NRMCA e-news
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
NEWS LINKS
NRMCA staff and members were part of the almost 400 members of the Transportation Construction Coalition that came to Washington, DC, last week as part of the 11th Annual TCC Legislative Fly-In to urge Congress to complete action on the transportation reauthorization bill before the current extension expires on June 30. Click here to read what transpired on Capitol Hill.
Source: AGC SmartBrief e-newsletter for June 1.
Officials in Hall County are looking at ways to upgrade gravel and failing asphalt county roads with fly ash. The county has 813 miles of roads, 629 of which are gravel and 184 that are asphalt. Officials believe they can save money by using fly ash to stabilize and strengthen the subgrade for new construction. A fly ash subgrade could allow the county to reduce its pavement thickness by 1 to 1.5 inches, which translates into a savings of $35,000 to $55,000 a mile, an official said.
Source: A June 4 story by the Lexington (KY) Clipper Herald. Read more.
As part of what he calls his "Facebook Story of the Day," Brian Doogs of CBS television affiliate KTVO addresses why roads are paved with either concrete or asphalt. As part of his report he interviews a state Department of Transportation engineer who discusses how MoDOT approaches what to use.
Source: June 1 post on KTVO's Web site. Read more.
Driving in NASCAR's Truck Series at the Dover, DE, racetrack has its challenges because, unlike most courses, this one is concrete. Drivers must make a lot of adjustments when racing, according to a June 3 article by the York (PA) Daily Record/York Sunday News. Read more.
PROMOTIONS
Good things come to those who wait. NRMCA is pleased to announce that its popular Concrete Pavement Analyst (CPA) software is now available in a 64-bit version, making it compatible with all Microsoft Windows operating systems. "We had several issues we were working out," explains Senior Director of National Resources Phil Kresge. "But persistence paid off and we have overcome those obstacles."
CPA is a design and life-cycle cost comparison software that quickly and accurately quantifies the differences between concrete and asphalt pavements. Using ACI and Asphalt Institute recommendations, CPA compares total ownership costs, providing specifiers the information they need to make sound pavement decisions. A training Webinar, Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst, is offered monthly and explains how the software works along with strategies for making effective use of this outstanding tool. The Webinar includes an in-depth explanation of the differences between concrete and asphalt parking areas, including design, construction and maintenance requirements; step-by-step instruction of how to use CPA to produce detailed life-cycle cost comparisons of concrete and equivalent asphalt pavement designs and tips on customizing the software for their local or regional needs.
Keith Beazley, director of industry service for the Virginia Ready-Mixed Concrete Advisory Council, has used CPA with great success in his promotion efforts. "I think the combination of CPA software and the Design Assistance Program (DAP) is probably the most professional thing we can do as far as promoting parking lots goes," says Beazley. "We’ve done many nice projects and, in fact, when submitting the combination of the CPA analysis and the DAP recommendations, my success rate is perfect with the exception of one job."
NRMCA members can purchase Concrete Pavement Analyst for the low price of $25 per copy ($100 each for non-members). For more information on Concrete Pavement Analyst software and the training Webinar, go to www.concretepromotion.org or contact Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org. To order your copy, contact Customer Services Manager Jacques Jenkins at jjenkins@nrmca.org.
Walmart recently confirmed that it has changed its drawing package on future new stores to include a concrete parking drawing sheet which should make it easier to bid concrete as an alternate or for when concrete is listed as the base bid, reports NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Vance Pool. In the past, the standard duty section was shown only on the detail sheet in the back of the site plans and sometimes not even there.
Recently, a concrete parking lot was placed in Houston, Pool said. Despite Houston being a concrete pavement market, Walmart has generally placed asphalt. Now, some projects in Texas get concrete parking as the base bid, but competitive sections will still need to be addressed in many markets.
Progress at Walmart can be attributed to members, partners, contractors and the entire National Resource Team at NRMCA, Pool said. While this is good progress, there are still more hurdles to remove. "Please make sure to look for any Walmart projects in your market and make sure to bid them even if you have yet to win one," he added. "As always, due to the scale of Walmart’s building program we should see the new drawings begin to trickle out in the next few weeks and have the vast majority in a few months."
NRMCA has tracked about 500,000 cubic yards of Walmart projects won in recent years, but Pool and his colleagues are not aware of all wins. Please let your national resource director know of any so we can estimate market share.
For more information, contact Vance Pool at vpool@nrmca.org.
At the end of 2011, concrete’s market share of U.S. highway paving volume for the year stood at 17.5 percent, its highest level on record, based on available data through 2003. The previous high was 15.2 percent in 2003. According to preliminary Portland Cement Association (PCA) Market Intelligence 2012 data, the first quarter of 2012, the share is at 13.8 percent, an increase of 0.8 percent from the first quarter of 2011. Concrete’s market share has increased from a long-term average of 14.4 percent to an average of 16.4 percent over the last three years. This lift coincides with increases in energy prices since 2008. PCA expects this trend to continue as concrete’s relative competitive position against asphalt improves.
