Every year the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce hosts the Business Day at the Capitol, which provides local companies the opportunity to meet with their legislators and discuss issues facing their industry. On April 18, 2018 more than 800 business leaders gathered in Saint Paul, MN for a day of education and networking.
County Materials Corporation was represented by Carlos Villarreal, Location Manager for the Roberts, Wis. precast and prestress manufacturing facility. Villarreal met with several state representatives and a state senator and used this time to discuss the significant lifecycle and installation differences between plastic pipe and concrete pipe, and how these differences may impact a community’s infrastructure and storm water management systems. Currently, the concrete pipe industry is educating engineers and local decision makers about the efforts of plastic pipe producers at the national level to create “open competition” laws that would require engineers to include plastic pipe in every storm water project bidding process. Villarreal also explained how concrete pipe manufacturing contributes to many local jobs and businesses in the construction industry.
“To my surprise, some legislators were already fully aware and informed that plastic pipe and concrete pipe are not equal, and that installation is completely different,” stated Villarreal. “Some other legislators were not aware of these issues, which is why it is important to continue promoting the industry. It is in the best interest of the state and local communities to support the concrete pipe industry.”
County Materials frequently hosts plant tours for industry leaders and decision makers to demonstrate the concrete pipe manufacturing process and the strength testing that takes place before pipe leaves a facility.
