Concrete Landscape Logs From: The Concrete Edge Company

This article provides a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, list of key events, conferences, and tradeshows scheduled for the concrete industry in 2026. These gatherings offer valuable opportunities for concrete contractors and professionals to explore new equipment and solutions, network with peers, and stay updated on industry trends and advancements. The listed events span various aspects of the concrete industry, from general concrete and masonry to specialized areas like decorative concrete, precast concrete, shotcrete, and deep foundations. January kicks off the event calendar with the World of Concrete, an annual international event renowned for its extensive exhibits, educational sessions, and special events focusing on both concrete and masonry. February is a busy month, featuring The Precast Show, which highlights new technologies and offers networking opportunities, precast plant tours, and seminars. The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute Convention also takes place in February, alongside PAVE/X: The Pavement Experience, a three-day event designed to enhance business through networking, new product showcases, and over 60 hours of educational content. Additionally, the Decorative Concrete Expo in February provides a platform for decorative concrete artists to connect, learn from demonstrations, and share advice. The National Ready-Mix Concrete Association Annual Convention closes out February, gathering professionals to discuss current trends and future challenges in ready-mix concrete. March continues with significant events, including the National Stone, Sand, & Gravel Association Annual Convention, offering educational sessions, networking, and discussions on industry issues. The American Shotcrete Association Shotcrete Convention & Technology Conference focuses on the unique aspects of shotcrete, presenting new equipment, materials, and applications, and celebrating award winners. The American Concrete Institute Spring Concrete Convention in late March to early April features exhibits, workshops, roundtables, and symposiums, providing numerous educational opportunities. April's events include the Concrete Sawing & Drilling Association Annual Conference, designed for concrete professionals to gather inspiration, with meetings, general sessions, workshops, and offsite excursions. The American Society of Concrete Contractors Committee Week is also in April, followed by the IEEE-IAS/American Cement Association Cement Conference, which typically draws over a thousand attendees and hundreds of companies, offering training sessions, tradeshow exhibits, and networking, often including a cement plant tour. Moving into May, the Post-Tensioning Institute Convention delivers education-packed days, networking events, and expert speakers, focusing on expanding knowledge and celebrating the post-tensioning industry. June features SuperPile, a joint event by The Deep Foundations Institute and The International Association of Foundation Drilling, which includes technical committee meetings and presentations on the latest developments, innovations, and challenges in piling foundations. July hosts the Pile Driving Contractors Association Annual Conference, focusing on technical information, professional development, sustainability, and projects showcasing driven piles. The Concrete Foundations Association Annual Convention in July provides educational sessions, exhibits, and social opportunities, with presentations on hot topics and business operations. September includes the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute's Committee Days Conference. October brings the National Precast Concrete Association Annual Convention, aimed at company owners and high-level managers for association business, executive training, and future insights. The American Concrete Institute Fall Concrete Convention in October features over 100 meetings and numerous educational technical sessions on industry innovations. The National Ready-Mix Concrete Association ConcreteWorks event also in October is dedicated to ready-mixed concrete professionals for networking, seminars, and exploring the latest in the exhibit hall. Finally, November concludes the calendar with the Deep Foundations Institute's Annual Conference on Deep Foundations, with a theme centered on “Sea Level Impacts: Navigating Challenges Together,” exploring advancements and challenges related to rising sea levels. The American Society of Concrete Contractors Blended Cement Workshop, held in collaboration with the American Cement Association and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, provides practical guidance and expert insights into blended cements, which are increasingly important in modern construction. These events collectively offer comprehensive coverage of the concrete industry, catering to diverse professional needs and interests. #ConcreteIndustry #ConstructionEvents #Tradeshows #ConcreteContracting #DecorativeConcrete #PrecastConcrete #ReadyMixConcrete #DeepFoundations

