Concrete Homes

J an uary 2017

ICFs IN PARADISE Home Built with ICF Is First of Its Kind on Maui 1 2>

0

74470 95265

7

November January 2017 2014

$4.95

concretehomesmagazine.com concretehomesmagazine.com

SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE: WORLD OF CONCRETE 2017 Special Supplement: MONTHLY News from the cement and concrete industries News from the cement and concrete industries concretemonthly.com concretemonthly.com

life.

Build your home with BuildBlock,

TM

Build it once. Build it for

your complete ICF construction solution.

BUILDBLOCK.COM

BU

ILD

ING

W IT H

C U R V E S IS S E X Y & E A SIE R T

EV HAN

ER

!

The new BuildRadius family delivers 6 standard arc radius options for projects large and small. Easily build energy-efficient southwest style homes, ICF pools, bay windows, circular staircases, and add unique design options to any ICF project.

BUILDBLOCK PRODUCTS MEET YOUR NEEDS FOR EVERY ICF CONSTRUCTION PROJECT NEW

BUILDBLOCK ICF (4”-8”)

BUILDLOCK KNOCKDOWN ICF (4”-12”+)

BUILDRADIUS (2’, 4’, 6’, 8’, 12’, 16’, 20’)

NEW

www.buildblock.com

NEW GLOBALBLOCK ALL FOAM ICF (4”-6”)

BUILDDECK ICF FLOOR & ROOF DECKING (8”-12”+)

BUILDBUCK ICF BUCKING (6”-8”)

NEW

NEW

THERMALSERT (1”-4”)

BUILDSHIELD TERMITE & FIRESTOP PROTECTION

BUILDBLOCK HARDWALL

INSULATED CONCRETE FACED WALL

BUILDCLIP

LEDGE BLOCK REINFORCEMENT

BUILDCRETE

PLASTER, STUCCO, POOL PLASTER

866-222-2575 | BUILDBLOCK.COM PROVERBS 24:27

BUILDBRACE

N2106 JAN 17-20 • VEGAS

BUILDBLOCK BUILDING SYSTEMS, 9705 N. BROADWAY EXT., SUITE 200, OKLAHOMA CITY, OK 73114 | BUILDBLOCK.COM

Multi-residential projects.

MultidiMensional perforMance.

HaMBro The composiTe floor sysTem for your mulTi-residenTial projecTs hambro d500 and md2000 are high performance solutions ideal for multi-residential buildings. fully adaptable to your design and load specifications, these fire-resistant composite systems designed by canam deliver outstanding soundproofing performance and boast a space-freeing span capacity of up to 43 feet. hambro is optimized to facilitate mechanical system installation and reduce construction time and costs.

Hambro MD2000 on a conventional structural steel frame

Hambro D500 on load-bearing walls

http://www.canam-construction.com

canam-construction.com 1-866-466-8769

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTE NEW PRODUCTS • 100+ SEMINARS • LIVE DEMOS • EXCITING COMPETITIONS

YOU CAN’T COMPETE WITH THE REAL THING This is World of Concrete—a firm foundation for the concrete and masonry industries and the first and most important annual event of the year. It’s everything you need and nothing you don’t. Put in four high-efficiency, low-cost, smart-work days at WOC 2017 and you’ll see your bang/buck ratio go through the roof.

REGISTER NOW

»www.worldofconcrete.com http://www.worldofconcrete.com

JANUARY 17-20, 2017 SEMINARS: JANUARY 16-20 LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER LAS VEGAS, NV, USA A selected participant in the International Buyer Program

contents

6

14 6 ICFs IN PARADISE

18 concreteMONTHLY News from the cement and concrete industries

January 2017

14 RESILIENT DESIGN USING CONCRETE 18 WORLD OF CONCRETE GUIDE 30 MANAGING CASH FLOW MANAGING CASH FLOW

How to balance cash flow and unpaid invoices

departments 5 Event News 12 Industry News 14 Resilient Building

30 Concrete Monthly 32 Builder + Business Directory

By Eyal Shinar Homebuilders, like many small businesses, face daunting challenges every day. We speak with small businesses all the time and hear about demanding clients, finding and retaining skilled workers, and managing multiple projects simultaneously. But the one thing they all say is at the top of their list of worries is cash flow. When small businesses in construction have to wait on payments, everything grinds to a halt.

Not only is this problem well known, but it is big. My team at Fundbox dug into our data and found that construction small businesses are waiting on an average of $110,348 in unpaid invoices each and it takes them 24 days to get paid. We estimate that this amounts to $139 billion in unpaid invoices across all construction small businesses in the United States.

The traditional tools available to small businesses to manage their cash flow are inadequate. Banks provide good services to enterprises, but they’re not able to serve small businesses as well. They require lots of paperwork and can take weeks to get back to you with an approval. And after all that time spent 30

waiting, banks only approve 23.5 percent of the small business loan applications they receive.

Credit cards are another option. But even business credit cards require a personal guarantee. You personally take on the responsibility for each credit card purchase from Home Depot that your company makes. You’d better pay that back when the bill comes due because if you miss a payment that’s a hit to your personal credit, which limits your access to funding in the future.

ANOTHER WAY FORWARD I believe there’s a better way forward. A new wave of fintech companies (fintech is short for financial technology) are providing working capital for small businesses like homebuilders.

Fintech companies use sophisticated algorithms to underwrite customers and that enabled them to approve more than 60 percent of the small business financing applications they receive – more than double the banks’ approval rate. Plus, most fintech companies don’t require as much paperwork as banks, so you

Concrete Monthly • December 2016/January 2017

See page 30 Cover photo courtesy of Edward Blanch

from the editor Vol. 19, No. 6 President/Editor In Chief Gary L. Pittman, Sr.

Just when you think there’s nothing new to report in the world of concrete home construction … Wait, I never think that! There’s always something new going on, and it’s the pleasure of Concrete Homes + Low Rise Construction to report on them.

This month, we’re reporting on the first ICF home built on the Hawaiian island of Maui. ICF installer Ed Blanch had to convince the community’s homeowner’s association to approve the ICF construction. Once they gave the go-ahead, curious neighbors and other builders also became interested. As a result, there will likely be another ICF home on Maui that we can tell you about later. Check out that beautiful home on page 6.

There’s also industry news, as is the case with The Council for ICF Industries announcing its corporate name change to Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association (ICFMA). That rebranding means the industry is always changing and growing, and rethinking the best ways to represent itself. In this issue, Concrete Monthly takes a look at how debt can affect small homebuilders.

Associate Editor Vanessa Salvia vanessa@pcinews.com Contributing Editor Larry Storer larrys@hot.rr.com Contributing Writers Jamie Farny Eyal Shinar Donn Thompson Contributing Photographers Edward Blanch and organizations listed in features Art Director Lisa Gouveia • lisag@pcinews.com Advertising Executive Gary Pittman, Jr. (512) 637-0373 garypjr@pcinews.com

A microcosm of all of this change is World of Concrete in Las Vegas.

We’ve heard from many exhibiters who will be showing their products at the show, and we’ve included summaries of what some of the vendors are planning to introduce in Las Vegas.

Circulation/Accounting Manager Beth Chorba (512) 637-0344 • bethc@pcinews.com

As members of the concrete community, our awareness of ICF and concrete construction is high. But many others don’t know what it is. There is a huge untapped audience out there. Each time the general public sees an ICF or concrete construction house go up, that interest leads to more demand. From the outside, an ICF home or building looks just like any other smart, well-built structure. But we know all the great advantages to this construction and we’re going to see the industry grow tremendously over the next few years.

PUBLISHED BY Publications and Communications, Inc. 13552 Highway 183 N, Suite A Austin, TX 78750 phone (512) 250-9023 fax: (512) 331-3950

This issue marks my first as editor of Concrete Homes + Low Rise Construction. I can’t wait to grow as editor along with the industry. I’ll be at World of Concrete, so please introduce yourself, and connect with us on Facebook, at Facebook.com/ConcreteHomesMagazine.

Vanessa Salvia Associate Editor

4

Executive Vice President of Operations Gary Pittman, Jr. • 512-637-0373 garypjr@pcinews.com

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

Web and Network Manager Joel Nosal • joeln@pcinews.com

Concrete Homes + Low-Rise Construction (ISSN 152-5547) is published bimonthly by P ublications & Communications, LP., Gary L. ­ Pittman, President. Subscriptions are available for $22 per year, single copy price $4.95. Foreign subscriptions are available for $45 per year.

Payment must accompany orders. Copyright 2017

by Publications & Communications, LP. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form without written consent from the publisher is strictly prohibited. The technical content and opinions in this publication are those of the relevant contributors or advertisers and are not attributable to the publisher, staff, writers, sponsors, sales department or other advertisers.

Postmaster: Send change of address to Circulation Dept., 13552 Highway 183 N, Suite A, Austin, TX 78750 (512) 250-9023.

events JANUARY 10-12

The NAHB International Builder’s Show (IBS) Orlando, Fla. buildershow.com

JANUARY 13

Winter Tilt-Up Jubilee Las Vegas, Nev. tilt-up.org

JANUARY 17

GET MORE of the latest info on concrete technology and design.

FIND OUT what makes concrete homes the MOST SENSIBLE and attractive HOME BUILDING alternative.

