CPCOZ: CPCOZ puts concrete construction on solid footing

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George Innes is vice president of the Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks and general manager of Springfield Ready Mix.|ret||ret||tab|

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Concrete is the building product most widely used throughout the world. It is economical and readily available. Worldwide, more than one ton of concrete is produced each year for every living human being. |ret||ret||tab|

Because it is so strong and durable, concrete is the building material of choice for many aspects of construction.|ret||ret||tab|

The Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks has a membership made up of a wide variety of concrete-associated businesses, including producers, contractors, suppliers of material, testing services, design professionals, etc., which gives our council diversity and provides an alliance of professionals interested in promoting concrete. |ret||ret||tab|

The council provides a forum through which members can coordinate efforts in the solution of problems common to the concrete industry. |ret||ret||tab|

Although they are competitors, members realize they have more things in common than in conflict. Council members exchange ideas that will aid in the production of a quality product and better business practices. |ret||ret||tab|

An innovation in concrete that excites us is pre-cast concrete structures, such as the new Jordan Valley Expo Center and parking garage. |ret||ret||tab|

The new baseball stadium uses many forms of concrete, including pre-cast concrete, poured-in-place concrete and attractive brickwork. The campus at Southwest Missouri State University is a showplace for pre-cast concrete via the carillon structure that tops the expanded library building. |ret||ret||tab|

There are numerous concrete construction techniques beyond commercial building that builders and home designers utilize. |ret||ret||tab|

Frank Lloyd Wright was a great promoter and is famous for his concrete homes, churches and numerous other concrete buildings. It is well established that the standard home basement constructed of concrete is the lowest-cost space most of us can buy. |ret||ret||tab|

Low cost in the Ozarks often depends on not having to remove a lot of limestone rock.|ret||ret||tab|

New technology is being introduced to the concrete industry in the form of concrete admixtures. These admixtures allow suppliers to achieve a strong concrete mix through new uses of lower cost ingredients. The industry has developed new uses for old materials by incorporating them into economical solutions for the building industry. |ret||ret||tab|

New interest in techniques like "self-leveling concrete" have come to the forefront demonstrating how admixtures are helping to achieve a better product and save construction costs.|ret||ret||tab|

The residential and commercial concrete construction type now gaining favor is the "insulated concrete form" or ICF, which uses expanded polystyrene forms with concrete poured in the Lego block-like construction. The Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks has addressed many new issues in concrete construction, especially with the concern raised by the tornado damage to structures in May. Reinforced concrete encapsulated in expanded polystyrene creates a solid barrier to pest, weather and fire damage, and outside noise, and is much more energy-efficient. |ret||ret||tab|

The Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks will work with streets, airports, wastewater structures, schools, spectacular homes and an unending variety of concrete uses all in a day's work. Concrete touches our lives in so many ways and the Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks strives to inform people about them. We work to keep those professionals who are designing, specifying and building any form of concrete updated on the best and most economical methods and innovations. This mission statement sums up the purpose of the Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks:|ret||ret||tab|

"To promote the advantages of concrete in commercial, residential and highway construction through professional and ethical conduct while representing the CPCOZ to local owners, designers, and code officials."|ret||ret||tab|

The Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks would like to take this opportunity to salute the local construction community for its continued dedication to excellence in the industry and for recognizing and utilizing the option of concrete.|ret||ret||tab|

We cover all of southwest Missouri and invite your interest in all types of concrete construction. |ret||ret||tab|

For more information, contact the Concrete Promotion Council of the Ozarks on our new Web site, www.cpcoz.com, or call Susan Rist, administrative assistant, at 417-865-8282.|ret||ret||tab|

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