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Discover everything there is to know about precast concrete with our in-depth articles, ranging from its unmatched sustainability to its aesthetic versatility. Our blog features in-depth articles demonstrating how precast concrete can revolutionize your projects, combining cutting-edge design with durable performance and environmentally sustainable solutions, whether you're an architect, engineer, or contractor.

Come explore the various ways precast influences the built environment with us!

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The Versatility of Precast Concrete in School Renovations
The Versatility of Precast Concrete in School Renovations

School building construction using precast concrete is undoubtedly becoming more popular. Over the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in the use of precast concrete components for various public buildings. This trend has a number of causes, and administrators and builders who are designing new schools can learn a lot from it.

Precast Concrete Architectural Diversity in the Gulf South
Precast Concrete Architectural Diversity in the Gulf South

The architecture of the Gulf South is a dynamic fusion of styles with a long, rich history of various influences and environmental considerations. Because of the region's architectural diversity, robust and adaptable building materials are required to keep the buildings standing for decades. The perfect answer for meeting these various architectural needs is precast concrete, which allows architects and builders to alter designs to suit the unique structural, aesthetic, and sustainability requirements of the Gulf South. 

Precast Concrete's Importance in the Gulf South's Disaster-Prone Regions
Precast Concrete's Importance in the Gulf South's Disaster-Prone Regions

The Gulf South is renowned for its breathtaking scenery, but nature also poses a persistent threat to the region. This area experiences frequent extreme weather, such as hurricanes, flooding, and strong winds.

Safeguarding these communities requires more than just putting a plan in place; it also calls for strengthening existing structures.

Disaster Recovery: Precast Concrete's Impact on Infrastructure in the Gulf South
Disaster Recovery: Precast Concrete's Impact on Infrastructure in the Gulf South

Disasters are an awful reality in the Gulf South, where hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters constantly threaten infrastructure. In the face of these difficulties, the use of durable building materials, such as precast concrete, becomes essential. 

Educational Facilities of Tomorrow: Enhancing Learning Spaces with Architectural Precast Concrete
Educational Facilities of Tomorrow: Enhancing Learning Spaces with Architectural Precast Concrete

Imagine a busy school campus that is ablaze with student laughter, the sound of learning, and the promise of a day when innovation meets education. One material stands out for its adaptability, durability, and visual appeal as architects and educators work together to design the schools of the future: precast concrete. 

Accelerated Construction: Advantages of Using Precast Concrete in School Building Projects
Accelerated Construction: Advantages of Using Precast Concrete in School Building Projects

Efficiency is critical in the fast-paced field of school construction. With its unmatched durability, cost-effectiveness, and expedited timescales, precast concrete has become a game-changer. This blog examines how precast concrete technologies, which shorten construction times and improve sustainability, are transforming school building projects. Learn about the numerous advantages of using precast concrete in school infrastructure for a future that is more durable and efficient.

Design Trends with Precast Concrete in Educational Facilities
Design Trends with Precast Concrete in Educational Facilities

Picture this: a classroom buzzing with energy, where walls don't just hold up the roof but inspire minds, and floors aren't just surfaces but pathways to discovery. Prepare to be transported into a world where imagination meets innovation, where precast concrete isn't just a material but a storyteller in the narrative of education.

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Cost-Efficiency and Longevity: Evaluating the Life Cycle of Precast Concrete 

Precast concrete is unique among building materials because of its affordability, toughness, and adaptability. By analyzing its extensive life cycle assessment, affordability, resilience, and environmental sustainability, we reveal its significant influence on contemporary building methods and infrastructure advancement.

Integrating Precast Concrete for Visual Appeal in School Structures
Integrating Precast Concrete for Visual Appeal in School Structures

In the realm of educational architecture, aesthetics play a vital role in creating inspiring learning environments. Among the myriad of construction materials available, precast concrete stands out for its versatility and potential to enhance visual appeal.

