June 11, 2025
Matt Bisbee
June brings a brand-new issue of PileDriver magazine; flip through the digital edition! |
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Fort Pierce, Fla., is a city of 50,000 people about a two-hour drive north of Miami. Its amenities include the National Navy SEAL Museum, as well as state parks and recreation areas located on nearby barrier islands that are so common along Florida's southeastern coast. To get to these attractions, motorists need to travel on the North Causeway Bridge, a drawbridge on the SR A1A highway that connects Fort Pierce to North Hutchinson Island. Spanning the busy Intracoastal Waterway, the drawbridge built in 1963 was deemed structurally deficient. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has started building a new fixed span bridge to replace the old one. Driven piles are an important aspect of the $111.5-million initiative, which is expected to be completed in 2026. For this work, FDOT is relying on the expertise of PDCA member Vecellio & Grogan (V&G), a heavy/highway, bridge and marine construction firm based in West Virginia and servicing the southeast region of the United States. Read about V&G's pile driving work for the new North Causeway Bridge general superintendent Sonny Greene laid it all out in this issue's cover story. |
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The Walsh Group Building Connections & Communities |
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The Walsh Group may be one of the country's largest contractors, but its roots remain grounded in old-fashioned family values. The company started as a one-man show in 1893, and Matthew Myles Walsh grew his business one relationship at a time. Today, the company is about as far from a one-man show as you can get. About 8,000 employees work on Walsh's projects across North America. When it comes to pile driving, this PDCA member often performs its own works, driving all kinds of pile concrete, steel, timber, etc. in both land and marine environments. |
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Exclusive Interview: Orion's Lina Garcia Martin, P.E., M.Sc. |
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Lina Garcia Martin, P.E., M.Sc., is the vice president of engineering at ORION. She's also the president of the brand-new PDCA Florida Chapter. She sat down for an exclusive interview about her career, covering what sparked her early interest in engineering, how she persevered in her educational journey, moving from Colombia to the U.S., the impact her mentors have had, and why she fiercely advocates for women's visibility and representation in construction. |
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Installing Billboard Structures |
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Ultra-Lum Services, LLC a contractor servicing the outdoor advertising and billboard industry since 1998 had a problem in 2008. It was a job in downtown New Haven, Conn., and the foundation option for the billboard was not practical or cost-efficient. Company owner Greg Ziomek had a hard time convincing others to try a different route. And then he called Rick Sadler with ICE® International Construction Equipment. Ziomek and Sadler discussed the project, and Sadler advised a vibratory installation was doable. Today, Ultra-Lum and ICE have worked together on more than 43 jobs. |
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Storm Season Doesn't Wait |
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In our line of work, we often face hazards that are loud, heavy or obvious. But one of the most dangerous threats we face gives no warning, doesn't care about schedules and kills more outdoor workers each year than you might expect severe weather. Using the latest Toolbox Talk from PDCA, refresh your crews about what to watch for as storm season ramps up. Lightning, heavy winds, sudden downpours, flooding, dangerous heat what does field-ready preparedness look like? |
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Considerations for Testing |
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Every project can benefit from a well-designed, properly executed and carefully interpreted test pile program. Across the industry, load tests are often thought of as merely a box that must be checked in order to fulfil project specifications. The REAL value of a load test program is using them to optimize the project and provide value to all parties, contractors and owners. |
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Are you interested in being interviewed or writing an article for PileDriver magazine? Editorial coverage is one of the FREE benefits of PDCA membership! The PDCA Communications Committee is always looking for companies, pile driving projects and industry stories to write about. To learn more or to ask about how you can join a PDCA Communications Committee call email matt@piledrivers.org.
Posted in PileDriver Magazine.
