PCI Gulf South Blog

The ability to participate in a process firsthand creates a level of appreciation that is difficult to achieve through passive learning alone. Recently, the upper-level architecture students at LSU had the pleasure of a hands-on workshop led by industry professional Layne Chastain from US Formliiner.

In basic terms, prestressed concrete is concrete in which high strength steel reinforcement is stretched and anchored to improve the structural capacity.

Life-cycle cost analysis provides a process by which owners and designers can closely evaluate both short and long term costs of a project to determine the most appropriate direction to proceed.

Abrasive blasting, once referred to strictly as “sandblasting” is an optional process commonly employed on precast concrete panels to create an aesthetically appealing appearance.

Fully functioning, safe roads and bridges are vital to the economy across our nation. The US contains over 250,000 miles of “high volume traffic”.

Precast concrete insulated sandwich wall panels have gained in popularity over the years, but some industry professionals are still not very familiar with them.

All PCI plants are certified in one or more of the following categories. Through two unannounced annual audits, PCI plants maintain their certification. PCI plant certification categories are currently undergoing changes to further define the complexity of each type of certification.

The options for building materials are well established, but are you aware of the costs associated with each type and which offers the most economical long term investment?

The recipe for a PCI certified precast concrete manufacturing plant involves a complex list of ingredients. Being granted the “PCI certified” seal of approval is not something that occurs by simply paying a fee or joining an association.

One of the most productive ways to keep a precast plant organized is through the implementation of Lean manufacturing methods. The core concept of Lean manufacturing is to reduce waste from the manufacturing process and improve efficiency by utilizing the input of pant personnel to provide input into possible improvements.

A bird’s eye view is an invaluable tool on a construction jobsite. Through the use of drones, the building industry is reaping the rewards of this high-flying technology.

Employee turnover is one of those expected and unavoidable facets of running a business. Although it’s experienced by most companies with some regularity, if you find you’re consistently “on the hunt” for new employees, you need to take a serious look at what’s causing the rotating door at your workplace.

General contractors often have the ability to influence owners/financiers to choose particular building products when tasked with a new construction project. From the contractor’s point of view, delivering a quality project, under budget and on time is paramount to customer satisfaction. That’s a mighty big order that becomes more achievable with the use of precast concrete components and/or systems.

As practical, versatile and cost effective as concrete is, it suffers from one not so appealing characteristic. Concrete requires the use of cement and cement production is a huge producer of carbon dioxide.

The construction and demolition industries are making impressive strides toward combating the excessive amount of debris being deposited into landfills. Currently, at least 25% of all solid waste finding its way to landfills comes in the form of construction/demolition waste with concrete debris comprising 70% of that amount.

Every industry evolves with the creative genius of its leaders. Often times, a recurring problem or difficult situation forces management to look for a better way. Such is the case in the precast concrete industry.

Driven deep into the earth and often unseen, lies one of the most durable and economic foundations produced in the precast concrete industry...piles.

Time is money. When you are talking about a big bridge project, a big timeline or extended construction schedule equates to big money.  With the increasing amount of crumbling infrastructure scattered across the US, innovative solutions such as Accelerated Bridge Construction (commonly known as ABC) began to be used more by contractors building bridges.

The steady migration of people toward the water has resulted in densely populated areas at very low elevations. Fast forward to an active hurricane season and you have a cocktail for disaster.

The dwindling skilled workforce has left many industries scrambling for needed workers. Especially hard hit is the construction field and the many trades associated with building and development.

For every product manufactured, there are appropriate and responsible applications where they really shine. Pushing the limits past intended purposes for the sake of saving money and/or time isn’t wise and can be potentially dangerous. Such is the case with the proposed use of timber and timber-related products to construct tall buildings up to heights of 18 floors.