A Pile of News - November 2024

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A Pile of News: November 2024

A briefing on news and information from the pile driving contractors, associated manufacturers, construction suppliers and affiliated engineers who comprise PDCA.
By Matt Bisbee, PDCA

Originally sent Nov. 1, 2024

Top of the Pile

  • "Pile" driving voter turnout  Voting members of PDCA, cast your ballots for 2025 organizational leadership starting Monday, Nov. 4 through Friday, Nov. 29. The primary representative of each member company (contractors, associates and engineering affiliates) will receive an email from Election Runner that contains an electronic ballot. It takes about three minutes to complete. You are selecting the five-member executive leadership team and nine board members.
  • Read the latest PileDriver magazine, Issue 5 2024.
  • Registration for the 2025 PDCA Annual Conference, Feb. 46 in San Antonio, is open. Attendees, sponsors and exhibitors, reserve your spot today.
From the Association & Chapters

Mark your calendars:

 

From the piledrivers.org blog:

  • The Engineers Driven Pile Institute (EDPI) delivered two days of rigorous instruction to engineers/project managers; subject matter experts Pat Hanniganand Van Komurka of GRL Engineers and Jerry DiMaggio shared insights on recommending, designing, specifying and inspecting driven pile foundations.
  • The Mountain State Meet-Up was a networking reception in Salt Lake City, UT, that brought together EDPI attendees and the Northern Utah driven pile industry.
  • Pacific Coast Chapter awarded nine scholarships to students who are future constructors. The 2024 winners are beneficiaries of the April Scholarship Shoot.
  • Denver altitude didn't intimidate deep foundations professionals. PDCA was a cooperating organization in the 2024 DFI Annual Conference; recap/photos.
  • Hurricane outbreak in southeast U.S. activates PDCA members to service. See how ESP Associates, TRC Companies, Koppers and others are helping.
  • ICYMI: The father of modern soil mechanics is celebrated each year on his birthdate; Robert Thompson of Dan Brown & Associates sends geoprofessionals an annual observance letter each Oct. 4.
PDCADriven winning post

Congratulations, Sealevel Construction Inc., you are this month's winner! Send an email to marian@piledrivers.org before the end of November to claim your prize!

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News from PDCA Companies

Giving back:

Acquisitions & expansions:

Recognitions: 

Cleveland Rocks staff from five continents visit the home office of Pile Dynamics, Inc. for triennial meeting

Governmental relations:

  • Aggregate Technologies sent the co-headliners to October's ASCE meeting in Houston. Ronnie and Belin Wills gave a tech presentation on hydrodemolition and County Commissioner Tom Ramsey, P.E., delivered the keynote.
  • Gerdau North America was at a celebration of an American-made solar project for which it supplied 22K tons of structural steel from its mills in Texas and Georgia. U.S. Sec. Granholm and others were also in Austin for the event.
  • Nucor hosted U.S. Rep. Mace at its Berkeley steel production facility in Huger, SC. The Congresswoman toured the plant and addressed the employees.
  • Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers secured work on the Long Bridge Project for the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. It's a $2.3B, federally funded project that broke ground in October with help from U.S. Sens. Kaine and Warner, U.S. Reps. Connelly and Spanbarger, and DOT Sec. Buttigieg.
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People on the Move

Transitions:

  • Travis Schonacher elevates to president at Sealevel Construction in Thiboudeaux, LA. He will lead all operations and estimating alongside company founder/CEO Richard Roth.
  • Kyle Crabtree is new to claims and insurance at Boh Bros. Construction.
  • Mason Freeman and Jesus Sanchez Popo were promoted to foreman at Scott Bridge Co. The Opelika, AL, contractor cites their work ethic and reliability.
  • Samantha See moves to Houston-based Apex Steel Pipe & Piling as its newest salesperson of structural steel products.
  • Joe Zapata has reached one year as president at Flexicore of Texas (we are a little late in announcing this). Longtime leader Kathy Dockery retired and Chris Barberi earned promotion to sales manager.
  • John Weber wraps up 47 years in timber and retires from Lodge Lumber, Co.
  • Rhude Cherry, P.E., now manages the Columbia, SC, office at ECS Group of Companies, Rich Droshe is its new asset manager/market lead in Raleigh, NC, and Erin Phillips, PE becomes a geotech for the Roanoke, VA office.
  • Tom Zagorski, P.E., joins Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering as a new SVP. He brings 38 years of civil infrastructure construction management.

