Workshop Explores Building Advocacy Opportunities

A Building Advocacy workshop on August 28, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m., will investigate threats and opportunities in the building markets.  At the end of the session, PCA national and regional promotion groups will be able to develop mutually acceptable objectives and action plans, and to broaden ownership of this market transition strategy.

Competitive building systems are eroding markets where concrete and masonry have historically been selected as the material of choice to satisfy the requirements of the building code. 

While the codes arena is often slow-moving, maintaining forward momentum is important.  For example, PCA began to introduce the concrete and masonry industries to the concepts of resiliency in 2008.  Now the term is in regulations, executive orders, proposed legislation, and virtually in every construction industry agenda.  This initiative could result in favorable acceptance and use of cement-based products. The concepts and content of initiatives such as resiliency are moving fast – and it soon may be too late to cause change that will keep enhanced resiliency favorable to concrete and masonry.

This workshop is open to all PCA meeting attendees.   

Registration and hotel reservations may be found on-line at the Members Only section of the PCA website.
Contact Steve Szoke

PCA Joins Nationwide Commitment for Greater Resilience

PCA has become a signatory of a statement on improved resilience issued by the Alliance for a Resilient Tomorrow.  The effort, organized by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS), demonstrates a commitment of design and construction sector organizations to improve the resilience in planning, building material, design, construction, and operational techniques as the solution to making the nation’s aging infrastructure more safe and secure.  More than two dozen leading design and construction industry organizations have signed on to date.

In announcing the creation of the alliance, NIBS President Henry L. Green, Hon. AIA, said, “The concept of resilience is not new. Yet, the world is seeing increasing numbers of hazardous events. For the first time as an industry, we have all come together to formally recognize our role in addressing this increasingly urgent challenge. It is vital to our nation’s communities that we all refocus our efforts to address this new paradigm.”

NIBS has indicated meetings will be convened with the CEOs and with staff of the signatory organizations to begin further discussions on issues critical for improving the overall resilience of the nation.
Contact Donn Thompson

PPI Grows from June 2013

The June 2014 Producer Price Indices (PPI) for asphalt, lumber, concrete, and steel each increased from June of last year. Lumber once again lead the way with a 12.5 percent growth. This was nine percent higher than its average price last year. Steel and concrete were up 4.1 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively. Asphalt’s PPI rose 2.2 percent as it consistently grows closer to its September 2008 high. It currently rests within 1 percent of that mark.

The four PPI were largely flat from May levels. Lumber fell 0.4 percent, while concrete and asphalt exhibited slight increases of 0.2 percent. Steel rose 0.5 percent from the month prior.
Contact Joe Chiappe

ASTM International Cement Committee Honors David Norris With Award of Merit

ASTM International Committee C01 on Cement recently presented the Award of Merit to David Norris, assistant plant manager at Riverside Cement, Oro Grande, California. The Award of Merit and its accompanying title of fellow is ASTM’s highest organizational recognition for individual contributions to standards activities.

The committee honored Norris for his many technical and administrative contributions, particularly in the development of standards for hydraulic cement. A member of ASTM International and C01 since 1983, he has contributed to the development and revision of more than 30 C01 cement standards, and was the primary author of ASTM C1565, Standard Test Method for Determination of Pack-Set Index of Portland Cement.

C01 named Norris an honorary committee member in 2007, and he has received the C01 Award of Appreciation on two occasions. He currently serves as a member at large on the C01 executive subcommittee, and also works on ASTM Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates.  

Norris joined Riverside Cement in 1989 as chief chemist. Under the ownership of TXI, he became a technical services manager in 2000 and assumed his current role in 2007. Prior to this, he held various managerial, chemist and engineering positions at General Portland Inc./Lafarge Corp. plants in New Braunfels, Texas, and Paulding, Ohio.

Industry Professionals Needed for Masonry Seminars Assistance

The American Concrete Institute (ACI) in cooperation with The Masonry Society (TMS) and other industry organizations recently completed two new certification programs - the first for Masonry Field Testing Technicians and the second for Masonry Laboratory Technicians. The programs are intended to recognize qualified technicians performing various masonry tests, while helping to ensure testing is performed properly.

To help prepare testing technicians for the Certification Examinations, The Masonry Society will be offering intensive education review sessions and the ACI Certification Examinations and is looking for Masonry Society members who can participate in one or more of the following ways:

> Official Examiners
> Qualified Trainers to assist with Educational Review Sessions
> Local Sponsors and Hosts
> Promoters

The Masonry Society will host a 30 to 60 minute webinar on July 24 at 2 p.m. ET to describe the program and various related activities of the volunteers.
Visit www.masonrysociety.org to register for the webinar

Decorative Concrete Council Project Awards 2015 Call for Entries

The Decorative Concrete Council, a specialty council of the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), is now accepting entries for its 2015 awards program. Competition is open to both ASCC members and nonmembers.

The program recognizes outstanding decorative concrete projects around the world. Entries will be juried by an independent panel of industry professionals.

Two winners may be selected in each of 13 categories and one WOW! (Best of Show) will be awarded. The winners will be honored at World of Concrete 2015.

Submittal deadline is September 14, 2014.
Visit ascconline.org for additional information and an entry form.