Oldcastle Precast banks on tower foundations in Cell Blocks deal

Sources: Oldcastle Precast Inc., Atlanta; CP staff

Oldcastle Precast has extended its deep presence in specialty structures for telecommunications and utility customers by acquiring the assets of Cell Blocks Inc., whose proprietary, post-tensioned foundation systems support tower installations of key U.S. wireless carriers AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.

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OSHA states case for prioritizing worker health, safety in sustainability agendas

Sources: Occupational Safety and Health Administration; CP staff

A new OSHA white paper, “Sustainability in the Workplace: A New Approach for Protecting Worker Safety and Health,” highlights the importance of including worker safety and health in the growing movement toward sustainability and corporate responsibility. Sustainability strives to balance social, environmental, and economic considerations to achieve long-term success and viability, the agency notes, as responsible firms embrace the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit to achieve sustainability goals.

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Equipment Manufacturers stress fuel quality in Tier 4 engine pointers

Source: Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Milwaukee

AEM’s new “Get CLEAN on Fuel” infographic outlines five key actions to help protect Tier 4 engines which, according to Technical and Safety Services Manager William Bernhard, “reduce emissions and protect our health and the environment, [but] are rather finicky about fuel.” Today’s Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel is very different from the diesel of a few years ago, he adds, noting how “it is subject to change and contamination as it moves from the refinery to the engine, making storage, temperature, age and filtration, and related factors critical in maintaining fuel quality.”

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Scoping Defense market, Wood Council tests CLT structures’ blast mettle

Sources: Wood Products Council, Washington, D.C.; CP staff

After directing blast tests on three cross laminated timber (CLT) specimens at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Fla., representatives of the Wood Products Council’s WoodWorks program observed that that the structures “remained intact and matched modeling predictions with acceptable levels of damage under significant explosive loading.” The tests were conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and Softwood Lumber Board; results stand to expand the use of wood solutions for Department of Defense applications and other blast-resistant construction.

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Lehigh Hanson’s Tiefenthaler chairs American Concrete Pavement Association

Sources: American Concrete Pavement Association, Rosemont, Ill.; CP staff

Lori Tiefenthaler, senior director of Marketing for Lehigh Hanson Inc., has been named 2017 Chairperson of the American Concrete Pavement Association Board of Directors—the first woman to serve as the top volunteer leader in the group’s 54-year history. ACPA officials underscore the broad range of skills and expertise she brings to the office, along with extensive experience in sales, marketing, and development of promotional programs to increase concrete and cement usage.

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ASTM C01 honors Lafarge veteran, Consumers Concrete chief Blair

Sources: ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.; CP staff

ASTM Committee C01 on Cement has presented the Bryant Mather Award to Bruce Blair, president and chief executive officer of Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Consumers Concrete Corp. Named for a long-time Corps of Engineers official—and an institution among ASTM and American Concrete Institute circles—the award recognizes contributions to the development and continued improvement of portland cement standards, and advancing the body of knowledge related to portland-limestone cement blends.

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High-frequency vibrator

The AHFV22 equips concrete professionals with what product engineers note is a powerful, compact and efficient solution for better mix consolidation in most applications. Its Intelli-Vibe feature utilizes internal sensors to control vibration in response to concrete slump variations and rebar blockage. This ensures consistent high centrifugal force, stable speed and high amplitude for professionally finished concrete. A built-in frequency converter enables users to turn to a regular wall socket versus a generator or invertor. Allen Engineering Corp., Paragould, Ark., 870/236-7751; www.alleneng.com

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