MC Magazine

People & Products

People & Products is a forum in MC magazine where NPCA members and nonprofit organizations can share information on new products, personnel promotions/acquisitions or service announcements concerning the precast concrete industry. Items are printed in the magazine on a space-available basis and do not include information about existing products. For possible inclusion, send your press releases to NPCA, Attn: MC Magazine, 10333 N. Meridian St. Suite 272, Indianapolis, IN 46290 or e-mail them to rhyink@precast.org.

PCI Joins MCPX Trade Show Partnership

The biggest trade show in the manufactured concrete products industry just got bigger. The Manufactured Concrete Products Exposition (MCPX) welcomes the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) as its fifth association sponsor. PCI will join the four charter associations at the 2006 MCPX Feb. 23-25 in Anaheim, Calif.

Established in 1954, PCI is dedicated to fostering greater understanding of the design and use of precast and prestressed concrete components and systems. The organization is based in Chicago and serves more than 2,000 members around the world.

The prestressed sector is a very important component of the manufactured concrete products industry, and PCI’s involvement brings additional stature to what is already the most important event in the industry, according to the Joint Officers Committee that oversees the trade show.

Nearly 6,000 plant owners, managers, production personnel and suppliers from 30 countries attended the 2005 MCPX in Indianapolis, making it the largest show of its kind. For more information about PCI, visit www.pci.org. For more information about 2006 MCPX, visit www.mcpx.org.

ICCX Berlin to host multinational discussions

“Concrete Connections” is the motto of the International Concrete Conference and Exhibition (ICCX) taking place at the Berlin Congress Center Jan. 25-27, 2006, in Berlin, Germany. Speakers from at least 15 countries will report on current developments in the international precast concrete industry. A grand opening on the evening of Jan. 24 will kick off the event. Attendees can choose from two key topics during the two days following the opening:

• Presentations of international speakers, which will be translated into English, German, Spanish, Italian, French, Chinese and Russian. Topics will address manufacturers of concrete products.
• The FORUM opusC will address architects, project planners, engineers, contractors and representatives of local authorities. Speakers will discuss planning and designing with concrete as a building material and will highlight projects currently underway.

An exhibit area will highlight the latest developments in concrete technology, machines and equipment, software, suppliers, and new building systems and products.

A cultural program also will be offered, featuring tours to some of the greatest attractions that Germany’s capital has to offer.

For more information, visit www.iccx.org.

Kalmar expands North America presence

Kalmar Industries Corp., based in Ottawa, Kan., and known for its Ottawa Kalmar terminal tractors, is now assembling Kalmar DCE 140 and DCE 160 forklift trucks in Ottawa for distribution throughout North America. The company says that the new­ ­initiative will improve service and product availability for its U.S. and Canadian customers.

The forklift trucks provide long service intervals of up to 500 hours that will help reduce operating costs by as much as 15 percent, and an efficient and easy-to-operate diagnostic system makes troubleshooting quick and easy, according to the company. Technicians can reach all inspection checkpoints from a standing position, and the cab tilts for easy access to the engine and transmission. Various customizable cab configurations are available.

For more information, visit www.kalmarind-northamerica.com.

Cemen Tech appoints president

Cemen Tech Inc. of Indianola, Iowa, has appointed Tom Palme as the new company president. Palme started with the company in 1994 as a sales manager and became executive vice president in 1998.

Palme is a graduate of St. John’s University with a degree in government and a minor in history. He resides in Indianola with his wife and four children.

More information about Cemen Tech is available at www.cementech.com.

Smith-Midland recognized by ACI

Smith-Midland Corp. of Midland, Va., was awarded the American Concrete Institute Maryland Chapter’s Excellence in Concrete Award for Parking Structures. ACI recognized projects whose designs and construction represented the best in concept, originality and applicability of concrete.

Smith-Midland produced and installed 537 architectural precast concrete panels for a total panel area of 77,608 square feet. The panels were designed to withstand impact loading of vehicles and incorporated multiple concrete mixes and finishes. A thin clay brick was cast into the face of some of the panels, and a sandblast and exposed aggregate finish was also utilized.

Call Smith-Midland Corp. at
(540) 439-3266 or visit www.smithmidland.com.

Mixer Systems announces aggregate heating system

Mixer Systems Inc. of Pewaukee, Wis., has announced its AgFlow Heating System for controlling aggregate temperature. It will heat materials in the winter and dry and cool them in the summer, resulting in no plant downtime caused by severe cold or water-saturated material, and more consistent concrete color year round, says the company.

