In earlier posts I've mentioned the new "MAX" package we've added to the 5700-C which allows contractors to pour taller and wider than ever before.  We were excited when we introduced the C-MAX at World of Concrete, but we had no idea just how popular the machine would become so quickly.

Last week I spent time in Istanbul Turkey on a 22km (15 mile) long tunnel in which a new C-MAX is pouring escape walks.  Because the diameter of the tunnel changes, the size of the escape walks change. In order to match the walk to the sloping tunnel wall, we engineered and manufactured a 5-ton mold that not only hydraulically lengthens, but widens as well.  Our customer is getting outstanding results and productivity far beyond what handforming would have generated. 

We are getting requests for new applications for the C-MAX vitually daily.  Large V-ditches, variable barrier molds, and concrete paving lead the list of project inquiries. 

With so much negative news out there, it is nice to be able to tell you that it's a great time to be a part of Power Curbers, coming up with new solutions for the questions our customers face.  If you're bidding a job and aren't sure if it can be slip-formed, please contact us.  We're finding new ways to utilize the 5700-C-MAX everyday!

In past entries, I've written about customers diversyfing in order to keep their machines running.  With federal stimulus dollars earmarked for highway work, bridge parapet and barrier wall opportunities have increased dramatically across the U.S.   Over the past 12 months we've seen many customers, who were strictly curb and gutter contractors, make the leap into the barrier market.  Though standing concrete up in the air 3'-4' is initially intimidating for folks who are accustomed to curb, our customers are finding that pouring barrier isn't as difficult as it may first appear.  Like any job, preparation is the key.  That includes a mold built to the proper specs with enough batter, a solid, smooth foundation on which to run the machine, very rigid steel cage if rebar is used, and the key to any successful pour, good and consistent concrete.

 We've responded to this shift in the market by introducing the "Max Package" to the 5700-C.  The 5700-C-Max includes all crawler steering, low speed torque hubs, a repositionable right side post, and nine vibrator circuits.  All of which equip the machine for most any type of barrier you want to throw at it.  For those of you with existing 5700-B or newer machines, you have plenty of machine to handle standard barrier up to 5' tall. 

 If you would like to explore barrier work and learn more about what you'll need to do to get set up, please call us at Power Curbers at 704 636 5871, or better yet call me directly at 704 647 6157.  We're ready and able to help you expand your business.

Last weekend it looked as if Bauma might have to go on without many of us.  Inbound flights to Europe were cancelled all over as ash from Iceland's volcanic eruption settled in over German airspace.  After a few too exciting days the Power Curbers crew was able to make it into Munich on Tuesday, only missing one day of the show.  Once there, we found that although some folks' trips had to be cancelled, 415,000 visitors still managed to squeeze through the turnstiles. 

The actual show was as impressive as ever.  Large earth-moving manufacturers spent weeks prior to the show building multi-level facilities capable of hosting hundreds of guests.  Particuarly note-worthy was Liebherr's complex with glass building that resembled a modern airport terminal.  Their new T 282 C mining truck with 400 ton payload literally stopped traffic as gawkers stared and snapped pictures of this behemoth.   As always, Caterpillar's display included use of lights, music, and dancers to entertain as well as educate its' visitors.

At the Power Curbers/Power Pavers stand, we had a great week as we welcomed visitors from all over the globe.  At any given time a cacophony of English, Spanish, Arabic, and Chinese, could be heard in our booth as Power Curber dealers and customers mingled.  We displayed a new 5700-C with MAX package and variable barrier mold and a Power Paver SF-2700.  We were especially pleased with the response to the C-MAX.  Contractors with large infrastructure projects love the idea of a machine compact enough for curb and gutter that easily converts to pour massive barrier molds and spreads out to pave up to 12' (3.65m) wide.  The C-MAX's variable "double barrier" mold used in the U.K. brought lots questions as contractors studies its' hydraulically adjustable sides and its unique shape.  

Though the U.S. economy still struggles to right the ship, we heard a very different story from other corners of the world.  Airport projects, tunnels, ring roads around major cities, and new highways in developing nations are creating excellent opportunities for contractors and manufacturers alike. 

For those of you who made the trip, we say Thank You for your visit.  Connecting with customers and hearing what's important to you make events like Bauma so important.

My first love wasn't Farrah Fawcett.  It wasn't even a Red Radio Flyer or IROC-Z Camaro.  My first love was ACC basketball.  Watching the students sections go nuts in close games, I knew by the time I was 10 that I'd attend an ACC school, I just had no idea which one.  Nothing beat settling in to hear Jim Thacker and Billy Packer broadcast games on the C.D. Chesley network.  "Sail with the Pilot" and the "Holly Farms Player of the Game" were phrases that were as much a part of my childhood as "God is good, God is great."  In the 70's, NC State's high-flying David Thompson awed us with his alley-oops.  By the 80's, UVA's 7'4" Ralph Sampson played the game with the athleticism of a 6'4" guard.  Close behind, Michael Jordan waggled his tongue as his soared past everyone.  In those days, I literally knew every player in the eight-team ACC.  Players then, almost always honored a four-year commitment to their university.  Having to endure hated players at rival schools for four years is what made the games so intense.  I thought Ricky Stokes would never graduate from UVA.  Never mind Dean Smith, Satan himself to those of us that didn't grow up UNC fans, whose hip gyrations when he pleaded for a blocking call sent us into hysterics. 

