U.S. Concrete burrows deeper into the Big Apple via Jenna, Kings deals

Jenna

Texas-based U.S. Concrete, Inc. continues a New York City market roll up, closing last month on asset transactions involving Jenna Concrete Corp., Bronx, and Kings Ready Mix, Brooklyn. With two plants and 52-mixer fleet, Jenna Concrete has established a presence over 25 years, supplying ready mixed to commercial and residential building projects in its Bronx home base and the neighboring borough of Manhattan. Kings Ready Mix runs 60-plus mixers from four plants, and maintains a leading stake in non-union, low- and mid-rise building jobs across Brooklyn, Queens and Manhattan.

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RMC Foundation releases driver recruitment, onboarding resources

With an eye to helping ready mixed producers introduce prospective truck drivers to the industry and their own companies, the Ready Mixed Concrete Research & Education Foundation has released two- and nine-minute recruitment videos plus 30- and 60-second radio spots. The videos can also serve as interview and onboarding resources to give candidates and new-hires an in-depth look at “A Day in the Life” of a professional mixer truck driver.
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Front Line Excellence

48 Plaque 200

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s 20th Ready Mixed Concrete Driver of the Year program recognizes four industry veterans from a pool of outstanding nominees across the country. The NRMCA Operations, Environmental and Safety Committee assembled a panel of judges to weigh candidates’ competence, driving skills, number of years without an on- or off-road accident, and colleague or customer testimonials.

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Vulcan Materials tests carbon dioxide-dosed ready mixed

Sources: CarbonCure Technologies, Halifax, Nova Scotia; CP staff

Vulcan Materials is the first ready mixed producer to license technology in which industrial process-sourced carbon dioxide is injected into fresh concrete mixes, thereby offsetting water requirements; forming additional limestone in the matrix; and, sequestering the greenhouse gas in a hardened slab or structure.

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Paper interests write check-off program absent small producers

Sources: Paper and Packaging Board, McLean, Va.; CP staff

Concrete masonry and ready mixed concrete interests who support a national check-off strategy to fund promotion and research, but recognize small and large stakeholders’ differing views on such programs, have another broad campaign to track: “Paper & Packaging—How Life Unfolds.”

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ASTM C94-15 spells new requirements for ready mixed concrete buyers

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; CP staff

Following June committee week in Anaheim, Calif., ASTM International Subcommittee C09-40 on Ready Mixed Concrete has issued a new C94, Standard Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete. In contrast to the predecessor version, NRMCA Engineering staff notes, ASTM C94-15 places the onus on the customer to communicate all requirements for concrete from a project specification; sets mix air content at levels for moderate and severe exposure; directs the purchaser, when ordering ready mixed, to either state the required air content or indicate finished concrete exposure type; requires purchaser to indicate density when ordering heavy weight mixes, and clarifies terms for ordering lightweight aggregate by stating equilibrium density; and, contains appendix revisions advising on strength overdesign concepts.

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Vulcan Materials expedites Lafarge exit from New Mexico

Sources: Vulcan Materials Co., Birmingham, Ala.; CP staff

Lafarge North America has sold five ready mixed concrete, three asphalt and three  aggregate operations serving the Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Santa Fe, N.M., markets. The integrated properties comprise one of six third-quarter acquisitions through which Vulcan Materials invested nearly $320 million emanating from the sale of Florida concrete and cement production assets earlier this year.

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Escalante takes helm of GCC, Henley to lead U.S. business

Source: Grupo Cementos de Chihuahua, Mexico

The GCC Board of Directors has appointed Enrique Escalante chief executive officer, effective January 2015. He succeeds Manual Milan, who is retiring after a tenure during which the company, through U.S. market entry, grew from six to116 ready mixed concrete plants and two to six cement plants, and developed a solid distribution network that transformed it into a supplier of choice.

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Reports detail erosion potential, subbase optimization for concrete pavements

Source: Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) Research & Education Foundation, Silver Spring, Md.

Developed at the Texas Transportation Institute, “Design Methodology for Subgrades and Bases Under Concrete Roads” and “Parking Lots and Test Methods & Results of Erosion Potential of Commonly Used Subgrade and Base Materials” are the culmination of research on best practices for identifying potential erosion problems before pavement is placed, and avoiding costs in overdesigned subbases.

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