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Monday, 29 June 2009 20:34
View the latest industry and professional trade publications featuring County Materials.
Senior Living Environments Enhanced with Concrete Masonry Units
Concrete masonry units are the perfect building material for multi-unit residential buildings because of their sound resistance, fire resistance and energy efficiency. Read more how "Concrete Masonry Provides Comfortable and Attractive Senior Living Environments," as featured in the May 2009 issue of Concrete Masonry Designs, a publication of the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA).
Concrete Masonry Designs 02/07/2009, 12:45 2.26 Mb
Concrete Pipe Used as Earth Tubes for Climate Control System
County Materials manufactured 600 linear feet of reinforced concrete pipe, custom air intake manholes, 90 degree bends and T-sections for the Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, Wis. The center has been certified LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Its "net zero energy" design is made possible in part by the underground air intake system constructed with concrete earth tubes from County Materials. Read the full story on "Piping Hot (and Cold)," as featured in the March 2009 issue of The Concrete Producer, a publication of Hanley Wood Business Media.
Concrete Brick is Material of Choice in Commercial Buildings
With their numerous, functional advantages, including a maintenance-free facade, lasting beauty, structural load bearing, and life and property fire protection, concrete masonry units are the material of choice for design professionals for a variety of building applications. Read more how "Half-high CMUs are the Material of Choice in Commercial Buildings," as featured in the October 2008 issue of Concrete Masonry Designs, a publication of the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA).
Low Budget, High Aesthetics with Concrete Brick and Oversize Concrete Masonry Units
The challange of meeting tight budgetary constraints does not mean designers have to sacrifice a building's quality or aesthetics. Concrete brick and oversize concrete masonry units prove that these materials can make for a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Read more about the Cherry Court Midrise project in Milwaukee, Wis. "Low Budget, High Aesthetics," as featured in the August 2008 issue of Concrete Masonry Designs, a publication of the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA).
Large Bridges are Important Part of Major Highway Projects in Stevens Point and Wausau, Wis
County Materials' 82W precast concrete girders minimized the number of piers that needed to be built in the Wisconsin River for the US 10 bypass north of Stevens Point. County Materials supplied all of the precast concrete girders on the US 51/Wis 29 reconstruction and US 10 expansion, as well as the ready-mix concrete for the projects' piers, sidewalks, parapets and driving decks. Read the full story on "Highway Corridor Reconstruction Builds Road to Future," as featured in the July 7, 2008 archived issue of Western Builder, a publication of Associated Construction Publications.
Thursday, 18 June 2009 21:07
(May 5, 2008) – Four area families will realize their dream of homeownership thanks in part to a donation of ready-mix concrete by County Materials to Habitat for Humanity.The donation of 25 yards of concrete for each of four houses will go into their foundations. The families who will inhabit these homes will be heavily involved in the construction process, which also includes high school building classes that are assembling the walls off-site.
“It’s rewarding on a personal level,” said Keith Berens of Wausau-based K Berens Contracting LLC. “These families can’t afford these things, and these donations make it available for them. You can’t put a number on helping them solve a problem.”
Thursday, 18 June 2009 21:05
(May 21, 2009) The masonry industry may get some more educated and talented craftsmen thanks in part to a donation of concrete block and masonry products from County Materials of Appleton. The local manufacturer of construction and landscaping products recently supplied concrete block, brick, sand, mortar mix and other masonry materials to the Construction Techniques class at Appleton East High School.Construction Occupations Instructor, Steve Masanz, said this is the first year the class has included a masonry-training unit.
“The kids were very excited we were offering this,” said Masanz. “I’m teaching them the basics of masonry. We have been building projects outside, so it’s a realistic setting.”
Using trowels and their classroom training, student pairs are constructing masonry projects that include laying up a brick wall over 8 feet long and a concrete block wall nearly 16 feet long, both several courses high.
Said Masanz, “If we didn’t have the generous product donation from County Materials, we would have no way to run the masonry program because of our limited budgets.”
Masanz also reached out to other professionals in the industry and asked people to come in and present hands-on demonstrations.
“I want to show students how masonry is really done out in the field…and give them a flavor of the different trades so they have an understanding of what is available in construction occupations.”
Thursday, 18 June 2009 21:03
(September 15, 2008) Because of generous contributions and the participation of more than 134 business associates, employees and friends, the 2008 County Materials Charity Golf Outing will help United Way-funded programs improve the lives of many people.County Materials presented a check for $16,000 to United Way representatives following the company’s second charity event, held at the Wausau Country Club on September 6th.