Soundproofing Solutions using Precast Concrete
Soundproofing Solutions using Precast Concrete

In the world of construction, one advantage oftentimes put towards the bottom of the list of benefits of using precast is soundproofing. Whether its a commercial structure or a residential building, precast can provide soundproofing so all occupants feel comfortable in their individual spaces. 

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Concrete Revolution: Crafting Sustainable Futures with Precast Infrastructure

Among the many building materials that are accessible, precast concrete is a reliable option for creating the framework of sturdy infrastructure. Precast concrete has several uses, from unmatched durability and quick construction to strict quality control and environmentally friendly methods.

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Precast Concrete vs Tilt Up Concrete Wall Panels

Construction teams use prefabricated components more often to expedite the building process and provide the project owner with the desired functionality. Two popular types of prefabricated commercial building materials are tilt-up and precast construction. Is one better than the other, and where should each be used? As experts in the precast/prestressed concrete industry, this is how we see it.

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How to Make Your Company Attractive to Job Seekers

Any precast producer will find it challenging to find competent and motivated people in today's competitive labor environment. How can you differentiate your business from the competition and persuade potential hires that you are the right fit? 

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Unique Ways Precast Can Be Designed With the Environment In Mind

Buildings require a long-term vision for their economic, environmental, and social obligations in order to be truly sustainable. By employing environmentally friendly building materials like precast concrete, developers may accomplish this long-term vision of sustainability. 

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10 Ways Precast Saves Money

Any project involving the building of concrete will profit financially from using precast concrete. For less money than having concrete cast on-site, you can use precast for roofs, walls, floors, beams, columns, and just about any other feature of a construction.

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How to Engage Students More Effectively

The second semester of a student's senior year is not the appropriate time to begin developing career-ready students.  Students should be focused on their future throughout their college career, and precasters can help them with this preparation. By offering valuable resources and engaging content, precasters can help guide the next generation of precast workers to help improve an already weakened workforce.

Urban Mining and Precast
Urban Mining and Precast

A range of intriguing ideas has been put up to deal with the trash that already exists in an effort to recover part of the resources and embodied energy that went into creating 21st-century items. Urban mining is one of these practices.

Why Precast Fits With Architects
Why Precast Fits With Architects

Architects and designers must anticipate and prepare for construction efficiency throughout the drafting process. Governmental, local, and environmental rules frequently limit their options. Precast concrete components are used frequently when building new infrastructure projects, and their ability to adapt is only one of the reasons why. They also require little to no maintenance and are long-lasting and dependable.

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9 Ways for Keeping Precast Employees Happy

For a precast manufacturer to succeed, its employees must be happy. However, popular methods for increasing happiness are out-of-date. The secret to happiness is no longer getting raises and bonuses. 

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How is Precast Transported to the Job Site

To get precast to a job site in one piece it is moved from the plant to the yard, the yard to the truck, and the truck to the site to be transported. Precasters must adhere to best practices to maintain the product's quality throughout the various phases of transportation.

Precast and the Design Assist Process
Precast and the Design Assist Process

When a design team engages a precaster for "design assist," they typically intend to procure precast concrete early in the design process to take advantage of the precaster's knowledge and recommendations to choose the most effective techniques, sizes, finishes, etc. and maximize efficiency across the project.

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Workforce Development: Employee Lifecycle

The employee lifecycle is an organizational technique that illustrates how employees interact with the firm they work for. Knowing what each stage of your employees' experience should bring during their time at your precast company will help enhance their overall experience and keep more employees on longer.

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Precast and Infrastructure

The United States' intricate network of vital infrastructure sectors aims to ensure that our country runs smoothly and its residents are safe. Precast concrete building products address a demand in the ongoing endeavor to safeguard these important infrastructure sites.

Precast FEMA Storm Shelters
Precast FEMA Storm Shelters

As extreme weather events become increasingly common, storm shelters are becoming more crucial across the US. In particular, hailstorms, tornadoes, and dramatic temperature swings have increased in the southern part of the US over the past few years.

