Chandler Concrete fleet chief shows lawmakers new hours of service rule pitfalls

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; CP staff

First-year compliance with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration commercial drivers’ hours of service (HOS) rules effective July 1 will cost the ready mixed concrete industry upwards of $270 million in lost driver productivity, wasted fuel and unplanned capital expenditures. Barring federal court action, the agency is set to require drivers to take a 30-minute break after most eight consecutive hour periods, and limit use of the current 34-hour restart provision to once a week covering “at least two periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.”

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Oldcastle Architectural’s Northfield Block injects CO2 into curing regimen

Source: CarbonCure Technologies Inc., Halifax, N.S.

The Oldcastle Architectural Products Group business serving the largest Midwest market will add a carbon dioxide-sequestering process to concrete masonry curing at its three-machine plant in Morris, Ill., located about 40 miles west of Chicago.

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Jumbo furnace equips lab for ASTM, UL, NFPA fire test methods

Source: Architectural Testing Inc. (ATI), York, Pa.

A new 12- x 14-ft. Large Scale Vertical Furnace expands ATI capabilities to ASTM E 119 – Standard Test Method for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials; NFPA 251 – Standard Methods of Tests of Fire Resistance of Building Construction and Materials; and, UL 263 – Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials.

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Midwest Block’s Wilhelms talks housing market, masonry check-off on Capitol Hill

Sources: National Concrete Masonry Association, Herndon, Va.; U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee; CP staff

Testifying on behalf of NCMA at a U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade hearing, Mark Wilhelms of Jefferson City, Mo.-based Midwest Block & Brick Inc., reminded federal lawmakers of the importance of a healthy housing market on employment levels and gross domestic product, and requested their support of the recently introduced (HR 1563) Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education, and Promotion Act of 2013.

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CTLGroup names Tonyan interim chief

Source: CTLGroup, Skokie, Ill.

Following the resignation of Jeffrey Garrett, Ph.D, S.E., president and CEO since 2007, CTLGroup has appointed Timothy Tonyan, Ph.D, his successor on an interim basis. Dr. Tonyan joined the testing, consulting and engineering firm in 2009 as principal material scientist and was promoted in 2010 to Materials Consulting Group vice president and manager. He also leads the Energy & Resources Practice Group, providing strategic direction, marketing and project management for major nuclear industry contracts.

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