Research on a New, Greener Type of Concrete

As one of the largest commercial concrete contractors in the nation, The Conco Companies are always looking to improve the concrete services and products we bring to our customers.  To this end, we work closely with contractors, developers, and engineers on various concrete methodologies in an effort to develop the best standards and practices in the industry today.  

Since cement is one of the primary producers of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, Conco is also interested in the efforts of researchers who are trying to develop cements that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  One recent study that caught our eye was published in the Construction and Building Materials journal by a team of engineers from Oregon State University, Purdue University and Solidia Technologies.  

The group’s findings show a “great potential for a type of cement that gains strength through carbonation, rather than the use of water.”  This new cement appears to not only help address global warming but also produces a more durable concrete.  Researchers report that a concrete mix using this type of cement is better able to resist common de-icing salts that are responsible for reducing the lifespan of our roads.    

Carbonated calcium silicate-based cement (CCSC) offers not only the benefit of protecting against damage from sodium chloride and magnesium chloride, but will help to save money spent on road maintenance.  It is estimated that the damage from de-icing salts costs about $1 million a mile to fix and that the typical 40-year lifespan of a road’s surface is reduced to only 8 to 10 years.   

Studies like these are important to the cement industry, which is committed to working toward cutting greenhouse gas emissions.  The researchers report that the first uses of CCSC will be in pre-cast concrete products and other uses will follow. 

Conco’s mission is to be the best supplier of concrete services in the Western United States and to bring expertise, experience and quality to each project.  We continue to upgrade and expand facilities to better serve the growing market for public works projects, commercial, parking structures, educational, and other construction development. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Source: phys.org/news/2016-04-cement-environmental.html  

Working with the Top Names in the Construction Industry

The Conco Companies have been honored to work with many of the top names in the construction industry including the Turner Construction Company, Clark Construction Group and Devcon Construction Inc.  These partnerships have given us the opportunity to work on many challenging and exciting projects up and down the West Coast.   

In the case of the Devcon Construction Company, Conco has been involved in several of their projects including the construction of the San Francisco 49ers stadium, which was a joint venture between Turner Construction and Devcon Construction.  We did the all of the concrete, which consisted of slabs in excess of 2,000,000 square feet and more than 65,000 cubic yards of concrete.  

Conco also worked with Devcon on a Class A office building in San Jose’s Santana Row that was developed by Federal Realty and Westwood Development Partners.  DevCon Construction served as the General Contractor.  The project consisted of pumping, formwork, reinforcing, stud rail fabrication, post tension, shotcrete, belting and trucking services. 

Another project was a parking structure of which Devcon was both the owner and the general contractor.  With a desire to get the project done quickly and economically, we provided shotcrete for the shear walls that spanned 310 lineal feet and 40 feet high.  In total, 390 cubic yards of concrete were shot and the walls were completed in only 25 working days. 

Devcon has been ranked as the largest general contractor in Silicon Valley for close to the last two decades, and handles projects both small and large for a wide range of owners, developers and end users.  Some of their other projects include the construction of the first lighthouse built on the West Coast in 50 years, a major university art museum, and along with national partners, the San Jose City Hall.   

Conco’s mission is to be the best supplier of concrete services in the Western United States and to bring expertise, experience and quality to each project.  We continue to upgrade and expand facilities to better serve the growing market for public works projects, commercial, parking structures, educational, and other construction development. We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

 

Prestressed, Pretensioned and Post-Tensioned Concrete

Prestressed, pretensioned and post-tensioned are methods used for reinforcing concrete.  Experts define prestressed concrete as the process used to overcome concrete's natural weakness in tension by introducing internal stresses to counteract the tensile stresses encountered in service.  “The stress is usually imposed by tendons of individual hard-drawn wires, cables of hard-drawn wires, or bars of high strength alloy steel.” Prestressed concrete is commonly used to produce beams, floors or bridges that require a longer span than would be safe with ordinary reinforced concrete, and may be pretensioned or post-tensioned. 

 Pretension concrete describes the process of tensioning the steel between anchorages or in a frame and then casting concrete around it.  Once the concrete has sufficient strength the “tension is slowly released from the frame or anchorage to transfer the stress to the concrete to which the tendons have become bonded.”   

In the case of post-tensioned concrete, the concrete has preset ducts or sleeves that are designed to allow tendons to be threaded through them.  The tendons are positioned before the concrete is placed.  Once the concrete has sufficient strength the tendons are tensioned by portable jacks and anchored against the outer edges of the concrete. 

