Mar 14 Concrete Openings

M A R C H 2 0 1 4

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF CSDA

W W W. C O N C R E T E O P E N I N G S . C O M

CSDA WORKING TO REPEL PROPOSED SILICA RULE

WIRE SAWING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

INNOVATIVE CORING MACHINE ON LIRR PROJECT

DeckStacking

Odds in Cutter’s Favor on Casino Project

the

CONCRETE OPENINGS | 1WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

JUDITH O’DAYCSDA President

T his year, we have witnessed the passing of several members of a generation of creators, innovators, engineers and entrepreneurs that helped build the concrete cutting industry. Each of these

losses causes me to reflect on what particular attributes, expertise and ethics these individuals brought with them to their respective roles. Their backgrounds and education varied, but common to these men and women was a willingness to try new things, patience to help co-workers grow, confidence and determination to achieve their goals and the ability to convey their vision to the people around them.

Some served as the public face of their companies, as president, CEO or the like, while others remained essentially behind the scenes, handling the day-to-day running of the business or providing the support system that helped make it all possible. They did not shy away from making tough decisions, doing the hard work of looking after the common good of their companies, employees and customers or sharing their expertise with others—even with their competitors. Whatever their official role, they certainly have set an example worth following, hopefully motivating us to fight the good fight and do the right thing in these changing times.

The changes and challenges facing businesses today are not all new. We have probably faced most of them before, in one form or another. What may be new to some of us is the number of challenges facing us at one time and the need to address them rapidly, while still meeting customers expectations and generating profitability for the company. Handling these challenges may require additional resources.

The CSDA provides access to an array of resources, not the least of which is the knowledge and experience of the membership. This indi-vidual and collective expertise is readily available at the Annual Conven-tion and Tech Fair, in both structured and informal settings, as well as at the regional Board and committee meetings. Taking the time to partici-pate in these CSDA activities gives you the opportunity to network with members of our industry who are coping with the same challenges and are learning from past generations.

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CSDA OFFICERS

President, Judith O’Day Terra Diamond Industrial

[email protected]

Vice President, Kevin Baron Western Saw, Inc.

[email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer, Mike Orzechowski DITEQ Corporation [email protected]

Past President, Jim Dvoratchek Hard Rock Concrete Cutters, Inc.

[email protected]

Executive Director, Patrick O’Brien Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association

[email protected]

CSDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Terms expiring in 2014)

Kevin Baron Western Saw, Inc.

[email protected]

Tim Beckman Cutting Edge Services Corporation

[email protected]

Paul DeAndrea DeAndrea Coring & Sawing, Inc.

[email protected]

Steve Garrison Hilti, Inc.

[email protected]

Donna Harris Concrete Renovation, Inc.

[email protected]

Ron Rapper Husqvarna Construction Products

[email protected]

CSDA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Terms expiring in 2015)

Ty Conner Austin Enterprise

[email protected]

Mark DeSchepper Construction Solutions, LLC

[email protected]

Matthew Finnigan National Concrete Cutting, Inc.

[email protected]

Mike Greene Greene’s, Inc.

[email protected]

Greg Lipscomb Diamond Products Limited

[email protected]

Sid Kilgore Dixie Diamond Manufacturing

[email protected]

C O N C R E T E C A S E S

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Stacking the DeckOdds in Cutter’s Favor on Casino Project

State of the UnionCSDA Member Cuts Piers for New UT Student Center

Elevated StatusDiamond Wire Cuts Motors Free for Upgrade


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Combining unsurpassed leadership in performance, reliability, innovation and customer service

Providing a complete range of professional grade tools and equipment for the concrete cutting industry

The industry leader in diamond chain and tools is now your exclusive source of Pentruder high performance wall saw, wire saw and core drill solutions

Concrete Chain Saws • Diamond ChainsWall Saws • Wire Saws • Core Drills

Diamond Blades • Diamond Wire • Core Bits

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Fast Track to SuccessCoring Machine Provides Speed and Efficiency on Railroad Project

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4 | MARCH.14

CONCRETE OPENINGS MAGAZINE

Official Magazine of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association

Volume 23, Number 1 ISSN: 1093-6483

Concrete Openings magazine is published by O’Brien International, Inc., four times each calendar year in March, June, September and

December. Editorial contributions are welcomed and advertisements are encouraged. Please contact the

Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association 100 2nd Avenue South

Suite 402N St. Petersburg, FL 33701

Tel: 727-577-5004 Fax: 727-577-5012

WWW.CSDA.ORG

Magazines, newspapers and private individuals are welcome to reproduce, in whole or part, articles published herein provided that acknowledgements are made in the following manner: “Reprinted

courtesy of the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association, Concrete Openings magazine, Issue Date.”

No alterations should be made in the text of any article.

PUBLISHER

Patrick O’Brien

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Russell Hitchen

CONCRETE CASE CONTRIBUTORS

Stu Fishman

Phil Hawley

Matt Hephner

Terry Sanders Mark Simons

EDITORIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE

Skip Aston

Rod Newton

Pat Stepenski

The information and recommendations in this magazine are provided for use by fully qualified, professional personnel. The Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association and the publisher

disclaim any responsibility as to their use by readers and shall not be liable for damages arising out of the use of the foregoing information.

All bylined articles published in this magazine represent solely the individual opinions of the writers and not necessarily those of the

Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association.

C O N T E N T S

12 World of Concrete 2014 Celebrating 40 Years of Industry Excellence

14 Concrete Openings Awards CSDA Contractors Honored at WOC Ceremony

26 The Business of Business Where is Your Business Now?

38 Safety Counts CSDA Working to Repel OSHA’s Proposed Silica Rule

40 Tech Talk Technology: Our Greatest Advantage and Biggest Challenge

48 Social Media Focus How Many Times Per Week Should You Be Posting to Facebook and Twitter?

50 Polished Perspective Are You in Control of Your Polishing Process?

54 Core Health Implementing a Pre-Employment Physical Program

57 OSHA/CSDA Alliance Latest

58 Industry Bits

64 Certification

65 Membership

68 Calendar

72 Director’s Dialogue

50Cover Photo: The Wind Creek Wetumpka hotel and casino, Wetumpka, Alabama

© 2014 Concut Inc. All Rights Reserved

TRUSTED BY PROS SINCE 1946

Leading U.S. Owned Manufacturer of Diamond Tools & Equipment Since 1946

Concut has been manufacturing diamond blades, core bits and equipment in the United States for more than 67 years. From our base in the Paci� c Northwest, we have grown to be the nation’s largest US owned manufacturer of diamond tools.

We are proud to produce some of the highest quality products in our industry – and we pledge to stand behind them.

For more information or to request a catalog, please call 800.243.5888 or visit us on the web at Concutusa.com

6 | MARCH.14

Stacking the Deck

Photos courtesy of the Wind Creek Wetumpka.



A total of 34 BART stations required some form of retrofit to protect passengers and staff in the event of a major earthquake.

When a general contractor needed someone to perform over 18,000 feet of concrete cutting on a high-stakes project, there was no time

for gambling. A combination of knowledge, experience, reliable equipment and industry-certified operators meant this specialty contractor was a sure bet for success.

The project involved the cutting and removal of approximately one- third of an existing four-story reinforced concrete parking garage in Wetumpka, Alabama. The renovations would allow the garage to connect with a new luxury hotel and casino being constructed adjacent to it.

Wind Creek Wetumpka is a 20-story, deluxe hotel and casino that features 283 rooms, 85,000 feet of gaming space, five restaurants and a 16,000-gallon shark tank at the casino’s bar. It is one of three casinos owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians; Alabama’s only federally recognized tribe. Construction on the development began in May 2012 and took over 18 months to complete. It was during the construction phase of this project that the general contractor, Ard Contracting, Inc. of Birmingham, Alabama, chose CSDA member International Drilling & Sawing, Inc. (IDS) of Montgomery to do the concrete cutting work.

“We were chosen for the job because we met all of the specifications set by Ard Contracting and had the experience necessary to do the work,” said Terry Sanders, project manager for IDS. “Our operators were able to cut the heavily-reinforced structure accurately, with reduced dust and debris. In addition, our techniques produced less noise and vibrations than other methods, meaning the other two-thirds of the parking garage deck remained free of damage.”

The team from IDS was tasked with cutting slab decks, beams, columns and four stairwells while core drilling pick holes on all four levels of the garage. These holes would allow the general contractor to remove cut sections by crane. Also, a number of post-tension cables had to be exposed and detensioned before cutting could begin. The company began work in early July 2013 and was provided with a six-week window to complete all tasks.

Odds in Cutter’s Favor on Casino Project

Operators used slab saws to cut through 30 inches of reinforced concrete.

Crowds lined up for the casino’s opening day in December 2013.

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Cutting began on the ground level of the parking garage. The 6-inch-thick reinforced concrete slab deck was cut using a Core Cut 6560 ELT saw from Diamond Products and a FS6600 saw from Husqvarna Construction Products. The specified area was cut in sections measuring 20 feet by 6 feet, with each section taking one hour to complete. Oper-ators then began setting up sawing equipment on the top level of the structure, where in addition to the slab, there were beams and stairwells to cut. The cutting team was now working four stories up, approximately 110 feet from ground level, so it was necessary for everyone to be tied off and provided with all Personal Protective Equipment needed to do the work safely.

Operators began by using a Core Cut CC110 saw from Diamond Products to plunge cut through reinforced concrete beams that were 30 inches thick. A Hydrostress wire saw was also used to pull cut through the 3-foot-by-3-foot cross section of the beams. IDS made 56 pull cuts through the beams of the garage, each taking 45 minutes to complete. Once all beams were cut, operators turned their attention to the slab deck and used 20-foot by 6-foot measurements to cut sections free, just like on the ground floor slab. All slab sections were shored during cutting to prevent unplanned breaks.

Slab decks, beams and piers were removed so that the existing parking garage could link to a new hotel and casino building.

Wire saws were used to cut through support piers and beams.



The stairwells were cut using 880 Pro Force chain saws from ICS and hydraulic hand saws from Diamond Products, taking four hours to complete. A Weka DK1601 handheld core drill was then used to make 2-inch-diamater pick holes in all cut sections before Ard Contracting arrived on site to remove each one with a 90-ton crane. With all other cut pieces removed, IDS began cutting a series of 2-foot by-2-foot columns using the wire saw. A total of 80 pull cuts were made, each completed in 60 minutes.

An important part of the cutting contractor’s work was the identifica-tion and de-tensioning of all post-tension cables before cutting. Failure to do this would have caused the cables to retract when cut, creating a major safety hazard for workers in the area. The cables were located on the side of the slab and covered by a small mortar patch. Each one had 25,000 PSI of pressure applied. IDS also had to be sure that all shoring was secure before and during cutting, so work would stop periodically to check the positioning of the shoring and make adjustments.

With all cables correctly identified and safely de-tensioned, the IDS team was able to concentrate on keeping operators and equipment safe while working at height. Some slab cuts ran to the edge of the concrete, so there was a concern that the saws would have gone too close to the edge and fallen off. To prevent this type of accident, the contractor set chains to

Slab decks were cut into 20-foot by 6-foot sections.

The contractor was 110 feet above ground level while cutting the fourth story of the structure.

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Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc.

And tools from a tool company

“As a three-truck cutting and coring operation we knew from day one that we would select GSSI equipment when starting our GPR Company.

We visited others and tried others and to us there was just no comparison. From the welcoming we received on our first visit to the customer service we get today, GSSI is a true pleasure to work with.

We look forward to many years ahead and can’t wait to see what’s up next in the world of GPR.”

– Storie Quast, Owner of Taylor’s Structural Imaging, Kentucky

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“The StructureScan Mini is useful when scanning overhead,

it’s lightweight and easy-to-use.”- Chase Johnson, GPRS San Francisco

Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc.

And tools from a tool company

“As a three-truck cutting and coring operation we knew from day one that we would select GSSI equipment when starting our GPR Company.

We visited others and tried others and to us there was just no comparison. From the welcoming we received on our first visit to the customer service we get today, GSSI is a true pleasure to work with.

We look forward to many years ahead and can’t wait to see what’s up next in the world of GPR.”

– Storie Quast, Owner of Taylor’s Structural Imaging, Kentucky


COMPANY PROFILE

A CSDA member since 1996, International Drilling & Sawing, Inc. has been in business for 20 years. The company is based in Montgomery, Alabama and has support locations in Birmingham and Pensacola, Florida. IDS employs 28 operators, has 18 trucks and offers the concrete cutting services of slab sawing, wall sawing, hand sawing, wire sawing, core drilling, selective demolition and GPR imaging. IDS is a CSDA Certified Operator company.

RESOURCES

General Contractor: Ard Contracting, Inc.

Sawing and Drilling Contractor: International Drilling & Sawing, Inc. Montgomery, Alabama Phone: 334-288-8322 Email: [email protected] Website: www.idscuts.com

Methods Used: Slab Sawing, Wire Sawing, Hand Sawing, Core Drilling

REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT: WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM/FORUM.CFM

the saw that were attached to anchor points in the slab. This prevented the saw from reaching a tipping point if it got too close to the edge. Even more crucial was insuring that operators did not fall from height, so they each were fitted with a 50-foot retractable lanyard system.

Working safely and efficiently, the cutting team from IDS was able to complete all tasks within the time frame specified, even finishing the job four days ahead of schedule. Operators made 189 plunge cuts to a depth of 30 inches using slab saws, executed 130 wire saw pull cuts to remove columns and beams and core drilled 1,400 picking holes measuring 2 inches in diameter. The general contractor removed approximately 40,000 tons of concrete, with a corresponding 18,000 feet of cutting.

“I was very proud of how our employees handled this job,” said Tim Rudder, owner of IDS. “They worked 12-14 hour days in July and August under the hot Alabama sun to make sure the project got done on time and within budget. Terry Sanders, along with our project superintendent, Roy Nelson, and lead operator, Mark Taylor, deserve recognition for going above and beyond.”

The Wind Creek Wetumpka hotel and casino opened in December 2013 as planned and drew a big crowd for opening day. Thanks to IDS playing its best hand, the general contractor was literally able to stack the concrete slab deck in its favor. Hotel and casino guests now have easy access between the parking garage and the main building, proving that using experienced CSDA members is no gamble.

The general contractor removed approximately 40,000 tons of concrete, with a corresponding 18,000 feet of cutting.

1 2 | MARCH.14

When the first World of Concrete was held in Houston, Texas in 1975 with 103 exhibitors, many of those

involved could not have foreseen that the show would grow exponentially and still be going strong 40 years later.

The following year, in 1976, the show moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and now the two are synonymous with each other. This year’s show drew over 48,000 concrete professionals to the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), where over 1,250 exhibitors

met with attendees across more than 570,000 square feet of show space.

A long-standing supporter and 38-year cosponsor of World of Concrete, CSDA had its exhibit booth set up in the Central Hall of the LVCC and was joined by a good number of its membership. Manufacturer, distributor and affiliate members of the association filled almost 40 exhibit booth areas, indoors

and out, while many contractor members walked the show and gave their time to promote CSDA at the association’s booth.

ProductsThe range and focus of new

products and innovations on display at World of Concrete 2014 really showed how the concrete cutting industry has changed—voluntarily or otherwise—over the past 40 years. Now, the onus is not only on exhibitors to supply tools, equipment and services that allow contractors to do jobs faster

World of Concrete 2014Celebrating 40 Years of Industry Excellence

and to a larger scale, but also helps them do their jobs safer, “greener” and more efficiently than ever before.