 

Recognitions:

 

Sending sympathies:

  • Lee Wilczynski (19412024) spent a long career in equipment and steel piling sales, and was instrumental in the establishment of the PDCA Gulf Coast Chapter. While he maintained a large network spanning the globe, Louisiana was his adopted home. The Army vet, published author and church choir baritone leaves behind a large family, including his wife of 61 years, Elaine.
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On the Job

Blue Iron Foundations & Shoring reports on a USACE bridge job on I-10 in New Orleans, where its crew is fortifying infrastructure with what we are told is the first and only Giken Clear Piler in North America. The pipe press-in machine is shown splicing and interlocking material from JD Fields & Co. near West Shore Lake Ponchartrain.

Cianbro uses a Junttan PM 25 to drive 55-foot 14-inch PSC piles for a project at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Foreman Justin Bright leads the crew on the Dry Dock 4 job.

H.B. Fleming, Inc. had a crew performing sheet pile installation for a cofferdam that will eventually be the site of a new Barnstable, MA, pump station. GTRGeosciences Testing and Research, Inc. provided engineering services for the project.

Morris-Shea Bridge Co. showed professional fisherman Logan Parks, whom they sponsor, two of their Alabama job sites  at Jordan Hare Stadium and Bay Minette.

GEOKON supplied instrumentation to USACE researchers who are performing load tests on wetlands in Scotch Bonnet, NJ. Findings may lead to implications for contractors involved in heavy construction in similar environmentally sensitive areas. 

Shannon & Wilson secured the geotechnical lead for a bridge replacement on I-55 connecting Arkansas and Tennessee. A $394M US-DOT grant, plus states' investment, will cover costs. This is in a seismic zone with unique subsurface features.

Southern Earth Sciences has a crew in Panama City Beach, where Scott Mitchell's team assists the crews installing 36-inch PSC, to found a new Tootsies Orchid Lounge.

Tolunay-Wong Engineers shares a dramatic job site photo from Cape Canaveral, FL; check out their setup in the foreground, as a rocket ship launches in the background.

TRC Companies, Inc. is retained to provide construction inspection services for the replacement of four bridges in rural Glenn County, CA, north of Sacramento.

Industry news: 

  • Do you own timber land and want to maximizie its value? Check out the Management Assistance Program from timber pile supplier Bell Lumber & Pole.
Notes from the Field

All the gold in California is apparently split between cities Richmond and Sausalito. Power Engineering Construction Co. has photos where their job sites in each town appear perfectly framed underneath the same, full rainbow that occurred on Oct. 16.

Hello sunshine, goodbye rain  It was a happy day in Milwaukee for Mark Graika from Veit. There on business, he visited a famous statue honoring TV icon "The Fonz."Coincidentally, actor Henry Winkler, who forged Arthur Fonzarelli's place in pop culture, was nearby and stood next to his bronze likeness in a photo with Graika.

It goes on and on, and on, and on  This movie does end, after 51 hours! PDCA member Copier Machinery produced a film showing the journey of one of its products from production to distribution. Logistics premiered in 2012, and has earned the distinction as the longest film in the world.

Choppa Style  Staff at Eustis Engineering danced before the Monday night meeting between the hometown New Orleans Saints and defending champion Chiefs; it was Who Dat Day. Playing the team's unofficial theme song on a loop, employees were caught on video busting a move; including Chad Held doing the cabbage patch.