County Materials distributed funds to local United Way chapters in communities where they have locations. In addition, the Wausau-based Judd S. Alexander Foundation committed to matching any donation, dollar-for-dollar, directed to the United Way-Marathon County chapter.
United Way chapters support programs that help people meet their basic needs and learn to become self-sufficient. In addition, the United Way is focused on community issues including early childhood learning, youth development, helping people in crisis and promoting health and wellness.
Thursday, 18 June 2009 21:03
AMHERST (June 26, 2008) –As energy prices rise and sustainability moves to the forefront of homeowners’ minds, the ideas behind the homebuilding of Gimme Shelter Construction are enjoying a revival. County Materials’ concrete lies at the heart of many of Gimme Shelter’s homes, most of which are designed with ready-mix flooring.“We mostly do walls and floors with concrete,” said Jim McKnight, who with Mark Klein founded Gimme Shelter in 1987. “And sometimes thin floors, to allow for radiant heat. Concrete makes heating more efficient, especially in the summer where you can really cut costs; heating, cooling, comfort, that’s our measuring stick.”
“The really unique thing they do is use ready-mix as a finished floor,” said Judah Haas of Alchemy Concrete in Stevens Point, who does most of Gimme Shelter’s concrete work. This includes decorative stamping and color staining to create stunning effects and lend a dramatic new appearance to any room.
Gimme Shelter builds masonry heaters in a number of homes, an age-old technology given new life by its nature of slow heating and slow radiation, which makes use of County Materials’ fire brick. Masonry heaters can then be covered by any number of County Materials’ veneer options – including concrete brick, natural or manufactured stone, or County Stone® masonry units – depending on the homeowner’s desired motif.
Sustainable-home ideas were displayed at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association energy fair held in Custer. Concrete building ideas were also on display at the Wausau Area Builders Association 2008 Parade of Homes, June 20-22. More information on concrete building ideas, including Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) is available from County Materials.
Thursday, 18 June 2009 21:00
AMHERST (June 26, 2008) –As energy prices rise and sustainability moves to the forefront of homeowners’ minds, the ideas behind the homebuilding of Gimme Shelter Construction are enjoying a revival. County Materials’ concrete lies at the heart of many of Gimme Shelter’s homes, most of which are designed with ready-mix flooring.“We mostly do walls and floors with concrete,” said Jim McKnight, who with Mark Klein founded Gimme Shelter in 1987. “And sometimes thin floors, to allow for radiant heat. Concrete makes heating more efficient, especially in the summer where you can really cut costs; heating, cooling, comfort, that’s our measuring stick.”
“The really unique thing they do is use ready-mix as a finished floor,” said Judah Haas of Alchemy Concrete in Stevens Point, who does most of Gimme Shelter’s concrete work. This includes decorative stamping and color staining to create stunning effects and lend a dramatic new appearance to any room.
Gimme Shelter builds masonry heaters in a number of homes, an age-old technology given new life by its nature of slow heating and slow radiation, which makes use of County Materials’ fire brick. Masonry heaters can then be covered by any number of County Materials’ veneer options – including concrete brick, natural or manufactured stone, or County Stone® masonry units – depending on the homeowner’s desired motif.
Sustainable-home ideas were displayed at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association energy fair held in Custer. Concrete building ideas were also on display at the Wausau Area Builders Association 2008 Parade of Homes, June 20-22. More information on concrete building ideas, including Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) is available from County Materials.
Thursday, 18 June 2009 20:46
WAUSAU (May 19, 2008) – As the ceremonial ribbon fell, visitors toured the area’s newest home for stray and surrendered dogs and cats, the Humane Society of Marathon County at 7001 Packer Drive, during its grand-opening celebration in May 2008.Surrounding the animals are walls of Premier Prestige Series® Block from County Materials. The decorative concrete masonry units feature a glazed face that is stain- and moisture-resistant, withstands impact and is resistant to abrasion and many chemicals and bacteria. In addition to these 8,800 units, County Materials also supplied 9,000 splitface concrete masonry units, 25,000 structural CMUs and 389.5 cubic yards of ready-mix concrete.
“They use a lot of high-pressure washers here,” said Wally Binder of Ghidorzi Construction, who designed the facility. “Regular paint would peel off. And we don’t have to worry about urine or anything. There’s always something very caustic in this environment.”