One equipment manufacturer unveiled new diesel saw models that comply with Tier 4 Final/Stage III B emission regulations while others provide interim solutions for contractors. Some saws are now electronically controlled, and almost all new models on the market can accommodate diamond blades with the same diameters but with a higher output than previous models. The benefits of hi-cycle technology were once again showcased at World of Concrete, with several companies adding to their range of hi-cycle saw and core drill motors. Meanwhile, the


fields of concrete polishing and imaging with ground penetrating radar continue to grow and each industry had a strong presence at the show. For more information on these, and other products exhibited at World of Concrete 2014, read Industry Bits on page 58.

TrainingThe addition of the World of Concrete

Education Program has been another success for show organizers, and CSDA is pleased to have played a part in this success. Training continues to play a crucial role in the growth of the concrete cutting and polishing industry. Following a well-received first outing at the 2013 show, the CSDA Concrete Polishing class returned to the LVCC and almost doubled last year’s attendance, attracting 35 registrations for the two-day class. In addition, the CSDA Estimating and Wall Sawing 101 courses also experienced increases in numbers with 28 students combined.

Sponsored EventsOver the past four

decades, World of Concrete has introduced a series of sponsored events and competitions during the show. To encourage architects and engineers to learn more about the many benefits of polished concrete surfaces, CSDA sponsored the Exploring Architectural Praxis: A Concrete Timeline exhibit. Located in the show’s Concrete Surfaces Decorative Pavilion, this special outdoor interactive exhibit focused on the functionality and aesthetics in concrete. An ever-growing presence at World of Concrete, concrete polishing continues to attract existing industry

contractors who want to get involved in this area. Andy Bowman, CSDA Polishing Committee Chair and lead polishing instructor, gave a presentation during the event and talked about some of the association’s polishing resources, including Standard CSDA-ST-115 Measuring Concrete Micro Surface Texture.

CSDA/OSHA AllianceAs part of its ongoing Alliance partnership

with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), CSDA shared its booth space with the Administration for the eighth consecutive year. The aim of the Alliance is to raise awareness of work-related hazards and encourage the implementation of safety procedures and programs. Since its inception, the CSDA/OSHA Alliance has created 10 documents to enhance worker safety in the industry. All documents, including some Spanish translations, can be downloaded for free via www.csda.org. Click on the OSHA Alliance option under Safety.

The 41st World of Concrete will be held February 3-6, 2015 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It is hoped the show will continue to serve as a great resource for the concrete cutting, polishing and imaging

industry. It remains the industry event for companies to showcase their most innovative products and services. As always, free attendee registration will be available through CSDA later in the year. Look for details in our September issue.

1 4 | MARCH.14

World of Concrete 2014 was the perfect venue to showcase some of the most innovative and successful projects completed by CSDA members in the past year.

The association hosted the first Concrete Openings Awards Ceremony at the Las Vegas trade show. World of Concrete attendees and members of the industry press joined the winning contractors at the ceremony to celebrate their achievements.

The Concrete Openings Awards Program showcases the best job stories covered in CSDA’s official magazine each year and recognizes the contractors who did the work. Sixteen job stories were split into four categories and put before a panel of judges. The panel scored each job based on its pre-planning, use of

CSDA Contractors Honored at WOC Ceremony

innovation, degree of difficulty and quality requirements. The project with the highest score in each category was declared the winner.

“World of Concrete brings together the best the concrete industry has to offer, so it is a fitting place for an awards ceremony that highlights the ‘cream of the crop’ of cutting, polishing and imaging jobs,” says CSDA Executive Director Patrick O’Brien. “Our members are specialists in their field who recommend the best techniques and equipment for a particular job and perform the work. The innovation and problem-solving skills displayed by these Concrete Openings Award winners are deserving of recognition at an international event like World of Concrete.”

And the winners are...


Company Name: Constructions Solutions, LLC (Paola, Kansas)Category: Infrastructure Renovation

The Army Corps of Engineers needed to assess the deterioration, corrosion and delamination of a 1,000-foot-long concrete bridge that runs over the Tuttle Creek Dam in Manhattan, Kansas. A specialist CSDA contractor was hired to scan the entire bridge with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) equipment. The data collected formed the basis of the Corps’ bridge repair contract documentation.Construction Solutions moved back and forth 13 times across the length of the bridge at 2-foot intervals, covering 13,000 feet. The data collected by the GPR equipment created a map of the entire bridge, highlighting areas where the concrete was in poor condition. The contractor then used a core drill rig to cut and remove concrete core samples and verify the GPR data collected was correct.

Company Name: ABC Concrete Cutting, Inc.–South Florida (Pompano Beach) Cutting Edge Services Corporation (Batavia, Ohio)Category: Industrial Renovation

The two CSDA contractors involved in this project entered into a joint venture to help remove a damaged shipping pier in the Bahamas. The structure had sunk several feet below the surface after being hit by a large tanker before being damaged further by a hurricane. The pier owners were losing millions of dollars while it was out of commission, so they needed a solution fast. Combing their expertise, the contractors helped the owners to remove the damaged sections quickly and efficiently using underwater wire sawing techniques. Diamond wire was set up to cut parts of the steel structure 30 feet below the surface.

Joe Bland of ABC Cutting Contractors—South Florida (center), with Tim Beckman (left) and Joe Shebesta (right) of Cutting Edge Services Corp. Mark DeSchepper of Construction Solutions

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To read any, or all, of these job stories in full, scan the QR Code or visit www.concreteopenings.com and click on the Concrete Openings Awards banner when it appears. For more information about the winning projects, the awards or about CSDA, call 727-577-5004 or email [email protected].

These winning projects are just some of the innovative and complex jobs being done by CSDA contractors everyday on jobsites around the U.S. and beyond. The association encourages all concrete cutting, breaking, polishing and imaging members to submit their best job stories for publication in Concrete Openings, and to consider entry to this year’s awards. Look out for more information about the 2014 Concrete Openings Awards in the June issue.

Company Name: MMG Industrial (Buffalo, New York)Category: Building Construction

This project involved the cutting and removal of a 30-foot-tall, 129-year-old monument in Lowville, New York for restoration. When the hollow zinc monument was found to be in need of strengthening, it was filled with reinforced concrete. This seemed like a good idea until rain water ran in through cracks in the zinc. The water froze and expanded between the zinc casts and the concrete filling, damaging the monument.MMG Industrial used a wire saw to split the monument into sections before using other sawing and drilling techniques to remove the steel-reinforced concrete within them. The job called for precise, low vibration cutting to avoid damaging the monument further. Over 20,000 pounds of concrete was cut and removed from the monument before it was handed over to fellow CSDA member McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory for restoration work.

Company Name: Miller’s Pro-Cut (Grandview, Missouri)Category: Roads, Bridges & Airports

When a railway company discovered a major problem with a 15,000-foot-long stretch of recently poured concrete footing in Edgerton, Kansas, Miller’s Pro-Cut was called in to remove the top 12 inches and allow the footing to be repaired. The footing ran parallel to the rail tracks and was to be used for rail car cranes, so the clock was ticking to make the necessary repairs and keep the project on track.The contractor fabricated a custom frame that straddled the footing and had two wall saws attached to the sides. This allowed an operator to cut each side of the footing simultaneously without having to stop and adjust wall saw tracks. A concrete slab saw was then used to split the footing into 15-foot sections before an excavator broke off each section. By using two of these custom frames and three operators, the contractor cut 30,000 linear feet of concrete in just 20 days.

Tim Miller of Miller’s Pro-Cut Matt Gehman of MMG Industrial


Over 23,500 holes were made along the Long Island Rail Road.

Fast Track to SuccessCoring Machine Provides Speed and Efficiency on Railroad Project

1 8 | MARCH.14

WWW.CONCRETEOPENINGS.COM CONCRETE OPENINGS | 1 9


Faced with the challenge of creating over 23,500 core holes on one of the busiest rail networks in the U.S., a New Jersey-based contractor came up with an inventive way of doing the

work with speed, accuracy and efficiency.

The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) was constructed in 1834 during Andrew Jackson’s Presidency as a quick travel route from Brooklyn to Boston. This historic railroad has stood the test of time and currently holds the title of the second-busiest railway in North America. There are currently 124 stations on the LIRR connected by more than 700 miles of track, helping to transport 335,000 passengers daily. In order to main-tain and assure the capability and safety of the LIRR’s infrastructure, a number of routine maintenance projects are in progress.

The contractor created a custom drilling machine dubbed the LIRR Railcar.

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The LIRR Railcar allowed the drilling team to create four core holes at one time.

The LIRR is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). In early 2013, the MTA expanded the maintenance program with the solicitation of proposals for the LIRR. The primary contract was awarded to Kiewit Infrastructure Co. of Tampa, Florida. On April 1, 2013, the Eastern District office of Kiewit, based in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey,

subcontracted local CSDA member Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc. of Mount Holly to core drill thousands of anchor holes in the concrete rail bed. The holes were needed to house new direct fixation fasteners and further secure the track to the bed.

For this cutting contractor, the speci-fied size and quantity of the holes were well

within its capabilities. However, the challenge was to create the holes to strict tolerances associated with their location, diameter and depth—all within a tight time frame. Atlantic’s scope of work included diamond core drilling 23,680 holes in the concrete rail bed that had to measure 1.75 inches in diameter and 5 to 5.5 inches deep. The holes had to be precisely



drilled for the replacement of direct fixation fasteners and were to receive new track anchor bolts. Atlantic Concrete Cutting was given a 16-week window to complete the work.

Because of the tight deadlines, a creative solution was needed to increase productivity and successfully complete the project on time. It came in the way of a new piece of innovative


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2 2 | MARCH.14

equipment. After many hours of design, manu-facturing and testing in conjunction with Joe Gerdelmann of Gerdelmann & Son’s Welding, Atlantic Concrete Cutting’s custom LIRR Railcar was ready for the track.

The LIRR Railcar housed four, six-speed Cardi core drills supplied by K2 Diamond outfitted with 10-horsepower motors supplied by Hertz Engineering. The contractor was able to drill four holes simultaneously in the rail bed at speeds of 3,000 to 3,200 rpm. The custom railroad machine was designed to travel along the track like a regular railcar, but was also fitted with a 400-hertz generator, a hi-cycle water pump, a lateral hydraulic drive and a 1,285-gallon water tank for the drilling work.

A significant contribution to the LIRR Railcar’s design came from Bill Furter, lead mechanic for Atlantic Concrete Cutting. Commenting on some of the difficulties encountered during the design process, Furter said, “The toughest part was making the holes perfectly perpendicular to the varying track surface. We had to figure out a way to both move the heads laterally and line up the holes precisely. We used a hydraulic drive with an air brake and laser pointer to make it happen. Under normal testing conditions the cart lived up to expectations and then some, but the most rewarding part was watching it run for the first time on the job.”

The team from Atlantic had to drill 23,680 holes on a two-mile stretch of railroad. Holes were created in groups of four with one hole on each side of the two rails. The LIRR Railcar was used to make a consistent pattern of four 1.75-inch-diameter holes in the reinforced concrete rail bed every 2.5 feet, taking just 90 seconds to drill one set of four holes to depths of around 5 inches. Due to the configuration of the contractor’s new piece of equipment, setup times between drilling locations were drastically reduced and precise positioning was assured. The LIRR Railcar drilling team from Atlantic was able to remain on schedule throughout the whole project, and all drilling work was completed in nine weeks and within budget.

In addition to the strict time frame and tight tolerances set by the general contractor, the core drilling team had some on-site chal-lenges to overcome. Besides the usual issues of equipment wear, minor mechanical fixes and working in the summer heat, operators had to be quick to react when the drill bits hit hidden steel reinforcement in the concrete. By making periodic adjustments to speed and the type of drill bits used, coring was able to continue as

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It took an average of 90 seconds to create one set of four holes.

Slurry created during the drilling work was controlled by wet vacuums.


2 4 | MARCH.14

COMPANY PROFILE

Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc. has been a CSDA member for 23 years and is based in Mount Holly, New Jersey. Support operations are located in Totowa, New Jersey and Spring City, Pennsylvania. The company has been in business since 1991 and has 22 operators and 31 trucks, and offers the services of core drilling, wall sawing, wire sawing, flat sawing, curb sawing, sawing and sealing, highway and bridge deck diamond grinding, sawcut grooving, grinding and polishing, selective demolition and ground penetrating radar. Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc. is a CSDA Certified Company and a CSDA Certified Operator company with DBE/WBE certifications issued by numerous state agencies and authorities.

RESOURCES

General Contractor: Kiewit Infrastructure Co.

Sawing and Drilling Contractor: Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc. Mount Holly, New Jersey Phone: 609-261-7200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.atlanticconcretecutting.com

Methods Used: Core Drilling


All 23,680 core holes were completed in just nine weeks.

planned. Slurry created during wet cutting was collected by wet vacuums and disposed of safely off-site.

“Everyone involved did an incredible job on this project. The guys took ownership of their work, always pushing both themselves and the equipment to their limits to maximize productivity. In some cases, workers on different shifts competed to see who could be more productive,” said Stu Fishman, Atlantic’s project manager for the LIRR core drilling work. “Our guys gave up week-ends and family time to take on this challenge and I applaud them for their productivity, safety record and personal sacrifice,” he added.

Atlantic Concrete Cutting’s core drilling work on the LIRR is yet another example of how skilled and experi-enced members of CSDA are able to think outside the box to successfully deliver a project. When this contractor was issued a challenge to complete a ‘hole’ lot of coring, the company prepared itself to take the fast track to success.


2 6 | MARCH.14

Where is Your Business Now?By Vince Westerman

THE BUSINESS OF BUSINESS

To me, the curve on this chart is the arc of a storyline. It is more than just a story about how a business changes over time; it is really a story about

how an owner’s attitudes and priorities evolve as the company grows. As a planning advisor, I’ve seen lots of variations on the story—every company has its own unique cast of characters, after all. Still, the fundamental arc of the storyline is remarkably constant. As a company moves along that arc, here is what my experience has taught me about where an owner’s head is at during each stage.

WONDER YEARS

“You wonder where you’ll get the money, the employees and the customers to be successful.”

It is actually pretty tough for a planning advisor like me to get face time with owners in this stage; they are usually way too busy trying to keep the trains running. They really do not want to give up any time to meet with someone about planning. These are the guys who, if I can ask them about how they measure success, say something like, “If we can make payroll and pay our bills this month without having to tap our credit cards, it’ll be a successful month.” With what little attention they are willing to spare, I urge them to focus on the basics of planning:

• QUALITY ADVISORS – Find quality advisors to grow with, including an attorney, CPA, banker and P&C broker.

• FORMAL BUSINESS AGREEMENTS – Establish a solid Operating Agreement with your partners—or yourself—covering the essentials, including transition of management and/or ownership in the event of death, disability, divorce, departure (friendly / unfriendly) and retirement. Fund a buy-sell obligation between partners to your best ability.

• HEDGE RISK – Life insurance and disability income insurance can protect your family in case something happens before you have time to make this venture a financial success. Liability coverage can keep your fledgling business from being wiped out if a customer sues you. Health insurance can keep your family from being wiped out from a major medical crisis.

• SET BOUNDARIES – Decide how your personal financial situation will coordinate with your business financials. Do not shortchange your family, but do not let the business become just another family checkbook. What you do now will become habit as you grow the business.

