AltusGroup, Inc. is an international partnership of 14 precast concrete companies and eight industry suppliers founded in July 2003 to develop, manufacture and market precast concrete innovations throughout
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
.
Innovations include the CarbonCast line of technology that uses C-GRID carbon fiber grid for shear reinforcing developed by Chomarat North America. Other exclusively licensed technologies include Graphic Concrete for imparting permanent images and designs into precast concrete walls and ARCIS, an ultra-thin precast panel for rainscreens, marine decking and more.
History
AltusGroup emerged from a development initiative between Oldcastle Precast and Chomarat North America, formerly TechFab, LLC.
Chomarat North America first conceived commercial grid structures using fiberglass roving and epoxy in 1997. It was initially named, “PetroGrid,” and introduced by Amoco Fabrics & Fibers Co. in 1998 to create geo-grids for the road paving market.
In 1998-99, Chomarat North America and Oldcastle Precast entered a joint development agreement to explore the use of carbon fiber structural grids for use in concrete. The original precast product champion and technology visionary was Harold Messenger.
From 1998-2001, development efforts focused on product, process, testing, and engineering design validation surrounding grid use in concrete. Dr. Thomas Harmon, a professor of engineering at
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis (WashU or WUSTL) is a private research university with its main campus in St. Louis County, and Clayton, Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university is named after George Washington. Washington University is r ...
, provided primary research support for the initiative, also co-funded by both companies.
Early research and development works serve as the engineering design basis used today to design and manufacture CarbonCast.
Operations
AltusGroup emerged from a development initiative between Oldcastle Precast and Chomarat North America, formerly TechFab, LLC and operates under the concept of
co-opetition
Coopetition or co-opetition (sometimes spelled "coopertition" or "co-opertition") is a neologism coined to describe cooperative competition. Coopetition is a portmanteau of cooperation and competition. Basic principles of co-opetitive structures ...
. Member companies collaborate and share information to advance the development and marketing of CarbonCast and other technologies, but compete for jobs through the conventional sales and bidding process.
[Co-opetition: Rival Concrete Precasters Team Up On New Innovations https://www.forbes.com/sites/jimvinoski/2019/08/16/co-opetition-rival-concrete-precasters-team-up-on-new-innovations/#56927c6576ef]
Its member companies place volunteer representatives on committees that oversee the policies and function of the organization:
* Board of Directors – appointed officials establish an overall strategy for organization and set policies for the management of the enterprise
* Marketing – a committee handles communications and maintains national marketing initiatives for new product sales opportunities at each of the companies.
* Technical – a technical committee oversees the use of the technology in the plant and field to establish best practices and test results for all products developed and marketed.
Precaster Members
High Concrete Group LLCMetromont CorporationKnife RiverEncon UnitedEnterprise Precast Concrete, Inc.Gage Brothers ConcreteWells Concrete ProductsChomarat North AmericaMid-States Concrete IndustriesStrescon LimitedMarxuach Precast SolutionsMissoula Concrete ConstructionSaramacSpring Valley
Innovation Partners
BASF Admixtures, Inc.Command SuiteJVIMeadow Burke ProductsALP SupplyGraphic ConcreteOwens CorningKawneer
References
External links
Official website for CarbonCast
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Concrete