At nearly 13,000 square feet, the facility is about four times the size of its cramped predecessor on Kent Street, plus it now has the option of significantly expanding to the south and to the east. The structural CMUs are exposed in the “people” portions of the facility, painted to establish a variety of tones and styles. In some common areas, such as the meeting room that will be available to community groups, a single course of splitface CMUs runs near the top of the wall. Flipping those units around allowed for a smooth-face band on the exterior of these single-wythe walls; the band will sport a terra cotta hue to set it off against earth tones.
“It’s very rewarding,” Binder said, noting that the facility had been nearly 10 years in the making. “My wife and I got our dog from the humane society.”
Thursday, 18 June 2009 20:39
County Materials supplies award-winning construction projects
(May 13, 2009) County Materials supplied masonry and concrete construction materials for several award-winning projects recognized by Wisconsin Builder magazine’s tenth annual 2008 Top Projects. More than 500 people attended the awards dinner held April 28 at Country Springs Hotel in Pewaukee.Every year, Wisconsin Builder magazine honors commercial construction’s best with its Top Projects issue and event. The May edition recognizes architects, builders, engineers and project owners for jobs that benefit the community, have overcome challenges and help advance the construction industry. Thirty projects were recognized out of nearly 130 projects that were submitted to the awards program.
County Materials supplied one dozen of the 30 projects that were recognized at this year’s event:
Arrowhead-Weston Line (Wausau to Duluth, Minn.)
· 11,000 yards of ready-mix concrete used to form caissons for power line poles running from the Weston Power Plant to Abbotsford, Wis.
· Concrete was poured from September 2005 to May 2006
· General Contractor was Minnesota Power Co.
Fond du Lac Wastewater Treatment Facility
· 192,000 pieces of Bowerston Shale clay brick
· 50,000 units of concrete block
· General contractor was C.D. Smith Construction Services; Architect was Strand Associates, Inc.
Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center (Milwaukee)
· Nearly 33,000 concrete masonry units
· Construction manager was Mortenson Construction
Lakeland School of Walworth County (Elkhorn)
· 187,000 concrete masonry units
· General contractor was J.P. Cullen & Sons Inc.; Architect was Plunkett Raysich Architects
Landmark Square (Sheboygan)
· Approximately 3,000 concrete masonry units
· Design builder was Jos. Schmitt & Sons Construction; Architect was Abacus Architects Inc.
Marquette University High School Renovation & Addition (Milwaukee)
· 40,000 standard concrete masonry units
· General contractor was CG Schmidt Inc.; Architect was Eppstein Uhen Architects
Milwaukee City Hall Restoration
· 1500 standard concrete masonry units
· Mason contractor was William Sackerson Construction; General contractor was JP Cullen; Architect was Engberg Anderson
Neuroscience of NE Wisconsin (Neenah)
· 35,000 pieces of Endicott clay brick
· 13,000 pieces of Hebron clay brick
· General contractor was Miron Construction; Architect was Plunkett Raysich Architects
Oshkosh Sports Complex
· 20,000 units of decorative fullface split masonry
· Mason contractor was Schelfhout & DeCleene Masonry; Architect was Martin Ganther Group
Potowatomi Casino Expansion (Milwaukee)
· 190,000 units of fullface split block
· 51,000 pieces of Acme/Ochs clay brick
· 30,800 units of standard concrete block
· Architect was Engberg Anderson Inc.
University Square (Madison), UW Madison campus
· 96,000 pieces of Endicott utility clay brick
· 398,000 pieces of thin clay brick used in precast panels
· General contractor was J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc; Architect was Potter Lawson, Inc.
Vorhees Hall on Carroll University (Waukesha)
· 24,270 fullface split and standard concrete masonry units
· General Contractor was Triad Construction Inc.; Architect was Welman Architects Inc.
Thursday, 18 June 2009 20:35
Oshkosh Sports Complex Earns Honors in 2008 Top Projects Banquet
(May 7, 2009) County Materials shared in the honors as the Oshkosh Sports Complex was recognized by Wisconsin Builder magazine’s tenth annual Top Projects awards dinner, held April 28 at Country Springs Hotel in Pewaukee. The project was one of 30 selected by Wisconsin Builder to recognize jobs that benefit their community, have overcome challenges and help advance the construction industry.
The renovated facility features nearly 20,000 units of fullface split masonry manufactured by County Materials. The project broke ground in the fall of 2007 and was completed in the spring of 2008. Mason contractor for the project was Schelfhout and DeCleene Masonry; General contractor/architect was Ganther Construction Group.