Julio Hallack, owner of Concrete Innovations by Hallack in Turlock, California, transformed a layoff from a construction supervisor role in 1986 into a successful career in decorative concrete. Initially, he started a landscaping business in California to support his family, quickly realizing his preference for outdoor work and hands-on projects. Hallack emphasized strong business practices from the outset, including consistent branding on company vehicles and employee uniforms. His company diversified into colored concrete after a few years, a move that significantly strengthened its market position. By 1998, Hallack shifted his company's focus entirely to decorative concrete work, discontinuing the landscaping services. Today, Concrete Innovations by Hallack specializes in concrete restoration, decorative countertops, pool decks, stamping, staining, and intricate artwork. The company employs nine individuals and generates nearly $1 million in annual sales, with commercial projects accounting for 70% of the business and residential work making up the remaining 30%. Hallack's success stems from his commitment to staying current with industry trends, continuously seeking new ideas from his travels, and experimenting with products at his 3-acre estate, which includes an 8,000-square-foot showroom and testing facility. He is known for pushing product limits and developing unique applications, such as decorative shower stalls that offer an aesthetic alternative to traditional tiles. Hallack places a high value on education and training, not only for himself but also for his employees. He maintains a low employee turnover rate by offering competitive wages, paid holidays, and performance-based bonuses, which fosters a sense of collective responsibility among his crew. He enforces strict professionalism on job sites, including policies against smoking and alcohol, mandatory drug tests, and requirements for covering tattoos and removing piercings. Recognizing the significant Hispanic workforce in the industry, Hallack has collaborated with L.M. Scofield to translate educational materials into Spanish and has conducted numerous Spanish-language training courses across California. He also served as a translator during demonstrations at the World of Concrete, aiming to mass-educate workers and promote industry growth and pride in workmanship. Over two decades, Hallack has completed notable projects, including the restoration of the historic State Theater in Modesto, California, and the creation of intricate labyrinths. His business continues to expand, with plans to hire more staff and explore new markets internationally, including consulting opportunities in Hawaii and potential training initiatives in Mexico and Central America. Hallack foresees significant growth in the decorative concrete market and a strong future for the concrete industry, particularly in restoration, which he views as a multi-billion-dollar sector. He is committed to securing high-quality contracts and delivering exceptional work. A prime example of Hallack's expertise is his work on nine Save Mart Supermarkets in central California, where his team completes 40,000-square-foot stained concrete floor projects within a strict one-week deadline. These large commercial jobs require extensive pre-preparation, including understanding floor conditions, chemicals applied by concrete contractors, and collaborating with general contractors to recommend suitable water-based curing compounds. Hallack conducts mock-ups on-site weeks in advance to test processes like prepping, staining, stripping, and sealing. Upon taking over a job site, his crew dedicates up to two days to meticulously clean construction debris and address specific challenges like tire marks, utilizing high-quality cleaning equipment to prevent issues such as delamination of stain and sealers. The artistic elements, such as elaborate windmills and greetings, are executed by his most artistic employees, taking several days to complete with multiple layers of stain. Hallack developed an efficient system for staining large areas, adapting 25-gallon farming sprayers for chemical stains to reduce labor and time. He also successfully navigates challenging conditions, such as applying stains in cold weather by extending drying times and using heaters. Neutralizing the floors after staining is a critical and meticulous step, involving repeated scrubbing and rinsing until wash water is clear, followed by a tape test to ensure no contamination remains before applying sealers. He typically applies two basecoats and several finishing coats of sealer, filling expansion joints with colored tile grout to add definition and meet aesthetic requirements, demonstrating his thorough approach to delivering high-quality decorative concrete finishes. #ConcreteInnovations #DecorativeConcrete #ConcreteRestoration #JulioHallack #ConstructionIndustry #VocationalTraining #CommercialProjects #StainedConcrete #Entrepreneurship

The construction industry relies heavily on concrete, and the availability of reliable concrete contractors is crucial for project success. Delays in concrete supply can significantly impact construction timelines across entire states. This article identifies and profiles the ten largest concrete contractors in the U.S. for 2023, based on their 2021 revenue and rankings from Engineering News Report (ENR). Topping the list is Baker Construction Enterprises Inc. with $1.65 billion in revenue, maintaining its number one position. Through its primary concrete affiliate, Baker Concrete Construction, the company operates across the U.S. with 16 locations. Their diverse portfolio includes civil, commercial, multi-family, industrial, institutional, and mission-critical projects, with notable works such as the Arlington National Cemetery Expansion and the ExxonMobil Headquarters. Following closely at second place is Lithko Contracting LLC, headquartered in West Chester, Ohio, with a 2021 revenue of $1.35 billion. Lithko boasts a unique 'close-to-home strategy' with 22 semi-autonomous branches, serving various sectors