THUNDER YEARS

“The company grows rapidly”

When the owners are no longer wondering if they will be able to make payroll or keep the doors open, they have proven to themselves what they always suspected: “This thing’s got legs!” Now these owners know they have some-thing the market wants, and they keep seeing more opportunities waiting to be captured. When I talk to these guys about their business, they say things like, “My biggest problem is growing fast enough to keep up with demand.” Now that they are profitable, they could take more income from the business, but instead they are far more likely to feel the need to reinvest in people or equip-ment to fuel growth. When I am across the table with them, I want them to consider:

• PLANNING – Take care of the planning that should have been done during the Wonder Years but got put off “until things aren’t so crazy.”

• PERSONAL PORTFOLIO – Start building some wealth outside your business. I know you want to deploy capital to keep growing your business quickly, but reallocate at least something to outside investments to mitigate the risk of “over-concentration.”


• KEY EMPLOYEE & NON-ERISA PLANS – Now is the time to reward the talent that stuck with you from the beginning by setting up a low-cost benefit plan, for example a Select Executive Bonus or Sick Pay plan.

• QUALIFIED RETIREMENT PLAN – Establish at least a contributory qualified retirement plan for your employees; a QRP will also give you a tax-efficient way to reward employees by making a profit-sharing contribution to their accounts.

• INSURANCE AUDITS & REVIEWS – For both personal and business policies, review life and disability insurance to make sure coverage amounts are in line with the growth of the business.

PLUNDER YEARS

“Cash flow finally outstrips the needs of the business”

One day, a business owner realizes he or she has got more cash in the corporate checking account than they have got plans to spend on hiring or equipment. The first few times it happens, they may just let it sit there, but as the number keeps getting bigger they are eventually going to say to themselves, “I already paid taxes on it; why should I just let it sit in the company doing nothing?” This marks the start of the Plunder Years; and the stakes just got higher for whether their planning is up to snuff. Considerations:

• YOUR PERSONAL P&L – Things get a little confusing when your family’s disposable income starts growing so quickly. Be careful with your credit line; make sure you know what cash flow you need to maintain both your business and your lifestyle.

• PERSONAL PORTFOLIO – If you already have a habit of allocating to a personal investment portfolio, it will be easy to increase those allocations in step with increasing revenue. If you do not, develop the habit quickly or you will find it all too easy for that “excess income” to turn into “excess spending.”

• CORPORATE ADVISORY BOARD – As the business continues to grow, so do the opportunities for missteps. Make sure your current advisors are comfortable working with clients at the level you have achieved. Then, consider inviting them to attend board meetings periodically.

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T H E B U S I N E S S O F B U S I N E S S

• BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING – It was always important, but now, more than ever, you need to be serious about having a plan to handle the sudden loss of you or one of your key people due to death or disability. It is not just your own family’s income at stake; it is the families of all your employees as well.

• EXECUTIVE BENEFIT PLANS – One of the best ways to make sure the business continues to thrive in the years ahead is to make sure effective people are around for the long term. Use a Deferred Comp, Stock Incentive, Restricted Bonus or other type of executive carve-out plan to retain your best people and/or recruit new talent.

• BUSINESS SUCCESSION PLANNING – It may be hard to imagine now, when things are really just starting to pop for you, but eventually you are going to want to (or have to) step back from running the business. Now is the time to think about how that should happen and determine who will be the one(s) to take up the reins, and start the process of getting them ready.

• PERSONAL/BUSINESS ESTATE DOCUMENTS – The purpose of these documents is to protect your assets from litigation during your lifetime, and from taxation or dissipation after your death. With your net worth increasing so rapidly, you have to make sure these documents are up-to-date and that they reflect your current circumstances and intentions.

BLUNDER YEARS

“Personal commitment to the company wanes and poor decisions are made”

All through the previous stages, the rela-tionship between the owner and the clock has been the same: they look at the clock and wonder how they are going to get everything done before they have to leave. But for some guys, there comes a day when, instead, they look at the clock and wonder how they are going to look like they are getting things done until they get to leave. The best case, of course, is that they do not get to this point. Better that they pass the business on to the next genera-tion or sell the business—either to an internal

or an external party. But for some, what I hear is, “I’m ready to retire, but there’s no way my [kid / senior employees] can run this thing,” or, “I’d sell if I could, but no one will pay what I need to get out of it and retire.” Owners like this need to pay attention to these issues:

• YOUR PERSONAL P&L ... AGAIN!

• GROOMING OF TALENT – Are the right people in the right chairs to run the company without you? Maybe the talent is there but someone is sitting in the wrong chair. Maybe it is you?

• EXIT STRATEGIES – Explore all your potential exit strategies and decide on one that will allow you to sell while the company still has value—sale to key employees, sale to an ESOP, sale to a competitor, sale to a third party, etc. Any exit strategy will take a few years to imple-ment—other than a fire sale or outright liquidation—so the sooner you get started the sooner you will be able to cash out.


GOING UNDER YEARS

“Unless the company is turned around or sold, competitive forces will eventually destroy it”

The owner in this stage has likely been in denial for some time, and there is probably nothing I, or anyone else, can say to him or her that will help them escape the inevitable. What they need to do is to face reality, do some honest introspection and decide whether they have got enough fire in their belly to attempt a turn-around, or if they need to wrap up operations as cleanly as possible.

I would tell them the turnaround isn’t impos-sible ... “Remember, what you built was accom-plished with a fraction of the knowledge or rela-tionships you have now.” To have a chance, they’ll need a strong set of advisors to help create and execute a go-forward plan with specific mile-stones and a mechanism for monitoring progress. There is no time left for inventing it on the fly.

On the other hand, if their heart just is not in it, the owner and their advisors need to make a plan for unwinding the business as cleanly as possible. They need to consider how the family’s cash flow needs will be met as operations are shut down and assets are sold. They will also want to put in place the legal documents and strategies to protect the family’s personal assets from creditors of the business.

THE TAKE-AWAY

Just as you are not obsessed with the same things you obsessed over as a teenager, your business now is not focused on the same things it was when you started. And, just as you have responsibilities now about which you were blissfully ignorant when younger, there are things you should be doing in your business now that wouldn’t have crossed your mind in the early days.

Vince Westerman is the President & CEO of

The Westerman Group, LLC, a registered

investment advisor company based in

Sagamore Hills, Ohio. For over 25 years,

Westerman has been helping clients plan

financial goals as an investment and wealth

manager. He can be reached at 330-467-3111

or [email protected].

The Westerman Group, LLC is a Registered

Investment Advisor. Securities offered through

MerCap Securities, LLC Member FINRA/

SIPC Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction 40

Darby Road, Paoli, PA, 19301 (877) 784-8021.

The Westerman Group, LLC and MerCap

Securities, LLC are not affiliated.

Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association

Visit us online www.csda.org

3 0 | MARCH.14

State of the Union

CSDA Member Cuts Piers for New UT Student Center

A rendering of the new UT Student Union building.(Courtesy of the University of Tennessee.)


In the winter of 2012, the University of Tennessee began a $160-million project to build a new and improved Student Union on campus. Before construction of this new facility could begin, however, 25 reinforced concrete support piers from a recently-demolished structure had to be cut and removed from the jobsite. In January 2013, a specialty concrete cutter arrived on

site to address the state of the union.The overall project required the demolition of several existing build-

ings and structures to make way for a new Student Union that will be at least 50 percent larger than the existing University Center. Built in

An old parking structure was demolished to make way for a new student building at the University of Tennessee.


1952, the existing center will be renovated and integrated into the new construction. This new building is being constructed to LEED standards and will feature, among other things, a 50,000-square-foot bookstore, a 1,000-seat auditorium and a 12,000-square-foot ballroom for lectures and events. Divided into two phases, the main building is due for completion in 2015 with additional facilities to be completed in 2017.

One of the structures demolished was a parking garage that stood adjacent to the existing University Center. The structure was old, in need of repairs and the land was needed for the new Student Union. Therefore, a combination of heavy excavating equipment and selective demolition

A rendering of the new UT Student Union building.(Courtesy of the University of Tennessee.)

3 2 | MARCH.14

The contractor made a custom wire saw system to cut the 3 to 4-foot-diameter piers.

with diamond tools was specified to bring it down. The ground below the garage was then excavated, exposing 25 concrete piers at foundation level. The old structure was built on these cylindrical piers, each measuring 3-4 feet in diameter. As the structural integrity of these piers was still good below the ground, the plan was to cut them to elevation and reuse them for the new build.

The general contractor for the job, Blount Excavating of Maryville, Tennessee, used breakers to reduce the piers to various heights between 4 and 12 feet, but a smooth cut was necessary for the finished elevations

to avoid damaging the foundations. CSDA member Cuts, Inc. of Knox-ville, Tennessee was contracted to make these cuts on all 25 locations.

“Blount Excavating needed a precise, non-destructive method of creating a clean and level cut,” said Matt Hephner, owner of Cuts, Inc. “Diamond wire sawing was chosen, as it was ideally suited for this type of application. The piers were round, not square, so this made other demoli-tion methods more difficult and costly. Also, our equipment was cutting close to other remaining structures that had to stay intact.”

The first thing that the team from Cuts, Inc. had to deal with was the weather. Typical conditions for Knoxville in January consist of average daily lows of 30 degrees Fahrenheit and freezing rain. The 270-foot by 160-foot excavation pit was muddy and uneven, with the 25 piers in various loca-tions. Some days the pit was difficult to navigate on foot, let alone drive trucks or other equip-ment. There was one access point into the pit for workers on foot and small items of equip-ment, but none for trucks. Because the pit was 40 feet deep and a truck could not be posi-tioned anywhere near the edge, the contractor had to develop a plan that would allow opera-tors to quickly move their cutting equipment out of the way while excavators continued to work around them.

The cutting contractor developed a wire saw system that could be placed on the company’s skid steer as an attachment. After positioning the machine in front of a pier, the operator looped the wire around it and lined up the wire for a pull cut. The skid steer’s hydraulic power provided adequate power to pull the wire as the movement of the skid steer took up the tension. As the job progressed, Cuts, Inc. modified the tool to improve it, ultimately ending up with three different versions that could push and pull the wire through the 3-4-foot-diameter piers. The skid steer provided the required mobility and flexibility to move to and from the cutting area with very little setup time, no hydraulic hoses and no electrical cords to worry about.

A 50-foot length of 10.3-millimeter-diam-eter (0.4-inch) diamond wire was provided by Husqvarna Construction Products and the skid steer was a Bobcat T-190. The wire sawing attachment was designed and built by Matthew J. and Matthew C. Hephner of Cuts, Inc. To avoid any collisions with excavation traffic, a spotter was present at all times to assist the skid steer operator. The risk of accidents or inju-ries occurring from a break in the diamond wire was reduced by keeping people a safe distance from the cutting area.

Despite several delays because of inclement weather conditions—including instances where the general contractor’s excavators had to pull the skid steer free from the mud in rainy conditions—and having to yield to excavation


The modified skid steer cut 25 concrete support piers in five days.


“The piers were round, not square, so this made other demolition methods more difficult and costly. Also, our equipment was cutting close to other remaining structures that had to stay intact.”

—MATT HEPHNER, OWNER OF CUTS, INC.

3 4 | MARCH.14

COMPANY PROFILE

Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, Cuts, Inc. has been a CSDA member for two years. The company has been in business for ten years and offers the services of flat sawing, core drilling, wall sawing, wire sawing, hand sawing, grinding and floor preparation, robotic demolition and excavation. Cuts, Inc. has 12 employees, seven trucks and services Tennessee, North Carolina and all other states in the southeastern U.S.

RESOURCES

General Contractor: Blount Excavating

Sawing and Drilling Contractor: Cuts, Inc. Knoxville, Tennessee Phone: 865-922-0800 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cutsinc.org

Methods Used: Wire Sawing


The 270- by 160-foot area will house part of the new $160-million facility.

traffic, the cutting team was able to wire saw all 25 steel reinforced concrete support piers in five work days. The contractor found large time savings in setup and mobilization due to this innovative design, which would have taken at least twice as long with more conventional sawing methods. By successfully completing this job, Cuts, Inc. was awarded additional work by the general contractor at other locations.

“We were very satisfied with the results, especially the speed!” said Hephner. “The opportunity to build and modify equipment to help us complete jobs with unique challenges is always welcomed. The system we fabricated for this project has since proven to be useful on other projects,” he added.

Len Smith, project manager for Blount Excavating, was also pleased with the team from Cuts, Inc., “We looked long and hard for options to cut the support piers and keep the work on schedule. Matt and his guys did very well and the piece of equipment he fabricated was a great help. I am very happy with how things went.”

All cut sections were removed from the 40-foot-deep excavation pit by crane.


17400 West 119th Street • Olathe, Kansas 66061 • T 800-288-5040 • F 800-825-0028 • www.husqvarnacp.com2077 Bond Street • North Bay, Ontario P1B 4V6 • T 800-461-9589 • F 800-825-0028 • www.husqvarnacp.ca

Copyright © 2014 Husqvarna AB (publ.). All rights reserved. Husqvarna is a registered trademark of Husqvarna AB (publ.).

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3 8 | MARCH.14

CSDA Working to Repel OSHA’s Proposed Silica Rule

SAFETY COUNTS

On September 12, 2013, the Occu-pational Safety and Health Admin-istration (OSHA) announced that the notice of proposed rule-

making for respirable crystalline silica had been published in the Federal Register. OSHA invited the public to participate in the process of devel-oping a final rule through written comments and participation in public hearings.

OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED RULE

The proposed standard for construction includes provisions for employers to:

• Measure the amount of silica that workers are exposed to if it may be at or above an action level of 25 μg/m3 (micrograms of silica per cubic meter of air), averaged over an eight-hour day

• Protect workers from respirable crystalline silica exposures above the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 50 μg/m3, averaged over an eight-hour day

• Limit workers’ access to areas where they could be exposed to amounts above the PEL

• Use dust controls to protect workers from silica exposures to amounts above the PEL

• Provide respirators to workers when dust controls cannot limit exposures to the PEL

• Offer medical exams—including chest X-rays and lung function tests—every three years for workers exposed to amounts above the PEL for 30 or more days per year

• Train workers on work operations that result in silica exposure and ways to limit exposure

• Keep records of workers’ silica exposure and medical exams

Basically, the proposed rule would halve the current PEL from 100 μg/m3 to 50 μg/m3 and implement an action level of 25 μg/m3. To meet these levels, a burden of laborious, costly and overly-complicated procedures will be placed on business owners.

According to OSHA, about 1.85 million workers are currently exposed to respirable crystal-line silica in construction work-places and over 640,000 of these workers are estimated to be exposed to silica levels that exceed the current proposed PEL of 100 μg/m3. It is claimed the proposed rule will save over 560 lives in the construc-tion industry and prevent about 1,080 cases of silicosis among construction workers each year.

However, historical data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Insti-tute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) show that in 1968, silica was a contributing factor in just under 1,200 deaths nationwide. By 1999, the number had dropped to less than 200. Most recently, figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that there were just 102 deaths in the construction industry during 2012 as a result of “exposure to harmful substances or environments.” As this category includes many types of harmful substances and environments, not just silica, it is reasonable to suggest that only a fraction of this number can be attributed to silicosis. It seems strange that OSHA would want to push for new exposure limits when the number of deaths attributable to silica have dropped so dramatically. Furthermore, the industry has developed its own standards and regulations to protect construction workers, no doubt contributing to this dramatic decrease in silica-related deaths.

Obviously, it would be a great achievement if the number of annual silica-related deaths could be reduced to zero, but the proposed rule put forth by OSHA is not a feasible way for the industry to meet this goal. The fear is that this number could be achieved, but at the expense

of tens of thousands of contractors going out of business because of the overly-burdensome processes and costs associated with imple-menting the rule.

