The Concrete Producer articles from March 2004

The Concrete Producer archives from March 2004

Showcasing temptation.(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... My kids are past the age when a cool-looking key chain will pass for a gift from a long business trip. So I've learned the hard way how to choose the appropriate reward for obeying morn. I try to hedge my gift selection because I never really...

'Hank's number one'.(News)(Ozinga Illinois RMC)
March 1, 2004... It's 5:30 a.m. and the sun hasn't yet shown itself in the eastern sky. Hank Huizinga is one of the first employees to pull into Ozinga Illinois RMC in Mokena, Ill. He isn't early to make a good impression because it's his first day on the job....

Bridge entries due.(News)
March 1, 2004... Entries for the 2004 Concrete Bridge Awards, sponsored by the Portland Cement Association (PCA), are due March 31. Eligible structures for the 2004 awards must have been completed between November 2002 and May 2004 and must be in the United...

Conference slated.(News)
March 1, 2004... The 2004 Missouri Concrete Conference will be held April 7-8 at the University of Missouri-Rolla. Presentations will include slab moisture problems, tilt-up, steel-free bridge decks, recycling concrete, optimizing mixtures, ready-mix...

Upcoming conferences & events.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
March 1, 2004... NRMCA Annual Convention The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association's convention takes place March 8-10 at the Orlando (Fla.) World Center Marriott. The convention is open to both members and non-members. The event provides educational...

Stopping the madness: despite concerns about spam, e-mail can be a marketing tool--if used correctly.(E-Concrete)
March 1, 2004... Isn't it amazing how we've moved from communicating by telephone to fax machine to e-mail so seamlessly just the last few years. The good news is we now are more productive. The bad news is the proliferation of unwanted, unsolicited, and...

Clean those tools: new products dissolves concrete the old way.(What's New)
March 1, 2004... As much as we love concrete, we don't want our trucks, tools, and other equipment to wear it like a trophy. Hardened, unwanted concrete adds weight, lessens life of the equipment, and is downright dirty and unpleasant. So you might be...

Sealing technology keeps trucks rolling: two new and upgraded sealing products offer longer truck life.(Fleet Factors)
March 1, 2004... Fleet managers have one common enemy: dirt. It comes in many forms--jobsite mud, road grime, or plant dust. Just a little in the wrong spot can do much damage. That's why seal manufacturers continually improve devices to keep out the fine...

Truck buying report available.(Fleet Factors)
March 1, 2004... Everyone knows the truck market has been soft the last few years. If you want to know why new truck orders have declined, you might want to acquire the "Heavy Duty Maintenance in the USA 2004" study from the Heavy Duty Truck Manufacturers...

Concrete's changing colors.(Problem Clinic)
March 1, 2004... Q. A patio looked great on the day it was installed. But within two weeks, it had deteriorated into a gray/white color instead of the terracotta/charcoal patio that was visible on the day it was installed. The concrete sealant was...

The U-factor for concrete slabs.(Problem Clinic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Q. A contractor we supply asked for help in meeting the new energy code requirements for a residential project. The local building inspector referred him to a Web site that calculates whether the project complies. But one of the pieces of...

Concrete benefit studies.(Problem Clinic)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Q. I am a new manager for a company called Cast Crete, the largest precast lintel and sill manufacturer in the United States. We also make concrete parking bumpers/wheel stops. I am trying to find any studies that show the benefit of using...

Fashioning concrete: European producers can now opt for performance mix designs.
March 1, 2004... With almost military efficiency, the driver from Maria Transporte pulls up to the wash rack, cleans out his mixer, and returns to the hopper spout for another load of fresh concrete. The entire process takes less than 10 minutes. And in...

Producer profile: Toggenburger Unternehmungen.
March 1, 2004... Touted by its owners as the most modern plant in Switzerland, the two-year old plant's design contains some elements of production efficiency that North American producers would cherish. Most impressive is its use of space in handling the...

Bauma flexes global muscle: more than 400,000 people visited Munich in 2001.
March 1, 2004... BAUMA expects to meet several milestones at its upcoming edition, March 29 through April 4, in Munich, Germany. This will be the 27th version of the giant trade fair. The event may top records it set in 2001. Three years ago, the record...

Looking to "Step up" your grade ring production?(Producer Products showcase)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Teksom offers a complete line of machines for grade ring production, from manual stations to fully automated setups with handling equipment. These stations can produce all the way up to 800 grade rings per 8 hour shift! Let us show you how we...

Armorgard 505 epoxy form coating system.(Producer Products showcase)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... This unique material is ideal for coating Styrofoam, Wood, Steel or Concrete forms. Armorgard 505 is a VOC free material that has a covenient 2:1 mix ratio and is odor free. Armorgard 505 is long lasting too and will hold up in all casting...

Seal Saver cylinder cover.(Producer Products showcase)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Eliminate acid wash damage to cylinder rods and extend cylinder life three-fold and beyond. Over 4000 Tag-Axle "SEAL SAVERS" in application. 2-year warranty on Bridgemaster Kevlar version. Simple wrap-around installation. Also available for...

"Tumblemaster".(Producer Products showcase)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Revolutionary and novel aging plant for concrete pavers, the "Tumblemaster". It finishes complete layers of concrete pavers (60 - 100 mm) on both sides in-line with a cycle time of 10 seconds. Daily capacity 25000 sq.ft. Phone (905)...

PipeWipe.(Producer Products showcase)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Chemically engineered to produce a "sack rubbed" finish to fill the smallest voids and blemishes on precast concrete. PipeWipe is a cementitious blend combined, with special fine aggregates, and a dry latex polymer to help with adhesion and...

