How Precast Concrete Builds - Versatilely

The most versatile of building systems is precast concrete construction. Its ability to adapt to many different functions makes it a favorite of architects, engineers, and contractors alike.

Versatility in Use
What can you build with precast concrete? Ask anyone in the design community and you will receive a varied mix of their favorite applications of precast concrete. From NFL stadiums, office buildings, schools, data centers and student housing, to retail, prisons, courthouses and much more, precast concrete reinvents itself every time it is specified. Precast concrete parking structures are a common application, but new and innovative uses for this material continue to be developed.

Take a look at a total precast concrete project. Precast concrete walls can be used for both exterior and interior applications. From the exposed walls on the interior (insulated precast concrete panels), to a thin brick veneer (or other finish) on the exterior, to the precast concrete stairs (including landings), to the floor system (hollowcore slabs), to the roof (double tees), to the columns and beams... the list goes on and on.

Architectural Versatility
A producer will tell you that they can translate into precast concrete whatever an architect can conceive. Incorporating a variety of colors, textures and finishes makes each architectural precast concrete project a custom fit. Façade treatment options include a range of colors, textures, and other treatments (form liners, reveals, rustications, thin brick, stone, and tile).

Precast concrete building systems are adaptable to a wide variety of orthogonal and radial forms. The array of form possibilities provides nearly limitless creative opportunities. The plasticity of concrete adds to the already enormous range of design opportunities that includes pigments, aggregates, cements, sandblasting and acid etching.

Structural Versatility
The outline of a building’s footprint can vary widely depending on several factors, including the zoning, the site and owner preferences. Precast concrete is able to accommodate a wide variety of configurations. The layout of the precast concrete wall system can maximize open areas and create flexible options for floor plans.

Owners today often specify a 100-year life for a structure. When that goal is met with a precast concrete structural system, another benefit is the adaptable shell that can be changed during the decades of service. The structural engineer can create a variety of applications that resist hurricane forces, blasts, and seismic events, for all types of buildings.

Tenants move, market conditions vary, personnel shift, and technology advances. Versatile precast concrete structures can accommodate change easily and economically. Through the appropriate choice of interior systems and access floors for connectivity, all types of changes can be accommodated.

The open floor plate enables a flexible interior space that can accommodate any number of tenant scenarios. Column-free space allows additional flexibility in floor plans and layouts. Shallow floor thicknesses with few beams provide unobstructed ceiling cavities for mechanical and electrical systems.

Precast Concrete Builds with Versatility - Summary
From its fluid state in a form to its varied use in and on a structure, precast concrete is adaptable and serves multiple purposes. Whether you value the wide spectrum of colors, textures, and finishes, or rely on its stability, strength, and durability, it all comes down to the versatility of precast concrete construction.

~ Information courtesy of PCI.

Aesthetic Versatility: Limitless Colors, Forms & Textures

Precast concrete allows designers to create a wide range of aesthetic effects and integrate a diverse array of facade elements into a single precast concrete pane.

Color, Form & Texture Versatility
Precast concrete allows an infinite combination of colors and textures through the use of form liners, aggregates, pigmentation, and various finishing techniques such as acid etching and abrasive blasting. Designers can create intricate bullnose, reveal and custom castings. Traditional veneer materials (brick, stone, tile) can be embedded into precast panels utilizing their natural beauty, while gaining the many high-performance benefits of precast concrete.

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Facade Integration
Precast solves the problem of needing multiple products and trades to create a facade with different elements such as a base wall, window surrounds, coining, beltlines, and pediments. All those elements and more can be created in a single precast concrete panel, eliminating the need for frequent expansion joints and slip joints to account for different movement, as well as flashing and other moisture management components.

Historic Context
Precast provides an affordable way to provide historic facade elements on even low-budget structures. Precast producers can mimic stone and brick to provide historical context on a budget.

~ Information provided courtesy of PCI

Mid-States recognized as one of the safest companies in the nation

Mid-States Concrete Industries' plant has been formally awarded SHARP designation by the United States Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program is awarded to only the safest companies in our nation. The program recognizes small business employers who have used OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program services and operate an exemplary injury and illness prevention program. Acceptance into SHARP is an achievement of status that singles Mid-States out as a model for work site safety and health.

The vision statement of Mid-States Concrete is: We are going to change the world by being the safest and most innovative precast building company.

“We are actually doing what our vision wants us to do,” said Mike Wolff, vice president of safety and operations. “We are a (safety) model for our nation, through SHARP.”

