companies, poured wall contractors and pump truck groups throughout the U.S. Each formula provides exceptionally clean...

Concrete's ambassador.(In the Mix)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Peggy Plumb gives "concrete producer" a whole new meaning. Thanks to her love of the material, people in Albuquerque, N.M., are beginning to look at concrete with new respect. Her concrete canvasses not only provide her a new career, they are...

Going batty.(In the Mix)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... There's been lots of talk lately about major league baseball players using steroids to build concrete-like muscles. But has any thought been given to bulking up the bats? A concrete bat competition was part of the 2005 Great Lakes Regional...

Concrete's charitable side.(Donations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The Fifth Annual Day Spring Concrete Ball raised more than $130,000 for Day Spring, a nonprofit group that provides residential and support services for adults with mental retardation. The black tie event at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville,...