The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association named 20 producer members in its 2021 Quality Awards program. Recipients have demonstrated that they excel at quality management principles over a broad range of activities—from commitment to quality and materials management to managing production facilities and product quality control—while maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction.
Recognized during the NRMCA ConcreteWorks Conference earlier this fall were 2021 Quality Award recipients Anderson Concrete Corp.; Argos USA LLC – Carolinas and Florida divisions; Bayou Concrete LLC; Buckeye Ready-Mix LLC; CalPortland – Arizona, Central Coast, Nevada, Oregon-SW Washington, Southern California and Washington divisions; Cemex USA Florida and San Francisco Bay Area regions; Cemstone Products Co.; Chandler Concrete Co.; Concrete Supply Co.; Conewago Ready Mix; Dolese Bros. Co. – Oklahoma City Metro and Tulsa divisions; Irving Materials, Inc. – Tennessee Region; Martin Marietta Materials – Southwest and West divisions; Maschmeyer Concrete; MMC Materials, Inc. – Central, Golden Triangle, Hattiesburg and Memphis/North MS areas; Preferred Materials Inc.; S&W Ready Mix Concrete Co.; Thomas Concrete – Charlotte, Coastal, Georgia, Raleigh and Upstate South Carolina divisions; Titan America LLC – Florida Business Unit and Titan Virginia Ready Mix; and, United Cos.
The NRMCA Research Engineering and Standards Committee sets Quality Award criteria. Candidates apply either as a single entity or a division within a member company and complete a multiple-choice type application form. A minimum score of 75 percent with supporting validation qualifies for recognition.
The American Concrete Institute has appointed Keith Tosolt and Lacey Stachel as Concrete International editor-in-chief and managing editor. Tosolt takes over for Rex Donahey, who will serve as publisher and transition into the new role of ACI Director of Innovative Concrete Technology. Over 25-plus years, he has served in associate, senior and managing editor capacities for the monthly Concrete International. Stachel brings 10 years of editorial and marketing experience, previously serving as marketing manager for Slag Cement Association and American Shotcrete Association.
Denver-based Concrete Pumping Holdings (CPH) has closed on Pioneer Concrete Pumping Service Inc., based in Atlanta with additional Dallas and San Antonio, Texas locations. The $20 million transaction includes 83 operating equipment units and, the suitor notes, “an exceptional team of employees [and] experienced, highly skilled operators.” The increased capacity is expected to provide Pioneer customers, plus those of CPH’s Brundage Bone flagship business, increased service offerings and expanded fleet availability.
“We continue to execute initiatives to enhance our geographic footprint and responsibly grow our business,” says CPH CEO Bruce Young. “Pioneer is another example of our acquisition strategy at a valuation that is consistent with proven criteria. [It] is a well-run and highly respected business that holds an established position in attractive regional markets. We believe our company is well positioned to capitalize on long-term demand drivers in the Georgia and Texas regions and across all end markets.”
Building foundation solutions provider Groundworks of Virginia Beach, Va. has promoted Flynn Cochran and Jeffrey Martin to division vice president, East and West, respectively. In addition, Jonas Murphy and Chris McLaughlin have been named division sales managers. Further, operations will expand from six to eight regions, with Jeff White, Pat Combs, and Josh Joyce taking on new regional manager roles.
“Groundworks continues to invest to support growth. We invest in employee development and training, fleet and equipment assets, software and larger facilities. However, our investment in leadership must be relentless,” says Groundworks CEO Matt Malone. “The hard work and dedication of our amazing team is the reason for our success. This [regional] realignment is one more step in the development of our business that will further our mission to evolving this industry and building a national company.”
ASTM International Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates has honored University of Miami Ph.D. candidate Ying Wang, Ph.D. with the Katharine and Bryant Mather Scholarship Award, presented annually to full-time undergraduate or graduate students pursuing degrees specializing in cement or concrete materials.
Along with her studies, she serves a teaching assistant and ASTM International student member. Her research focuses on the reactivity and beneficial reuse of marginal unconventional source fly ash and other solid waste materials. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Science and Technology Beijing.
PCI SIDNEY FREEDMAN CRAFTSMANSHIP AWARD WINNER
The University of California San Francisco Housing at the Tidelands has been honored with the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute 2021 Sidney Freedman Craftsmanship Award, recognizing PCI-certified plants for excellence in manufacturing and craftsmanship of architectural precast concrete and glass fiber-reinforced concrete structures or individual elements. The award is named after retired Director of Architectural Systems Sidney Freedman, who was a leading voice in precast concrete architectural design through 40-plus years at PCI.
Judges selected Clark Pacific’s plant in Fontana, Calif., for its work on the two six-story buildings on the UCSF campus. The project features 545 flat precast and sculpted glass fiber-reinforced concrete panels. To minimize solar heat gain, the buildings feature horizontal and vertical sunshades built directly into the sun-facing elevations’ GFRC panels, designed to keep temperatures consistently 2 degrees F to 4 degrees F cooler than a flat façade.
“The Tidelands is a wonderful example of what can be created when we work together,” says Clark Pacific Project Manager Doug Bevier. “From the very start, working with the community to ensure the building aesthetically fit the Dog Patch neighborhood, architect KieranTimberlake conducted heat and sun studies, resulting in billows being incorporated into the overall design to reduce the solar heat gain.