Mid-States began its journey towards SHARP in 2010 after experiencing a major accident on site. Since joining the On-site Consultation Program, Mid-States has undergone one-to-two OSHA audits annually. It all started with learning the OSHA rules and training, training, training. The company now has an employee safety committee, union safety officers and trainers that help with safety. Now, the employees own it when it comes to safety.

“It truly has been a journey,” Wolff said. “It wasn’t something that happened overnight… and the journey doesn’t end.”

Although Mid-States is certified for two years, Wolff still plans to invite OSHA in to conduct safety audits. The company will need to continue to improve and implement safety programs to continue its SHARP designation.

While the plant is SHARP designated, Mid-States next step is getting its field installation SHARP certified. From there, the company will be aiming for VPP (Voluntary Protection Programs) status, which recognizes employers and workers in the private industry and federal agencies who have implemented effective safety and health management systems and maintain injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries.

Since partnering with OSHA, OSHA recordable incidents have dropped by about 80 percent at Mid-States. Plus, the company has seen a significant reduction in its workers compensation incidents. According to Wolff, “having a safe workplace does pay.”

“We do it because we care about our employees,” Wolff said. “We want them to go home in the same condition they arrived, every day.”

Mid-States joins only 34 other companies in Illinois to achieve such designation. Additionally, only seven companies in Wisconsin and eight companies in Iowa have achieved SHARP designation.

Team member plays offense in area hockey league

Prior to July, Ian Lewellin hadn’t hit the ice in 22 years.

Lewellin, who has been with Mid-States since Feb. 2001 and is currently part of the preconstruction team, joined the Janesville Summer Hockey League after a bit of good-natured peer pressure. He also sits on the board of Janesville Youth Hockey.

“It was awesome,” he said of getting out on the ice again. “It was fun, but you realize quickly how out of shape you are, even if you think you are in shape.”

Lewellin mostly played offense, which is what he played in high school. The toughest part, he said, was sucking wind, as he was out on the ice every two minutes. Since the summer league was short – just eight games played in July and August – the team pretty much just showed up and played the games. There was no practice schedule.

“It was good to get back out and play again,” Lewellin said.

Lewellin’s family was able to come out for a couple games, including his 11-year-old son Owin, who also plays hockey. Usually, Lewellin will attend Owin’s games and provide some coaching from the stands. With Lewellin on the ice, his son went ahead and took on that coaching role for him. It was definitely interesting for him to experience that coaching from the other side.

Lewellin was the last one on his team to score a goal this season, but that score happened to come at exactly the right moment. It was in the last two minutes of the team’s very last game that season, and it ended up winning the game. He had such an amazing time, Lewellin signed on for the Janesville Winter Hockey League. It includes 30 games from mid-October through April.

“I’m looking forward to getting in better hockey shape,” Lewellin laughed, though the season will make for some late nights. Games are scheduled for 9:45 pm and 10:15 pm start times at the Janesville Ice Arena.

Interested in joining the Janesville Hockey League? Ask Lewellin for more information.  Janesville Hockey is a co-ed league, open to anyone 18-years-old and older, and you’ll need to have your own gear. Lewellin said he owes his wife, Jen, big thanks for hooking him up with all the gear he needed. It was a gift for his big 4-0 birthday.

Hockey isn’t the only sport that has struck the fancy of Lewellin though. While he loves hockey – he said it’s full of action and excitement – he is also passionate about baseball. He grew up playing the sport and played until about five years ago. He even pitched for Madison Area Technical College’s team, helping them win their second and third consecutive National Junior College Athletic Association baseball championships.

Lewellin has already come out of hockey retirement, maybe he’ll come out of baseball retirement next?

Mid-States works on tallest building yet

Rendering courtesy of Hirsch Associates.

Mid-States Concrete is a proud partner of Wicker Park Connection, 1640 W. Division St., in Chicago.

The 15-story tower will have hollowcore flooring for levels two through 15, plus a hollowcore roof, making 15 levels of hollowcore. It is the tallest building Mid-States has ever worked on. The project also features about 5,400 square feet of wall panels.

The tower will feature 140 residential units, 52 parking spaces and new retail space. Mid-States will erect about 137,093-square-feet of 8" and 10" hollowcore slabs and balcony slabs, as well as wall panels. Wicker Park Connection will be the neighborhood's second tallest building.

Mid-States worked with Linn-Mathes Inc. General Contractors and Builders on this project.  Hirsch Associates is the architect of the building and Centrum Partners is the developer.