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President's Message
Well, now that we've all reconciled our income taxes from last year, hopefully without too much pain (I always feel a sense of relief to be done with that), and as we roll into the 2nd quarter of 2018 I think it the activity that has taken place in the brief beginning of this year with FPCA is super. Hopefully you've had a chance to participate in some of those.
I know I'm not alone in realizing that when we as producers and associates market precast and its component parts or 'ingredients,' while we are obviously representing our own interests, we are also representing the industry at large. That serves a really important positive goal broadening the pie for us all collectively, and I know that many of you pride yourselves on being industry champions and I thank you.
Recently I've been pondering that, and hope that those of us closely connected both personally and through groups like FPCA and PCI, foster that same goal with others in our respective companies. Yes, we do compete against each other, but a lot also connects us. We've made great strides in recent times and I know that we've also planted many seeds that will require watering.
I believe that the depth of leadership and knowledge currently involved in FPCA rivals that of any time in the last 60 plus years and am always impressed with how readily folks step up when called, thanks again. The end of 2018 will bring a close to some terms and I look forward very much to see what and who comes next.
Lenny Salvo, President of the Board
Coreslab Structures (Orlando)
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FPCA Summer Convention 2018 at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach is quickly approaching. The dates are set for August 9th - 12th. Room reservation is now open; Online - click here or Call (727) 281-9536. Registration form will be available early June. Sponsorship list is currently available by click here or via FPCA website: www.myFPCA.org.
Thank you to some of our early Platinum Level Sponsors:
JVI, BASF, Lehigh Cement!
Complete lists of FPCA classes of membership are available on our website;
www.myFPCA.org. As an Association, we're always encouraging Producer Members to support Associate/Professional Members that support this industry.
- Education: Chair by Mr. Lloyd Kennedy, Finfrock Industries
- 2017-18 PCI Big Beam Competition
- USF - Big Beam design was Dr. Sen's Prestressed Class final project. There were 6 teams that presented their designs to a panel of judges; Ryan Cartwright of Standard Concrete Products, Phillip Walker of ATKINS Global and Diep Tu. This year, unfortunately USF will NOT participate at the national level; They are unable to test their beams for the final report.
- FIU - Big Beam design was Dr. Garber's Prestressed Class final project as well. There were 7 teams that presented their designs. Luis Compres of Coreslab Structures (Miami) and Diep Tu acted as judges. Two teams were selected to move forward with production and to represent FIU at National. Beams will be tested at FIU's structural lab. Final reports are due to PCI on June 15th.
- UCF - Through the relationship with FPCA, Dr. Andrew Yun made Big Beam design as his Prestressed Class final project. This is his first time involving with PCI Big Beam Competition. Teams are encouraged to participate at National but are not required as part of grades. Design presentations will be early May. Teams are already working with Finfrock Industries' engineers on production specific issues. Thank you Andy Budgake of Finfrock for presenting/answering design questions to Dr. Yun's class on April 19th.
- Faculty Activities
- As part of our Committee efforts to engage more faculty involvement from local to national level, we budgeted some scholarship monies to encourage professors to participate in PCI Committees and influence code development processes. Early this year FPCA sponsored Dr. El-Safty of UNF and Dr. Garber of FIU to attend PCI Convention. They both attended PCI's Education Activities Council along with other Committee and breakout sessions.
- Dr. David Garber of FIU and Diep Tu will be attending the upcoming PCI Education Foundation's Professors Workshop in St. Louis from May 22nd - 24th. Dr. Garber is interested in setting up a Learning Center through the Foundation support at FIU.
- Other Activities
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USF - Diep made a presentation to Dr. Sen's Advance Concrete Repair class.
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FIU - Diep presented to Dr. Garber's Prestressed Class about FPCA & industry opportunities.
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UCF - FPCA Education Committee hosted 38 engineering students of Dr. Andrew Yun on our first Prestressed Plants Visit on Mar. 2nd. Thank you, Finfrock Industries, Coreslab Structures (Orlando), and Dura-Stress for a wonderful education experience.
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UCF - President Lenny presented to Professor Quillen's class of approximately 15 students on hollow-core plank design, production and installation.
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UF - This Committee also hosted 32 engineering students from Dr. Hamilton's Prestressed Class to visit Dura-Stress and Finfrock Industries on April 3rd. Thank you to our Producer Members!
- FDOT Liaison: Chair by Mr. Kurt Podoll, Standard Concrete Products
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 PCI's Update
PCI and NPCA Meet at Joint Concrete Products Committee
While it was still cold in Chicago, officers from PCI and NPCA were not disappointed for a reason to escape to the warmer temperatures in Savannah, Georgia, on April 5 for a meeting of the Joint Concrete Products Committee. The Committee meets twice per year to discuss areas where precast concrete groups can identify and advance areas of common interest and collaboration. Among the agenda topics were the PCI Board of Director's commitment to PCI's partnership in The Precast Show through 2022. The group also committed to finalizing a document that clearly defines the products covered by certification programs that can be approved by both Boards and taken to the marketplace to avoid confusion with specifiers.