Concrete stamping tools.(Producer Products showcase)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Scofield announces a new generation of HIGH OUTPUT LITHOTEX[R] Pavecrafters@tools for imprinting and texturing. The improved polyurethane composition provides significantly lighter weight without reduction in durability for a longer working...

Polyurethane liners.(Producer Products showcase)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2004... Mixers. Rhino Hyde[R] is the best performance polyurethane concrete mixer liners for a variety of concrete mixers with many advantages such as... * No sticking like rubber and steel. * 60-seconds clean out * Wears much longer...

100 years of blocks: Besser Co. started as a portland cement manufacturer.(casting trends)
March 1, 2004... An industry was born in 1904 when Jesse Besser developed the hand tamp block machine which made concrete block one at a time. The idea caught on and the use of block grew, as did the level of production for the machines. Over the last 100...

A family affair: the stone producer is preparing to build its fifth plant.(casting trends)
March 1, 2004... W.B. "Bev" Shouldice sat down with Jesse Besser one day back in the 1950s. The two men had more in common than living in cold climates. After all, Shouldice lived in Shallow Lake. Ontario, nestled between Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay. Besser...

A block road show: Columbia founder recalls taking 1/4-scale model on the road.(casting trends)
March 1, 2004... Columbia Machine Inc. began in 1937 when Fred Neth Sr. opened a machine shop in Vancouver, Wash. The business was originally called Columbia Forge and Machine Works and Fred was joined by his brothers, Walter and Otto, not long after the...

Quick product changeover.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... The A860 concrete block machine from Ceric Inc. is a versatile, large-format hydraulic unit. The machine offers favorable height precision, patented vibration system, and quick product changeover. The allowable product height ranges from 1.5 to...

Block machine for consistent operation.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... A six-block unit, the Columbia CPM 60 block machine, is suitable for large-scale plants that require high output as well as consistent, maintenance-free operation. It can be used to make a wide range of concrete masonry units. The product's...

Reduce labor and idle time.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... The Tiger TG-3 and TG-4 concrete product machines from Pathfinder Systems are suitable for producing standard block, architectural units, retaining walls, pavers, and other products at a high rate of efficiency. The two-minute automatic mold...

Pallet machine uses electrical drives.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... The 865 AZ single-pallet concrete products machine from ZENITH Equipment Inc. reduces maintenance time, improves operator interface, and provides consistent product quality while allowing for frequent mold and product changes. Using...

Smooth, accurate product handling.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... The Model 2000 concrete products splitter offers 4-way splitting of products, with the ability to handle items 3-5/8 to 12 inches high. The standard splitter width accepts 24-inch widths, while a custom splitter width is available for special...

Precise, computer-controlled cutting.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... Spartan Steel Products Inc.'s steel pallet is manufactured to the specifications of each customer. The production process starts with a flat steel plate, and the pallet is precision-cut with computer-controlled equipment. Technicians hand-grind...

Board machine is easy to operate.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... The high-tech Multimat RH 2000A board machine from Hess Machinery Ltd. can be used to manufacture masonry blocks, paving and curb stones, retaining-wall elements, and other concrete products. The production time is rapid, ranging anywhere from...

Machine produces more than 4000 blocks per hour.(What's New in Block Products)
March 1, 2004... The F44SU is a fully automatic machine, designed for large producers. The unit from Finlay Block Making Equipment incorporates a hydraulic quick-attach mold and tamper head, and a unique revolving agitation system within the feed tray. The...

Concrete Construction/The Concrete Producer/Masonry Construction CD-ROM archives: all of the magazine's articles, tips, columns, and ads are available in one package.(Bookshelf)
March 1, 2004... Do you have the construction resources you need at your fingertips? No matter how many years in the field, you will always come up against a situation that just doesn't work out. Today's producers need as much easily accessible information as...

The attraction of magnets.(Product Pulse)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Magnetic positioning devices, a European innovation introduced to the North American market in the mid-1990s, were initially rather simple instruments intended to allow producers to magnetically attach their hole formers and locators to their...

Holds hole formers in place.(Product Pulse)
March 1, 2004... Interchangeable high-strength magnet inserts, along with a fiberglass hole former shell provides the newest and easiest way to hold hole formers in place. The magnets by RATEC LLC are interchangeable, as just one magnet can be used for hole...

Magnets with simple, lightweight construction.(Product Pulse)
March 1, 2004... The Elematic Oy Ab family of fastening systems comprises patented magnets, either permanently attached inside the side form element or available as individual products. The simple and lightweight construction of the magnet enables its flexible...

Hammer a thing of the past.(Product Pulse)
March 1, 2004... The BT Baubedarf Magdeburg GmbH compact magFly magnet offers several advantages. The magnet hangs over the tilting table or the panel through its integrated MagFly technology. It offers easy and exact positioning and is precisely set through...

Magnet assemblies reduce injury risk.(Product Pulse)
March 1, 2004... Hamilton Form Co. and Thomas & Skinner Inc. introduce the new Saf-T-Mag line of magnetic holding assemblies for the precast concrete industry. The assemblies are sash, Fast, and easy to use with steel forms and side rails, eliminating the need...

Rocky mountain high.(In the Mix)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Just imagine, dispatching concrete in an office with this view of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Attendees at the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association's OEM Forum last summer were treated to this vista on their tour at 1-year-old...

"It was a lot of fun".(In the Mix)(Mid-Atlantic Precast Association )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Michael Kluck's unusual fascination with castles came in handy recently, as he won the Mid-Atlantic Precast Association's (MAPA) Precast Castle Design Competition. MAPA challenged participants to design a structurally sound medieval castle...