Holcim prepares to dispatch the bulk of its GranCem slag business

Sources: CP staff; Lafarge Group, Paris

U.S. assets Lafarge Group and Holcim Ltd. are preparing to unload shortly after their proposed merger—on track to close in mid-2015, forming LafargeHolcim—include ground granulated blast furnace slag cement grinding facilities unusually strategic to dense population centers: Camden, N.J., 700,000 tons/year capacity, located on the Delaware River, overlooking Philadelphia; and, Chicago Skyway, 600,000 tons/year capacity, on a Lake Michigan inlet near the Illinois-Indiana border.

Read More

Ex-Titan America chief Papadopoulos: Building resiliency a matter of accountability

Sources: Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Ill.; CP staff

During a talk at last month’s Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Japan, former Titan America CEO and past PCA Chairman Aris Papadopoulos traced the developed world’s failure to create a disaster-resilient built environment to government and market forces.

Read More

Nanoscale research confirms cellulose products’ cement hydration capacity

Sources: Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.; CP staff

Nanocrystals extracted from cellulose microfibrils—structures that give plants and trees strength and resilience—can increase concrete tensile strength up to 30 percent by creating tiny water inlets in a matrix and promoting more efficient cement hydration.

Read More

Market recovery brings residential, commercial builders higher margins, expanded payrolls

Source: L.E.K. Consulting, Chicago

In its fifth annual Contractor Behavior Study, global management consultant L.E.K. confirms residential and commercial construction market momentum, vendor/supplier loyalty based on criteria other than price, and increasing adoption of mobile technology sales and management tools.

Read More

Integration-tested, Lafarge NA veteran Olsen to head LafargeHolcim

Sources: Lafarge Group, Paris; CP staff

Ahead of the proposed merger they aim to consummate by mid-year, the Lafarge Group and Holcim Ltd. boards have appointed Lafarge Executive Vice President, Operations Eric Olsen as LafargeHolcim chief executive officer. Officials cite his success in senior operations, finance, human resources and strategy positions, plus “deep experience of driving change … in matters of integration and organization.”

Read More

‘Feral’ gateway structure nabs decorative concrete award

56 FFii 150

The Doral Park Pavilion by Douglas Wood Associates, Coral Gables, Fla., won the WOW! Award for best overall entry in this year’s Decorative Concrete Council competition, recognizing vertical and horizontal applications. Located on the outskirts of Miami, the structure was designed by internationally-renowned artist Michelle Oka Doner, who envisioned a “feral” gateway to the adjacent Everglades.

Read More

MMFX2 rebranded ChrōmX 9000

To fit within its expanding high-strength steel product line, the company has changed the branding of its namesake product to ChrōmX 9100 (Grade 100) and 9120 (Grade 120) rebar, both sold under the ASTM A1035 specification. ChrōmX 9000 bar provides high strength with ductility, as well as high corrosion resistance—five times more than standard carbon steel—outperforming epoxy-coated and galvanized rebar for corrosion protection, product engineers contend. They attribute the high performance features to the steel’s chemistry and unique microstructure; absent damage-prone coatings, ChrōmX 9100 and 9120 can be handled and fabricated just like conventional rebar.

Read More

Scale service offerings

Available at three coverage levels, Guardian Series Support Agreements take what Fairbanks Scales officials describe as the guesswork out of weighing equipment maintenance costs. In contrast to open-ended service systems, where customers risk unanticipated repairs exceeding maintenance budgets, the company notes, the full-service Guardian program covers all inspections and repairs at a fixed price. As a result, maintenance costs are set and unknowns are removed from budgeting.

Read More