American Concrete Pumping
Association educational
conference in Dallas
includes topics relevant
to Canadian members
Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature
The 2017 American Concrete Pumping Association
(ACPA) Education Conference will take place Oct. 2 and 3
at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Centre in Dallas,
TX. Filled with a variety of educational and networking
opportunities, the event will be co-located with NRMCA
(National Ready Mixed Concrete Association)’s
ConcreteWorks. ACPA has members representing Canada and Mexico
and issues and educational topics will be of interest to
members, wherever they work.

ACPA specific components of the conference are
tailored directly to concrete pumpers and their businesses.

Topics will include: Pumpable Mixes: Designing a Mix that
Works; Building (upon) Your Company’s Culture of Safety;
The Risks and Rewards of a Growing Concrete Pumping
Company; and Never Back – Always Forward: Sales
Techniques for Expanding Your Market.

One of the event’s key feature sessions is called Building
Your Financial Foundation: A Hands-On Workshop for
Business Decision-Makers that will focus on a variety of
items that are essential parts of financial management
including tracking pump usage and pump expenses,
identifying profit and cash flow leaks; financial goals and
targets; and review and accountability.

18 – Summer 2017 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report
Another feature component: Call for Leaders: Practical
Skills for Inspiring and Communicating to Your Team, will
focus on the differences between managers and leaders;
and practical skills including building credibility,
accountability and strategic thinking.

While the concrete pumping specific programs will
clearly be of interest, organizers say that holding the event
in conjunction with NRMCA will provide distinct networking
advantages and opportunities. There will also be some
crossover in sessions on common topics of interest.

Beyond the education conference, ACPA offers training
programs, including its Operator Training Program, safety
bulletins on a variety of topics, and Dos and Don’ts sheets
covering everything from delivering to pumps to hose
handlers. Press releases announce changes to legislation
that impact the industry while events such as the July
Safety Summit bring members together to learn about
changes that could impact safety certification and training
models. For more information on the education conference,
visit http://www.concretepumpers.com/content/2017-acpa-
education-conference. To learn more about ACPA and
other safety
and training
information, visit
http://www.concretepumpers.com.