PREVIOUS RESPONSES TO PROPOSED OSHA RULES

It was almost 10 years ago that OSHA first proposed new regulations on respirable silica, aiming to reduce the PEL. The proposal was largely based on OSHA’s experience in the manufacturing sector, but showed a lack of understanding regarding the construction industry. Cutting contractors can be on 3-5 different jobsites in one day—quite different from a manufacturing plant that operates with consistent processes at a fixed location.

Back then, the proposed standard required construction companies to initiate many new procedures. An industrial hygienist would have been required to provide sampling services on each jobsite. The contractor would have had to designate a “competent person” to identify and evaluate silica exposure hazards and establish


a regulated workspace, perimeter and constantly monitor the quality of the air. Respirators and Tyvek clothing would have had to have been made available to workers as well as anyone entering the jobsite, including trades working in adjacent areas. In addition, medical screening and exam costs for employees would have skyrocketed.

These changes would have severely impacted the ability of cutting contractors to earn their living, so CSDA took action. The CSDA Vice-President at the time, Susan Hollingsworth, calculated that the proposed standard would cost her company of 21 operators upwards of $3 million—a far cry from OSHA’s estimate of up to $12,000 per small business. Susan and the CSDA Safety Committee developed a simple chart that operators could use on the jobsite to determine if respiratory protection was needed and, if so, what type of protection was recommended. NIOSH was invited to attend CSDA training classes at St. Petersburg College in Florida, and recognized that the use of water during cutting operations produced very little silica exposure problems for contractors in the industry. The chart has simplified procedures and helped to protect workers at the same time.

The CSDA Silica Data Analysis Chart is based on extremely thorough data collection from member jobsites and from NIOSH, and has been used by the membership since 2005.

It is available to anyone in the industry via CSDA. Call 727-577-5004 or email [email protected] for a copy.

CSDA POSITION NOW

In response to the latest proposed rule, CSDA has formed a Silica Sub-Committee to review the contents and has provided a response to OSHA based on how the rule will affect the concrete sawing, drilling and polishing industry. Kellie Vazquez of CSDA member Holes Incor-porated in Houston, Texas—a Board member, former Safety Committee chair and daughter of Susan Hollingsworth—was nominated to lead the group.

“It is generally agreed that exceptional jobsite safety and health practices are inherently good for business. However, OSHA’s proposed silica rule is potentially the most far-reaching regulatory initiative the Administration has ever proposed for the construction industry,” says Vazquez. “Silica is found in various building mate-rials and can easily be disturbed by a number of tasks on a typical jobsite. The proposed rule uses an overly-complicated structure to control crys-talline silica in a construction environment. It is hoped that we can help the Administration under-

The Construction Industry Safety CoalitionCSDA joined the CISC to provide a unified voice from the construction industry on OSHA’s Proposed Rule on Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica. CISC is comprised of 24 trade associations representing virtually every aspect of the construction industry. CSDA was responsible for a good number of these associations joining CISC through its involvement with another industry group called the Concrete and Masonry Related Associations (CAMRA).

The members of the CISC are as follows:

• Road and Transportation Builders Association

• American Society of Concrete Contractors• American Subcontractors Association• Associated Builders and Contractors• Associated General Contractors• Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry• Building Stone Institute• Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association• Construction & Demolition

Recycling Association• Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute• International Council of Employers of

Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers• Leading Builders of America• Marble Institute of America• Mason Contractors Association of America• Mechanical Contractors Association

of America• National Association of Home Builders• National Association of the

Remodeling Industry• National Demolition Association• National Electrical Contractors Association• National Roofing Contractors Association• National Utility Contractors Association• Natural Stone Council• The Association of Union Constructors• Tile Roofing Institute

For more information about the CISC, call 727-577-5004 or email [email protected].

A copy of the proposed rule can be viewed via www.osha.gov/silica.

stand that this material cannot be completely separated out of daily tasks or totally avoided on the jobsite.”

While it is appreciated that OSHA has now attempted to recognize the unique nature of specialty contractors in the construction industry through its proposed rule, it ultimately would be unworkable for many concrete cutters and polishers to implement. Under the “engi-neering and work practice control methods” section of the rule, OSHA states there must be “no visible dust” emitted from a process after the introduction of engineering control methods.

Even through the use of wet cutting methods or engineering controls, rarely—if ever—will there be no visible dust emitted from cutting activities. Therefore, it would be near-impossible for contractors to reach compli-ance on many jobsites. It is generally accepted that the collection of measurements for a PEL of 50μg/m3 cannot be accurately achieved, so how would a PEL action level of 25 μg/m3 be accurately measured and enforced? How can a rule be imposed if the technology to accurately measure at these levels does not exist?

As the CSDA Silica Sub-Committee has been planning its response to the latest proposal, so too have other trade associations with members that would be adversely affected by it. To provide a stronger, more unified response to OSHA, CSDA and 23 other associ-ations have joined forces to form the Construc-tion Industry Safety Coalition (CISC). This new Coalition has hired legal representation to help state its case to the U.S. Department of Labor. An initial deadline of December 11, 2013 was set for the submission of written comments on the proposed rule, but in response to letters from several parties (including CSDA) requesting that more time be given to thoroughly review and provide a detailed response to the rule, the deadline was extended to January 27, 2014.

It is the hope of CSDA and the Coali-tion that OSHA will withdraw its burdensome proposal. It must instead demonstrate a rule that is realistically attainable and necessary for the industry. OSHA is encouraged to work with the construction industry to ensure that there is a continued reduction in silicosis-related illnesses and fatalities. However, this reduc-tion must continue without bringing many small businesses to their knees, or worse, trying to meet unnecessary levels of regulation.

Hearings on the proposed silica rule are scheduled to begin on March 18, 2014 at the Department of Labor in Washington, DC. For more information about OSHA’s proposed rule, or about CSDA’s continuing efforts to represent and protect the industry, call 727-577-5004 or email [email protected].

4 0 | MARCH.14

TECH TALK

Tech Talk is a regular feature of Concrete Openings magazine, focusing on equipment, maintenance and technical issues of interest to concrete cutting, polishing and imaging contractors. Readers wishing to have a particular subject addressed can call or email CSDA with their suggestions at 727-577-5004 or [email protected].

By Cliff Bailey

Technology: Our Greatest Advantage and Biggest Challenge

Bigger. Better. Faster. Stronger. Easier. More reliable. These adjec-tives and more describe what we have been striving for since the

first time a diamond blade cut the first piece of concrete. The desire to evolve different tech-niques, to improve processes and find the best way to get something done is human nature.

To be able to accomplish objectives in the concrete cutting and demolition industry, the right equipment and power source have to be used. The power source is very important since it is what runs the equipment. If the power source does not perform as expected, the equipment won’t either. The concrete sawing, drilling and polishing industries have used every applicable power source in as many different combinations as possible. It is impor-tant to understand how these different types of power sources work, what the benefits are and what disadvantages they have. Knowing these key factors help us understand where we have been, what is available today and where technology is going in the future.

INTERNAL COMBUSTIONOver the years, engines have been used

in every size, shape and horsepower to do the majority of sawing, drilling and polishing work. Everything from handheld power cutters to large, diesel-powered hydraulics or genera-tors have been run using internal combus-tion engines. This technology has served the industry well, but it has come with a cost. Today, the effects of mass gas and diesel consumption have become increasingly hot topics and the Environmental Protection Agency continues to refine standards associ-ated with fuel economy and clean air require-ments. This has challenged manufacturers to alter their engines to meet the new standards and requirements.

The 20:1 two-cycle, handheld power cutters and the air-cooled, four-cylinder engines were tough and durable, but at what cost to the environment? For those who grew

up working on cars and dirt bikes, there are no doubt fond memories of this “old school” non-technology. Nowadays, it has become more like a recurring nightmare for some. While these machines were easy to work on, it was not unusual for would-be mechanics to work on them all the time. These old technologies just do not compare to the new, clean air power cutters and the Tier 3 (soon to be Tier 4) diesel engines.

HYDRAULICSHydraulic systems have been one of the

most dependable, flexible and adaptable forms of power delivery. They are used in every-thing from the largest earth moving (concrete breaking) equipment to the smallest handheld saws and everything in-between. Hydraulic equipment has a very high degree of depend-ability and power delivery, with relatively low maintenance. Of course, all hydraulic systems are driven by some type of internal combustion engine or electric motor. They are sized by the amount of horsepower the hydraulic system is designed to deliver, plus another 10 to 20

percent that it takes to run the hydraulic pump, motors and push the oil—at potentially high flows and high pressures. This is all before it is hooked up to a machine to work. Perhaps the only “Achilles’ heel” of hydraulics, is its vulner-ability to contamination in the system. The smallest amount of contamination in the oil can cause severe damage to the components. And with the frequent use of quick couplers on the tools and hoses, this can be an issue.

Hydraulics have not seen too much in the way of new technology, except that the control units that run the systems have become much more technical. A good example is demoli-tion robots. Manufacturers use Programmable Logic Control (PLC) and Bluetooth communi-cation in the controls of the machine, but still use the same standard components in the machine itself, such as pressure compensated variable displacement piston pumps and posi-tive displacement gear pumps with magnetic proportioning valves. These are time-tested components—very dependable and widely used in other industries as well as the concrete cutting industry.


ELECTRONICSThe fastest-growing and most innovative

part of the concrete cutting and demolition industry is electronics. It is no secret that new technology in electronics has had the greatest impact in people’s daily lives as well. Today, electric tools of every size and power require-ment can be found in a concrete cutting truck—rotary hammers, wet vacuums, core drills, elec-tric flat saws and generators matched to every power need.

Electronic motors are becoming more common in wall saws and wire saws. This product category has seen the greatest growth in recent years. Advances and improvements with inverters and the control systems that run them have made this growth possible. Inverters are used to change the frequency of the alter-nating current and the voltage supplied to the motor. What this means to the concrete cutting or polishing contractor, is smaller, lighter and more ergonomically-designed power sources and equipment. Some describe the technology as “pure magic,” but when time is taken to break down the finer details of this technology, everyone can understand the advantages of these systems and why they are the future of the industry.

Electricity can easily be compared to flowing water and has many of the same char-acteristics. Imagine a river with a water wheel. Upstream from the wheel is a dam with a lake downstream from it. When the dam is opened, the current turns the wheel and provides power for turning objects (like very large generators in modern dams or a water wheel like the one used in 1689 for musket manufacturing in the original Husqvarna factory) and the water flows into the lake as spent energy.

When Direct Current (DC) electricity is observed through an oscilloscope, it looks and acts the same as the water in the river. The positive (+) side of the current flows flat and consistent from the power supply (battery) to the work (motor) and returns on the negative (–) side, very smooth and powerful. One inherent problem with DC power is that it requires a large stranded wire to carry it any distance. This is because DC power only travels on the outside surface of a strand of wire, so several strands are needed to carry the power. DC motors need high amperes to function. This will be covered later in the article.

Alternating current (AC) looks very different on an oscilloscope than DC. A wavy line can be seen going up and down an equal distance from the center. At the top and bottom of each wave, the power latterly shuts off and changes polarity from positive (+) to negative (–) and back again. The “frequency” of changes

is counted in one second intervals. This is the Hertz (Hz) or frequency. In the U.S., when something is plugged into the main electrical supply of a house the power is running at 60 cycles per second (60Hz). In Europe and other parts of the world, it is 50Hz. This has nothing to do with voltage or amperes, only the number of cycles per second.

Again, think of the river of water. Now it has lots of curves in it and the water has to change directions many times before the energy from its current can be used. A physi-cally larger wheel (motor) is needed to harness the maximum amount of power from the AC power compared to the DC power. One of the advantages of AC power is that it can be carried a much further distance, because AC power travels through the whole wire and not just the outer perimeter. This is where inverters come in to play.

Inverters take the 50 or 60Hz input power and rectify it, changing the AC power to DC power. The inverter “chops up” the power anywhere from 0 to 1,500Hz depending on the motor RPMs needed for the desired power output. It is like changing the wavy AC line to look flat like the DC line. The flatter it gets, the faster the motor goes. For example, a conven-tional 480 volt, 3-phase motor running on 50Hz will spin at 1,500 RPMs, but at 60Hz it will spin at 1,725 RPMs and at 1,500Hz the motor will spin at 15,000 RPMs. All this motor speed is converted into horsepower in a much smaller package. This is very different than previous hi-cycle systems.

Hi-cycle (400 Hz) equipment has made a great contribution to the industry. It was adapted from military applications, mostly from aircraft. The 208 volt, 3-phase, 400 Hz generators were fitted to internal combustion engines. The larger motors were modified with water-jacketed housings to dissipate the heat generated by these hot rod motors. The difficul-ties came from trying to control the speed, soft start, amperes draw and overload protection of the motors. The power was generated and was set to what the generator was wired for. The hertz could be controlled to some degree by changing the engine RPMs, but this could adversely affect the voltage on the earlier units that did not have electronic voltage regulators. The 208 volt units ran at much higher amperes. In the simplest terms, the higher the voltage, the lower the amperes and vice versa—lower voltage draws higher amperes.

For those who have ever welded, there is a correlation between amps and heat. Heat is not a great friend of anything electrical and can cause damage to electrical components. Amps are directly related to power used. When an

operator is bearing down on a piece of steel, they are pulling maximum amps and generating maximum heat! Any weak component—plugs, wires or motors—will burn up. This is true with any and all electric tools. What does this have to do with inverters? Inverters can raise the voltage to help keep the amps down, helping to minimize the heat in the motor and other components. This is not to say the components will not get hot—they will. However, the use of inverters and water cooling systems help keep the heat under control.

High frequency enables a lot of power to be produced in a smaller unit. Equipment that uses high frequency power is smaller, lighter and more ergonomically-designed. This helps facilitate moving equipment in and out, up and down, saving time with setup and teardown. It allows an operator to be more productive with less physical strain, ultimately helping he or she to work more safely. High frequency tools can meet the needs of many jobsite challenges, with a high degree of dependability, production, safety and user-friendly operation. This tech-nology is now being applied to other handheld tools and smaller wall saws as the technology becomes more widely accepted. The greatest challenge for the concrete sawing, drilling and polishing industry is to train contractors and help them learn how to operate and maintain this new technology. Some operators may say, “We are cutting concrete, why do we need all this technology?” The answer is that traditional air-cooled, four-cylinder systems are being left behind for better alternatives. The question for contractors is, will they allow themselves to be left behind too?

As in all aspects of life, change is inevi-table. In the sawing and drilling industry, engines and power sources have been adapted and innovatively redesigned to match a changing environment. It is unclear what may power the industry in the distant future, but right now the future looks bright thanks to this latest wave of technology.

Cliff Bailey is a technical specialist for Husqvarna

Construction Products, based in Olathe, Kansas.

He has over 27 years of experience in the

concrete cutting industry, having worked as a

fabricator, mechanic, shop manager and outside

sales rep, among other roles. Bailey conducts

demonstrations and provides training, technical

support and repairs for wall saws, wire saws and

the company’s line of demolition robots.

He can be reached at 214-918-9983 or

[email protected].

4 2 | MARCH.14

T E C H T A L K

The job was to cut six 2-ton elevator motors in half for removal.

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ANZ Centre stands 143 meters (469.2 feet) tall, has 35 levels of office space and has over 33,000 square meters (355,209 square feet) of floor space. It was the tallest building in New Zealand from 1991-1999, and remains one of the tallest buildings in Auckland. The building recently had a series of renovations completed, including the refurbishment of over 22,000 square meters (236,806 square feet) of office space, the instal-


The versatility of diamond wire means that contractors can cut an infinite number of objects—big or small—and not just in concrete. When a cutting contractor was

asked to provide a solution for the removal of six, 2-ton metal elevator motors from one of the tallest buildings in Auckland, New Zealand, wire sawing was the obvious choice.