JANUARY 23-24

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

American Shotcrete Association Awards Banquet Las Vegas, Nev. shotcrete.org

ACAA Winter Meeting Jacksonville, Fla. concrete.org

for

One Year

FEBRUARY 20-22

National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) Annual Convention Phoenix, Ariz. ncma.org y il2016 2016 Apr Febr uar Fe br uJ ar u nye 22016 016

6 Febr uary 201

MARCH 6-8

Rock Blasting & Overbreak Control Seminar Anthony@idc-pbs.com

MARCH 7-11

Send your event information to Vanessa Salvia vanessa@pcinews.com

e G L IZRING InsidR IP dly SFrHienBuilding REVIEWRIN a coastal ICF home N E S milyG D L Fa O A O E C O L E LEADERSHIP H E C C S N to endure the threats of fire, ity IE IN bil me IL ina D Ho S sta F E IP E Su IC N H R Lxa gBecause l To S sin tiaDurable R en oo E Ess Ch LEARIENMCanE earthquakes and termite damage D s Is ol Building Is Essential To Sustainability A ing Es Scho Bug sta ild fitsity cause DurableBiSu nebil ina Be RESIL Why yBeTe To ng l izi tia en Essal HLYY &IsRe NTOR RESILIENCE cing 2016 PCA ECT DIR S INSIDE: Announcing 2016 PCA RESILIENCE NER 6 ICF MO

$4.95 Announ INSIDE:

$4.9 5

WIN THE 11> 0 2> 6> AWARD t:IDE: 1 s AWARD SHIP 201 Special Supplement: INS MONTHLY INSIDE: ABC SUCCESS STORY DER LEA e industrie LEADERSHIP WINNERS CE cial Supplemen concret ILIEN Spe 2016 PCA RES ERSARY from the cement and December November June 2016 2015 2014

ing ildgy Bulo chno Teble

F ra BecauseICDu

cing S 100NTH th AN LYNIV News AnnounEBR News from the cement and concrete industries MO ATE INSIDE:PCA NERS CEL WIN stries INS $4.9 5 t:IDE: stries DERSHIP AWARD and concrete indu.com LEA concrete induNew Special Supplemen 2> s from the cement concret 11> 0 .com cement00and 1 nthly 74470 95265 95265 77 74470 emonthly News from the cement and concrete industries concretemo News from the s 7 7 concretehomesmagazine.com concretemonthly.com strie 5 9526 indu 0 9526 concretemonthly.com 74470 00 7447 and concrete m cementconcretehomesmagazine.com e.cothe m azin e.co mag mesmag s from .com ehomes Newazin nthly.com creteho emonthly concret con cretemo concret con 5 77 9526 0 9526 0 7447 00 7447 m e.com azin e.co mag azin mes ehomesmag creteho concret con 2> 4> 11> 0 1

2014 2015 2016 ber mber April Nove Decem

MARCH 14-18

Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) 2017 Convention Rio Grande, Puerto Rico csda.org/convention

ACES & REDEFINING SOARING SP RS SAFETY AND TE HOME ING IN RIO G RESILIENCE VIT N SO RECOGNIZING ECSOGNIZa INSUSTAINABILITY ESIN

2014 2015 ber 2016 ary November Febru Decem

CONEXPO—CON/AGG Las Vegas, Nev. conexpoconagg.com

Call 1-512-637-0344 or visit our website: concretehomesmagazine.com December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

5

resilient building

ICFs IN PARADISE HOME BUILT WITH ICF IS FIRST OF ITS KIND ON MAUI Text by Vanessa Salvia Photography courtesy of Edward Blanch

6

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

An inviting Hawaiian-style living space overlooks the beaches of Maui in this first-of-its-kind ICF home.

W

HAT WOULD A HOME BUILT FIVE YEARS FROM NOW BE LIKE? THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE THAT HOME WILL BE “FUTURIZED” WITH Z-WAVE TECHNOLOGY AND APP CONTROLS FROM A CELLPHONE OR TABLET FOR MOST HOME SWITCHES AND DEVICES. WE FOUND SUCH A 2020-READY HOME WITH THESE INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND IT HAPPENS TO BE A CONCRETE HOME.

“With a traditional decorated and inspired Hawaiian design, this home surpasses what we expect a home to have by 2020,” says builder and ICF installer Edward Blanch. “It not only uses the most advance building block system currently available but the latest innovative perks by the industry’s construction leaders.” The fact that the home is located on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Maui makes it truly breathtaking.

Blanch, a local innovative builder, knows that getting the approval of a homeowner’s association for something new and different is not an easy task. Particularly with regards to the homeowner’s association of the highly secured and gated golf course community of Lanikeha. Blanch took on the challenge with three different HOA managers over a two-year period.

Once the final committee stamped their approval on his plans, he started construction of a one-story, sprawling 3,180-squarefoot gorgeous home with every possible technological comfort.

NOT A FOAM HOUSE “The initial reaction coming from the first HOA team was, “What is an ICF home? Is it a foam house?” Blanch recalls. “I had to convince them it wasn’t a foam house. It’s a concrete house that has foam insulation.”

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

7

resilient building

A detached garage was also built with ICF.

The walls ended up being a foot thick with six inches of solid concrete engineered with rebar. The inside and outside ICF insulation alone was five inches thick. The final product was finished with a stucco exterior finish and interior walls with drywall screwed into Nudura’s patented and interlocking ICF blocks.

Blanch submitted the Nudura product to the HOA and added, “Once the rebar is placed and the concrete supports it, you’ll have a home that is 20 times stronger than a wood home, impervious to termites and resistant to mold and won’t sway or creak with high winds.”

Blanch specializes in smart homes and advanced technology construction. He’s used ICF before, but not Nudura. This technology worked very well for this particular home because of the geological environment the home was built on and the cost of shipping products to the island.

HAWAII’S UNIQUE NEEDS Hawaii doesn’t have a Nudura distributor at the moment.

Chris Dagosta, owner of Efficient Product Solutions in Phoenix, is the exclusive Nudura distributor for Arizona. He also handles other areas as the need arises. Because he travels to Hawaii frequently, he made the acquaintance of owner-builder Blanch and together they worked out the details on the project and overcame challenges.

“To be able to get the homeowner’s association to approve the construction was a challenge,” Dagosta says. Blanch had to 8

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

present and have all exterior finishes approved by the HOA. Another big challenge was the freight. Nudura saves on freight due to the fact it collapses for shipping.

Nudura’s construction allows it to fold in half and be shipped flat. This patented shape puts 40 percent more product on a truck — an advantage when every item for construction must be shipped in from the mainland.

Another advantage was the size. Nudura blocks measure 96 inches. Nudura’s locking mechanism and the extra length makes it a labor-saving choice, Dagosta says.

The home was built on a bed of small and large rocks.

Blanch has seen other homes go up in the subdivision with several months spent on just excavation. As opposed to a solid slab floor, Blanch built the structure with footings and the ICF stacked on top. Then the concrete was poured to create a monolithic tie between the footing and walls.

He used Fab-Form for the footing system and Nudura ICF for the main walls. “The Fab-Form creates a water-resistant footing system and expands like a bag that wraps around the base footing,” Dagosta explains. “Instead of having to dig footings you fill that with concrete and it gets attached to the stem walls.”

Blanch is known for his smart technology innovations that he includes in his construction projects. With more than 1,000 feet of Cat6 cabling, the house has a built-in intercom system, Sonos sound system in every room including garage, IP security cameras and more.

resilient building

Sea salt-colored cabinets with modern appliances in the kitchen.

“I used the latest in Z-wave technology, and made it backward compatible,” he said. “What that means is that if you don’t have your phone or tablet you can flip a switch or remote mounted to the wall. Most systems have an app and can easily be managed from a tablet or cell phone that can controls several devices.”

The house is equipped with a sprinkler system that receives feeds from a weather satellite, a Wi-Fi controlled water heater, solar panel systems that generate hourly production reports and automated screens that retract on verbal commands. Even the washer and dryer can be controlled via app. Bathrooms feature state-of-the-art bidet systems.

“This home is 2020 ready, but you can easily use the wall mounted controllers if you want to,” Blanch says. “It’s both new school and old school.”

SMARTHOME DESIGN Blanch says the main focus was a smarthome design with a focus on energy conservation and capturing the views from every back window and door, with automated screens that block 90 percent of the sun’s UV but not the view. Discreet solar panels together with low-voltage LED lights keep energy costs down. Blanch adds that the LED technology has come a long way. “Light switches and plugs look like art work,” he says.

“What one 60-watt incandescent bulb uses is now equivalent to seven LED lights with no loss in brightness.”

Inside, every imaginable comfort was included. “The kitchen

by itself is a work of art,” he says. “A local granite and tile store supplied me with all my stone, from wall-to-wall travertine tiles in the bathrooms to a 7-foot 1,000-year-old granite slab embedded with sliced river rock that was placed in the outside bathroom, which is absolutely gorgeous.”

The home boasts large natural Sapele trim on all windows and doors. The custom-made Sapele front door swivels on just two hinges and together with the beautiful glass transoms, measures 9-feet wide—wide enough that two people can walk into the home side by side.

Inside, the floor is engineered flooring from Weyerhaeuser.

Blanch conventionally finished the floor built on slabs, with a crawl space underneath that he can actually walk into and access water and AC lines, and which doubles as storage space.

“We use PEX tubing and a Manabloc water distribution system,” Blanch explains. “The Manabloc controls the flow of every water line that runs to each outlet, whether it is a sink, shower or toilet. Just like an electrical circuit breaker, you can turn off a specific water source. It has a dedicated line for both hot and cold, which you can turn on or off without affecting the rest of your water lines.”

Inside walls are finished with drywall and sheetrock. “It’s nice,” he says. “The Nudura ICF blocks have built-in studs where you can actually screw the drywall into the interior wall.

There’s a built-in stud every 8 inches on center and it’s rated to carry 500 pounds, so you can screw kitchen cabinets into it.”

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

9

resilient building

The plant-lined, concrete driveway is stamped with a lava flow design that is comfortable to walk on, as well as fitting into the overall aesthetic. The extra-wide and tall custom-made door swivels on just two hinges.

OUTSIDE PERFORMANCE The roof is concrete tile. The ceiling is engineered vaulted trusses, and the trim is Brazilian tiger wood with a similar wood trim on the entry way and outside lanai.

The concrete driveway was stamped to resemble a smooth lava flow and is easy enough to comfortably walk on. “The concrete was mixed with a graphite black dye and then stained with dark brown,” Blanch says. “In some areas it resembles red dirt commonly found in Hawaii. That makes it maintenance free.”

The nicely curved driveway is bordered with plants and low voltage LED lights. To make the home friendly to all age groups, Blanch included extra wide and tall doors and not a single step going up or down. “There isn’t one step you need to take up or down from the moment you walk through the driveway and into the main house,” Blanch says with a laugh. “The driveway is flat and I can roll myself into the house if I need to.”

