ARM will be holding regional meetings in Austin and New Ulm next month.  Watch your e-mail for more details.

The July Board of Directors and Regional Meeting will be held July 12^th at The Inn on Lake Superior in Duluth.  The Board Meeting is scheduled to begin at 11:00 am with the Regional Meeting beginning at 2:30 pm.  The meetings will be followed by a dinner cruise aboard the Vista Star.  Registration information will be forthcoming.

ARM has reserved a block of rooms at The Inn on Lake Superior for the evenings of July 11 and July 12.  The quoted rate is $89 per night plus tax.  The room block will be held until June 11^th.  To make your room reservation, call The Inn on Lake Superior directly at 888-668-4352 or 218-726-1111.  Rooms tend to book quickly in Duluth so make your reservations soon!

Larry Koenig, ARM Promotions Director – Local Streets and Parking Lots, will return from his winter hiatus May 1st to continue his travels around the state working with ARM members to build the market for concrete parking lots, local streets and intersections. Larry will specifically be available to:

1. Make presentations along with members of the Parking Lot/Local Street Committee to project owners, specifiers and contractors planning parking lot or local street projects
   
   
2. Visit with developers and local government officials to identify upcoming parking lot and local street projects
   
   
3. Work with designers and contractors on project designs and joint layouts focusing on concrete alternatives
   
   
4. Work with MnDOT officials and CPAM to include a concrete design table on the MnDOT Office of State-Aid for Local Transportation web site
   

According to a report recently published by the Insulating Concrete Form Association, Minnesota led the nation in 2004 in the sale of insulating concrete forms.  This is the first time the ICFA has reported numbers on a state by state basis versus by region.  The change was due in part to the various cement shippers groups needing more specific, detailed information regarding ICF sales.

This news was of particular interest to ARM’s ICF Committee which has been working diligently to increase the ICF market share in Minnesota. 

TO VIEW THE ICF COMMITTEES 2005 ACTIVITIES, CLICK HERE

Travis Collins (General Resource Technology) has taken over the chairmanship of the ARM Membership Committee from Larry Nelson (Enduracon Technologies).  Collins, who has been co-chairman of the ARM Education Committee, will begin the ARM Membership Campaign in the coming weeks.

Please call the ARM office at 952-707-1250 or
e-mail Margaret Mills at mmills@armofmn.com with any membership leads.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 2005 MEMBERSHIP DUES SCHEDULE

The ARM Board of Directors approved the expense to obtain a legal opinion of the Case Specific Beneficial Use Determination (CSBUD) for controlled low strength material (CLSM) from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).  The MPCA is expected to approve the CSBUD in April that will provide ready mix and fly ash producers with expanded market opportunities.

On another note, the ARM Board of Directors requested that a plan be developed outlining the costs that will be involved with the pervious concrete demonstration project that is being planned at MnROAD.

In other business, the ARM Board of Directors approved the creation and implementation of a ready mix concrete promotion fund.  ARM Staff was charged with the task of reviewing the current ready mix concrete promotional budget needs and to bring funding recommendations back to the Board in 30 days time.

ARM has introduced a number of bills in the 2005 legislature addressing issues impacting the aggregate and ready mix industry. Members may look up the specific language of these bills by going to http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/legis.asp and entering the bill number.

Road Weight Restriction Legislation HF1667/ HF1825 (Beard-R, Shakopee)/ SF1849/SF1848 (Ourada-R, Buffalo) would increase the current weight limits on Minnesota roads from 9 to 10 tons and 5 to 7 tons.  The legislation was heard in the House Transportation Committee and laid over until 2006 when the legislature will review an implementation plan to be prepared by MnDOT.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE >

At the March 23 ARM Board of Director’s meeting, a motion passed approving a resolution to enter into the Affiliate Status with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association.

The Affiliate Program directly provides for the programs and initiatives of the state associations to drive the strategic and work plan of NRMCA.  An affiliate state association nominates a producer individual to sit as a voting member of the NRMCA Board representing their state and their region.

PCA recently published a report on trends in the use of concrete and cement-based products in residential construction based on data collected from residential home builders at the International Builders Show in Orlando this past January.

The report covers builders’ attitudes toward the use of concrete and cement-based products in residential construction and included topics such as basements; fiber cement siding; concrete roof tiles; driveways; pavers and architectural concrete in patios and sidewalks; retaining walls and above grade concrete walls.

The ARM Office also has hard copies of three other PCA reports:  The 2002 Homeowner Report; Count on Concrete 2003 Show Home Survey; and The 2003 Homebuilder Report.  Please call Margaret Mills at 952-707-1250 or
e-mail her at mmills@armofmn.com to obtain a copy.

TO VIEW THE 2005 REPORT IN ITS ENTIRETY, CLICK HERE

Preliminary estimate of ready mixed concrete production for January 2005 is 26 million cubic yards, 6% higher than January 2004. This follows a record level of production of 430.5 million cubic yards in 2004.

Ready mixed concrete production is estimated from cement shipments published by the US Geological Survey.


Source: NRMCA – March 28, 2005