HERNDON, VA, March 4, 2008 - The National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) will be throwing open its doors and welcoming its members, industry partners, and trade press to an Open House event which will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2008, from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. This event will celebrate the Association's 90 years of service to promoting, protecting, and advancing the concrete masonry and hardscape industry. Highlights of the Open House include the unveiling of the Association's newly expanded and upgraded NCMA Research and Development Laboratory, a barbeque dinner with live music, and entertainment. The Association will also be showcasing improvements to the NCMA headquarters building and grounds.

The NCMA Research and Development Laboratory is a world-class research facility dedicated to the scientific testing and research of concrete masonry and hardscape products and systems. Staffed by professional engineers and technicians the laboratory performs research for the Association, compliance testing and product certification for individual companies, and contract-based product development research.

A major part of the upgraded NCMA Research and Development Laboratory facilities include the installation of a state-of-the-art concrete unit manufacturing line which is capable of producing concrete masonry units, concrete pavers, segmental retaining wall units, concrete brick and other related concrete products. The manufacturing line has the ability to simulate several different batching, concrete dry casting, and curing methodologies in use at modern production facilities. The laboratory production environment provides the opportunity to record, document, and correlate production variables to resulting unit properties. The manufacturing facility can be utilized for many applications including: Trial mix designs; New admixture, cement, or aggregate influences on current mix design; Production and concrete technology training purposes; Evaluation of curing influences; Prototype unit production; and, Recycled material evaluations.

The Open House will coincide with the Concrete Masonry Industry Legislative Conference, which will be held in Washington D.C. from May12-14, as well as both the NCMA Long Range Planning Committee meeting, May 15, and the NCMA Executive Committee Meeting, May 16.

The National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA), established in 1918, is the national trade association representing the concrete masonry and hardscape industry. The Association is involved in a broad range of technical, research, marketing, government relations and communications activities. NCMA is an association of producers of concrete masonry products, and suppliers of products and services related to the industry. NCMA offers a variety of technical services and design aids through publications, computer programs, slide presentations and technical training. Please visit www.ncma.org for additional information.