Fall 2015
Director's Corner
Around the Industry
Credit Corner
Government Affairs
Housing & Economics
Technically Speaking


Facility Tour & Dinner Meeting
Hosted by Vulcan, Ft. Myers
November 17, 4-6 pm 
December 9, 6:30-9 pm
Longwood Community Building 
 

Welcome to Our
Newest Members!

 




 Maschmeyer Concrete raising breast health awareness during the month of October!

PRESIDENT

  Adam Freeman

  A-1 Block

  407-422-3768  email  

  

VICE PRESIDENT

  Wade Mullins

  Quality Precast    

  813-685-5615
  x2226  email

  

SECRETARY

  Freddie Jahna  

  Jahna Concrete 

  863-453-5155  email 

  

TREASURER

  Mark Smith

  Bell Concrete

  352-463-6103 email    

 

PAST PRESIDENT

  Steve Bishop

  Maschmeyer Concrete

  561-848-9112  email  

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

  Jeff Bishop
  Maschmeyer Concrete
  561-848-9112  email 

     

  Gary Clements  

  Cement Products
  & Supply Company
  863-686-5141   email  

 

  Sherry Griswold

  Griswold Ready Mix

  904-751-3796  email   

 

  Preston Sparkman   

  Quality Precast

  813-685-5615
  x2228  email

  

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

  Michele Stropoli
  407-302-3316  email  

 


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Thank you Veterans for your service and sacrifice!

On the Road: Ohio boy's $20 gift to soldier multiplies 
"On this day, let us solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly, on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores to preserve our heritage of freedom, and let us reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain."

- from President Eisenhower's Veterans Day Proclamation
 
Isn't it amazing how time flies? It hardly seems possible the convention was 4 months ago and Christmas is only 7 weeks away. It's great to see everyone busy and purchasing new equipment and hiring additional staff. FICAP continues to grow, as we see at least one new membership application a month and attendance is on the rise at events.
 
For the folks who participated in the Annual Golf Tournament - thank you, we value your time and your support! It was a great location and a beautiful day in Davenport. And a special thank you to Oldcastle, a Coastal Company, for supporting FICAP by hosting the September dinner meeting which included a tour of their Auburndale plant.
 
Since the holidays are upon us, we've shifted the upcoming event schedule a bit to accommodate your travel and time spent with family and friends. The complete schedule is on the FICAP website, but is also noted several times throughout this newsletter. On that note, please take a moment to register now for our November Meeting hosted by Vulcan in Ft. Myers. Ryan, Kim and the rest of the crew are planning a dinner and tour of the quarry. This is an excellent opportunity for you to invite producers and associates from the Ft. Myers area to join us.
 
We hope to see you at the annual Christmas Banquet on December 9th. You are in for a treat as we meet in the picture-perfect Community Building located in historic downtown Longwood. This is a great time to bring your significant other and catch up with your fellow FICAP members. Space is limited so register today!
 
The next edition of In the Mix will be slightly different. You will no longer have an article from yours truly on a monthly basis, but will instead have timely articles and upcoming events on a more consistent basis. We may even shift things around a bit. Check it out early January.
 
Stay cool...travel on.
Adam Freeman 
President of FICAP
President, A-1 Block Corporation 
 

What Do YOU Say?
If your employer required you to write an essay about concrete, what would you write? Would it be a persuasive paper or more of a report style where you try to get as many of the facts included as possible?

I'm afraid that our view of concrete and concrete products may be stale and I challenge you to think about our products as a consumer. What do you see and hear in the media? What do your family and friends know about our product lines? Many in our industry have been working with concrete their entire lives and they know what they know and have forgotten more than the average person will ever know about concrete. Are you able to discuss your product line in such a way that the people listening are excited about it too?

We rock! Our product rocks and we should have consumers knocking on our doors requesting more information, demanding that builders and architects utilize the best product on the market in all of their structures. Can I get an amen here?

FICAP decided to accept the challenge of hosting a regional essay contest of high school students for the NRMCA. We've established eight regions of Florida and have distributed a sample essay, contest rules and the entry form to guidance counselors in each region of the state. Each region will have a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner. Each 1st place winner will then compete against each other and that winner will progress to the NRMCA contest for an opportunity to win a scholarship. For more information, check out FICAP'S Scholarship web page.

