The economics of switching from diesel to electric—and what must be done to reach viability The Ford flathead V8 from 1932 is near-mythical. The engine’s rumble and power transformed road vehicles into speedsters that were often favored by moonshine runners. The 1909 Harley-Davidson V-twin engine, with its patented sound, is equally iconic. So why are we messing with the fabled…
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Investment in an enterprise resource planning system can represent a considerable cost, but if done right, the benefits will be realized in a relatively short time. Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” is 1,000 pages of overwhelming complication. Very few people have succeeded in reading it cover to cover. That, my friends, pales in comparison to the Herculean task of selecting…
Read MoreGraphene technology promises carbon-neutral ready mixed concrete. Those seeking to aggressively push a transition to carbon neutrality should look to Adam Smith, known as the father of capitalism, for guidance. According to the 18th-century Scottish philosopher and economist, “By pursuing his own interest [the individual] frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote…
Read MoreMinimize information sprawl to focus on the customer needs that drive your key metric: sales. Enterprise digitization, often called the “paperless company,” has been pushing decision-making to the edge for years. By leveraging cloud-based tools and mobile apps, companies can empower front-line staff with access to the information needed to make quick decisions. This flattens the organizational need for intermediate…
Read MoreNow in its second year, the program recognizes outstanding achievement in concrete design and construction. Early this month, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association selected the winners of the 2024 NRMCA Concrete Innovations Awards. Ten projects demonstrate outstanding achievements in performance even as they lower environmental impacts, such as embodied and operational carbon footprints. To help you fully understand the…
Read MoreOptimize your resources to reduce the debt of becoming a least-hassle supplier. When Albert Einstein was once asked to name mankind’s greatest invention, his answer was “compound interest.” While the federal funds rate was near zero, it made sense for businesses to load up on debt and pay virtually no interest. Now, with higher interest rates compounding the impact, it’s…
Read MoreWOC 2024 is about YOUR Customers, and how you can help them. This year marks the 50th anniversary of World of Concrete, an event that often has seen crowds of more than 50,000 attendees—mostly contractors. For producers, it’s an opportunity to feel the pulse of the industry, including current trends and what’s to come. This year’s event offers new ways…
Read MoreWell-structured quotes based on customer behavior will help control variable costs and boost cash flow and earnings. A company often calculates its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to measure financial health. Stripping out “nonoperational” expenses provides a clearer picture of your company’s ability to generate cash flow for its owners and for judging operational performance. The primary…
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Group customers by their technology and service needs to become the supplier of choice. Worldwide, the production of ready mixed concrete is fundamentally the same. A plant in Dallas operates similar to plants in Dubai, Dublin and even Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam. The needs of customers, however, can be radically different—and that’s without taking into account their unique geographies. In…
Read MoreOctober is Careers in Construction Month, and an excellent opportunity to build your workforce by introducing women to the concrete industry (and concrete tech jobs). Hedy Lamarr, best known as a beautiful actress during Hollywood’s Golden Age, was a brilliant thinker. She co-invented a frequency-hopping system used to prevent Axis powers from jamming torpedoes during World War II, which later…
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