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.

Blecha addresses Women in Concrete Forum
Joan Blecha, chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Precast Concrete Association and president of Hanson Pipe and Products Southeast, addressed the first Women in Concrete Forum Jan. 18 during the World of Concrete 2006 exposition in Las Vegas.

Blecha spoke about the DOs and DON’Ts for women in construction at the forum, which is the first of its kind and is expected to become an annual event. The Women in Concrete Forum will bring together women in the concrete construction industry to network, share industry experiences and identify issues important to them.

NPCA offers customer, employee surveys
The National Precast Concrete Association is currently offering two surveys that will provide company owners with honest feedback from customers as well as employees. NPCA has enlisted the services of an independent company, Industry Insights (www.industryinsights.com), to compile the returned surveys and produce a confidential, professional report.

The NPCA Customer Satisfaction Survey allows customers to anonymously rate how your company is doing as well as rate you against your competition. This survey will help you compare yourself to your competition. Approximate cost is $900 for NPCA members or $1,500 for nonmembers. For more information, visit www.precast.org/customer or call NPCA at (800) 366-7731.

The NPCA Employee Opinion Survey allows employees to anonymously complete a detailed survey of how they feel about your company and its work environment. The survey will demonstrate employees’ needs and opinions, provide guidance on how to improve your workplace, and establish a benchmark when utilizing the survey over several years. Approximate cost is $800 for NPCA members or $1,300 for nonmembers. For more information, visit www.precast.org/employee or call NPCA at (800) 366-7731.

Linde changes regional management
Linde Material Handling of Summerville, S.C., recently announced personnel appointments for two regional sales management positions.

Rich Bevington joined Linde as regional sales manager for the company’s North Central region. He has a strong background in the Linde dealer network, most recently as a sales manager and with previous responsibilities on the aftermarket side.

Mike Paul, regional sales manager of Linde’s dealers in the northeastern United States, will assume the additional responsibility for the company’s dealers in central and eastern Canada.

The company says that these changes will enhance Linde’s dealer network support as it continues its growth in the North American market.

Visit www.linde.com for more information about the company.

Liebherr introduces reclaimer buffer
Liebherr Concrete Technology Co. of Newport News, Va., has introduced the LPD Concrete Reclaimer Buffer. The LPD buffer was designed to work with the Liebherr LRS or LRT line of concrete reclaimers or with any standard concrete reclaiming system.

The buffer discharges returned concrete at a controlled rate into the concrete reclaimer, increasing the overall efficiency and performance of any brand of concrete reclaimer, says the company.

The Liebherr LPD buffer, which is 100-percent hot-dipped galvanized, can accommodate up to six mixer trucks discharging simultaneously, and provides a uniform flow of material into the reclaimer.

For more company information, visit www.liebherr.com.

Grace announces R&D realignment
Grace Construction Products of Cambridge, Mass., has announced a new structure for its Research and Development organization. The global R&D laboratories in Cambridge will be organized in two research departments: Formulated Products and Materials Engineering.

Charles R. Cornman, who holds a doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, Davis, has been appointed director of R&D for the Formulated Products department. His group will focus on products and technologies driven by the needs of producers and contractors, including water reducers, superplasticizers, self-consolidating concrete, cement additives, accelerators/retarders, liquid membranes and rheology modifiers.

Michael Jung, with a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Siegen in Germany, will head all of Grace’s European R&D laboratories. This will allow more effective utilization of all European technical resources and ensure alignment with the company’s strategic focus in Europe.

Find out more about Grace at www.grace.com

Grace R&D leader speaks at Moscow conference
Felek Jachimowicz, vice president of Research and Development for Grace Construction Products, presented his views on “The Future of Concrete” to many of the world’s leading authorities in the construction sciences as featured speaker at RILEM’s 59th Annual Meeting and Technical Day. RILEM (www.rilem.org) is a French acronym for the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures. The program, which included a conference on development trends in concrete and reinforced concrete, took place in Moscow Sept. 5-9.