The outside wall is stucco made by Sto Corp., a company that makes stucco specifically for ICF homes. “The application is much simpler and easier as compared to a wood frame home,” says Blanch. “You don’t need to put any kind of insulation or waterproofing on. The blocks themselves act as insulation or waterproofing.”

FIRST BUT NOT THE LAST Though Blanch has experience building with ICF, most of his crew didn’t. “The labor force is limited so I had to train the individuals on how to stack up the ICF,” Blanch explains. “It’s 10

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

a simple process but still, there’s a learning curve.”

Blanch used a tool to burn lines for water and electricity through the ICF blocks. “The plumbers and electricians were not familiar with running lines through the blocks so I burned the lines and got it ready for them. Once they learn the process it’s more cost-effective and easier to build.”

Using ICF was Blanch’s decision. His company, First Home Agency LLC, owns the property and the house. He is a member of First Home Agency and he is licensed as a general contractor in Hawaii.

Blanch previously built some ICF homes in Lake Tahoe, which experiences heavy snow, unlike Hawaii. “That’s where I first experienced the energy efficiency of an ICF home,” he says. “When you see the insulation factor, whether it is extreme cold or heat and your energy bill is reduced by half, you realize the positive long-term effect for both the homeowner and the environment.”

In Hawaii, high winds and flying termites are more of an immediate threat than snow. With ICFs and concrete, there is nothing for termites to eat. Nudura has interlocking links vertically as well as horizontally, so they hold in place much better and are designed for high-wind environments. The system can withstand winds of up to 250 miles per hour.

Typically, air conditioning systems on the islands are split systems, with a unit in every bedroom that is not ducted in. But Blanch installed a high seer split system that senses body heat.

resilient building

The sprawling living space opens onto a lanai and ocean views. The home’s floor is on a single level with no steps making it suitable for aging in place.

The AC gets so cold even on low setting “It almost feels like the refrigeration section in Costco!” he says.

“The insulation factor can easily jump up 10 or 20 times compared to that of a wood-frame home. There’s really no leak in this system at all. It can be literally 90 degrees outside and still be 10 degrees cooler in the house with no fans or air conditioners on at all.”

This ICF home is the first of its kind on the island, but it won’t be the last. “As the home was going up, contractors and homeowners were curious,” Blanch says.

“Hawaii is one of the first states that is working on becoming fossil fuel independent. Smart concrete homes will protect the environment and keep the island green. I’m so happy the house turned out really nice. We have a few homeowners who are lined up for a similar home in Maui, so it’s snowballing.”

Cavities in the ICF created for bathroom pipes..

The back of the house features a stone pathway leading up to the stairs.

PROJECT STATISTICS LOCATION: MAUI, HAWAII TYPE: PRIVATE RESIDENCE SIZE: 3,180 SQUARE FEET FOOTINGS: FAB-FORM STUCCO: STO. CORP. CONSTRUCTION TEAM OWNER:: EDWARD BLANCH GENERAL CONTRACTOR: EDWARD BLANCH ICF SYSTEM: NUDURA CORP. ICF DISTRIBUTOR: CHRIS DAGOSTA EFFICIENT PRODUCT SOLUTIONS ICF INSTALLER: EDWARD BLANCH SMART PRODUCTS: Z-WAVE; SMARTTHINGS BY SAMSUNG, SOMFY AUTOMATED BLINDS, RF CONTROLLER, ALEXA BY AMAZON, LEGRAND LIGHTS, LIFTMASTER GARAGE DOOR APP, ENPHASE SOLAR AND ENERGY-MONITORING APP

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

11

industrynews COUNCIL FOR ICF INDUSTRIES CHANGES NAME The Council for ICF Industries changed its corporate name to Insulating Concrete Forms Manufacturers Association (ICFMA) effective Dec. 1, 2016.

The association’s headquarters will reside in Ottawa, Ontario, at the new address of Suite 460, 11-300 Earl Grey Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2T 1C1.

The adoption of the new ICFMA name more accurately reflects the goals and mission of the association and better supports the needs of members through a consistent brand, according to Chairman Andy Lennox.

Along with the name change, he said ICFMA will adopt a new brand identity in the form of a new logo, as well as the new website address of www.icf-ma.org, and all future business activity will be conducted under the new name.

The primary members of the ICFMA are Build Block Building Systems, Nudura Corp., Logix Insulated Concrete Forms Ltd., Quad-Lock Building Systems Ltd. and Superform Products Ltd. Members will find no change in the services and information offered, in obtaining information on services or in conducting business with the new association identity.

The ICFMA is the North American non-profit trade association for the insulating concrete form industry. It was founded in 2014 by a group of manufacturers with the shared interest of promoting and enhancing the social, environmental and economic value of insulating concrete forms in the North American marketplace. icf-ma.org ICRI FORMS TORONTO CHAPTER The International Concrete Repair Institute (ICRI) has formed a third chapter in Canada, with the new Toronto chapter open for membership. The Toronto chapter will join members of the British Columbia and Quebec Province chapters in serving the concrete repair industry in Canada. With more than six million residents, Greater Toronto is the largest population center in Canada.

With the announcement of the new chapter, ICRI officials also named officers for Toronto, with Stephen Franks of BlokLok Ltd in Woodbridge, Ont., serving as president, Stephan Trepanier of Edison Engineers Inc., in Markham, Ont., serving as secretary and David Huggins of Kelso Coatings in Milton, Ont., serving as treasurer. icritoronto.com TCA RELEASES LOW-RISE, MID-RISE RESOURCE The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) has released the third edition of Book 1 of the “The Architecture of Tilt-Up 12

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

Office.” Book 1, which is available now, focuses on the application of the tilt-up construction method for office projects. The use of tilt-up on office projects is not new, but officials said designs presented in this book have inspired markets across the country to reevaluate their understanding of tilt-up’s role for this building type.

The book presents 17 case studies, including both low and mid-rise projects along with the specific benefits of tilt-up related to office construction. tilt-up.org/resources ACI OPENS 2017 AWARD ENTRY PERIOD Entries are being accepted until April 3 for the American Concrete Institute’s 2017 Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards. Details are available at aciexcellence.org.

The highest honor for the 2016 awards was presented to Palazzo Italia, in Milan, Italy, and the ACI Italy Chapter. This award was given to the project that demonstrates excellence in concrete innovation and technology, and stands out above all other entries.

The architectural design envisages the construction of a complex structure whose exterior and some interior spaces recall the shapes of branches in a thick forest. The entire outdoor surface and part of the interiors consist of i.active BIODYNAMIC cement panels, obtained using Styl-Comp technology from the new material developed at i.lab, the heart of Italcementi’s research and innovation.

The “bio” component is given by the product’s photocatalytic properties, originating from the active ingredient TX Active, patented by Italcementi. In direct sunlight, the active principle contained in the material “captures” certain pollutants present in the air and converts them into inert salts, helping to purify the atmosphere from smog. The “dynamic” component is a specific characteristic of the new material, whose particular fluidity allows the creation of complex shapes like those found in the Palazzo Italia panels.

To view the winners in all categories, see youtube.com/embed/bS7HwQcXBFE and aciexcellence.org REGISTRATION OPENS FOR NCMA CONVENTION Registration is open for the National Concrete Masonry’s Annual Convention taking place Feb. 20-22 in Phoenix along with the ICON-Xchange B2B Forum.

ICON-Xchange focuses on the concrete hardscape and masonry community, providing an opportunity to meet with current colleagues and make new contacts. Attendees discover what’s new, best practices and how to utilize available resources.

To register, see https://ncma.org/ncma-annual-convention/

industry news ACI RELEASES GUIDE TO CODE ASSESSMENT FOR REPAIR AND REHAB OF CONCRETE BUILDINGS The American Concrete Institute has released a new publication for concrete industry professionals: “Guide to the Code for Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Buildings.”

Published jointly by American Concrete Institute and International Concrete Repair Institute, the guide provides assistance and examples to professionals engaged in the repair of concrete buildings and is available as a printed and digital book.

The guide has been developed to serve as a companion to “ACI 562-16 Code Requirements for Assessment, Repair, and Rehabilitation of Existing Concrete Structures and Commentary.”

Although specifically developed for licensed design professionals, the guide also serves to provide insight into the use and benefits of ACI 562 for contractors, material manufacturers, building owners, and building officials.

It is separated into two main components: chapter guides and project examples. These two components work together to provide additional information pertaining to how to interpret the performance requirements in ACI 562 and how the requirements may be applied to a broad range of projects. concrete.org/store/productdetail.aspx?ItemID=MNL316 PCA REVISES CEMENT USE TO 2.7% FOR 2016 The Portland Cement Association revised its previous annual 2016 growth estimate to 2.7 percent growth, down from its previous 4 percent estimate. PCA also revised its 2017 U.S. cement consumption forecast to 3.1 percent growth, from 4.2 percent growth, crediting a combination of post-election political uncertainty, inflation and slower construction activity as negative pressures on the economic horizon.

“President-elect Trump continues to shape his cabinet and policies, thus making it difficult to forecast potential outcomes at this point,” PCA Chief Economist Ed Sullivan said. “The impact of uncertainty is expected to be compounded by increased inflationary expectations, which will impact long-term bonds and loans, such as mortgages – to the detriment of cement consumption.” cement.org REACTING TO ECONOMY, FED APPROVES INTEREST RATE HIKE; PROJECTS 3 MORE IN 2017 In a projection that economic conditions are changing, Federal Reserve officials unanimously approved the first interest rate hike since December 2015. The Federal Open Market Committee raised its target range from 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent to a range of 0.5 percent to 0.75 percent.

The committee also approved in December a quarter-point increase in the discount, or primary credit, rate, from 1 percent to 1.25 percent. The committee now expects three rate hikes in 2017, two or three in 2018 and three in 2019.

CRSI’S EPOXY INTEREST GROUP POSTHUMOUSLY CONFERRED SERVICE AWARD The Epoxy Interest Group of the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) posthumously conferred the Epoxy Industry Service Award on John L. Simmet. He passed away in April 1996.