Formerly known as Titan Stadium, the Oshkosh Sports Complex was transformed into a $9.7 million complex that is an exceptional venue for football, soccer, track and field, baseball, softball and intramural competition for UW Oshkosh, the Oshkosh Area School District and the Unified Catholic Schools of Oshkosh. With it’s 10,000 seating capacity, it also attracts more regional and national sporting and cultural events to the area. In addition, it’s the largest of its kind, between Lambeau Field and Camp Randall Stadium, and is expected to be used more than 190 times per year.
The original building was gutted, rebuilt with new amenities, and completed in approximately 7 months. The structure features a new plaza entrance, locker rooms for approximately 300 student athletes, coaching offices and classrooms and restrooms. Outside the stadium, everything was redesigned for greater functionality, including expanded concessions, ticket booths, restroom facilities and pre and post function spaces.
The upgraded stadium came to fruition because of community fund raising that resulted in $4.4 million in donations. With the new complex, the University has already received national attention by hosting the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Division III men’s and women’s track championships. In addition, the facility is used for the Badger State Games, the state’s High School All-Star Football game, and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).
Thursday, 18 June 2009 20:34
(May 18, 2009) In Business magazine announced the winners of its second annual Greater Madison Commercial Design Awards at a ceremony held May 6 in Madison. The competition, which awards honors in 13 categories, recognizes the best in new construction or renovation in commercial design and architecture. Winning projects are featured in the publication’s May 2009 issue.County Materials, with two locations in Madison, supplied concrete and masonry products for 14 of the award winning projects:
University Square
· 2009 Project of the Year and Best in Mixed Use category
· Utilized Full Brick, Thin Brick Panels and gray concrete block
· General Contractor was J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc.; Architect was Potter Lawson, Inc.
Capitol West: Washington Rowhouses, Capitol Court Townhomes
· Best in Residential Multi-unit category
· Features colored and gray concrete masonry units
· General contractor was J.H. Findorff & Son, Inc.; Architect was The Alexander Co.
Farm and Fleet of Verona
· Best in Retail category
· Constructed with decorative and standard concrete masonry units
· General contractor was Design Structures, LLC; Architect was Potter Lawson, Inc.
Goodman Community Center
· Best in Education category
· Constructed with gray concrete block
· General contractor was Vogel Bros. Building Co.; Architect was Eppstein Uhen Architects
National Conference of Bar Examiners
· Best in the Office category
· Features gray concrete block
· General contractor was J. H. Findorff & Son, Inc.; Architect was Potter Lawson, Inc.
PIKE Technologies
· Best in Industrial category
· Features a blend of three clay brick colors, and concrete masonry units
· General contractor was Tri-North Builders; Architect was Eppstein Uhen Architects
Wisconsin Heart & Vascular Institute
· Best in Health Care category
· Built with gray concrete block, and Cultured Stone on interior fireplace
· General contractor was Ideal Builders; Architect was Potter Lawson, Inc.
All Saints Assisted Living
· Merit Award in Health Care category
· Utilized standard concrete block
· General contractor Horizon Development Group, Inc.; Architect was Architecture 2000, LLC.
Century 21 Affiliated
· Merit Award in Office Renovation category
· Constructed with Premier Ultra Burnished masonry units and clay brick
· General contractor was W. Squared, LLC; Architect was Brink, Kolberg & Assoc
Hampton Inn and Suites
· Merit Award in Hotel category
· Features clay brick, decorative concrete masonry units and standard concrete block
· General contractor was Kraemer Bros, LLC; Architect was Gary Brink & Associates, Inc.
Monona State Bank
· Merit Award in Office New Development category
· Features clay brick and standard concrete block
· General contractor was Bauer & Raether Builders, Inc.; Architect was Strang, Inc.
Paul J. Olson Elementary School
· Merit Award for Green-built project
· Constructed with clay brick and concrete block
· General contractor was Miron Construction Co.; Architect was Zimmerman Architectural Studios
Sequoya Commons Phase 1
· Merit Award in Mixed Use category
· Constructed with standard concrete block
· General contractor was Krupp General Contractors; Architect was Bruce Simonson, with SGN+A
UW-Madison Grainger Hall Addition
· Merit Award in Education
· Features clay brick, glass block and standard concrete masonry units
· General contractor was Miron Construction Co.; Architect was Zimmerman Architectural Studios
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