Precast Enclosure Systems
Precast Enclosure Systems

Precast, as an enclosure system, provides a distinct advantage over other building materials. Precast walls act as both the structural support for a structure and the component that provides the building’s insulation.

Precast and Carbon Emissions
Precast and Carbon Emissions

At current rates, global carbon emissions are 36 billion tons annually and rising. With a new focus on reducing carbon emissions to help counteract climate change, the precast industry has begun focusing on improving their processes and educating design professionals on the sustainability that concrete can bring in the long-term.

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Energy Efficiency and Precast Concrete
Energy Efficiency and Precast Concrete

Through its numerous design benefits, precast can be the go to solution for clients looking to meet sustainability goals and reduce their impact on the environment.

Precast Plant Safety
Precast Plant Safety

Regardless of the design or product being produced, all precast building materials get their start in a manufacturing facility at the hands of highly skilled producers. The “day-in-day-out” production process is shrouded in a blanket of safety protocols intended to minimize or eliminate worker injury.

Precast Automation
Precast Automation

Labor shortages are wreaking havoc across the nation. The precast manufacturing industry, along with other industries, is actively taking steps to address the issue while consistently maintaining a reputation for high quality. A solution has been found with the adoption of automation.

Precast Double Tees
Precast Double Tees

As one of the most widely used precast components in North America, the double tee is a versatile and cost-effective precast product that can be used for a variety of projects. But what is the double tee and what makes this precast component so popular?

Residential Precast
Residential Precast

Residential projects can make use of precast to meet their high-performance goals. From single-family homes to large-scale condos, precast is the right choice for constructing residential facilities.

Ultra-High Performance Concrete
Ultra-High Performance Concrete

Ultra-High Performance Concrete or UHPC is a type of concrete that has steadily grown in popularity due to its increased durability and strength over traditional concrete. The US Army Corps of Engineers first used UHPC in the 1980’s, but it wasn’t until 2000 that it became commercially available in the US.

PCI Foundation Studios
PCI Foundation Studios

One of the missions of the PCI Foundation is to help support and fund precast studios at universities across the country. Studios are important tools to help future engineers and architects learn what precast is and the benefits it can bring to projects they will design in the future.

Precast Concrete and Thermal Mass
Precast Concrete and Thermal Mass

Because concrete has a higher density, it has the capacity to absorb and store larger quantities of heat than other materials such as wood and gives structures increased thermal mass.

Schools Tackle Storm Resistance
Schools Tackle Storm Resistance

Because of its resiliency, precast is often used in FEMA shelters and when used in schools, can create a dual purpose for the facility by enabling it to act as a storm shelter for the community.

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Precast Educational Athletic Facilities
Precast Educational Athletic Facilities

Athletic facilities are unique structures in the fact that they need to house thousands of people for major events sometimes multiple times a week while lasting through years of continued use and being exposed to the elements.

Precast School Renovations and Additions
Precast School Renovations and Additions

Precast provides a building solution that K-12 schools can utilize to create modern, low maintenance renovations to existing buildings. Precast structures have an adaptable and versatile design capability that can be blended with existing structures while providing safe and durable spaces for students.

Architectural Precast & Historic Schools
Architectural Precast & Historic Schools

Historic schools face challenges when they need to expand or adapt. This is where the versatility of precast is the perfect solution!

Schools and Precast in Urban Environments
Schools and Precast in Urban Environments

School facilities constructed with precast require less maintenance in the long term and are smart investments. Boasting numerous advantages, precast limits the need for ongoing facilities spending and allows districts to direct more funds toward the education of the student.

The Value in a Precast School Structure
The Value in a Precast School Structure

The resurgence of precast into the school market started in 2000 when labor shortages placed a crunch on the timelines for school projects. The advancements in precast building products gained a second look of designers because of the lengthy list of advantages precast brings to a project.

Precast and Sustainability
Precast and Sustainability

So what does LEED have to do with precast? Precast concrete building components possess some of the most inherently environmentally friendly and resource friendly attributes of any building material available.

