|




|
|

This Week in the Ready Mixed
Concrete Industry for May 5, 2008
|
|
|
|
Promotion |
 |
|
NRMCA Assists EPA in
Developing Green Parking Lot Guide |
 |
|
At the request of the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), Senior Director
of National Resources Phil Kresge
recently reviewed a draft of the
agency's "Green Parking Lot Resource
Guide." The guide is intended to present
the fundamental planning and design
concepts of a green parking lot and to
connect readers to existing resources on
the environmental benefits and cost
effectiveness of green parking
approaches. In its seven chapters, the
guide covers environmental and cost
impacts associated with conventional
parking lots, overview of benefits of
green parking lot development
techniques, detailed information on
sustainable stormwater management
techniques, alternatives to asphalt
parking surfaces, water efficient
landscaping and irrigation, and
reduction of stormwater infrastructure
and utility maintenance costs.
As expected, there is considerable focus
on permeable pavements, but there is
also mention of using alternative
impermeable pavements, including
concrete, to reduce heat island effect.
Kresge provided comment in several
areas, but specifically asked for more
content on concrete's role in heat
island reduction as well as describing
the other environmental benefits of
concrete pavement. He offered NRMCA's
services in drafting additional text in
that area, as well as providing further
review of any subsequent drafts of the
guide. EPA was accepting comments until
May 2.
Kresge's involvement was
facilitated through the Low Impact
Development Center.
For more information, contact
NRMCA's Phil Kresge at
pkresge@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
Air Force Considering
Move Toward Performance-Based Specs |
 |
|
NRMCA recently presented P2P to
architects at the United States Air
Force (USAF) which is considering how to
move from prescriptive to
performance-based specifications. South
Central Sneior National Resource
Director Vance Pool reports not only is
the Air Force looking progressively at
P2P but that it is also designing
buildings to meet LEED standards,
although not certifying their buildings
through the USGBC.
Pool reports that there were many
insightful questions, showing USAF
is truly considering moving toward
performance-based documents. Like any
major change it will take time to
execute and cannot occur
immediately. Most likely a hybrid
approach using both prescriptive as well
as performance-based construction
documents will occur.
For more information contact Vance
Pool at
vpool@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
Engineering |
 |
|
Two Weeks Until Start of
Concrete Technology Forum |
 |
|
There are only two weeks before the 2008
Concrete Technology Forum scheduled for
May 20-22 in Denver. This year's forum
will focus on sustainable development
with sessions
on state-of-the-art developments, new
construction techniques and product
formulations that optimize environmental
performance of concrete construction.
They include:
• Pervious
Concrete Systems
• Concrete's
Impact on Urban Heat Islands
• The
Carbon Footprint of Concrete
• Sustainable
Development Initiatives
• Optimizing
Recycled Content
A product expo featuring 24 companies
that offer products and services for
sustainable development will be open
during the conference. Attendees
will earn valuable professional
development hours (PDHs) and will
receive a copy of the conference
proceedings.
Visit
www.concretetechnologyforum.org to
register for the conference or contact
NRMCA's Lionel Lemay at 847-918-7101 or by e-mail, LLemay@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
NRMCA Hosts
Successful Sustainable Development
Course |
 |
|
Last week NRMCA held the "Concrete's
Role in Sustainable Development" course
in Manchester, NH. The course was taught by NRMCA's
Lionel Lemay, Erin Ashley and Doug O'Neill with support by the
Northern New England Concrete Promotion
Association. Thirty five participants
attended and left with a detailed
understanding of the environmental
attributes of concrete and how it can
contribute to sustainable development.
LEED and calculations related to the
green building rating systems were
addressed as well as how to promote
sustainable business in their markets.
The next course is scheduled for
Tuesday, August 19, in
Silver Spring,
MD. View http://www.nrmca.org/products/conferences.asp for
registration information and future
course announcements.
For more information, contact
NRMCA's Erin Ashley at 1-888-846-7622,
ext. 1306 or by e-mail,
eashley@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
Government Affairs |
 |
|
Commerce Department
Report Shows Decline in Construction
Spending |
 |
|
The Department of Commerce last Thursday
released figures showing that
construction spending fell by 1.1% from
February to March, 0.4% more than
economists had predicted. A 4.6%
decrease in residential construction was
cited as the largest decline since 1993,
when comparable records were first kept.
Non-residential construction rose by
1.3% from February, a 12% gain from
March 2007.
For
more information, contact Robert
Sullivan at
rsullivan@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
Report Calls for More
Infrastructure Funding |
 |
|
Last Tuesday, the Urban Land Institute
released a report titled,
"Infrastructure 2008: A Competitive
Advantage" which highlights the need to
increase and overhaul transportation
infrastructure funding in the United States. The report calculates
that there is an annual $170 billion
shortfall in infrastructure spending,
due in part to the fact that since 1980
the vehicle miles traveled on the
nation's roads has increased by 95% but
road capacity has only increased by 3%.
