RICE LAKE, Wis. (Aug. 11, 2006) – In just a few weeks, science students at the University of Wisconsin-Barron County will have new digs in which to study and research the field.

When classes ring into session Sept. 5, students will take a seat inside the new 32,000-square-foot addition at the two-year institution. The work includes a 24,000-square-foot science renovation that consists of classrooms, a lecture hall and a greenhouse. County Materials supplied all of the weight-bearing concrete block that comprises the walls of the project, as well as 90,000 units of clay brick that helped accomplish a difficult match.

“ One of the problems we ran into, as years have passed, some of the colors that were available then aren’ t available now,” said David Cihasky, Project Manager with architect SEH Inc. of Chippewa Falls. The original campus went up in the 1960s, so matching the existing materials proved tricky. But County Materials, which has a location in Rice Lake, helped SEH track down the original manufacturer and find a brick – Flashed Ancestral from General Shale Brick Inc. of Tennessee – that would prevent a sharp delineation between new construction and the old.

“ Avid learners will learn in spite of the space,” said campus executive officer and dean Paul Chase. “ But for most students, having a comfortable, enjoyable space encourages learning.”

County Materials operates 30 locations serving the Midwest. The family-owned, American-based company is an industry leader in the manufacture and distribution of concrete block, brick, ready-mix, hollowcore, pipe, pavers, retaining walls and Aggregate finish products for residential, commercial and municipal construction and landscaping.

For more information, call us at 1-800-289-2569 and ask for a product guide.