This month we are pleased to feature Precast Specialties Corp. as part of our Meet a Precaster blog series. The following answers have been provided by Precast Specialties Corp. president, John D’Amelio.
Q: Where are you located?
A: Precast Specialties Corp. is located in Abington, Mass., 20 miles south of Boston, giving us easy access to all of New England. Our 20,000 square foot facility is situated on 11 acres and equipped with a fully automated, two-yard concrete batch plant.
Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Founded in 1927 as Nelson Precast, the Precast Specialties Corp. division was created in 1983 specializing in roadway precast. In 1992, the company consolidated all operations under the Precast Specialties Corp. name and today proudly provides precast concrete products to clients in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
Q: How long have you been a member of NPCA?
A: Precast Specialties Corp. has proudly been a member since 2008.
Q: Why did you join NPCA and what are the best benefits?
A: By joining NPCA, the benefits for the company are endless. The networking opportunities through regional events are great ways to connect with area businesses. The training and education courses for members of the National Precast Concrete Association serve both as another outlet to meet potential partners as well as offer invaluable information to better our business operations and exceed customer expectations. We also like the Plant Certification Program – this great resource gives us professional insights into how to improve our processes, efficiency, and products. It’s really a great certification for all plants to strive for because it represents a high level of excellence in operations.
Q: What products do you produce?
A: We create a variety of precast concrete products including wall panels and trim work, customized to each customer’s specifications. Our Roadway Products Group manufactures precast curbing, parking bumpers, guardrail posts, electric handholes, pullboxes and traffic signal and light pole bases. Our Custom Products Group specializes in custom precast products that include signs, support structures, retaining walls, platforms, boat ramps and seawalls. We can produce virtually any color, finish or texture to meet our client’s project needs.
Q: Have you introduced any new products lately?
A: Our custom products have been on the rise in recent years. We also have released new insulated sandwich wall panels using the Thermomass System, the world’s safest, most cost-effective, energy-efficient and durable concrete sandwich wall insulation system.
Q: What are the top attributes of precast concrete?
A: Precast concrete offers many energy-saving benefits and complies with sustainability guidelines for LEED building, contributing to LEED Points in several categories of the LEED rating systems. Precast concrete components are actually helping designers and architects achieve the conservation goals their clients are seeking, in conjunction with other innovative systems. No other building material resists deterioration or has a longer life span than concrete. It also eliminates the need for, and environmental impact of, demolition and replacement. Precast concrete’s low permeability makes it very resistant to wind-driven rain and moist outdoor air. Advances made in waterproofing admixtures can be added to concrete to create built-in waterproofing that can be used for walls, foundations, tunnels, etc.
Q: What has your company done to fight off the recession?
A: It’s been about getting back to the basics to fight off the recession – we simply focus on controlling costs, eliminating waste and streamlining our manufacturing operations.
Q: What have you see in your area as far as recovery?
A: Like us, many precasters have begun exploring markets that have not traditionally utilized precast concrete products in the past which has opened up a lot of new opportunities for growth.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: Moving forward, we want to expand and grow our business within the strong existing product lines we have. We are focused on leveraging new technology to improve our productivity, ultimately to increase value to the customer and better meet their needs.
Please check out our past 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 communication manager, Kirk Stelsel.
Leave a Reply