Oman Data Systems provides state DOT bid tabulations from which PCA gathers highway paving volume and spending information by state. Using this information, the highway paving market share for asphalt and concrete can be determined. The paving market shares for volume are calculated based on the amount of each material’s paving tons as a percentage of total tons bid for the specific year.
Source: Portland Cement Association Executive Report e-newsletter for June 4
NRMCA's national resource directors has a Webinar scheduled tomorrow, June 7, so be sure to click on the link below for more information or contact NRMCA's Jessica Walgenbach at jwalgenbach@nrmca.org.
ENGINEERING
It’s time to ascertain who in your company would benefit from a curriculum that focuses broadly on concrete fundamentals and technical operations essentials. The class content is appropriate for sales reps, dispatchers, administrative/home office and mid-level staff as well as those in executive functions whose jobs do not relate to concrete per se but who should have knowledge of the industry. This class is NOT appropriate for technical ready mixed concrete personnel.
The once-a-year workshop is taught by NRMCA’s Engineering Department at the RMC Research & Education Foundation Center in Silver Spring, MD. It will be held October 2-4, with the certification exam on the morning of October 5. For those working toward their NRMCA STEPS® CCPf certification in Sales and Marketing Track, this is a required class. For others working toward CCPf certification in other STEPS tracks, the class is the qualifying prerequisite or an elective.
Click here for more information, including registration options and staff contact.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
To read government affairs-related stories that relate to the ready mixed concrete industry for the week of May 28 - June 1, 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 Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES
NRMCA's June Internet Spotlight, good through Friday, June 29, is the Hot Weather Package. Now that the hot weather is here, help front line staff brush up on tips to help make the job go easier and get better results, with CIP information sheets and a short, valuable driver training video. This package includes the driver training DVD "How to Keep It Cool," tips for placing concrete during hot weather and CIP-12 "Hot Weather Concreting" (Pkg. of 50).
Order online today and receive 25% off the regular member price of $80: Internet Special is $60, plus shipping. Please use Discount Code ISJUNE12 to receive the online discount.
CALENDAR
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.
June 7, Webinar
ACI 330 R-08 – The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
June 25-28, Online Course
Concrete's Role in Sustainable Development
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
June 28, Webinar
Streets and Local Roads
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
July 3, Webinar
Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
July 3, Webinar (Part 2 on July 10)
Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
July 10, Webinar
The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
July 10, Webinar (Part 2)
Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
July 16-19, Online Course
Building Green with Concrete
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
July 26, Webinar
ACI 330 R-08 – The Gold Standard of Concrete Parking Lot Design
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
July 26, Acme, MI
Slabs: We've Got You Covered
Contact: Concrete Foundations Association's Ed Sauter, esauter@cfawalls.org
August 6-9, Online Course
Pervious Concrete—A Stormwater Solution
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
August 9, Webinar
Streets and Local Roads
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
August 14, Webinar
Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
August 14, Webinar (Part 2 on August 21)
Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
August 14-17, Silver Spring, MD
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
August 21, Webinar
The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
August 21, Webinar (Part 2)
Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
August 27-30, Online Course
Design of Concrete Pavements
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
September 4, Webinar
Introduction to Concrete Pavement Analyst Software
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
September 4, Webinar (Part 2 on September 11)
Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
September 11, Webinar
The Quantifiable Advantages of Concrete Parking Lots
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
September 11, Webinar (Part 2)
Designing & Specifying Pervious Concrete
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
September 16-19, Metro Washington, DC
2012 NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks & Board of Directors Meeting
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
September 20, Webinar
Streets and Local Roads
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
October 2-5, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module I: Concrete 101
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
November 1, Webinar
Streets and Local Roads
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
November 5-9, Silver Spring, MD
Technical Short Course
Email: Karen Bean, 888-84-NRMCA, x1168
November 13-15, Silver Spring, MD
Effective RMC Supervisor Certification
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 4-6, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module II: Customer Business Knowledge
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 4-6, Orlando, FL
Environmental Professional Certification Course for the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
December 11-14, Denver
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
December 12-13, Doha, Qatar
International Concrete Technology Forum
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
2013
February 19-21, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
March 19-21, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module IV: Sales Fundamentals
Email: Shawnita Dickens, 888-84-NRMCA, x1154
May 6-8, San Francisco
International Concrete Sustainability Conference
Email: Lionel Lemay, 847-918-7101
May 12-15, Chicago
Fifth North American Conference on Design and Use of Self-Consolidating Concrete
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