Npca Awards Honor Leading Precasters

All PSC roadway components are fabricated from air-entrained, superplasticized, 5,000-psi concrete, company officials report, using the latest mixing

All PSC roadway components are fabricated from air-entrained, superplasticized, 5,000-psi concrete, company officials report, using the latest mixing methods and casting techniques. Controlled conditions at the producer’s Abington, Mass., plant ensure consistent high quality, they add.

Sponsored by National Precast Concrete Association during this year’s MCPX and NPCA Winter Conference in Denver, the Salute to Excellence awards spotlighted innovation, creativity, quality and safety among precast producers. Top companies were cited in each of four categories Û Creative Use of Precast, Pinnacle Awards, Quality Merit Awards, and Safety Awards. A complete list of award winners is posted at www.precast.org.

PINNACLE AWARDS

For innovation, the top-scoring entry in each of three categories received a best of show Pinnacle Award.

Pinnacle Award Û Gainey’s Concrete Products, Holden, La., for ÎThink PinkÌ Marketing Campaign

Production Category Û 1st place: Firebaugh Precast, Colorado Springs, Colo., for Utility Anchor Boot; 2nd place: U.S. Concrete Precast Group, dba Central Precast Concrete, Livermore, Calif., for Drop Inlet Boxes with Knock-out

Management/Marketing Category Û 1st place: Gainey’s Concrete Products, for ÎThink PinkÌ Marketing Campaign; 2nd place: C.R. Barger and Sons, Harriman, Tenn., for ÎProduce-IT!Ì

Safety Category Û 1st place: Pre-Cast Concrete Products of Maine Inc., Topsham, for Extreme Concrete Bucket Makeover; 2nd place (tie): Firebaugh Precast for Cable Rack, and Gainey’s Concrete Products for Three-Step Safety Rehabilitation Program

CREATIVE USE OF PRECAST

Judged by a team of experts from manufacturing and academic disciplines, CUP awards highlight innovative uses of precast in Above Ground and Underground construction applications.

Above Ground Category Û 1st place: Smith-Midland Corp., Midland, Va., for Jefferson’s at Inigo’s Crossing; 2nd place (tie): Barbour Concrete, Independence, Mo., for Mobile Tornado Steps, and Vaughn Concrete Products, Henderson, Colo., for Vertical Axis Wind Engine Turbine Structure; 3rd place (tie): Hanson Structural Precast Pacific, Irwindale, Calif., for Element Lofts, and Modern Precast Concrete, Ottsville, Pa., for Comcast Center Project

Underground Category Û 1st place: Sherman-Dixie Concrete Industries, Nashville, Tenn., for the Missing Link; 2nd place: Granite Precasting & Concrete, Bellingham, Wash., for Big Gulch project; 3rd place: Garden State Precast, Farmingdale, N.J., for Target Retail Abutment

QUALITY MERIT AWARDS

Based on scores assigned by a third-party professional inspection firm, Quality Merit Awards are presented to the top 25 plants in NPCA’s certification program. The Quality Award of Excellence honors plants receiving the top three scores, which represent the top 1 percent of 300-plus plants in the program.

NPCA Quality Award of Excellence Û (in alphabetical order) C.R. Barger and Sons, Harriman, Tenn.; Dutchland Inc., Gap, Pa.; and, J.E. Hill Precast, Leesburg, Fla.

SAFETY AWARDS

NPCA’s Safety Awards program, based on OSHA lost-time injury rates, drew a record 126 entries, and 44 companies received awards in five categories. Of those, 24 companies received the top-ranking Platinum Safety Award for completing 2007 with zero lost time injuries.
NPCA Platinum Safety Awards

0 – 40,000 Hours

Briggs Manufacturing, Willows, Calif.

Goldens Bridge Unit Step, Carmel, N.Y.

Hanson Pipe & Precast, Tucson, Ariz.; Salem, Ore.; and, Lockeford, Calif.

Oldcastle Precast-Utility Vault, Livermore, Calif.

Oldcastle Precast Inc., Marianna, Fla.

Wieser Concrete Products, Williamsburg, Iowa; and, Fond du Lac, Wis.

40,001 – 80,000 Hours

Hanson Pipe & Precast, Huntsville, Mobile, and Tuscaloosa, Ala.; West Memphis, Ark.; Tualatin, Ore.; and, San Antonio, Texas

NC Products – Vander A, Raleigh, N.C.

Oldcastle Precast Inc., Toccoa, Ga.

Southern Concrete Materials, Fletcher, N.C.

Wieser Concrete Products, Portage, Wis.

80,001 – 140,000 Hours

Hanson Pipe & Precast, Washington, Utah

Independent Concrete Pipe, Maxwell, Ind.

Sherman-Dixie Concrete Industries, Knoxville, Tenn.

140,001 – 200,000 Hours

Oldcastle Precast Inc., Wilsonville, Ore.

200,001+ Hours

Oldcastle Precast Inc.-Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Fla.