One high-profile problem that was solved by a complex post-tensioning fix was the San Francisco area’s Bay Bridge.  The problem started when the anchor rods that secured the earthquake shock absorbers, known as shear keys, to the deck of the bridge failed.  Since the failed rods were embedded in concrete and inaccessible, replacement was impossible.   A team of experts, including Conco, designed and installed a complex series of steel saddles and post-tensioned jacket walls to provide the required clamping force required to secure the bridge deck framing to the E2 crossbeam.   

The Conco Companies have a reputation for expertly fabricating precision-engineered rebar and post-tension cable in our two state-of-the-art facilities.  To meet the most exacting specification and demand, our plants are outfitted with modern shear lines, benders and post-tension cable manufacturing equipment.  

At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Source:concreteconstruction.net/how-to/prestressed-pretensioned-and-post-tensioned-concrete_o?utm_source=krux&utm_medium=recommended-widget

Expert Services from One of the Nation’s Largest Pumping Companies

The Conco Companies have owned and operated one of the nation’s largest concrete pumping companies in the United States since 1975.  Our broad experience means we have tackled a range of difficult, challenging projects which has helped us to develop the best cost-effective solutions for our clients.   

One essential component that has a big impact on our pumping company’s success is our fleet of modern, state-of-the-art concrete pumps, Telebelts, and other ancillary equipment.  With such an extensive fleet, it allows us to offer customers a wide range of placing options.  In addition we have the ability to move a variety of materials efficiently and cost-effectively to save our customers both time and money. 

Our other biggest asset is our employees, who have played a large role in establishing Conco as a world-class company with an excellent work ethic that can be counted on to deliver superior finished products.  From the top down, each member of our team is committed to providing clients with the highest quality professional job.  Furthermore, all of our highly-trained pump operators are ACPA certified and we are proud of our excellent safety record. 

In addition we are proud union concrete contractors at both our California and Washington operations.  Our unionize trade workers include some of the country’s most experienced and hard-working concrete pump operators, cement masons, iron workers laborers and carpenters in the industry.  To attract and retain our talented workforce, we offer excellent union scale wages along with other above market benefits such as medical, life insurance and retirement benefits.  We also offer workers paid time off and paid holidays along with other perks.

Lastly by partnering with the trade unions, it means we all work as a team to provide our workers with up-to-date practical skills and training as well as important safety training.  Please see our website to learn more about Conco’s concrete pumping company and our high-quality, reliable formwork, rebar, shotcrete, and professional design/build services.  

The Conco Companies are one of the foremost suppliers of concrete services for the Western U.S. We got our start in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have four regional offices serving California, Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and Washington.

 

Follow the Wilshire Grand’s Progress as it Prepares to Open

From the deconstruction of the old hotel on the site that began in Oct 2012, to the bottoming-out ceremony that took place a little over a year later, the 73-story Wilshire Grand is now receiving the final finishing touches.  Throughout much of the construction, The Conco Companies have been honored to be a part of the exciting project, and now look forward to the scheduled opening in March.   

To get a good idea of how the skyscraper has taken shape of the last several months, take a look at the incredible pictures and videos of the progress on the Wilshire Grand’s facebook page.  One amazing example is a series of pictures covering the placement of the spire that topped the building’s height out at 1,100 feet.  The short video of the spire’s eye view of the September 6, 2016 installation that made the Wilshire Grand the tallest building in the West United States is fascinating. Also be sure to check out the picture of the Grand’s beautiful front lobby that was added to facebook in October 2016. 

The selection of videos includes a short introduction to the building and mentions many of its highlights and features including the fact that it will exemplify an outdoor and indoor connection for an authentic Los Angles’ experience.  It also talks about the plaza that will be a portal to the city-wide transit system, the sports and entertainment corridor, and the financial district as well as the historic 7^th Street.  With high-speed elevators to take passengers up to the 70^th floor sky lobby complete with a signature restaurant, rooftop pool and observation deck in just 45 seconds, the Wilshire Grand is sure to be one of L.A.’s top tourist destinations. 

Please visit Conco’s website to see more about the construction of the skyscraper as well as other projects in our extensive portfolio.  Our broad experience includes commercial, industrial, educational, healthcare, parking structures and other construction development. 

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services for the Western U.S.  We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products.  Since that time, we have taken a leading role as one of the top concrete contractors in the region. We have four regional offices serving California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon and Colorado.

