On January 24th the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) opened a new rulemaking on drivers’ hours of service (HOS) regulations. The agency’s release of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was prompted by a decision last summer from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia vacating the new HOS regulations that had gone into effect on January 4, 2004. In response to the court’s directive to FMCSA to better consider driver health and safety in the promulgation of new HOS rules, FMCSA, in the proposal published today, re-proposes the regulations that are currently in effect. (Congress had extended the coverage of the current HOS regulations through September 30, 2005 or until new rules are finalized (whichever comes first) despite the Court’s ruling in order to maintain consistency and eliminate confusion.)

In its proposal, available by clicking here or calling NRMCA Government Affairs at      1-888-846-7622, FMCSA specifically requests comments on how the current regulations could be modified to better consider driver health and safety, per the court’s order. Comments on the new rulemaking are due to FMCSA by Thursday, March 10, allowing for a 45-day comment period. NRMCA will prepare sample comments, talking points and other materials for our members to use as a guide for preparing their own comments, particularly in light of the many requests for specific information that FMCSA made in the NPRM. NRMCA will also submit comprehensive comments as well.

For more information, please contact any member of NRMCA’s Operations, Safety or Government Affairs team at 1-888-846-7622.

Source:  NRMCA E-News – January 24, 2005

Although a new NAHB survey indicates that building materials shortages have eased somewhat in recent months, economists at a press briefing at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., cautioned that builders should brace themselves for another tight market in 2005.

“We expect some recovery in non-residential construction this year, and the residential market is anticipated to post another solid showing. So demand for supplies is expected to remain firm in 2005,” said NAHB economist Michael Carliner.

In a nationwide survey conducted by NAHB earlier this month, respondents continued to cite shortages of cement, gypsum wall board, oriented strand board, plywood, roofing materials, lumber and steel framing, but indicated that the situation was improving across-the-board.

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Estimated ready mixed concrete production for November 2004 is 34.8 million cubic yards, 11.6% higher than the estimated production for November 2003. The estimated year-to-date production for 2004 surpassed 400 million cubic yards at 400.3 million cubic yards, which is 6.4% higher than for the same period in 2003. The current record of ready mixed concrete production reported by NRMCA is 406 million cubic yards in 2001.

Ready mixed concrete production is estimated from cement shipments reported by the US Geological Survey. When the data is available in February, NRMCA will publish the total production for 2004 as well as a breakdown of production by state.

Source: NRMCA E-News – January 24, 2005

ARM will co-host a meeting with members of the Iron Mining Association (IMA) on Thursday, February 3rd in Eveleth to review the findings of the Governor's Task Force on Mining and to begin a dialogue between ARM and IMA on aggregate production from the iron mining properties.

The schedule for the day will include a meeting at the Eveleth Days Inn Hotel at 11:00 am for a bus tour of the US Steel Facility and lunch.  The tour will be followed by presentations on the current plans for aggregate production on the range and the possibilities of exporting these materials to other parts of Minnesota and the US.  The meeting will be followed by a reception at the Eveleth Days Inn.

Please let the ARM office know if you plan to attend this meeting, would like to car pool to the meeting or have any questions about the meeting by e-mailing Margaret Mills at mmills@armofmn.com or by calling the ARM office at 952-707-1250.

The Insulating Concrete Form Association, along with industry heavyweights Portland Cement Association and National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association, recently met with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to finalize plans to blast test ICFs and other insulated concrete wall systems in the second or third quarter of 2005.

Joseph Lyman, executive Director of the Insulating Concrete Form Association notes that ICFs have performed extremely well during explosive events (FPED IV, May 2003) in the past and the ICF industry is extremely pleased to participate in official blast testing. He added, "We are very interested in helping to provide the extra protection needed to shelter military troops, government personnel, school children and air travelers in airport terminals from explosive events and natural disasters. We believe ICFs are a terrific marriage of technology and traditional building methods to provide superior protection."

The Insulating Concrete Form Association thanks John Sullivan of the Portland Cement Association for his efforts in making blast testing a reality. John Sullivan (PCA) and the ICFA have lobbied the federal government together for the past three years to perform blast testing on insulated concrete wall systems.

Source: January 28, 2005 ICFA Informer Newsletter

NRMCA represented its membership as a new member of Wal-Mart’s concrete specification and colored floor slab team at a meeting last week in Las Vegas. South central region promoter Vance Pool noted that Wal-Mart has raised the bar in strip commercial concrete work. Good base preparation, flatness, NRMCA certified plants, boney mixes and seven-day wet cure are just a few examples of the attributes specified for quality concrete. A wholesale move to integrally colored floors is also well underway at the largest retailer in the world. The estimated numbers of units in the next year for Wal-Mart, the largest builder outside the government, represents an 8% increase in square footage:

• 240-250 supercenters (colored floors, 40-50 are expansions of existing stores, varying sizes up to 220,000 SF)
• 30-40 Sam’s clubs (concrete floors without color)
• 40-45 Wal-Mart discount stores (the traditional store)
• 25-30 neighborhood markets (grocery stores)

Other discussions significant to NRMCA members included concerns about extra or unapproved chemicals added to the concrete, non-compliance with aggregate size and grading requirements in the spec, use of flyash or slag when it is not permitted in the spec, and air problems with certain admixtures and color. Wal-Mart has a pre-slab meeting and approves mix designs in advance of the required test slab placement on each project. This is the time to address and resolve any issues, such as difficulty in complying with aggregate grading requirements due to local aggregate availability.

For more information on NRMCA’s National Accounts program, contact Michelle Barringer at 1-888-846-7622, ext. 1143 or by e-mail, mbarringer@nrmca.org

(Source: NRMCA E-News – January 24, 2005)