Manufacturers

Richard Guth has joined Besser Co.’s southeast U.S. sales team comprising Rick Dolly, regional manager; Barry Keller, sales representative; and, Charlie

Richard Guth has joined Besser Co.‘s southeast U.S. sales team comprising Rick Dolly, regional manager; Barry Keller, sales representative; and, Charlie Pake, parts sales representative. The team is responsible for serving producers in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Guth brings 30 years of experience in concrete products equipment to his new position as a sales representative.

Joining Besser’s midwest U.S. sales team is Benjamin Pestow, who brings to his role as a parts sales representative over two decades’ experience operating Besser equipment, plus several years managing a multi-shift Besser V-12 Vibrapac facility producing architectural and standard block as well as retaining wall units. Pestow completes a team comprising Midwest Regional Manager John Reedy and Sales Representative Russ Chenoweth.

Simem America National Sales Manager David Webb announces the addition of Della King-McDonald as products manager. She will be primarily responsible for sales and marketing to the precast concrete industry, working with existing Simem distribution as well as directly with concrete producers nationwide. While serving as marketing manager for Degussa Admixtures’ Underground Construction segment for North America over the past three years (of 12 years at Degussa), King-McDonald developed strong industry knowledge of civil tunneling and mining markets. Additionally, she has served on National Precast Concrete Association, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, and Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute boards and committees.

A provider of corrosion- and moisture-control protection, Hycrete Technologies, LLC has named to its Board of Advisors William McDonough, FAIA, founding Partner of William McDonough + Partners; and, H. Carl Walker, P.E., founder of Walker Parking Consultants, Inc. Leaders in sustainable development and the parking industry, respectively, McDonough and Walker join board members Hycrete President and CEO David Rosenberg; Robert Chefitz, chairman of the board for the NJTC Venture Fund; Peter Emmons, founder and CEO of Structural Group; and, Jeffrey Hanes, president of Carter-Waters Corp.

Minnesota-based GRT Admixtures has opened a manufacturing and warehouse facility in the St. Louis metro area. The 20,000 sq. ft. facility will enable the company to increase production and provide more bulk storage of chemical admixtures and fibers. Company officials note that the operation will help improve service to ready mixed, precast and paving accounts in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas and northern Arkansas.

Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based Wacker Corp. finalized the purchase of Ground Heaters, Inc. of Spring Lake, Mich. Ground Heaters is a leading manufacturer of portable hydronic heating equipment and indirect-fired air heaters, serving North America and Europe.

Germany’s Vollert GmbH & Co. and Weckenmann Anlagentechnik GmbH & Co. have announced plans to jointly market their precast form table, product handling equipment and form assembly automation technology. The companies have logged more than 300 companion installations across Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. They recently tested potential savings on a joint project, delivering in a four-week window a carousel-type plant for a Belgian wall panel producer. Represented in North America by Ohio-based formwork manufacturer, Spillman Co., Vollert and Weckenmann have among domestic users Dukane Precast in Naperville, Ill.

CIFA USA announces the appointment of Kim Kretchman as Southern Regional sales manager in charge of the Carolinas, southern Virginia, eastern Tennessee, Arizona, and New Mexico. Having worked with Oshkosh Truck Division, owned his own pumping company, and served as operations manager for Loflin Concrete Pumping Division, Kretchman brings extensive pumping industry experience. In addition, Bob Miller has been named regional sales manager for the Northeast Atlantic states in charge of northern Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., eastern Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, and Maine. He brings 20 years’ expertise in both ready mixed production and concrete pumping services.