During his career, John L. Simmet helped establish two epoxy coating and fabrication plants, one in Minnesota and one in Ohio, including the first multi-rebar coating plant in the world. He also was part of a group that started the Fusion Bonded Coaters Association (FBCA) in 1982, and later, merged FBCA with the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute (CRSI) in 1985. Years later in 2008, the coaters formed the Epoxy Interest Group (EIG) within CRSI. He was instrumental in the establishment of CRSI’s epoxy coating plant certification program that have over the years significantly improved the quality of epoxy-coated reinforcement and continue to do so today, more than 25 years later.

LATICRETE CO-FOUNDER DEAD AT 91 Lillian Rosenstock Rothberg, 91, Laticrete co-founder and wife of the late Dr. Henry M. Rothberg, died Nov. 27, 2016.

She co-founded Laticrete with her late husband in 1956.

While overseeing office and administrative functions in support of her husband’s efforts to champion superior tile and stone adhesives, she also reared seven children.

AEM HONORS DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) honored the 2016 inductees into the AEM Hall of Fame, which recognizes and celebrates outstanding individuals in the off-road equipment industry, and their legacy of innovation, service and leadership. The two inductees are Ray Hagie, founder of Hagie Manufacturing LLC, and Robert L. Vermeer, chair emeritus of Vermeer Corp.

QUIKRETE FOAM COATING SPEEDS CONSTRUCTION OF SAN CLEMENTE OCEAN-FACING SHOPPING MALL The first and only ocean-facing outdoor shopping and dining destination in Orange County, Calif., The Outlets at San Clemente, was constructed in a classic Spanish Colonial architecture characterized by open courtyards, small open windows, limited ornamentation and thick stucco walls. It has 70 retailers and restaurants across 52 acres, making it the largest shopping mall in the area.

The Brady Companies, which specializes in light gauge steel framing, lath and plaster, covered foam facades and moldings with Quikrete Foam Coating in a grit white color to give the Outlets of San Clemente the illusion of the thick stucco walls associated with traditional Spanish Colonial design. In addition to delivering the desired appearance, using The Quikrete Foam Coating saved time, material and labor on the project.

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

13

resilientbuilding

RESILIENT DESIGN USING CONCRETE FLASH GUIDE ADVOCATES HOME BUILDING THAT WILL STAND UP TO DISASTER Text by Jamie Farny and Donn Thompson

14

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

resilientbuilding Rendering: +lab architect and experimentation. Drawings: Ethan Pawinski

A

N INCREASING NUMBER OF U.S. HOUSEHOLDS ARE LOCATED IN AREAS THAT ARE AFFECTED

BY FLOODING AND HIGH WINDS. BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF THE 2010 U.S. CENSUS, MORE THAN HALF OF OUR POPULATION NOW RESIDES IN COASTAL COUNTIES. THERE IS A TANGIBLE BENEFIT TO MAKING HOMES IN THESE AREAS MORE DISASTER-RESILIENT. NOT ONLY CAN THIS ENHANCE OCCUPANT SAFETY, IT CAN PROTECT PROPERTY AND REDUCE COSTLY REPAIRS FOLLOWING CATASTROPHIC EVENTS.

FLASH, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes, is the country’s leading consumer advocate for strengthening homes and safeguarding families from natural and manmade disasters. FLASH continually looks for ways to move the United States. toward better practices for residential construction.

Their latest publication, Resilient Design Guide – Concrete Construction Edition, is the second in a series of manuals that are intended to help anyone looking to build better, especially in coastal areas. This guide is geared to everyone from the experienced contractor, to volunteer groups involved in mitigation and recovery, to homeowners interested in being informed consumers.

It explains how concrete wall and floor systems, combined with durable wind- and impact-resistant finishes and enhanced framed roof assemblies, can provide cost effective ways to better protect homeowners. In addition to the “how to” of featured leading practices, the guide provides specific context about “why” a more resilient approach is important.

Creation of the guide started with a daylong design charrette hosted by the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Providing a forum to discuss the critical components necessary for next generation coastal construction, the charrette brought together several key groups: local design professionals affiliated with the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, mitigation experts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service, and product representatives for various robust construction materials.

THE GUIDE’S APPROACH Recommendations from the participating experts were incorporated into the guide, starting with an introduction to the types of forces at work when a house is subjected to the significant impacts of high wind or flooding. A 150 mile per hour wind pushes on the side of home with the same force as the weight of snow piled three feet high on top of the roof.

The house has to be designed as “a whole system” so various components including the walls, floors, roof and foundation all work together to resist the forces to which it will be subjected.

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

15

resilientbuilding

The parts of a well-built raised floor, from interior wall finish to spread footings with rebar, are outlined in the design guide.

This drawing shows a raised floor with continuous footings.

Three levels of performance are identified in the guide: • Code compliant conventional construction • Higher local hazard construction • Resilient construction Roofs and foundations are the focus of the first two performance levels. Code compliant construction is typically only strong enough for wind speeds of less than 100 miles per hour and lacks enough strength to resist flooding. For higher local hazards, where wind speeds are greater than 100 miles per hour and where the potential exists for flooding, enhanced construction details can significantly improve performance.

Recommendations for resilient construction — the guide’s highest level of performance — feature concrete walls and floor assemblies combined with more resilient wood-framed roof assemblies. This represents the most cost effective approach to providing a far greater resilient overall structure, often significantly reducing potential for severe damage.

VALUES AND BENEFITS OF CONCRETE Concrete offers high performance in the face of disasters and also delivers benefits for everyday life, such as energy efficiency and low maintenance. Detailed product information is provided for four major concrete wall systems: concrete masonry, conventionally formed concrete, insulating concrete forms and precast concrete systems. Additional information describes the value and benefits of concrete floors, built conventionally with removable forms, or with stay-in-place insulating forms, or with precast concrete planks.

Building better involves more than just the structural system for the home. Recommendations for various additional components are covered. Windows and doors of appropriate design, with appropriate pressure ratings and impact-resistant glazing are highlighted along with recommendations for appropriate flashing. The impact resistance of common exterior finishes varies, so making the right choice based on anticipated debris hazard is critical. Likewise, garage doors can be particularly vulnerable, so careful selection of those is important as well.

Loss of power due to trees or limbs falling on power lines can affect the comfort and safety of occupants. Standby generators can virtually eliminate the problem, especially when used along with insulated concrete building systems.

PLENTY OF RESOURCES Readers are given plenty of references and websites where they can find more in-depth resources covering the many products and systems described in the guide. The language and graphics are clear, concise and easy to understand, even for those who are less familiar with construction.

Roof components in the order they are used: coverings, underlayment, sheathing/ decking and framing.

16

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

THE GUIDE IN PRACTICE: THE #HURRICANESTRONG HOME FLASH partners including the Portland Cement Association, BASF — The Chemical Company, Huber Engineered Wood and +lab architects + experimentation have collaborated

resilientbuilding on a demonstration project that literally builds on the recommendations contained in the Resilient Design Guide – Concrete Construction Edition. Located along the New York City coast in an area called Breezy Point, the project incorporates the many resilient construction recommendations.

The two-bedroom home with 1,375 square feet of living area will be built with a conventionally formed concrete foundation to raise the living level above the local design flood elevation.

Insulated concrete form floor and exterior walls provide strength and energy efficiency. Wood roof framing, enhanced with spray foam insulation for warmth and additional wind resistance will support weather resistant roof sheathing. Concrete roof tiles and fiber cement siding along with impact resistant windows protect the exterior.

During superstorm Sandy, residents of Breezy Point were subjected to high winds and flooding. Further devastation occurred when an electrical fire destroyed more than 130 homes. The #HurricaneStrong Home rebuild is an important element in restoring a community that was hit hard a few years ago and is likely to be hit again.

Once complete, this new home with all of its resilient features will provide its owner with added comfort and peace of mind.

For more information and to download a copy of the new guide visit www.flash.org. The Resilient Design Guide - Concrete Construction Edition will be available on the website in early 2017.

http://www.superformocf.ca

Jamie Farny is director of building marketing for the Portland Cement Association. He focuses on promoting the use of cement-based materials for low-rise buildings. Farny is also involved in promoting white cement, architectural and decorative concrete, and cement-based plaster. He has 25 years experience in construction, holds a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He can be contacted by email at jfarny@cement.org

Quality Magnetite, LLC

Designing Quality Solutions for the Future

Heavy Density Aggregates  Concrete Additive for Radiation Shielding  Concrete Additive for Heat Retention  Additives for Pigments & Dyes 

http://www.qualitymagnetite.com Learn more at: qualitymagnetite.com Company Headquarters 2620 Big Sandy Road (US Rt. 52 South) Kenova, WV. 25530 The best roofing practices shown here includes 30# felt tar paper as an underlayment, staple fastener and concrete tiles over batten strips per manufacturer’s recommendations.

304-453-2222 info@qualitymagnetite.com

info@qualitymagnetite.com

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

17

WORLD OF CONCRETE EDUCATION, NETWORKING, MIND-BLOWING PRODUCTS TO GREET 60,000 CONCRETE PROS The 2017 version may look like WOCs of the past, but looks can be deceiving. More than 60,000 concrete and masonry professionals are expected to work their way through the 2017 World of Concrete exhibit halls Jan. 17-19 in Las Vegas.

This exhibition is important to our industry because it is the only international event that focuses on commercial concrete and masonry suppliers. It’s especially important to the industry because in addition to the exhibits, it is an educational venue with experts instructing cutting edge topics in classrooms in hands-on laboratories in the exhibit halls and in the parking lots.

The thing that attendees always say that they most enjoy is being able to handle, climb into, sometimes operate and crawl all over the most powerful construction machinery and new technologies in the world of concrete.

Take advantage of the companies that are offering growth through franchises, brand new software that makes every step in the concrete building industry easy, instructional videos on safety issues and other topics of interest. And meet old friends and new distributors.

For a full schedule, see worldofconcrete.com/attendee/ schedule/index 18

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

THE ICF SUMMIT The Insulating Concrete Forms Summit 2017 is a part of the World of Concrete. It is sponsored by the ICF Manufacturers Association and the ICF Builder Group, and is a complete educational information about building with ICFs. 1. Introduction To ICFS A new interactive training course (Code TUICF, fee $50) from 10:30 a.m. to noon Jan. 17 is designed for contractors who are new to insulated concrete forms. A team of expert teachers will demonstrate basic installation procedures, including getting the first row started correctly, how to turn corners and how to install window and door openings.