Talk nerdy to me  PDCA members compete in various sports; clay shooting, golf, fishing, etc. But the infrastructure team at ESP Associates in Fort Mill, SC, won gold medals at the Tri-Nerdathon. Clap your hands, everybody, everybody clap your hands!

(Left) Chad Held of Eustis Engineering; (Right) Mark Graika of Veit with The Fonz X2

November is a month for giving thanks  PDCA humbly thanks you for supporting this organization and the advancement of the driven pile in deep foundation construction. Your active membership benefits the entire pile driving industry through education, professional development, marketing, networking and more. If you're not yet a PDCA member, it is now easier and more convenient to enroll. Just click JOIN PDCAand complete the online application form.

Until we see you again on Dec. 2, have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, and don't forget to vote!

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Copyright © 2024 Pile Driving Contractors Association, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are an industry leader in the piling community and 
may be a member of the Pile Driving Contractors Association.

Posted in A Pile of News PDCA Monthly e-newsletter.

Cabrera from Nucor Skyline Wins October #PDCADriven Contest

Posted in A Pile of News PDCA Monthly e-newsletter.

A Pile of News - October, 2024

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A Pile of News: October 2024

A briefing on news and information from the pile driving contractors, associated manufacturers, construction suppliers and affiliated engineers who comprise PDCA.

By Matt Bisbee, PDCA

Originally sent Oct. 1, 2024

Top of the Pile

  • Piling materials, presidential politics, national security are all impacted by a pending sale of U.S. Steel to Japanese-based Nippon Steel. A federal oversight body delayed action in the matter until after November's election. Both POTUS candidates oppose the sale, but the arbitration board has approved it and opinion-shapers support it: Wall Street JournalWashington PostNational ReviewWashington Examiner.
  • Key Bridge rebuild to begin in 2025  Kiewit Infrastructure is the progressive design-builder to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. The Maryland Transportation Authority approved a $73M contract for phase 1. Work is expected to start in early '25 with an anticipated bridge reopening in fall '28. The community is still reeling following the tragic March '24 collapse.
  • This is a story that needs to be told time and again  A recent Texas Pile, LLC project in San Marcos was originally conceived as one to use a driven pile alternative. However, pre-production test piling revealed that substantial cost and time savings (16 weeks/$5.6M) could be realized by a shift to driven piling. Collaboration for the pivot involved Texas PileGRL Engineers and Atlas Tube. PDCA promotes that every foundation project strives toward this goal when a driven pile is the most appropriate solution. Read the case study.
  • Time is running out  have you updated your member account on The PDCA Connection to ensure your data is accurately listed in the 2025 Membership Directory? Click here to be redirected.
  • Welcome, new members! PDCA thanks the following companies and individuals who joined the organization in Q3-2024. You more effectively advocate for the driven pile when you join the only organization that collectively agrees, "A Driven Pile...Is a Tested Pile..."
    • Contractor: Sargent in Orono, ME
    • Associates: Bell Lumber & Pole Company in Minneapolis, MN; Expander Body International (EBI) Inc. in Ottawa, ON; Edgen Murray Corporation in Houston, TX
    • Academic employee: Don Warrington of Lee University in Tennessee
    • Government employees: Mir Zaheer from IN-DOTMiranda Perkins from LA-DOTDScott Kassel and Kyle Markel from IL-DOTSourav Das from Imperial House (India)
    • Student: Samir Paswan from Lalit Narayan Mithila University (India). John Loehr from Auburn University.

From the Association & Chapters

Mark your calendars:

From the piledrivers.org blog:

PDCADriven Winner for October 2024

Congratulations, Tomas Cabrera, you are this month's winner! Send an email to marian@piledrivers.org before the end of the month to claim your prize!

