The Concrete Corner - February

Welcome to The Concrete Corner! This monthly newsletter highlights Ozark Ready Mix, Fischer Concrete Services, and all things concrete and concrete products. In this newsletter, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at our concrete operations, meet outstanding individuals and businesses, and stay current on concrete news and trends throughout the Midwest and the United States. Hopefully, this will be mildly informative, and a little entertaining. However, just like the ready-mix concrete business, I offer no guarantees!

In this month’s The Concrete Corner newsletter is presented by Monarch Cement Company:

• West Coast, the best coast

• It’s cement, not concrete

• Going to church

• Can a swab stop the cheat?

• Arrowhead West

On a Dark Desert Highway with Lady Luck - Farmer Companies expands westward! In Q4 of 2023, the West Division acquired multiple locations in California and Nevada. Expanding our reach across the Golden State and Silver State, Farmer Companies’ West Division welcomed two new concrete producers: Folsom Ready Mix / Silver Strike Concrete and Sierra Ready Mix. Folsom Ready Mix strengthens its presence in the Sacramento region with three existing locations: Rancho Cordova, Roseville, and Redding/Anderson. Silver Strike Concrete brings its expertise to the booming Reno-Sparks, Nevada area. Meanwhile, Sierra Ready Mix caters to the growing construction needs of Las Vegas. With these acquisitions, we’ve gained valuable locations and, more importantly, welcomed a group of incredibly talented individuals to our growing team. Their expertise, dedication, and local knowledge add tremendous value to our operations. We’re eager to learn from their experiences and collaborate to serve our customers even better. Together, we bring a wider range of concrete solutions and a strengthened presence to key markets across the Western US.

A Century of Strength, a Sustainable Future: Monarch Cement

For over 100 years, Monarch Cement has been a powerhouse in the industry, known for their unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability. This dedication is evident not only in their century-long track record but also in their cutting-edge initiatives like their groundbreaking 20MW solar project (link below), set to launch in April 2025. This project exemplifies their commitment to reducing their environmental impact and building a greener future. Our partnership with Monarch is relatively new, but their dedication to excellence has already solidified their position as a trusted partner. They supply Ozark Ready Mix and Fischer Concrete with high-quality cement across the greater Kansas City area, Central Missouri, and Lake of the Ozarks, ensuring lasting infrastructure for generations to come. Earlier this month, I had the privilege of touring their impressive cement plant at their headquarters in Humboldt, Kansas. Seeing their commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability firsthand only strengthened my confidence in our partnership.

The Church of Elvin - Elvin Hoover, owner of Hoover’s Excavating & Concrete, has built a strong reputation as a reliable partner for Fischer Concrete and Ozark Ready Mix over the years, specializing in flatwork, walls, and footings. Hoover’s Excavating & Concrete can handle some serious concrete! Their recent 300-yard pour for a church parking lot in Sedalia, MO is just a drop in the bucket for them. While their expertise is typically focused within Central and Southern Missouri, Hoover’s crew made the rare exception and ventured into Kansas City last year pouring over 800 yards of a high-early mix in a single pour for our Johnson County Landfill project. Elvin and his team consistently impress us with their dedication and commitment and we look forward to a strong 2024.

New DOT Oral Fluid Drug Testing: Hold Your Horses!

The DOT now allows oral fluid testing for CDL drivers, offering a potentially less-cheatable more transparent alternative to urine tests. However, implementation awaits lab certification via the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to certify two laboratories capable of processing the tests (expected Q4 2024). Oral fluid collection is directly observed by a lab technician, making the sample less susceptible to adulteration or tampering. Additionally, oral fluid tests detect recent drug use better than other forms of tests given that drugs take time to metabolize and show in an individual’s urine.

What Does This Mean for Employers? The new rule gives employers the option to choose either a urine test or an oral fluid test for all DOT-regulated drug tests, including pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident, follow-up, or return-to-duty tests.

Bigger Issue: It’s estimated that over 126,000 CDL drivers have drug violations, with over 95,000 not even starting the lengthy return-to-duty process. This highlights the broader challenge of driver drug use or failed tests, regardless of the testing method.

Did you know…Arrowhead West, I mean Allegiant Stadium required 105,000 cubic yards of concrete, or 257 miles of sidewalk from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid now have five wins at Arrowhead West. That’s more than any other HC-QB combination, including from the Raiders. Arrowhead West has 12 miles of concrete driller shaft that support the stadium. That’s 3 times the length of the Las Vegas Strip. Patrick Mahomes’ career stats at Arrowhead West boast an impressive 5-0 record with 1,587 passing yards and 12 touchdowns and a Super Bowl MVP. Oh, and the Chiefs are now 2-0 in the Super Bowl against our little brother the San Francisco 49ers, and also back-to-back champs, but who’s counting…

See you next month for another peek behind the concrete curtain!

Kenny Jackson