A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
OIL PRICES PLAY THE WILDCARD IN FALL ECONOMIC FORECAST Higher oil prices will slow overall economic activity, delaying a recovery in nonresidential and public construction. In addition, a continuation of low mortgage rates will prolong the boom in residential construction. According to the latest economic forecast from the Portland Cement Association (PCA), consumer spending will […]
The American Society of Concrete Contractors, St. Louis, Mo., will hold its CEO Forum June 23-25, 2005 at The American Club, Kohler, Wis. John C. Maxwell, known as “America’s expert on leadership,’ will present the keynote address at 7:30 p.m. June 23. The ASCC CEO Forum is a three-day event for CEOs, presidents and other […]
Concrete homes are rapidly gaining market share in residential construction. In recent years, the growth has been so rapid that the Wood Promotion Council recently identified cement-based wall systems as “wood’s greater substitution threat.” Printed in the October 26, 2004 edition of the council’s newsletter, the report also stated that due to strong demand, cement […]
Talia J. Nelson, CFA Marketing & Member Services You do it at the Home Builders Show, you do it at the World of Concrete, it’s time to show me that you can do it here too! This year’s Summer Meeting registration is going to be a little different, but nothing you can’t handle. Upon registering […]
The National Homebuilders Show, with the assistance of CFA members, has introduced a seminar on residential cast-in-place foundations to educate builders on the details of building basements. It has been presented in Kalamazoo, MI and Minneapolis, MN and is currently undergoing final review. The next step in the delivery of the seminar is developing a […]
Building homes with removable forms is just one of several concrete wall building systems. But there are advantages to building homes this way. For home builders, removable form construction is fast, saving as much as 30 days on the construction of an average home. In Mexico, which is increasingly using removable form construction, houses can […]
PUTZMEISTER PUMPS TO ASSIST IN CONSTRUCTION OF WORLD’S HIGHEST TOWER Jonathan Omer, Putzmeister, Sturtevant, WI Putzmeister AG was recently awarded a contract with Universal Concrete Products, Ltd. Co. (UNIMIX) L.L.C. to assist in the construction of the tallest tower in the world – the Burj Dubai. Commencing this spring, Putzmeister pumping equipment will be instrumental […]
Jerry Balmer, President of Balmer Brothers Concrete Works, Inc. in Akron, Pennsylvania, knows what it’s like to build a basement from hell – he’s done it before. In 2000, Balmer Brothers was voted the winner of the Basement of the Year for their 29,000 square foot basement, which was complex as well as mammoth. This […]
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 […]
It is hard to turn away from a recipe that works, but that is what we did for the recent Spring Board /Foundation Fundamentals program. Brent Anderson has done a terrific job of educating contractors on the basic (and sometimes not so basic) engineering principles of foundation construction that we all should know. He has […]
The 2005 CFA Summer Meeting, our 30th Anniversary, is just around the corner. The CFA staff, Board of Directors, and committees involved in the planning of this event have implemented a host of changes to keep the event fresh, exciting, and fun. The first change is the schedule. Classes will begin before the opening reception […]
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 […]