The shortfall is also attributed to an
overall lack of funding in
infrastructure. According to the report,
the United
States
annually only spends 2.4% of its gross
domestic product on infrastructure,
which also cuts into
America's
international competitiveness when
compared with China's 9%.
The report suggests putting more
emphasis on public/private partnerships,
tolling and increasing the Federal tax
on gasoline and diesel fuel in order to
fix our nation's aging transportation
systems.
For more information, contact
NRMCA's Robert Sullivan at
rsullivan@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
NRMCA Opposes Suspension
of Federal Gas Tax |
 |
|
Amidst calls for lower gasoline and
diesel fuel prices, proposals have been
offered by the presidential campaigns of
Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Hillary
Clinton (D-NY) that would impose a "Gas
Tax Holiday." The proposals, which would
temporarily suspend the federal excise
tax on gasoline and diesel fuel, are
marked as a method to provide economic
relief to cash-strapped Americans and
American businesses and as a short-term
stimulant to the U.S. economy. The
Congressional Budget Office has
estimated, however, that suspending the
federal gas tax for a period of about
three months would only save American
families on average about $30.
"Ten dollars a month won't provide true
economic relief to American families and
would do virtually nothing to stimulate
the economy," said NRMCA President
Robert Garbini. "The only thing a gas
tax holiday would do is put an already
near bankrupt Highway Trust Fund (HTF)
in further jeopardy, set a bad precedent
and potentially cause troubles for
transportation infrastructure in the
future."
Garbini's views are bolstered by
the Urban Land Institute report (see
above E-NEWS item).
"Our nation has significantly
underinvested in our surface
transportation network and the federal
motor fuels tax remains the most
efficient mileage-based user fee
currently available," he added. "A
proportionate increase in the federal
motor fuels tax that is dedicated to the
HTF must be a part of next year's
reauthorization of the Federal highway
and transit programs."
For more information, contact
NRMCA's Robert Sullivan at
rsullivan@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
Education & Training |
 |
|
Upcoming Management
Seminars Target Concrete Industry
Performance |
 |
|
Concrete Construction Liability, May
14-15 – co-sponsored
by and held at
Arizona State University, Concrete Industry Management program,
Phoenix.
Cover critical liability-related
information as it relates to concrete
quality and legal performance disputes.
Taught by practicing lawyer and
engineers. Audience: Managers, vice
presidents, executives/principals in
quality control, sales and operations.
More information
Financial Management Workshop, May 19-20
– RMC Research & Education
Foundation
Center, Silver Spring, MD.
Introduction to vital financial and
accounting reports and tools needed for
business analysis. All RMC-specific,
applied examples. Audience: Operations,
sales and quality control managers and
executives without financial training,
anyone on a promotion track.
More information
2008 Concrete Technology Forum: Focus on
Sustainable Development, May 20-22 –
Denver.
Since concrete is the forefront material
of choice in the green movement, timely
conference and related vendor expo
on state of the art developments,
new construction techniques and product
formulations that optimize concrete's
environmental performance. Audience:
Concrete producers and promoters,
researchers, engineers, architects,
contractors, public works officials and
material suppliers.
More information
Leadership: A Manager's Game Plan, June
3-4 –
RMC
Research & Education Foundation Center, Silver Spring, MD.
Delivery of skill-based tools including
gaining insight into individual
management styles and how tap into them
to work effectively with staff, peers
and superiors. Audience: mid-level
operations, administrators, quality
control, sales managers and senior level
sales reps, anyone on a promotional
track.
More information
Ready Mixed Concrete Safety Course and
Certification, June 17-19
– RMC
Research & Education
Foundation Center, Silver Spring, MD.
Detailed and hands on concrete-specific
federal Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) compliance
instruction with goals of taking back
immediately applicable tools to improve
safety culture as well as mitigate
liability. Audience:
Front-line, supervisory and area
operations, safety and transportation
staff, human resources professionals and
company principals.
More information
Employment Law, July 23-24 –
St. Paul Hotel,
St. Paul,
MN. Basics for non-human resources
staff,
targeting employee/manager actions that
typically put ready mixed concrete
producers at risk as well as practical
best practices to mitigate those
liabilities, including proper employee
corrective techniques, framework to set
performance and accountability
expectations, guidance to align company
and employee goals and manage common and
conflicting interest issues. Audience:
operations, sales, technical mangers,
non-
human resources
administrators, executives and company
principles.
More information |
 |
 |
|
|
News Links |
 |
|
Useful News from Around
the Web and the World of Business |
 |
|
The following are news links compiled
over the past week that may be of
interest for those in the ready mixed
concrete industry:
· A
May 2 article on the Web site of USA
Today details how some trucking
companies are trying to save on fuel
costs:
click here.
· An
April 30 posting in SmartBrief,
the electronic newsletter of The
Associated General Contractors of America details the steep rise in
steel prices:
click here.
· An
April 29 posting on businesswire.com
announces NRMCA producer member
Aggregate Industries' being named
Environmental Business of the Year:
click here.