including education, retail, manufacturing, residential, and hospitality. They have consistently held the second spot on ENR’s list for four years, with significant projects including Duke University Environmental Hall and Nashville International Airport Hangar. Structural Group Inc. ranks third with $685 million in revenue, specializing in infrastructure repair and maintenance, new construction, and product design across commercial, public, transportation, water, industrial, and power sectors. They also have an international presence with offices in the UAE and Qatar, and projects like the Catholic University of America Seton Hall restoration. Largo Concrete Inc., a Los Angeles-based contractor, comes in fourth with $643 million in revenue. They specialize in multi-level, cast-in-place structures, offering comprehensive services including formwork and architectural concrete, primarily operating in the western U.S. Suntec Concrete Inc. is fifth, generating $588 million, and is recognized as the largest commercial concrete construction company in the Southwest, with expertise in structural, tilt panel, flatwork, and foundation work. Kent Companies Inc. is ranked sixth with $522.3 million, offering a broad range of services beyond concrete, including pumping, sitework, and building restoration, serving diverse sectors across multiple states. Keystone Concrete, a Texas-based contractor, is seventh with $490 million in revenue, focusing on commercial, industrial, and residential projects primarily within Texas and the Southwest U.S. Concrete Strategies, earning $443 million, is eighth and specializes in architectural site cast concrete, structural concrete, and flatwork, mainly operating in the Midwest and Western U.S. CECO Construction Group, at ninth with $435.7 million, is a design-assist structural concrete contractor with a national reach, handling over 200 projects annually and offering expertise in various delivery methods. Lastly, TAS Concrete Construction LLC, with $337.5 million in revenue, rounds out the top ten, emphasizing its significant manpower and extensive portfolio in multi-family housing, industrial, retail, education, religious, and healthcare sectors primarily in Texas. #ConcreteContractors #ConstructionIndustry #USConstruction #ENRRatings #BuildingMaterials #IndustryTrends #ConstructionCompanies #CivilEngineering #SpecialtyContractors

The article details the creation of a multi-functional decorative concrete backyard patio by Alchemy Concrete, Inc. in central Wisconsin. The project began in spring 2011 after homeowners, one of whom is an engineer, attended a decorative concrete seminar and collaborated with Alchemy's president, Judah Haas, and their in-house architect on the design for approximately two years. The construction phase was completed by a four-person crew in about two months during the summer. The homeowners desired an outdoor living space that provided both distinct areas and a sense of continuity for various activities. The final design features three separate patio sectors. The west end, spanning 750 square feet, is designated for entertaining, incorporating built-in seating walls and a standing fire table, with plans for an outdoor TV. A smaller middle patio, separated by bench walls, is intended for intimate gatherings. The east end of the patio is designed for formal entertaining, slated to include an outdoor dining set. Alchemy Concrete, founded by Haas in 2004, offers a comprehensive range of concrete services, including poured walls, flatwork, decorative concrete, manufactured concrete countertops, and pervious concrete. Haas emphasizes that providing these diverse services allows for greater control over construction variables, ultimately leading to a superior end product. The initial phase of the patio project involved earthwork and the construction of footings and walls. Instead of a traditional frost footing, the crew excavated 3 feet deep and filled the area with about 2 feet of crushed gravel before pouring the footing and forming the walls and pillars. To achieve a tumbled stone appearance, pillar forms were stripped while the concrete was still pliable, and each pillar was chiseled. These pillars were subsequently coated with a ½-inch layer of vertical mix and textured to mimic various stone types. The second phase focused on flatwork placement and design. The patio slabs were integrally colored, and Alchemy's crew applied an Oxford Slate pattern for texture. A liquid stamp release and highlighting product were used to achieve the desired color effects. The final phase involved detailed finishing work. Exposed walls received a vertical concrete mix coat, which was then carved to resemble stone. Additionally, the Alchemy team manufactured several precast elements in their precast lab. These included matching bench seating and pillar caps, created using white cement and an Italian Slate form liner for edge accents. Precast pavers were strategically placed in areas requiring access to utilities and a sprinkler system. A concrete fire table, a central feature, was adorned with a precast concrete top inlaid with polished stones collected by the homeowners from Lake Superior. The integration of these diverse decorative applications resulted in a cohesive and multi-functional outdoor space that effectively brought the homeowners' initial ideas to life. Haas noted that the homeowners have already enjoyed hosting parties on their new patio. #DecorativeConcrete #PatioDesign #ConcreteInstallation #OutdoorLivingSpace #ConstructionProcess #WisconsinConstruction #CustomConcrete #ConcreteFinishing