City of Astatula Proclamation
Although Concrete Pipe Week is officially this week, some have gotten an early start to recognizing the importance of concrete pipe and its many manufacturers. Concrete Pipe Week is promoted each year by the American Concrete Pipe Association to showcase the significance concrete pipe has in reliable and long-lasting infrastructure. The week is an opportunity for concrete pipe manufacturers to host federal, state, and local lawmakers and agency officials at their facilities for open houses, plant tours, training sessions, and appreciation events.
On June 12, 2017, the Astatula, Fla. mayor signed a city proclamation extending greetings and best wishes to those observing concrete pipe week and specifically mentioned County Materials as a concrete producer in the city. The proclamation was signed at the June Astatula City Council Meeting and presented to Angel De Jesus, PE Technical Resource Engineer on behalf of County Materials. In addition to the proclamation, the city is advertising the Concrete Pipe Week Celebration on their electronic billboard throughout the week.
“It is important to the industry that local and state officials recognize the vital role of concrete pipe and precast concrete products,” said De Jesus. “The health, safety, and well-being of our state citizens rely on the concrete materials in many ways.”
Florida Department of Transportation Tours Astatula Plant
County Materials’ Astatula location hosted 12 officials from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on July 13, 2017, just over a month before Concrete Pipe Week. The group of FDOT officials was made up of several office divisions including the Materials, Construction, and Drainage offices. Each department is a major stakeholder in planning and setting specifications for state construction projects.
During the tour, County Materials demonstrated the controlled environment of reinforced concrete production and showcased the operation of three different pipe machines. The rigorous quality control and testing methods were also displayed, including a three-edge bearing test demonstration. This test measures the extreme strength of reinforced concrete pipe by simulating heavy loads, resulting with a pipe’s maximum load carrying capacity. “Hosting tours such as this one is a great avenue to meet the stakeholders in state construction projects,” said De Jesus. “We’ve been able to develop great relationships and goodwill between all involved in the construction process.”