News Detail

Contractors’ Day Highlights

4/15/2015

Concrete industry professionals had multiple choices on Contractors' Day at the Concrete Convention and Exposition in Kansas City, MO, USA.

Experts shared their knowledge with attendees including how to use the "experience crystal ball" to stop a problem before it happens, as well as discussing the language of the specifier, the ready mix producer and the installer, and how the same words mean different things to different people.

These topics were part of a well-attended Contractors' Day Session: Building a Better Tomorrow.  The presentation — “When a 6-inch Slump Isn't a 6-inch Slump: How to Translate between Contractor and Supplier,” — discussed the language of the specifier, the ready mix producer, and the installer, to illustrate why we sometimes can't all seem to get along, and how to translate for better understanding.

Contractors' Day, featuring sessions, a lunch presentation, and an evening networking event is always a hit with general contractors, project managers, and concrete industry professionals, at every Concrete Convention and Exposition.

A free review session for the Concrete Flatwork Finisher and Technician Exam was provided in Spanish to prepare attendees for the written examination immediately following the review session.

The afternoon brought Luke Snell, Senior Materials Engineer, discussing the prevention of plastic shrinkage cracks, Jereme Montgomery, Executive Director at Nebraska Concrete & Aggregates Association, speaking about the many obstacles concrete contractors face every day in a presentation titled “Don’t Pour the Cement, Place the Concrete.” Finally, Mark Luther, Senior Technical Service Engineer at Holcim (US), Inc., concluded the session with a lively and entertaining presentation on challenges contractors face on the construction site.

Attendees enjoyed a lunch presentation by Jeff Coleman, The Coleman Law Firm, LLC, titled “When a Crack is a Construction Defect.”Coleman informed the audience that “cracks are a very big and very old problem.” Learn more about legal issues in concrete construction here.

“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” was an aptly titled presentation at the Troubleshooting Specifications Session, where presenters provided attendees with intellectual ammunition for troubleshooting before, during, and after construction. Other presentations helped attendees understand ACI specification language, troubleshoot misleading specification language, and gain tools for handling conflicts within specifications.

The Decorative Concrete and Aesthetic Innovations Session gave an overview of ACI 310R­13, "Guide to Decorative Concrete," and highlighted key practices for achieving beautiful decorative concrete flatwork. Nationally recognized decorative concrete experts outlined specialized materials and methods and their role in successful placement and maintenance of polished concrete, concrete colorants, and specialty decorative finishes. Attendees learned the advantages of various applications and discovered how to specify quality decorative concrete projects.

To round off the day, Contractors' Day attendees joined over 1500 other concrete professionals at the Concrete Mixer for an evening of entertainment, great food, and beverages.

Whether you need to take a certification course, learn about new placing methods, or find out how to specify a project, ACI has the tools you need. ACI Contractor Members have access to networking opportunities, certifications, technical information, and much more. ACI is committed to increasing opportunities for professional growth, and engaging constituents interested in certification. Learn more about contractor related activities and materials.