The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) made its annual Excellence Awards presentations during the World of Concrete 2008 show in Las Vegas this month. There were a record 100 entries in 20 categories.

The primary function of every company is generating a profit. If you don't, you're out of business. Shocking for a “safety guy” to say that, but it is true. Another reality: concrete is king. It dictates your work pace, not you. With those items out on the table, let's talk safety.

When the preliminary plans for a possible tilt-up project hit your desk, you should immediately look at a number of areas, including site layout and topography, foundations (type, depth, and design, if any), the slab, panel design, and scheduling. These considerations are important especially when deciding whether to use tilt-up construction.

The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) made its annual Excellence Awards presentations during the World of Concrete 2008 show in Las Vegas this month. There were a record 100 entries in 20 categories.

Eagle Concrete is using tilt-wall construction to build the 189,532-square-foot building. Owen-Ames-Kimball is the project's general contractor. Bobby Vetri of Eagle Concrete Systems is project executive and Abel Limones is the project superintendent.

Tilt-Con Corp. of Orlando, Fla. will finish a new 10-building, 353,379-square-foot high school in March for the School Board of Orange County. Timbercreek/University Relief High School work included foundations, slab-on-grade and tilt-up concrete wall panels. The project was designed by SchenkelShultz of Orlando, and. James A. Cummings Inc. is the general contractor.

TCA can make that happen if you have some good jobsite photos to share. Although we have a wide variety of finished building photographs from our annual Achievement Award competition (though more photos are always welcome), TCA has a real shortage of good jobsite photos.

The advent and subsequent explosion of digital photography has had a large impact on our photo archives. Obviously, digital technology provides for quick and easy manipulation and development of photographs for website and email purposes. However, most of these images are not suitable for print publications since all most magazines require digital photos to be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch) and 4 x 6 in size - usually in TIF format. And, for cover photographs, a slide, transparency or 8.5 x 11 inch photograph is necessary. With only small digital files to choose from in our archives, the TCA is losing valuable opportunities in the media to showcase tilt-up.

If you have photos you are willing to share, please send them to TCA today. Your company will benefit from exposure as well since the photo caption and cutline will highlight your company and the project. Thank you for helping "build" the tilt-up industry.

For more information on marketing efforts being undertaken by the TCA, contact Ed Sauter, Executive Director for the TCA at (319) 895-6911.