August 2014 – Page 4 – Concrete Products

Silo maintenance method averts confined space entry

August 8, 2014 CP Staff

Martin Engineering silo-cleaning crew, the Commercial Acres RMC facility

A central Illinois ready mixed concrete producer has resolved material build-up issues in three storage silos where accumulation had slowed production and increased internal pressures, eventually damaging the vessel walls and forcing a shutdown. By enlisting the Martin Engineering silo-cleaning crew, the Commercial Acres RMC facility, whic is owned by Stark Excavating, was able to have the vessels safely emptied and ready for repair in 10 working hours—without confined space entry.

Environmental Management Moves To Cloud Platform

August 7, 2014 CP Staff

An early adopter among construction materials operators, Staker Parson Cos. deploys complianceGO for inspections throughout is integrated ready mixed, aggregate and asphalt operation adjacent to the Oldcastle Materials Mountain West Region headquarters north of Salt Lake City.

Construction materials producers can’t manage what they can’t see. In the case of environmental management: Poorly executed inspections, action item responses, documents, and maps equal heavy fines and penalties.

Reclaiming Revisited

August 7, 2014 Don Marsh

Improving market conditions, land-locked sister properties, plus safety and environmental factors have spurred an upgrade of Graniterock’s Redwood City Building Materials property, one of the company’s two integrated ready mixed, asphalt and recycling plants serving Silicon Valley. The Redwood City site sources aggregate by rail from the Graniterock Aromas quarry, about 75 miles south.

Continuous improvement of processes and people is long-standing in the ready mixed concrete, aggregate, recycling and road-building businesses of Watsonville, Calif.-based Graniterock. The practice also applies to property, as demonstrated at the Redwood City Building Materials site, where the producer is revisiting a) returned concrete and truck washout handling methods sidelined since the late 1990s and, b) space utilization on a limited footprint.

CLEAN SWEEP

August 7, 2014 Don Marsh

Prairie Material, paving crew demonstrate power-troweled, broomed RCC

A new finishing method for roller compacted concrete pavement nets surface durability and uniformity to give contractors or owners pause on incurring the expense of asphalt wear courses commonly specified over RCC bases. The first commercial application took place at a suburban Chicago jobsite with Bridgeview, Ill., ready mixed producer VCNA Prairie Material leading the charge.

Operational Smarts

August 7, 2014 Don Marsh

The Erie Strayer Model MP-11P has a maintenance platform for easy access to hopper gates on the 100-yd. aggregate storage bin, delivered with Z partition to net five compartments. Truck alley alignment with the bin limits the batch transfer conveyor length to accelerate mixer loading. The 1,150-bbl. silo, split in one-third and two-thirds, is equipped with internal ducting, 3-in. fly ash return pipe. Placement of the C&W dust collector on the platform opens up ground level space.

Recession, slow recovery no barrier to Virginia independent’s growth beyond small market base

By Don Marsh

MANUFACTURERS – August 2014

August 7, 2014 Concrete News

Ryan Suszek has been named Besser Co. director of Pipe and Precast, succeeding Tom Schmidt, who retired last month. Suszek joined Besser in 2005 as a financial analyst and was soon promoted to Pipe and Precast unit controller. Schmidt joined (pre-Besser) Quinn Machinery and Foundry in 1992, progressing in Finance department positions to a 2005 appointment as treasurer; he was appointed Pipe and Precast director five years later, with responsibilities for Sioux City and Boone, Iowa, operations.

Bowco broadens Meadow Burke footprint in underground precast

August 7, 2014 Concrete News

Meadow Burke has closed on Bowco Industries, crediting the Canby, Ore., company for customer service, high-quality design, and setting “the standard for precision-engineered products for the utility and underground precast industry,” and bringing “Meadow Burke another facet of revolutionary advantage of any other company in the industry.”

Top ASTM Honor To NRMCA’s Lobo

August 7, 2014 Concrete News

In addition to centennial observances in Toronto, ASTM Committee C09 recognized NRMCA Senior Vice President of Engineering Colin Lobo with the Award of Merit and ASTM Fellow title. As the Society’s highest individual recognition, the award is based on nominations from peers citing candidates’ service on a range of levels. The committee underscores Lobo’s “outstanding contributions to technology transfer, specifications for concrete materials, test methods for fresh and hardened concrete, evaluation of data, and assessment of laboratories.”

Standards catalyst Richard D. Gaynor, 1931-2014

August 7, 2014 Concrete News

A 42-year National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and National Aggregates Association veteran, widely recognized for contributions to development of cement, concrete strength and durability testing, plus returned mix and truck wash water reuse standards, Richard Gaynor died July 16 in Maryland.

ASTM Committee C09 observes centennial in Toronto

August 6, 2014 Concrete News

Ontario mainstay St Marys CBM dispatched its 1939 International D-40-mounted mixer, with six-cylinder, 89-hp engine and 1.6-yd. Rex drum, to the Sheraton Centre Toronto, where C09 members commenced committee centennial observances.

A group of 150 members and stakeholders commemorated ASTM Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates’ 100th anniversary amid recent committee week activities in Toronto. Chairman Steve Parker (Chryso Inc.) and past chairs Doug Hooton (University of Toronto) and Tony Fiorato (PCA, CTL, Slag Cement Association) weighed in on Committee C09’s progress, credibility and vast influence on concrete practice.