Trimble Introduces New Wireless Data Controller for the LM80 Layout Manager Connecting the Office and Job Site
Las Vegas, Nevada (January 22, 2008) — Trimble (NASDAQ:TRMB) today announced the introduction of new wireless capabilities for the Trimble® LM80 Layout Manager. The solution incorporates a new controller and office software for real-time two-way data transfer between the project design team in the office and the general and concrete contractors at the job site to increase efficiency and productivity.
The announcement was made today at the World of Concrete 2008, one of the world’s largest international exhibitions for the construction and construction materials industries.
The Trimble LM80 Layout Manager creates a digital replica of the building blueprint in the field. It connects to both mechanical and robotic total stations, where it is designed to provide accurate, fast and simple building layout. Designed for use on the building construction job site, the new wireless data controller for Trimble LM80 Layout Manager has built-in ruggedness. It includes wireless communications, Bluetooth connection capabilities, a highly visible screen, and a fast processor.
The new wireless capabilities of the Trimble LM80 Layout Manager are designed to provide contractors accurate control of their building layout, especially jobs with various design elevation elements. As part of Trimble’s Connected Site™ construction solutions, the wireless capability allows for the real-time transfer of design files between the office and job site. Design engineers can make changes immediately available to the contractor, and the contractor can transfer in real-time as-builts to communicate progress reports and problems. Additionally, the fast processor and highly visible screen make it easy to work with complex building designs on the job site.
“As buildings become more architecturally complex, they also become more difficult for engineers to verify designs and contractors to perform layout,” said Pat Bohle, Trimble’s Building Construction Business Area Manager. “The Trimble LM80 Layout Manager, combined with the accuracy of a total station and capabilities of the new wireless data controller, deliver a powerful, easy-to-use tool to the general and concrete contractor.”
The new wireless data controller for the Trimble LM80 Layout Manager, Trimble LM80 Layout Manager version 4.2 and Trimble LM80 Desktop version 2.2 are available now through Trimble’s Construction distribution channel.
About Trimble’s Construction Business
Trimble’s Construction Division is a leading innovator of productivity solutions for both the heavy and highway contractor and the building construction contractor. Trimble’s solutions leverage a variety of technologies, including Global Positioning System (GPS), construction lasers, total stations, wireless data communications, the Internet, and application software. As part of the Trimble Connected Site strategy, these solutions provide a high-level of process and workflow integration from the design phase through to the finished project—delivering significant improvements in productivity throughout the construction lifecycle.
About Trimble
Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring position or location—including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies, such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user and to ensure a tight coupling of the field and the back office. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif., Trimble has a worldwide presence with more than 3,600 employees in over 18 countries.
For more information visit Trimble’s Web site at www.trimble.com.
CertainTeed to Exclusively Represent Innovative Platon Air Gap Waterproofing Membrane in U.S.
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (January 22, 2008) — CertainTeed Corporation, today, announced it has entered into an agreement with Armtec of Canada, to be the exclusive representative of the Platon air gap membrane product line in the United States.
A tough, durable, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) air gap membrane, marketed as CertainTeed Platon in the U.S., the product provides superior wall, flooring, and underslab moisture control protection for all types of foundations, and isolates living spaces from damp concrete walls and floors. In addition, Platon can be installed over existing concrete basement floors to provide isolation from cold damp concrete, which keeps interior flooring healthy, warm and dry.
”We are thrilled to be able to supply our customers with an additional high-end product line like Platon to complement our existing foundation products,” says Steve Gross, Director of Marketing for CertainTeed’s Foundations Business. “This new partnership also provides our customers with several benefits, including access to an experienced sales team, promotional and marketing programs, and an efficient, cost-effective method of doing business with streamlined ordering and servicing of multiple foundation products.”
Platon is a waterproofing membrane for poured concrete walls, insulated concrete form construction and masonry block walls. It’s dimpled, 24-mil HDPE wrap seals out water and bridges foundation cracks.
CertainTeed will begin stocking Platon products in early 2008 at its plant in McPherson, Kan., a manufacturing facility for CertainTeed’s Form-A-Drain(R) foundation footing system. This move will give customers the flexibility to combine purchase and shipment of both market-leading products.
Platon joins CertainTeed’s line of premium foundation products which also includes Form-A-Drain and ThermaEZE(R). Form-A-Drain is a patented three-in-one concrete footing form system, foundation drainage system and sub-slab perimeter radon reduction system. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) lineal sections are used in place of wood or aluminum to form the footing, and remain in place after the concrete is poured. ThermaEZE is an innovative technology that provides a cost-effective means for building thermally efficient above-and below-grade poured concrete walls. ThermaEZE insulation panels, which consist of moisture-resistant expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, are set within the wall forms prior to pouring, and are held in place by a patented web structure that becomes embedded in the concrete.
