A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Concrete Facts Magazine Online
Feature
Bontrager Concrete Specialties, Inc Named Contractor of the Year
Bontrager Concrete Specialties, Inc. of Nappanee, Indiana was named Contractor of the Year by the Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) based in Mount Vernon, Iowa. The Contractor of the Year Award recognizes an individual or company who exemplifies the ideals, goals, and standards of the CFA, a voluntary nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the […]
CHBC to Hold Plant Tour
Have you ever wanted to tour a cement, a forms, and an expanded polystyrene manufacturing plants; as well as a quarry and state-of-the-art concrete homes? If so, the opportunity awaits you. The Concrete Home Building Council, a council within the Building Systems Council of the National Association of Home Builders, has chosen residential concrete systems […]
CHC Attends the 2005 International Builders Show
The Concrete Homes Council (CHC) exhibited at the National Association for Home Builder’s International Builders Show held in Orlando, Florida, January 13-16, 2005. With 104, 922 attendees and more than 880, 000 net square fee of exhibits, it was the largest Builders Show yet and the world’s largest residential construction expo for the their consecutive […]
Concrete Paradise
By Wendy Shannon, Shannon & Company I’ve traveled many times to the Florida Keys for rest and relaxation, but this time I was flying in to meet with the developer and the design architect of SeaSide Key West, a highend residential project constructed entirely of concrete. Towards the end of the 90-minute direct flight from Atlanta […]
Agreements – Changing the “Take It or Leave It” Format
Doug Staebler, Custom Concrete Company, Inc., Westfield, IN In previous articles, we looked at the growing use of Subcontractor agreements by builders. In addition to the typical clauses dealing with schedules, work defects, payment provisions, and other construction related matters, most of these agreements contain extremely potent indemnification clauses, which impose nearly unlimited liability on […]
NAWIC Invites Nominations for 11th Annual Crystal Vision Awards Program
Celebrating the achievements of individuals with vision who helped to promote, expand and encourage to role of women in the construction industry. The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is accepting nominations for its 11th annual Crystal Vision and Crystal Achievement Awards. The Crystal Vision Awards Program recognizes individuals for their outstanding achievement in advancing the role […]
Magazine Issues
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