Douglas Bennion of Quad-Lock Building Systems Ltd. and Max Isaac of Superform Products Ltd. will lead the class.

2. Disaster Resilience One of ICF’s greatest selling points is the strength of the envelope. Increase the market appeal of your projects by “building even stronger” with insulated, reinforced concrete.

Intended for contractors already building with ICFs, this course (code WEICF, fee $90) , offered Jan. 18 from 10:30 a.m.

to noon, will cover how to create enhanced resilience against tornadoes, wildfires and hurricanes or other coastal storms.

Dave Livingston of Livingston Construction will share his firsthand experience of exactly how one of his ICF-built homes easily survived the San Diego wildfire of 2007, as well as how he has used his insights over the years since to help custom homeowners understand the value of the wildfire resilient properties inherent in ICF home construction.

Mike Russell of Logix Insulated Concrete Forms Ltd. will discuss how his ICF home, located in a FEMA D-rated location in Putnam County, Florida, was designed and built to offer maximum protection against hurricanes and high winds. Russell will also present how his new home fared when Hurricane Matthew (The Storm of the Century) hit Putnam County in October 2016, barely 30 days after the home construction was completed.

Mike Garrett of BuildBlock Building Systems LLC will present how to brand and position a construction business to capture the market opportunities for disaster resilient rooms, homes and businesses. Garrett will also present the products, packages, collaterals and offerings of the major ICF brands that can be used by builders to market disaster resilience.

3. Mid-Rise ICFs This new session (code THICF, fee $90) is a builder-to-builder

discussion for experienced ICF installers. From 10:30 a.m. to noon Jan. 19, four panelists will briefly share their insights and experiences with the construction and design of ICF mid-rise buildings. An open forum with a question-and-answer session will focus on best practices for this important ICF market segment Harry Schellenburg of HP Builders will compare ICF and wood-frame mid-rise construction from the dimensions of construction cost, detailing and construction practices and speed of construction. Michael Cleary of Integrity Development Corp. will discuss how to offer value engineering proposals that reduce schedule, lower construction cost, add owner value and win mid-rise ICF projects. Rod Fetters, an ICF specialist, will discuss best practices for scheduling, construction management and construction detailing for large mid-rise ICF builds, and Dave Zirbel of Hidden Valley Builders will discuss the pros, the pitfalls and the best practices for smaller contractors when combining and working together to negotiate and build larger mid-rise and commercial ICF projects.

In addition, there are several two-day ICF Summit educational packages available. icf-ma.org or icfbuildergroup.com

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

19

WORLD OF CONCRETE ATTENDEES GET CLOSE LOOK AT THE MOST INNOVATIVE CONCRETE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE

NUDURA EXHIBITS HIGH TECH ICFS Nudura has been developing high-tech industry leading forms that have proven technologies to make building easier and faster, and will be exhibiting their products at World of Concrete Jan. 17-20 in Las Vegas.

The Nudura line of forms offer innovation that allows builders, architects and engineers the ability to build and design commercial and residential structures with greater efficiency.

Nudura offers this technology in all form types and sizes.

DURALOK Technology – Nudura’s patented Fastening Strip securely locks forms into place with a patented reversible triple tooth interlock, eliminating float and compression and the need to wire forms. It has embedded web/fastening strips that run the full 18-inch height of each and every web, ensuring the ICFs do not compress during concrete placement and provide an industry leading continuous fastening strip for finish materials DURAFOLD Technology – The company’s patented Hinged Web allows Nudura ICF products to be shipped flat, allowing for 40 percent more product on a truck compared to other ICF products. Unfold and stack.

Duramax Technology – Nudura Standard Forms are the largest standard ICF in the industry, measuring 96-by-18 inches, which allows the placement of 12 square feet of wall area in one building step. Building with Duramax Technology results in faster installation times, less waste and a reduced amount of seams.

20

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

4-WAY REVERSIBLE System – The patented foam interlock allows the form to be 4-way reversible, almost eliminating waste. Eliminates left and right corners, which allow Nudura ICF Forms to be used in twice as many scenarios as no reversible. nudura.com SUPERIOR SHOWCASES PRECAST WALLS Superior Walls will showcase a variety of the company’s most popular insulated precast concrete foundation walls at the 2017 World of Concrete (booth N956) show in Las Vegas Jan. 17-20.

Known for their durability, speed of installation and dampfree basement conditions, Superior Walls products are available for both traditional below ground foundation applications and above ground construction.

All Superior Walls products are manufactured in indoor production facilities, eliminating any jobsite soil contamination such as the form oil used for poured walls. No on-site sprays or bituminous coatings are required to make the walls dampproof.

The panels are delivered directly to a jobsite where certified crews install the precast wall panels.

Superior Walls product options include: Xi Wall – foundation system with nearly everything insulated, including corners, studs and bond beams. Made of highstrength concrete for solid structural integrity and reinforced with steel rebar and polypropylene fibers.

Xi Plus Wall – based on the design of the Xi Wall, but with 1/2-inch of Dow Thermax insulation and 4-1/2-inch of rigid

foam insulation added. Xi Plus wall systems manufactured in the United States have an insulation value of R-21.3. In Canada, the Xi Plus wall system is made with 5 inches of Neopor rigid thermal insulation with an insulation value of R-23.

Ui Wall – an uninsulated 4-foot-high precast concrete foundation primarily for use below garages and porch systems AG Wall – designed and modified for use above grade, these walls can be stacked to create multiple stories as a part of a complete wall system building solution. superiorwalls.com ALLEN TO SHOW HDX760 RIDING TROWEL Allen Engineering Corp. is debuting its new HDX760 Riding Trowel at WOC (booth O32025), and March 7-11 at ConExpoCon/Agg. The HDX760 is hydraulically controlled ride-on power trowel that incorporates “Intelli-Power” to ensure peak performance, component safety and extended life. The system controls both the Bosch-Rexroth hydraulic components and the 74hp T4F Hatz diesel engine.

This hydraulic control unit communicates with all of the pumps, motors and valves to ensure maximum performance and safety, and monitors the hydraulic filter to warn when the filter is clogged and the temperatures to prevent component damage. alleneng.com BLASTRAC REDESIGNS SHOT BLASTER Blastrac NA has a new design for the 1-8DM, a portable, lightweight shot blasting system that is designed for smaller jobs such as residential garage floors, pool decks and small industrial floors. The unit will be one of many products displayed by Blastrac at World of Concrete (booth 10127).

The shot blasting system runs on single phase common power. With manual travel speed and 8.75-inch blast pattern, this small blast machine is also ideal for balconies, areas around equipment and obstructions, and other tight spaces. It can blast within 1-1/2 inches of front wall and edges to within threefourths of an inch when side magnet seals are removed. Shot pattern reducers are available in 4, 5 and 6 inches.

The Blastrac 1-8DM can prepare, strip, clean and profile in one easy step. There is no rinsing or drying time as with chemical acid etching, and the profile provides a better surface for coating adhesion. blastrac.com

Medusaw is the first worm drive concrete saw that delivers a complete concrete cutting system with legendary Skilsaw worm drive power and durability. Skilsaw engineered this saw with an integrated wet/dry dust management system to control dust, allowing for cleaner cuts, and GFCI protection. Both features extend the life of the saw and protect the user.

Medusaw features a cut-ready adjustable plunge lock that allows users to quickly and accurately set and make consistent plunge cuts. The saw also has an integrated rolling foot plate with rubber wheels that help users move it smoothly across hard surfaces and rust-resistant brackets and fasteners to protect against corrosion. Finally, the tool includes a retractable front pointer that accurately guides the saw along the cut line and retracts for tight spaces. medusaw.skilsaw.com WACKER NEUSON TO DEMO NEW RIDE-ON TROWELS Wacker Neuson has paired its popular 48-inch (4-foot) ride-on trowel with a new electronic fuel injection (EFI) engine that offers added power, speed and fuel economy. See two new models at the WOC (booth O31806 ).

The mechanical steer CRT48-37V and power steer model CRT48-37V-PS are both powered by a 37-hp Briggs and Stratton Vanguard air-cooled gasoline engine with the latest EFI technology.

The engine features an automotive-based closed loop system that delivers fuel more efficiently where and when it is needed, resulting in an easy starting, quicker throttle response, high blade speed capability, as well as improved fuel economy.

The CRT 48-37V mechanical steer is available with a patented torsional assist steering system that is easy to operate and reduces operator fatigue. A rigid, heavy-duty frame leads to more responsive steering and excellent feedback from the concrete condition.

Optimum maneuverability is achieved due to the balanced power to weight ratio and ergonomic twin lever controls.

The CRT38-37-PS power steer model uses a patented electronic steering system that combines hydraulics and electronics

MEDUSAW CUTS UP CONCRETE SKILSAW, the leader in wood-cutting saws for more than 90 years, will exhibit the world’s first fully integrated worm drive saw designed to score and cut concrete at WOC. Until now, users had to create their own tool workarounds to score concrete by modifying a worm drive saw with costly third party or homemade attachments, and the results were less than ideal.

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

21

to create a true power steer unit. The CRT-PS system was designed to produce the results of a hydrostatic machine matched with the responsiveness of a mechanical steer while improving operator comfort. Using simple joystick controls, the CRT-PS handles and performs like a lightweight finishing machine and at the end of the day, the operator sees superior finishing results without fatigue. wackerneuson.us LIEBHERR PUMP TOUTS UNIQUE OUTRIGGER Liebherr will display the truck-mounted concrete pump 41 M5 XXT in booth C5861. Configured in five sections, the 41-meter distributor boom in multifold design is extremely torsion-resistant, and consequently exhibits low-vibration boom movements on the building site.

The concrete pipeline on the Liebherr truck is configured close to the boom on the left and right-hand sides, guaranteeing a balanced weight distribution. The pipe bends a large radius of 10.8 inches, ensuring minimal losses in pressure over the length of the distributor boom. To minimize the necessity of stockpiling different wear parts, Liebherr predominantly use pipe bends of the same type.

