Here's your chance to judge the industry's latest and greatest tools and equipment. The Most Innovative Products contest features entries that are designed to increase productivity, save producers time and money, or provide a new solution to a design or materials challenge.
Following are entries related to concrete production. View each product at World of Concrete/World of Masonry in the MIP display located in the Grand Concourse outside the Central Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, or stop by and visit the manufacturers' booths. Then be sure to vote for your favorites at the show, or until Jan. 31 at www.mip2011.com or www.worldofconcrete.com. Winners will be announced in March.
Mobile mix batch plant
The Mobilmix 0.5 is a mobile central mix concrete production plant with an output rate of up to 40 cu. yds./hr. The pre-assembled, pre-wired plant can be delivered, erected, and ready for operation in a matter of hours without using a crane. The plant's steel support pads eliminate the need for concrete foundations and provide a 14-ft.-high clearance for truck mixer loading. Liebherr Concrete Technology Co. 866-879-6312. www.liebherr.us
WOC Booth #N527
Wireless field printer
Use the Handjet EBS-250 Printer to make durable markings on concrete, concrete pipe, and other surfaces. This large character ink-jet printer technology replaces paint, stencils, and handwritten information. It can store multiple messages up to 10 lines or 1300 characters. When the printer's internal batteries are fully charged, workers count on 50 hours of nonstop printing at normal ambient temperatures. EBS Ink-Jet Systems USA Inc. 847-996-0739. www.ebs-inkjet-usa.com
WOC Booth #C4070
Rebar positioning device
E-Z Bar incorporates a traditional z-bar spacer and two wall chairs into one assembly. It snaps into place and latches closed to prevent dislodgement during construction. The latches can be manually lifted and the device removed and reinstalled. Each device eliminates two wall chairs, one traditional fabricated z-bar, and much of the labor costs associated with the installation. PlasmaFab LLC. 877-853-9227. www.e-zbar.com
WOC Booth #N3127
Cold weather release agent
Pro-Release with Winter Guard is a water-based, chemically active form release agent designed for cold weather application and storage. The formulation combines chemical and barrier components to improve release of most concrete mix designs, including mixes containing pozzolans such as fly ash or blast furnace slag. It can be applied to steel and aluminum forms in temperatures as low as 25° F. Nox-Crete Products Group. 800-669-2738. www.nox-crete.com
WOC Booth #S11123
Portable, automatic slurry treatment
Slurry-Klean is a compact plate-and-frame filter press that provides a water recycling solution for small concrete batch operations and contractors who cut, drill, or grind hardened concrete. The system reduces hauling and labor costs, generates cleaner water, and enhances an operation's sustainability. The unit processes slurry and automatically releases captured solids into a collection bin. Then the filtration cycle repeats. Alar Water Recycling Systems. 708-479-6100. www.alarcorp.com
WOC Booth #N717