• Board of Directors Announce New Management for Association and Celebration Strategies for 50th Anniversary

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    Mount Vernon, IA (date) – The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) Board of Directors has announced a management change for the organization, which coincides with its 50th anniversary. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, CFA will be managed by the AOE Team – an association management and marketing consulting firm with headquarters in Farmington Hills, Mich.,  after more […]

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  • Using Decorative Concrete to Refresh Outdoor Spaces

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    In both residential and commercial construction, decorative concrete is gaining popularity as a transformative element that revitalizes outdoor spaces. No longer reduced to just a functional, utilitarian solution, decorative concrete now serves as a versatile canvas for architects and designers looking to create aesthetically pleasing, durable, and cost-effective environments. The adaptability of decorative concrete allows […]

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  • New Identity for Central Wisconsin CFA Member

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    Dane, WI – With a 77-year history of building trust, excellence, and strong foundations, Wisconsin-based concrete contractor Hottmann Construction, Inc. announces a rebranding initiative that reflects the company’s evolving vision, values, and commitment to the future. “We are excited to re-introduce ourselves to the marketplace in mid-December as Cru Concrete,” states company president, Ken Kurszewski. […]

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  • Caught-In-Action

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    Timing on jobsites is not always precise, yet, as quality firms recognize, good crews always find a way to be productive. This photo was captured and sent in by CFA member, Bartley Corp, showing team members, who were waiting on forms to arrive to the site, capitalizing on available time. “This job was run by […]

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  • 2024 PROJECTS OF THE YEAR

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    The Rest of the Best The last issue of Concrete Facts presented the top-voted project and each of the respective category winners from the 25th annual competition for the Concrete Foundations Association. Two ways to revisit these project awards are available in the toolbox accompanying this article. The feature image from each project can be […]

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Feature

Apr
14

K-WALL — from 3 years and 13 people to 13 years and 33 people

•Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: (231) 943-4727 Fax: (231) 943-4679 •Petosky, MI 231-348-3449 www.K-Wall.com Founded by Rich Kubica in 1993, K-Wall Poured Walls, Inc. currently specializes in poured walls, E-Maxx Insulated Poured Walls, Concrete Flatwork and Concrete Homes. Today Patty and Rich Kubica co-own the company and have 33 employees. Although the picture above (built […]

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Feb
5

Removable Concrete Forms for Concrete HomesGaining Popularity Among More CFA Members

Every year, concrete professionals from around the country convene in Las Vegas for the industry’s premier trade show, World of Concrete. World of Concrete 2006 featured over 1,800 exhibitors, crowds in excess of 80,000 and over 800,000 square feet of exhibition space, arguably the most successful turnout in the show’s history. Never ones to miss […]

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Feb
5

Contractor of the Year

One of CFA’s top awards ‘The Contractor of the Year’, selected by the Board of Directors, is given to a CFA member who demonstrates the service, technology and knowledge needed to advance the use of poured wall construction. ——————– A 27-year CFA member known as an innovator in the poured wall industry, Arie Van Wyk, […]

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Feb
5

Basement of the Year 2nd and 3rd Place Wins

#2 WINNER JEFF TRAGESER, LOUISBURG FOUNDATION ———————- Jeff Trageser Louisburg Foundation Bucyrus, Kansas frotrageser76@aol.com   Louisburg Foundation was started about 37 years ago by Jeff Tregeser’s grandfather, then taken over by Jeff ’s dad. Jeff is a 3rd generation member of the company. Louisburg Foundation has 18 employees and serves Johnson County, Kansas.   Louisburg Foundation is a new member to CFA, just […]

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Feb
5

3rd Win for Balmer Brothers — CFA Basement of the Year

#1 Winner Jerry Balmer, Balmer Brothers Concrete Works, Inc. ——————— Balmer Brothers Akron, PA Contact: Jerry Balmer http://www.balmerbros.com   What started as two brothers pouring sidewalks and curbs in the summer months in 1973 has become a successful company that has found a niche in upscale, large, unique and complex foundations in the Philadelphia area.   Today they have 4 […]

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Dec
6

Providing Improved Product Availability and First Class Services

With over 90 years of experience in the steel industry, Armtec can attribute it’s success to a team of valued employees who provide innovative solutions through a diverse line of quality products, exceptional customer service and effective communication. Armtec is a manufacturer and distributor of steel and high density polyethylene (HDPE) construction products for use […]

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Magazine Issues

Jun
15

2011 CFA PROJECTS OF THE YEAR

Summer Convention is just around the corner and with it comes our focus on many of the best CFA features in all regards. One of the most significant and underutilized opportunities is the CFA Projects of the Year program. Each year, as a member of the CFA, you have the opportunity to look back at projects you’ve completed that offered the biggest challenges or were the […]

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Jun
15

A Lover of Concrete? Head to Virginia in August!

