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: When Things Don’t Go as Planned
June 2026

Not every day in this business goes the way we planned. Some days, everything lines up. The crew is moving well. Materials are on time. The job is flowing the way you hoped it would. And then there are the other days. The ones where something breaks. T

Fechino Files: Trust Your Subs, Just Document!
June 2026

When I was working for a large masonry contractor, we typically performed masonry work with our own employees. When we would construct large Segmental Retaining Walls, often we would require a subcontractor who had larger equipment for different portions

Marvelous Masonry: Borobudur
June 2026

For masonry contractors and suppliers, few structures offer as much practical insight as Borobudur. Built in the 9th century in Central Java, this massive stone monument remains as one of the most advanced examples of large-scale masonry construction ever

Wrapping Up Our Year And A Look Ahead
June 2026

It is amazing another year has gone by and what a year it has been. We have seen a lot of progress on so many fronts. All of this happens specifically due to the support of our members. Your support this past year is positioning our industry to make huge