PCI and NPCA will also participate this week in the cement and concrete industry fly-in to Washington, D.C. Leadership of both groups have identified government affairs, workforce education and training, and safety as areas of ongoing cooperation and collaboration.
Sidney Freedman Craftsmanship Award
PCI is now accepting submissions for the 2018 Sidney Freedman Craftsmanship Award (SFCA). Winners will be presented on stage at the 2018 Committee Days, Oct. 10-13 in Rosemont, Ill., and will also be featured in the PCI Journal. Share your innovation with others and increase the awareness of the resiliency of precast.
The SFCA is presented to PCI-certified plants for excellence in manufacturing and craftsmanship of architectural precast concrete (A1 or CA) and GFRC structures and individual components. Units fabricated after January 1, 2015, are eligible.
Click here and scroll to the bottom of the page for the entry form. The deadline for all entries is August 1, 2018. Send your submissions to technical@pci.org. For more information, contact Roger Becker at rbecker@pci.org.
Quality System Manual Changes
All certified plants recently received notification of required updates to their Quality System Manuals (QSMs). PCI's plant certification program is accredited by the International Accreditation Service (IAS), and these changes are necessary to comply with changes in IAS' accreditation requirements. These changes will also facilitate greater compliance of PCI's certification program with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015, which is the basis of our program.
The notification to certified plants included the updated PCI Quality System Manual Guidelines (QSM-1), which contains the required changes. The Summary of QSM-1 Revisions, which provides additional detail concerning the changes and their purpose, was also attached.
Plants are requested to review the changes in QSM-1 and compare their quality system and quality system manual with the new requirements. While it is expected that the quality systems in some plants already meet these new requirements, it is also expected that most will need to make at least some additions and revisions.
Due to changes in IAS requirements, PCI cannot issue management system certifications to plants that are not compliant with ISO/IEC 9001:2015. Therefore, we will not be able to renew plant certifications for 2018/2019 without verification that the plant meets these requirements, which must be implemented by June 30, 2018. A process by which plants will acknowledge these changes and provide confirmation that their programs either currently meet the requirements or will be revised to conform with them by June 30 will be provided within the next week.
Additional information about these changes will follow in the coming weeks. In the meantime, plant personnel with questions should contact Ken Kwilinski at kkwilinski@pci.org or 312-428-4944, or Mike Kesselmayer at mkesselmayer@pci.org, or 312-583-6770.
Silica Objective Data Project Update
PCI has initiated the data collection process and sent out the information package on how producer-member companies can participate. The package includes an Excel spreadsheet into which your test data is input. Be sure to review the required data that needs to be entered to qualify as objective data.
We have received some comments back and are working on a bug that involves entering ventilation data and should have that corrected and re-issued shortly. If you find any additional bugs while entering your data, please e-mail Jon Grafton at PCI.
There is an input requested on the Sample Gathering Page for the percentage quartz in the sample. If the activity involves working with concrete, it is assumed that this percentage is 70% +/-. You can enter this as the value but it is not mandatory. If you were working with other materials this value would be different.
Please direct any questions to
jgrafton@pci.org
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Member Highlight
CONAC, Concrete Accessories of GA
CONAC is the leading provider of concrete accessories and lifting systems to the precast/prestress industry. Erection Anchors, A-Anchors, DR-Anchors, Wire Rope Anchors, Waive Tail Anchors, Coil and Ferrule inserts, Channel Anchor, Rebar Spacers, Form Accessories and more, visit
www.conacweb.com.
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Upcoming Events
- ACI Concrete Strength Testing Technician
- Click here for dates, locations & registration form
- ACI Concrete Field Testing Technician
- Click here for dates, locations & registration form
- Concrete Field Inspector Specification
- Click here for dates, locations & registration form
- 450 Specification Certification
- Click here for dates, locations & registration form
- FPCA Summer Convention - Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach - Aug. 9th - 12th, 2018 - Make room reservation: by calling(727) 281-9536 or online
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Producer Members
(For contact information, click
here)
Cement Industries - Ft. Myers
Coreslab Structures - Orlando, Tampa, Miami
Colonial Precast Concrete - Placida
Dura-Stress - Leesburg
Finfrock Industries - Apopka
Gate Precast Co. - Jacksonville, Kissimmee
International Casting Corp. - Miami Lakes
Metromont Corp. - Bartow
Pre-Cast Specialties - Pompano Beach
Skanska Civil SE - Pensacola
Spancrete - Sebring
STABIL Precast Products - St. Petersburg
Standard Concrete Products - Tampa
Structural Prestressed Industries - Medley
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