A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Concrete Facts Magazine Online
Feature
WHEN QUALITY MEETS VALUE Zoomlion 40-meter Boom Pump
During the World of Concrete 2009, CIFA USA, Inc., the management group for Zoomlion America, introduced the new ZLJ 40X-4Z. Th is is the 1st concrete boom pump unit produced exclusively for the North American marketplace in cooperation of the two newly joined groups at their Milwaukee Wisconsin facility. “We planned the unit knowing that the American buyer not only looks for a great […]
CFA Presents Robert D. Sawyer Distinguished Service Award to Barry Herbert
Herbert has been member of the CFA since 1992 Mount Vernon, Iowa (September 18, 2009) — The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) – an international association dedicated to improving the quality and acceptance of cast-in-place concrete foundations and creating better businesses that construct those foundations – recently presented its highest honor, the Robert D. Sawyer Distinguished Service […]
2009 PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Concrete Facts magazine sat down with CFA Technical Director, Jim Baty to find out more about this program for you. See what Jim had to say about this very important membership benefit. Why should your members consider this award program? Awards programs are created to do two primary things. The first is to raise awareness of the professionalism and quality of the market that they surround and […]
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Turn to Professional Associations
by Kim Douglas When the economy is in a slump, most of us look for ways to reduce spending, ruthlessly slashing every expenditure that doesn’t deliver direct bottom-line benefit. But sometimes well-intended cost-cutting can fall victim to the law of unintended consequences. Take professional organization membership, for example. You might think your annual dues, event fees and other association costs are fat that can […]
CFA INAUGURAL CERTIFICATION EVENT SHOWS STRONG FUTURE
The first qualification exam for the CFA Cast-In-Place Concrete Foundation Contractor Certification Program was recently completed by CFA at the Summer Convention in Arizona. Exams were administered on Wednesday, August 2, 2008 and Saturday, August 5, 2008. They were preceded by a review seminar. Interested companies sent 21 persons to sit for the 2-hour exam. “The response to this initial […]
BASEMENT OF THE YEAR
For the last few years we have asked our members to enter a basement project that offered challenges of any kind in the ‘Basement of the Year’ award competition. (A reminder to all CFA members — you can submit ANY basement you have done regardless of the level of difficulty you experienced). We want to thank the CFA […]
Magazine Issues
What You Miss When Time Can’t Be Made
Here we are amid the torrid pace of autumn. To most of us it is the 3rd quarter of a very busy year, perhaps the best year even for some. At the CFA, it is the 1st quarter of what our staff and our Board of Directors sees as presenting another opportunity for continued growth and a dramatic […]
Tearing Down the WALL: The 4 Keys to Building Rapport
Emily, a sales manager in a large organization, was having significant challenges with her team. Communication with team members was inconsistent, and she continually struggled to motivate them. Her team was regularly missing their monthly objectives, and failed to provide meaningful status updates. The core issue Emily faced is all too common. Anytime you are […]
CFA Member Obituary: John ‘Jack’ Easton
John Thomas “Jack” – Age 93, of Linden, died Tuesday, July 28, 2015. Funeral services will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, August 1, 2015 at Sharp Funeral Homes, Fenton Chapel, 1000 Silver Lake Road, Fenton. Chaplain Hank Messing officiating. Burial in Fairview Cemetery, Linden. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Thursday from 6-9 […]
OSHA Was Off. Way Off.
OSHA was off, way off! That’s according to a new report by the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC), which found that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) proposed silica standards for U.S. construction industry will cost the industry $5 billion per year—roughly $4.5 billion per year more than OSHA’s estimates. The coalition cautioned that the flawed cost estimates reflect deeper flaws in the rule and […]
TOTAL COST OF RISK: The Five Fundamentals of Insurance
HAVE YOU EVER CALCULATED THE UNEXPECTED HIDDEN SOFT COSTS THAT BECOME A PART OF YOUR TRUE INSURANCE EXPENSES? By Christopher J. Mowery, ARM CRIS Client Service Supervisor Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Everyone knows that premium, losses, and exposures contribute, but the true nitty-gritty of how a company could meaningfully impact their Total Cost of […]
Five Critical Mistakes That Blunt Leadership Effectiveness
SINCE 2000, ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS NATIONAL SURVEYS, LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE ENGAGED IN THEIR WORK AS MEASURED BY THEIR INVOLVEMENT, ENTHUSIASM, AND COMMITMENT TO THEIR WORK. IF YOU SIMPLY REFLECT ON YOUR MOST RECENT ENCOUNTER AS A CONSUMER AT YOUR LOCAL RETAIL STORE, RESTAURANT OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY, YOUR OWN […]
OSHA New Confined Space Rule
OSHA CLAIMS NEW CONFINED SPACE RULE WILL PREVENT 780 INJURIES A YEAR The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a final rule to increase protections for construction workers in confined spaces. Confined spaces are described by OSHA as spaces not designed for people yet large enough for workers to enter and perform certain jobs. They […]
MARKETING SPOTLIGHT: E-Marketing To Your Market
AN INTERVIEW WITH JASON ELLS ABOUT CUSTOM CONCRETE’S “THE CONCRETE POST” By James Baty CFA Executive Director Perhaps one of the biggest challenges today is finding the right combination of message and vehicles to reach your customers and elevate your company above the competition. There is no doubt you’ve thought of Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, […]
CFA PROJECTS OF THE YEAR
THE CFA PROJECTS OF THE YEAR AS DETERMINED BY YOU…. What work is your company proud of most when completed? How many foundations have you scrutinized during estimating, fought during construction and perfected through closeout? When the project is completed, does your crew and your company for that matter get a chance to pause a […]
A Year In The Life Of A Concrete Contractor
What is perhaps the most unique part of your company, your business, your professional life? While this question begs you to think of the accomplishments you have made or the challenges you have faced, what I believe it to really be is the isolation you have as a company. The practice of concrete construction at […]
You Have A Very Important Decision To Make!
I’m composing this letter in my head during a recent relaxation trip to South Dakota. While in the midst of the great setting and the many casts mixed with the every attempt to stay out of business, I did find my mind fixated on CFA Convention 2015. You’ll read a lot about this event in […]
IRVING EQUIPMENT ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR 4.4 MILLION DOLLAR EXPANSION
Irving Equipment has announced that plans are underway on a 4.4 million dollar expansion. This includes a 40,000-square-foot building on 8 acres of land located at 1785 CR 1, near its existing facility in Tiffin, Ohio. The expansion became necessary due to growth and increased demand for products, such as concrete pumps, and cranes. The […]
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