Operators set up a wire saw to cut through the metal cross section of each motor.

The building’s motor room was on the 41st floor.

4 4 | MARCH.14

lation of a new fully-glazed entry pavilion and a refurbished ground floor lobby. Also, the existing public plaza at entrance of the buillding is being enlarged.

As part of the renovation works, the outdated electric elevator motors in the building were to be upgraded to new electric ones that were lighter and more energy efficient. In order to install the new elevator motors, the six existing motors had to be removed from a motor room on the 41st floor of the building. The only way out of the building for each of the 2-ton motors was via the elevators, which presented a problem because the elevators had 1-ton weight limits. The old motors were now obsolete and could not be reused, so the general contractor for the project, Kone

Elevators Ltd., began looking for ways to cut or break them for removal.

Kone Elevators and the customer made attempts to cut and break the motors, but their chosen methods had either proved unsuc-cessful or inefficient. It was at this point that CSDA member A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers Ltd. of Auckland was contacted about the job. “Wire sawing was considered the most effec-tive method because it provided a clean cut with minimum noise,” said Mark Simons, project manager for A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers Ltd. “ANZ Centre is an occupied office block, meaning our work could be completed during normal working hours providing we kept our work as quiet as possible.”

Each motor measured 1.6 meters long (5.3 feet) and was 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) in diam-eter at the specified cutting point. The shape and diameter of the objects had made them difficult to cut with other methods. In addi-tion, the motors contained different metals like steel and copper with varying hardness levels. Simons and two operators from A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers Ltd. visited the building to inspect the motor room and discuss what preparations were required for the job. The proper planning of this cutting job ensured success for the contractor.

Cutting metal with diamond tools requires a different approach than cutting concrete. Typically, metal cutting is done at slower

The 1.2-meter-diameter (3.9-foot) motors were positioned on a wooden prop and cut with a 4-meter (13.1-foot) length of diamond wire.


4 6 | MARCH.14

Each motor took between six and seven hours to cut.

speeds and with less pressure applied—often half the amounts used for concrete cutting—but this can vary depending on the type of metal and the configuration of the cut. This is because cutting metal increases the amount of friction on the diamond tool and, there-fore, increases heat buildup in the cut. This can dull or break diamond segments, bits or beads much faster than when sawing or drilling concrete. Contractors will sometimes apply air as well as water to cool the tools while cutting.

For this task, heavy-duty plastic sheeting and wood was used to erect a pool-like struc-ture to contain and manage slurry and debris created by the wire sawing work. The contractor then set up wooden props in the slurry collec-tion pool to hold each motor in place, before a small crane was used to position the motors on the props for cutting.

A WS20 wire saw from Hilti was brought to the jobsite and two operators set up the pull cut to saw each motor in half. Space in the motor room was tight, so the positioning of the motor, saw and control unit was crucial to avoid acci-dents or injuries in the event of a break in the wire. The operators were fitted with all appro-priate items of personal protective equipment for the work.

The cutting contractor used a 4-meter (13.1-foot) length of diamond wire from Hilti to make the cuts. Working closely with the manu-facturer, A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers Ltd. chose the most suitable wire possible for the appli-cation and operators were careful to monitor cutting speed as the wire hit different metals

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COMPANY PROFILE

Established in 2005, A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers Ltd. is one of the largest concrete cutting companies in Auckland, New Zealand. The company joined CSDA in 2009 and currently has 14 operators and 10 trucks. A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers offers the concrete cutting services of slab sawing, core drilling, wall sawing, wire sawing, hand sawing, grinding and ferro scanning.

RESOURCES

General Contractor: Kone Elevators Ltd.

Sawing and Drilling Contractor: A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers Ltd. Auckland, New Zealand Phone: 64-921 430 357 Email: [email protected] Website: www.kiwicutters.co.nz

Methods Used: Wire Sawing

Cut sections met the 1-ton weight restrictions of the elevators and were removed from the building.

in the cut. Each motor was secured on the wooden props in turn and the cross-sectional cut took between six and seven hours per motor. All twelve cut pieces were moved to the elevators and individually taken down to the ground floor for transportation to a metal recycler. Wet vacuums were used to collect slurry and all waste material was removed from the building for safe disposal.

“We have built a good reputation for employing reliable and profes-sional operators, who have strong problem-solving abilities. When combined with modern equipment and technology, we have the oppor-tunity to tackle unique and difficult jobs like this one,” concluded Simons.

In total, A1 Kiwi Cutters & Drillers Ltd. cut and helped remove 12 tons of material from the 41st floor of the ANZ Centre over an eight-day period, which included all setup and cleanup work. The job was done on time, within budget and—most importantly—without disturbing office workers in the building. This has led to the cutting contractor being awarded more work from Kone Elevators.

4 8 | MARCH.14

How Many Times Per Week Should You Be Posting to Facebook and Twitter?

By James Parsons

SOCIAL MEDIA FOCUS

When it comes to social media marketing, many small busi-nesses assume that more information is better. They

hire a marketing intern or someone from their marketing team to post to Facebook and Twitter multiple times a day. Unfortunately, these efforts may not be effective. Your business should be using Facebook and Twitter to connect with fans and followers, but posting all day, every day, without a specific strategy, is probably not helping you achieve your marketing goals.

When considering how often to post on Facebook and Twitter, there are a variety of issues you must take into account. Consider the following factors when planning the frequency of posts in your social media marketing campaign:

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TWEET?Brand awareness and trust is created

through the relationships that are formed by using social media outlets such as Twitter. You need to post enough to connect with customers without overwhelming them. Too many posts could be a waste of time and money, while too few posts could mean that you are not creating connections and new customers.

So you are probably wondering exactly how many times per week you should tweet in order to carry out an effective marketing campaign. There is no exact number, but data shows that businesses who tweet around 30-35 times per week experience more success than those who tweet 10-20 times per week. Don’t let these numbers mislead you. There is no evidence that tweeting more than 35 times per week will lead to higher engagement.

In addition to thinking about how often you should tweet, you should also consider when you should tweet. At 5pm each day, Twitter experiences a significant increase in retweets. Retweets mean more exposure for businesses, so you may want to focus some of your energy into this time period. Data also shows that Twitter users click on the most links between 12pm and 6pm. Weekend

activity is also higher than weekday activity. Consider all of this information as you plan frequency and timing of your tweets.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I POST TO FACEBOOK?

Posting 3-4 times per week on Facebook seems to be the magic number for most busi-nesses. This will create the most number of “likes” for your page and increase other types of engagement. Surprisingly, posting too much on Facebook can be harmful to your social media marketing goals. Businesses posting on Facebook more than three times or more per day actually have lower engagement rates than businesses posting every other day.

Timing is just as important when posting to Facebook as it is with Twitter. It is quite common for companies to make the mistake of using the same strategy for Twitter as they do for Face-book. Facebook and Twitter are very different social media outlets! While it is common for people to use Twitter in the workplace, Face-book is often blocked. Due to this reason, the majority of Facebook activity happens on week-

ends and evenings. Saturdays have the highest engagement rates.

Of course, these numbers are only guide-lines. You will need to experiment and take a careful look at your data in order to determine the frequency and timing of your social media posts. Start by using the guidelines above and measuring your results. There are a few different ways to measure the success of your posts.

For Facebook, you can use your page’s “Insights” in order to monitor engagement, post reach, likes and other valuable data. Look for trends in your data and begin to experiment with the frequency of your posts. If you find that engagement is higher when you post just two times a week, then go ahead and adjust your strategy. Each audience is different, so you may be surprised what works.

You can also track the success of your tweets using Twitter’s Analytics tool. You can find this tool in the Twitter Ads section of your account settings. This tool allows you to check statistics such as retweets, favorites, replies and click-throughs. You are also able to see


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helpful demographic information about your followers.

It is free to use Facebook and Twitter’s data tools, but these tools may not meet your needs as your company grows. If you find your-self in need of more specific data, there are plenty of third party tools to meet your needs. While it is wise to try the free tools first, you may want to utilize third party analytics tools as your marketing goals expand.

OTHER FACTORS TO KEEP IN MINDLIFESPAN VERSUS VALUE—Facebook

and Twitter posts have a short lifespan by design. These posts do not last long, nor are they are meant to. Do not make the mistake of treating a social media post like a blog article. Depending on how many followers you have, the lifespan of a tweet may be anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. The lifespan of a Facebook post is a little longer at three hours.

Think about the time it takes your staff to create content for these posts. Of course you need to have quality content, but you also need to create content in a timely manner in order to get value out of each post. In other words, your marketing staff should be thoughtful and strategic in their posts, but they should not be spending hours creating a tweet that only lasts for fifteen minutes.

RELEVANCY AND CURRENCY—Your customers are not looking for cat memes or celebrity gossip when they make the choice to like or follow your business. They believe that you can offer them quality information that is somehow relevant to their lives. Of course, offering a promotion or deal is fine every once in a while, but the majority of your posts should be content that speaks to a need or fulfills an informative purpose.

There are many tools that allow users to schedule Facebook or Twitter posts ahead of time in order to effectively manage their social media marketing campaigns. These tools are very helpful, but they can also lead business owners to post content that may not be relevant or current for followers and fans. Some overzealous business owners find themselves hoarding content and scheduling future posts that are neither timely nor relevant to their followers.

MARKETING GOALS—Before you create a posting schedule for your Facebook and Twitter, you have to understand your marketing goals. Are you just trying to get more followers? Maybe you are more focused on creating website conversions. You will not be able to measure the effectiveness of your social media campaign if your are not clear about your goals.

There is no exact science when it comes to the frequency of your social media marketing posts. First, take a look at what works for others. There is a strong possibility this could work for you as well. If you are not seeing the results you want, then it is time to experiment with your weekly posting schedule. Mix and up and see what happens. If you are totally lost, remember the data does not lie. Take a careful look at your analytics and page insights so you can understand what your customers are responding to. Used correctly, Facebook and Twitter can be powerful marketing tools. Make

sure you follow the tips in this article to create the most effective posting schedule possible.

James Parsons is a blogger, marketer

and business development manager at

AudienceBloom, a Seattle-based content

marketing and social media marketing firm. He

is an avid blogger on search engine optimization

(SEO), social media and design. Parsons can

be reached at [email protected] or via his

personal blog, www.parsons.me.

5 0 | MARCH.14

Are You in Control of Your Polishing Process?By Andy Bowman

POLISHED PERSPECTIVE

Some polishing contractors often run operations that are on the edge of control, which means they tolerate production problems that

most other industries would not. However, ethics and honesty will, sooner or later, drive these contractor to seek out a better under-standing of the polishing process and the materials used throughout.

Have you ever blissfully ignored the possible consequences of a less-than-ideal production method, then acted surprised when the “day of reckoning” came? When a polishing contractor is forced to retrospec-tively look at his or her mistakes, it often turns out that past problems, which at one time appeared small and unrelated, have combined to cause major headaches.

A production facility cannot be operated on luck. It must be run with an understanding of the materials and processes. Each facet of a production line has a set goal and is like a highway. Remember, for every mile of highway there are two miles of ditch! If you understand and control the processes and materials, then you proceed down that highway in a relatively straight line. If not, you zig-zag more and more until you hit the ditch. Typically, a problem has a dizzying array of contributing factors and the 20/20 vision of hindsight usually testifies to how many things could have been done differently.

When things are going well, it is a joy to turn over the project. But when a problem hits, “crisis management mode” kicks in and everyone suddenly becomes very interested in chemistry! There is a much more direct rela-tionship between gloss chemistry and gloss readings than between surface texture and distinction of image (DOI). So if you are having a problem with gloss, then chemistry might be an important factor in solving it properly. If you are having a problem with sustainability,

then surface texture may be the solution to the ultimate problem that controls all of the above.

How close are you to encountering a problem or product liability that could endanger everything you have worked for? It is not uncommon for smaller contractors to have less than complete control over their processes. For example:• Often no testing is done on tooling,

equipment, hardeners, densifiers and sealers.

• Chemical guard recipes have been formu-lated and have been put into production on the merits of their visual properties only. For example, an estimated 90% of guards were made by blenders that do not have a proper understanding of mechanical refinement, thus severely compromising the value of a highly refined surface.

• Polishing contractors are often untrained

in technical areas of production. It is very common for people to overestimate their ability to produce both quality and quan-tity of a processed finish.

Contractors that teeter on the edge of control are ill-equipped to deal with unexpected problems, and are often unable to diagnose the true cause of any issues. Many tend to be stuck in an, “I’ve always done it this way and it worked before,” way of thinking.

Some think that all contractors in the polished concrete industry are similar, but they are not. Some manufacturers and suppliers in the polishing industry think they have a level playing field and believe they have worked out the problems, so that people without a decent amount of concrete knowledge can be successful at polishing concrete. In reality, the only constant in this industry is that everyone has different results. Let us not forget that we

5 2 | MARCH.14

P O L I S H E D P E R S P E C T I V E

are all working with a less-than-perfect canvas and we all have a different interpretation of artistic impression.

INCREASE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR MATERIALS AND PROCESSES

If you can answer the following questions, you will be in a better position to solve prob-lems related to each one.• Where does my gloss come from?• Is my processed/polished surface

strengthened or weakened by my guard or sealer?

• What is the porosity of my concrete substrate? What happens when I apply densifiers at higher and lower applica-tion rates? What do I know about water column testing?

• Are my guard systems maintainable? Do I know why?

• Am I using the right grout filler? Have I qualified the substrate for the proper grouting system?

• Am I using quality materials or cutting corners by using less expensive, incon-sistent tools?

• Do I have a good relationship with my manufacturers and suppliers? Do I call them at the first sign of trouble or struggle until things are out of control? Do my suppliers have a level of support that meets my expectations?

A CHANGE IN THINKINGYou might feel that doing things one way

has always worked, but did it really? Maybe your polishing process has been deficient in a certain way all along and you have not noticed. Maybe your way of doing things does

not “scale up” well and the only thing that has kept you from falling off the edge was luck. Concrete polishing is a very complex industry. No one person can know it all. Be ready to accept suggestions. More importantly, under-stand the reasoning behind these suggestions so that you truly know why you should do things those ways.

DO NOT BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW

We have all had to “eat crow” after being unable to make finishes we promised a customer, because our way of doing things just did not work with that particular slab of concrete or in certain conditions. Never commit to doing a type of process unless you have actually done it already and done it over a period of time. Moving to another project with a 2 to 3 point differential of hardness, for example, is a really big deal. Do not underestimate it.

RECOGNIZE YOUR RESPONSIBILITYBe very cautious about making claims and

statements that set parameters around sustain-ability. Your customer will remember everything you said just before you cashed the check. No matter what anyone says, an ordinary polished system is just not good enough for facilities that must withstand sudden changes in tempera-ture. You can be open to liability if someone expects the same performance on polished systems that experience thermal shock and changes. Contact your suppliers to get a special product intended for this, but be ready to make some compromises in order to adjust for new performance criteria.

Do not be naive and think that because

your finish is beautiful, you are exempt from concerns of hardness, strength, porosity, leaching, thermal shock resistance, chip resis-tance and gloss retention. Some of these relate to safety concerns for your customers. All relate to your reputation and that of the entire polishing community.

