| A Pile of News: April 2021 |
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A briefing on news and information from the pile driving contractors, associated manufacturers, construction suppliers and affiliated engineers who comprise the PDCA.
By Matt Bisbee, PDCA |
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| From the Association & Chapters |
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PDCA staff attended a March industry event where we met a New York-based contractor. He suggested OSHA has increased patrols for violators there, who operate LBCs and pile driving rigs without certification. Yes, certification for pile driving rig operators EVERYWHERE is now required (it'll be costly if you fail to provide it.) PDCA partners with NCCCO to administer written and practical exams; get certified today.
Industry events:
- JOIN PDCA for a 30-minute webinar on April 15, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. EDT; it will deliver an industry update for pile driving professionals (use this link for access). PDCA members and non-members are encouraged to attend, no cost or registration necessary.
The PDCA Store now has select, archived PDCA conference sessions and educational webinars. Most are FREE to members; a nominal cost may apply to non-members. Visit today to see what is available.
Welcome (back) new PDCA members!
Contractors Black River Solar, Manson Construction Company, R. Kremer and Son Marine Contractors, Thatcher Foundations; Associates Buildbasematic, Favor Steel & Fabricating, John B. Wright Insurance, Sheet Pile, LLC, Sun Pile Foundations; Engineering Affiliates Applied Foundation Testing, RACE Coastal Engineering; Other affiliates McNeil, Silveira, Rice & Wiley, Timber Piling Council
JOIN PDCA
Chapter news:
The PDCA Gulf Coast Chapter is hosting a VIRTUAL 2nd quarter meeting on April 15.
The PDCA Pacific Coast Chapter is hosting its Annual Scholarship Shoot on April 30.
From the 'Wing T to the B-O-D: Veteran New Jersey contractor David Price, CEO at Linde-Griffith Construction Company, is the new Northeast Chapter representative on the PDCA Board of Directors. Meet the former NCAA All-American football player and 27-year pile driving veteran.
Ping-Pong, anyone? His road to Charleston had many stops, but Susheel Kolwalkar, Insight Group senior geotech, embraces it as home. Known for southern charm, he favors the unique geologic attributes for driven piles. Meet the table tennis aficionado and new South Carolina Chapter representative.
- The South Carolina Chapter hosted its 2021 Oyster Roast on March 26, see event photos.
PileDriver magazine "Sales Ninja" Louise Peterson celebrates 20 years with PDCA publications partner! |
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Foundation Constructors, Inc., you are this month's winner!
Send an email to marian@piledrivers.org before the end of April to claim your prize! |
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Acquisitions & expansions:
On the job:
Atlas Foundation Co. installs a steel pipe foundation for a job in North Dakota; the photo depicts true "frozen tundra," a name often limited to Lambeau Field.
Baker GCI deep foundations staff perform test, production piling for Port Arthur, TX Valero refinery.
Black River Solar pokes holes in the Heartland; the crew installs foundation for Missouri solar farm.
Ciport & Tecnac installs foundations throughout Ecuador (see dramatic piling photos from South America); PDCA thanks the international contractor member for ongoing support.
Innovative Piering uses diesel hammer on 54 production piles for a northern Kentucky silo foundation.
Kiewit is brought into partnership for a study on concrete foundation installation on the sea floor near New York City for the planned Empire Wind project.
Logan Marine puts a test pile in the salt marsh, prepping for a new Shallotte, NC boardwalk. Fun fact the old Hardee's nearby was used for a robbery scene in the 2014 Melissa McCarthy movie Tammy.
Manson Construction Co. completed pile driving at Naval Base San Diego; they credit foreman Jeff Jenson for finishing installation of 216 concrete and 240 FRP piles a week early.
Massman Construction secures moorings in the Missouri River near Blencoe, IA as part of a new port terminal expected to accommodate 240,000 tons of ag products.
Pacific Pile & Marine can "pound it in," but diversifies like many contractors. In March, they "lifted it out" of Washington waters to assist the delivery of a new U.S. Navy tug that is headed east.
Palmetto Pile Driving has begun installing the PC/PS concrete pile foundation for a $71M, 12-story office building Morrison Yard in Charleston, SC; Insight Group is retained for geotechnical services.
Powell Foundations, Inc. drives H-pile for substation expansion and improvement of Hydro One in Ontario, a major electricity supplier to 1.4M people in the Canadian province.
Orion Marine Group engineers "take five" from ongoing work on the Maydell Bridge replacement in Tampa.
American Piledriving Equipment (APE) vibro is used to install sheet pile from Creative Pultrisions, Inc. for the Beaufort, SC Yacht and Sail Club.
ECA shows its Pileco D125-32 driving pipe at Woods Hole Ferry Terminal in Massachusetts; the final product should simplify your next trip to Martha's Vineyard.
GeoQuip, Inc. shares video of its Pileco D160-32 driving concrete cylinder piles for a VDOT bridge replacement in Franklin, VA.
PVE Equipment USA modifies the 120M to maximize the vibro's cooling while running 24/7; originally custom-built for a client, it'll soon be part of the rental fleet.
ECS Limited is the geotech of record for the forthcoming "jewel of Lake County" in Illinois; meanwhile, the firm's Orlando team consulted on construction of the new Pulse Nightclub Memorial.
Premier Geotech and Testing gassed-up the marshbuggy and dusted off the ATV; not for ol' fashioned, south Louisiana fun (this time), but for a complex testing job at a new compressor station.
