As U.S. housing starts continue to advance in 2018, U.S.A. made precast concrete foundations play an increasingly important role in the construction of many homes. For Made in the U.S.A. Day on July 2, the industry spotlight shines brightly on Superior Walls — a U.S.A. manufacturer expected to produce more than 6,000 concrete foundation systems in 2018.
With nine manufacturing operations employing hundreds of employees in the United States, Superior Walls produces precast concrete foundations used for both residential and commercial new construction projects. If you took all the foundation walls the company believes it will manufacture in 2018 and placed them end to end, they would run for about 285 miles… more than the distance from Washington, DC. to Pittsburgh.
“We anticipate our facilities will manufacture about 187,000 concrete panels this year,” says Keith Weller, CFO with Superior Walls. “The most common height for these precast walls is nine feet, and an average length is eight feet.
“These customized concrete panels form the initial structure for homes, office buildings and other commercial projects. Starting with our precast panels is a smart, efficient and fast way to begin all types of building construction.”
Made in the U.S.A.
As opposed to concrete blocks or poured concrete, precast concrete panels from Superior Walls can be installed in just one day on a job site. The energy-efficient precast Xi™ or Xi Plus™ concrete foundations can help ward off heat loss and make the basement a more comfortable area for extended living and storage space.
Superior Walls Xi wall panels feature steel reinforced concrete and 2-1/2-inches of DOW Styrofoam insulation to create a barrier against sidewall water penetration. The panels are custom designed and constructed in a factory-controlled setting. Unique features of the Xi wall panels include:
- 5,000+ PSI concrete
- Steel-reinforced top bond beams, concrete studs and footer beams
- Horizontal steel rebar inside top and bottom beams
- Vertical steel rebar inside each stud
- Insulated access holes for ease in wiring and plumbing
- Galvanized steel stud facing ready for drywall finishing
- Insulated corners, studs and bond beams
Superior Walls Xi Plus wall panels have many of the same features of the Xi walls, plus:
- Dow® THERMAX™ reinforced polyisocyanurate insulation covering rigid foam insulation
- A four-inch insulated footer beam
- A four-inch standard floor slab may be poured equal to the height of the footer beam eliminating the need for an additional screed board.
American-Made Foundations
The wall panels provide R-values that meet or exceed energy conservation values from both the IECC and the IRC, and the wall panels can help in the construction of an ENERGY STAR qualified home. Superior Walls insulated precast concrete systems have earned the Home Innovation NGBS Green Certified™ designation from the Home Innovations Research Labs.
“All of our precast concrete panels are built in controlled indoor facilities by our expert craftsmen,” says Weller. “We’re exceptionally proud to have been producing our ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ products for more than 35 years.
“Each year, our company contributes to the construction of thousands of homes across America with American-made foundations. We’re pleased to support the housing industry and the American workforce.”
For more information, visit www.superiorwalls.com.
