PRECAST
North American Precast Concrete Associations
enhance industry related education,
marketing and regulatory support resources
Students from SAIT
Polytechnic touring
Lafarge’s precast
concrete plant in
Calgary, Alberta
during National
Precast Day 2016.
PHOTO: CPCI.
Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature
The National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA) and
the Canadian Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (CPCI),
two of three North American groups representing the pre-
cast and prestressed concrete industry, continue their ef-
forts to inform and educate, prepare members for new
demands, and to address labour shortages.
NPCA president Ty Gable says the industry has re-
bounded well from the recession that began in 2008, with
a strong year in 2015, a good year so far for 2016, and ex-
pectations for even greater improvement in 2017. While this
is all good news, he says it also creates challenges. “As
work ramps up it becomes difficult to find good people, be-
cause there is more competition for the sharp, young peo-
ple looking for future careers.”
Gable says the NPCA’s Precast University provides an an-
swer. Here, courses offer students a career path within the
industry, beginning on the production floor and running right
through to upper management. Starting with basic concrete
technology, they are designed to teach students to become
experts at production. In the end, graduates receive certifi-
cation as a master precaster.
“We just graduated our largest class of master precasters
which tells me this program is attractive as a career path,”
Gable said. “We have a lot of closely held, family owned
companies. It is important to continue to develop the next
generation so these business can continue to thrive under
the direction of qualified people.”
Precast University is also currently developing new lead-
ership training programs. Together, these offerings will en-
sure people learn from the ground up and become
proficient in all aspects of the business.
CPCI has a mission to expand the knowledge of students
by disseminating ideas and information about the design,
applications, manufacturing and use of precast concrete.
28 – September 2016 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report
Ariane Sabourin, CPCI’s marketing manager, says CPCI is of-
fering an annual scholarship program for students in Civil
Engineering and Civil Technology to support continuous
learning and education within the industry. “We are also ex-
cited to announce a new scholarship available for Archi-
tecture and Architectural Technology Students this year.”
Sabourin says CPCI and its members also host National
Precast Day. CPCI’s National Precast Day is an open plant
tour of various precast concrete manufacturing facilities in
Canada. The open houses effectively demonstrate how pre-
cast is manufactured under rigorous quality controls and
shows the many sustainable benefits of building with pre-
cast concrete. In the past 17 years, National Precast Day has
hosted more than 40,000 participants. “We are in discus-
sions with PCI and NPCA to expand National Precast Day to
the United States and look forward to working with our part-
ners to grow this important event.”
Gable says the NPCA also is working with members to
meet the new stringent requirements for crane operators
issued by the United States Department of Labor Occupa-
tional Safety & Health Administration to take effect in
November 2017. “We’re providing both training and con-
ducting certification exams to ensure our members can
meet the deadline.”
In 2016, the North American Precast Concrete associa-
tions worked together with ASTM International and the
Athena Sustainable Materials Institute to release third-party
verified EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) in three
key precast concrete product categories. The EPDs provide
comprehensive, uniform, and transparent details about a
product’s composition and environmental impact through-
out its lifecycle. EPDs are now available for each of the three
main categories: Architectural and insulated wall panels,
structural precast concrete products, and underground pre-
cast concrete products.
Brian Hall, CPCI’s managing director, says that the EPDs
will allow architects, engineers, building owners, and other
specifiers to better understand the environmental impacts
of precast and prestressed concrete products. “In order to
educate our audiences on the benefits of EPDs, how they
can be used and how they can help earn points in LEED V4,
NPCA, PCI and CPCI are also offering webinars for archi-
tects, engineers and construction professionals.”
Gable says helping members prepare and educate
themselves also includes providing the latest available in-
formation, including white papers and other materials on
topics ranging from new technologies to the latest in fiber
research through the association’s website because
“knowledge is power.”
“We’re excited about the state of the economy and the
improvements we see coming. We are prepared for and
well equipped to help our members meet the challenges
this will involve,” says Gable.
NPCA training at The Precast Show 2016 in Nashville this year included a
course on marketing (left), an update on OSHA crane operator certification
(center) and leadership training for Master Precaster candidates (right).
NPCA and CPCI are collaborating with other industry
specific associations and partnering with PCI (Precast/ Pre-
stressed Concrete Institute) and American Concrete Pipe
Association to unify messages around quality and market-
ing. “CPCI, NPCA and PCI are the leading technical re-
sources (Body of Knowledge (BOK)) for the precast con-
crete industry in North America. From this BOK, building
codes, design guides, educational programs, certification,
sustainability programs, and new research ideas are de-
rived,” says Hall.
For more information about NPCA, visit precast.org and
for information about CPCI, visit: www.cpci.ca. More
information about CPCI’s annual scholarship program is
available at http://www.cpci.ca/en/resources/academic/.
The Canadian Design and Construction Report — September 2016 – 29