A Good Story is Not One to Waste - The Top 5 Concrete Stories of April 2021

5. Collect Concrete Profits with a Curb Rolling Machine

Taking on curb work in-house can save tremendously on the margins of subbing out the work. How implementing a walk-behind curbing machine can open doors and increase profits.Curb Roller ManufacturingWhen looking for the right tool to expand business, it’s important to consider the cost vs. benefit of adding the tool and service. Beyond the initial expense, consider potential revenue, maintenance costs and required employee training. In the concrete business, a walk-behind curbing machine could be the perfect solution.  

4. How Hiring Gig Workers Can Help Your Concrete Business in 2021

Nearly every business is experiencing fluctuating staffing demands. Not only can supplementing your workforce with temporary workers give you access to potential talent with skills you may not have access to otherwise, but it might also help you save money during your slower times.

Benefits include improvement in productivity, scaling your crew, leveraging specialized expertise, testing out workers, and reducing overhead costs.

3. Michael Keaton's Next Project is in Building, Brings 100s of Green Jobs to Pittsburgh

Nexii Building Solutions, a green construction technology company that designs and manufactures high-performance buildings and green building products, plans on developing a new manufacturing plant in Pittsburg, Penn. The development will be headed by Trinity Sustainable Solutions, which is composed of Nexii, Craig Rippole (president of Trinity Commerical Development) and the actor Michael Keaton. 

This will mark the sixth plant for Nexii, but the second location in the U.S. 

iStock.com/Marcus Lindstrom

2. Why Being Certified for the Construction of "Big Box" Stores Matters

Soon after the initial offering of “ACI Specialty Commercial/Industrial Concrete Flatwork Finisher/Technician” in 2008, specifiers for big-box stores and other commercial/industrial facilities began to require that flatwork crews have at least one ACI commercial/industrial-certified finisher. In the more than 13 years since, requirements for certified personnel have grown significantly. For example, one of the largest online retailers, who previously required the use of ACI flatwork finishers, has added a requirement for ACI commercial/industrial flatwork finishers on every project.

Considering that the retailer has more buildings currently under construction than any other private entity—with over 200 in the U.S. alone—this represents a great increase in demand for ACI-certified flatwork specialists. In many of these facilities, there are thousands of robots, whose efficient operation depends on extremely high-quality concrete floors with respect to flat and level floor tolerances as well as minimal cracking and defects. Shutting a facility down for floor repairs is not acceptable.

1. Diamond Grinding Pilot Projects Show Promise as Cost-Effective Fix for Phoenix Highways

Arizona DOT knew the state’s concrete highways were designed to offer a long life of structural stability. The department realized that if they could use the underlying PCC, making improvements to its original tined surface that would result in a quiet and rideable roadway, the rehabilitated roadways might last a lot longer while requiring much less maintenance than asphalt.

The outlook of the pilot suggests a $3.9 billion reduction in maintenance costs over a 30-year period.