It looks like we are going to have a very respectable year for the way it started here in Ames. With all the cool weather and rain this spring I was wondering if we were ever going to get started. Once we got started, though, we never looked back. Construction in Ames and the surrounding area was good again this construction season.

Cindy Dela Rosa, in our QC department, was valuable in helping me put several mix designs together with the addition of slag, a product we had never used before. This was not an easy task for her as Tom had her pretty busy with QMA projects all summer. Coordinating her time between jobs we were able to complete the mix designs and get them tested in both lab and field.

Thanks to Brad Lenz and his crew for putting up with being the guinea pig. Because of these efforts, we received several negotiated jobs from our local general contractors due to the fact we were using slag and had the testing done and in place. As I found out later, we were actually high in our bid but were able to sell the product with data and experience.

Currently we are testing a 3 part aggregate mix with a 3-part cement, fly ash and slag mix. Look out Brad L, here we come for next year!

We had several paving projects going this year. The first one being with Allied Construction, where we just loaded the concrete on their trucks. It had just a little less than 8,000 CY in the entire project.

We started using slag in this project but had to go to standard C-mix due the extended maturity curve.

All my drivers really appreciated their trucks once they saw what another company had their employees in. Mike V. was in town on several projects that were pulled out of a portable Steve Naderman and crew put up in west Ames. We helped supply trucks when needed as they came off the header or for some handwork. I could go on about some of the jobs but now is the time to look towards next year and securing some bids so we have work for the future. There are several decent projects coming from ISU that we would really like to have. It would be a nice way to start the season and possibly be some “winter work”.

In closing, I would like to thank Brian Frame, my right hand man, who handles the daily turmoils with a smile on his face. Brian asked me the other day if I knew how you could tell when a dispatcher is lying. . .his lips are moving. I guess he heard that from some guy named Rod in Des Moines. To all my driver’s: Brady Thomas, Jim Keiffer, Dean Dobbs, Jason Bohning, Kirk Kislinbury, Bill Holman, Shawn Hunter, Lowell Hunter, Dan Rogers, Adam Littman, Jacob Smeltzer, Joe Bottorf & Tracy Zenor, my hats off to each and every one of you. Also to Leo Donahue for the 600+ trips to Des Moines and back without an incident. The efforts this team put forth to make safety and our customers a priority was fantastic.

As I will mention, the incidents for the RM in Ames for the 2001 construction year have been the lowest in many seasons. It’s all attributed to employee’s listed above and a safety committee’s watchful eye. Great job done, guys! Have a happy and safe holiday season. I hope to see everyone next year!