 Something happened over the last decade that diminished my love for the ACC.  Expansion to a twelve-team conference and defections of top players to the NBA have ruined what was once a great tradition.  Some say greed created expansion, ACC commissioner John Swofford would probably call it survival in the TV contract era, but whatever the reason it isn't as good as it used to be.  Gearing up to watch Miami vs. Boston College just doesn't feel the same as a Big Four matchup, or a Georgia Tech-Maryland dogfight.  With so many teams, and so many players disappearing after a season or two, I can't keep up with who's who.  The All-ACC team?  I couldn't pick them out of a police lineup.  To have a decent rivalry you've got to at least dislike your opponent. How can you dislike them when you don't know who they are? 

 Even the ACC Tournament's impact has suffered.  The good old days of everything stopping at noon on Friday to watch the tournament? Long gone.  Tickets to the tournament were once more precious than a 57' Topps Mickey Mantle.  Watch a game in this year's  four day Bore-a-thon and you'll see empty seats all around the court. 

I know it's dangerous to dwell on the past and often times the good old days weren't as good as we try to make them.  But with ACC basketball, the best is already in the books.  

If your business is like most, the end of 2009 may pose more questions than answers for 2010.  Having limped through this season most contractors are glad to have 2009 behind them.  The forecast for 2010 seems to be a question mark.  I've heard from some folks that they see a little more work on the horizon but projecting far past the first quarter still seems to be a crap shoot for most.  Several economic indicators point toward recovery in 2010, but the construction industry certainly appears to be one of the last sectors that will rebound. 

Though the construction forecast for 2010 is still fuzzy, I'm happy to tell you that Power Curbers has specific, good news for you.  At World of Concrete, we'll unveil the 5700-C with our new "Max Package."  The 5700-C-MAX is an extended version of the 5700-C that includes larger crawlers, repositionable right post, and all crawler steering.  The 5700-C-MAX expands the range of the 5700-C to include variable barrier wall, center pour concrete paving up to 12' (3.65m) wide and offset paving up to 8' (2.5m) wide.  Best of all, when finished with your large pour, the 5700-C-MAX retains the ability to turn tight radius, transport at legal width, and has all the features that have made the 5700-C the number one selling curb and gutter machine in the world.

We're excited about the 5700-C-MAX and what it will do for our customers.  It comes on the 25th anniversary of the introduction of the 5700 series.  Come to World of Concrete in February and help us celebrate 25 years of the 5700 with the kick-off of the 5700-C-MAX! 

Given the situation contractors and manufacturers of construction equipment find themselves in, it's easy to question why we're in this industry.  For me, yesterday was a reminder of why I love what I do.

A customer drove in from several states away to pay us a visit Wednesday.  He'd been meaning to come see our new facility for some time and a rare break in his schedule allowed him to get away for the visit.  We spent the day talking about his business, our machines, molds and little bit of everything related to slip-forming - and more importantly to life.  He's been a great customer and a real success story, entering the curb business with a used 5700 in 1998. Since that time he's grown to a three-machine company and now owns a 5700-B, 5700-Super-B, and a 5700-C.  The most gratifying part of his visit was when he told me, "Power Curbers put me on the map.  Now I'm the guy in the area that everybody looks at."  It wasn't a boastful statement, simply a fact, a result of his hard work, street smarts, a devoted wife handling the office, and good folks working for him.  He thinks that we put him on the map, but I see it differently. He, and thousands of other small contractors like him around the world, doing quality work, treating folks fairly, growing their businesses are the reason the 5700-C is number one in the world.

Ed, thanks for coming in.  Your visit reminded me why we do what we do.  And by the way, thanks for the order of the new 5700-C.

For the rest of you, our doors are always open.  North Carolina BBQ and a cold Cheerwine will be waiting for you.

Each day I receive a slew of emails from marketing companies, equipment magazines, and sales gurus announcing "How to Find New Business in a Slow Economy."  Ninety percent of them say the same old things about the importance of advertising, the value of cold-calling, and how better days are right around the corner.  I'm sick of hearing these pitches so I promise I won't offer secrets on how you can find a 50,000' subdivision or connect with a dozen new developers.

Instead, while things are slow maybe there's something you can do for your future and your company's future that you've brushed aside during busy times.  Have you really given time and consideration to succession planning?  How much longer do you want to work?  Who will take the reigns for you and keep what you've built going?  If you were gone tomorrow, who would run your company?

Over the past 15 years, I've seen and heard from many contractors who struggle with these questions.  Many contractors look forward to turning the company over to a son or daughter who've "grown up in the business" spending time on jobsites since they were toddlers.  We all know that sometimes these folks don't develop the necessary business skills to match their construction knowledge.  I've seen one contractor retire three times only to come back and bail out the company when he found his son incapable of running it.

