Sonag Ready Mix's Susan Hawk survives A driver for Sonag Ready Mix LLC of Menomonee Falls, Wis., was among the final four castaways in CBS-TV's hit summer series Survivor. Susan Hawk of Palmyra, Wis., became the first castaway to be voted "off the island" during the 13th and final episode, which aired August 23. Her participation in the contest - set on a remote South China Sea island and offering a top prize of $1 million - took her away from hauling ready-mix during the show's April filming. Sonag President Nick Rivecca notes that Susan is an excellent driver and, in light of the exposure she has brought to concrete, a good emissary for the industry. She joined the company in February of this year as Sonag, a minority-owned business with 10 trucks, began contract hauling in advance of the commissioning of its own ready-mix plant in May. Susan has requested a leave of absence from the company to tend to other business in the wake of Survivor.

Midwest Teamsters locals ratify contracts On August 17, St. Louis' Teamsters Local 682 ended a nine-week strike against Material Dealers Association producers, with a five-year agreement calling for an annual $1/hour wage and benefit increase. The contract covers about 300 drivers, whose walkout reportedly idled a robust construction season and set back some jobs as far as six months. The deal was reached one week after the ratification of a five-year agreement - with slightly higher annual wage increases - between Chicago's Local 786 and Northern Illinois Ready Mix & Materials Association producers. The contract covers about 1,100 drivers and followed more than three months of negotiations and a brief walkout in June. The two settlements capped an active bargaining season among ready-mix producers and driver ranks: This year has seen Teamsters locals in Las Vegas, Denver, Albany, N.Y., and Hawaii effect work stoppages over primarily economic issues.

RexCon no longer on the market Rose Industries Chairman Dale Pinkert reports that his company's Milwaukee-based division, RexCon, will see renewed management commitments regarding product extensions and manufacturing capabilities. He notes recent agreements to expand the RexCon dealer network, along with the return of former company president Jim Stollenwerk to the management team. In a current letter to customers, Pinkert cites forthcoming initiatives "to make RexCon the most competitive brand of concrete production and paving equipment." Discussions surrounding a possible sale of the company have been terminated, he adds.

Holnam research shines light on slag cement concrete reflectivity Architects, specifiers and developers can reduce requirements for artificial lighting and heating in buildings by substituting ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) for a portion of portland cement in concrete, according to a study Skokie, Ill.-based Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc. has conducted for Holnam Inc. and St. Lawrence Cement. Investigators concluded that concrete containing 19 percent of Holnam's GranCem GGBFS cement was 25 to 35 percent more reflective than conventional concrete. "GranCem concrete cures to a lighter, brighter color," notes Holnam Mineral Components Division Vice President Randy Dunlap. "The greater reflectivity of GranCem offers an opportunity to reduce the absorption of heat in urban areas and decreases the need for artificial lighting." GGBFS cement was recently identified as a green building material by the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) program, Dunlap adds. BEES provides a methodology for selecting building products that achieves a balance of environmental and economic performance.