Besser equips Lowell Precast for monolithic Ts

The quality of T Pipes has risen to a new level and production has gotten a lot faster and easier at Lowell Precast in Lowell, Ind., when their 48- x 96-in. Besser Horizontal Pour T Form was put into service in this spring. Plant Owner and President Bill Austgen affirms the quality of the monolithically poured T forms as well as his customers’ positive reactions to them, along with the production time savings they represent.

The need to produce sanitary-grade, monolithic Ts prompted Austgen to contact Denny Pelleymounter, his longtime Besser sales representative, to brainstorm designs for the unique form, then develop the smartest design and to translate that into a form that will withstand decades of use. The Horizontal Pour T form joins Lowell Precast’s full complement of Besser flared end forms, bottom down forms and manhole forms fabricated in Boone, Iowa.

Making the three-piece form simple to use was important. Features were engineered into the form to make setup, pouring and stripping efficient. Fork truck pockets on the end of the form help during handling, setup and stripping. Collapsible cores were supplied for both the pipe and T cores. Each core features a tapered end section to aid in alignment during setup. To assure proper placement of the manhole T portion of the product the T core is bolted to the pipe core.

Ts with consistently high structural integrity and attractive appearances are being produced approximately 2.5 days faster than with their previous method. Josh Taleski Lowell, precast production technician, can set up the new three-piece form in less than 90 minutes. He takes great pride in seeing the structurally sound T products emerge from the form after curing.