Governmental relations:
- Nucor CEO Leon Topalian repped manufacturing at reveal of ASCE Infrastructure Report Card on March 3. ICYMI, the U.S. earned a C-, equating to a need for $2.59 trillion public investment over 10 years. Congressional T&I leaders, Reps. Capito, Clyburn, Defazio, USDOT Secretary Buttigieg and a host of ASCE past and present brass appeared at the virtual event.
- S&ME, Inc. client development leader and seasoned infrastructure advocate Sarah Martin provides analysis on the 2021 Report Card. Related, S&ME engineers Jonathan Thrasher and Melvin Williams presented Report Card findings to professionals in front of the South Carolina Capitol Building with George Washington looking on.
- Do you live in one of 11 states with legislatures reportedly pursuing changes to fuel tax rates?
Recognitions:
Giving back:
Anniversaries:
65 and counting The Interstate highway system was born by President Eisenhower's pen when he signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act in 1956. That year, PDCA engineering members Dewberry of Fairfax, VA and Robishaw Engineering Inc. of Houston established operations. In case you were curious, others celebrating 65 years in 2021 are The Hick from French Lick, Joe Cool, Arsenio! and Marcia Brady. |
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The monthly round-up:
- Richard Rizzo retires as SVP at Clark Construction Group "after 40 years and 50 projects"
- Nicholas Wendell begins as new EIT at Keller New Jersey office
- Jose Gregorio Rodriguez is a new quality control coordinator for Powell Foundations
- Susie Ingerson named HR director at American Engineering Testing, Inc.
- Justin Castro joins Braun Intertec as CMT operations manager in Houston.
- Ben Gramling new in client development, Talecia Dyson joins geotech unit at S&ME, Nashville
- James Walsh appointed new president at Universal Engineering Sciences (UES); will oversee all 37 offices around U.S. from Orlando headquarters
Congratulations!
- Marry me, I'm a pile driver Kevin King, operator at Pile Drivers, Inc., weds Leanne Houston of Charleston, SC this month. A highlight of their engagement came in March when they modeled limited edition t-shirts from Kevin's employer in observance of St. Patrick's Day.
Recognitions:
- Madeline Lato, a marketing assistant at Baker GCI, finishes in the top three of a sales contest
- Pegah Skarsgard of Kiewit, Chris Smith of Clark, B.J. Peterson of McCarthy, all named to ENR's The Midwest's Top Young Professionals list
- Lucky Nagarajan, GM at Giken, called a "key player" in construction, honored for leadership
- Michael Beck, Doug Bergstrom from Braun Intertec win 2021 "excellence award"
- Conor Madison of GZA GeoEnvironmental earns CPESC certification
- Jordan Titus, P.E., an associate with S&ME, named S.C. Young Engineer of the Year
Generations quotable: "I asked my crane operator, Anthony, 'What's the longest pile you've ever driven?' He said, 'This one!' (Fun fact: Anthony has been a crane operator longer than I've been alive.)" said McCarthy assistant superintendent Brenton Hemp while onsite at Texas' Port Freeport with Anthony and a Liebherr crane, which are installing sheet piling from JD Fields and concrete piers. |
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ABC News 4 Charleston video shows Cape Romain Contractors onsite at the New Folly Beach Pier in the South Carolina city. Also, PostandCourier.com reports on their $8M pedestrian bridge project.
The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge quotes local Congressman Garret Graves scrutinizing the USACE, which stated that construction of the Comite River Diversion Canal may take an extra year. In March, we told you Coastal Contractors secured a part of this project to build a $9.5M bridge.
The Daily Aztec, student newspaper at San Diego State University, quotes Clark Construction VP Albert Valdivia reminiscing on the demolished football stadium; Clark won the contract to build a new one.
ENR updates progress on the new $187M Mulkiteo Ferry Terminal for the Washington DOT; an environmentally and culturally sensitive project on Puget Sound. Orion Marine Group completed pile driving early. Manson handled later-phase foundation work. It opened in December.
- MORE: The Daily Herald chronicles Manson's removal of 275 old pilings, calls them "Lincoln Logs"
The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast (2/25) carries an interview with Tony Canale, P.E. of Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers; it focuses on engineers interfacing in society.
Hawaii Business Magazine quotes Gerry Majkut of Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company who previews 2021 construction; Honolulu Star Advertiser highlights the company's intern program. |
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Patriots past and present April 18 marks 246 years since Paul Revere rode horseback at midnight in Massachusetts to warn colonists of hostile British forces approaching. Fast-forward to now, a crew from Patriot Construction & Industrial worked through the night to complete a time sensitive project as hostile Louisiana storms were approaching, a demonstration of commitment to a client.
Burning the midnight oil March Madness keeps us up late and the Cougars' Final Four berth busted this author's bracket. Speaking of UH, we send appreciation and encouragement to Brian Hancock, a purchaser at Flexicore of Texas. The 12-year Coast Guard veteran and current reservist is also working on his degree in construction management at the University of Houston. With that kind of load, it's a good bet he stays up late!
Field and Stream Check out this video of New Jersey wildlife in action at the Manasquan Reservoir; nice capture by crews at R. Kremer and Son Marine Contractors.
Watch for wannabe space pirates! Retired deep sea oil rig foundations are repurposed to accommodate space exploration. While advocating recycling, Eustis Engineering shares the fascinating news report.
Channeling The Man in Black As part of an ongoing improvement project for the El Dorado Irrigation District in California, Vortex Marine Construction has installed new freshwater intakes at Folsom Lake. Fans of Johnny Cash might be familiar with his legendary 1968 visit to the famous nearby prison, also called Folsom. It still sits just off the lake's southern shore. "Keep on movin'," people! |
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