· The
National Science Foundation awarded a
$400,000 grant to an assistant professor
at a Michigan college for
her work
on how concrete reacts when exposed to
extreme-temperature fires. Details were
posted May 1 on aggregateresearch.com:
click here.
·
A May 2 posting on the Web site of the
Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce
details a study by
Cleveland
State University researchers of 24 pervious concrete
pavements in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky,
Pennsylvania and Colorado. They found that
most of the properly constructed
pavements performed well in freeze-thaw
environments:
click here.
· A
May 3 posting from the
Scottsdale (AZ) East Valley Tribune
is titled "Builders
lock onto new materials to help boost
'green' quotient":
click here.
· In
a May 5 posting, a columnist for the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
discusses why suspending the gas tax is
a misguided idea:
click here. |
 |
 |
|
|
Association News |
 |
|
NRMCA Seeks Nominations
to Board of Directors |
 |
|
The 2009 NRMCA Board of Directors
nomination process is underway.
The Nominating Committee must select
director candidates from regions, member
companies and one state association
executive director to be elected to
the Board for the 2009–2012 term
commencing at the end of the annual
convention in Orlando, FL,
in March 2009. Please submit your
nominations by Monday, June 30.
For more information and to obtain a
nomination form, contact
NRMCA's Deana Angelastro at
dangelastro@nrmca.org. |
 |
 |
|
|
Industry News |
 |
|
NRMCA Notes Passing of
Lehigh Cement Company President |
 |
|
Helmut S. Erhard, former member of the
Managing Board of HeidelbergCement and
Lehigh Cement Company president and CEO,
died April 25. The cause of death was
listed as lung cancer. Erhard joined the
company in 1971 as kiln engineer and
held several international executive
positions, including being named
president and CEO of NRMCA member Lehigh
Cement Company in Allentown, PA. He
retired from Lehigh in December 2007 and
was serving on the Supervisory Board of
HeidelbergCement at the time of his
death.
NRMCA joins the industry in extending
its sympathies to his wife and two
children. Condolences may sent to
Brigitte Erhard-Boos and Family, 4044
Primorse Drive, Allentown, PA 18104.
Contributions in lieu of flowers may be
sent to the American Institute for
Cancer Research, PO Box 97167,
Washington, DC 20090-7167. |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
Products & Services |
 |
|
May Internet Spotlight
Focuses on Cast-in-Place Concrete
Structures |
 |
|
NRMCA's May Internet Spotlight, good
through Friday, May 30, is
Cast-in-Place Concrete Structures.
This publication discusses the
advantages of cast-in-place concrete
parking structures.
Regular price
$15, Internet
Special
$10,
plus shipping.
Note: Please use Discount Code
ISMAY08
to receive the online discount
Order here or contact NRMCA's
Jacques Jenkins at
jjenkins@nrmca.org or
1-888-846-7622, ext. 1165. |
 |
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
Calendar |
 |
|
A Look Ahead |
 |
|
May 14, Little Rock, AR
Pervious Concrete - A Stormwater
Solution
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Lionel Lemay 847-918-7218
May 14-15, Tempe, AZ
Concrete Construction Liability
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Shawnita Dickens,
888-84-NRMCA, x1154
May 19-20, Silver Spring, MD
Financial Management for Non-financial
Managers
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Shawnita Dickens,
888-84-NRMCA, x1154
May 20-22, Denver
3rd Annual Concrete Technology Forum:
Focus on Sustainable Development
Registration information
E-mail:
Shawnita Dickens,
888-84-NRMCA, x1154
June 17-19, Silver Spring, MD
NRMCA Safety Course
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
David Ayers, 888-84NRMCA, x1155
July 15, Silver Spring, MD
Building Green with Concrete
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Erin Ashley, (410) 796-7975
July 23-24, St. Paul, MN
NRMCA Employment Law Seminar
Course Description and registration
information
E-mail:
Robert Sullivan, 888-84NRMCA,
x1148
July 24-25, San Francisco
Designing High Performance Concrete
Structures
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Lionel Lemay or
847-918-7101
August 12-15, Nashville, TN
Plant Manager Certification
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Shawnita Dickens,
888-84-NRMCA, x1154
September 9-11, Pasadena, CA
CALCIMA CCSP Module I -
"Concrete 101" - Technical/Product
Knowledge
E-mail: Larry Maes,
lmaes@calcima.org or 626-441-3107
September 9-10, Silver Spring, MD
Sales Manager Workshop Certification
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Shawnita Dickens,
888-84-NRMCA, x1154
September 15-18, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module I -
"Concrete 101" - Technical/Product
Knowledge
Course description and registration
information
E-mail:
Shawnita Dickens,
888-84-NRMCA, x1154
November 3-5, Pasadena, CA
CALCIMA CCSP Module II - Understanding
the Concrete Contractor's Business -
Customer Business Knowledge
E-mail: Larry Maes,
lmaes@calcima.org or
626-441-3107
November 5-7, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP
Module II -
"Understanding the Concrete Contractor's
Business" - Customer Business Knowledge
Course description and registration
information
| | | | |