A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Concrete Facts Magazine Online
Feature
Achieving Greatness: The Value of Association
By Don Yaeger “You’ll be amazed by what you can achieve when you surround yourselves with those headed in the same direction.” Association leaders and corporate executives have long recognized that great lessons – lessons in leadership, team building, handling adversity, and managing success – can be learned from their peers in the world of sports. This explains why some of the most sought after […]
HOSE HAZARD!
There are two types of hoses commonly used in concrete pumping: Concrete Delivery Hoses (usually referred to as Double-Ended Hoses), and End Hoses. A concrete delivery hose has a connector on both ends of the hose, while an end hose has a connector on only one end, as shown below. Concrete hoses hanging from a boom can be […]
MEMBERSHIP MATTERS
CFA membership is now more important than ever and we are bringing you this information to begin solidifying your decision and setting the course for your participation to come. Membership in an association like the Concrete Foundations Association, CFA, should be made based on its ability to inspire and contribute to the growth of your company. It is understandable […]
Best@Selling
In May of this year, the CFA Management Committee brought you two opportunities for plugging in to inexpensive and highly motivational management seminars online and via teleconference. These presentations were made by nationally-renowned author and conference speaker, Maura Shreier-Flemming. Her books include the recent release of Monday Morning Sales Tips and other effective tools to stimulate improvements to your sales approach […]
CFA Forum
The CFA Board of Directors met recently in Chicago for their fall meeting and preceded the meeting with what amounted to a 2 hours round table discussion on the economy and what steps they were taking with their businesses to survive the current downturn. Summarized below are a few of the points. You may be already have implemented some of these ideas. 1) INVOLVE EMPLOYEES. Most contractors are making […]
Social Networking At Work For You Through the CFA
If you spend much time on the Internet, it will not take you long to see how many opportunities there are for joining online groups, be it social or business related. This is the new wave sweeping the world and drawing our large planet together into an ever-tightening world market and social environment. Whether you deem this to be a […]
Magazine Issues
How to Remove Concrete Buildup
By Destry Kenning, Forming Market Segment Manager, Nox-Crete Products Group We have reached the end of this series, and this final article is timely, as this time of year many contractors are burdened with hardened concrete buildup on their forms. The hardened concrete makes forms heavier and can lead to more buildup. Stripping the forms […]
Letter From the Director
Spring Will Arrive! “I am done with winter!” I’ve heard this statement throughout my community, noticed it in most conversations with members and others that use us for our information resources, and seen it plastered across news and social media. Yet, I’m reminded that we have only had six weeks of it. While short, it […]
Casting Residential Foundation Walls in Cold Weather
By James R Baty II, F.ACI, Executive Director During a recent CFA event, conversation took place regarding the research significance undertaken by the Association at the start of this new millennium – research that was, in most respects, the first of its kind. What plagued the industry at that time was scrutiny that concrete placed […]
What Causes Concrete Build-up on Forms
Part 3 of a 4-Part Series By Destry Kenning, Forming Market Segment Manager, Nox-Crete Products Group Just about all concrete-forming contractors will tell you that one of the challenges they face on job sites is keeping their forms clean, or, more specifically, preventing concrete buildup on the working faces of their forms. Theoretically, if you […]
Letter From the Director
Thoughts From My Desk… “You are simply not going to believe it.” This is the phrase I have been using regularly as I talk with many of you reading this magazine, whether you are a CFA member, or one of the many companies across this great country to whom I have the privilege of casting […]
Letter from the President
Hello CFA Contractor and Associate Members! With the close of 2018 almost here, I view this as the perfect time to offer some thoughts regarding our businesses and our association. It seems that each year brings new challenges and that running our businesses takes more of our time and energy. Even in a good economy, […]
Stephens & Smith Construction Company Revives Student-Learner Program
FEATURE ARTICLE: Stephens & Smith Construction Company Revives Student-Learner Program By Jereme Montgomery, Business Development Many of you reading this article will testify that the skill gap is real. There is a shortage of skilled craftsmen in the construction industry, and it has continued (and will continue) to effect quantity and quality of structures built […]
Get More Workers: How to Use an Employee Referral Program to Bring in More People
By Doug Herbert How much does it cost a contractor to hire one employee? According to my concrete contractor buddies, Sean Smith from Cleveland, Ohio and Jason Ells from Indianapolis, Indiana, the amount is at least $1,000 per new employee. Based on my experience and calculations, that number is spot on. Here are just […]
Maintaining “Alternative Fall Protection Plans” Under OSHA Regulations
Adequate Fall Protection in Residential Concrete Foundation Pouring: Maintaining “Alternative Fall Protection Plans” Under OSHA Regulations By Michael G. Latiff and Mark W. Steiner On May 1, 2017, the secretary of labor for the Northeast District of Ohio issued what can be fairly characterized as an unprecedented serious citation to a residential concrete foundation […]
Projects of the Year: Customer Challenges Deliver Award-Winning Results
CFA PROJECTS OF THE YEAR 2018: Customer Challenges Deliver Award-Winning Results This article features the Concrete Foundation Association’s Projects of the Year, the expanding industry recognition program that features high-quality concrete work that is all too soon, never seen again. Projects are submitted by member organizations in a variety of project categories and are reviewed […]
Matching Form Release Agents to Application Methods: Part II
TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT: Matching Form Release Agents to Application Methods Part 2 of a 4-Part Series By Destry Kenning, Forming Market Segment Manager, Nox-Crete Products Group Formwork requires a considerable investment, but even the best forms cannot produce the best results unless they are paired with the proper form release agent. To prevent the adhesion […]
Letter from the Director: Thoughts from my Desk…
Thoughts From My Desk… Throughout the 26th volume of Concrete Facts magazine, I will be sharing insights from the many interactions I have with members, non-member companies and the general public. My goals are first, to show you how the challenges faced are universal throughout North America, and second, to use these interactions to help […]
