The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association has teamed with Petrocon Corp. of Frederick, Md., on a benefits program through which members, especially smaller and medium-sized producers, can enjoy national account-level pricing on lubricants, antifreeze, tires, chemicals, fuel cards, cellular services and other fleet-related items.
“NRMCA members will benefit with our leveraged buying programs to get high quality branded products and cost saving solutions,” says Petrocon President Joseph Giovinazzo. “Our network of suppliers and their distributor relationships provides local support, as well as national account exposure and savings for NRMCA members across the continental U.S. Our expertise in training and analysis programs will help [them] enhance their preventive maintenance efforts.”
“This exclusive program to ready mixed companies will provide additional benefits to membership, while also helping NRMCA grow its membership nationally,” adds NRMCA Senior Vice President, Membership Kathleen Carr-Smith. — www.petrocon.org/nrmca.html
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced new Better Buildings Accelerators, which will convene leading industry organizations to focus on key solutions for expanding energy efficiency in the residential sector. The U.S. Green Building Council has joined the Home Energy Information Accelerator and committed to support consumer education and environmental sustainability in the residential building market. The Accelerators were established as part of the Obama Administration’s Better Buildings Initiative in 2013.
QUALITY REIGNS AT PIPE PLANTS
The American Concrete Pipe Association established its Qcast Awards to recognize member plants that stand above peer operations on the most important measures of production quality. The “Quality Cast” Plant Certification Program, commonly known as Qcast, is the recognized standard for quality assurance in concrete pipe, covering inspection of materials, finished products and handling/storage procedures, plus performance testing and quality control documentation. Plants may be certified in storm sewer and culvert pipe, sanitary sewer, box culverts, three-sided structures, manholes and precast structures.
Plants in each of the certification categories that score 95 percent or better on their annual Qcast audit are recognized with the ACPA Qcast Awards. From these honorees, one overall winner is selected in each category. The association has announced the latter recipients, by category: Cretex Concrete Products, Inc. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Combined Sanitary & Storm; Cretex Concrete Products, Rapid City, S.D., Box Culvert, Manholes, Precast; Cretex Concrete Products, Shakopee, Minn., Sanitary Manholes; and, Rinker Materials-Concrete Pipe Division of Cemex, Littleton, Colo., Storm Sewer.
“When you visit virtually any concrete pipe plant in North America, you’re immediately struck by two things: an absolute dedication to worker safety and an unwavering focus on quality,” says ACPA Chairman Michael Kusch (Sherman-Dixie Concrete Industries). “This year’s Qcast winners signify the best of the best in terms of quality, though dozens of other plants likewise achieved the 95 percent rating.”
ACPA has also recognized Bill Washabaugh of Northern Concrete Pipe with the Mel Marshall Award for contributions to manufacturing and quality; and, Eric Yount of the Nevada Department of Transportation with the Richard C. Longfellow Award, presented to the author of the Concrete Pipe News article—“Sustainable Precast Concrete Boxes for Resilient Infrastructure,” Spring 2014 issue—that most effectively demonstrates innovative and effective use of concrete pipe.