Solidia Technologies has appointed David Smith as senior technical director. A charter Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute team member who most recently served as vice president of Research and Development, he brings decades of experience working with public or private organizations and federal, state, or municipal government agencies—all along demonstrating interlocking concrete pavement as a durable and functionally superior system to bear pedestrian and vehicular traffic loads. His career interests include urban climatology, stormwater management and segmental concrete pavements.
“With its world-changing manufacturing technologies that can elevate performance while lowering environmental impact, Solidia is a natural and very exciting next step for me,” says Smith, whose career transition follows the July 2022 ICPI-National Concrete Masonry Association unification. “I am also excited by the prospect of helping build a legacy for the Solidia team and the industry at large.”
Smith is credited with helping build ICPI-NCMA into the premier source for technical expertise across multiple market segments within the manufactured concrete products community, including building or articulating block, segmental pavement or retaining wall units, and manufactured stone veneer. Throughout his tenure in unit masonry, he has proved to be a highly respected authority, serving as a staff liaison to the ICPI Technical Committee and contributing to ASCE, ACI, APWA, AASHTO, and ASTM committees. Smith is likewise recognized for significant contribution to continuing education, as well as authoring Permeable Interlocking Concrete Pavements (2017) and Patios, Driveways and Plazas: The Pattern Language of Concrete Pavers (2002).
“David Smith’s unparalleled technical knowledge, network, and impassioned commitment to advancing concrete systems has been an asset to all of us throughout the industry,” observes Solidia CEO Russell Hill. “With Dave leading our technical outreach efforts, we will speed both the development of our sustainable innovation and its global deployment. For us, the affirmation he conveys is further proof that Solidia is the right technology at the right time.”
NEW HEADQUARTERS
Concurrent with Smith’s appointment, Solidia has announced the relocation of its New Jersey headquarters to San Antonio, Texas. The move and expansion are consistent with the company’s progress from research and development to commercial venture.
A new executive office and advanced R&D facility centrally located in one of the world’s largest industrial markets for construction and building materials, notes Hill, will allow “continued advancement of Solidia’s technology in proximity to customers, suppliers, and partners and is the ideal location for our emerging commercial ventures as we further our mission of decarbonizing the global building materials and construction industry. We will be in the right location to fast-track our business growth, elevate building materials manufacturing with sustainable technologies, and advance carbon utilization with industrial leaders, including oil and gas providers.”