Up, up and away!

Words: Jeff SpeckPump lightweight concrete 54 stories, straight-up, successfully!

Well, that's exactly what Ozinga Chicago, the concrete provider for a 54-story project on Lake Street in Chicago, did. The company used Riverlite® expanded clay lightweight aggregate from Trinity Lightweight and they were pleased. According to Scott Kelly, Ozinga's Assistant Manager of Quality Control, "Everything has gone pretty smoothly and according to specification."

The lightweight concrete used in this project was a Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) using a high-range water-reducing admixture and three other chemical admixtures as well as Class C fly ash. Additionally, steel fiber was added at a rate of 35 pounds per cubic yard. The mix design provided concrete that was fluid enough at the pump discharge to spread without vibration.

Have a look at how this Chicago project went together and see how Trinity Lightweight and Ozinga Chicago worked together to make it a success. When you need to pump structural lightweight concrete to great heights to meet strength and fire resistance requirements, I hope you will think of Trinity Lightweight.
Chairman's Message: REFLECTIONS SPANNING SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS
September 2025

MCAA has been posting lots of wonderful old photos from decades of records as we celebrate our 75th Anniversary. Many of these photos are black and white and show people at our MCAA events with men wearing suits and ties while the women wore dressy gowns

Business Building: What Are You Doing To Develop Future Leaders?
September 2025

When I ask my coaching clients if they have anyone in their construction company who could potentially move up from field superintendent to estimator or project manager, the typical answer is “No!” The same answer is usually given when asked if they have

Building More: Smoke Signals or Fire Extinguishers
September 2025

Ever watch a hot-potato game break out on your jobsite? It usually starts small. Somebody spots a crooked door frame, mutters, “I’ll make a note,” and flicks the issue to the next trade like it’s radioactive. By the time that frame comes back around, dryw

MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Episode 27 Recap: Rob McKay, Chief Operating Officer at Instone
September 2025

On this episode of the MASONRY STRONG Podcast, Rob McKay from Instone joins the show to talk about his story as well as the processes and procedures of manufacturing natural stone. Getting Started in Masonry: Rob’s Story Rob entered the masonry field by