Day: February 15, 2011

Source: Associated General Contractors of America, Washington, D.C.

AGC Chief Executive Officer Stephen Sandherr responded to changes or cuts in federal transportation and environmental infrastructure program funding, outlined in President Obama’s proposed 2012 budget and U.S. House Republicans’ proposed 2011 continuing budget resolution:

“It is encouraging to see the President appreciates the difference between wasteful spending and essential transportation investments needed to boost overall economic growth and protect Americans from later, larger fiscal liabilities … We are, however, concerned by the Administration’s proposal to transform the Highway Trust Fund into a Transportation Trust Fund that would fund high speed rail, Amtrak, ‘livability’ grants and other Administration priorities.

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Source: SIMEM America Corp., San Antonio, Texas

A consortium adding a third Panama Canal lock has begun pilot production through identical, twin-tower batch plants in Colon (Atlantic) and Panama City (Pacific), each equipped for nearly 800-yd./hour. After test mix runs, the plants will commence with a March–April 2011 through late-2013 placement schedule requiring a combined 6 million to 7 million yd. of concrete.

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Source: Buzzi Unicem USA, Bethlehem, Pa.

Buzzi Unicem has completed the acquisition it began in December of a 30,000-ton cement storage dome and distribution terminal in Joliet, Ill., from Ozinga Bros. This is the latest addition to the company’s extensive Mississippi River-based terminal network. According to Buzzi Unicem, the Joliet terminal has not shipped product for more than two years, after a maintenance breakdown forced its closure. A major player in northern Illinois and Indiana ready mixed, Ozinga did repair the facility, but never reopened it due to declining demand.

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Source: Propex Operating LLC, Chattanooga, Tenn.

 “Make Sure it’s True Fibermesh” is the message leading Propex’s new brand initiative for the cornerstone product line, Fibermesh.  As the experts in fibers for concrete reinforcement, company officials contend, Propex revolutionized the industry a quarter century ago with the Fibermesh introduction. As an alternative to traditional wire mesh and light rebar, the officials add, the brand created the synthetic fiber category and aligned Propex with ready mixed concrete producers and their contractor customers.

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Source: RPM International Inc., Medina, Ohio

 Euclid Chemical has added to its synthetic concrete fiber program with the acquisition of LaFayette, Ga.-based PSI Packaging Inc., which offers micro and macro product for ready mixed and precast producers. With annual sales upward of $6 million, PSI was founded in 1999 by four principals involved in the transaction; it will join Euclid Chemical under the RPM Building Solutions Group, serving construction markets worldwide.

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Source: Concrete Industry Strategic Development Council (SDC), Farmington Hills, Mich.

The American Concrete Institute-affiliated SDC has outlined key topics and themed sessions for its March 10–11 meeting at the Queen’s Landing Inn and Conference Center, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario:

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Source: Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Chicago

PCI is accepting through April 4 candidate presentations—abstracts or completed papers—for the peer-reviewed program track at the Annual Convention/Exhibition and National Bridge Conference, October 22-25 in Salt Lake City. All abstracts and papers of case studies, or research or project profiles, must relate to the design and analysis, materials, production and erection, or maintenance and repair of precast concrete.

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