Producers embrace technology to strengthen core values of safety and service To understand the implications of technology for concrete pipe and precast producers, let’s start with Michael J. Fox and Jamie Tremain, vice president and general manager of Inland Pipe/Ocean Pipe affiliates of Lehigh Hanson in Canada. Both are from Western Canada, and Tremain started his career in 1985 at…
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The Urgency of Real-time Benchmarking
Buying Innovation
Another step to sustainability
Truck Tracking 2.0: What’s next?
We can see where drivers are and how they spend their time, but our ready-mix trucks can tell us so much more
By Victoria K. Sicaras
Read MoreEvolution of concrete plants
by Craig Yeack
Ready-mix plants matter. The physical foundation of modern society is absolutely dependent on concrete infrastructure. More important are the resilient folks who work long, hard hours, day after day, to make it happen. Now more than ever, our people and concrete plants are faced with fundamental changes not seen in 70 years.
Read MoreRanking customers: Use technology to decide who matters most
by Craig Yeack
Congratulations, 500 customers purchased concrete from you in the last 90 days. Here’s the harsh truth: Only 50 really helped your bottom line. The others, depending on sales volume, work type, and work habits, may have actually cost you money. You owe it to your business to focus on the top 50, help a few more become better customers, and minimize your time with the rest. Here’s how.
Read MoreExtract & act: Identify and realize opportunities for improvement
by Craig Yeack
Ready-mix concrete production is not for the fainthearted. We are at the crossroads of design, engineering, material suppliers, traffic, weather, equipment failures and a host of other hard-to-control realities. Frankly it’s amazing we manage as well as we do. But it’s always possible to get better.
Read MoreHow to Improve Business? Fix Time First
Concrete Supply Co. uses mobile technology to streamline operations, enhance customer interaction and strengthen its bottom line
By Victoria K. Sicaras
Delivering a perishable product to jobsites whose schedules can change with the weather, among other things, involves challenges that are often beyond a concrete producer’s control. As a result, the effort to meet performance goals is a continuous balancing act. It requires the flexibility to handle a multitude of curveballs including unforeseen jobsite conditions, customer behavior and equipment issues.
Read MoreDrivers: Start your engines, improve EBITDA with three right turns
Ready mix production is a tough, real-time business. A couple dozen significant things can go wrong on any day, at any time, and in any order. No wonder we are just about the hardest working industry per EBITDA point (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) in North America.
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