Director’s Corner
...
At a time when we conduct so much of our daily interactions via electronic means, our recent summer meeting at Sandestin afforded us the opportunity to communicate face to face as we continue to strengthen our existing relationships and forge new ones. I was especially pleased to see representation from nearly every producer member of our association, as well as countless associate members, who are valuable assets and resources to us all. The ability to combine business with pleasure during the PCI Gulf South Summer Meeting is a long standing tradition that continues to show us that working together as a team is the best strategy to achieve the mission of our shared interest in growing the precast industry within the region and nationally.
|
Mix Design Class: PCI Gulf South hosted a mix design training class on May 10th at the Hyatt Place in Jackson, MS. Twenty two attendees comprised from producers, associates and DOT employees were introduced to concrete mixes and everything that effects the properties of a good concrete mix. Attendees were exposed to such topics as chemical admixtures, individual materials that make up a mix design, mix design calculations and durability issues effecting sustainable concrete.
|
For some, it was a good refresher course in mix design components and for others a new tool on how to design and control various aspects of concrete. We would like to thank Paul Ramsburg from Sika for conducting the event and sharing his vast knowledge and expertise of mix design technologies.
|
Welcome to our newest PCI Gulf South Associate Member.
CONAC provides lifting anchors, double tee anchors and various inserts, panel pads, rebar ties and magnets.
Welcome Aboard!
|
|
Summer Meeting: Productive meetings featuring keynote speakers from within the industry were the cornerstone of the Summer 2017 PCI Gulf South Convention at Sandestin Golf & Beach Resort. With in-depth presentations from Bob Risser, Alex Morales, Ken Kruse, Marty McIntyre, Dan Warner and Micah Dew, we all benefitted from their input and expertise on topics that effect us all as we continue to grow our share of the marketplace. Topics of interest included PCI Board restructuring with newly included regional representation (Thank you Matt DeVoss for your commitment to represent PCI Gulf South nationally.), a detailed economic report with invaluable data & indicators as to how the industry is performing and an update on the PCI Foundation and how PCI Gulf South intends to support the efforts of the foundation through hosting events such as the 1st Annual PCI Foundation Golf Tournament now being organized to occur in conjunction with the Winter Meeting 2017 in December.
|
In keeping with PCI Gulf South tradition, we also enjoyed an opportunity to break bread and engage in some friendly competitive fun. The Summer Convention showed us all that PCI Gulf South is ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work carving out a larger role in the building sector. Our membership shows the drive, motivation and team spirit needed to take our place as a solid competitor in this growing region.
|
Gate Precast Co. recently named industry veteran
Chris Ard to its Monroeville sales team, covering Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Chris has worked at Gate for 14 years, starting in estimating and serving as a project manager for the past 8 years.
Congratulations Chris!
|
|
With the recent passing of Rocky Steen,
Christy Powell has been promoted to
President of J.J. Ferguson, Greenwood, MS. Christy has a long history with the company dating back to 1998 when she was hired as the Asst. Controller. She held the most recent position of Vice President of Internal Operations since 2006 when Rocky acquired the company after the death of Mr. Ferguson. Christy’s vision for the bridge component manufacturing plant includes growth and expanded recognition of their products & services throughout the Gulf South region. We congratulate Christy on her new role at the helm of J.J. Ferguson and look forward to her continued participation in PCI.
|
|
Transportation Committee:
Headed by Dave Tomley our Chairman and Mike Spruill our Vice –Chairman, the Transportation Committee conducted the first official meeting at the Summer Convention. It was great having representation from all three DOT’s involved in the discussion. We were also fortunate to have Dr. Sri Aaleti from the University of Alabama in attendance. The agenda was discussed and adjusted to include additional items of concern, with a future meeting being scheduled to determine how to best integrate what PCI producers do and what DOT’s design departments need. Items added to the original agenda include steel fibers for UHPC, skid blocks and camber issues. Producers and DOT’s are strongly encouraged to share their project profiles for marketing purposes so PCI Gulf South can champion the industry in our region.
|
|
The joint Mississippi/Alabama Engineering Society Summer Meeting was held at Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, AL over the Memorial Day weekend. PCI Gulf South participated as both an exhibitor and a presenter. It was an honor to share the merits and value of precast/prestressed wall panels to the attendees. The group was particularly interested in how our products can be used to address multi-hazard issues in our region.
|
|
The event provided an opportunity for business, socializing and networking and mirrors our own summer convention format. I look forward to the 2018 meeting in Biloxi where PCI Gulf South will continue to put the face of precast in the forefront of the design community.
|
|
Product Highlight: Precast Wall Panels ( Part 1 of a 3 part series covering all 3 types of walls)
Precast concrete wall systems can be comprised of a variety of shapes and wall types. Typically, precast concrete wall systems fall into three basic categories: solid, sandwich and thin-shell. Precast concrete wall panels provide the face of the building and can be fabricated in a number of ways to meet specific design needs. A myriad of textures, colors and designs can be applied to the panels to meet virtually any aesthetic need. The walls can be panelized and erected in either a horizontal or vertical position and used on all types of structures from residential to commercial, institutional to industrial. Wall panels can be designed as nonloadbearing or loadbearing, carrying floor and roof loads, as well as lateral loads.
|
|
Solid Walls
Solid wall panel simply refers to a wall made of solid concrete, as opposed to including integral insulation. In many cases, this type of wall functions as shear walls, as well as the exterior skin of a building. These wall systems require some form of insulation and an interior wall/finishing system to complete the building enclosure.
|
|
Typical widths:
4 to 15 ft.
Typical heights:
10 to 50 ft.
Typical thicknesses:
4 to 12 in.
Finishes: Since wall panels are cast in a flat orientation, the form side is typically the side that will be exposed to view.
|
|
|
Upcoming Events:
Alabama Section ASCE/APWA Alabama Chapter Meeting
Perdido Beach Resort, Orange Beach, AL
2017 PCI Committee Days
October 4-7, 2017
Rosemont, IL
PCI Gulf South Fall Board Meeting
September 12th, 2017 (Tentative)
Hattiesburg, MS
Gulf South/PCI Foundation Golf Tournament
Location: TBD
December 6th, 2017 (Tentative)
PCI Gulf South Winter Meeting
December 6th, 2017
Beau Rivage
Biloxi, MS
|
|
|
Did You Know?
Mistakenly, many people use the term "Cement" and "Concrete" interchangeably. Cement, the binding agent within concrete is only one of three key ingredients that make concrete work. The other two are aggregates (both large and small) and water.
|
|
Please like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/pcigulfsouth
|
|
If you would like to be part of our newsletter email list or to schedule a Learn@Lunch please contact
Dan Eckenrode,
Executive Director
228-239-3409
|
|
If you would like a printable copy of our newsletter please click on the link.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