Precast NEXT Beams
Precast NEXT Beams

Adding another “weapon to the arsenal” against mounting infrastructure repair/replacement projects across the country, the NEXT Beam was developed by the Northeast State DOT’s in conjunction with consultants and precast concrete producers to serve as a solution to the bridge community’s need for an improved, high functioning beam.

Precast Concrete: Making the Most of Tight Spaces
Precast Concrete: Making the Most of Tight Spaces

With growing popularity, the construction industry is looking towards the use of precast concrete building components to solve or lessen the issues of working within a small area. Precast concrete as a primary building material for a project brings advantages no other material can match.

Precast Connections
Precast Connections

In the erection of a precast structure, connections are the “glue” that keeps it all together. As such, there is a vast array of connections available to meet the individual requirements of the project.

Precast Curing Systems
Precast Curing Systems

Operating a profitable precast concrete plant hinges on the ability to move product through the facility in a timely manner.

Precast in Universities and PCI Studios
Precast in Universities and PCI Studios

University level education of future designers and engineers is crucial to the continued growth of the precast concrete market. As future industry professionals become masters of their trade, the investment that has been made in education at the university level is well worth it.

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Thinbrick and Precast
Thinbrick and Precast

Thin brick is a product that is used during the precast concrete manufacturing process to create the finished look of a fully brick structure at completion.

The Innovative Nature of Precast Concrete
The Innovative Nature of Precast Concrete

The innovative spirit behind designers is the driving force that keeps the ball moving forward with fresh and creative possibilities. The precast concrete industry is brimming with talented professionals ready to turn someone’s “napkin drawing” into reality.

Offsite Construction and Precast
Offsite Construction and Precast

One of the best offsite produced materials that can be utilized is precast concrete which adds value, style, and durability to projects.

US Formliner & LSU Students Explore the Versatility of Precast Concrete
US Formliner & LSU Students Explore the Versatility of Precast Concrete

The ability to participate in a process firsthand creates a level of appreciation that is difficult to achieve through passive learning alone. Recently, the upper-level architecture students at LSU had the pleasure of a hands-on workshop led by industry professional Layne Chastain from US Formliiner.

The Effect of Prestressing on Concrete
The Effect of Prestressing on Concrete

In basic terms, prestressed concrete is concrete in which high strength steel reinforcement is stretched and anchored to improve the structural capacity.

Precast & Life Cycle Cost Analysis
Precast & Life Cycle Cost Analysis

Life-cycle cost analysis provides a process by which owners and designers can closely evaluate both short and long term costs of a project to determine the most appropriate direction to proceed.

Abrasive Blasting: The Limitless Option for Precast Concrete
Abrasive Blasting: The Limitless Option for Precast Concrete

Abrasive blasting, once referred to strictly as “sandblasting” is an optional process commonly employed on precast concrete panels to create an aesthetically appealing appearance.

Precast Concrete Pavement Is A True Workhorse
Precast Concrete Pavement Is A True Workhorse

Fully functioning, safe roads and bridges are vital to the economy across our nation. The US contains over 250,000 miles of “high volume traffic”.

An Introduction to Precast Prestressed Concrete Insulated Wall Panels
An Introduction to Precast Prestressed Concrete Insulated Wall Panels

Precast concrete insulated sandwich wall panels have gained in popularity over the years, but some industry professionals are still not very familiar with them.

PCI Plant Certification Categories
PCI Plant Certification Categories

All PCI plants are certified in one or more of the following categories. Through two unannounced annual audits, PCI plants maintain their certification. PCI plant certification categories are currently undergoing changes to further define the complexity of each type of certification.

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Edge^R : The Software Solution for the Precast Concrete Industry
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Not All Bridges Are Created Equal
Think Long-term...Choose Precast Concrete
Think Long-term...Choose Precast Concrete

The options for building materials are well established, but are you aware of the costs associated with each type and which offers the most economical long term investment?

