| In The Mix December 2010- Vol 2, Issue 11 |
|
|
| Officers / Directors | |
President
Gary Clements
Cement Products &
Supply Company
863-686-5141
Vice Presdient
Preston Sparkman
Quality Precast Co. Inc.
813-685-5615 ext 2228
Secretary
Brad Coolidge
A-1 Block Corporation
407-422-3768
Treasurer Steve Bishop Maschmeyer Concrete
Jeff Bishop
Maschmeyer Concrete
561-848-9112
Adam Freeman
A-1 Block
407-422-3768
Sherry Griswold
Griswold Ready Mix
904-751-3796
Freddie Jahna
Jahna Concrete
863-453-5155
Mark Smith, Past President
Bell Concrete, Inc.
352-463-6103
Executive Director Michele Stropoli 407-333-4694 email |
|
|
 Greetings! |
 As I sit by a warm fire and enjoy the sparkle of the meticulously decorated Christmas tree and the many decorations around the room, I look forward to times of special family gatherings, parties, worship, and celebration during this Christmas season. It is also a good time to look back on what we have accomplished as individuals, in our businesses, and at FICAP for 2010. As individuals I hope each of us is more satisfied than dissatisfied with our accomplishments and that we are all eager to raise the bar in 2011. At FICAP we have had a very busy and successful year. Some of our accomplishments include an economic forum with David Crowe of NAHB as our headline speaker, free antitrust education for our members, and a few days in paradise at the Sandpearl Resort in July. We updated the By-laws and Articles of Incorporation for the association, supported many successful pro-business candidates through our PAC fund, and yours truly became a Grandfather (that was big, and still is.) Our spring clay shoot and fall golf tournament were both successful. Finally, we were instrumental as we joined forces with others in defeating Amendment 4....the unbeatable amendment... at the polls in November. This time last year many of us were hoping that 2010 would see our economy and industry start to improve. Unfortunately we did not see that happen and we are looking at the beginning of a new year with renewed hopes of upcoming improvement. The mere fact we are all still around to read this December issue of In the Mix is a complement to the tenacity of the FICAP members. I am reading Bobby Bowden's book, "Called to Coach," and was intrigued by a story recounting an interview by boxing writer Bert Sugar, when he asked two-time heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson about being knocked down more than any other heavyweight fighter in history. His response to the question was "Yeah, but I got up more than any fighter in history." And that is the characteristic of FICAP members - we will continue to get up as many times as is necessary to complete this fight. As we enter this Christmas season I hope you have ample time to worship and celebrate with family and friends. I encourage you to find someone who truly needs a helping hand and help make this Christmas one they will remember. And last but not least, give yourself a gift that costs nothing and will last a lifetime: repair a broken relationship with a family member, a friend, a neighbor, or a co-worker. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Gary Clements
President, FICAP
 |
|
|
|
| MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub Life Cycle Assessment Findings | |
Late last week the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) released preliminary research findings on the life-cycle assessment work they have been doing at the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub (CSH). As you know, the MIT CSH is co-funded by the Portland Cement Association and Ready Mixed Concrete (RMC) Research & Education Foundation.
The MIT CSH research will help set a new standard in life-cycle assessment (LCA) modeling. The studies will quantify the cradle-to-grave environmental costs of paving and building materials, and will ultimately result in the most comprehensive LCA model produced to-date.
The scope and detail of MIT's LCA model will set their current efforts apart from previous work. According to MIT professor and research team leader John Ochsendorf, the expanded life-cycle window - 50 years for paving materials and 75 years for building materials - combined with the level of detailed analysis conducted on the use phase of structures and pavements will distinguish MIT's latest research. Initial reports have shown the importance of including the use phase, with MIT researchers finding that more than 90 percent of residential building life-cycle carbon emissions and up to 85 percent of highway pavement emissions occur during this period.
You can access the initial findings via the RMC Research & Education Foundation's home page at www.rmc-foundation.org or the MIT CSH website at http://web.mit.edu/cshub/. In the very near future, you will receive additional communications and tools from the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and Portland Cement Association about how you and your members can use and apply the MIT findings to your local operations and efforts. We look forward to working with you on this exciting initiative.
If you have any questions in the interim, please feel free to contact either Julie Garbini at jgarbini@rmc-foundation.org or Glenn Ochsenreiter at gochsenreiter@nrmca.org.
. |
| Stormwater and State Wide Stormwater Rule Impacts by Pat Lear | |
There seems to be a lot of discussion revolving around stormwater, especially the proposed "State Wide Stormwater Rule". What does the rule propose to do and how will it be accomplished? The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the State's Water Management Districts (WMD) have reacted to nutrient removal deficiencies of current treatment methods and are proposing a technology based standards in order to provide more efficient treatment systems. Read More
. |
|
Standard of Excellence Michele Stropoli, Executive Director |
I enjoyed a lecture recently on Striving for Excellence and was reminded that doing the minimum, or saying to myself, "That's good enough," means I could have done better. I left the lecture asking myself, "Am I too busy that I don't do anything well?"
It's my desire to provide a standard of excellence easily recognized and difficult to surpass.
"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." Aristotle
The FICAP community is stronger than ever. As Gary mentions in his article above, much has been accomplished in 2010 and I'm looking forward to an even better 2011. Thank you, each of you, for your time and efforts to keep the independent producer a strong and vital force within the Florida Construction Industry. Together, we do make a difference!
On a completely different note, but relative to this Holiday Season, I hope you will take a few minutes to watch the following video. It's a tribute to our military heroes and is entitled...A Different Christmas Poem.
