MARATHON, Wis. (October 3, 2001) – County Materials now produces Hollowcore Roof and Floor Systems at their expanded Roberts, WI, facility. County Materials can manufacture panels in five depths: 8", 10", 12", 16" and 20".

Hollowcore offers unsurpassed strength and efficiency for heavy-duty construction of commercial, residential, and municipal projects. Applications include high rise office buildings, factories, warehouses, hotels, hospitals, parking facilities, prisons and justice facilities, retail outlets, schools, bridge deck units, and even single or multiple family homes and garages with basement or living space underneath them. The 16” and 20" depths require fewer supporting columns and girders than alternate materials—allowing for up to 80’ spans without supports—and provides greater design flexibility than ever before.

Hollowcore is a precast, prestressed product manufactured in an enclosed, climate controlled plant using a dry cast extrusion method. High-strength, low slump, dry concrete is forced through an extrusion machine. Dies that follow along the forming process form the actual voids, or hollowcore areas, and the concrete is compressed against those cores. Pretensioned steel strands are imbedded in the concrete for massive strength and durability. Panels are sawcut to appropriate lengths and cured before being transported to the site, so there are no production delays and construction proceeds in all weather. The strength of the panels provides superior wind and natural disaster protection and fire resistance with ratings up to two hours. This often results in lower insurance premiums for facilities constructed with hollowcore. Plus, panels are extremely easy to use and cost-efficient.

County Materials is anticipating a high demand for the new 16” and 20" depths because hollowcore offers so many advantages over other materials. The continuous voids in the panels can be used to hide heating and ventilating ductwork, plumbing, and wiring. Floor coverings can be applied with minimal preparation, ceiling panels can be painted--totally eliminating the need for ceiling treatments, and it’s low maintenance and moisture resistant. Hollowcore panels are also adaptable to a wide variety of structural systems including steel framing, cast-in-place concrete, masonry walls and precast concrete frames, and reduce the overall building height.

County Materials Corporation is a family-owned business celebrating its 55th year in business. Last year, a new block manufacturing plant was built in Appleton, WI. County also has facilities and HomeScape Studios located in Marathon, Weston, Merrill, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Custer, Appleton, Green Bay, Eau Claire, Rice Lake, La Crosse, Onalaska, Webster and Maple Grove, MN.