Meet a Precaster-J&R Slaw Inc.

This month we are pleased to feature J&R Slaw Inc. as part of our Meet a Precaster blog series. The following answers have been provided by Bob Slaw.

Don’t forget to check out all of our Meet a Precaster blog posts and if you’re an NPCA producer member and would like to be featured in a future Meet a Precaster post, please send an email to NPCA’s assistant director of communication, Kirk Stelsel.

Q: Where are you located?
A: Lehighton, PA. In the heart of the lovely Pocono Mountains.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: 33 years and going strong.

Q: How long have you been a member of NPCA?
A: Approximately 5 years.

Q: Why did you join NPCA and what are the best benefits?
A: As our client base grew, encompassing many of the DOTs in the Mid-Atlantic region, self certification for quality measures required having NPCA certified staff. One of the many reasons why we decided to join NPCA was the online Quality School. Nearly all of our Read More »

Form & Function: When Infrastructure and Precast Concrete Meet

Precast Concrete Covered Bridge

Precast concrete has long been a staple of our nation’s infrastructure. Thanks to its durability, dependability, quality and ease of installation, DOTs have used it for a wide range of applications, including walls, bridges, barriers and more.

While some precast elements dutifully do their job but go largely unnoticed as they Read More »

Meet a Precaster-Lee’s Precast

This month we are pleased to feature Lee’s Precast as part of our Meet a Precaster blog series. The following answers have been provided by Allen Lee, GM/Estimator at Lee’s Precast Concrete, Inc.

Q: Where are you located?
A: Aberdeen, Ms., about 30 minutes South of Tupelo, Miss. (Birthplace of Elvis Presley)

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: 33 Years

Q: How long have you been a member of NPCA?
A: 17 Years

Q: Why did you join NPCA and what are the best benefits?
A: We joined NPCA to gain Read More »

The Uncertainty of the Future

Excerpt from a magazine:
“It is a gloomy moment in history. Not in the lifetime of any man who reads his paper has there been so much grave and deep apprehension; never has the future seemed so dark and incalculable.

“In France, the political cauldron seethes and bubbles with uncertainty. England and the English Empire is being sorely tried and exhausted in a social and economic struggle, with turmoil at home and uprising of her teeming millions in her far-flung Indian Empire.

“The United States is beset with Read More »

Stop, in the Name of Success

Believe it or not, we’ve made it to the first day of Spring. March 20^th is here and if your 2012 has been anything like ours here at NPCA, it’s been flying by.

Spring is often thought of as a season of renewal. In the Midwest, the cold weather fades away, spring rains bring green grass and flowers and you can just feel a sense of positivity in the air. So while 2012 may already be well underway, I’d like you consider Read More »

Meet a Precaster-Shea Concrete Products

This month we are pleased to feature Shea Concrete products as part of our Meet a Precaster blog series. The following answers have been provided by Greg Stratis, Manager and current NPCA Board Member.

Q: Where are you located?
A: We have three locations Amesbury, Wilmington and Rochester, Mass.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Shea has been in business since 1949. In September 1999 we purchased Read More »

The Music Has Stopped: Do You Have a Chair?

Ever play musical chairs as a kid? There’s a certain thrill as you walk around the circle, wondering when the music will stop and whether you’ll make it to a chair in time.

I thought of this recently as I was reading some of the recent jobs numbers and about the two-year transportation bill passed by the U.S. Senate – a $109 billion surface transportation bill. Construction is labor-intensive and requires manpower, but we first need to move some dirt. Unfortunately, a 2-year transportation bill won’t cut it. Why? Because Read More »

Precast Concrete Towers Over the Competition

For decades, water towers have stood as high-rising landmarks of cities and towns across the country. They are sometimes even used as a blank canvas to depict the local culture, a local company, or a well-known aspect of the community.

At their core, though, water towers are very functional and necessary. They supply the water pressure needed for the surrounding area and hold enough water for a typical day of use. To achieve the needed water pressure requires a building material strong enough to safely reach the specified height. In the past, Read More »

Precast Concrete Plant Survival Part 2 – Preparing for the New Economy

What will the post-recession economy look like?

It may seem like a premature question while the construction sector is still languishing, but sowing some seeds for the future will help you reap benefits down the road. In my last post, we compared economic recessions to hurricanes. In this post, we’ll look at surviving the third and final phase and the paradoxes of the industry moving forward.

The protracted construction recession will continue to thin the herd, leaving fewer contractors and precasters. Logically, this would mean competition will be down but the reality is competition will be up. That’s because the survivors have learned the importance of diversification. They’re not Read More »

Meet a Precaster-Superior Walls of East Tennessee

This month we are pleased to feature Superior Walls of East Tennessee as part of our Meet a Precaster blog series. The following answers have been provided by Stacey Harvey, President.

Q: Where are you located?
A: We are in Rock Island, Tenn., in the center of the geographic triangle created by Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Since 2003.

Q: How long have you been a member of NPCA?
A: We joined NPCA in December of 2011.

Q: Why did you join NPCA and what are the best benefits?
A: We joined NPCA to expand our Read More »