A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Concrete Facts Magazine Online
Feature
CFA Presents 2008 Contractor of the Year KUBICA’S EARN AWARD
The Concrete Foundation Association (CFA) recently presented its 2008 Contractor of the Year Award to Rich and Patty Kubica of K-Wall Poured Walls of Traverse City, Michigan & Asheville, North Carolina. A member of the CFA for nearly a decade, the Kubicas were selected for this award for their aggressive pursuit of excellence and business expansion. According to Ed Sauter, executive director […]
LIV-SPACE — COST EFFECTIVE AND AFFORDABLE WAY TO TURN Basements Into Quality Living Space
When building a new home these days, many builders are now taking the extra time to design and build out the basement or lower level of their homes. Builders in this type of market are realizing the cost savings that can be generated by finishing a lower level rather than building a second or third floor. Many homes throughout […]
Bilco’s Permentry Offers Direct Basement Access
Consisting of a monolithic concrete stairwell and Bilco basement door, the PermEntry Basement Entrance system is used extensively in new home construction applications. It maximizes and expands lower-level living space by adding direct, safe and convenient access from the basement to the outdoors. Precast in one piece and thoroughly vibrated for maximum density, the stairwell can be installed on poured concrete and concrete block foundations. PermEntry is secured to […]
CFA Announces Call for Entries for 2009 Projects of the Year Awards
Mt. Vernon, Iowa (August 18, 2008) — The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) – an influential organization within the construction industry that serves as an informational and networking tool for its members and carries out a multitude of educational and promotional efforts for the advancement of concrete foundation technology – has announced the call for entries for […]
CFA Presents 2008 Contractor of the Year Award
Mt. Vernon, Iowa (August 18, 2008) — The Concrete Foundation Association (CFA) – an organization dedicated to improving the quality and acceptance of cast-in-place concrete foundations – recently presented its 2008 Contractor of the Year Award to Rich and Patty Kubica of K-Wall Poured Walls of Traverse City, Michigan & Asheville, North Carolina. A member of […]
Passing On Your Business
Look around today and your are likely to quickly see many discussions on transitioning your business to the next generation. Face it, the management minds that established the control of the residential industry by cast-in-place concrete are nearing retirement and the second or perhaps third generation of leadership now must take up the reigns. This […]
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 […]