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News from PDCA Companies

Giving back:

  • Bechtel partnered with NSBE in support of Summer Engineering Experience for Kids, a STEM program offered in Houston, Washington, D.C. and virtually. The free, three-week program introduced engineering professions through fun and engaging activities to third, fourth and fifth graders.
  • D.A. Collins Companies, like many PDCA members, prioritizes staff appreciation. It ends each September with an employee party and fireworks show at its company HQ. Neighbors don't mind and are invited to enjoy the pyrotechnics from their off-campus vantage points.
  • Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company is part of a program that empowers educators at high schools with a better understanding of the construction industry in order to give them insights and experiences to pass along to students considering various career paths. Ryder Coelho, Henry Tuquero and Kuuipo Banao are the participating company reps.
  • MEB dispatched recruiting staff to VA-Tech to coach students in the construction department on resume and elevator pitch development. The visit preceded their participation in an upcoming career fair. It's unclear if the students "walk in" to the engagements to Enter Sandman.
MEB Recruiters

Recruiters from MEB serve as coaches to VA Tech students 

 

Government relations:

  • The Walsh Group hosted Virginia Gov. Youngkin at its I-81 highway widening project near Salem. The job site became the state's first in nearly 30 years to receive an OSHA STAR award.
  • H&H is the lead engineer for a new Amtrak bridge in southeastern Connecticut. The firm was present when Amtrak, Gov. Lamont, U.S. Sens. Blumenthal and Murphy, and U.S. Rep. Courtney and others broke ground for the $1.3B project that will involve H-pile installation.
  • Bull Moose Tube hosted Lord Paul, its parent company founder, at some U.S. facilities. The British magnate & philanthropist won a lifetime P.M. appointment to the House of Lords in '96.

 

Acquisitions & expansions:

  • Beard Construction Group, based in the Baton Rouge area, is finishing work on a second location in Luling, on the western side of New Orleans. The firm says the expansion grows their geographic reach with piling services and more in the state's southernmost communities. 
  • Island Piling, Inc., a beachfront foundation installer in SW Florida, pivots to air hammers with its purchase of a PileMaster 5000, to alleviate overspray concerns and boost environmental stewardship. VP Kena Yoke says geotechs can now diversify their job site apparel.
  • Geo-Technology Associates, Inc. (GTA) enters the Pittsburgh market under the guidance of VP Randy Daub, P.E., who oversees all operations in the region. Tyler Furr is branch manager.

 

Recognitions:

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People on the Move

Transitions:

  • Sean Vandedrinck elevates to regional director at the East Coast offices of Russell Marine.
  • Bob Page earned a reputation as one of the most skilled off-road truck drivers in history at Sargent. He started 27 years ago as a laborer on a New Hampshire job and has now retired.
  • Mac Rotan moves up at Apex Steel Pipe & Piling, becoming VP of purchasing and operations.
  • Braeden Hamilton is the new eastern territory manager at Hercules Machinery Corp. The Air Force veteran fills the shoes of industry veteran Bryan Daniel, who retired on Sept. 27.
  • Pablo Cerda transitions to a role in global hammer sales at PACO Equipment in Houston.
  • Cole Newman rises to business unit manager at Jacksonville, FL, offices of PVE Equipment USA.
  • David Rettner announced that he will retire as president/chief growth officer at American Engineering Testing, Inc. in St. Paul, MN. His career began at MnDOT in 1985 and he spent the last 20 at AET.

 

Recognitions:

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On the Job

ASAP Group machinery was spotted extracting/installing 286 lf of sheet pile, just 12 miles from the PDCA office. Crews were working at the Black Creek Water Resources Development job.

 

C.D. Perry, LLC is the prime contractor for a New York State Electric & Gas hydroelectric facility upgrade in Morrisonville, NY. Crews drove flat sheet piling from company inventory for installation of two cellular cofferdams, using their Hercules Machinery Co. HMC Model 25 vibro. 

 

Cape Romain Contractors updates the Mount Pleasant, SC, shrimp dock project; video shows the first prestressed concrete piles going down using company-owned equipment.

 

Kokosing is presently in the design phase as it prepares to replace the Wallops Island Causeway Bridge serving the NASA flight facility in coastal Virginia. Construction for the FHWA project is scheduled to start in early 2025; the contractor tells us that every pier bent for the bridge will be on concrete piles.

