Second Quarter 2012
Verti- Crete News
“The Evolution of Precasting”
Precasters Leveling the Field with Verti-Block
Precasters Leveling the Field
with Verti-Block
p. 1
Save The Date: WOC 2013
p. 1
Introducing: Verti-Crete’s
Newest Licensee’s
p. 3
A wall is a wall is a wall, right? In the world of earth retaining, there has always been this basic
equation: to hold back more earth, you need a bigger wall. Greater force equals more concrete. But
precasters around the world are beginning to offer a much more interesting answer.
Carolina Ready Mix of
Asheville, North Carolina,
U.S.A., is just one of many
producers to challenge
the status quo with an
innovative retaining block
system that actually lowers
costs while improving
aesthetics. Their adoption of
the Verti-BlockTM retaining
wall system has opened up
new opportunities for the
business—and is delivering
results their customers and
property owners love.
A solid way to expand a precast business
Carolina Ready Mix began searching for a precast block alternative as more customers requested a
decorative surface in place of the plain, solid blocks the company had been producing. “We looked
at a few installations that had used patterned blocks,” explains Bart Jones, company president and
owner. But he wasn’t satisfied with the reveal of the rock pattern. “The ones we saw just looked
like a concrete structure trying to be a rock. You could tell it was fake.” However, Jones changed
his mind when he came across Verti-Block.
(continued on page 2)
Save The Date:
World of Concrete 2013
Verti-Crete is ecstatic to announce we
will be exhibiting at the World of Concrete
Show in Las Vegas, Nevada from February
5-8, 2013. Mark your calendars and save the
date... we hope you come visit Verti-Crete in
Booth # N1229.
Exhibiting at the World of Concrete tradeshow is a great way for Verti-Crete to meet
with key precasters throughout the world.
Anyone in the concrete business should
attend- the information and knowledge presented will help keep business competitive.
For 39 years, The World of Concrete has grown to become one of the greatest tradeshows for
precasters everywhere. We hope to see you there!
(The above photo features an example of Verti-Crete’s Durango Dryfit panel and column.)
Verti-Crete News
Precasters Leveling the Field with Verti-Block
(cont’d from page 1)
It was a similar promise of competitiveness that drew George
Roberts Company of Alfred, Maine, U.S.A. “We bid on many
jobs that include several precast products,” says Steve Ray, sales
manager. “We’d
been providing
manholes,
light pole
bases, holding
tanks—just
about everything
concrete except
retaining walls.
Becoming a
Verti-Block
producer gave
us that solution
and makes
our bids very
comprehensive.”
“I was really impressed with the texture of the stone. It looks
just like chiseled granite. It’s very real.” The company elected to
become a Verti-Block producer in part because the product’s stone
textures complemented the region’s native granite so well, and
also because Jones recognized a new product opportunity for his
business.
2
Unlike solid blocks, Verti-Block products are hollow. They
take half the concrete to produce as traditional precast
retaining blocks, cutting material costs in half and making
them much lighter to transport. “What used to take four trips
can now be hauled in two,” explains Jones. “That fact alone
sold one of our customers. His transportation savings were
huge. It was a big savings in his budget and made us look
great.”
The appeal of easy installation
Beautiful textures and lower trucking costs aren’t the only
reasons Verti-Block is turning contractors’ heads. “The
blocks are easy to work with, easy to design,” says Ray. “We
completed one job that had a couple of tricky radiuses. The
blocks have a built-in taper so the installer was able to line
them right up. It made a beautiful natural curve; he was really
pleased.”
“Installation is key,” agrees Jones. “There are savings that
go beyond transportation. Solid blocks weigh 2,500 pounds
or more; ours are about 1,700 pounds. That’s an 800-pound
difference, and it just happens to be the weight a mini
excavator can handle, fully extended. That factor alone opens
us up to a much larger market. It makes it easier to use VertiBlock in more places.”
The right solution at the right time
Gaining a new competitive edge couldn’t have come at a better
time. With construction projects still sparse in the U.S., budgets
have been cut and project managers are watching every penny. To
producers like Carolina Ready Mix and George Roberts Company,
adding Verti-Block to their lineup not only expands their product
offering, it also gives them the kind of cost-cutting solution their
budget-conscious customers are looking for.
“Here in Maine,” says Ray, “rock walls built with harvested stone
have been fairly common. But they’re a lot of work to install.
Also, contractors don’t want to put their equipment through the
rigors of beating rock from the earth. They’re charging more, and
customers don’t want to—or can’t—pay for it.” A precast solution
has been a welcome alternative.
“I was really impressed with the texture of the
stone. It looks just like chiseled granite. It’s very
real.”
