Building Stronger Foundations: How CFA Members Are Gaining a Competitive Edge on Employee Benefits
By John Puetz and Devin Pickett, Marsh McLennan Agency In the concrete construction industry, margins are tight, timelines are unforgiving, and your workforce is everything. The crews, project managers, estimators and office staff who keep your business running aren’t just employees—they’re the foundation your company is built on. So, when it comes to the benefits […]
The Future of Homebuilding: A Q&A with John Smoll on 3D Printing Homes
Ohio’s first 3D-printed home was built in 2024 by Sustainable Concrete Innovations, LLC. We had the chance to sit down with its co-founder, John Smoll, to discuss his experiences, challenges and vision for the future of 3D-printed housing. Smoll’s ability to think creatively and adopt new technologies have positioned him as a leader in sustainable […]
Blended Cements and Concrete Foundations
By James A. Farny, Director of Environmental Measurement & Metrics, American Cement Association Concrete foundation applications range from single-family homes to apartment buildings and all types of private development and public infrastructure. With its ease of placement and resilient performance, concrete is suited to all sizes of projects. Because the concrete industry has chosen to […]
How to Protect Your Assets
By Larry Oxenham, Senior Advisor, American Society for Asset Protection Concrete contractors operate in one of the highest-risk segments of the construction industry. Among heavy equipment, jobsite hazards, employees, vehicles and the public, the potential for lawsuits is constant. One accident, defect claim or employment dispute can quickly escalate into a legal battle that threatens […]
The Purpose and Impact of the New CFA Technical Committee
Building concrete foundations requires a solid understanding of changing building codes, emerging materials and safe construction practices. Contractors face new challenges on job sites every day. To help our members navigate these complexities, the Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) has revised the CFA Technical Committee. This dedicated group of professionals was established to support the broader […]
Post-Tensioned Slabs-on-Ground: PTI Certification Requirements
By Brandon Harman, Engineer, Post-Tensioning Institute CODE REQUIREMENTS FOR PTI CERTIFICATION New code changes in the 2024 edition of the International Residential Code (IRC) directly influence the construction of residential post-tensioned slabs-on-ground (PT-SOG). Prior to the 2024 edition of the IRC, Section R506 “Concrete Floors (On Ground)” only referred to ACI 332 for the design […]
Fifty Years of Change in the Concrete Foundation Industry: How Collaboration and Innovation Continue to Shape the Work of Foundation Contractors
By MPW Construction Services Over the past fifty years, the concrete foundation industry has experienced dramatic transformation. Advances in technology, improvements in jobsite safety, increased specialization and the ability of contractors to learn from one another have reshaped how foundation work is performed across North America. Since then, organizations such as the Concrete Foundations Association […]
Bad Concrete or Bad Testing? Handling Low Cylinder Breaks in Concrete Testing
By CFA Staff Based on the CFA Classroom resource, “When Bad Breaks Happen,” presented by Kim Basham. The 2018 presentation has been updated to include current references to codes and standards. The integrity of any construction project relies heavily on the materials used. When compressive strength evaluation results fall short of expectations, it often triggers […]
A Conversation with incoming CFA President Ken Kurszewski
We sat down with Ken Kurszewski, president of Cru Concrete, Inc., to discuss his recent experience with low cylinder breaks. Kurszewski shared valuable insights from his career, including lessons learned and strategies for managing challenges in concrete construction. Q1: IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW OFTEN DO LOW CYLINDER BREAKS OCCUR, AND WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU SEEN […]
Adapting to New Materials and Industry Demands in the Concrete Industry
By CFA Staff In the concrete construction sector, each project often has at least one challenge that requires a lot of creativity and research to solve. In addition, the standards for materials, tools and methods are constantly changing. Sustainability targets, new performance expectations and operational constraints require a more adaptive mindset for planning and delivery. […]