I am encouraged by the response thus far. Many teachers have contacted the FICAP office directly to verify the rules and are requiring their students to participate; even a math teacher in the Gainesville area believes its great practice for her students. Do you realize what this means? High school students from around the State are now researching concrete so they are able to write an essay about it. This is just the first year, but I imagine each year we will hear from more of the schools and the contest will gain momentum and more and more consumers and potential consumers will research concrete. I am excited and look forward to reading the essays as they pour in from around the State. If you're up for the challenge, why don't you try your luck at writing an essay (about concrete) and submit it to the FICAP office? Follow the same rules as the students and the winner will enjoy the Annual Christmas Banquet on the house for both you and your spouse. Let's hear what you have to say about concrete.

Until next time...
Michele Stropoli
FICAP Executive Director
 

       

South Florida's Construction Boom Heads North
Even as the post-recession boom in South Florida shows signs of cooling - evidently because the strong American dollar is eroding the purchasing power of foreign investors - prices in coastal Miami-Dade County remain largely stratospheric, prompting prospective buyers with somewhat less disposable income to cast their nets elsewhere ... Broward County's 24-mile coastal strip, 83 new residential towers, with 7,901 units, have been announced or are under construction - 37 of them in the last year ... 44 such projects are in the works, 29 more than last year.
 
Adding to the appeal of the new Broward developments are prices per square foot that are often half or less of what similar condominiums have been fetching in Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, Bal Harbour and other coastal communities in Miami-Dade County. Value for money ... is especially important for cost-conscious foreign investors who plan to rent out their units.
 
Still, it has not necessarily been an easy sell ... it usually takes a long time for a place to be known as a hot commodity.

- via Nick Madigan of the New York Times


Study: Percentage of Troubled Companies Surges to 4-Year High 
Creditors may find the level of bankruptcy filings creeping upward, or even surging, in the near future if the latest edition of a monthly index tracking the insolvency risk of 36,000 companies proves correct.

The September edition of Kamakura Co.'s Troubled Company Index registered its largest increase in months, up 2.04% to 9.03%, meaning nearly one corporation in 11 carries at least a 1% likelihood of default within the next month. This is the highest percentage since September 2011, and the August to September increase accounts for nearly half of the total rise during the last 12 months. Although the riskiest company is again retailer American Apparel, which carries an updated default probability of 65%, the majority of the 10 worst are tied to market-upsetting industries like natural resources and European financial institutions, particularly those in Greece.

"Market turmoil was the dominant story as the month of August came to a close," said Kamakura President/COO Martin Zorn. "While the old joke that the stock market indexes predicted nine of the last five recessions is often told, one cannot help but notice the jump in KDPs [Kamakura Default Probability] and especially in the troubled company index. ... The upward bias in the index over the past 12 months should cause credit managers to look more closely at their current portfolios."

The fall in oil prices is causing a number of problems in emerging economies as well as in the United States, where fading boom conditions mean oil-dependent manufacturers and service providers are experiencing a sudden drop in demand. For example, lower oil prices and reduced demand mean fewer purchases of expensive equipment needed for exploration-in short, there is a domino effect that affects other industries. Regarding Greek banks, with many European economies on edge because of potential losses from Greek-owed debts as well as continued bailout spending, potential failures in Greece could continue to undermine confidence. Other looming issues include possible repercussions from a U.S. Federal Reserve rate hike, which is likely to occur this week or in December, and the escalating immigration crisis in Europe stemming from Islamic State terrorist activity in countries like Syria.

Of the 10 most troubled companies, according to Kamakura, six are U.S.-based and three operate primarily out of Greece. One Australian company, Atlas Iron Ltd., made its first appearance among Kamakura's riskiest 10. This is not surprising given Australian dependence on Chinese demand, which has been dropping amid its well-publicized growth rate slowdown.

- Brian Shappell, CBA, CICP, NACM managing editor
 
 
Tom Taylor for Florida House
One of our own is running for Florida House, District 11, and needs our support. Tom Taylor may be contacted directly at 904-329-0663 or TaylorForHouse@gmail.com

Campaign contributions via credit card can be made securely on his website, TomTaylorForHouse.com. Checks made out to Tom Taylor for House Campaign may be sent to 603 15th Street North Jacksonville Beach, Fl. 32250.

Thank you in advance for taking action now to secure a concrete industry voice at the Legislative table!

