One of my favorite days of the year is coming up this weekend. On Saturday, Mid-States Concrete Industries will host its annual Company Picnic. About 200 adults and 75 kids are expected to come out for some delicious food, fun activities, plant tours and more.
Why is this one of my favorite days of the year? First, with running a 24-hour operation, this is one of the few days each year where all of us are on the same schedule. This means we get to see people we might not have the chance to see very often. It is a wonderful time to get to know your team, especially given the amount of time we spend with each other. Second, I love to see our team bring in their families and show off Mid-States as a place they are proud to work. With tours of our plant, spouses and children get to see what their partner/parent does all day. And, it gives our team a chance to show off why they come to work every day. We’re all just trying to do the best we can for our families. Third, it is just plain fun. With bag toss, ring toss, gunny sack races, a bounce house, water balloon toss, and delicious food, what’s not to enjoy? Plus, this year we have added a dunk tank and a chance to dunk your favorite executive. I have a feeling there will be a long line for this one!
Staying Ahead of the Industry: PCI Exceptional Precast Practices Program
Mid-States Concrete Industries is one of only seven producers in the nation to be part of the PCI Exceptional Precast Practices Program in 2017-2018. The program focuses on continuous improvement, strives to improve efficiency, and provide client value while placing safety and environmental responsibility at the forefront of business.
Producers that participate in the EPP Program may be described as follows:
The firm is professionally managed and reliable
Uses the latest tools and techniques
Participates in the PCI QA program
It has established processed and predictable results
It is seeking continuous improvement
It strives to improve efficiency and provide client value
Takes safety seriously
Takes environmental responsibility seriously
~ Information courtesy of PCI.
Innovative Graphic Concrete
In an effort to offer Customers the latest innovations in precast, the Mid-States Concrete Industries team has spent the past several months studying and testing the use of graphic concrete.
Graphic concrete enables durable patterns and images to be produced on precast surfaces through the use of a membrane with a surface retarder. Concrete is cast on the membrane and when the retarder is washed away, the image is revealed. Mid-States has partnered with Graphic Concrete LTD to learn more about this exciting new tool, so we can offer it to you.
Graphic Concrete has been used in more than 600 projects in 25 countries around the world by numerous architectural offices and concrete element factories. Mid-States has used graphic concrete to cast our own logo into the new water reclamation center at our plant. We have also experimented with how we could incorporate it into some of the projects we are currently involved with.
If you are interested in more information about graphic concrete, please contact sales@msprecast.com.
St. Augustine Preparatory Academy
Our mission is to build meaningful buildings in which to live, work and play. These are not just words to us, but an opportunity to impact people in an amazing way. We are extremely grateful to have been part of building St. Augustine Preparatory Academy in Milwaukee.
Mid-States was excited to partner on this project, and provided 96 Wall Panels (32,136 square-feet), five precast columns, and 1,562 square feet of Hollowcore for the school’s natatorium and gymnasium.
St. Augustine Preparatory Academy is a K4-12 non-denominational Christian school on Milwaukee’s south side. The school is a student-centered environment where young learners take ownership of their education not only in academics, but also physical health, creativity, and faith. The school’s vision statement is: “St. Augustine Preparatory Academy develops students to be tomorrow’s leaders. They will be known by their strength of character, courage, intellect, impactful contributions and their faith.”
The Ramirez Family Foundation supplied $43 million of the $53 million cost and is subsidizing students’ tuition at the private school. The 192,454 square-foot school was developed around a 5.6-acre parcel. The athletics facilities are open to the community and include a 1,000-seat gymnasium, a turf athletic field and running track on the 12-acre property, as well as a competition natatorium housing a competition-sized pool. St. Augustine is also home to an in-school health clinic.
The school’s curriculum is based on curriculums from successful schools across the country and sets high expectations for every student. It aims to be one of the highest performing urban schools in the country. St. Augustine Preparatory Academy just completed its first school year in 2017-18.
Project Partners:
• Owner: Achieving Educational Excellence Inc.
• GC: VJS Construction Services
• Architect: Korb & Associates Inc.
• EOR: Graef
Proud Partner of the Ronald McDonald House Madison Addition
Our mission is to build meaningful buildings in which to live, work and play. These are not just words to us, but an opportunity to impact people in an amazing way. We are extremely humbled and grateful to be able to work on the addition of Ronald McDonald House in Madison.
Without the services of Ronald McDonald House, families would be forced to choose between being with their child and incurring the financial burden and emotional toll of being away from home or not being close to their child. The Ronald McDonald House helps families stay together while away from home during some of the hardest times they will ever face. This addition will allow Ronald McDonald House to help even more families.
As Madison’s medical care has become increasingly sought-after, Ronald McDonald House Madison has seen an increase in need for its services. Last year, there were 461 night stays Ronald McDonald House Madison was not able to accommodate. Founded in 1993, Ronald McDonald House Madison has housed more than 26,000 families since it opened.
The Ronald McDonald House expansion will increase square footage from 17,600 to 32,000 and will provide an additional 13 guest rooms. The project will also include landscaped green space; expanded indoor and outdoor play areas; remodeled common areas and an improved kitchen and dining room; added underground and surface parking; more convenient guest access and improved entry security system; and a quiet room where guests and visitors can gather privately.
We are so proud to be part of this project. Precast on the addition includes nearly 9,000 square feet of hollowcore and solid slabs, 10 columns and 18 beams. The precast will be used for the underground parking area and to create the podium for the addition.