The truck-mounted concrete pump features a reach of 132 feet. The five-section boom allows a low unfolding height of only 17 feet 7 inches, and offers a compact set-up while traveling. liebherr.us CONCRETE EXPANSION JOINT CHANGES INDUSTRY Concrete installers have been using asphalt impregnated fiberboard (AIFB) as an expansion joint filler for the last 100 years. Today, installers have a new choice in Nomaflex, a closed-cell polypropylene foam expansion joint filler and form, which has been evaluated by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation officials.

With positive industry feedback from the product’s initial introduction in select sizes last year, Nomaco is now introducing at WOC (booth S13112) a full product line of 30 plank sizes in thicknesses ranging from a 1/2 inch to 1 inch, and widths from 3.5 inches to 8 inches. Nomaflex will be available in sheet form in January 2017.

Nomaflex extends the service life of concrete by acting as a filler for full-depth expansion joints in sidewalks, streets, driveways, highways, airport runways and other applications.

North Carolina-based Nomaco developed the product to solve common problems for installers, including concrete joint sealant failure, difficult installation, product breakage and on-going joint maintenance challenges. nomaco.com/product/nomaflex FAST FORM LAUNCHES FORM BRACKET SYSTEM Fast Form Systems Ltd of Grimsby, England, will be show22

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

casing its new Bracket Form system at WOC booth C6387.

Fast-Form Systems manufacture lightweight formwork systems that offer an alternative to timber and traditional systems. The first U.S. distributor is Spec West, which covers the West Coast and neighboring states.

Spokesmen say this is the only concrete forming system that can truly be erected by hand, with no part weighing more than 44 pounds and the smallest bracket just 4 pounds. The system is a fast and easy way to form bases, slabs, walls and pits, as well as sheet pile capping beams and more.

“The unique bracket that creates fast and easy concrete forming any size or shape with corners of any angle and the ability to cast up to 6-foot-high in any ground conditions,” a spokesman said. “Just bolt down to concrete, pin to earth and hardcore or screw down to ply, then fix ply from behind and pour,” Other products on display include a curb form system, wall form system and sheet pile capping system. fastformsystems.us BOSS 240 EXTENDS SCREED REACH Ligchine International has continued to advance its ScreedSaver line of boom operated screeds by introducing a new sized screed for 2017: the Boss 240 in booth O32126. The Boss 240 incorporates features that customers have indicated they want on boom operated screeds that would reduce their overall screeding costs and thus grow their bottom line.

The Boss 240 is currently the largest screed ever offered from Ligchine, in addition to being the largest coverage/pass screed available on the world market. The Boss 240 features an 18-foot boom reach and a standard Superflat screed head width of 13 feet 5 inches, allowing for 240 square feet of coverage per screed pass and screeding rates of up to 10,000 square feet per hour.

Ligchine’s classic ScreedSaver features have been implemented on the Boss 240: wireless remote control operation; fully automatic screeding; standard 2D laser control for flat or sloped slabs; optional 3D GPS control for paving applications; ability to haul with a pickup truck and trailer; and FL numbers that can only be achieved with a boom operated screed.

The machine sits 6 feet 10 inches wide, 16 feet 6 inches in length when fully retracted, and 5 feet 6 inches in height when in a transport position. With the screed head, the Boss 240 weighs a manageable 7,950 pounds, achieving one of Ligchine’s most valued attributes of being able to transport the machine with a pick-up truck and trailer. ligchine.com ERECT LIGHT POLES EASILY WITH BOLT STAR Construction Innovations LLC will be touting its Bolt Star reusable bolt template product in booth S11653 at WOC. The product was recognized as a winner in the Build magazine 2015 Construction & Engineering Awards and named “Best Reusable Bolt Template” in the USA.

Bolt Star is a tool designed to replace the antiquated method of constructing light pole bases, involving building wood “templates” to hold anchor bolts in place during the cast-in-place concrete pour of pole bases. These round structural bases are commonly specified for parking lot and outdoor area lighting, street lighting, tennis courts, signs, flag poles and security camera poles. The Bolt Star is reusable a dozen times or more when properly cared for.

The Bolt Star has arched arms in the tool’s patented design that gives work crews the ability to trowel finish the entire top of the base immediately after the pour without removing the template. This ensures that bolts are held securely in position while the concrete sets up, lowering the risk of costly rework due to bolts shifting out of alignment.

The adjustable bolt slots for bolt circle patterns ranging from 7-inch to 14-inch gives contractors the flexibility to adjust to a manufacturer’s specification for a particular pole, in the field if necessary. Cage tie slots help keep the rebar cage centered in the concrete form, a benefit when it comes to passing inspections. bolt-star.com WALLDEFENDER CATCHES MORTAR DRIP Mortar Net Solutions, a supplier of moisture management solutions for masonry walls, will introduce a new, 0.4-inch-thick size to its WallDefender line in booth N2056 at WOC. Art Fox, marketing manager at Mortar Net Solutions, said it is the lowest cost mortar dropping collection devices available.

Originally available in 1- and 2-inch thicknesses, WallDefender helps prevent moisture damage to masonry cavity walls by preventing mortar droppings from blocking weep holes. This easy-to-install moisture management solution suspends mortar droppings above flashing on two levels of its trapezoidal-shaped, open-weave mesh, while allowing water to flow through the mesh and drain through the cavity.

“The new WallDefender size is ideal for the smaller wall cavities that you would find in residential and light commercial construction,” Fox said. “It offers the same cost-effective mortar collection that Mortar Net customers expect in the thinner size they need.” mortarnet.com/products/walldefender

The spectrum E transmitter. This high-performing radio control is ideally suitable for a range of applications that require a large number of functions. The new device comes standard with an individually configurable 3.5-inch TFT color display, allowing for the clear indication of important machine data, status information, and warnings. It can also be used with the new radiomatic photon feature.

The technos 2: HBC-radiomatic presents a new radio control with color display. With a newly designed ergonomic housing that allows for many additional functions and features, this new remote is ideal for the convenient control of a variety of cranes and other machinery. The transmitter features a convenient 3.5-inch TFT color display for the indication of operational data and optional features such as the new live video feedback option and radiomatic photon.

The radiomatic report: This offers efficient access management, collection of valuable data. The radiomatic report is an innovative concept that allows for the easy and efficient management of access rights to your machinery, in addition to the tracking of valuable operational data. The radiomatic report encompasses three key elements: user identification and access rights control by HBC Smart Card, tracking of operator and overall machine usage with the HBC data logger, and a complementary self-contained unit that offers these functions without the need for radio controls. hbc-usa.com SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES OFFERS NEW CRUSHER Superior Industries Inc., a U.S.-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing and handling systems, has unveiled a new machinery solution for crushing applications called the Liberty Jaw Crusher. Functioning as a primary crusher, the unit compresses material in stone, concrete, asphalt and ore applications.

Superior acquired the original design in their 2015 acquisition of Canadian-based Clemro Western. After collecting customer feedback, Superior engineers redesigned the unit and added new features.

According to the manufacturer, the Liberty Jaw Crusher is

HBC-RADIOMATIC GIVES YOU CONTROL HBC-radiomatic will show numerous innovations for the safe and convenient control of a range of cranes and machinery in booth C4009.

The new radiomatic photon: This new feature enables the clear display of live camera images on the radio control and can work with several cameras simultaneously. They can be installed anywhere on the machine or work area and transmit live images to the 3.5-inch display on the control with a range of up to 160 yards.

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

23

engineered with an aggressive nip angle that maintains the machine’s ability to consistently grab and process material at a high level of efficiency. In addition, a set of integrated lifting points are designed into the jaw dies for safe replacement or installation.

Other unique features include pitman toe protection. This replaceable component offers an insurance policy if wearing occurs in the pitman fabrication. Furthermore, the unit’s motor is frame-mounted, allowing a smaller footprint and freeing up deck space for maintenance. More maintenance time is freed with the addition of hydraulic tensioning system and hydraulic wedge adjustment.

Superior’s Liberty Jaw Crushers are manufactured in feed openings of 18-by-36 inches to 36-by-48 inches. superior-ind.com

as the mixer fills. The bag’s dust ruffle encapsulates airborne particles, helping to control respirable dust. DustAway helps businesses meet new OSHA regulations for crystalline silica dust by controlling dust to within OSHA-permissible exposure limits, or PELs. The flexibility of the system allows for customers using material packaged in paper bags to convert to small bulk bags to address these new OSHA directives. For larger mixers, companies can work with Blastcrete to design a removable lid that will be available to fill the space where silica dust can escape.

Blastcrete offers a variety of DustAway bulk bag sizes ranging from 500 to 3,000 pounds and customizable lids to fit new and existing machines, whether from Blastcrete or another manufacturer. blastcrete.com

BLASTCRETE SUPPRESSORS OSHA READY Blastcrete Equipment Co. is showing a dust suppression system that limits silica dust exposure in construction applications to help businesses meet new OSHA regulations for crystalline silica dust by controlling dust to within the new OSHA-permissible exposure limits ( PELs). See information on the product in booth 10127.

The new OSHA regulations, which take effect in June 2017, limit permissible exposure limits to 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air over an eight-hour shift. This level is roughly 50 percent of the PEL set 45 years ago for general industry and about 20 percent of the previous PEL for construction.

The patent-pending DustAway system consists of a bulk bag design that attaches securely to a mixer to contain dust

BOOM MAKINA NAMES DISTRIBUTOR Cherokee Equipment Sales LLC (CES) of Hampton, Ga., has become the exclusive distributor for Boom Makina’s concrete placement equipment in North America. Initially, the focus of CES will be to introduce Boom Makina’s spider boom products to the construction industries in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

With more than a 1,000 units in operation worldwide, Boom Makina’s Spider Booms are a proven and dependable piece of equipment whose innovative design and features will benefit many projects. The company will be offering 16-meter (52.4 feet) 4-section Z-boom with a track crawler base option, along with 17-meter (55.8 feet) and 18-meter (59.1 feet) spider booms.

770-331-0686

24

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

WORLD OF CONCRETE GOLD LOT IS WHERE THE ACTION IS

When your eyes cross from spending too much time in the exhibit hall at World of Concrete, the place to go to clear your head is to the Gold Lot events, located in front of North Hall.