 There are also the all-too-common problems that can arise when your next generation, siblings, can't get along and cause business problems to explode into family crises.  (See the Carolina Panthers)  Sometimes those problems are caused by incompatible personalities, jealousy, or greed, but they may also be due to a lack of organizational structure.  Have you structured your  business around such a volatile situation?

Finally, we have one customer who's made it clear to his kids that they are not welcome in the business.  For him, it isn't about wishing them an easier way to make a living, but that the business is his retirement.  When he retires, he plans to sell it, maximizing his return without having to give something to family or help them get into the business at a bargain price.

You probably have a little more spare time than two years ago.  For most of you things will really slow in a few months with winter around the corner.  Take some time and give some thought to where your business will go after you leave.  Better yet, bring in a professional to help you devise a plan to ensure that your good name remains, long after you've gone fishing. 

 Special thanks to Regional Sales Manager Steve Milam for contributing to this entry.

I've written in previous posts how the current economy's created situations I thought I'd never see in our industry.  Well-established, curb and gutter contractors struggling to keep one machine busy and dedicated slip-form contractors jumping into decorative concrete, walls, and barrier have become norms this year.  Some folks however, have been able to turn the lack of demand into a positive. 

On a recent trip to the west coast, I met with a long-time Power Curber customer who told me that he was about to leave on a family vacation.  "This will be the first summer vacation I've had in 13 years in business," he told me, actually looking forward to a lazy week at a mountain resort with his family in mid-season.  On that same trip another contractor told me of plans to turn a hobby into a enterprise, launching a business buying/selling Hot Wheels cars.  Across the country other contractors have found time to coach Little League baseball teams, complete a home-improvement project, and in one case, buy an ice cream truck.  No doubt, they'd all prefer to have the old problems of "how to get another 4,000' poured tomorrow", "keep the general off my back until I can get there," and how to manage a business when being "busier than a one-armed wallpaper hanger."  But, given the circumstances, many folks have taken it in stride, looked for ways to take advantage of having a little breathing room in their schedules, and found ways to enjoy, not resent, rare free time in the summer.

Faced with pre-bid meetings in a room filled with 25 contractors instead of 6 or 7, many folks have taken to the adage of "I don't need to pour for the practice" or "I don't need to run the machine for the suntan."  What are you doing with the spare time created by the downturn?  Re-organizing your equipment yard again, surfing the internet, bidding everything in sight, or are you learning to enjoy the sound of quiet? 

"Now this is not the end.  It is not even the beginning of the end.  But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."  The words were uttered by Winston Churchill in November, 1942 during the dark days of World War II.  The Allied forces had just invaded N. Africa and began notching several key victories in that theater of the war.  Optimists began asking if this turning of the tide signaled the end for the Axis powers.  Churchill recognized that there were many battles to be fought before Hitler and his legions would be stopped.

Over 60 years later, many of us seem to be asking the same question regarding the economic meltdown gripping the U.S. economy.  We all seem to be looking for signs, something to signal that the turnaround is upon us.  A few economists even went as far as to announce that the recession had ended last month.  All of us have different measures for determining the health of our economy - unemployment rates, GDP, the Dow Jones average - are frequently cited.  In the US, given the close connection between curb and gutter and subdivisions, housing starts is one of our best measures.  Activity from the past few months indicates that housing starts may have finally bottomed out.  Single-family housing starts increased by 14% from May to June and existing home inventories dropped by 3.5% during that period.  Estimated numbers for 2010, though nowhere near the 2005-2007 levels, show that housing starts should increase by 35% from 2009. 

 The end of the recession?  Hardly.  The beginning of the end?  Probably not.  The end of the beginning?  Let's hope. 

One of the things that  has impressed me from conversations with our customers recently is how many of them have diversified over the past year.  Many folks who were purely curb and gutter subcontractors have made ventures into stamped concrete, poured walls, box culverts, and barrier in order to compensate for the scarcity of available curb work.  My first thought upon hearing this has been skeptical.  Are those concrete sectors really in any better shape and curb and gutter?  Is it really a good idea to jump into a new field during times of tight margins and to challenge folks who are already pros in those areas?  After my initial pessimistic reaction, what really strikes me is the spirit, the entrepreneurship, the willingness to risk, of these contractors.  This is the same spirit that allowed many of them to become very successful curb and gutter contrators, who, through no fault of their own, found themselves in a downturn that forced them to look elsewhere.  By expanding their services, they'll be stronger companies with more to offer to general contractors when our economy rebounds. 

 Perhaps one overlooked area for you to expand is into extruded curb work.  Extruded machines, which Power Curbers invented in 1953, are still popular today.  Though extruded curb is most often seen in warm-weather climates like Florida and Arizona, its used in nearly all 50 states and in many countries.  Simple to operate, easy to transport, and requiring a very small crew, an extruded curb machine may be just what you need to help fill your workload until normal workloads return.  To learn more about our PC-150 or 440-XL please vist our "Extruders" page or our archives from past "Power Curbers Profiles," both of which can be found on the Power Curbers website.