For more information visit certainteed.com or systemplaton.com.
About CertainTeed
Through innovation and creative product design, CertainTeed has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Company, the firm made its slogan “Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed,” which quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, windows, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, walls, ceilings and access covers.
Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, CertainTeed and its affiliates have approximately 9,000 employees and 70 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. In 2006 the group had consolidated sales approaching $4 billion. www.certainteed.com
Concrete Brackets adds CCB-2000 to Patented Concrete Foundation & Footing Bracket System
Las Vegas, Nevada (January 22, 2008) — Concrete Brackets, LLC (Old Saybrook, CT) announces the introduction of their new CCB-2000 Footing Bracket. The CCB-2000 was developed for single faced sidewalk/ slab applications and designed to save more then 50% savings in time, labor, and, material during the setup and stripping of foundation forms. The CCB-2000 Self–Store bracket folds flat to 2 inches and expands to 16 inches allowing them to be quickly set ,stored, and moved from site to site.
The CCB-2000 Self-Store Bracket joins the company’s patent protected system that replace obsolete, time consuming wood reinforcement & strapping techniques. The system is affordably priced ensuring a quick return on investment.
Concrete Brackets, LLC, a Morin Company, is well known for their experience and innova-tive approach to reducing on-site material and labor cost. The Morin group was founded in 1959 . Ken Morin, president & CEO joined the business in 1986 and quickly identified the need for more cost effective solutions to standard concrete foundation techniques.
Morin Products Mfg. was started in 2004 and renamed Concrete Brackets, LLC in 2006. Con-crete Brackets was awarded a US patent in the summer of 2004. The Morin group remains family owned and operated. Concrete Brackets is proud to manufacture all products in the USA.
Concrete Brackets adds CCB-1600 to Patented Concrete Foundation & Footing Bracket System
Las Vegas, Nevada (January 22, 2008) — Concrete Brackets, LLC (Old Saybrook, CT) announces the introduction of their new CCB-1600 Concrete Footing Bracket. The CCB-1600 bracket was developed for heavy duty applications and designed to save more then 50% savings in time, labor, and, material during the setup and stripping of foundation forms. The CCB-1600 bracket closes to 36 inches and expands to 52 inches allowing them to be quickly set ,stored, and moved from site to site
The CCB-1600 Bracket joins the company’s patent protected system that replace obsolete, time consuming wood reinforce-ment & strapping techniques. The system is affordably priced ensuring a quick return on investment.
Concrete Brackets, LLC, a Morin Company, is well known for their experience and innova-tive approach to reducing on-site material and labor cost. The Morin group was founded in 1959 . Ken Morin, president & CEO joined the business in 1986 and quickly identified the need for more cost effective solutions to standard concrete foundation techniques.
Morin Products Mfg. was started in 2004 and renamed Concrete Brackets, LLC in 2006. Con-crete Brackets was awarded a US patent in the summer of 2004. The Morin group remains family owned and operated. Concrete Brackets TM is proud to manufacture all products in the USA.
WESTERN FORMS CREATES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH B.E.P. FORMING SYSTEMS, INC.
Western Forms Inc has created a new partnership with B.E.P. Forming Systems Inc, previously headquartered in Fayetteville, Georgia. The newly formed entity, B.E.P. Forming Systems, L.L.C. will be headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.
Greg Peacock, Founder of B.E.P. Forming Systems will serve as Vice President/General Manager of the newly formed entity. Mr. Peacock and his firm, since 2001, have pioneered the use of aluminum in the application of “BIG PANEL” forming systems in the United States. Most applications for this fast growing segment are in the commercial, industrial and heavy construction sectors.
Introducing ‘Management Moves’
Over the past year, our Management Committee has been working hard to develop the content for a new series of information products that deliver tips and tricks we all use for the management of our businesses. Attend one CFA event and the first thing you realize is how much collective business expertise exists between the companies of this Association, and yet, we all approach things differently.
We realize that not everyone has the budget to attend events regularly and given the size of our market, it is difficult to get to each region on a frequent basis to make attendance to even one event easy. Therefore, expanding our membership services has been a primary motivation of the CFA Board in recent months.
This month, CFA staff has enclosed the first three editions of MANAGEMENT MOVES dedicated to CFA members sharing ways of improving characteristics of our businesses. It is our hope that through this product, you are compelled to share ideas you have successfully implemented in your own business to continue growing the impact the CFA has and further building the value of CFA membership.
