NRMCA e-news

 

 
Schwing America, Inc. Fritz-Pak Corporation
Pavement
NRMCA Vice President, Local Paving Phil Kresge recently participated in the Ohio Concrete Association’s (OCA) Northwest Ohio Concrete Fall Seminar in Perrysburg. This year’s seminar theme was Pavement Design Choices and Kresge’s presentation focused on concrete parking lot design.
 
Association & Industry News
Early bird registration is open for NRMCA’s 2017 Annual Convention, scheduled for March 4-6 at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas Hotel.
 
WAM USA, Inc. Putzmeister America, Inc.
Government Affairs
Media articles on Congress, transportation infrastructure, regulation, taxes and other subjects, each of which relate to the ready mixed concrete industry, are updated each week by NRMCA's Government Affairs staff. To access the most recent compilation of articles for November 14-18, 2016, please click here
 
If you would like to receive this weekly updated link in a separate e-mail or if you have questions or comments about the roundup, contact NRMCA’s Kerri Leininger at kleininger@nrmca.org.
 
Earlier this year, the Timber Innovation Act (S. 2892/H.R. 5628) was introduced, authorizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to place ‘mass timber’ as the material of choice for all tall building structures exceeding 85 ft. or above. The bill advocates the acceleration of research and development (R&D), education, marketing, technical assistance, training and promotion of engineered, cross-laminated timber (CLT's). The bill will give the wood industry a market share advantage above all others in tall building structures.
 
Buildings
Recent research from MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub found that a $10 million non-engineered wood building is expected to face $0.505 million in hazard related damages over 50 years, while a $10 million engineered concrete building is expected to face only $0.165 million over the same period. According to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global cost of climate-related disasters has dramatically increased each decade: from $50 billion in the 1960's (16 disasters) to $400 billion in the 1990's (70 disasters).
 
Policies and programs can dramatically change the landscape for the use of concrete products such as Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF). ICFs are a proven solution for energy efficiency in the mid-rise residential market. The first Zero Net Energy (ZNE) school in the nation was built with ICFs. Compared to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), ZNE buildings are a relatively new movement. However, there is burgeoning market interest in ZNE, and policies and programs can foster and grow that interest through direct support and the reduction of risks.
 
NRMCA has verified a system level Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program to help members meet new product transparency credits in green building standards.
 
NRMCA is currently assisting two Maryland developers as they move into construction on their mixed use and multi-family projects built with Insulated Concrete Forms, reports NRMCA's Gregg Lewis. Through NRMCA’s Build With Strength initiative and the Design Assistance Program for Buildings, association staff and its consultants were able to provide valuable information to the developers, allowing them to better evaluate their options to build their projects with concrete. The resources made available through the support of NRMCA members allowed the developers to make better informed decisions about the best way to move forward in meeting their project goals and they both chose to build with ready mixed concrete and insulated concrete forms.
 
BASF Construction Chemicals True Dispatch
OES
Last Thursday, the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) published the Fall 2016 Unified Agenda. The Unified Agenda is the clearinghouse for public access to federal regulatory agencies’ respective regulatory actions, covering 60 departments, agencies and commissions; including EPA, OSHA, FMCSA and the IRS. Some of the regulatory actions covered include, but are not limited to, FMCSA’s CDL Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse rule, OSHA’s Backing and Powered Industrial Trucks rules, as well as EPA’s changes to stormwater regulations.

Click here to view updated regulatory proposals/rules and their timelines. For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.
 
Last Friday, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finalized a rule updating walking/working surfaces and fall protection requirements for general industry workers. The updates bring the general industry standard into closer alignment with the construction industry standards. Many of the changes are definitional and outline newly required and accepted systems, methods and practices.
 
Last Wednesday, Judge Samuel R. Cummings of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued a permanent injunction against the Department of Labor’s final rule known as the "persuader" rule. This latest development likely halts the rule’s implementation until the next Administration takes office, possibly meaning the end to the persuader rule.
 
January 10-12, Orlando, FL - NRMCA Dispatcher Training Forum: This class is already at 33% capacity. Give your dispatchers, schedulers, shippers and managers practical, technical, customer-centered, ready-mixed concrete-specific skills to help them succeed in their pressure-packed environment. Click here for more information.  

January 17-19, Kissimmee (metro Orlando), FL - Effective RMC Supervisor Course: This class is already at 50% capacity. The goal of the workshop is to prepare operations managers and front line supervisors for the day-to-day management of people at a ready mixed concrete plant. Hands-on exercises, stress communication and team-building skills, dealing with people’s behavior, influencing and evaluating performance, regulatory labor compliance and, finally, interviewing future employees. Click here for more information. 

January 24-27, Kansas City, MO - Plant Manager Certification Course: This class is already at 50% capacity. This course is the only one that exists specifically for concrete plant managers and operators. Topics include safety compliance, operations systems and processes, technical knowledge/batching math, environmental best practices, pavement 101 and business concepts from the plant level. The US Army Corps of Engineers requires this class certification for its contracts. Click here for more information.
 
McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing, Inc. The Euclid Chemical Company
Engineering
The Transportation Research Board has scheduled a Webinar on Wednesday, November 30, from 2 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern time that will highlight current research and advances related to roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCC) mixture and thickness design as well as pavement surface performance. The Webinar will cover surface performance of natural and diamond grinding, results of accelerated load testing of RCC pavements and effect of RCC mixture composition on physical and mechanical properties. This 90-minute Webinar will be conducted by three presenters for 60 minutes followed by 30 minutes for audience questions. Professional development hours are provided.
 
Click here for more information.
 
McInnis USA, Inc. Xypex Chemical Corp
Calendar
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.

November 29, Webinar
Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) Software
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
November 29 - December 1, Orlando, FL
Environmental Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

December 6, Webinar 
Sales Performance Assessments and Reviews...for Ready Mix Sales Managers
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
December 6 - 8, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module II: Customer Business Knowledge
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
December 13 - 16, Anaheim, CA *Sold Out
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
December 13, Webinar
Designing and Specifying Pervious Concrete Parts I (Part II is December 20)
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 

 
Quad-Lock Building Systems Ltd. CarbonCure Technologies Inc.
 
2017
 
January 10 - 12, Orlando, FL
NRMCA Dispatcher Training Forum
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
January 17 - 19, Kissimmee (Metro Orlando), FL
Effective RMC Supervisor Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
January 18, Sacramento, CA
Improving Concrete Quality
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
January 19, Ontario, CA
Improving Concrete Quality
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
January 24 - 26, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
January 24 - 27, Kansas City, MO
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
February 6 - 10, Salt Lake City
Regional "Short Course"
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
February 21 - 24, Atlanta
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
March 4 - 6, Las Vegas, NV
Annual Convention
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
March 20 - 22, Atlanta
NRMCA Safety Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152

March 21 - 23, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
April 25 - 28, Seattle
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
Naylor Association Solutions Naylor Association Solutions