The Concrete Producer articles from May 2004

The Concrete Producer archives from May 2004

Packaging our image.(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... Designer bottled water is the new rage in high school athletics. In the last few weeks, I've tasted Sycamore Spartan Power Water, sucked down Plainfield Tiger Milk, and drank Geneva Viking Elixir. I'm umpiring next week, and I'm wondering what...

2003: a very good year.(News)(US concrete production up in 2003)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... U.S. ready-mixed concrete production totaled 404.5 million cubic yards in 2003, a 3.6% increase over the 390.3 million cubic yards in 2002, says the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. Production was 1% lower the first six months of...

Hanson eyes Texas, Hong Kong.(Anderson Asia Limited.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... Hanson PLC, the international building materials supplier and concrete producer, has announced a 50-50 joint venture between Hanson Hong Kong and Anderson Asia Limited. Combining the two largest construction materials companies in Hong Kong...

CRCP cost study.(Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... A report on continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), "Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavements," is available from the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI). It examines the cost effectiveness of...

Safety book published.(Construction Safety Management and Engineering)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... The American Society of Safety Engineers has published Construction Safety Management and Engineering. The book consists of five sections covering pre-construction tasks, key components of the safety process, emerging issues in construction...

Upcoming conferences & events.(News)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
May 1, 2004... World of Concrete Mexico 2004 World of Concrete Mexico will be held June 16-18 at Centro Banamex in Mexico City. The event is sponsored by Hanley Wood Exhibitions and E.J. Krause & Associates, and is endorsed by the Mexican Institute of Cement...

Up for bids: the service scours more than 45,000 public and private sources for leads.(Onvia)
May 1, 2004... There's nothing better in the business world than getting in on a project's ground floor, hearing a hot tip, or moving ahead on a great idea before your competition even has a chance to get involved. This is especially important for you as...

Thin reinforcement changes precast.(What's New)
May 1, 2004... Elements of science fiction and space-age technology have transformed our lives in many ways. So what might happen if a space-age, high-performance material is economical enough for use as internal reinforcement for concrete? We're about to...

Getting fueled: two options are available for alternative-fuel engines.(Fleet Factors)
May 1, 2004... With track manufacturers making alternative engines more available, the greatest challenge for fleet managers is deciding on the type of fuel. Clean Energy Fuels, a Seal Beach, Calif.-based firm that designs, sells, and leases fueling stations,...

Tips on exposed aggregate finishes.(Problem Clinic)
May 1, 2004... Q. A local contractor we supply is doing some renovation work in an upscale area and has asked us about exposed aggregate. Specifically, he wants to know the best way to install the exposed aggregate finish and if there are durability and...

What's in a name? Didn't you always want to name something after yourself?(As the Drum Turns)
May 1, 2004... Driving down the interstate gives me time to think about a lot of things that have nothing to do with my job: whether or not I turned the coffee pot off at home or packed enough shirts. We've all done it. I start counting mileage markers on the...

Bagging rights: performance comes in small packages.(Cover Story)
May 1, 2004... In the hot humid air of West Palm Beach, Fla., Brian Fennell's employees park their trucks in front of an older single-family home. Four laborers gather around the bed of the foreman's truck. They start to unload equipment and supplies to...

An engine that could: new engine resolves power and emissions questions.(International 5000i trucks fitted with Cummins ISM 425V engines)
May 1, 2004... Sometimes a fleet manager needs more power in the producer's mixers or dump trucks. The terrain may be demanding. He may want to pull pup trailers with his dump trucks. Of he may just desire more torque. While these factors probably haven't...

Bulking up: more than 600 exhibitors will be at the expo.(Powder Show Preview)
May 1, 2004... Moving material from one corner of the plant to another is not a trivial issue for concrete producers--it's vital. A breakdown on a conveyor, for example, can cause delays and bottlenecks throughout your plant and possibly cause delays in your...

Raising the bar: training is becoming more important for precasters bending their own rebar.(casting trends)
May 1, 2004... More precast producers are bringing rebar bending operations in-house to save production time and increase their margins. But along with this comes the need to train draftsmen and engineers on how to properly design, place, and order rebar. ...

Bending cost your way: many European precasters have been bending their own rebar for several years.(casting trends)
May 1, 2004... Go into any wetcast operation these days, and you'll probably hear about two changes from just two years ago. First, with new seismic codes in effect, structural designers are increasing the amount of steel reinforcement in their elements....

The best in concrete reinforced design: winners were judged on four primary criteria.(casting trends)
May 1, 2004... The Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute recently announced the winners and merit awards of its 17th biennial Design Awards competition. The competition recognizes superb examples of quality and innovation in reinforced concrete design in North...

Lifting beam.(Producer Products showcase)
May 1, 2004... Handle flexible bulk containers quickly and easily with our 4-point lifting beam. Designed to fit the standard four-corner loops of most containers. Easily move containers for storage, shipping, or emptying. Standard or custom sizes available....

Price breakthrough for dust collectors.(Producer Products showcase)(Filter Technology Ltd.)
May 1, 2004... 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...

Seal Saver cylinder cover.(Producer Products showcase)
May 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)
May 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)
May 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...

Gantry cranes.(Producer Products showcase)
May 1, 2004... Shuttlelift Gantry cranes are available in capacities from 15 ton to 1,000 ton. Some features on our cranes include; an exclusively designed pivot trunion for improved mobility over uneven terrain, two or four-wheel drive, radio remote control...

Weighing in: a Rinker Materials plant added a checkweigher, improving both production and safety.(Product Pulse)
May 1, 2004... Rinker Materials Corp. wanted to increase cement production at its Port Everglades terminal in Florida. They were looking for a system that would help their packaging process run smoother and produce bags that were closer to their target weight...

View weigh reports onscreen.(Product Pulse)
May 1, 2004... Cardinal Scale's Model 788 Programmable Weight Indicator allows you to take control of your batch processing. The 788 is ideal for multiple ingredients and formulas, multiple scale inputs, or continuous product filling. The 788 features a NEMA...

Dual scale control with English, Spanish prompts.(Product Pulse)
May 1, 2004... Rice Lake Weighing Systems' CB-1 concrete batch controller provides dual-scale control to automate concrete batching plants. With the help of intuitive prompts in English or Spanish, operators can set up and run a batch with touch-screen or...

Building the perfect green home: the book contains additional chapters and resources.(Green Building Guidelines: Meeting the Demand for Low-Energy, Resource Efficient Homes, Fourth Edition)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... "Green Building Guidelines: Meeting the Demand for Low-Energy, Resource Efficient Homes, Fourth Edition" is full of useful design tips, explanations, and references on topics ranging from energy conservation to improved indoor air quality to...

Trail mix.(R-Con donates concrete sign posts to mark the Chisholm Trail)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... R-Con Corp., a ready-mixed concrete producer in Wichita, Kan., has helped cement the Chisholm Trail into the annals of American history. With 121 concrete posts marking the way, future generations can imagine the spirited yell of cowboys and...

Expanding in Wisconsin.(In the Mix)(Spancrete Industries uses new form systems to improve efficiency)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... You'd think that spring had come early to Waukesha, Wis., when we visited Brian Taylor, wetcast division manager for Spancrete Industries. We toured his recently expanded operation that has almost doubled his capacity to produce architectural...

Associations in the mix.(cement and concrete association appointments)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2004... NPCA Vernon Wehrung, president of Modern Precast Concrete, Ottsville, Pa., was elected chairman of the National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA). Jim Westhoff, president of A-Lok Products, Tullytown, Pa., was presented the Robed E....