Please take the time to read through these and if you have any ideas that you have had and implemented that have helped you get through some tough situations please feel free to contact CFA headquarters to discuss putting your valuable information to use. Together we can continue building CFA member companies into the top functioning foundation businesses in the country.
I hope you enjoy this series!
David B. Martinson, CFA Management Committee Chair, CFA Board of Directors
We Are Built of Concrete
Preparing for each issue of Concrete Facts, I have discussed with CFA Staff ideas on the Association calendar and the state of the industry.” Looking at the final issue for 2007 was no different and the message I received from them was one to perhaps offer an inspirational letter about staving off winter and the sluggish economy. I contemplated that suggestion and after giving it considerable thought, I asked myself how would I be able to craft something inspirational out of something that was typically so depressing. Don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays, pristine snowfalls, and building snowmen with the kids; but wintertime construction and cold weather protection issues – YIKES!
We love our business come rain, sun…or snow? I may be the only one, but the thought of straw, insulation blankets, and ground heaters are not at the top of my list of how to most enjoyably spend my day. It might not be so bad if you could charge a fair rate for these services and expect to be consistently paid for them. The reality however is that there is usually a lot of “discussing” (which in construction terminology means arguing) over who should be responsible for the costs. When the rubber meets the road, however, aren’t we most interested in keeping the job progressing and our laborers working? Then where in that timeline do we have a chance to really investigate the responsibility of charges when the weather throws us that ice cold curve ball?
We work in the concrete business—seemingly 24/7 operations that, unlike our less colorful cousin (the asphalt industry), plan on running through the winter no matter the condition. Our Association has given us the tools we need to convince our customers that winter conditions are not to be feared…in fact, they often can be proven to produce the best concrete. Does that make it any easier to send the workforce out in such conditions? Does that make it any easier to hold the “conversation” with the builder or customer looking at winter charge increase we would like to be paid? NOT!!!
I fondly recall years where we have been so flush with work during the months of spring, summer and fall that winter work could be viewed us undesirable and bordering on unnecessary. We don’t have that luxury now. Our industry, although not collapsed throughout, has pockets where there is more concrete placed by children making stepping stones as presents than concrete foundations walls supporting structures. Scary at first, but at a second glance, a reality that we are most equipped to take head on.
The companies that I have come to know through the CFA describe the most diverse, most adaptable and most creative of any I’ve had the pleasure of meeting throughout my time in this profession. We try new ideas, seek new challenges and look for ways to deliver our expertise to customers that may or may not know they are looking for us. It only serves then that during this time of the year, when the ice is building in successive layers without thaw and the snow is building its way towards the window sills that we should only look at winter as another obstacle to swerve or hurdle just like the economy, the workforce, the irritated inspector or the combatant builder. We have the choice of asking “can we endure one more obstacle” or “go ahead, throw me another pitch”. I now that your company, like ours, is built of concrete and will endure.
Brad Schrock, CFA President, Custom Concrete Company Inc. bschrock@customconcrete.comConcrete Homes Council
The CFA recently went through the strategic planning process during which it mapped out its goals for the future. The Concrete Homes Council recently went through a similar, though less rigorous, self-analysis. The above grade market for concrete homes continues to expand but at a slower pace than anticipated. The consensus, however, is that there is still a phenomenal potential for concrete homes and the reasons home owners should be considering concrete are even more compelling than they were when this effort began.
Concrete excels as a building shell material in at least 4 different areas: wind and storm resistance; fire resistance; energy efficiency; and, as a material to reduce the effects of climate change. One of the tasks of the CHC will be to develop sell sheets, flyers, or position papers that extol the virtues of the concrete shell.
Another big change will be a reduction in dues beginning with our next fiscal year, July 1. Dues for the CHC will be lowered from $10,000 to $2,500 for National Associates and from $1,000 to $250 for contractors. If you are involved in, or are thinking of building a concrete home, you should belong to this council of the CFA. Special projects such as participation at the IBS or funding testing will be funded on an as-needed basis. The CHC has already committed to participate in the IBS show for 2008 and funding is in place to cover that event. In addition to a booth, the CHC will present a seminar on designing the concrete home.
Several participants expressed the need for some “canned” Power Point presentations that can be delivered by members interested in talking to builders and owners. Several presentations exist but Staff will update them with new photographs where available and create programs for 20-minute and 1-hour time segments. They should be ready to deliver by the end of the year.
