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Association & Industry News

Save the date for the NRMCA 2024 Annual Convention to be held March 18 - 21 at the JW Marriott Water Street in Tampa, FL.

Whether you’re looking to gain valuable industry insights or network with colleagues, the Annual Convention promises to deliver a memorable experience. Keep an eye on your inbox, the NRMCA website and future E-NEWS issues for updates, registration details and more.

Contact Jessica Walgenbach for more information.

NRMCA’s Member2Member (M2M) benefit program continues to grow and provide better services and more value to all members, with Slabstack being the newest Associate member to join the expanding list of M2M providers. Slabstack describes itself as building the first sales and business management solution for the ready mix industry. By collaborating with leading dispatch solution providers like Sysdyne and Command Alkon, Slabstack ensures users enjoy a seamless experience. The company helps concrete producers operate more efficiently, in a simple and reliable way, to optimize their supply chain while meeting a continuously increasing demand. NRMCA members will receive one month free service.

Visit NRMCA dedicated services through the updated M2M webpage where you can explore the offerings.
Neither membership in NRMCA nor participation in the M2M benefits program can in any way be construed as an endorsement, explicit or implicit, of any company, product or service by the Association. NRMCA accepts no responsibility in any dispute between supplier and customer. The M2M benefits program is intended solely as an informational service. Participating companies are responsible for insuring information is correct.

For more information, contact Jacques Jenkins at jjenkins@nrmca.org or Heather Houck at hhouck@nrmca.org.

NRMCA is looking for individuals to serve on the Board of Directors. While serving on the Board requires both commitment and energy, it is a rewarding opportunity to give back to the industry. The Nominating Committee encourages nominations from diverse backgrounds to ensure the Board is reflective of the Association’s membership. The basic requirements, in addition to a willingness to be an active and engaged participant, stipulate that each candidate must be committed to promoting NRMCA programs and working in the best interest of its membership and the industry as a whole while operating in accordance with NRMCA’s Strategic Plan and Vision 2030 objectives. The Board provides strategic direction, fiduciary oversight and governance of the organization’s operations. Employees of NRMCA Producer members in good standing are eligible to serve.

Click here to review the NRMCA Board Job Description. To nominate a candidate, please complete and submit this form to Heather Houck at hhouck@nrmca.org. Self-nominations are accepted. The deadline for nominations is Friday, July 28.

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NRMCA Spotlight
 

Earlier this month, NRMCA and Producer member Cemstone Products hosted representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Smart Sectors Program at Cemstone’s Umore plant in Rosemount, MN. The very successful tour focused on highlighting the ready mixed concrete industry; how concrete is manufactured; the specific processes associated with the industry and product; environmental regulatory compliance and concrete decarbonization efforts. EPA’s visit included a comprehensive tour of the facility and a post-tour conference to discuss industry issues.

For more information, contact either Kevin Walgenbach or Gary Mullings.

   Euclid Chemical Company       Con-Tech Manufacturing, Inc.    
   Master Builder Solutions Admixtures US LLC       Sika Corporation    

The next Concrete Innovations session will focus on concrete mix optimization through proven approaches, existing materials, new technologies and advanced systems such as artificial intelligence (AI) to improve concrete performance while reducing carbon footprint.

Register now for Concrete Innovations Learning Session 12: Wednesday, June 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eastern time.

  • Reducing Carbon Footprint of Concrete – The Low-hanging Fruit - Karthik Obla, PhD, PE, NRMCA vice president, technical services
  • How an AI-driven Software Can be Used to Improve Concrete Performance - Ryan Henkensiefken, vice president of business development, concrete.ai
  • Driving Carbon Reduction Through Innovative Products, Tools and Data - Lisa Barnard, LEED AP, sustainability program manager and Terry Harris, director, technical services, Chryso and GCP; Saint-Gobain Construction Chemicals

Visit www.concreteinnovations.com for upcoming sessions. For more information, contact Lionel Lemay at llemay@nrmca.org or 847-922-7995.

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NRMCA’s Commitment to Environmental Excellence Awards competition offers producers national recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment and maintaining sound management practices in their operations. The program salutes companies that have not only met, but surpassed, governmental compliance measures and demonstrated a commitment to environmental excellence through plant and staff investment.

NRMCA member companies producing ready mixed concrete from a fixed plant location in the U.S., its territories or Canada are eligible to enter. Awards will be determined upon individual plant merits. Winning entrants will be honored at the awards ceremony at NRMCA‘s ConcreteWorks this October in Aurora, CO. Winners will also be featured in a 2023 edition of NRMCA’s Concrete InFocus magazine as well as Concrete Products magazine.

Entries and photos must be e-mailed to gmullings@nrmca.org by Friday, July 21, 2023. Click here for more information and to download the entry form. Staff contacts are Gary Mullings or Kevin Walgenbach.

Registration for NRMCA’s Fall Safety Course scheduled for October 11 - 13 in Denver is still open. This 2.5-day course teaches participants about OSHA safety compliance, beginning with why safety is so important and details the reasons why an effective safety program actually saves money through loss prevention and control. Participants learn about the new silica rule, electrical safety, machine guarding, fall protection, hazard communication, confined spaces, personal protective equipment, emergency action plans, maintenance shop safety, chute handling, fleet safety, pre-trip inspections and much, much more.

Click here for location details and registration information. You may also contact Gary Mullings or Kevin Walgenbach.