~ Bart Jones
Carolina Ready Mix found great appeal from another costeffective angle. “With fuel prices, transportation costs are literally
unbelievable,” says Jones. “We’re in the Blue Ridge Mountains
where we always have to drive over one mountain to get to the
next. The cost of fuel, tires, etc. can kill your profit margin, but
we’ve drastically reduced those costs by offering Verti-Block.”
Jones also appreciates that Verti-Block gives his customers
greater precision in estimating. “Contractors have a hard time
estimating how much stone will be required for their job. With
traditional retaining blocks, you have to back fill the wall with
stone so the water can drain away. If you over-excavate, your
gravel fill can sink the job. If you under-excavate and shortcut
the gravel backfill, the wall could fail. Verti-Block walls use
the same amount of crushed stone every time. You just need to
know the basic specs of your wall and you can calculate your
costs much more accurately.”
Verti-Block’s hollow cores are filled with crushed stone during
installation. They require far less excavation and the gravel fill
ensures proper drainage for every soil condition. “That really
stood out to my customer and his engineer,” reports Jones,
“They loved seeing how easy it was to install the wall and fill
with gravel. The property owner was really pleased, too.”
Opportunities that just get taller
With standard Verti-Blocks measuring three feet deep, gravity
walls can be engineered up to 12 feet tall. By using mass
3
2012 Quarter 2
extenders, these gravity walls can be engineered as high as 24 feet
tall. “We can use geogrid to reinforce any wall height, but the
flexibility and convenience of being able to offer gravity walls for
most of these jobs really knocks this product out of the park,” said
Jones.
It’s the natural look that
ultimately appeals so much
to property owners. And it’s
that appeal that will continue
to drive the demand for
Verti-Block, believes Jones.
“Our blocks were used in a
residential subdivision that
already had a retaining wall
built using another product.
When you see ours by it, there
is no comparison in the quality
of the stone texture. Ours looks real; it looks like actual chiseled
rock. The homeowner wished he had known about ours before he
used the other wall.”
Jones confirms that customers continue to be very price sensitive
and project qualifications keep getting tighter. That’s why he feels
confident in the company’s move to produce Verti-Block. “It’s
something different. Other blocks are solid; they’re an old-style,
old-school, heavy system. Verti-Block is simply better for our
profitability. Come the spring and early summer building season,
I expect things to fly out of here.” With this kind of momentum,
Verti-Block isn’t just leveling the playing field, it’s raising the bar.
(CPI Article: Innovative Retaining Block System Lowers Cost While Improving Aesthetics - June 2012)
Introducing
Verti-Crete’s Newest Licensee’s:
Verti-Crete of Toronto
Phil DiPalma - President
Bolton, ON, Canada
Serving the Greater Toronto area, Verti-Crete of Toronto is committed to exceeding customer expectations with a full spectrum
of precast wall products from decorative fencing and Sound
Walls to segmental retaining Verti-Block walls... we are thrilled
to begin work on your next residential or commercial project!
Pittsburgh Flexicore Co., Inc
Robert M. Patterson Jr. - Vice President
Monongahela, PA, - USA
Serving you since 1955, Pittsburgh Flexicore provides both
quality and value to your landscape projects as a Verti-Block
retaining wall producer. Contact us on your next residential
or commercial project - From start to finish, we have qualified
personnel to accomplish any given task.
Carolina Ready Mix
Bart Jones - President
Swannanoa, NC, USA
Established in 1944, Carolina Ready Mix is truly a family
owned and operated business. For superior quality, professional service, and a beautiful , cost-effective earth retaining
solution, contact us on your next Verti-Block project!
American Concrete Casting
Tim Mahoney - President
Canastota, NY - USA
American Concrete Casting offers products of exceptional
quality- meeting the needs of the most ambitious construction projects. We are excited for the opportunity to serve you
on your next Verti-Block retaining wall project!
Béton Provincial Ltee
Andre Belanger - President
Quebec, QC, Canada
Established in 1960, Béton Provincial stands out with unrivalled service and modern, durable, high-performance
products including Verti-Block segmental retaining walls.
Contact us for your retaining wall project needs!
Pre-Con Limited
Ellery Siermachesky - President
Saskatoon, SK - Canada
Pre-Con Limited has been a Verti-Crete Licensee since 2007
and is eager to help you on your next project! Now producing
both Verti-Crete post and panel walls as well as Verti-Block
segmental retaining blocks - we are excited to serve you!