The AgFlow system is 92 percent to 94 percent energy efficient, and the unique air exhaust system reduces the required blower capacity. It works by blowing high-temperature air through a series of diffuser ducts at various levels in the aggregate bins. The air is forced through the aggregate then out the exhaust ducts. During wet weather, the system forces water from the material with high pressure and low temperature. In extreme heat, it functions as an evaporative cooler to chill the material.

For more information, call (800) 756-4937 or visit www.mixersystems.com.

Degussa realigns South Central region

Degussa Admixtures has realigned its sales resources and management in the South Central region to provide enhanced geographic effectiveness and improved service to customers. Dave Martin will move from the company’s headquarters in Cleveland to head the region, which consists of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana.

For more details, visit www.degussaadmixtures.com.

MAX USA releases concrete pin driving tool

MAX USA Corp. of Mineola, N.Y., has announced the availability of its new HN120 PowerLite concrete pin driving tool. The HN120 concrete pinner is a high-pressure pneumatic system powerful enough to drive .300-inch head pins into concrete but with very little recoil, says the company. The tool has a highly durable metal housing but weighs only 6.4 pounds. The magazine capacity is 50 pins and shoots pins from 1 to 2.5 inches in length.

The HN120 comes with three attachments for specific applications. It replaces powder- and gas-actuated tools and does not require cleaning. To learn more, call (800) 223-4293 or visit www.maxusacorp.com.

FBE announces revolutionary payment option

FBE Associates Inc., makers of software applications for designing precast sanitary and storm drainage structures, has announced what it considers a revolutionary pricing scheme where it expects no payment until the customer is completely satisfied.

FBE, based in Bay City, Mich., says it typically invests considerable time in defining and customizing its system before installation, and once it meets acceptance, the customer is offered a monthly lease rate for as long as the system is running to satisfaction.

The company’s MH Pro! EZ software is customizable to the customer’s needs and offers professional-quality drawings for consultants, contractors and production personnel.

For more information, visit www.fbe-inc.com.

SIMEM launches mobile soil treatment plant

SIMEM America LLC of San Antonio has launched its new mobile plant specifically designed for mixing and site treatment of sludge and contaminated soil. It produces 10 to 50 tons per hour, depending on the type of products and the treatment cycle, which SIMEM can customize.

The mobile plant includes two main sections, one on top of the other, that are configured in shipping containers to make assembly and disassembly easier. The bottom section, shown here, can be equipped with hydraulic legs to allow for loading and unloading.

More information is available at www.simemamerica.com.

Spancrete featured in Wisconsin Dream Home

For the first time since the Dream Home came to the Wisconsin State Fair four years ago, the house featured Spancrete precast products. The 2005 Dream Home featured Spancrete hollowcore plank for the main floor, consisting of the garage, primary living area and walk-out deck.

One of the most popular attractions at the Wisconsin State Fair, which ran Aug. 4-14, the Dream Home draws more than 300,000 visitors annually.

For more information about Spancrete, call (414) 290-9112 or visit www.spancrete-machinery.com.

SFA publishes Silica Fume User’s Manual

The Silica Fume Association, based in Lovettsville, Va., has announced the publication of a “Silica Fume User’s Manual.” The manual, a comprehensive guide for specifiers, ready-mixed and precast concrete producers and contractors, describes the best practices for the successful use of silica fume in the production of high-performance concrete.

The manual was produced under a cooperative agreement between the Federal Highway Administration and the SFA. Topics include proportioning, handling, batching and mixing, placing, finishing and curing silica-fume concrete with special emphasis on bridge deck and parking structure applications.

For more information or to order a copy of the manual, contact SFA at www.silicafume.org.

Asphalt-rubber-concrete authority to head new research effort

The Recycled Tire Engineering and Research Foundation of Tempe, Ariz., has named George Way as its chairman. Way, who retired as Arizona’s chief pavement design engineer, became an internationally recognized authority in the use of paving material that combines conventional asphalt with crumb rubber from scrap tires.

As chairman of the RTERF, a nonprofit group that explores the use of crumb rubber in construction applications, Way will focus on using tire rubber in concrete, a concept developed at Arizona State University. Rubber concrete, or “rubbercrete,” was first used in some sidewalks, a home’s foundation and a warehouse floor, and before his retirement Way used rubbercrete on two highway pavement projects. He said that while successful applications have used more than 10 pounds of rubber per cubic yard of concrete, standards and specifications must be developed before the material can be put into widespread use – a job the foundation is currently working on.

For additional information, call (480) 517-9969.  

Back to the MC Magazine Sept./Oct. 2005 Table of Contents