Articles and stories about above grade concrete homes have been published in the CFA magazine as time and space permitted. We will now set aside a 4-page or 8-page segment exclusively devoted to RCF above grade housing. The section will be a magazine within
a magazine so that interested parties can easily remove the section from the CFA magazine as a stand-alone handout. Stories and articles on members, project profiles, ads by CHC members and other above grade housing information will be featured.
The above grade concrete housing market is also impacted by codes and standards developments. On the positive side, there will be prescriptive tables in the IRC covering above grade concrete walls. They are identical to the ones that already exist for solid ICFs but the scope has been expanded to include RCFs. The negative is that once you exceed the limitations of the prescriptive tables, you must have the walls engineered in accordance with ACI 318. Engineering costs on a concrete house can run from $500 to in excess of $3500. CFA staff is working with PCA and ACI to develop a design guide for residential construction that is less cumbersome and costly than designing with ACI 318, the commercial concrete code.
The long awaited manual, “Building Homes with Removable Concrete Homes” is now available. This full color, 100 page, manual will be of interest to everyone from foundation contractor to the homeowner. It answers many of the common questions raised about RCFs, explains the different systems available, states the reasons why everyone should be considering a concrete shell, and provides profiles of a wide range of RCF homes. The publication will be sold at slightly more than the cost of printing. The anticipated street cost will be $25. CHC members will receive two copies for no cost and can purchase additional copies for $17.
Marketing approaches to expand the use of RCFs and concrete homes in general were also discussed. Two opportunities that were identified have particular interest. One is entrepreneurial homebuilder. This group of builders is looking for a way to distance themselves from the tract builder and offering a wide range of methods to construct the shell is one such tactic they employ.
The second group is the insurance companies. They, more than anyone, know the risks that exist in certain parts of the country. They are in a position to push business toward the concrete shell concept by offering favorable insurance rates to concrete home owners.
The CHC will be meeting during the Committee Days this summer in conjunction with the CFA Annual Convention. If you have any interest in above grade concrete homes give us a call. You should also visit the web site at www.concretehomescouncil.org.
Ed Sauter, Executive Director, CFA esauter@cfawalls.orgCertainTeed® Building Products Reach New Heights in Unique Silo Renovation Project
Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (January 4, 2008) — CertainTeed(R) building products reached toward the sky last year in a unique renovation of two silos on Carlton Island in the St. Lawrence River in upstate New York.
The silos, standing more than 80 feet tall, stood dormant for several years on a 19th Century farm owned by Bill Ferguson and his wife Lynda. Bill Ferguson had considered tearing down the dilapidated silos before learning that it would be against the law to do so. The silos had held their spot along the St. Lawrence for so long, that they had been added to the river’s navigational charts as landmarks for Great Lakes freight ships. So, the creative farm owner got an even better idea. He called up custom homebuilder Steve Hall, President of Steven J. Hall, Inc., in Cape Vincent, N.Y., and discussed building two little houses on top of the silos for entertaining guests. The two began drawing up plans for the interesting renovation.
As this project involved tall structures located in a maritime region, it was important to choose durable, wind-resistant products to guard the exterior of the two houses. Hall specified CertainTeed’s vinyl siding, trim, roofing, windows and railing and decking.
For siding, Hall chose CertainTeed(R) Monogram(TM) 46L Vinyl Siding, a product strong enough to resist the region’s strong winds, which average between 80 and 90 miles per hour. Monogram 46L siding features RigidForm(TM) 180 technology and has been tested to withstand wind load pressures up to 180 miles per hour. Monogram 46L is the longer-length version of CertainTeed Monogram 46 Vinyl Siding and reduces seams by up to 47 percent. It closely emulates the classic appearance of real cedar lap siding with its TrueTexture(TM) low-gloss, rough cedar finish molded from real cedar boards. Monogram has a Class 1(A) fire rating and is virtually maintenance free — an especially important aspect when the siding is to be installed more than 80 feet above ground.
“I wanted the exterior products, especially the cladding, to be easy to maintain and long lasting,” Ferguson says. “We have cedar shake siding on our house right now, and I have to repaint it every three years. Fortunately, I won’t have to do that with the CertainTeed vinyl siding.”
Keeping with the low-maintenance, high-durability theme, Ferguson and Hall also specified CertainTeed’s EverNew(R) Vinyl Railing and Decking, backed by a limited lifetime warranty, for a 16-foot bridge between the two silos; CertainTeed Vinyl Carpentry(TM) Triple 3 1/3″ solid vinyl soffit panels, backed by a limited lifetime warranty; and CertainTeed New Castle XT(TM) Vinyl Windows, backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
For the roof, they chose durable CertainTeed Landmark(TM) Premium luxury shingles, weighing in at 300-330 pounds per square and backed by a lifetime, limited transferable warranty. All of the CertainTeed products used in the projects were furnished by Erie Materials, a distributor in Watertown, N.Y. The products were installed from an 80-foot hydraulic scissor lift last fall and are performing well against the area’s powerful winds.