Attendees can watch competitions, live demonstrations with the latest products and technologies, and participate in various skill-based riding challenges and hands-on activities.

In the last few years, precast concrete producers have been incorporating many technological advances into the production of wet-cast products. In the Precast Operations Showcase, using interactive presentations, attendees will view current wet-cast methods used in the production of storm shelters, vaults and risers. Demonstrations will focus on form preparation, reinforcement, consolidation and stripping.

A handful of education-conscientious manufacturer-providers will deliver AIA/CES accredited live continuing education presentations, as well as several live outdoor demonstrations.

Architectural Products magazine, along with TheContinuingArchitect.com, have arranged for five separate accredited learning sessions to be delivered at the Gold Lot over the course of three days of the exposition. Presentations will be held “inside” in a mobile classroom parked at the Gold Lot that is climate controlled and seating up to 90 comfortably. Free beverages will be provided to all who attend the free continuing education sessions.

Each 50-minute accredited CE presentation will be followed by access to several ongoing demonstrations from WOC exhibitors. The content will feature important trends in commercial construction that affect the selection of materials, tools and equipment.

WESTERN STAR CHALLENGE Western Star will showcase a variety of vocational products and options. But the “Western Star Trucks Get Tough Challenge” actually puts drivers behind the wheel. The 7th annual ride-and-drive event takes contestants along a short course in their choice of a Western Star truck and scores them on a 50-point scale. All entrants receive Western Star prizes. Last year more than 200 drivers competed in the challenge.

Western Star will feature several of its vocational trucks and product options in the Gold Lot, including a 4700SB dump truck equipped with a Detroit DD13 engine and Allison 4500 Rugged Duty Series (RDS) transmission; a 4700SF mixer with a Detroit DD13 engine and Allison 4700 RDS transmission; and a 4900SF with a Detroit DD15 engine and Allison 4700 RDS transmission.

JOHN DEERE OPERATOR CHALLENGE This is the 14th year of sponsorship of this event in conjunction with World of Concrete. Every year John Deere brings December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

25

machines to give operators a chance to sit in the seat and get the feel for the machine controls, responsiveness and power.

A number of machines are running and operators need to perform certain tasks to score points, avoid penalties and beat the clock. Daily prizes are awarded to the top scoring operator for each machine in the competition.

Machines in the challenge, include four-wheel drive loader, a backhoe, an excavator and skid steer loaders.

The backhoe and the excavators are parked, but the boom and arm are in play as operators scoop balls off of cones, dip balls into buckets and smoothly work the controls to beat the clock. The four-wheel drive loader is also a timed event, but travels through a serpentine, which is outlined by cones and traffic barrels. The operator also drives the right tire up on a ramp and is challenged to drop a soccer ball into a barrel. The last challenge is to hook a barrel handle with a strap that is tied to the bucket by expertly maneuvering the bucket, and move the barrel and unlatch the hook.

The skid steer course has a variety of components. There is a serpentine, as well as a 180-degree turn without touching any of the bordering barrels, a back-up station and even a soccer smack. The operator’s objective is to hit the ball with the side of the bucket to make the ball roll into the goal.

MASONRY MADNESS Ranked as a top attraction during the World of Concrete/ World of Masonry tradeshow, this trowel and mortar party also takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Gold Lot. Seventy-five of the best bricklayers, blocklayers, mason apprentices and tenders battle in four masonry contests to prove who is the world’s best, while competing for cash and prizes.

MCAA’S MASONRY SKILLS CHALLENGE The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) Masonry Skills Challenge is a competition of masonry apprentices in first-, second- and third-year skill levels. The contest is a showcase for skills training in the masonry industry, challenging winning apprentices from regional competitions held throughout the country to determine the top masonry apprentice at each level.

Contestants must build their project in three hours without ever having seen the drawings. They haven’t been able to practice, and they can’t consult their instructor, employer or anyone else during the competition. They have three hours to complete their projects with the given materials. masonryskillschallenge.com SPEC MIX TOUGHEST TENDER Prior to the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 competition, each team’s tender will prove to the crowd who is the fastest in the “Toughest Tender” contest. The world’s top mason tenders compete for the fastest time setting up their Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 26

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

workstation.

The record to beat was set back in 2005 by Felipe Reyes of Connecticut with a time of 11 minutes, 7 seconds. masonryskillschallenge.com MCAA’S FASTEST TROWEL ON THE BLOCK The Fastest Trowel on the Block Competition, hosted by the MCAA, is a showcase of industry craftsmanship and a testament of both the speed and skill of our industry’s workforce. Only those journeymen masons who have the skill, confidence and courage to face-off with the industry’s best are invited to compete.

The competition will pit journeymen masons, accompanied by their favorite tender, against one another in a show of both speed and craftsmanship. Each contestant’s goal is to complete as much of a 30-foot-long wall as possible, using 8-by-8-by16-inch CMU and the provided mortar in a 20-minute heat.

Contestants must have a high degree of workmanship using normal masonry practices and hand tools. fastesttrowel.com SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 The Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 competition will answer the question, who is the best bricklayer. Each team consists of a mason and mason tender building a 26-foot 8-inch, doublewythe brick wall. The most bricks laid in one hour and counted under the quality rules wins the event.

The award places are based on the highest brick counts meeting the quality standards and competition rules. Judges will check each mason’s wall for workmanship and production to determine who will make it to the winner’s circle. More than $100,000 in cash and prizes will be given away, and the champion drives away in a new Ford F-250 4x4 SuperDuty truck. specmixbricklayer500.com MASONRY INNOVATIONS & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ZONE Attendees can take part in live, hands-on learning demonstrations that showcase the most recent innovations affecting the masonry industry Jan. 17-19 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. From cutting-edge products and equipment to technology driven software systems and innovative masonry wall systems, experts in their field will provide information and training that will change how masonry projects are built in the immediate future.

OTHER GOLD LOT ACTION Construction Robotics Construction Robotics is a startup company focused on advancing construction through the use of new technology and the same manufacturing principles used for decades in other industries. By leveraging new technology CR believes there can be significant improvements to the way the construction industry operates. construction-robotics.com

Natural Stone Veneers Intl. Inc. Representatives from the stone veneer manufacturer will demonstrate installation methods for natural quarried thin stone veneers using three different stone patterns on three different substrates using three different types of mortars from Spec Mix: • NSVI’s Juneau Ledge will be installed over galvanized diamond lath and scratch coat.

• Shady Canyon will be installed over concrete masonry units.

• Bronze Ledgestone will be installed over cement board.

Also, back this year is the King Cutter stone splitting tool.

Watch how easily and quickly stone can be shaped-to-fit without wasting time going back and forth to the saw. nsvi.com PROSOCO INC. Prosoco products clean, protect and maintain concrete, brick and stone architecture. Consolideck cleaners restore dirty floors, prep new floors and keep existing floors performing

their best. Prosoco’s R-Guard FastFlash air and water barrier systems stop air and water leaks through walls. Tested and proven weatherproof to Category 5 hurricanes, the FastFlash system is ideal for building-wide air and water barriers, or window retrofits. prosoco.com PULLMAN ERMATOR INC. Manufacturer of HEPA dust extractors, and HEPA air scrubbers for use in construction, concrete floor preparation, cutting and coring, abatement and restoration projects. The broadest range of dust extractors, all models equipped with tested and certified HEPA filtration, providing 100 percent clean-air exhaust when connected to any floor grinder/polisher or ventilated hand power tool. ermatorusa.com

Watch the “fastest trowel” and the “best bricklayer” competitions in the Gold Lot at World of Concrete.

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Monthly

27

WORLD OF CONCRETE DECORATIVE CONCRETE LIVE! LAS VEGAS 2017

By Vanessa Salvia The elimination of Artistry in Concrete from the 2016 World of Concrete was widely seen as a blow. But a new event taking place in 2017 promises to make up for that.

Decorative Concrete Live! will take place on a 40-by-40-foot concrete stage outdoors in the Concrete Surfaces & Decorative Pavilion across from the South Hall. ICF walls and a floor plan similar to a real home will provide space for a variety of demonstrations of horizontal and vertical concrete finishes. Decorative Concrete Live! is sponsored by Concrete Decor magazine and the Concrete Decor RoadShow and will bring together many elements of the concrete industry.

“We’re creating a concrete home outdoors,” says Bent Mikkelsen, Concrete Decor’s publisher. “We’re installing ICF walls from Fox Blocks on this 40-by-40-foot slab with rooms laid out in it where we’ll have live demos for coatings and finishes.”

They’ll be demo-ing products by GigaCrete, a Las Vegas-based company that makes architectural coatings for inside and outside ICF walls. “Their interior wall coatings can be applied directly over ICF blocks in place of having to install sheetrock on interior walls. On exterior walls they are waterproof. We’ll have live demos at World of Concrete for both of those types of coatings on ICF walls.”

28

Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

Cindee Lundin, who led a bas relief workshop at the 2016 Concrete Decor Show in San Diego, will do an interior application at the exhibit’s entry using molds and textured concrete.

Her work will pay tribute to Concrete Cares, a nonprofit organization that pledges to fight cancer “one yard at a time.”

Concrete Cares will have an auction station where attendees can place bids, with proceeds going to Lamplighters of Las Vegas.

The home will feature an interior fireplace and hearth as well as an exterior fireplace. Nathan Giffin of Vertical Artisans will demo a retaining wall using foam molds which he casts his material over to create interesting features. Keith Duhon, winner of the Brawl in the Fall artistry competition at the 2015 Concrete Decor Show in Indianapolis, will do a flooring application using an overlay made to look like wood.

Projects on display will include a polished concrete living room floor, an indoor/outdoor shower made from GFRC, a retaining wall that doubles as a seating area at the entry of the “home” and an aggregate-seeded entryway. The ICFs will also feature a variety of vertical decorative finishes.

“We’ll have a number of artisans out there are doing many different applications,” Mikkelsen says. “We’re going to have exposed, finished, polished, stained, microtoppings on con-

crete, terrazzo applications on concrete, stamped concrete … it should look pretty dang spiffy when it’s all done.”

The finishes on the “home” are all chosen to look good together and represent the many different ways that finishes can be applied to ICFs. “It’s going to be a display of indoor and outdoor spaces that all tie nicely together,” Mikkelsen says. “These are finishes that are on-trend and align with this modern concrete architecture for a residence.”

