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Association & Industry News
The early bird registration deadline has been extended to Wednesday, August 28, for NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks 2019, scheduled for October 3 - 7 at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, FL (metro Orlando). Register now to take advantage of the pricing discount and save more than $100 off the regular registration fees. NRMCA has contracted a discounted room rate at the resort of $185/night plus taxes and a $22/night resort fee that covers several in-room amenities. Click here to access NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks' registration and the resort's online reservations links, the exhibitor prospectus and more. For more information, please contact Senior Director of Meetings Jessica Walgenbach. It’s not too late for your company to be part of one of the largest events of the year. There’s still time to claim your sponsorship opportunity and have your company’s name and logo seen by hundreds of people at this year’s National Mixer Driver Championship. Sponsorships will be available until Monday, August 26. Whether you’re coming to interact with the companies that provide goods and services to the concrete industry or coming to watch your driver compete in the driver championship, make sure to secure your sponsorship before they sell out! Click here to find the remaining list of sponsorship opportunities. For more information, contact Jacques Jenkins at jjenkins@nrmca.org or at 240-485-1165. The Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) Research & Education Foundation has released its latest resource: the Guide to Concrete Trails. Like its immensely popular predecessor, the Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots, the Guide to Concrete Trails was prepared by the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center) along with review and input from a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) comprised of the most experienced concrete pavement designers and contractors in the country. “Given increased federal and local investment in recreational trails, funding the development of this Guide was a very easy decision for our Board to make,” said Foundation Chairman Alexander Car, adding, “This project is another stellar example of the informative and practical resources that the Foundation provides to the industry each year.” Foundation Executive Director Julie Garbini added, “We received a huge return on investment with the Concrete Overlay Guide and anticipate a similar result with the Guide to Concrete Trails.” The Guide can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website and hard copies are available on request. It will also be featured at the Foundation’s booth at NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks in Orlando in early October. The Vision of the RMC Research & Education Foundation is to be a lasting resource for increasing quality, professionalism and sustainability in the ready mixed concrete industry by funding and implementing research and education programs. For more information, contact Jennifer LeFevre at 240-485-1151 or jlefevre@rmc-foundation.org. 
SEO
Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) released its long-awaited proposal to update Hours of Service (HOS) rules. As an issue of importance to the industry, NRMCA has been actively advocating for greater flexibility with the HOS rules for industry drivers and for less confusion surrounding how to remain compliant. These sentiments have been communicated to FMSCA numerous times over the past few years, heard by FMCSA, and acted upon in our favor as well. We are happy to relay that this latest proposal also tilts in the industry’s favor. Not only will the elements of the proposal benefit the industry when they’re finalized, but FMCSA specifically relied upon the ready mixed concrete industry’s recent HOS exemptions and the industry’s excellent safety record as justification for the new changes. Specifically, the newly proposed changes will extend the flexibilities mixer drivers have been afforded over recent years to drivers of all other commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) used in the industry. Once finalized, drivers of aggregate haulers and cement tankers will receive the same flexibilities NRMCA has secured for mixer drivers. FMCSA stated today, “Based on the detailed public comments, FMCSA’s proposed rule on hours of service offers five key revisions to the existing HOS rules:
FMCSA will be accepting comments on the proposal for 45 days once it’s published in the Federal Register (click here to review the proposal). This latest development is another huge HOS win for the industry. NRMCA will be submitting comments in support of the proposal and urges all NRMCA members to do so as well. For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org. Is your company represented at this year's National Mixer Driver Championship? Sponsorship opportunities close this Friday, August 23. This year's program brings an even more enhanced sponsorship package. NRMCA encourages you to circulate thse opportunities within your company and to any outside vendors you deem appropriate. Enhanced sponsorhip opportunities still available include driver bags, entertainment and activities, driver spouse appreciation, DJ and course challenges. Click here to access the remaining list of sponsorship opportunities. For more information, contact Jacques Jenkins at jjenkins@nrmca.org or at 240-485-1165. With lots of time to plan and budget your staff’s career development, please note following classes will be offered under the auspices of the SEO Committee: • Safety Certification Course, October 22-24, Irving (metro Dallas), TX; currently half full • Environmental Certification Course, November 19-21, Orlando, FL • Plant Manager Certification Course, December 10-13, Orlando, FL, 10 seats left 2020 • RMC Effective Supervisor, January 14-16, Des Moines, IA https://www.nrmca.org/operations/humanresource/workshop.htm • Plant Manager Certification Course, January 21-24, Cincinnati • Dispatcher Training Forum, January 28-30, Orlando, FL • Plant Manager Certification Course, February 25-28, Miami • Plant Manager Certification Course, March 24-27, Boston • Plant Manager Certification Course, December 15-18, Phoenix For more information, contact Jessica Walgenbach at jwalgenbach@nrmca.org or 240-485-1152. 
