The world's foremost resource on decorative concrete
From self-cleaning and self-repairing to bendable and glowing, concrete is constantly evolving, regularly bringing technologically improved products to market.
As the world faces the urgent need to reduce its environmental impact, the construction industry is responding with new innovations that make concrete—a cornerstone of modern building—a more sustainable option in construction. For those specializing in decorative and specialty concrete, the next few years will bring exciting opportunities to embrace […]
Estimating for a concrete project is a must for virtually every type of concrete project. It’s also one of the most time-consuming jobs in running a successful business. The phone rings, the receptionist answers the call. A friendly dialog ensues, and the receptionist takes down the person’s name, number, and […]
Home prices are wobbling, new construction rates are stalling, unemployment figures are rising, and credit markets remain frozen. It’s pretty much the definition of a perfect storm for the construction industry and retailers alike. “Not much of anything is selling right now,” observes Brad Struiksma, purchasing manager for the 10-store […]
Trade shows are designed to introduce people to new products, new ideas and new opportunities. And World of Concrete is no exception. One of 2023’s newcomers was an idea-come-opportunity: the Women’s Association of Concrete Professionals (WACP). Although officially founded in late April 2022, discussions between founders Sarah Bryan and Lee […]
These days, it seems like there are apps for everything. Some often serve a purpose in some far-fetched way. And then others actually address a real need. The app — GigMi, which came on the market in early November 2022 — falls among the latter. A concrete contractor — who […]
Lafarge is a member of the Holcim Group. Recently, the company chose to upgrade to the latest version of Inform’s transport optimization software for the building materials industry. They will use the software to optimize the dispatch of their truck fleet in the aggregates business. The aggregates business of Lafarge […]
When I’m wearing my teaching/training hat, I’m known to say, “when you go back for rework, you just forfeited your profit.” But recently, an owner required one of my polisher/clients to do some rework on a polishing job. Consequently, during our conversation, I saw another angle. I had thought of […]
A year after the pandemic really started to bite, we’ve all gotten used to Zoom meetings and conference calls. In the past, many saw trade shows as a necessary evil. They were costly, took time away from projects and required both planning and follow-up. What we’ve forgotten is that shows […]
As contractors, we like to look at finished floors and be judgmental and critical of one’s work and styles. However, lots of contractors overlook another side of doing business. So, I’d like to address pricing of metallic epoxy installation and how to best cover yourself from any possible legal issues. […]
Many small companies have floundered when the owners don’t stay the course. As a result, they hop on the next new thing that catches their attention. As a rule, you should devise a strategic planning process to decide a business’s direction and priorities. And then you should stick to it. […]
