• CFA Tech Note 014: Interpreting Nominal Concrete Wall Thickness

    Wednesday, April 1, 2026

    Introduction  A frequent point of discussion between contractors, designers and code authorities involves the interpretation of “nominal” versus “actual” concrete wall thickness. This technical note provides clarification on this topic by examining relevant building codes and industry standards. Understanding the code-defined relationship between nominal and actual dimensions is essential for ensuring compliance and project continuity.  Analysis of Code Requirements  The International Residential […]

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  • Volver a construir mejor: Resiliencia

    Friday, March 13, 2026

    Cuarto artículo de la serie  De Joe Nasvik  Una vez que se toma la decisión de construir una casa, la siguiente cuestión que hay que resolver es cómo se debe construir. El mejor sistema de construcción es aquel que sea más adecuado para los ocupantes actuales y futuros. El uso de pautas de sostenibilidad y resiliencia […]

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  • Building Back Better Resiliency

    Friday, March 13, 2026

    BY JOE NASVIK  This is the fourth and final article of the Building Back Better series.  After the decision is made to build a house, the next issue to resolve is how it should be built. The best building system is one that will be best for the current and future occupants. Using sustainability and resilience guidelines is […]

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  • 2025 CFA Consulting Members Directory

    Friday, March 6, 2026

    CFA works with many great consultants. If you are looking for consulting services, visit one of the companies below: BIC bicauctions.com BIC is a used concrete equipment specialist serving contrac­tors, manufacturers and lenders nationwide. The company helps industry professionals unlock value from idle or un­derutilized assets—whether it’s a single unit or an entire fleet. Their […]

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  • Interns posing in front of Custom Concrete building

    We See You: Custom Concrete Shouts Out Their Interns

    Friday, October 3, 2025

    Custom Concrete recently took time to celebrate the next generation of industry leaders by highlighting the contributions of their interns.

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Feature

Dec
14

Menke Brothers Construction Company:

Talia J. Nelson, Marketing & Member Services The Concrete Foundations Association was beginning just about the time that another organization was forming. Menke Brothers Construction Company in Fort Jennings, Ohio began with only seven employees. Just as the association has grown, so has the staff at Menke Brothers. They employ 45 and provide a variety of […]

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Oct
20

CFA Honors Brad Barnes with MVP Award

Brad Barnes, PE received the first ever CFA MVP Award at ACI’s Northeast Ohio Chapter monthly meeting on Thursday, November 11, 2004. Barnes, the ACI Chapter Director, was chosen for his time and effort put into the CFA Cold Weather Research Program. Jim Baty, CFA Technical Director, gave a brief presentation on the significance of […]

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Oct
10

MTSU Unveils Degree in Con crete Construction

By Ed Sauter, Executice Director Where does one go to learn how to run a concrete construction business? Not the nuts and bolts of building a footing or wall, those are still best taught on-the-job. I’m talking about finance, estimating, managing personnel, marketing; the things that can make or break a business even if you […]

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Oct
10

Don’t Get Caught in the Middle

Bob Milford, Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP Concrete Facts recently featured several articles regarding subcontractor agreements. In one of these articles, Doug Staebler of Custom Concrete Company, Inc. pointed out that both the large national builders and the smaller local builders are insisting on the use of subcontractor agreements. Builders utilize these agreements to shift as much […]

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Oct
10

Subcontractor Agreements – The Indemnification Clause

Doug Staebler, Custom Concrete Company, Inc., Westfield, IN You have just landed that big customer you’ve been working on for two years. Prices and scope of work have been agreed to and everyone is ready to begin. There is one last detail to take care of, the Subcontractor Agreement. At this point in the game, the […]

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Oct
10

Putzmeister America Promotes Bill Dwyer to National Sales Manager

Bill Dwyer was recently promoted to the new role of National Sales Manager. He will now directly supervise all national field and office sales personnel who sell the company’s comprehensive line-up of products. The Putzmeister equipment range includes new and pre-owned concrete boom pumps, separate placing booms, belt conveyers, trailer pumps and mortar machines. In […]

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Magazine Issues

Jan
23

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 […]

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Jan
23

Codes & Standards Corner

This issue we offer you an update on the codes and standards that continue to evolve in and around the residential and foundation industries. Codes and Standards comprise a significant portion of the energy this Association puts forth and a considerable amount of the sta$ time that is allocated on behalf of the membership. There are three primary areas […]

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Jan
23

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 […]

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Jan
23

Sharing of Ideas

We had a great fall board meeting in Chicago last October. We choose Chicago because it is easy to fly to and the airfare is reasonable. Most people arrived and left the same day. Thank you to Hanley Wood for the generous use for their conference room, with the economy CFA is very grateful for the cost savings. The […]

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Jan
23

Joint Sustainability Initiative (JSI)

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. It is used for foundations, roads, walks, beams, columns, pipe, and a host of other critical applications to provide for mankind’s needs. Because it is so widely used, the industries that manufacture and use the concrete are very diverse in nature. Therein lies a critical problem with the industry. Everyone is “out there” doing their […]

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Oct
29

Schwing Announces New S 36 SX with RZ4 Placing Boom

Schwing has announced the introduction of a new concrete pump with placing boom. The S 36 SX with RZ4 Boom combines the best features of two boom types, Roll and Fold™ and Z tip section, in a unique four-section boom. The new machine promises to set new standards for placing concrete at distances of more than 118-feet vertically and 104-feet horizontally. Standard features of the […]

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Oct
29

Concrete Contractor’s Top Products of 2009 Announced

Subscribers choose best products of the year for concrete contracting industry Concrete Contractor, the leading business information resource for concrete contractors, announced today the Concrete Contractor’s Top Products of 2009. Top winners are recognized by readers based on interest and inquiries over the past year. “Concrete Contractor reaches 29,000 decision-makers who help build America,” says Editor Rebecca Wasieleski. “Having the right tool or product […]

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Oct
29

Montana Structural Concrete

EDITOR’S NOTE: We recently caught up with Janie Stephens, president of Montana Structural Concrete, Inc., MSC. after she attended one of CFA’s Certified Contractor seminars. Janie started MSC in June of 2006 after working for a large volume concrete contractor. She says that after “being inundated with requests for a quality, trustworthy, concrete contractor, she started Montana Structural Concrete, Inc.” When Janie took the Certification Exam, she […]

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Oct
29

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 […]

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Oct
29

CFA Annual Convention Education Value Trumps All

Many CFA members made, or were forced to make, the decision to not attend the CFA Summer Convention this year. This is not too surprising, as we know the impact this recession has had on member companies and face it, the Convention is an event that not has drawn a large percentage of CFA members in recent years. The […]

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Oct
29

CFA Presents Robert D. Sawyer Distinguished Service Award to Barry Herbert

The Concrete Foundations Association recently presented its highest honor, the Robert D. Sawyer Distinguished Service Award to Barry Herbert at the CFA Annual Summer Convention held July 30-August 1. Barry was introduced by Jim Bartley of Bartley Corporation, and described as a significant example of great leadership; innovation; spirit and faith in our industry and both a person and businessman that he has […]

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Oct
29

CFA Continuing to Build The Future

Welcome to the “new” CFA…at least the new online CFA from the perspective of how to interact with your Association. Over the past six months, we have been working painstakingly to transition our data systems to a new provider that offers a much more robust and intuitive system for CFA staff, CFA members and the general public. We are now ready to unveil this new system […]

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