Simple tests are within your reach to address these matters and you should become familiar with them. CSDA Standard ST-115 Measuring Concrete Micro Surface Texture is useful tool for everyone in the concrete finishing and polishing industry. It has been created to help polishing contractors validate the tools they select before starting a polishing process. This not only helps to prove the tools chosen were the correct ones for the application, but that they were correctly measured, utilized and recorded in an orga-nized manor. CSDA-ST-115 is available to everyone via www.csda.org. Simply click on the link under Architect/Engineer Resources on the home page of the website. For more information about this Standard, or other polishing resources from CSDA, call 727-577-5004 or email [email protected].

Andy Bowman is the owner of Adaptive

Concrete Innovations based in Rose Bud,

Arkansas. He has 14 years experience of

concrete polishing, is the chair of the CSDA

Polishing Committee and the lead trainer of the

association’s Concrete Polishing training class.

Bowman will present at the CSDA Convention

and Tech Fair, March 13-15, 2014, and can

be reached at 419-408-5906 or by email at

[email protected].

5 4 | MARCH.14

CORE HEALTH

Implementing a Pre-Employment Physical Program

By Erin O’Brien

In the construction industry, the physical demands of the job and risk of injury are high. Each year, one out of every ten construction workers is accidentally injured on the job. Back injuries are the most common type of injury, at 25 percent, followed by leg, arm and hand injuries.

Even though these injuries are covered by Workers’ Compensation, all owners and managers of a concrete cutting, polishing or imaging company should take every safety precaution possible to avoid on-the-job injuries. By preventing on-the-job injuries, employers will save their company and employees time and money. Unfortunately, there are occasions when an employee is less than truthful about the extent or cause of an injury. Falsi-fying a Workers’ Compensation claim is illegal, however, almost every day an employee is convicted of collecting on a fraudulent claim. It is important for companies to protect themselves from this type of fraud.

One of the most important steps a company can take to prevent fraudulent Workers’ Compensation claims is to administer a Pre-Employ-ment Physical to all employees. A Pre-Employment Physical, or PEP, is a physical health examination that can include a health history, previous illnesses and hospitalizations, current health concerns (frequent head-aches, high blood pressure, back/joint pain or “trick” joints) and ortho-pedic measurements such as strength and range of motion for all muscle groups and joints. The results of this PEP help employers manage future risks, set the foundation for preventative procedures, limit future liability, establish an employee’s medical condition when hired (creating a medical and legal information base) and promote workplace safety. A PEP should be administered to all employees immediately after they are hired, or as soon as the program is implemented by a healthcare professional or

By Erin O’Brien


Why Implement a PEP?• Reduces fraudulent Workers’ Compensation claims

• Provides a baseline medical profile to reference for

medical or legal purposes if required

• Uncovers pre-existing conditions so employees can

be treated or referred appropriately

• Helps control turnover rate

• Promotes workplace safety

company that specializes in administering workplace PEPs. This program is essential in preventing fraudulent Workers’ Compensation claims.

There can be many reasons why employers choose not to imple-ment a PEP program. These include cost, high employee turnover rate and convenience. The benefits, however, of pre-employment testing far outweigh any of these reasons. Any initial cost incurred would be recov-ered by discouraging frivolous and fraudulent Workers’ Compensa-tion claims. In addition, by testing employees before they begin work, a company is ensuring that their employees are physically able to perform their job. This can reduce turnover rate, as well as show employees that the company cares about their health and well-being. Finally, immediate

testing of employees is paramount. Even one day on the job provides a new hire with ample opportunity to claim an injury or elaborate on an existing injury or condition. A good example of this comes from CSDA Past President, Doug Walker. While undergoing a routine pre-employment physical, a standard at Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc., a new hire was tested for vision. The employee tested with 20/70 vision and was referred to an opthamologist. The results of that evaluation showed the employee had shards of metal in his eye, probably resulting from an incident at a previous job. Because this impairment was caught before he performed any work for Atlantic Concrete Cutting, the company was not at risk for this employee claiming Workers’ Compensation against them, potentially saving the company hundreds to thousands of dollars. Walker states that there have been several cases similar to this one, and had his company not administered these PEPs, the company would have been out thousands of dollars in false Workers’ Compensation claims. Atlantic Concrete Cutting began administering PEPs to their employees in January 2008.

Every company should consider adding this valuable service to their employment process. Implementing a PEP program is an important step in insuring safe employees and safe companies.

Erin O’Brien, MS, ATC is a Certified Athletic Trainer and Marketing Director for

O’Brien International, the association management company that manages

the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association. O’Brien received her Bachelor

of Science degree in Athletic Training from Ohio University and her Master

of Science degree in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology from the University

of Florida. She is also a Certified Level 1 CrossFit Instructor and member

of CrossFit9 in St. Petersburg, FL. She is a regular contributor to Concrete

Openings magazine. She can be reached at [email protected] or 727-577-5002.


OSHA/CSDA Alliance Latest

The Alliance between the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association (CSDA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is now in its eigth year and continues to educate contractors, prevent on-the-job accidents and injuries and provide vital materials to advance a safe work environment for sawing and drilling professionals. Here is the latest news from the Alliance Program.

NAOSH WEEK 2014Through OSHA’s Alliance with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), OSHA is continuing to work with ASSE to support North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 4-10, 2014. NAOSH Week, an annual campaign led by the ASSE and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), is aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of occupational safety and health. The theme for the 2014 campaign is “Workplace Safety Works for Everyone.” 2014 marks the tenth year the Alliance Program will be involved with the Week’s activities.

The 2014 NAOSH Week event will be held Wednesday, May 7 at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. This year’s event will feature presentation of the new “Spirit of Alliance” award by ASSE to an OSHA Alliance Program participant that has achieved exceptional results. In addition, Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, has been invited to give the keynote address.

For more information about the OSHA/CSDA Alliance program, or to view documents released by this partnership, visit www.csda.org and click on the “OSHA Alliance” link under “Safety” or call 727-577-5004.

5 8 | MARCH.14

INDUSTRY BITS

New Electric Floor Planer from CS UnitecCS Unitec’s Trelawny™ floor planer has been designed for tough surface preparation and material removal applications. The TFP 200 is ideal for the removal of coatings and corrosion from concrete and steel surfaces to prepare for recoating. In addition, this walk-behind planer roughens concrete and produces a keyed or grooved profile on concrete for waterproofing and non-slip surface applications. The TFP 200 has an 8-inch cutting width and maximum 0.125-inch cutting depth per pass. Depth control enables removal of surface materials without damaging the substrate. Other features include a fully adjustable handlebar, integrated vacuum connection and hold-to-run handle. Three

models are available with different motors to meet the needs of the working environment. The 3.5-horsepower air-powered unit,

Model 320.2012T, consumes 165 CFM of air at 90 PSI. Model 320.2000T is powered by a 5.5-horsepower Honda GX160

gas motor. The electric-powered Model 320.2004T features a 3-horsepower, 220-240-volt motor. For more information, call 800-700-5919 or email [email protected].

Dixie Diamond Introduces The Twister Core BitDixie Diamond Manufacturing is pleased to introduce a new diamond coring bit. The Twister Bit is available in a range from 2 to 14 inches in diameter. Manufactured with turbo-style segments and a high-quality bond, the Twister Bit has been designed to reduce drag and increase coring speeds. Meanwhile, the bit’s 0.350-inch diamond depth is made for long life while coring at high speeds. For more information, call 800-654-7224 or visit www.dixiediamond.com.

New Husqvarna Flat Saws Meet New Emission RegulationsHusqvarna introduced two brand new flat saws at World of Concrete in January, the FS 7000 D and FS 5000 D. Both are equipped with low emission engines and a diesel oxidation catalyst (FS 7000 D) or particle filters (FS 5000 D) to comply with Tier 4 Final/Stage III B emission regulations, and are available with 3-speed or 1-speed transmissions. In addition, both have an optional electronic blade clutch for instant release of power transmission. Engines for the FS 7000 D and FS 5000 D are now electronically controlled and have digital displays, enabling all important functions to be easily monitored. The E-track system has an integrated reset function in the display, designed to help achieve straighter cuts. The new saws have a higher output, but can still handle the same size diamond blades as their predecessors. For more information, contact Cate Stratemeier at 913-928-1442 or email [email protected].

ICS Acquires Distribution Rights for Pentruder Across the AmericasICS, a division of Blount International, Inc., has announced an agreement with Tractive AB, Sweden, and Pentruder Inc. of Chandler, Arizona, that makes ICS the exclusive source of Pentruder high-performance concrete cutting systems in the Americas. The announcement was made during the World of Concrete in January. Through the agreement, ICS will market, sell and support the Pentruder line of wall saws, wire saws, core drills and all parts/accessories in the region through ICS’ direct sales team and its Portland, Oregon headquarters. ICS assumes operation of Pentruder, Inc., previously responsible for Americas distribution and customer service from their location in Chandler, Arizona. Terry Martin, President/Owner of Pentruder Inc. in the Americas, has joined ICS full-time as director of business development—Pentruder from the Chandler location, providing ongoing business leadership and ensuring a seamless transition. For more information, contact Bob Engel at 800-321-1240 or email [email protected].


Brokk Appoints New Regional Sales ManagerBrokk, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Keeling to the position of regional sales manager for the Midwestern region of the U.S. Keeling joins the company having previously held sales positions with Magnum, Husqvarna, Precision Demolition Systems and most recently Hilti. He brings a deep knowledge of the concrete cutting industry and a strong familiarity with demolition. Through his work with Precision Demolition, Keeling has experience with Brokk equipment and has honed his knowledge at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Monroe, Washington. Jeff will cover a total of 13 states across the Midwest and is a welcome addition to the Brokk team. For more information, contact Jeff at 312-509-0861 or email at [email protected].

Wolverine Equipment Announces Two-Way Loop SawWolverine Equipment is pleased to announce its new two-way loop saw. The W-60LS is the industry’s first loop saw with the capability to make both straight and circular cuts. With a push of a button and a pull of a lever, this saw transitions from circle cutting to straight cutting. This feature allows the loop saw to make the straight cuts that connect the loops to each other, as well as the homerun cuts to the curb. The W-60LS can perform the same work that previously required two saws on site. As per Wolverine’s original loop saw, the two-way version has a 60-horsepower Kubota turbo-charged diesel engine that is water cooled. The W-60LS maintains a uniform depth of 3 or 5 inches over the entire 6-foot-diameter circular cut. It has a heavy duty frame and a blade capacity of 14 to 18 inches. Other features include a hydraulic raise and lower, a 14-inch blade guard included as standard and a hydraulic actuated pivoting plant. For more information, contact Bill Darling at 253-867-6209 or email [email protected].

Bosch Introduces New Dust Extraction System Bosch has introduced a new lineup of nine- and 14-gallon vacuums suitable for dust and dirt extraction on concrete surfacing, drilling, cutting and chipping jobs. The VAC090S and VAC090A nine-gallon vacuums and VAC140S and VAC140A 14-gallon vacuums have a suction power rating of 150 cubic feet of air per minute (CFM) and weigh 28 and 37 pounds respectively. Outfitted with an automatic filter cleaning mechanism, the VAC090A and VAC140A self-clean the flat pleated filter through a reverse airflow every 15 seconds. The VAC090S and VAC140S use a similar airflow cleaning process and include a module on the hose that allows the user to cut off suction and activate the filter cleaning with the push of a button. The vacuums also feature integrated cord and hose storage solutions, and a wet vacuuming water level sensor that protects the motor by automatically shutting down the device when water reaches a maximum height. For more information, call 877-207-2499 or visit www.boschtools.com.

Keeling

6 0 | MARCH.14

I N D U S T R Y B I T S

EDCO Unveils Single-Disc Wedge-Less Grinder at WOCFollowing the 2013 release of its two-disc Wedge-Less grinder, Equipment Development Co. (EDCO) debuted the company’s new single-disc Wedge-Less grinder at the World of Concrete in January and at the ARA Rental Show in February. The 1.5-horsepower single-disc model stands less than 40 inches tall and weighs 188 pounds. It features an 11-inch working width, gear-driven power, enhanced dust prevention and front-loading weight trays that accept up to 20 pounds of extra weight. All Wedge-Less Grinders have EDCO’s exclusive leveling system that adjusts the machine’s height, allowing operators to quickly attach accessories of different sizes and purposes. For more information, contact Jason Stanczyk at 800-638-3326, extension 180, or email [email protected].

Adaptive Concrete Innovations Appoints President & CEOAdaptive Concrete Innovations is pleased to announce that Henrik Rosencrantz has been appointed the company’s President & CEO. An experienced professional in the concrete polishing industry, Rosencrantz will be responsible for organizing operational and promotional efforts for the T Meter—a measurement device for reading concrete surface texture. He will also focus on creating a certified surface texture grading program based on parameters described in CSDA Standard ST-115 Measuring Concrete Micro Surface Texture. Andy Bowman, surface metrology specialist for Adaptive Concrete Innovations, will be working with Henrik to realize these goals and educate the industry to correctly quantify the concrete surface refinement of concrete polished surfaces. For more information, contact Andy Bowman at 419-408-5906 or email [email protected].

New Line of Combihammers from Hilti, Inc.Hilti unveiled its new TE 70-AVR and TE 70-AVR-ATC combihammers during the World of Concrete in January. The TE 70 has an 1,800-watt motor for fast, 380-RPM drilling in various concrete, stone and masonry; creating holes for rebar dowels and anchor bolts; through-hole drilling and coring for mechanical and electrical applications, as well as chiseling and demolition of concrete and masonry. Suitable for drilling 20-40-millimeter (0.8-1.6-inch) anchor holes, the combihammer has been upgraded to include Active Vibration Reduction (AVR) and Active Torque Control (ATC). Hilti’s ATC system reduces the possibility of twisting, should the drill bit catch. The AVR system reduces vibration passed along to the operator during operation. For more information, contact Hilti customer service at 800-879-8000 in the U.S., 800-363-4458 in Canada, or visit www.us.hilti.com in the U.S. or www.hilti.ca in Canada.

Stihl Introduces Value-Priced Diamond Abrasive ChainStihl, Inc. is pleased to introduce its 36 GBE diamond abrasive chain. This new chain has been manufactured particularly for rental applications, cutting abrasive materials such as brick or small-scale concrete projects. The Stihl diamond abrasive chain 36 GBE features pre-sharpened diamond segments on every other link, providing high cutting speed in concrete and stone materials. The chain is ideal for short-term projects that require precise cutting and is to be used exclusively with the GS 461 Stihl Rock Boss® concrete chain saw and with Stihl Rollomatic® G guide bars. The chain is designed to cut concrete, reinforced concrete (with rebar up to 0.5 inches), cinder blocks and masonry (including bricks, asphalt and soft stone such as sandstone). Cutting hard stone, such as granite, and ductile iron pipe are also approved applications but will reduce the service life of the chain. This unit is also intended for special projects involving precise corner cutting without overcutting. For more information, call 757-486-9100 or visit www.stihlusa.com.

Rosencrantz



GelMaxx Introduces AQUAmaxx for Water ReclamationGelmaxx is pleased to introduce AQUAmaxx, a proprietary blend with special additives that will separate suspended solids without the need for machinery. It comes in a liquid form that is mixed with slurry and the separation process starts in minutes. Only 2-3 quarts are needed for 55 gallons worth of slurry wastewater. AQUAmaxx wraps itself around the concrete particles and makes them heavy enough to drop to the bottom. The clean water remains on top. Depending on the size of the cutting or polishing job, the use of AQUAmaxx can cut a contractor’s water usage in half. The product is also useful on jobsites without a close water supply, as it can provide a constant water supply. For more information, call 855-322-3335 or visit www.gelmaxxusa.com.