Merry Christmas!
Personal Attention...the FICAP way! Those aren't just words we throw around, but a high standard of excellence that our independent producers honor.
|
|  Maschmeyer Concrete Company of Florida is pleased to announce the acquisition of Williams Ready Mix, a Central Florida based producer with locations in St. Cloud and Haines City. This acquisition along with last year's acquisition of Inland Materials and Inland Block and Supply continues the company's commitment to growth within the Central Florida marketplace. Maschmeyer will operate the newly acquired concrete plants as part of its Central Florida Division. Maschmeyer Concrete Company currently operates 9 ready mixed concrete plants, a portable plant division, a concrete block operation, a rebar fabrication division, and a fleet of over 140 delivery trucks. 1142 Water Tower Road Lake Park, FL 33403 561-848-9112 |
| Florida's Concrete Coalition | |
The second official meeting of Florida's Concrete Coalition was held on December 7th to share current initiatives and efforts of each individual group in search of joint ventures and solid ways to promote concrete in Florida. Members of the Coalition include:
Masonry Association of Florida (MAF)
Florida Concrete & Products Association (FCPA)
Florida Concrete Pipe Institute (FCPI)
Florida Prestressed Concrete Association (FPCA)
Florida Independent Concrete & Associated Products (FICAP)
One of the greatest accomplishments of this group to date are the open discussions regarding specific efforts of each group, which have led to progress and joint efforts. To date, joint ventures include education, promotion, and legislative efforts. Expect to hear great things from this Coalition.
. |
| Around The Industry | |
"Red Flags" Clarification Act Passage Imminent
President Barack Obama is expected to sign a bill that would amend the application of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) "Red Flags" Rules. The bill, dubbed the Red Flags Clarification Act of 2010, passed the Senate unanimously last week and was quickly picked up and approved by the House earlier this week. Read More
Limestone cement concrete holds hope for future
Concrete is "precious" and should be used wisely, said John Archer, at Construct Canada in Toronto on December 1. Archer is the former director of sustainability with the Cement Association of Canada, and he urged the audience to look on concrete as as precious as gold and silver from a sustainability point of view. Read More
An Independent Voice
Forced Negotiations by Don Magruder
In the world of contractor building material suppliers, a company provides products and services to a contractor and then within a specified time (usually 30 days) the contractor pays for the materials and/or services. It is customary that the price is agreed upon before shipping, and the only time there's an adjustment to the bill is when the supplier makes an error to warrant a price change; however, in today's economy this is not the case. Dealers and suppliers have entered an era of "forced negotiations" which threatens to bankrupt and destroy the balance sheets of many well operated suppliers. Read More
2011 Forecast: Some Growth Signs for the New Year
Our panelists at last week's 2011 Economic Forecast webcast outlined a moderately positive outlook for next year. Perhaps the best description is continued slow growth. And while some economists are raising their expectations for 2011 if the current tax-reduction compromise happens, our panelists aren't quite as bullish, and they offered some great insight into specific customer segments in both the construction and manufacturing sectors. Read More
Cement, concrete, flour, fruitcake
Are you guilty of using what the Pennsylvania Supreme Court calls a "slovenly colloquialism"?
Every single day, the sloppy use of the words cement and concrete aggravates the members of the construction industry, the largest in the nation. At Flynn Ready-Mix in Epworth, Iowa, the difference is explained by saying "Concrete hardens, cement blows away." Read More
Concrete Technologies
What are the latest developments in concrete and how can these boost project sustainability? Construction Week investigates.
Much used as a primary building material throughout the Middle East, the pros and cons of concrete are being increasingly scrutinised as the construction industry looks to the future. Ensuring this essential material can meet new demands for both structural engineering and sustainability is vital to its future use in the region. Read More
NAHB Urges Action on Deduction
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform has released its final report, recommending a number of significant changes to federal spending, entitlements and the tax code. The plan would convert the mortgage interest deduction into a 12 percent non-refundable tax credit available to all taxpayers, not just those who itemize. Read More
British builder to shed U.S. unit
Sale of its branch could help stoke building in this area
British home builder Taylor Wimpey PLC is preparing to sell its North American business, Taylor Morrison, formerly based in Lakewood Ranch but now in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Financial Times reported that the sale of Taylor Morrison, one of this region's largest home builders, is expected to fetch about $930 million. Read More
Senate Rejects Latest 1099 Repeal Efforts
The Senate on Monday rejected an attempt by two prominent members to repeal the health care reform bill's 1099 reporting requirement for businesses. The new provision would require companies large and small to issue 1099 forms to all companies and individuals from whom they purchase more than $600 of goods or services annually. It is scheduled to go into effect in 2012. Read More
Good read: Designing with Concrete Masonry and Hardscape Products
NCMA contributed much of the content for a comprehensive article on concrete masonry and hardscape products in the November 2010 issue of The Construction Specifer. The article explains how the concrete masonry units (CMU), segmental retaining wall units (SRW), articulated concrete block units (ACB) and pervious pavers/open-grid pavement systems are made and how they qualify for LEED points. Read More
DEFICIT COMMISSION PROPOSAL PROVIDES NEEDED, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENTS IN AGING ROADS, BRIDGES & TRANSIT SYSTEMS
"The Deficit Commission wisely appreciates that the best way to reduce the deficit and simultaneously support a strong and expanding economy is to invest in our aging network of highways, bridges and transit systems. Even as the broader report calls for dramatic reductions in federal spending, the commission has made clear that our country can't afford to neglect the infrastructure that has driven fifty years of economic growth and prosperity." Read More
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