 

Norwalk Marine Contractors uses its Junttan rig (the first one in the U.S.), for SOE where the crew installed H-piles from Nucor Skyline for a new mixed-use development in Norwalk, CT.

 

Sargent is a subcontractor on what is reported to be the first dam removal in international waters. In addition to assisting with demolition, its crew is installing a cofferdam to facilitate restoration of 10 miles of the St. Croix River, which defines the Maine (US)/New Brunswick (Can.) border.

 

SJ Hamill Construction is mobilized at the Georgia/South Carolina state line where it is installing a cofferdam in the Savannah River for an expansion of the Georgia Ports Ocean Terminal.

 

Trevcon Construction is on campus at Fordham University where crews are building the new Waterfront Center, a facility to support the school's sailing and rowing programs, and the greater Bronx community.

 

Weeks Marine has a crew building a cofferdam in the Hudson River, one component for construction of a new rail tunnel, and part of an infrastructure investment program modernizing connectivity between New York and New Jersey. A video of pile installation shows an APE vibro in action.

 

COWI wins the bid from the City of Berkeley, CA, to provide engineering services in the transformation of a municipal pier into a dual-purpose structure that will accommodate ferry access and recreation.

 

Gerhart Cole has a team working to retrofit the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City, UT; in addition to pursuing seismic upgrades and resiliency advancements, they toured the GSA administrator around the facilityTerracon is also among the many stakeholders on this project.

 

Shannon & Wilson provided geotechnical and hydrogeological engineering services for the construction of a new, publicly funded port in Whittier, AK. CRW Engineering Group was also part of the design/build team. KTUU-TV covered the opening of the new facility that will serve tourists arriving in the state via cruise ship.

Notes From the Field

A future home to the Final Four? It probably wouldn't meet NCAA capacity requirements, and the ballers at The Walsh Group wouldn't want to share anyway! The Chicago offices for the contractor feature a full-size basketball court, which stays busy with lunchtime workouts, after-hours pick-up games and company tournaments. Senior estimator Ken Gollon says it shows a commitment from Walsh to offer a fitness option and work/play balance it's one of the reasons he took the job!

Summer '24 interns at Walsh

Summer '24 interns at Walsh flash the company hand signal from half-court in the Chicago offices

B'More Boppers may be a recognizable name to baseball card enthusiasts. It's been an occasional, special depiction of the Baltimore Orioles MLB team. And if you're a fan of the Birds, keep your gear handy for October since they snagged a postseason berth! Dissen & Juhn Company held a company outing at a game in late September, and possibly got to see the next national champs in some pre-playoff action.

 

Have you checked a job site with Google Earth? Kena Yoke of Island Piling was at the computer and wanted to check on a beachfront, residential project in Naples, FL. She was surprised by the "street view" function on the almighty search engine focused on imagery of her cranes towering over 565 recently installed PSC piles.

 

Give 'em NIL royalties! We can't comment on the performance of the carbon fiber hard hats, but we will advocate that the C.J. Mahan Construction Company crew on the Cave Run Lake project, east of Lexington, KY, get a few dead presidents for lending their image/likeness to the PPE supplier.

 

Thanks to several of the companies and individuals featured in this October edition of APON for submitting and clarifying the entries you've just read. It's a lot harder when we have to make up this content (JK). Remember, you have an open invitation to submit news for PDCA to consider using in this publication and PileDriver magazine.

 

Time-sensitive ­ PLEASE update your company listing on your PDCA member account ASAP. We are gathering content for the 2025 PDCA Membership Directory this month and want to print the eventual hard copy publications you demand as completely and accurately as possible. Call PDCA if you need help accessing your account in the new member management system, The PDCA Connection.

 

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Copyright © 2024 Pile Driving Contractors Association, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you are an industry leader in the piling community and
may be a member of the Pile Driving Contractors Association.

Posted in A Pile of News PDCA Monthly e-newsletter.

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