FIND A CONTRACTOR BUYER'S GUIDE
BECOME AN INDUSTRY PARTNER
MCAA Logo
MEMBER LOGIN JOIN
NEWS
World of Concrete 2026 Registration Is Open ↗

Staying Power

Words: Dan KamysSome masonry equipment that has been available for several years is starting to come into its own and gain popularity as masonry contractors discover the benefits.

The Grout Grunt, a two-handled plastic scoop that holds 0.5 cubic feet of material, made its debut in 2005 when Giovanni Agazzi, a mason with more than 45 years of experience, saw a need to more effectively deliver grout. He invented the Grout Grunt, which allows masons to quickly scoop, handle and pour high density material, including grout, sand and mortar.

"They're very easy to use, and with two handles, your fingers are never dirty," says Morgan Agazzi, manager for Grout Grunt in Livonia, Mich. "It's a clean way to move grout, and it saves you time and money. Everyone stays on the scaffolding."

Kenrich Products Inc. in Portland, Ore., has found success with its line of compact, low-volume grout power pumps.

"We're serving a segment of the market that's not being met by anyone else," says Rick Rountree, company owner. The pumps evolved from hand-operated pumps to the GP-3A, an air operated pump with a 4.6-gallon hopper and an output capacity of five gallons per minute.

Last year, the company introduced the GP-8A, a low-pressure, air-powered grout pump. "The benefit of it is it has a higher volume than the GP-3," Rountree says. "It eliminates the manual labor, so you'll never get tired. For the amount of pressure it puts out, it's a pretty slick pump."
 0
From Day One to Long-Term Success: Onboarding Strategies for Contractors
January 2026

The construction industry is facing one of its toughest challenges in decades. Companies are struggling to find enough skilled workers while competing to keep the ones they have. At the same time, projects are becoming more complex, deadlines are tighter,

Matt Dibara
Business Management
Read More
Finding the Right PPE for Your Work
January 2026

When it comes to PPE, one thing’s for sure: safety isn’t one size fits all. The work you’re doing, where you’re doing it, and even what time of year it is, can all make a big difference in what gear actually works. Price, comfort, and job performance all

Greg Brown
Safety Library
Read More
Back Injuries: The Real Cost and How to Prevent Them
January 2026

The mention of back injuries makes mason contractors cringe, and for good reason. Masons lift heavy objects every day, all day long. When a person sustains a back injury, it is serious. It affects every part of their life, from their ability to perform wo

Zach Everett
Safety Library
Read More
Detailing for Durability: The 2026 Guide to High-Performance Stone Veneer Transitions
January 2026

Some of the most expensive failures involving manufactured stone veneer installations don’t come from the stone at all, but rather from the material transitions and flashing around it. Transitions are weak points in the overall cladding where water can fi

Jeff Tew
Technical Talks
Read More