MC Magazine

People & Products

Hamilton Kent acquires International Precast Supply
Hamilton Kent LLC, a manufacturer of gaskets for piping systems, recently announced its acquisition of International Precast Supply Inc., a manufacturer of flexible connectors.
Hamilton Kent officials say the two complementary product lines will position the company to take advantage of significant growth opportunities in Canada and the United States.
Order processing and customer service will operate out of Hamilton Kent’s Toronto office, while International Precast Supply Inc.’s Haverhill, Mass., production facility will become a key manufacturing and distribution center for the new joint company.

Bernard Gregoire, Hamilton Kent’s president and general manager, will continue in his position, while Tom Tilson, president of IPS, will join Hamilton Kent as director of sales. Scott Lander, IPS vice president, will become national account manager, and Mike Palmer, Hamilton Kent’s sales manager, will assume the role of marketing and business development manager. The company anticipates that all current IPS production personnel will be retained by Hamilton Kent.

Reinforced Earth Co. purchases certain assets of LB Foster Co.
The Reinforced Earth Co. (RECo) of Vienna, Va., has acquired certain assets from the LB Foster Co., a 104-year-old corporation involved in the manufacture, fabrication and distribution of products for transportation, construction, utility and energy industries.

The acquisition of the proprietary, patented Mechanical Stabilized Earth (MSE) system, marketed and sold by LB Foster under the trade name Retained Earth, positions RECo to offer a wider range of products, reinforcement selections, engineering services and new, innovative products to the market. In addition, the acquisition will also lead to improved synergies with its sister companies within the USA Freyssinet Group.

RECo, the original inventor of MSE technology, has more than 34 years of experience in the United States plus activity in every State Department of Transportation. The company says it will continue to focus attention of service, training, quality and presenting an unparalleled range of economic and operational benefits to its customers.


Polylok acquires key assets of Zabel Industries
Polylok Inc. of Wallingford, Conn., has acquired the key assets of Zabel Industries International Ltd. The acquisition will supplement Polylok’s existing line of effluent filters and transform the company into the largest U.S. supplier of gravity effluent filters.
This acquisition will enable Polylok to stretch its reach to an expanding customer base throughout the United States, Canada and parts of South America and Europe.

Polylok introduces heavy-duty cover and grate
Polylok has introduced a new 24-inch heavy-duty cover made of virgin HDPE. Its unique ribbed design allows it to accept the company’s 24-inch riser and 24-inch corrugated pipe.
The cover is watertight and rugged enough to withstand loads up to 6,000 pounds. The company guarantees the cover will be both affordable and high strength.

PowerBlanket offering new heated curing blankets
PowerBlanket LLC of Sandy, Utah, has announced its new PowerBlanket heated curing blankets for the precast concrete industry. The PowerBlanket is easy to use – simply plug it into any 110-volt outlet – and is easy to move and store. It is built to last with rugged reinforced 14.8 vinyl, plus it is waterproof and designed so that as many as four blankets can be plugged together.

The PowerBlanket is designed to be used for curing concrete, thawing frozen ground, preheating forms and molds, preheating steel, heating sand and aggregate piles and many other uses.

The product is available to the precast industry for year-round service. The company says that after extensive research of the industry, many precasters still need higher amounts of heat to cure the concrete even during spring, summer and fall, and that PowerBlanket can make it happen on about $1 a day of electricity for about 16 hours of use. Of the tests to date, precasters using the product are seeing earlier breaks with no cracking or defects, and they are able to ship earlier, says the company.

Create images on concrete
Distrimat Inc. of Laval, Quebec, a distributor of precast concrete manufacturing supplies, has announced a new and innovative technique to display photo-quality images in concrete. Reckli, a designer and manufacturer of elastic form liners, molds and liquid rubbers, has received worldwide patents for the technique that uses only natural light, shadows and Vectogramme form liners.

The Vectogramme form liner consists of a series of vertical lines of varying widths and depths, achieving 256 controllable shades of gray (shadow) using only natural lighting. Reckli can reproduce any photograph or continuous-tone image directly into the form liner. Single liners can be manufactured in single forms up to 4 feet by 8 feet. Images can be further increased by breaking the image into sections, enabling reproduction of any size or configuration.


Degussa announces breakthrough admixture technology
Degussa Admixtures Inc. has introduced its Rheopel Plus Water-Repellent/Efflorescence Control (WR/EC) admixture. Rheopel Plus is a significant breakthrough in WR/EC admixtures for the manufactured concrete products and precast/prestressed concrete markets, says the company.

The new admixture’s chemistry differs from conventional WR/EC admixtures, enabling superior water repellency and secondary efflorescence control, improved primary efflorescence, enhanced color vibrancy and visual appeal, and increased strength performance. Rheopel Plus admixture also exhibits excellent wind-driven rain resistance and improves material flow and extrusion characteristics.
Rheopel Plus is recommended for use in architectural block, single-wythe masonry construction, paving stones, segmental retaining wall units, concrete roof tile and precast/prestressed concrete.
More information about this and other Degussa products is available at www.degussa.com.

Hyster introduces new line of lift trucks
Hyster Co. of Greenville, N.C., has announced its newest addition to the Fortis line of lift trucks. The Fortis H40-70FT offers low operating costs while exceeding the industry’s highest standards for dependability, productivity and ergonomics, says the company.