Buildings
 

NRMCA Senior Director, Building Innovations, Frank Mruk, FAIA, attended the May 11 American Institute of Architects' Connecticut chapter (AIA CT) meeting titled The 2022 Connecticut State Building Codes: Updates, Challenges, and Management. Opening remarks were delivered by AIA CT President Paolo Campos and Executive Director Gin Calabro. Speakers included Bill Abbot, state fire marshal; John Carrier, residential building official; Omar Vasquez, state building inspector and Darren Hobbs, deputy commissioner. The NRMCA Design Assistance Program video was shown at the event, with Mruk responding to a number of questions. He said more than 90 architects (some shown here) attended the event which was held at the New Haven Lawn Tennis Club.

The Build With Strength program is a leader in supporting architects at the cutting edge of practice. For more information, contact Frank Mruk at fmruk@nrmca.org.

 

NRMCA and Build With Strength Senior Director, Building Innovations, Patrick Matsche and Liz LaFevers, quality control specialist at NRMCA Associate member Heidelberg Materials (seen here) recently discussed Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) before the Oregon chapter of the American Concrete Institute. Their topic, Environmental Product Declarations: How to Get Them and How They’re Used, was held in Portland on April 13 before a gathering of structural engineers, architects and contractors along with ready mix concrete and cement producers.

The timely presentation focused on NRMCA’s efforts to educate the design build community on concrete’s commitment to the SE2050 Net Zero Challenge. SE2050 is prioritizing the reduction of embodied carbon, through the use of less impactful structural materials as part of working toward net zero embodied carbon structural systems by 2050.

“The Pacific Northwest is leading the charge in lowering concrete’s carbon footprint," said Matsche. "It is great to work with and support a very committed group of member producers.”

For more information, contact Patrick Matsche at pmatsche@nrmca.org or 415-672-5275.

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Last week, the General Services Administration (GSA) published low-carbon requirements for several different building materials, including concrete and cement and announced it would pilot the new specifications on 11 different projects over the next six months. The Inflation Reduction Act directed the Environmental Protection Agency, among other agencies, to establish low-carbon standards for construction materials with substantially lower embodied carbon for use in certain federally-funded projects. The requirements for concrete are listed for strength classes ranging from 2500 psi to over 7000 psi.
   BCMI Corp.       MAPEI    
Engineering

The Spring 2023 newsletter of the National Concrete Consortium includes following items:

Climate Change, Resilience, and Concrete Pavements - The Spring 2023 NC² Moving Advancements into Practice (MAP) Brief from the NC² Resource Library examines how concrete pavements can be a resilient solution.

   MESA Systems Co.       Penetron USA    
Pavement

Due to a growing number of requests for printed copies, NRMCA will conduct a second printing of the Guide to Concrete Overlays of Existing Asphalt Parking Lots – Second Edition. Based on the number of copies ordered, the cost per copy is estimated to be $6.50 per copy, plus shipping. “Our first printing was 1,200 copies,” said Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Phil Kresge. “By my calculations, and through discussions with those who were part of that initial run, most of those copies have been distributed to our partners in the design and contracting communities. It continues to be an extremely popular and welcomed publication.”

The Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots has been one of the most successful and impactful industry publications to come from the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center. Funded by the Concrete Advancement Foundation (formerly the RMC Research & Education Foundation), the guide has resulted in the conversion of nearly 140,000 cubic yards at a value to the ready mixed concrete industry of $18.4M.

If you would like to order printed copies of the guide or for more information, contact Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org.

   C&W Manufacturing & Sales Co.       Specialty Products Group    
Learning & Development

Thirty-five attendees participated the last week's NRMCA Plant Manager Certification class held at the Knife River Training Center in Albany, OR. The fourth, and final class in 2023, will be held December 12 - 15 in Orlando, FL. (Click here to register; 40% of the seats remain.)

Following the practice of rotating the class throughout the U.S., the 2024 locations will be Los Angeles in January, Philadelphia in February, Indianapolis in April and Charleston,SC, in December. Details will follow this fall.

Plant Manager Certification Course runs four days. It is industry specific and concentrates on issues that challenge plant managers all across the county. The intense learning course includes the latest on product knowledge and technical standards, safety culture and OSHA-based regulations, operational and maintenance skills, current environmental issues and regulations from EPA as well as labor law issues and the challenges of supervision and training of industry personnel. The NRMCA Plant Manager Certification is required on all Army Corps of Engineer jobs and is considered the industry gold standard of training for all ready mixed concrete plant managers.

For more information, contact Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org.

   Allen-Villere Partners       Sicoma North America    
Calendar

Please note that e-mail and direct registration links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's website. 

June 6 - 8, Orlando, FL
CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills (FC&PA)
Sponsored by Florida Concrete & Products Association, Inc.
Email: Tracy Leighton, 407-895-9333

June 20 - 22, Manchester, NH
CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills
Sponsored by Northern New England Concrete Association
Email: Jon Kuell, 888-875-3232

September 29 - October 3, Nashville, TN
NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks 2023
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 703-706-4852

October 11 - 13, Centennial, CO
Safety Course
Co-located with Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association
Email: Jeffrey Bowers, 703-706-4835

November 7 - 9, Charlotte, NC *Low Capacity
The Effective RMC Supervisor Course
Co-located with CRMCA
Email: Jeffrey Bowers, 703-706-4835

November 14 - 16, Dallas
NRMCA Dispatcher Course
Email: Jeffrey Bowers, 703-706-4835

November 28 - 30, Orlando, FL
Environmental Course
Co-located with Florida Concrete & Products Association
Email: Jeffrey Bowers, 703-706-4835

December 12 - 15, Orlando, FL
Plant Manager Certification Course
Co-located with Florida Concrete & Products Association
Email: Jeffrey Bowers, 703-706-4835