In his remarks, he noted that future advances in concrete technology, resulting from investment in R&D efforts, could yield significant opportunities along the entire construction chain. Jachimowicz, who holds a doctorate in physical organic chemistry from the University of Basel in Switzerland, presented a vision for the future that includes the use of high-performance concrete to reduce or eliminate steel reinforcement; development of self-curing/self-finishing concrete; aesthetic appearance of concrete; and development of interactive or “smart” concrete.

Spancrete adds new sales representative
Spancrete Industries Inc. of Waukesha, Wis., has announced the addition of Art Macaw as a sales representative for the southeastern region of Wisconsin in the Waukesha office. Macaw, who has a civil engineering degree plus 24 years of experience in the construction field and eight years working with precast concrete, will provide designers, engineers and contractors with valuable insight to assist them on precast uses and pricing.

For additional product or company information, contact Spancrete at (414) 290-9000 or visit the Web site at www.spancrete.com.

Sika garners multiple awards
Sika Corp. of Lyndhurst, N.J., won four awards from the International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) and five awards from the American Segmental Bridge Institute (ASBI).

Sika won the ICRI awards in the Historic, High Rise, Parking Deck and Longevity categories. ICRI conducts an awards program each year to recognize outstanding projects in the concrete repair industry. Entries are received from around the world and are judged on uniqueness, use of state-of-the-art methods, use of materials, functionality, value engineering and aesthetics.

The company also received five ASBI awards for projects in Florida, New Jersey, North Dakota, New York and Missouri. The ASBI biennial awards recognize the owners of bridges that show excellence in concrete segmental bridge design and construction. Judging is based on innovation of design and/or construction, rapid construction, aesthetics and/or harmony with the environment, cost competitiveness and minimization of construction impact on the traveling public.

For more information about Sika, visit www.sikaconstruction.com.

Degussa opens new manufacturing center
Degussa Admixtures Inc. of Cleveland has opened a new manufacturing facility in Phoenix to better serve the company’s ready-mixed and precast concrete producer customers in Arizona and parts of New Mexico.

The 20,000-square-foot plant will serve as a manufacturing and warehouse location. The majority of the bulk admixture products sold in the region will be manufactured at the site. The remainder will be warehoused and distributed from the new location to ensure enhanced customer service.

For more information about Degussa, visit www.degussa.com.

Smith-Midland adds senior staff members
Smith-Midland Corp. of Midland, Va., has announced the addition of three senior staff members. John Bareno, chief operating officer, began working at Smith-Midland in September. Steve Ott, vice president of engineering, began in October. In June, Randy Handschumacher became production manager.

The company says that all three came from firms that are well-respected in the precast concrete industry, and will be a tremendous addition to Smith-Midland’s future.

CSDA offers new training course
The Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association, based in St. Petersburg, Fla., has introduced a new course to its training program. Sawing & Drilling 101 is a four-day course that offers comprehensive training for beginning concrete cutters who need to become proficient in the basic applications of flat sawing, core drilling, hand sawing, chain sawing and ring sawing.
Combining classroom instruction with hands-on training, Sawing & Drilling 101 includes an overview of the machinery of sawing and drilling systems, an introduction to the applications for the various kinds of equipment and the selection of blades, core bits and diamond chain.

For more information on Sawing & Drilling 101 or other CSDA courses, or to request a copy of the new training brochure, call (727) 577-5004.

Wilbert Precast offers innovative window wells
Wilbert Precast Inc. of Spokane, Wash., has developed a new style of window well with an ashlar stone design. The ashlar stone design has a natural tumbled stone appearance, which provides an alternative to the company’s exposed aggregate design.

Wilbert’s window wells feature permanent ladder rungs designed for ease of escape. The product actually bolts onto the foundation, so it will never move or settle.

Covers are also available for protecting children and animals from falling into the window well, while still allowing light into the basement. One option is a metal cover that comes in various colors and a removable escape hatch. The other style of cover is clear lexan plastic that is durable yet light enough to move in an emergency.

For more information about Wilbert Precast products, visit www.wilbertprecast.com.

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