With capacities ranging from 4,000 to 7,000 pounds (1,814 to 3,175 kg), this new series of lift trucks reduces operating costs by matching the right engine with the proper transmission for specific application needs, in addition to other enhancements. Multitiered engine-transmission configurations create efficient power trains, which offer greater fuel efficiencies.

The H40-70HT offers simplified hydraulic componentry, an upgraded electrical system, magnetic Hall Effect sensors and sealed wiring connectors.

Hamilton Form announces Saf-T-Mag ON/OFF magnet
Hamilton Form Co. Ltd. of Fort Worth, Texas, has announced the availability of its Saf-T-Mag ON/OFF magnet. The product overcomes several problems when working with conventional magnets around steel forms, such as disengaging them when they accidentally slam into each other or attracting metal debris.

The Saf-T-Mag is safer and easier to handle because it can be turned on and off, says the company. It will not turn on unless it is placed on a steel surface, and once in place simply use a wrench to turn the knob 90 degrees to activate the magnet. When ready to remove, use a wrench to turn the knob to the off position to disengage. Workers will not need to risk pinched fingers and other injuries. The Saf-T-Mag is available in a 500-pound and 2,000-pound capacity.


New Hampton redesigns arch form system
New Hampton Metal Fab of New Hampton, Iowa, has redesigned an adjustable arch system through new technology to make a more robust form system at a competitive price. Starting from scratch, the company re-engineered the arch system to reduce time spent on setup and stripping.

A modular base pallet allows for quick changeover time, and once set up it shortens the amount of time spent locating the inner and outer form for pouring. It also includes an adjustable slip pallet for quick changeover and allows the production of a shorter lay length product.

An adjustable X-Brace tie rod was added to square the equipment while pouring, and top speed clamp assemblies allow for fast setup and keep the top of the form true. Other improvements include short and long tube kit assemblies for making riser adjustments (no drilling of form walls) and full catwalk assembly on the inner form.

Dirt Bag upgrades monitor covers
Dirt Bag Inc. of Calumet, Mich., has announced the upgraded version of its flat panel and CRT monitor covers. A newly designed antistatic screen significantly reduces the buildup of dust on your monitor and the cover itself. A high-quality plastic used in the design process makes your computer screen more vivid and dust-free than ever before.

Whether you have a flat panel or CRT monitor, Dirt Bag Dust Covers keep your monitors clean and cool, extending the life of your computer systems, says the company.

Hanson expands Ohio business
Hanson Pipe & Precast Inc. Northwest Region recently announced that it will invest $10.2 million in a plant and equipment expansion project at its Columbus, Ohio, facility. The investment includes the construction of a new physical plant at the present location as well as a significant investment in equipment. Construction began in March and will be completed this October.

Company executives say the new facility will enable Hanson to not only supply the needs in infrastructure and drainage but also allow the company to continue meeting high-quality standards of the City of Columbus and the Ohio Department of Transportation.

SIMEM adds products manager
SIMEM America, a global provider of concrete plant solutions, has announced the addition of Della King-McDonald to its team as products manager. King will be responsible primarily for sales and marketing to the precast concrete industry, working with existing SIMEM distribution as well as directly with concrete producers on a national scope.
King, formerly of Degussa Admixtures Inc., where she had been in various marketing functions for more than 12 years, has served on several committees and boards, including the NPCA Board of Directors (2002-2005), the NPCA Membership Committee for seven years, the NPCA Marketing Committee for five years and the NPCA Convention Planning Committee.

SJE-Rhombus announces CSA certification
SJE-Rhombus Controls of Detroit Lakes, Minn., has announced that its PS Patrol system is now certified by the Canadian Standards Association. CSA tests and certifies products to applicable safety and performance standards, and its mark is widely recognized by retailers and regulatory authorities across North America.

The PS Patrol alarm system features a built-in high-water alarm and provides a convenient location to connect all wiring required for pump station applications. All electrical components are prewired in a weatherproof post for quick installation and protection from the elements. The PS Patrol system includes a 20-foot Sensor Float control switch for alarm activation.

Wilbert celebrates 100 years
One hundred years ago, two brothers from Indiana started a concrete company – Wilbert Precast Inc. – in Spokane, Wash., and their company has supplied a variety of precast concrete products to the Northwest inlands. Dan Houk, the fourth generation owner and manager of Wilbert Precast, continues the family traditions established by his great-grandfather and great-great-uncle, who started the company in 1906 producing hitching posts, horse watering troughs and burial vaults. The company has since become a regional precaster with 80 employees in three facilities, including Yakima, Wash., and Lewiston, Idaho.

Wilbert Precast now supplies a wide range of precast products to underground utilities contractors, building contractors, funeral homes and cemeteries.

WCCT receives generous donation
Photo Caption: Representatives of Degussa, Lafarge North America, Rinker Materials, Besser Co. and Grace Construction Products were on hand as Tarmac presented the WCCT with the donation.

The World Center for Concrete Technology, based in Alpena, Mich., received a $50,000 donation from Tarmac, a Titan America business.

The WCCT is a premier research and educational facility serving the concrete and concrete products industries, and one of the few training facilities in the world that provides hands-on materials-based training. Students learn about concrete and concrete products using the same equipment and materials that are used in actual production facilities.

The WCCT is self-sustaining, which means it relies solely on funding from industry organizations, facility rental, programs, joint research and training projects, and equipment donations. One of Titan America’s six corporate values is social responsibility, and by supporting education it is funding an important training tool for the industry as a whole.

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