The Precast Podcast

From joints to walls, the need for holding water in an assembled concrete structure is an increasingly necessary task. Infiltration can overload the system, and exfiltration may cause

contamination of soils. This presentation will explain the differences between watertight (proof) and damp-proof. Joints are often thought of as a concern for water passage; concrete is a porous material and can contribute to leakage as well. You will learn:

• The types of joints available for pipe and precast
• The hydrostatic resistance of joint materials
• That concrete contains a network of pores
• The purpose of coatings to provide a barrier
• How admixtures can provide hydrostatic water resistance

Concrete is the most used man-made product in the world. With concrete structures still standing dating back to the Roman Empire the goal of making concrete better, more durable, and longer-lasting continues. The basic ingredients of concrete remain the same and advances with Supplemental Cementitious Materials (SCM's) and admixtures continues to pave the way. Join us for a deep dive into the manufacturing process of cement and how all ingredients come together to make durable concrete structures with the goal of a 100-year design service life and beyond.

Engineered to meet your needs … In this episode of The Precast Podcast, we take a deep dive into the internal and external support provided by Easi-Set Buildings and Shea Concrete Products to deliver precast concrete buildings throughout New England and beyond. Shea Concrete Products manufactures and services Easi-Set Buildings and does its very best to ensure customers' needs are met from the initial introduction through project construction completion. Shea Concrete Products and Easi-Set work together to deliver technical expertise, industry-leading service, and an industry-leading product line offering to add value to your critical infrastructure building needs. We hope you enjoy Episode #28 of The Precast Podcast and appreciate your support!

Understanding design objectives and limitations with utilizing steel and synthetic fibers in precast concrete components. We review the role Micro-fibers and Macro-fibers each play in precast concrete as well as some of the design considerations for each. We also review cost analysis to consider in your bottom line.

There is an old saying that goes like this … "The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten" – Benjamin Franklin. In today's construction industry everyone is looking for an edge, an advantage, and the ability to get the most out of every component that makes up a project with a constant push/pull between product quality and price.

Product support and service can often be overlooked and that can come back to bite a project once construction begins and details have been overlooked. In this episode of The Precast Podcast, we take a deep dive into the internal support provided by ReCon Wall Systems Inc. and Shea Concrete Products. Shea Concrete Products services the New England market with the ReCon Retaining Wall System and does its very best to ensure customers' needs are met from the initial introduction through project construction completion.

ReCon Wall Systems Inc. and Shea Concrete Products work together to deliver technical expertise, industry-leading service, and an industry-leading product line to add value to your retaining wall needs. We hope you enjoy Episode #26 of The Precast Podcast and appreciate your support!

With school years coming to an end many graduates are working to find a job and with the current COVID-19 environment it can be a real challenge. Many engineers (and more specifically Civil Engineers) are looking to work for DOT's, municipalities (Engineering or Public Works Departments), and design engineering companies big and small. How many are looking to the precast concrete industry for employment and an opportunity to grow their skillsets far beyond what they learned in engineering school?

The precast concrete industry is fast-paced, automated, allows for opportunities far-reaching engineering specific tasks & skills, and will never be outsourced. The precast concrete industry includes small family-owned operations all the way up to publically-traded businesses and everything in-between.

In this episode, we talk through the many benefits the industry has offered to one of our very own young engineers who has been able to gain valuable experience in many disciplines far-reaching what he thought was possible in his early career.

The NPCA "Outreach Committee" is starting to gear-up for the 2020 Precast Days initiative. The goal is to have precast facilities throughout the US participate and raise awareness for the precast concrete industry through open houses, plant tours, and educational opportunities being offered to the public.

Precast Days also provides the opportunity to invite students into your facilities and show the next generation what the precast concrete industry has to offer. These are great opportunities for students and also a great opportunity for facilities to find hard-working interns and potentially future full-time team members. Episode #24 of The Precast Podcast offers an example of how important showing-up and following-up can be!

We close out 2019 with over 122-years of precast concrete experience in the room! We are excited for what 2020 will bring and appreciate the support we have received with this podcast initiative over the past 18-months.

We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Years!

Thus far, 2019 has been a fantastic year and based on current customer activity we have a lot of opportunities left. We are thankful for a robust New England economy and great partnerships. In this episode we talk through our recent 70th Anniversary celebration, hosting "Precast Days" at our four facilities, facility improvements that allow for continual growth, employee development, and never forget about our trucking fleet as every day is a "Truck Show" at Shea Concrete Products! We wish you and yours a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving and a prosperous finish to 2019!

For over 13-year's, Jody Rhine has been a trusted member as part of the Shea Concrete Products delivery and trucking team. Jody primarily operates our "Crane Trucks" as part of the companies trucking fleet and especially enjoys delivering our watertight tanks throughout New England and beyond.

Jody and his Father both represent the company to the highest level and take pride in their trucks as if they were their own. Everyone takes "Pride In Their Ride" at Shea Concrete Products and with that every day is a Truck Show. Another great example that our secret weapon and long-term success can always be tied back to our dedicated and committed workforce!