Nearly 27 percent of Florida's voters are registered as No Party Affiliation (NPA) or with minor parties like the Green, Libertarian or Tea Party. The combined total of NPAs and minor party voters outnumber Democrats or Republicans in11 Florida counties including Broward, Miami-Dade and Orange.

If voter trends continue and the diversity of Florida's population keeps growing, the NPA and minor-party electorate could become as influential as Republicans and Democrats. What will that mean for Florida's closed primary system?
 
- Florida Chamber of Commerce

Concrete Days 2015
A big thanks to the FICAP members who took time to attend this year's Concrete Days at the state capitol in Tallahassee. The FICAP group joined members of Florida Concrete & Products Association, Florida Limerock and Aggregates, and the Masonry Association of Florida to meet with approximately 120 members of the Florida State House and Senate, including Senate President Andy Gardiner. Additional visits were held with Secretary Jon Steverson of the DEP as well as a meeting with Secretary Boxhold of FDOT.

This is the 8th year the concrete industry has been represented at the state capitol and the effects of our efforts are extremely evident. Most offices that we walk into, we are greeted as the "concrete folks" and they are already aware of our interests and issues. Through the combination of industry visits and the effectiveness of FICAP's contracted lobbyist David Ramba, great strides have been made in understanding and reacting to the policies and legislation that have significant impacts on our businesses. The voice of the industry and independent producers would not be heard if it was not for the many members who volunteered their time to visit the capitol and also everyone who supports the FICAP Political Committee through contributions. Thanks for all you do.

FICAP Members who attended 2015 Concrete Days: Jeff and Steve Bishop (Maschmeyer Concrete), Gary Clements (Cement Products & Supply), Gary Goebel (Oldcastle), Adam Haly (Argos Cement), Conley Jahna (Jahna Concrete), Wade Mullins (Quality Block), Ron Pafford (Suwannee American), Michele Stropoli (FICAP), and Tom Taylor (Griswold Concrete).

- Adell V. Jahna, FICAP PC Chair
 



Home Builders are Upbeat
There are many sectors of the economy that are worrying analysts, energy is sitting in bust territory after enjoying the boom, the export sector has been faltering due to the value of the dollar and there are concerns that flat wages will inhibit the consumer in the months ahead. One of the sectors that has been bucking that trend is housing. The latest survey of new home builders shows a ten year high with a reading of 64. The expectation had been for a gain to about 63 at best after readings in August and September of 61. The index is built along the same lines as the PMI and the CMI, anything over 50 is expansion. These are readings that are definitely more than respectable.
   
Analysis: The big question is why the builders are so enthusiastic given all the economic headwinds that have been appearing of late. It seems the optimism is fueled by three factors. The first is home prices are coming up a little in most markets and that provides a bit more profit for the builders without affecting demand all that much. Mortgage rates are still relatively low and there are still plenty of potential buyers. The second motivation is that builders are starting to see the millennial buyer hit the market and that has been a long awaited development. This generation has been very slow to leave the multi-family option to buy a single family home and that has been a drag on the builder. Finally there has been a reaction to cheaper inputs as everything from lumber to textiles to appliances have been falling in price.
 
The enthusiasm could reverse in a hurry if the home buying is not as expected but for now the sector is upbeat. It has helped that many builders have left the scene unable to keep pace. This has left bigger market shares for the companies that have survived and has provided more resilience in the sector as a whole. There are many hot markets these days and most of the damage from the sector collapse at the start of the recession has been dealt with. There is even less competition from the existing home sellers than was the case a year ago.
- Dr. Chris Kuehl - Armada Corporate Intelligence

 

Keys to Success for Masonry Construction for Stucco

There is nothing more beautiful and durable than a masonry home. This look can be achieved with masonry units and/or a combination of block and stucco. When constructing a masonry wall for stucco application, there are a few concerns that need to be addressed so that the stucco will adhere properly. Here are a few keys to success:  

 

Concrete masonry units for stucco application should have an open or coarse texture. This texture allows the stucco to interlock with the surface of the block and provide a good bond.  

 

In order for stucco to adhere to the block, the surface must be clean and free of dust, film, efflorescence, mortar drippings and oil. It is impossible for the stucco to stick to a surface that is not clean. The masonry wall must be cleaned, and all dust and dirt removed. Once the stucco has been applied, water and cement will be absorbed into the blockforming a suction bond. Read More 


- Jay Hester, Argos Cement Technical Service Representative