Residential siding products from Georgia-based Nichiha USA, a premier manufacturer of fiber cement cladding, were an integral part of the winning house on the recently completed fourth season of “Rock the Block,” which airs on HGTV. Nichiha worked directly with Michel Smith Boyd, the victorious designer, donating products that would help him realize his vision for the project. Boyd and…
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Kraft Curing Systems’ new Match-Cure insulated enclosure heats and cools test cylinders or cubes containing the same mix design as prestressed concrete elements in the production area, replicating their curing conditions. Temperature sensors, wired or wireless, installed in the Match-Cure enclosures and production area, transmit concrete temperatures to the central AutoCure automatic concrete curing control system. It “matches” the temperature…
Read MoreBY KWK ARCHITECTS In areas of the country where dangerous tornadoes and severe weather occur more frequently, more universities are incorporating reinforced rooms, or storm shelters, in their residence hall designs to provide an extra layer of protection for students. These tornado-safe rooms are typically small, above- or below-ground structures made of concrete, masonry or steel—all proven to withstand extreme…
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Kohler Co. solidifies premium offerings with a cement-based series A boutique precast producer is steering a top home building product brand—synonymous with porcelain, chrome and brass—toward concrete. Kohler Co. has acquired United Kingdom-based Kast Concrete Basins, a fabricator of contemporary basins and sinks made with conventional mixes of local limestone grades, specially sourced sands plus premium pigments. Known for bold-color…
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Blair Block starts up CarbonBuilt-equipped CMU production line Childersburg, Ala.-based Blair Block is the premier operator to adopt the carbon dioxide-capturing and -mineralizing technology of CarbonBuilt, enabling promotion of concrete masonry units whose embodied carbon characteristics are 70-100 percent lower than traditional blocks. The CarbonBuilt technology replaces most of the portland cement typically used in CMU mix designs with a…
Read MoreSt. Louis-based Afinitas has combined its Forming Systems and Concrete Accessories sales teams into single organization that will better align its operations and provide more comprehensive service to customers in North America. Industry veteran Barry Bauer will lead the Forming/Concrete Accessories team as vice president of Sales. He joined Afinitas earlier this year, bringing considerable experience from his time at…
Read MoreThe Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences has named Marshall Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Georgia-based ACM Chemistries, to the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and Scientists—the Upstate South Carolina institution’s highest honor. Brown earned undergraduate and graduate Civil Engineering degrees from Clemson, and completed his doctorate in 1988. He has devoted many years…
Read MoreThe board of North Dakota-based MDU Resources Group closed May with a distribution of Knife River Holding Co. shares, finalizing a 10-month spinoff process of the concrete, aggregate, cement distribution and construction business from the utilities operator flagship. MDU Resources and Knife River are now independent, New York Stock Exchange-traded companies with distinct investment identities, business operations, customers and geographic…
Read MoreMinnesota precast concrete licensor Recon and United Kingdom-based EV Blocks Ltd. have dispatched their first electric vehicle charging station foundation forms to a newly established U.S. producer network. Announced in August 2022, their partnership combines the innovation of the EV Blocks foundation—widely used in the U.K.—with Recon’s expertise in bringing value-added precast elements or structures to market. The partnership and…
Read MoreThe International Grooving & Grinding Association (IGGA) presents “Tips for Diamond Grinding Bridge Decks: Avoid These Common Mistakes Before Grinding the Bridge Surface” as an educational resource showing how contractors can avoid bridge joint damage. The document comes at a time when road owners are increasingly specifying diamond grinding to improve ride quality, friction and drainage capabilities of new bridge…
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