By Doug Herbert
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| Concrete contractors and suppliers from around the world gather to discuss and view innovative products and strategies that are currently available to our industry. |
“How do we make our company an irreplaceable part of our clients’ business?”
“How do we continue to make ourselves more and more valuable to our clients?”
Those are some of the questions I had in mind as I attended the World of Concrete convention in Las Vegas last month. I was searching for answers to these questions while walking the convention floors, as well as during my discussions with our peers in the industry.
I was also looking for technology and equipment innovations that would save money, reduce manpower requirements, and speed up productivity. While chatting with our contractor friends, I was listening for tips, tactics and strategies that could help us find and train new employees, and reduce labor costs.
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| As Treasurer of the association, Doug Herbert attended the Concrete Foundations Association Board of Directors meeting while in Las Vegas. |
The World of Concrete convention is the largest annual gathering of concrete contractors in the world. Attendees come from all over the globe. This year’s event was the largest in seven years, signaling an overall improvement in the U.S. economy.
While at the event, I was able to find some answers to those questions. I learned a few tools and techniques that will make us a better company. These are things that will provide more value to our clients, improve our ability to hire and train laborers, be more productive, and remain the most professional foundation contractor in the southeast.
Speaking Engagement
I was also at World of Concrete to give two presentations. The organizers of the
massive event hired me to speak for two education sessions.
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| The gold lot at the World Of Concrete is teeming with vendors demonstrating many of the new advancements in our industry on a sunny Las Vegas afternoon. |
During the first presentation, I showed 300 attendees how to create systems within their business for repeatable, predictable results. For the second presentation, I shared effective marketing techniques that concrete contractors can use in their businesses.
This was the third year that I’ve been asked to speak at the event. It was a great experience. It is true that the teacher always learns more than the student. This year was no exception to that.
Project of the Year Entry
Two Atlanta projects were on display at the convention. Herbert Construction Co. completed the projects and entered them into the Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) Project of the Year competition.
The CFA is the voice and recognized authority of the residential foundation industry. Our company is a long-time member of that great organization. Each year the CFA holds its Project of the Year competition for the finest foundations constructed in North America. Any of the 60,000+ attendees of the World of Concrete can vote on the Project of the Year entries during the convention. Our company is a five-time winner of the award.
This year we submitted two projects for that competition. The first project is an enormous single-family residence foundation that we constructed for Brody Dernehl of the Dernehl Company.
The second project we submitted was in the commercial category. That project includes a beautiful architectural concrete wall and building foundation at a shopping complex for Glenn Gilbert of Outsource Construction.
The voting for the competition ends in a few weeks. Wish us luck!