Diamond Tools Technology Announces New Technical Sales SpecialistsDiamond Tools Technology is pleased to announce the addition of Nick Papadopoulos, Rich Gorman and Matt Simons as technical sales specialists within their respective regions. Nick Papadopoulos joins DTT as the sales specialist for the Southeast sales territory, consisting of Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Nick has over 16 years of diamond blade sales experience. Rich Gorman joins DTT as the sales specialist for the Northeast territory, consisting of the Philadelphia area north to Maine. Rich has over 35 years diamond blade sales experience as well as experience as a flat saw operator. Matt Simons joins DTT as the sales specialist for the Pacific Northwest region. Matt has over 14 years of experience selling a wide range of chemical materials/additives and supplies for concrete. For more information, contact Mark Turner at 847-537-8686 or email [email protected].

The LMX100 GPR Locator from Sensors & SoftwareThe LMX100 can locate and mark metallic and non-metallic objects up to 30 feet deep based on soil condition. The unit can detect fiber optic cables, PVC piping and steel reinforcing bars among other objects. The unit is ready to use out-of-the box and has a bright color LCD with an anti-reflective screen optimized for outdoor viewing. Standing 45 inches tall and weighing 48 pounds, the LMX100 is stored in a collapsible, rugged non-metallic fiberglass cart, specially engineered to provide interference-free GPR operation. It is designed for the optional easy capture of screen images to memory card and can store up to 16 gigabytes of information. For more information, call 800-267-6013 or email [email protected].

Papadopoulos Gorman Simons

6 2 | MARCH.14

New 1-9/16-Inch Rotary Hammers from BoschBosch Power Tools is pleased to introduce its new 1-9/16-inch rotary hammers. At 6.1 foot pounds of impact energy, the RH540M SDS-max® rotary hammer and RH540S spline rotary hammer provide a high level of productivity for all-day drilling and chiseling applications. The new line of RH540 tools feature 12 amps and weigh just 14.2 pounds, delivering 1,200 to 2,750 blows per minute. They deliver 38 percent more impact energy and up to 50 percent faster drilling speed than previous Bosch models. A variable speed dial for both drilling and chiseling applications allows users to adjust tool settings based on application and material, and a selector knob can switch between hammer drilling, chiseling only and a Vario-Lock function—allowing chisels to be rotated into 12 different positions. Service minder displays indicate when preventive maintenance is required, helping operators to maximize productivity. For more information, visit www.boschtools.com or call 877-207-2499.

Husqvarna Introduces WS 220 Wall SawHusqvarna Construction Products is pleased to announce the release of the WS 220 electric wall saw. The WS 220 is designed for blades 23-35 inches in diameter and is capable of making cuts 15 inches deep in concrete. The high-frequency Husqvarna Prime motor delivers 8 horsepower on the spindle and the head weighs only 42 pounds. It can be operated with both 3-phase and 1-phase power sources, plus the blade’s direction of rotation can be adjusted by wireless remote control. A symmetric track and carriage enable sawing on both sides of the track. For more information, call 913-928-1000 or visit www.husqvarnacp.com.

Ruth Johnson, 1937-2014Ruth Ellen Johnson, wife of CSDA Past President Jack Johnson, passed away peacefully on January 15th, 2014 surrounded by her loving family after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 77 years old. Ruth was born to the late John Oliver and Gracyie Bell Calhoun on January 20th, 1937

in Inglewood, California. Ruth graduated from Gardena High School in 1955. She married her sweetheart, Jack, in 1958 and lived in California before relocating to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1973. Ruth and Jack founded A-Core, Inc. in 1974 and built it into one of the most respected concrete cutting companies in the country. Through A-Core and personal endeavors, Ruth supported various charities and was a driving force in the community for over 40 years. She will

be greatly missed and remembered by those surviving her, including her husband of 55 years Jack B. Johnson; their three children: Robert Johnson (Pamela), Malissa Ryberg (Richard) and Valerie Fader (Kevin); grandchildren: Jacob, Ashley and Jordan Rodgers, Jonathan Cattani, Jacklyn Barnett (Trade), Gracie and Garret Fader; great-grandchild: Aiden Barnett; Ruth’s brother James Calhoun (Shauna) and numerous brother and sister-in-laws, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Ruth Johnson



PCA Provides Forecast for Concrete Construction Market at WOCAt a press conference during World of Concrete 2014 in January, Portland Cement Association (PCA) Chief Economist Ed Sullivan presented his view of what to expect in 2014 and following years. PCA expects 2014 cement consumption to reach nearly 86 million metric tons, an 8.1 percent gain over 2013 figures. It is also expected that half of the construction industry’s growth in 2014 will come from residential construction activity, where there is the largest amount of pent-up demand. The commercial and institutional sector will contribute another 25 percent. Further predictions suggest that real construction spending will grow by eight percent in 2014. By 2018, the end of the forecast horizon, portland cement consumption is expected to reach nearly 119 million metric tons—roughly three percent below the past cyclical peak in 2005. This implies a 14-year recession. For more information, contact Patti Flesher at 847-972-9136 or email [email protected].

Stihl Supports ‘Look Before You Pump’ CampaignStihl, Inc. is promoting a new campaign from the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI). The organization recently announced a national ethanol education and consumer protection campaign, called ‘Look Before You Pump.’ The education

campaign cautions consumers that it is harmful and illegal to use higher than 10 percent ethanol gas in any outdoor power equipment, such as mowers, chain saws, snow throwers, UTVs, generators and other small engine products. The urgency of the industry’s campaign comes from research that shows high-ethanol blends of gasoline can damage or destroy small engines not designed to handle it. A recent OPEI/Harris Interactive study shows the vast majority of Americans (71 percent) are “not at all sure” if it is illegal or legal to put high level ethanol gas (i.e., anything higher than 10 percent ethanol) into engines such as those in boats, mowers, chain saws, snow mobiles, generators and other engine products. The ‘Look Before You Pump’ campaign will reach consumers through radio and video public service announcements (PSA), fact sheets, in-store displays, labeling and product hang-tags. For more information, visit www.lookbeforeyoupump.com and search for #LookB4UPump on Twitter and Facebook.

Holes Inc. Receives Industry AwardCSDA member Holes Incorporated of Houston, Texas, recently won the Associated Builders and Contractors’ Excellence In Construction (EIC) Award for the best specialty contract under $2 million. Representatives from Holes were presented with the award during the association’s 2013 EIC Award Ceremony this past October. The cutting contractor submitted a job performed at Hobby Airport in Houston, where 36,000 square feet of a topping slab was removed to allow the bottom slab to be waterproofed prior to pour back. Holes completed the project with no incidents, accidents or damage to the bottom slab. For more information, contact Kellie Vazquez at 281-469-7070 or email [email protected].

Frank Padilla Baron

Kellie Vazquez (with award) received the EIC Award with other members of Holes, Inc.

Frank Padilla Baron, 1930-2014Industry professional Frank Baron, born February 8, 1930, died peacefully at home on his 84th birthday after battling cancer for more than a year. Frank was born in Los Angeles, California to first generation Spanish immigrants Frank Padilla and Marie Baron. He graduated from Freemont High with the winter class of 1949 where he excelled in Football and Track, playing right halfback on the city championship team and being named First Team All-City. As a youth, Frank worked at Grenlaw Saw and Knife, a small repair shop where he sharpened knives, scissors and hand saws. He took ownership of the business in 1950 and the company name was changed to Western Saw Manufacturers, Inc. Frank married high school classmate and prom date Lillian Elna Nielsen (also known as Kristina) in 1955. The couple moved to Chatsworth in 1964 and four years later changed their last name to Baron—the family name of Frank’s mother. A popular figure in his community, Frank was recognized as Chatsworth’s Citizen of the Year in 1981. He and Kristina fostered nineteen children. Their marriage lasted 45 years until Kristina’s passing in 2000. Frank married his second wife, Cleo Wood, in 2005. Frank lead the evolution of Western Saw with innovations including diamond cores, carbide-tipped saws, hard face diamond cores, tubes, carbide blanks and custom laser cutting. The company is now a leader in the diamond core industry. Frank is survived by his five children Kevin (Kimberly) Baron; Kraig (Cheryl) Baron; Kimberlee (Luke) Claus; Kurt (Teresa) Baron and Kristopher Baron; grandchildren Blake, Brooke, Cole (J’Lene), Bree, Chase, Cooper, Holden and Mackinzee, and great-grandson Cruz. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

6 4 | MARCH.14

OPERATOR CERTIFICATIONCompanies listed here have invested time and money to send their operators to CSDA’s Operator Certification. If you are committed to professionalism in the concrete cutting industry, consider sending your operators through the training programs offered by the CSDA.

COMPANY CERTIFICATIONThe CSDA Company Certification Program is the first of its kind in the industry. This program has been created for cutting contractors to provide owners, architects, engineers, general contractors and government officials with a valuable pre-qualification tool that acknowledges sound business practices. It is available to all sawing and drilling contractors.

CERTIFICATION

ABC CUTTING CONTRACTORS BIRMINGHAMBessemer, Alabama

ABC CUTTING CONTRACTORS MOBILE Daphine, Alabama

ACCU-CUT CONCRETE SERVICESPalm Harbor, Florida

ANDERS CONSTRUCTION, INC.Harvey, Louisiana

ATLANTIC CONCRETE CUTTING, INC.Mt. Holly, New Jersey

AUSTIN ENTERPRISEBakersfield, California

B.T. RENTALS LIMITEDWoodbrook, Trinidad & Tobago

CENTRAL CONCRETE CUTTING, INC.Edgar, Wisconsin

CHICAGO CUT CONCRETE CUTTINGChicago, Illinois

COBRA CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES CO.Arlington Heights, Illinois

CONCRETE CUTTING & BREAKING CO.Jacksonville, Florida

CONCRETE CUTTING SPECIALISTS, INC.Freeland, Michigan

CONCRETE PENETRATING CO.Dallas, Texas

CONCRETE RENOVATION, INC.San Antonio, Texas

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS REMOVAL, INC.St. Augustine, Florida

CORE SOLUTIONS LTD.Maraval, Trinidad & Tobago

CORING & CUTTING OF SPRINGFIELD, INC.Nixa, Missouri

CORING & CUTTING SERVICES, INC.Bentonville, Arkansas

CORING & CUTTING SERVICES, INC.Jacksonville, Arkansas

CUT-RITE CONCRETE CUTTING CORP.Pawtucket, Rhode Island

CUTTING EDGE SERVICES CORP.Batavia, Ohio

D.M. CONLON/DAN-KEL CONCRETE CORING, SAWING & SCANNINGMyrtle Beach, South Carolina

DARI CONCRETE SAWING AND DRILLINGRaleigh, North Carolina

DEANDREA CORING & SAWING, INC.Henderson, Colorado

DELTA CONTRACTORS & ASSOCIATES, LLCBaltimore, Maryland

DIXIE CONCRETE CUTTING CO.College Park, Georgia

EAST COAST CONCRETE SPECIALITIES, INC.Jessup, Maryland

ELMER’S CRANE & DOZER, INC.Traverse City, Michigan

HAFNER & SON, INC.Danielsville, Pennsylvania

HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTERS, INC.Wheeling, Illinois

HARD ROCK SAWING & DRILLING SPECIALIST CO.Keshena, Wisconsin

HOLES INCORPORATEDHouston, Texas

HOLES OF SAN ANTONIO, INC.San Antonio, Texas

HOUSLEY DEMOLITION CO., INC.Visalia, California

INTERNATIONAL DRILLING & SAWING, INC.Montgomery, Alabama

J-RAY CONTRACTORS, LLCMarrero, Louisiana

JACK DOHERTY CONTRACTINGWoburn, Massachussetts

K.C. CORING & CUTTING CONSTRUCTION, INC.Kansas City, Missouri

L&S FORMLESS CURB COMPANYHanover, Pennsylvania

LIUNA LOCAL 506 TRAINING CENTRERichmond Hill, Ontario, Canada

LOMBARDO DIAMOND CORE DRILLING CO.Santa Clara, California

M6 CONCRETE CUTTING & CORINGWichita, Kansas

PENHALL COMPANY/CONCRETE CORING COMPANY OF HAWAIIAiea, Hawaii

QUICK CUTS CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES, LLCBelvidere, Illinois

ROUGHNECK CONCRETE DRILLING & SAWINGMorton Grove, Illinois

SUPER CITY CONCRETE CUTTINGOcean Grove, Victoria, Australia

TRUE LINE CORING & CUTTING OF CHATTANOOGA, LLCChattanooga, Tennessee

TRUE LINE CORING & CUTTING OF KNOXVILLE, LLCKnoxville, Tennessee

TRUE LINE CORING & CUTTING OF NASHVILLE, LLCNashville, Tennessee

WOLF INDUSTRIAL SERVICESSan Francisco, California

ATLANTIC CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Mount Holly, New Jersey

AUSTIN ENTERPRISE Bakersfield, California

CENTRAL CONCRETE CUTTING, INC. Edgar, Wisconsin

COBRA CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES CO. Arlington Heights, Illinois

CONCRETE RENOVATION, INC. San Antonio, Texas

CUTTING EDGE SERVICES CORP. Batavia, Ohio

DEANDREA CORING & SAWING, INC. Henderson, Colorado

DI-TECH INTERNATIONAL, INC. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

GREENE’S, INC.Woods Cross, Utah

HARD ROCK CONCRETE CUTTERS, INC. Wheeling, Illinois

HOLES INCORPORATEDHouston, Texas

ONLINE CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICES PTY. LTD Seven Hills, New South Wales, Australia

WESTCOAST CUTTING & CORING, LTD.Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada


NEW MEMBERS The Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association is a nonprofit trade association of contractors, manufacturers and affiliated members from the construction and renovation industry. Diamond tools for projects requiring sawing, drilling, selective demolition, cutting and polishing offers the construction industry many benefits including lower total project costs, precision cutting, maintenance of structural integrity, reduced downtime, reduced noise, dust and debris, limited access cutting and the ability to cut heavily-reinforced concrete. Founded in 1972, CSDA has 500 member companies worldwide.

MEMBERSHIP

North American ContractorADVANTA ASPHALT Live Oak, Florida

ALLIED CORING & CUTTING, LLCFort Worth, Texas

ANY CONCRETE CUTTING SERVICESFayetteville, Arizona

ATLANTIC CONCRETE CUTTING AND DRILLINGFort Pierce, Florida

COASTAL CONCRETE CUTTING, LLCNorth Charleston, South Carolina

JOSEPH J. ALBANESE, INC. Santa Clara, California

LLOYD’S CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC.Savage, Minnesota

MACTECH, INC.Red Wing, Minnesota

STRAIGHT LINE SAWING & SEALINGIrving, Texas

Overseas ContractorDRILLCUT, INC.Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong

Polishing ContractorCONCRETE PRESERVATIONDallas, Texas

GL CONSTRUCTIONWolfforth, Texas

NOVO BÉTON, INC.Quebec, Canada

POLISHMAXXCedar Rapids, Iowa

DistributorCONCRETE POLISHING HQLas Cruces, New Mexico

AffiliateADAPTIVE CONCRETE INNOVATIONSRose Bud, Arkansas

ADVANTAGE LEASING CORPORATIONBrookfield, Wisconsin

CONCRETE CUTTERS NETWORKDanvers, Massachusetts

PREP AND POLISH CONSULTANTSGarland, Texas

MEMBER TESTIMONIAL

My membership in CSDA really came about by accident. I met CSDA Polishing Committee Chair Andy Bowman via LinkedIn and we immediately found we were on the same page regarding CSDA’s new Standard for measuring concrete micro surface texture (CSDA-ST-115). At this point I felt I should get involved with CSDA, then when I discovered just how strong their Polishing Committee had become in such a short space of time, I knew it was a good decision. Many firms now rely heavily on surface texture measurements to define the quality of refined and polished concrete surfaces. Becoming involved with the association’s

Len Sniegowski

Polishing Committee and polishing training program is a big honor. I look forward to meeting new friends and helping our industry get stronger through CSDA’s resources.Len Sniegowski Prep And Polish Consultants, LLCAlpena, Michigan [email protected]

MEMBER BENEFIT PARTNERSHIPS

CSDA member VBeltSupply.com is a national wholesale distributor of industrial grade belts. The company provides belting, power transmission solutions and replacement parts to many industries.