Sergey Lvovich Ustinov
Moscov, Russia
Located in the heart of Moscov, Russia - Sergey Lvovich Ustinov understands the importance of beauty, durability, and
quality in precast concrete - we look forward to serving you
using Verti-Crete’s wall and post system!
Eurl GETAM
Mr Boussaa Kheiredinne - Manager
Oran, Algeria, Africa
Eurl GETAM combines both knowledge and experience to
acheive the highest customer satisfaction. Contact us for
the look of true masonry using Verti-Crete’s post and panel
system for your next project!
Verti-Crete News
4
Verti-Crete & Verti-Block Licensees
Verti-Block
United States
American Stamp
Concrete
Miami, FL
(305) 742-8147
Andale Ready Mix
Wichita, KS
(316) 832-0063
Lubbock Concrete
Service
Lubbock, TX
(806)797-1059
Verti-Crete of Northern
Nevada
Reno, NV
(775)575-5050
Jibe Construcciones y
Pavimentos
Torreon, Mexico
52 871 70715-07
Marzano and Sons
Mammoth Lakes, CA
(760)648-7455
Walker Industries
Maui, HI
(808)877-3430
Mision XXI
Hermosillo, Sonora,
Mexico
52 662 285 51-39
Beton Provincial Ltee
Quebec, QC, Canada
(418) 622-3777
American Concrete
Casting
Canastota, NY - USA
315-697-8183
McCann Concrete
Arrowhead Precast, LLC Products
Dorsey, IL
Tulsa, OK
(618)377-3888
(918)857-3460
Wilson Concrete
Products
Idaho Falls, ID
(208)521-2764
Novi Industries
Algeria
(619)596-4501
Carolina Ready Mix
Swannanoa, NC - USA
(828) 450-6535
Associated Construction Northeast Precast
Millville, NJ
Products
(866)699-2557
Tampa, FL
(813)973-4425
Norwalk Concrete
Industries
C&M Precast
Norwalk, OH
Kerrville, TX
(419)668-8167
(830)367-5988
Wolf Construction
Topeka, KS
(785)862-2474
PC Walls Pty Ltd
Western Australia
0418 949 292
Fabcon
Savage, MN - USA
(also located in OH & PA)
(952)890-4444
Wyoming Precast
Products
Casper, WY
(307)262-6881
Pre-Con Limited
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
(306)931-9229
Carolina Wall-Crete
Shelby, NC
(704)487-8557
Old Castle Precast
Middle Island, NY
(631)924-7400
Color Country Precast
Washinton, UT
(435)627-2355
Owell Precast
Salt Lake City, UT
(801)571-5041
Crest Precast, Inc.
La Crescent, MN
(507)895-2342
Pre-Stressed Casting Co.
Al Falah Ready Mix
Springfield, MO
Abu Dhubi, UAE
(417) 869-7350
971 (4) 880425
Teknafab
Fabcon
Vancouver, WA
Savage, MN
(also located in OH & PA) (800)377-3877
(952)890-4444
Tektoniks
Front Range Verti-Crete Walla Walla, WA
(509)529-8424
Colorado Springs, CO
(719)634-2828
VanHooseCo.
Loudon, TN
Great Wall Systems
(865) 458-3998
Denver, CO
(303)991-9255
Verti-Crete of Northern
Arizona
Hawk Construction
Taylor, AZ
Dallas, TX
(928)243-4362
(972)547-6652
International
Advantage Concrete
Products
Lethbridge, AB, Canada
(403)381-9252
Atlantic Pipe Corp.
San Juan, PR
(787)788-5400
Cappellari SRL
Poggio Rusco, MN. Italy
0386/51298
Carlow Pre-Cast Tanks
Dublin, Ireland
011 353 1 80
Eurl GETAM
Oran, Algeria
00 213 661 2086 84
Ruggiero
Potenza, Italy
390975386001
George Roberts Co.
Alfred, ME - USA
(207) 324-6571
Owell Precast
Salt Lake City, UT - USA
(801)571-5041
Sergey Lvovich Ustinov
Moscov, Russia
Pittsburgh Flexicore Co.,
(215) 957-5100
Monongahela, PA - USA
724-258-4450
TAL Stone Fence Inc.
Edmonton, AB, Canada Pre-Con Limited
780-472-8265
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
(306)931-9229
Temkat
Larissa, Greece
Verti-Crete of Toronto
0030 2410 555790
Bolton, ON, Canada
(905)857-8572
Tubo Decorado
Monterrey, Mexico
528183139722
Verti-Crete of Toronto
Bolton, ON, Canada
(905)857-8572
Contact Verti-Crete Headquarters
P.O. Box 2347
Sandy, UT 84091
(801)571-2028
www.verti-crete.com