Trade Journals for the Concrete Industry

In the past three issues of CPI, Lafarge reported on a variety of topics relating to “Working with Ductal® Ultra-High Performance Concrete” (UHPC). The first article (1/2011) provided an overview of UHPC target markets and discussed business planning requirements for precasters who want to compliment and/or expand their current product offerings and market reach. The next article (2/2011) identified the various equipment recommendations and production techniques required for the production of UHPC precast elements. In the last installment (3/2011), Lafarge explained the benefits of Ductal UHPC for structural precast elements and provided examples of successfully completed UHPC structural applications/projects. For this article, Lafarge will shift gears from the larger precast applications such as bridge girders, bridge decks or in-field joint applications to UHPC “Artisan” applications. This review will help artisans/ precasters to learn about potential opportunities that UHPC can provide through the design and production of creative, complex and aesthetically pleasing solutions for existing or new market segments.