Sources: High Concrete Group LLC, Denver, Pa.; CP staff
High Concrete has begun a major production capacity upgrade at its 148-acre headquarters campus in eastern Pennsylvania. An investment up to $8 million in new equipment, processes and facility construction will completely overhaul operations in a bid to extend the producer’s growing presence and influence in architectural precast concrete, including structural and non-structural wall elements, cladding and panels for commercial and institutional building enclosures.
“High is recognized for world-class leadership in architectural precast,” says High Concrete Group President John (J.) Seroky. “This strategic initiative will bring increased capacity and efficiencies that enable us to serve more customers better. And it signals our commitment to invest in technology that keeps High at the forefront of innovation in the precast market. We are also proud that this initiative will lower our carbon footprint and improve conditions for our co-workers.”
“The technology we are using for batching, mixing and color systems is the best available in the world for architectural precast producers,” observes Plant Maintenance Asset Manager Sean Dixon. Systems feeding new plant mixers will increase the number and variety of aggregates available for architectural mixes, he notes, while new storage areas improve quality and repeatability.
High Concrete has been long regarded as a leader in structural precast, most notably for parking garages. While the producer will continue to serve structural markets, the current project will see architectural precast fabrication occupy the headquarters’ largest production building, streamlining operations and providing space for future growth. The company will move double tee and other forms to the building formerly housing architectural precast production, but maintain structural product output at present volume. A new structural production line batch plant and related construction will allow for a future “bullet” delivery system reducing batch-to-form times.
Scheduled for mid-2020 completion, the expansion is projected to create 50 to 70 new jobs, and generate as much as $50 million per year in local revenue when the plant operates at full capacity.
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