How Tall and Super Tall Skyscrapers are Measured

Over the last several years The Conco Companies have had the opportunity to be involved in the construction of the two tallest skyscrapers west of the Mississippi, the Wilshire Grand in Los Angeles and the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco.  This experience got us to wondering who was responsible for measuring and recording the world’s newly constructed skyscrapers as they continue to push the envelope in terms of their towering height.    

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) is the world’s leading resource for professionals focused on the inception, design, construction, and operation of tall buildings and future cities. The CTBUH is also responsible for developing the international standards used to measure tall buildings’ heights and is the recognized official organization for bestowing the title of the ‘The World’s Tallest Building.’ 

The height of tall buildings is measured by three criteria that includes: the height to the architectural top; the highest occupied floor; and the height to the tip.  The height to the architectural top is defined as the height measured from the level of the “lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment.” 

The highest occupied floor is officially defined by the CTBUH as the measurement from the lowest significant pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor in the building.  The third criteria again starts at the “lowest level” as defined earlier to the highest point of the building “irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage, and other functional-technical equipment).” 

In addition to tall skyscrapers the CTBUH also recognizes a fairly new category of “supertall” and “megatall” buildings.  They define a supertall building as being over 300 meters or 984 feet high.  Buildings over 600 meters or 1,968 feet tall are considered to be megatall.  Their statistics show that as of June 2015, there were 91 supertall and 2 megatall buildings that were fully completed and occupied across the globe.  In addition there are several more extremely high skyscrapers currently under construction.   

At The Conco Companies, we are one of the leading concrete contractors in the Western U.S. and offer a wide range of quality services and products.  Our experience includes providing services for commercial, educational, parking and other construction development as well as public works projects.  We serve California, Washington State, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada.

Source:ctbuh.org/TallBuildings/HeightStatistics/Criteria/tabid/446/language/en-US/Default.aspx 

Used Concrete Pumps from a Top Commercial Concrete Contractor

The Conco Companies are selling two, used Schwing M58 concrete boom pumps mounted on a TOR chassis.  Both of the pumps and the TOR trucks have been routinely serviced and maintain by our trained specialty mechanics and there should be plenty of life in them.    

Our first pump, a 2004, Model #BPL2525H-6KVM58SX, is a 4-Section Roll and Fold model with a 58 meter boom.  The concrete pump has a maximum concrete output of 210 yards per hour and a 10-inch barrel.  The pump has 13379 hours on it, and has been well-maintained.  In good condition and ready to go to work for you, the pump’s recent significant repairs include replacing 50% of the boom with Esser 900 Boom Pipe.  

The TOR truck is likewise a 2004 and has 119743 miles with 18115 truck hours.  Located in California, our asking price for the Schwing M58 concrete boom pump mounted on the TOR chassis is $230,000.

Our other used concrete boom pump is also a Schwing M58.  The 2002 Pump Model #BPL2525H-6KVM58SX is a 4-Section Roll and Fold model with a 58 meter boom.  In addition the pump has a 10-inch size barrel and a maximum concrete output of 210 yards per hour.  The pump has 19181 hours on it and is in good condition, well-maintained and is ready to work.  Recent significant repairs include replacing 70% of the boom pipe with ESSER 900 Boom Pipe. 

Also mounted on a 2002 TOR chassis, the truck has 205094 miles and 26533 truck hours. The 2002 Schwing M58 is located in California and priced at $230,000.  Please visit our website for contact information and to learn more about all of our used equipment for sale.     

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services throughout the Western U.S.  We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products and are now one of the foremost concrete contractors in the region. Our concrete services include commercial, educational, industrial and public works projects as well as parking structures.

Exciting Career Opportunity for a Qualified BIM Technician

The Conco Companies are seeking a full-time BIM Technician for our Kent, Washington office.  Candidates must have 2-5 years of structural or architectural drafting experience using Revit software and be prepared to perform the job’s essential duties satisfactorily.   

Along with the 2-5 years of drafting experience with Revit, the position’s minimum requirements include experience with reading and developing structural or architectural plan sets and details.  Applicants also need to have a familiarity with the building process in order to create detailed 3D models.   

As you will work as a team, you also will need to have excellent verbal and written communication skills.  In addition the job requires computer literacy and experience with Microsoft Word and Excel.  A working knowledge of AutoCAD is a plus. 

