October 2, 2018 – Concrete Products

Recruitment, retention survey measures mixer driver pool decline

October 2, 2018 Concrete News

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; CP staff

Results from the NRMCA Workforce Development Committee’s 2018 Mixer Driver Recruitment and Retention Survey confirm an increased pressure on ready mixed producers to maintain a healthy concrete delivery professional pool. The survey indicates that the industry’s driver ranks dropped 3 percent between January and December 2017, while 48 percent of respondents reported lost business because they did not have drivers to deliver orders—up 12 percent from last year’s survey (2016 figures).

Cemex, Howlin Concrete, Prairie pros top Mixer Driver Championship

October 2, 2018 Concrete News

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.; CP staff

Thomas Comeau, a delivery professional based at the Cemex plant in Marana, Ariz., took the 2018 National Mixer Truck Driver Championship, staged September 29-30 in National Harbor, Md., during the NRMCA ConcreteWorks fall conference. Prevailing among a field of 80 peers who negotiated an eight-station driving course; six-point vehicle inspection, operating or related skills challenge; and written exam, he received a $5,000 check from the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau, NRMCA affiliate.

Amazon, Microsoft founders-backed fund tracks CarbonCure

October 2, 2018 Concrete News

Sources: CarbonCure Technologies Inc., Halifax, Nova Scotia; CP staff

CarbonCure Technologies, the developer and licensor of carbon dioxide-based processes augmenting ready mixed and manufactured-concrete production, has closed an investment round led by a fund whose principals include Amazon.com Inc., Bloomberg LP, LinkedIn, Microsoft Corp. and Virgin Group founders Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Reid Hoffman, Bill Gates and Richard Branson. Of nine portfolio investments in $1 billion-plus Breakthrough Energy Ventures fund, CarbonCure is the sole entity directly tied to construction.

Steering Committee seeks 2019 CIM Auction donations

October 2, 2018 Concrete News

Sources: Concrete Industry Management National Steering Committee; CP staff

Concrete Industry Management patrons are calling for concrete equipment, material or tool, along with sports, entertainment and travel package donations for the 2019 CIM Auction, January 23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Scheduled amid World of Concrete day two activities, the event will have silent bidding from 11 a.m. through the start of live bidding at 1 p.m.

Court upholds California prevailing wage mandate for mixer truck drivers

October 2, 2018 Concrete News

Sources: International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), Washington, D.C.; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Los Angeles; CP staff

IBT Joint Council 7 is commending a federal appellate court decision upholding the constitutionality of California Assembly Bill 219 (A.B. 219), which amends state labor code to include mixer truck drivers among workers protected by prevailing wage laws for public works projects.