In 2007, the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA) installed, with the help of generous donations from several industry equipment suppliers, a small-scale production facility in its Research and Development Laboratory located in Herndon, VA.
The intent of the facility was to support research associated with the use of recycled materials in concrete product mix designs and to support the development of manufacturing and product application innovations. Seventeen years later, after a thorough evaluation of how to better purpose the production equipment, it’s been agreed that the World Center for Concrete Technology (WCCT) will acquire the equipment to further enhance training and education opportunities within Alpena Community College’s (Alpena, MI) Concrete Technology program. The purchase will be generously completed by Besser Company as a donation to the WCCT to ensure that the equipment will be more effectively used in support of its original purposes of education and research.
“The students at ACC, as well as industry professionals attending Blockmaker Workshops, have had the unique benefit of hands-on experience in operating concrete block machines as part of their education.” – Ryan Suszek, CEO of Besser Company
The centerpiece of the production plant is a MASA Record 250 AF small-board paver/block machine, but it also includes additional scaled mixing, batching, curing, and material handling equipment suitable for a laboratory environment. “We were very appreciative of the donations by several of our industry equipment suppliers to add this capacity to our research laboratory, but WCCT will be a better home for this production plant and solidifies CMHA’s ongoing relationship with WCCT in support of the industry,” said CMHA President Bob Thomas.
“The students at ACC, as well as industry professionals attending Blockmaker Workshops, have had the unique benefit of hands-on experience in operating concrete block machines as part of their education,” said Ryan Suszek, CEO of Besser Company. “We’re proud to be able to provide that same experience with manufacturing concrete pavers, a key component to facilitating industry growth and expanding employment opportunities post-graduation,” added Suszek.