The BIM Technician’s responsibilities include analyzing and comparing architectural and structural design drawings in order to produce vetted concrete models and shop drawings.  Candidates will also work with existing modeling parameters as well as present opportunities for improving standardization.  The position includes proactively managing the drawing development process and providing direction to the junior drafting staff. 

Other essential duties include working with the survey/layout team to transfer data from vetted concrete models to survey points for the field.  The BIM Technician will also assist Project Engineers with drafting RFI’s whenever needed. 

Please see our website for the complete job description and details on how to apply.  You will also find a downloadable application on our site.  As one of the nation’s leading commercial concrete contractors, we provide our employees the opportunity to work on some of the Western United States’ most exciting and challenging projects.  Conco is an equal opportunity employer.   

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services throughout the Western U.S.  We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products and are now one of the foremost concrete contractors in the region. Our concrete services include commercial, educational, industrial and public works projects as well as parking structures.

Exciting Career Opportunities with a Top Commercial Concrete Contractor

The Conco Companies are willing to train interns and/or graduates for the positions of Concrete Estimators at the East Bay Construction Company with satellite offices in Southern California and Seattle. The position’s primary responsibilities include preparing estimates, bids and schedules for commercial construction projects and to interpret the plans and specifications.  

Along with developing estimates, our Concrete Estimators will perform Takeoffs and carefully evaluate quotes from subcontractors, vendors and suppliers.  Duties will also include preparing RFI’s, and then overseeing the budgeting and financing of projects to ensure the submitted costs are accurate. 

Good communication skills are necessary as the job requires professionally interacting with the General Contractor throughout the bidding process as well as the entire construction phase.  The person will assume an active role during the construction process, and as such, must be detailed oriented in all of their responsibilities. 

In addition candidates for the positions must have excellent written and verbal skills and be proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word.   It is also beneficial to be proficient in On-Screen Takeoff software and AutoCAD, and any previous concrete estimating experience will be viewed favorably.  Furthermore, any previous employment or internship experience with a construction company and/or general knowledge of the industry is a plus. 

Please visit our website for the complete job description of our Concrete Estimator positions and information on how to apply.  You will also find a convenient downloadable job application.  As one of the country’s leading commercial concrete contractors, Conco is an exciting, challenging place to work and offers employees lots of opportunities for career growth.  

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services throughout the Western U.S.  We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products and are now one of the foremost concrete contractors in the region. Our concrete services include commercial, educational, industrial and public works projects as well as parking structures.

Quality Used Equipment for Sale

The Conco Companies owns and operates one of the industry’s largest fleets of state-of-the-art concrete pumps, cranes, Telebelts and other ancillary equipment.  As we are fortunate to be in a position to be able to buy brand new equipment, we occasionally sell off our older pumps and trucks that still have plenty of life in them to the public.  Currently we have two HTC 8670 fully equipped Link-Belt Telescopic Truck Cranes for sale.  The two trucks, a 1999 and a 2001, have had the benefit of receiving regular maintenance performed by our trained specialty mechanics throughout their lifetime.    

Our Crane #11951 is a 1999 Model HTC-8670, Serial #F219-2475.  The truck has a Detroit Series 60 engine with 21,138.5 hours of usage.  It has a capacity of 70.00, and two winches as well as a load block and ball.  The boom extends to 115 feet and the 2-piece jib to 61 feet.  It also comes with an auxiliary sheave.  The truck is located in California and is rated as “very good” condition.   

Conco’s other truck for sale, Crane #11952, Serial #F2J2-5418 is a 2001 Model HTC 8670 and is also offered fully equipped.  The Link Belt Telescopic Truck Crane’s specifications include a Detroit Series 60 engine, 18,923.6 hours of usage and two winches.  The crane truck has a load block and ball and is equipped with a 115 foot boom and a 2 piece jib that extends 61 feet as well as an auxiliary sheave.  The 2001 HTC-8670 is also located in California and rated as “very good” condition.   

Please visit Conco’s website for contact information regarding the trucks’ prices and any other questions you may have.  While you are there, take a look at some of our projects we have been involved with throughout the Western United States. 

The Conco Companies are a leading supplier of concrete services throughout the Western U.S.  We got our start in the Bay Area in 1959 by offering clients the best value on a wide range of concrete services and products and are now one of the foremost concrete contractors in the region. Our concrete services include commercial, educational, industrial and public works projects as well as parking structures.