April 21, 2025
Matt Bisbee
PileDriver Issue 2 2025 is Online |
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The second issue of #PileDriverMagazine for 2025 is available NOW and arriving in mailboxes all over the world. |
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Sealevel Construction's Work on the Bayou Chene Flood Control Structure |
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Located in Amelia, La., the Bayou Chene Flood Control Structure is deemed to be the largest flood gate of its kind in the world. The structure was designed and installed to combat backwater flooding from the Atchafalaya River. Prior to the installation of the permanent structure, government officials would employ local marine businesses to temporarily sink a barge in the waterway during seasons of anticipated flooding, costing millions of dollars each time. Sealevel Construction was awarded the general contract to construct the new, permanent structure. Completed in 2022, the Bayou Chene Flood Control Structure eliminates the use of the temporary barge. Find out how Sealevel self-performed about 95% of the construction work, which included timber piles, plumb and battered pipe piles and steel sheet piles. |
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Michael Jahnigen's Reflections from 50 Years in Pile Driving |
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"This may sound crazy, but why didn't we learn to keep the ambient sound up on job sites, so the pile driving was not so annoying? "A lot of pile drivers say, 'Well, if they want to do auger cast, we'll just buy an auger cast machine,' even though most of them know that the driven pile is the better unit. I'm a pile driver because I believe the driven pile is the best that you can put in [the ground]. Why would you settle for something less? Why do we give it up? Why couldn't we have gone ahead and really fought, shown our strength to the industry? We gave up our market share too easily." Michael Jahnigen retired in January 2025, and he shares his history, lessons learned, golden rule and more. |
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Under the Hat™: Kiewit's Focus Supports Employees and Their Families |
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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the suicide rate in construction stood at 66 per 100,000 workers in 2021, significantly higher than the suicide rate among the general population. However, the CDC points out that "workplaces can be important settings for suicide prevention" through the implementation of prevention-based programs, policies and practices. One example is the Under the Hat: Building Healthy Minds (UTH) program at Kiewit Corporation, one of North America's largest construction and engineering firms. Launched in 2021, UTH is focused on improving the mental health of Kiewit's employees and their family members. Alicia Edsen, senior vice president at Kiewit, says the underlying premise is a recognition that Kiewit employees wear many hats at work, at home or in their communities and to provide them with comprehensive resources to help them manage mental health challenges. |
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PDCA's Best Annual Conference Yet |
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The PDCA 25th Annual Conference took place Feb. 46, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas, and what an event it was! From record-setting attendance, passionate speakers and presenters, a buzzing exhibit hall and more, this event far exceeded our expectations and raised the bar for all future PDCA events. Reminisce about our incredible week in the Lonestar State by flipping through the photo gallery in PileDriver magazine. |
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PDCA's 2025 Media Kit Available Now! |
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Still planning your 2025 marketing? Download PDCA's 2025 media kit to learn more about the advertising opportunities that will help you target the largest concentration of pile driving professionals anywhere in the world. Many prime positions are already sold out, but there are many opportunities available to put the spotlight on your products and services. |
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Posted in PileDriver Magazine.
February 6, 2025
Matt Bisbee
PileDriver Issue 1 2025 is Online
Hot off the presses a new issue of PileDriver magazine is ready for you!
In this issue's cover story, read about Mason Construction, LLC's work on the DGD3 Sustainable Aviation Fuel Fractionation Project, helping to drive renewable energy forward with the Valero Port Arthur Refinery. Mason was the first contractor in the U.S. to perform a renewable energy project under new Inflation Reduction Act guidelines, and the piling team achieved their seemingly impossible goal of installing a "mile of pile" in a single shift. Read how they did it.
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In January 2025, Brian Heck officially handed the PDCA presidential gavel to incoming president Buck Darling. Brian served an unprecedented three years in the president's seat. To celebrate Brian's contributions to PDCA, he sat down with executive director Frank Peters for a special edition Interview column. Read about Brian's career, his day-to-day responsibilities at Goettle and what he views as PDCA's most important accomplishment during his presidential tenure.
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PDCA Member Spotlight:
Sargent Corporation
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A new PDCA contractor member as of 2024, Sargent Corporation is nearing its 100th year in business and is a cornerstone in Maine's heavy civil construction industry. The company says its story is about resilience, innovation and an unwavering commitment to its people.
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PDCA Toolbox Talk: Fall Protection
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As pile drivers, we know the risks that come with the job. Whether operating from manlifts or other at-height areas, working from heights is commonplace. The problem: falls are the number one cause of death in construction. The latest Toolbox Talk from the PDCA Safety & Environmental Committee provides tips, advice and talking points to discuss fall protection with your field crews.
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PDCA's 2025 Media Kit Available Now!
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Still planning your 2025 marketing? Download PDCA's 2025 media kit to learn more about the advertising opportunities that will help you target the largest concentration of pile driving professionals anywhere in the world.
Many prime positions are already sold out, but there are many opportunities available to put the spotlight on your products and services.
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Pile Driving Contractors Association
Pile Driving Contractors Association
Posted in PileDriver Magazine.