ICFs throughout the slab are arranged in a way to represent an open look and feel while also distinguishing rooms and areas. Scheduled demonstration times will be announced in the World of Concrete daily schedule, and the artisans will be on hand throughout the day to answer questions. Passers-by can observe their work any time the show floor is open.

“These aren’t over-the-top finishes that only the best of the industry can achieve,” says Mikkelsen. “We want the majority of

the attendees to see that these are finishes that can be applied to just about any type of construction project.”

Decorative Concrete Live! will have two Artisan Sandboxes where attendees are invited to use a variety of tools to create their own unique finishes. Prizes will be awarded for these “sandbox” finishes. Decorative Concrete Live! t-shirts, hardhats and other prizes will be given away daily.

World of Concrete is a big place. Look for the Decorative Concrete Live! sign hanging from a Putzmeister 36Z-meter truck-mounted concrete boom pump.

DECORATIVE CONCRETE LIVE! DETAILS: • Date: Tuesday, Jan. 17, through Friday, Jan. 20, 2017 • Time: During Exhibit Hall hours • Location: Las Vegas Convention Center in the Concrete Surfaces & Decorative Pavilion in front of South Hall

BLASTRAC SUPPORTS FOLDS OF HONOR Blastrac NA, has chosen Folds of Honor Foundation to receive proceeds from the sale of the Blastrac 1-16DB4-V2. The Blastrac 1-16DB4-V2 will be on display with a new look exclusively for the 2017 World of Concrete.

Maj. Dan Rooney, an F-16 fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, has committed to spend his life changing the future of America’s grieving spouses and children. In 2007, he formed the Folds of Honor Foundation; a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational scholarships to the families of these heroic Americans. Folds of Honor provides educational scholarships to the children and spouses of those fallen or disabled while serving our nation.

Maj. Ed Pulido Sr., vice president and co-founder of Folds of Honor, will be a guest at Blastrac (booth S10127). Major Pulido’s story of courage and sacrifice has been featured in the national media. He will be signing his book Warrior for Freedom, from 10 a.m. to noon and 3:30 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. Jan. 17. Portion of proceeds go to Folds of Honor. foldsofhonor.org

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Homes

29

concreteMONTHLY News from the cement and concrete industries

January 2017

MANAGING CASH FLOW

How to balance cash flow and unpaid invoices

By Eyal Shinar Homebuilders, like many small businesses, face daunting challenges every day. We speak with small businesses all the time and hear about demanding clients, finding and retaining skilled workers, and managing multiple projects simultaneously. But the one thing they all say is at the top of their list of worries is cash flow. When small businesses in construction have to wait on payments, everything grinds to a halt.

Not only is this problem well known, but it is big. My team at Fundbox dug into our data and found that construction small businesses are waiting on an average of $110,348 in unpaid invoices each and it takes them 24 days to get paid. We estimate that this amounts to $139 billion in unpaid invoices across all construction small businesses in the United States.

The traditional tools available to small businesses to manage their cash flow are inadequate. Banks provide good services to enterprises, but they’re not able to serve small businesses as well. They require lots of paperwork and can take weeks to get back to you with an approval. And after all that time spent waiting, banks only approve 23.5 percent of the small business loan applications they receive.

30

Concrete Monthly • December 2016/January 2017

Credit cards are another option. But even business credit cards require a personal guarantee. You personally take on the responsibility for each credit card purchase from Home Depot that your company makes. You’d better pay that back when the bill comes due because if you miss a payment that’s a hit to your personal credit, which limits your access to funding in the future.

ANOTHER WAY FORWARD I believe there’s a better way forward. A new wave of fintech companies (fintech is short for financial technology) are providing working capital for small businesses like homebuilders.

Fintech companies use sophisticated algorithms to underwrite customers and that enabled them to approve more than 60 percent of the small business financing applications they receive – more than double the banks’ approval rate. Plus, most fintech companies don’t require as much paperwork as banks, so you can have your answer in days – if not hours – instead of weeks, resulting in a much better experience.

Fintech companies can also provide small businesses with right-sized financing. Whereas banks may struggle to profitably

concretemonthly lend less than $250,000, most fintech companies can provide as little as $1,000. While at first blush some small businesses believe that more capital is better, they also end up paying much more in interest on larger loans than they do on smaller ones. Smaller, tailored amounts that meet the needs of a specific project can be an excellent way to finance your business without overextending it with burdensome financing.

Of course, as with all financial products, homebuilders should go in eyes wide open and read the fine print – when there is some. And, because there are so many new fintech players serving small businesses, pricing can be higher or lower than traditional financial products. This often depends on the fintech company’s pricing structure and the small businesses’ health.

MANAGING MONEY There are also a few other ways construction business owners should be aware of to better manage their cash flow. Those include: • Don’t pay bills until they’re due. If money’s tight and a vendor offers net 90 terms, wait until the due date approaches to send a check. Stretch cash out whenever possible.

• Offer incentives during slower periods to boost revenue. Maybe business is slow for the moment. Construction companies can decide to offer customers reduced prices on materials or larger projects in order to encourage them to break dirt sooner.

• Forecast cash flow regularly. Money problems can blindside some companies, but there are ways to reduce the likelihood that happens. By regularly forecasting future cash flow three or six months into the future, there shouldn’t be any surprises when it comes to a business’ bank account. Proper cash flow forecasting ensures business owners will have the money they need when it’s needed.

By understanding ways to better manage cash flow and looking at the full range of financial tools available to them, small construction companies can thrive – even when customers take forever to pay their bills. CM

ASTM cement committee honors member Bruce Blair, president and CEO of Consumers Concrete Corp. in Kalamazoo, Mich., has received the Bryant Mather Award from the ASTM International Committee on Cement. A member of ASTM since 1996, Blair was specifically recognized for his contributions to the development and continued improvement to cement standards, and for advancing the body of knowledge related to blended limestone-cements.

Blair, previously the vice president of product performance and innovation with Lafarge U.S., has degrees in geology and engineering sciences from the University of Western Ontario. In addition to ASTM, Blair is a member of the American Concrete Institute, National Ready Mix Concrete Association, Michigan Concrete Association, American Subcontractors Association of Michigan, and the Professional Engineers of Ontario. CM

EYAL SHINAR - CEO AND FOUNDER OF FUNDBOX Eyal Shinar is an expert in financial services and technology management.

Prior to his current position as CEO and founder of Fundbox, he served as a vice president at Battery Ventures where he led many projects and investments in the areas of finance, machine learning and software as a service.

Additionally, Shinar was one of the first employees of Old Lane, a $5.5 billion New York-based global hedge fund (later acquired by Citigroup), and also worked for Castle Harlan, a leading $6 billion NYC-based buyout firm. Shinar earned his MBA from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.

4954 Space Center Dr., San Antonio, TX 78218 210.804.0390 www.shweiki.com

shweiki.com

shweiki.com

December 2016/January 2017 • Concrete Monthly

31

builder + business directory

TEXAS

TEXAS

Innovation makes us

Greenbelt Builders

ALL STATES QUALITY INNOVATION EFFICIENCY

the smarter building choice

940-594-3923

Custom Design Services ICF Construction Estimates provided across the state of Texas.

cameron.ware@futurestone.com cameron.ware@futurestone.com cameron.ware@futurestone.com www.futurestone.com www.futurestone.com futurestone.com 817-377-9215 817-377-9215

Geo-Thermal A/C Metal Roofing

Innovation makes us the versatile solution!

Spray Foam Insulation Serving North Texas for over 25 years

Learn more about our innovation at a training class near you or visit:

www.Nudura.com

www.nudura.com

UPCOMING DEADLINES MARCH 2017

Superior Quality, Design-Build Solutions Residential • Commercial • Industrial •Alternative Energy Friday, September 2, 16

WCI serves the immediate north central Texas market as well as the greater Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Arizona markets.

Ad Closing: February 9, 2017

612-363-8227

MATERIALS DUE:

estimating@willertconstruction.com www.willertconstruction.com

FEBRUARY 16, 2017

5101 East University Dr. Ste. 700 Denton, TX 76208 robertdstock@me.com mailto:robertdstock@me.com http://www.facebook.com/greenbeltbuilders www.facebook.com/greenbeltbuilders www.GreenbeltBuilders.com

CANADA QUALITY INNOVATION EFFICIENCY

ADVERTISING CONTACT:

GARY PITTMAN JR. 512-637-0373 garypjr@pcinews.com

Come check out our latest digital issues and back issues online at:

Innovation makes us the versatile solution!

Learn more about our innovation at a training class near you or visit:

Nudura.com www.nudura.com

concretehomesmagazine.com 32 Concrete Homes • December 2016/January 2017

IMAGINE WHAT’S NEXT. Register today to get the ultimate view of where concrete is going.

Imagine viewing all the latest concrete applications. Imagine learning about sustainability advances. Imagine seeing what’s next from over 2,500 exhibitors spread out over 2,500,000 square feet.

Imagination becomes reality in Las Vegas on March 7–11, 2017— and if you make your reservation right now, you can ensure your spot at this huge event... and save!

Get the special $149 rate (and save up to $100) by registering early at www.conexpoconagg.com.

IF IT’S NEW, IT’S HERE.

www.conexpoconagg.com

March 7–11, 2017 | Las Vegas Convention Center | Las Vegas, USA

Co-located with

®

SIZE MATTERS.

When price is dictated by time and time is dictated by speed...

SIZE MATTERS.

At NUDURA, size does matter. NUDURA standard forms feature DURAMAX Technology , the largest standard ICF block in the industry, ™

allowing the placement of 12 square feet of wall area in one building step. Our DURAMAX Technology results in faster installation times, less ™

waste and a reduced amount of seams. Building Has Evolved at NUDURA, ™

allowing builders & contractors to save time on labour, which is money, with the biggest block on the market.

Visit NUDURA at IBS 2017, Booth S1420 and http://eproserv.com WOC 2017, Booth N2021

nudura.com/trainingacademy

www.nudura.com | 1-866-468-6299

Follow us on:

PRIMARY MEMBER