Pavement
The NRMCA Pervious Concrete Promotion Subcommittee will hold a conference call on Tuesday, September 10, at 2 p.m. Eastern time. The call-in number is 866-670-0780 and the conference code is 9101734. NRMCA members are invited to participate. The subcommittee is developing two promotional brochures focusing on the economic and environmental benefits of pervious concrete; this call will provide an opportunity to review and discuss those pieces. “According to the NRMCA Annual Industry Data Survey, pervious concrete represents approximately ½ of 1 percent of annual production,” said NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Phil Kresge. “In the current climate of sustainable development, with such strong focus on reducing stormwater runoff, we have an excellent opportunity to increase our market share and, accordingly, our production. These two brochures will provide a fresh look at how pervious concrete can benefit owners and developers both financially and in meeting regulatory requirements.” The Pervious Concrete Promotion Subcommittee is open to all NRMCA members and invited guests. For more information, contact Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org. NRMCA has announced the winners of its 2019 NRMCA Excellence in Quality Awards. Winning producers have demonstrated that they followed and exceeded quality management principles over a broad range of activities from commitment to quality, materials management, managing production facilities and product quality control while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction. The winners below will be honored on October 7 during the Awards Luncheon at NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks in Kissimmee, FL. Category A (annual production exceeding 1 million cubic yards): Category B (annual production from 250,000 to 1 million cubic yards): Category C (annual production less than 250,000 cubic yards): The criteria for this award were established by NRMCA’s Research Engineering and Standards Committee to recognize the commitment to quality of NRMCA member companies. Companies applied either as a single entity or a division within a company and responded to a multiple-choice type application form that generated their scores; a minimum score of 75% with supporting validation qualified a company to receive an award. For more information, contact Karthik Obla at kobla@nmca.org. 
2020 January 14 – 16, Des Moines, IA January 21 – 24, Cincinnati January 28 – 30, Orlando, FL January 28 – 30, Dallas February 25 – 28, Miami March 7 – 9, Las Vegas March 10 – 14, Las Vegas March 17 – 19, Dallas September 27 – 29, Aurora, CO Engineering
The NRMCA Annual Concrete Technologist Training and Certification program (Short Course) is scheduled for November 11-15 at the Hilton Baltimore BWI Airport Hotel in Maryland. The number of registrants is limited to 55. Interested persons are encouraged to register early. The Technical Short Course provides a fundamental understanding of concrete, aggregates and concrete making materials, requirements in industry codes and standards, and proportioning concrete mixtures. Attendees have the opportunity to obtain industry-recognized NRMCA certifications: NRMCA Level 2 and 3 Concrete Technologist and an optional NRMCA Grade II Field Testing Technician. The Short Course is intended for quality, sales and other personnel with a technical role with ready mixed concrete companies and suppliers to the industry. New hires in these roles can also benefit from attending. A significant amount of technical content is covered in four days that requires the attendees to have a basic concrete technology background and at least a high-school level of math. Registration and staff contact Information on the NRMCA Short Course are available here. 
Calendar
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site. October 3 – 7, Kissimmee, FL October 22 – 24, Irving, TX October 22 – 25, Dallas November 11 – 15, Baltimore November 19 – 21, Orlando, FL November 20, Little Rock, AR December 10 – 13, Orlando, FL December 17 – 19, Dallas |
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