The technologist

Concrete Construction, June, 2003 by William Palmer, D., Jr.

How long would you stay in business today without a cell phone to keep in touch with your crew and suppliers, or without a computer for estimating and bidding? If you are building large slabs, could you survive without a laser screed or a power trowel? Could you compete if everyone else had access to the latest admixtures while you stuck with the adage that the concrete that was good enough for your father is good enough for you? Probably not.

Contractors today are always looking for an edge--something that will leave them with a little more profit. Technology can provide that edge. It could be easier-to-use materials, improved equipment, innovative construction methods, software that provides more information and greater control of the job, or management techniques that increase your efficiency. And even though you're probably willing to use new technology, new things come along every day--keeping up and separating the wheat from the chaff could be a full-time job.

FMI, the construction management consultants, calls someone who does this a technologist. This new member of the construction team will review all aspects of a project and recommend where the power of new technology can be brought to bear--opportunities for new materials, equipment, or methods to cut costs, improve quality, or both. The technologist will know about all of the newest stuff in the business by reading lots of magazines and journals, going to trade shows and seminars, participating in industry committees, and talking with manufacturers.

Once you decide that a new approach is right for your company or for a specific job, the technologist will then recommend how you or your workers can learn to use it. Often, the manufacturer or developer is the logical teacher, but there is danger in putting your trust in those with a vested interest--will they teach you only the strengths and gloss over the weaknesses? The best won't. Many innovative manufacturers will spend the time to make sure you know the ins and outs of their equipment, and more are realizing the importance of this.

Building with concrete has become a lot more complicated, but you may not be able to afford a full-time technologist. We're here to help--let CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION be your technologist. Every month in this magazine we tell you about what's new, and twice each year, at the World of Concrete and at the CEO Leadership Forum, we come to you live. If you have questions, you can always contact us by phone or e-mail. Learning about the newest stuff is what we do--we want to make it work for you.