November 27, 2018 – Concrete Products

NRMCA survey measures minor decline in mixer driver pool

November 27, 2018 Concrete News

Results from the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association Workforce Development Committee’s 2018 Mixer Driver Recruitment and Retention Survey confirm 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.

100,000th McNeilus mixer bound for CalPortland’s Glacier Northwest fleet

November 27, 2018 Concrete News

A milestone, technology-laden Bridgemaster that McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing Co. displayed at the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association’s ConcreteWorks conference outside Washington, D.C., has been dispatched to Washington State, joining the fleet of the CalPortland Co. Glacier Northwest business.

Cemex Arizona ace takes National Mixer Driver Championship

November 27, 2018 Concrete News

A delivery professional based at the Cemex plant in Marana, Ariz., Thomas Comeau won the 2018 National Mixer Truck Driver Championship, staged during the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association ConcreteWorks fall conference in National Harbor, Md. He received a $5,000 check from the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau, NRMCA affiliate, after 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.

Council grades states on energy efficiency through building, vehicle metrics

November 27, 2018 Concrete News

As the federal government loosens environmental rules, states are investing more in energy efficiency and delivering increased power savings. Based on 32 metrics in six areas, including building and vehicle performance, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s (ACEEE) 12th annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard cites leaders California and Massachusetts; laggards North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming; and, states with the highest year-over-year improvements, notably New Jersey.

Concrete Masonry Act opens door to checkoff referendum in 2019

November 27, 2018 Concrete News

The Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education and Promotion Act, authorizing concrete block and brick stakeholders to pursue an industry-wide referendum on a national commodity checkoff program, was signed into law last month as part of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2018. If modeled after other national programs, a concrete masonry unit checkoff could entail collection of one or more cents per building block or brick sold, with a producer-contractor board allocating funds to research, education and promotion activities—all under federal agency oversight.

Safety incentives: Legal and logical

November 27, 2018 Don Marsh

Up against this month’s deadline, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association logged a productive week in Washington, D.C., led by Chairman Rodney Grogan (MMC Materials), Vice Chairman Bill Sandbrook (U.S. Concrete) and Safety, Environmental and Operations Committee Chairman David Williams’ (Chaney Enterprises) participation in a Pledge to America’s Workers event at the White House.