Over the last few weeks, my travels have taken me to the 4 corners of Virginia. I have to say, I believe this is the most beautiful place to be found anywhere in the USA.The mountains and the valleys, the rivers and the oceans, the parkways and the byways all bear testimony to this. No wonder the state slogan is “Virginia is for […]

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Jun
15

Member Exchange Networks

The CFA will set up its # rst Member Exchange Networks (M.E.N.) this summer. If you are not familiar with the concept, it is a practice where non-competing CFA contractors get together twice a year (or more often if the group wants) to exchange information about their businesses. The concept is based on the NAHB “Groups of 20” and the […]

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Jun
8

Wintergreen, Virginia — Summer 2011

I’m looking out my window at over a foot of snow thinking I’ve already had enough of winter and its only December 28th. What better way to beat the winter doldrums than to make your reservation for the CFA Summer Convention, 2011. The 2011 Event will be held from August 3rd through August 11th at the Wintergreen Resort […]

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Apr
12

LinkedIn

MEMBERSHIP IS ABOUT CONNECTION In this day and age of recessed (or depressed) economies, reduced margins and management stress, a new era of connectedness and networking has blossomed in the CFA. When the going was really good, members shared openly and frequently about the great new technologies they had acquired or the new process that they were successfully implementing. These were discussions that offered a lot of promise […]

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Apr
12

Bilco Company Celebrates 85 Years

The Bilco Company is pleased to announce that it has marked 85 years of service to the building industry. A third-generation family-owned company, Bilco is widely known for designing and manufacturing high-quality specialty access products for residential and commercial construction markets. What began as a neighborhood iron shop in 1926, when George W. Lyons, Sr. started The Builders Iron Company […]

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Apr
12

CFA Loses Member Dana Pelletier

Dana Gerard Pelletier, 62, of 5 Rollingreen Rd. Greenville, SC., died unexpectedly Sunday, February 6, 2011 of natural causes. He was the owner and founder of Action Concrete Contractors Inc. Mr. Pelletier is survived by his loving wife, Libby Childers; his mother-in-law, Lib Childers of Rock Hill, SC; two sons, William Dana and wife Mollie, Dustin Thomas and wife Tabatha; […]

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Apr
12

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE

This month we feature another article by the talented author, Robert Wilson. Writer of The Un-comfort Zone, Mr. Wilson is always able to convey a message of focus, growth and sensibility that can be applied to each of our businesses. What is your company doing to educate key individuals? What steps is your company taking to educate all personnel? World […]

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Apr
12

OSHA RULES: A New Normal

by Jim Baty, CFA Technical Director, jbaty@cfawalls.org In an increasing environment of employee protection and conservatism for risk management, OSHA has completed work on two major areas affecting the residential foundation industry. Depending on the scope of your business and the project types you are involved, your company should immediately begin taking the steps necessary to educate and ensure compliance. Your CFA membership can be […]

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Apr
12

Voice Over Internet Protocol (Tech Bit 50)

You would think everyone has heard about VoIP, Voice Over Internet Protocol. It is advertised on TV by a number of companies, especially Vonage. But apparently not. If your long distance bill is more than $30, it might be worthwhile to investigate VoIP as a cost saving opportunity. One option in VoIP is a service like Vonage, Broadvoice, etc. Most cable companies also offer […]

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Apr
12

CFA Is At Work to Change The Foundation Industry

Spring is finally here, the snow is melting, flowers are blooming and the CFA is growing!! That’s right, thanks to the dedicated efforts of members like Dennis Purinton and Jim Bartley, the CFA already has 10 new members this year. Ten more companies about to discover how the CFA is at work to change the foundation industry. From “raising the bar” with our Certified Contractor […]

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Apr
12

Wintergreen, Virginia — Summer 2011

Our goal is to make certain you come away with at least one tip, idea, or contact that will pay for the entire trip – hopefully several times over. In the last “From the Director” I expounded on the beauty of the area and the very reasonable rate for rooms this year ($119 for a single room). We are still working on the budget […]

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