“Since we put all of the CertainTeed products on the silo houses, the wind load pressure on Carlton Island has hit 90 miles per hour, and we haven’t had any problem with them,” Hall says. “I’ve been using CertainTeed products for 28 years. They’re very good products, and we try to use them on every project.”
Bill Ferguson was so happy with the outcome of the project that he hired Hall to refurbish his house last fall — again with a full list of CertainTeed products: Cedar Impressions(R) polymer siding, Vinyl Carpentry Beaded Triple 2” Wainscot Style Soffit and New Castle XT Vinyl Windows and Patio Doors.
“Projects like these really give a good view of all that CertainTeed has to offer building professionals,” says Peter Dachowski, President and CEO of CertainTeed Corporation. “CertainTeed has a large variety of products that will hold up well — even in extreme climates — and still look great many years down the road.”
About CertainTeed
Through innovation and creative product design, CertainTeed has helped shape the building products industry for more than 100 years. Founded in 1904 as General Roofing Company, the firm made its slogan “Quality Made Certain, Satisfaction Guaranteed,” which quickly inspired the name CertainTeed. Today, CertainTeed is North America’s leading brand of exterior and interior building products, including roofing, siding, windows, fence, decking, railing, trim, foundations, pipe, insulation, walls, ceilings and access covers.
Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, CertainTeed and its affiliates have approximately 8,000 employees and 70 manufacturing facilities throughout the United States and Canada. In 2006 the group had consolidated sales approaching $4 billion.
For more information contact:
Michael B. Loughery, CertainTeed
Communications Manager
(610) 341-7328
mike.b.loughery@saint-gobain.com
www.certainteed.com/pressroom
Armtec Distribution Agreement Expands U.S. Retail Market Presence
GUELPH, ONTARIO, January 3, 2008 – Armtec Infrastructure Income Fund (TSX: ARF.UN) today announced a distribution agreement with CertainTeed Inc., a leading North American manufacturer of building materials and supplier to the U.S. residential building trades industry. Under the terms of the agreement, CertainTeed will distribute Armtec’s Platon foundation wrap product throughout the U.S. residential housing and retail building trade markets. Platon keeps basements dry by waterproofing foundations and controlling moisture under sub-floors.
“This agreement is consistent with our growth strategy and marks the beginning of an exciting new relationship that supports our objective of increasing the penetration of the Platon product in the U.S. marketplace and also opens opportunities for future growth,” said Charles Phillips, President and CEO of Armtec. “CertainTeed is a major player in the U.S. Building Products market with a national presence. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with such a strong partner, who shares our enthusiasm for the potential for Platon, and look forward to following up with them on further initiatives that will expand the respective offerings to our customers.”
Headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, CertainTeed has 70 production facilities across the country, and manufactures a wide range of building materials, including roofing, siding, insulation, windows and patio doors, fence, decking, railing, foundations and pipe. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the top 100 industrial companies in the world. Saint Gobain’s North American companies operate nearly 200 manufacturing facilities in industries as diverse as industrial ceramics and containers, reinforcements and flat glass, abrasives, and building materials.
Platon foundation wrap is made from high-density polyethylene or HDPE, one of the toughest and longest-lasting plastics in existence today. Platon’s air gap membrane technology provides a permanent water and moisture barrier. With a unique 30-year product warranty against leakage, Platon is gaining popularity for residential construction and repair.
About Armtec Infrastructure Income Fund
Armtec is a leading manufacturer and marketer of drainage products and engineered bridging solutions for infrastructure applications in a diverse cross-section of industries, including the public infrastructure market and private sector markets such as natural resources, residential drainage and agricultural drainage in Canada. Armtec is Canada’s only national multi-material manufacturer specializing in corrugated high-density polyethylene pipe, corrugated steel pipe for drainage applications and engineered solutions such as Bridge-Plate and Multi-Plate for bridging applications. Armtec’s Con-Force division designs and manufactures a wide range of bridging and commercial construction products including the advanced “NU” bridge girder system, allowing for some of the longest spans available in pre-cast concrete technology.
For more information, please contact:
Charles M. Phillips
President & Chief Executive Officer
Armtec Limited Partnership
Tel: (519) 822-0210
Fax: (519) 822-8894
Carrie Boutcher
VP, Finance & Interim Chief Financial Officer
Armtec Limited Partnership
Tel: (519) 822-0210
Fax: (519) 822-8894
