ACIA News and Events

March 13, 2008

In this Edition

Pervious Workshop Scheduled
Trucking Rodeo on April 19th, 2008
Cement Shipments Down for 2007
Summer Convention Speakers Top Notch
Aggregate Testing Technician Class Accepting Registrations
Foundation Golf Tournament Two Weeks Away
Residential Data Lower for January
Dates You Do Not Want to Miss

Pervious Workshop and Certification Scheduled for April 18th, 2008

The association has scheduled its first of three pervious concrete workshops this year on April 18th in Birmingham. The program will feature presentations by Matt Offenburg of Grace Materials and Dale Fisher of PCI Systems. Matt Offenburg is the Chairman of ACI’s Pervious Concrete Committee and Dale Fisher is the most widely experienced pervious concrete finisher in the southeast.

In addition to the lecture, the program will feature a pervious concrete placement to allow finishers the opportunity to work with the material. Following the placement, contractors will be given the option to sit for the NRMCA Pervious Concrete Certification. The workshop is intended for contractors, architects, engineers, and ready mix company employees. The registration fee is $60 and includes manual and lunch. Individuals wanting to sit for the pervious concrete technician test must pay an additional $85 dollars. The registration form is attached to this email and can also be found under event registration at www.alconcrete.org.

Trucking Rodeo Set for April 19th, 2008

The 3rd Annual Trucking Rodeo has been set for April 19, 2008 at Alabama Adventure in Bessemer, Alabama. The association event showcases the top ready mix drivers in the state competing for the crown of the best driver in the state. Alabama Adventure was chosen to host the 3rd Annual Event based upon the many family activities available. Following the event, all family members in attendance will be provided with tickets and food passes for the park.

Registration forms for the rodeo will be sent the week of March 17, 2008.

2007 Alabama Cement Shipments Down 2.4% from 2006 Highs

Recent data released by the United States Geological Service show that 2007 Portland cement shipments to the state dropped by 2.4% from 2006 record highs. Tonnage for the month of December 2007 was 112,780 metric tons of finished Portland cement. This tonnage is a reduction of 21,444 tons from December 2006 data

Total shipments of finished cement for 2007 were 1,751,006 metric tons. This number is a 2.4% reduction from 1,793,261 metric tons for 2006. With continued weakness in the housing market, most economists are predicting shipments to be down again in 2008.

Summer Convention Will Feature Outstanding Speakers

This year’s summer convention should feature one of the best fields of speakers that the association has had in many years. Neal Wade from the Alabama Development Office, Joe McInnis from ALDOT, and Ed Sullivan from the Portland Cement Association have been invited to speak at the business meeting.

Neal Wade of ADO has played a pivotal part in attracting industries to the state such as Thyssen Krupp in Mobile and National Industries in Florence. Joe McInnis, has been the Highway Director for seven years, and has been instrumental in improving the Transportation Department. Ed Sullivan is a nationally renowned economist, who has great insight into future economic trends and their impact on the concrete industry.

If you would like to register for the convention, please go to www.alconcrete.org / event registration on the homepage.

Aggregate Testing Technician Certification Scheduled for May 7, 2008

The association will be offering ACI’s Aggregate Testing Technician program for the first time on May 7, 2008 in Birmingham. The program has been scheduled based upon request from members around the state. If you would like to register for the program, please go to www.alconcrete.org and click on training programs.

T2 / D75 - Sampling Aggregates
T248 / C702 - Reducing Samples of Aggregate to Testing Size
T11 / C117 - Materials Finer Than 75-µm (No. 200) Sieve in Mineral Aggregates by Washing
T27 / C136 - Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates
T85 / C127 - Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate
T84 / C128 - Specific Gravity and Absorption of Fine Aggregate
T255 / C566 - Total Moisture Content of Aggregate by Drying
T21 / C40 - Organic Impurities in Fine Aggregate for Concrete

The program cost is $300 and includes the ACI test and manual.

Foundation Golf Tournament Only 2 Weeks Away

If you have not yet signed up to play in the Foundation Golf Tournament on April 1, 2008, teams are still being accepted. The foundation golf tournament is the primary fundraiser for the foundation and your support is needed. If you have not yet registered your team, the registration form can be found at www.alconcrete.org / Event Registration. The tournament will be played at the Greystone Country Club in Birmingham.

Residential Building Permits Lower for January 08

The state is experiencing continued weakness in the residential section based on recent building permit data. The Auburn-Opelika and Florence –Muscle Shoals areas were the only metropolitan regions in the state which issued more building permits in January 2008 than January 2007. Overall, residential building permits issued in Alabama for January were down 35%.

	YTD	YTD	YTD
	Jan-08	Jan-07	PCT CHG
Alabama	1.11	1.70	-35
Anniston/Oxford	0.01	0.04	-70
Auburn/Opelika	0.08	0.06	29
Birmingham/Hoover	0.19	0.43	-56
Decatur	0.01	0.02	-53
Dothan	0.02	0.03	-29
Florence/Muscle Shoals	0.07	0.02	210
Gadsden	0.01	0.01	-50
Huntsville	0.18	0.32	-43
Mobile	0.11	0.13	-15
Montgomery	0.05	0.12	-61
Tuscaloosa	0.04	0.09	-56

**All numbers in thousands

Dates You Do Not Want to Miss

April, 1, 2008 Birmingham (ACIF Golf Tournament)
April 18, 2008 Birmingham (Pervious Workshop)
April 19, 2008 Birmingham (Truck Rodeo) May 18, 2008 Mobile (Concrete Symposium)
May 30, 2008 Convention (ACIA Board Meeting)
May 30 – June 2, 2008 Sandestin (ACIA Summer Convention)
June 18, 2008 Mobile (Pervious Workshop)
June 20-22, 2008 (AIA Summer Convention)
July 9, 2008 Birmingham (Concrete Salesman Training Course)
July 23, 2008 Birmingham (Retaining Wall Paver Course)
August 13, 2008 Birmingham (Concrete Symposium)
August 21, 2008 ACIA Office (ACIA Board Meeting)
September 17 -18, 2008 Huntsville (Masonry Inspector Courses)
September 30, 2008 Birmingham (ACIA Architect Appreciation Golf Tournament)
October 6, 2008 Oneonta (ACI Alabama Chapter Golf Outing)
October 8, 2008 Huntsville (Pervious Workshop)
October 22-23, 2008 Mobile (Masonry Inspector Courses)
November 5, 2008 Birmingham (ACIA Board Meeting)
November 12 -13, 2008 Mobile (Flatwork Finisher Course)
December 10-11, 2008 Birmingham (Flatwork Finisher Course)

2008 National Events

March 30 – April 3, 2008 Los Angeles (ACI Spring Convention)
August 6 – 10, 2008 Huntington Beach (NCMA Midyear Meeting)
October 19 – 21, 2008 Nashville (NRMCA Fall Meeting)
November 2 – 6, 2008 St. Louis (ACI Fall Meeting)

2008 Affiliated Organizations

June 14 – 17, 2008 Hilton Head (ABC Summer Convention)
June 18 – 22, 2008 MCIA Summer Convention (Perdido Beach Hilton)
June 20 -22, 2008 Sandestin Hilton (AGC Summer Convention)
June 20-22, 2008 (AIA Summer Convention)
July 17 – 19, 2008 Ponte Vedra (GCPA Summer Convention)