NRMCA compiles news and interesting articles from ready mixed concrete state associations throughout the United States. To share news from your state, please contact Nicole Maher, senior vice president of industry relations, at 240-485-1158.

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State Association News

For the Period Ending June 22, 2009

Arkansas Ready Mixed Concrete Association  - Arkhola Sand & Gravel held an open house in April to feature its new dredge, 300 feet in length and weighing 4 million pounds ● Recap of 2^nd annual Concrete Sales Workshop.

California Construction & Industrial Materials Association - a bill to allow air permitting to resume in the South Coast Air District passed its first hurdle, and hopes are that passage would allow air permitting to resume in that area until a court case ruling is handed down ● CalCIMA vice president Steve Bledsoe provided  comment at a public hearing to express concern about a proposed federal rule change to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants from cement manufacture.  At the Los Angeles hearing, Bledsoe expressed concern about impacts on materials and costs for ready mixed concrete producers.

Carolinas Ready Mixed Concrete Association – Preview of summer meeting, which will focus specifically on business topics for today’s difficult market ● Association’s education program puts large focus on the design community, coinciding with its #1 goal of promoting concrete parking lots ● Article outlining choices in cement products for sustainability ● Safety Report highlights importance of including your safety manager in the insurance renewal process, as he/she is the expert on your company’s safety program and can sell the benefits of your program to the insurance company.

Concrete Promotional Group of Greater Kansas City – A concrete silo eco-home built in Greensburg Kansas showed its superior strength by twice dropping a car from 60 feet above the home…video available on Youtube ● Article discussing the growing importance of on-line social networking for professional purposes.

Georgia Concrete & Products Association – GC&PA is offering free training for concrete promotion professionals across the state ● Batch plants, mixers, parts and aggregates machinery and parts are exempt under new Georgia law effective January 1, 2009.

Indiana Ready Mixed Concrete Association – IRMCA hosted its first-ever state mixer driver championship in June…13 drivers competed with top honors going to Trent Slavens of Irving Materials, Inc…the winner will go on to compete in NRMCA’s National competition this fall ● IRMCA has begun offering decorative concrete certification classes for members ● IRMCA member Cash Concrete celebrates 90 years in business with a new facility showcasing a wide variety of concrete applications, including tilt-up, decorative, ICF, concrete countertops and more ● Extreme Home Makeover comes to Indianapolis, and IRMCA members donate materials and time to build a new home in seven days.

Kansas Ready Mixed Concrete Association – Concrete Materials Company paints two of its barrels pink in coordination with the Susan G. Komen for the Cure to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Kentucky Ready Mixed Concrete Association – Highlights of a city of Frankfort parking project where a 10,000 square foot site previously had 100% stormwater runoff…by placing a two tier pervious concrete parking area, runoff was reduced to zero ● Article on the benefits of enforcement by companies to ensure a successful safety program among personnel ● Article on one KY staffer’s recent experiences with sustainability in his work around the state ● Article highlighting the first pervious pavement residential street placement in Minnesota, eliminating the use of storm drainage system for that piece of road ● Fact sheet presented on the Kentucky concrete industry…staggering statistics about the strength of the industry and its economic impact on the state.

Maryland Ready Mix Concrete Association – Promotion Brief highlights increase in owners and decision makers asking for information on concrete paving, and an increase in pervious concrete placements across the state ● Chaney Enterprises supported the construction of the Calvert Marine Museum’s Corbin Nature Pavilion, providing the pervious concrete placed by Tom Zinchiak of Z Con, one of only a few NRMCA Pervious Concrete Craftsmen in the US ● As infrastructure spending looks at sustainability, it is important to be aware of the advantages of concrete in the areas of environmental stewardship, durability and economic responsibility.

Ohio Ready Mixed Concrete Association – Preview of the Concrete Futures Annual Summer Meeting ● Action being planned to address the issue of scaling concrete across the state…will include meetings with contractors to get input and recommendations to address the issue of inadequate curing ● Article discussing the new medical certification requirements effective in 2009 that the FMCSA is requiring as part of the CDL process ● Article discussing stormwater permitting requirements and stormwater pollution prevention plans ● Article discussing the importance of emergency exists and exit routes for the safety of your employees and visitors to your plant ● ODOT’s 2009 construction season invests an historic $1.9 billion in projects in every region of the state.

Pennsylvania Aggregates & Concrete Association – Annual Pittsburgh home show sees no drop in attendance in 2009, with approximately 300,000 attending…ICF was a hot topic, with consumers appearing to be more educated about ICF construction than in the past, directly related to the search for energy efficiency in home construction ● With the upcoming Erie Museum project designated as “green,” contact was made with the project’s architect, and the specification now includes a concrete alternative to the asphalt/paver blocks originally specified.

Virginia Ready-Mixed Concrete Association - Recap of 2009 Convention, which included presentations on Employee Free Choice Act ● Boxley’s Roanoke Facility becomes first in state to earn NRMCA’s Green-Star Certification ● VMI engineering students ask VRMCA councils’ help interpreting design requirements for their entry to ASCE’s Concrete Canoe Contest  while saying within contest rules limiting outside assistance ● Shenandoah University recently received a ACI VA Chapter 2008 Excellence in Concrete Award for its use of pervious concrete in the construction of a plaza on campus…the use of pervious gave the university the opportunity to preserve valuable land, replace water back into the ground, maintain an aesthetically pleasing project and continue forward movement on their “Green Initiative” ● Various seminars were presented, including surface defects and another on the use of microwave technology for testing for water/cement ratios  ● Article on the need for clarity when giving reasons for employee termination ● Recap of 2009 mixer truck “roadeo”…15 drivers participate ● Central VA council held a pervious seminar on Earth Day, specifically highlighting the use of pervious as an integral part of a stormwater management system ● Article on common employment law myths.