It’s always good to hear from different construction companies. It can be a great way to gauge the work being done for infrastructure and urban growth. Below is an excerpt of an interview with Noah Chinburg, a project manager with SPS New England, Inc.
Tell us a little about your background and what you are currently doing at SPS New England.
CHINBURG: I received my master’s degree from the University of New Hampshire. After college, I worked for four years in private consulting, then for 2 years as a geotechnical engineer for the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT).
In 2017, I joined the Structure Maintenance Department at SPS New England, one of the leading bridge, highway, trans/railroad, and marine contractors in the northeast. As a project manager, today I lead a team of assistant project managers and field engineers across the state of Massachusetts that is responsible for on-call bridge repairs and maintenance projects for the Massachusetts DOT.
When did Cemen Tech catch your eye and what is the main feature that proves its value?
CHINBURG: For more than a decade, SPS New England has trusted volumetric concrete mixers from Cemen Tech to be part of our fleet. These trucks measure, mix, and dispense from a single unit. The sand, stone, cement powder, water, and additives are kept in their own bin and not mixed until we need it, so we get fresh product on the jobsite with no delays, no hot loads, and no overages.
Being able to mix and pour on demand also helps when it comes to quality control. For example, sample testing can be done at the jobsite, and any necessary changes can be made, then and there.
Our operators love how user-friendly the technology is on our Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixers are, and how quick and easy it is for them to get started pouring concrete on the jobsite with the touch of a button.
What projects have been completed using Cemen Tech?
CHINBURG: SPS New England primarily uses Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixers for rapid response bridge deck repairs. During an average year, our team is involved in more than 200 bridge repairs, with up to three different crews operating at one time. This includes responding to on-call bridge deck repair projects on an emergency basis, 24/7.
One of the good things about Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixers is that they can sit full and ready to go. Because we don’t have to line up a batch producer, we can run on our own schedule, while also being able to meet urgent demands. For example, when a small amount of rapid setting product is needed, or during times when scheduling a batch plant truck would be challenging.
Cemen Tech volumetric mixers are ideally suited for rapid setting concrete because concrete is batched in real time in higher volumes than a single batch drum mixer. They are stored fully loaded at our yard, which makes them easy to deploy for rapid response bridge deck repairs, which can have response times as low as 2 hours.
What do you like most about Cemen Tech? Do you see more use of Cemen Tech in the future?
CHINBURG: In addition to the flexibility and efficiencies the trucks offer, I have been impressed with Cemen Tech’s commitment to service. They are always very responsive whenever a question or issue comes up, even when we’re under tight timelines.
Going forward, I see us continuing to use Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixers, particularly for low volume (less than 9 cubic yards) placements of rapid setting concrete. From a broader perspective, I can see these trucks continuing to expand in the bridge deck repair world, along with other repair areas where mixes other than rapid setting are used. There is a lot of potential there.
Does Cemen Tech help with cutting down on costs associated with concrete projects?
CHINBURG: Cemen Tech’s volumetric mixers serve a specialized type of work, where the ability to quickly respond with a reliable product is more valuable than material cost. Although it may be difficult to compete on a material cost basis with ready-mix concrete, there are many situations where volumetric mixers are the most economical method of batching and placing concrete.
CLOSING THOUGHT
No matter the size, location or business specialty, construction firms and contractors are always looking for ways to grow and diversity their business. Having equipment like a Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixer can help create and support those opportunities by providing tools to mix and deliver concrete, serve the needs of a wider variety of customers, and be a helpful resource to others in your industry and market.
For More Information:
Founded in 1984, family-owned SPS New England, Inc. has grown to become one of the leading bridge, highway, transit/railroad and marine contractors in New England. For more, visit www.spsnewengland.com. Cemen Tech is the world’s largest manufacturer of volumetric technology. Its concrete mixers are used in more than 70 countries. For more, visit www.cementech.com.
Modern Contractor Solutions, September 2022
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