It’s the time of year when we start thinking about heating our materials. Some of you may have already gotten calls from contractors complaining about slow setting. First you should be aware of your responsibility as a producer.

Now is the time to think about scaling, not in spring when the phone starts ringing. “Cold weather concreting” is right around the corner. (By the way, it’s not a bad idea to get a copy of ACI 306, and read it)

Too often we are unsure or confused as to exactly what our responsibilities are, and we often have a right to be confused. One thing for sure, your first responsibility is to yourself – to stay out of trouble – to cover your butt!

The reliability of testing on jobs and in laboratories is a concern many producers share. Below are various aspects of testing and suggestions to be considered when a problem arises.

It’s time to start thinking about the impending cooler temperatures. Although the following is nothing new you may want to consider talking with your customers before problems arise. It’s also a good practice to make sure you review jobs specifications for minimum temperature requirements and review ACI 306 Guide to Cold Weather Concreting.

Air – The Producer’s Responsibility

Historically admixtures have, no doubt, been a boon to our industry. Air entraining agents have made our concrete more durable. Water reducers have allowed us to produce concrete with lower water to cementitious ratios.