PCI Certified Precast Plants... A Recipe for Success
PCI Certified Precast Plants... A Recipe for Success

The recipe for a PCI certified precast concrete manufacturing plant involves a complex list of ingredients. Being granted the “PCI certified” seal of approval is not something that occurs by simply paying a fee or joining an association.

Organizing Your Precast Plant
Organizing Your Precast Plant

One of the most productive ways to keep a precast plant organized is through the implementation of Lean manufacturing methods. The core concept of Lean manufacturing is to reduce waste from the manufacturing process and improve efficiency by utilizing the input of pant personnel to provide input into possible improvements.

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Drones Offer a Bird's Eye View on the Job
Drones Offer a Bird's Eye View on the Job

A bird’s eye view is an invaluable tool on a construction jobsite. Through the use of drones, the building industry is reaping the rewards of this high-flying technology.

Employee Retention: The Cost of the Rotating Door
Employee Retention: The Cost of the Rotating Door

Employee turnover is one of those expected and unavoidable facets of running a business. Although it’s experienced by most companies with some regularity, if you find you’re consistently “on the hunt” for new employees, you need to take a serious look at what’s causing the rotating door at your workplace.

General Contractors Embrace Precast Concrete Systems
General Contractors Embrace Precast Concrete Systems

General contractors often have the ability to influence owners/financiers to choose particular building products when tasked with a new construction project. From the contractor’s point of view, delivering a quality project, under budget and on time is paramount to customer satisfaction. That’s a mighty big order that becomes more achievable with the use of precast concrete components and/or systems.

The Crawl Toward Carbon Neutral Concrete
The Crawl Toward Carbon Neutral Concrete

As practical, versatile and cost effective as concrete is, it suffers from one not so appealing characteristic. Concrete requires the use of cement and cement production is a huge producer of carbon dioxide.

Precast Concrete Recycling Makes Good “Cents”
Precast Concrete Recycling Makes Good “Cents”

The construction and demolition industries are making impressive strides toward combating the excessive amount of debris being deposited into landfills. Currently, at least 25% of all solid waste finding its way to landfills comes in the form of construction/demolition waste with concrete debris comprising 70% of that amount.

3-D Printing Finds a Home in the Precast Concrete Industry
3-D Printing Finds a Home in the Precast Concrete Industry

Every industry evolves with the creative genius of its leaders. Often times, a recurring problem or difficult situation forces management to look for a better way. Such is the case in the precast concrete industry.

Precast Concrete Piles: A True Workhorse
Precast Concrete Piles: A True Workhorse

Driven deep into the earth and often unseen, lies one of the most durable and economic foundations produced in the precast concrete industry...piles.

Accelerated Bridge Construction Benefits Bridge Projects Everywhere
Accelerated Bridge Construction Benefits Bridge Projects Everywhere

Time is money. When you are talking about a big bridge project, a big timeline or extended construction schedule equates to big money.  With the increasing amount of crumbling infrastructure scattered across the US, innovative solutions such as Accelerated Bridge Construction (commonly known as ABC) began to be used more by contractors building bridges.

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Data Centers Demand Versatility, Resiliency and Efficiency
Precast Concrete Offers Beauty & Brawn to Hurricane Prone Areas
Precast Concrete Offers Beauty & Brawn to Hurricane Prone Areas

The steady migration of people toward the water has resulted in densely populated areas at very low elevations. Fast forward to an active hurricane season and you have a cocktail for disaster.

The Struggle to Attract Skilled Workers to the Construction Industry
The Struggle to Attract Skilled Workers to the Construction Industry

The dwindling skilled workforce has left many industries scrambling for needed workers. Especially hard hit is the construction field and the many trades associated with building and development.

Tall Timber… G108, Not A Safe Choice
Tall Timber… G108, Not A Safe Choice

For every product manufactured, there are appropriate and responsible applications where they really shine. Pushing the limits past intended purposes for the sake of saving money and/or time isn’t wise and can be potentially dangerous. Such is the case with the proposed use of timber and timber-related products to construct tall buildings up to heights of 18 floors.