Line Card• Cogged and banded belts

• Conventional belts

• Kevlar banded belts

• Timing belts

• Pulleys, bearings, roller chain, etc.

Shipping & Invoicing Options

• Drop shipping available

• 30 net terms, credit card, Paypal

• Free shipping on orders over $299 (Continental U.S.)

CSDA members receive an additional 10% discount by using discount code CSDA10 when purchasing at vbeltsupply.com. Phone orders will receive the same discount if the code is provided to the account manager. For more information, call 888-291-5450 or visit www.vbeltsupply.com.

6 6 | MARCH.14

Membership Application

COMPANY INFORMATION

COMPANY

ADDRESS

CITY STATE/PROVINCE

ZIP/POSTAL CODE COUNTRY

PHONE FAX

EMAIL

WEB ADDRESS

OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVE

OTHERS PARTICIPATING IN CSDA ACTIVITIES

PRINCIPAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

START UP DATE YEARS IN BUSINESS

AVERAGE ANNUAL GROSS INCOME $

ANNUAL GROWTH RATE

NO. BRANCH LOCATIONS NO. EMPLOYEES

CONTRACTORS: NO. TRUCKS

PRINCIPALS/OWNERS OF BUSINESS

OTHER PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIPS

CONTRACTORS ONLY—CHECK BELOW TO IDENTIFY THE SERVICES YOU OFFER, WHICH WILL BE LISTED IN THE PRINT AND ONLINE DIRECTORIES:

FLAT SAWING CORE DRILLING WALL SAWING WIRE SAWING

SELECTIVE DEMOLITION CURB CUTTING GROUND PENETRATING RADAR

CONCRETE POLISHING SURFACE PREPARATION SLURRY RECYCLING

COMPANY ANNUAL DUES (FROM ABOVE)

ADDITIONAL BRANCH LOCATIONS ($130 PER LOCATION)

CSDA WEBSITE HOTLINK ($100) LINKS DIRECTLY TO YOUR COMPANY WEBSITE

CSDA • 100 2ND AVENUE SOUTH, SUITE 402N, ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33701 • TEL: 727.577.5004 • FAX: 727.577.5012 • E-MAIL: [email protected] • WWW.CSDA.ORG

*AFFILIATE: A person, firm, corporation, society, government agency or other organization providing services to the concrete sawing, polishing and scanning industry.

PAYMENT

$

$

$

$ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP TOTAL

CHECK ENCLOSED (US FUNDS AND DRAWN ON A US BANK) VISA MASTERCARD DISCOVER

CARD NO.

EXPIRATION DATE 3-DIGIT VERIFICATION (CSC)

NAME ON CARD

BILLING ADDRESS

SIGNATURE

MEMBERSHIP DUES

MEMBERSHIP DUES SCHEDULE PLEASE CIRCLE YOUR DUES AMOUNT

GROSS SALES NORTH AMERICAN CONTRACTOR POLISHING CONTRACTOR GPR IMAGING CONTRACTOR MANUFACTURER DISTRIBUTOR OVERSEAS CONTRACTOR AFFILIATE*

$0–1M $575 $750 $1,225 $895

$1–2M $940 $1,520 $1,140

$2–3M $1,420 $2,255 $1,690

$3M–5M $1,910 $1,250 $750

$3,640 $395

$710

$5–10M $2,400 $4,880 $2,725

>$10M $3,035 $6,065


CSDA WebsiteThe CSDA Website at www.csda.org contains a wealth of information available 24/7 in the “Members” section. The online discussion boards also provide members a forum to discuss technical issues, sell equipment, hire employees or any other relevant topics.

Concrete OpeningsConcreteOpenings at www.concreteopenings.com is the only professional magazine dedicated to concrete cutting with a circulation of 18,000 per issue. Members can advertise at significant discounts and use the opportunity to have their job stories reach almost 7,000 architects, engineers, general contractors and government officials.

CSDA Next Generation CommitteeThe committee aims to continue the growth of the association while serving the needs and wants of the younger generation, with the goal of continuing to set a standard of excellence.

Mentor ProgramNew Members can receive personalized assistance from a current CSDA Board or Committee member during their first year of membership.

Market Intelligence• Helps you plan, measure, understand trends and markets. • 3rd party non biased market research• Surveys and reports

Other benefits and programs can be reviewed by visiting the CSDA Website at www.csda.org or call the CSDA office at 727-577-5004.

BENEFITS

Networking at the Annual Convention and Quarterly MeetingsThe number one benefit for members has always been the opportunity to network with industry professionals at the annual convention and quarterly meetings. This networking provides opportunities to forge new relationships and learn from other experienced professionals.

CSDA Training and Certification ProgramsOver 3,000 members have graduated from more than 20 classroom, hands-on and online training programs. In addition, CSDA has certification programs for companies and individual operators. See pages 8 and 9 for more details.

CSDA Safety Resources and Toolbox Safety Tips (TSTs)The 230-page CSDA Safety Manual, CSDA 57-page Safety Handbook and five safety DVDs are designed specifically for concrete cutters, polishers and scanners. They are available to members at a significant discount. TSTs can be used in employee safety meetings and can be an important part of your company’s safety program. CSDA has released over 100 TSTs since the program began. A new TST is released every month.

Representation with Governmental OrganizationsCSDA has an Alliance with OSHA to advance the safety of cutting contractors. This partnership included issuing Best Practice and Toolbox Safety Talk documents, joint exhibitions at trade shows, review of safety materials and round tables.

World of Concrete Co-SponsorMembers receive free registration and significant discounts on educational seminars fees. CSDA also supports the industry

by exhibiting at this event and sponsoring seminar sessions.

Discount ProgramsThe Association negotiates member benefit programs with national vendors in order to provide cost-savings opportunities for CSDA Members.

6 8 | MARCH.14

CALENDAR

2014

MARCH 6-7CSDA Australia ConventionMarriott Surfers ParadiseQueensland, AustraliaTel: 39-867-0227Email: [email protected]

MARCH 11-12CSDA Spring MeetingsThe Westin La Paloma Resort & SpaTucson, AZTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

MARCH 13-15CSDA Convention & Tech FairThe Westin La Paloma Resort & SpaTucson, AZTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

MARCH 13-15Concrete Show India Bombay Exhibition Centre, MumbaiINDIA www.concreteshowindia.com

MARCH 27-29BeBoSa 2014Sauerland Stern HotelWillingen, Germanywww.bebosa.com

MAY 18-21Gathering of Eagles 2014 - Industry Business MeetingPebble Beach Golf Resort & SpaPebble Beach, CATel: 800-525-1009 x17Email: [email protected]

OCTOBER 20-21CSDA Hand Sawing & Drilling 101 TrainingDiamond ProductsElyria, OHTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

OCTOBER 20-22Infra Oman 2014Oman International Exhibition CenterSultanate of OmanEmail: [email protected]/infraoman

NOVEMBER 10-11CSDA Slab Sawing & Drilling 201 CertificationSt. Petersburg CollegeClearwater, FLTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

NOVEMBER 12-13CSDA Wall & Hand Sawing 201 CertificationSt. Petersburg CollegeClearwater, FLTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

NOVEMBER 14-15CSDA Wire Sawing 201 CertificationSt. Petersburg CollegeClearwater, FLTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

DECEMBER 4-5CSDA Winter MeetingsThe Westin Riverwalk San AntonioSan Antonio, TexasTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

2015

FEBRUARY 3-6World of ConcreteLas Vegas Convention CenterLas Vegas, NVTel: 972-536-6423www.worldofconcrete.com

JUNE 12-14IACDS Annual General MeetingMadrid, SpainEmail: [email protected]

SEPTEMBER 4-5CSDA Fall MeetingsPortland Marriott Downtown WaterfrontPortland, ORTel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

SEPTEMBER 4-5Demcon 2014InfraCityStockholm, SwedenEmail: [email protected]/en

SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 3Concrete Décor ShowFort Worth Convention CenterFort Worth, TexasEmail: [email protected]

OCTOBER 7-8CSDA Wall Sawing 101 TrainingK2 DiamondTorrance, CATel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

OCTOBER 9-10CSDA Wire Sawing 101 TrainingK2 DiamondTorrance, CATel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

JUNE 5-6

CSDA Summer MeetingsNew Orleans MarriottNew Orleans, LATel: 727-577-5004Email: [email protected]

http://concreteshowinda.ubm-info.com/c/16PHeml55hTu3nlIROGeUuMKNf


Do you “Like” CSDA?CSDA is on Facebook, and we hope you “like” it! The CSDA page is packed with all the latest news, updates, photos and videos from the association and Concrete Openings magazine. Look out for exclusive content and become “friends” with others who are looking to network and promote the sawing and drilling industry. Join our growing fan base and stay in touch with the association through your PC, laptop or mobile device.

Not a Subscriber?Get your free subscription today!Visit www.concreteopenings.com and click “subscribe”.


Target the Specialized Industry of Concrete Cutting, Polishing and Imaging Advertising in Concrete Openings magazine is the only way to reach the specialty market of cutting, polishing and imaging contractors who work with concrete, asphalt or masonry because it is specifically targeted to this segment of the industry.

How Do You Reach 18,000+ Concrete industry Professionals?Each issue of Concrete Openings magazine is sent to more than 11,000 operators, equipment manufacturers and suppliers in the concrete cutting, polishing and imaging industry, and more than 7,000 specifiers of these services around the world.

Who Reads the Magazine?Concrete Openings reaches cutting, polishing and imaging contractors as well as specifiers of these services, including engineers, architects, general contractors and governmental agencies. Why waste your message on unnecessary circulation? Advertising in Concrete Openings guarantees a targeted audience of industry professionals.

Concrete Openings WebsiteConcrete Openings has its own website. Advertisers have direct links to their websites placed on our Advertisers page as a complimentary addition to ad placement. A full page-turning copy of the magazine, including ads, is also available for visitors to read on the website. Visitors to the site can now access our advertisers at the touch of a button. The Concrete Openings Website also has banner advertising opportunities available throughout the year.

Visit www.concreteopenings.com for more information.

Readership Per IssueA poll of Concrete Openings subscribers revealed that 66% pass on their copy of the magazine to at least one other person, with almost 25% stating that the magazine is passed on to four or more people each issue. This translates to an average of four people reading each issue of the magazine for a total readership per year of approximately 60,000.

READERSHIP BY PROFESSION

• Specifiers

• Contractors

• Manufacturers, Distributors

52%

8%

40%


ADVERTISING AND READERSHIP

Circulation 18,000+ minimum, per issue

11,000+ member and prospective member companies made up of contractors, manufacturers, distributors and affiliates

7,000+ general contractors, engineers, architects and government officials who specify cutting, polishing and imaging

http://www.concreteopenings.com

7 0 | MARCH.14

29 Apollo General Insurance Company 707-996-2912 [email protected]

57 Brokk, Inc. 877-276-5548 [email protected]

46 Concrete Cutters Network 781-771-1672 [email protected]

5 Concut, Inc. 253-872-3507 [email protected]

56 CS Unitec, Inc. 203-853-9522 [email protected]

45 Chicago Diamond Supply 630-442-3937 [email protected]

71, Inside Front Cover Diamond Products 800-321-5336 [email protected]

25, 29 Diamond Tools Technology 612-408-9253 [email protected]

51 Diamond Vantage 866-322-4078 [email protected]

22, 45 DITEQ Corporation 816-246-5515 [email protected]

17 Dixie Diamond Manufacturing 678-296-3751 [email protected]

46 Expert Equipment Company 713-797-9886 [email protected]

49 GDM Technologies/Terra Diamond 801-990-9034 [email protected]

28 GelMaxx 619-701-7246 [email protected]

10 Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc. (GSSI) 603-893-1109 [email protected]

Inside Back Cover Hilti North America 918-872-3079 [email protected]

36, 37, Outside Back Cover Husqvarna Construction Products 913-928-1442 [email protected]

2 ICS, Blount Inc. 503-653-4644 [email protected]

35 Makita 714-522-8088 [email protected]

21 Merit Engineering & Equipment Company 928-771-0575 [email protected]

53 Pentruder, Inc. 562-445-6429 [email protected]

27 Spidercut Systems, LLC 262-763-9002 [email protected]

PAGE ADVERTISER PHONE EMAIL

To receive additional information about products advertised in this issue, visit the advertisers page on concreteopenings.com, or contact the vendors below.

ADVERTISERS

7 2 | MARCH.14

PATRICK O’BRIENExecutive Director

DIRECTOR’S DIALOGUE

What Can CSDA Do With You?

O ne of the age old questions that members and prospects often ask of an association is “What can the association do for me?” So, “What can CSDA do for you?” Or maybe a better question is

“What can CSDA do with you?”CSDA membership has grown from less than 200 member companies

when I began my tenure as executive director, to over 450 member companies. The association must be doing something right to have attracted all these members and achieved such growth.

CSDA has changed and so have its members. Many contractors now offer more than just sawing and drilling services. CSDA has also changed from primarily a social organization (some called it an “Old Boys Club,” and some still call it this) to a member-focused association providing an ever-increasing array of benefits to help members succeed in business.

The benefits that CSDA offers have always been driven by member and prospect ideas and requests. These benefits were developed in cooperation between CSDA staff and the committee members, and the list is constantly growing. Current benefits include classroom and online training programs; safety manuals, handbooks and safety tips; safety and training DVDs; industry promotion of contractor services through Concrete Openings magazine and Website as well as the CSDA Website; and participation in the OSHA Alliance program.

These benefits and programs did not happen by themselves. As one committee member has stated, “Joining an association is like joining a gym. You have to show up and put the work in to get the results you are looking for.” The results are accomplished by the hard work of committee members and staff during and between the quarterly meetings. The committee members want to give back to the industry that provides them with the opportunity to become successful. But they also gain so much more from the relationships that they develop by networking with other members. Many members have made life-long friends through CSDA as well as benefitting from a professional standpoint.

Members or prospects that do not participate in the committee meetings or conventions often do not know what they are missing. The quarterly meetings are held around the country so that local members can see firsthand what CSDA is accomplishing and have the chance to meet these hard-working committee members. This year’s meetings will be held in New Orleans in June, Portland in September and San Antonio in December. The dates are in the calendar section of this issue.

I encourage you to seize the opportunity and attend a meeting when CSDA comes to your local area. I know you will be impressed and you just might find out “What CSDA can do with you!”



Ready, set, DRILL. When operators need a machine to handle heavy-duty core drilling jobs, the Husqvarna DM 340 drill motor is the right tool. It was designed to provide optimal performance when drilling with 2" to 16" bits. The gearbox is water-cooled for reduced wear, and the three speeds make it easy to set the optimum drilling speed. The Elgard™ feature indicates, via an LED, when the machine is overloading. This prevents motor damage and increases product life. It can be used with the AD 10 automatic drilling system to increase production and bit life. The DM 340 drill motor is powerful and smart.

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Mar 14 Concrete Openings

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