Putzmeister Pumps Aid in Completing Massive Slab Pour Hours Ahead of Schedule June 2004

STURTEVANT, Wis. (June 4, 2004) – At 6 feet, 3 inches and 280 pounds, Richard Williams bears no physical resemblance to 5-foot, 10-inch, 150-pound Stan Shouse, one of his experienced operators at Williams Concrete Pumping in Tulsa, Okla. However when the two men paired up recently to pump concrete for construction of the Hope Lumber and Supply Co. warehouse and distribution center in Oklahoma City, they worked as if they were a set of twins.

Completely in sync with each other’s moves, Williams and Shouse expertly pumped the largest job that concrete contractor Cantera Inc., Tulsa, had ever handled. The two men worked at a brisk pace to pour a 62,000-square-foot slab in five hours and finished up two hours ahead of schedule.

By strategically starting just after midnight, traffic disruption was minimized and the pace of concrete delivery exceeded expectations. Dolesé Concrete, a Ready Mixed company in Oklahoma City, was prepared to deliver 190 yards an hour.

However because two Putzmeister concrete boom pumps on the job could handle way more, Dolesé stepped up to the plate and delivered 250 yards of a required 3,500-psi mix in the first hour alone.

Dolesé kept up a strong pace during the remainder of the pour by operating from two nearby batch plants. This allowed the pumps to quickly gulp down and place 1,100 cubic yards by 5:30 a.m.

Although the work site was more than 2.5 hours from Williams’ home base in Inola, Okla., the pumping company proved an ideal fit for the job. “We did it fast, but accurate,” said Brent Dostal, vice president of Cantera. “Rick and Stan came through with excellent results. We’ve relied on Williams Concrete for a lot of pours and their equipment has never once failed us. This was especially important on the large Hope Lumber pour, as the job was over 125 miles away.”

The pour required some extra ingenuity in plotting a suitable pumping setup. And in the frenzy of getting a project completed quickly, sub-contractors got ahead of themselves and dug a utility ditch before the slab was poured.

However, the long, 158-foot horizontal reach of the Putzmeister 52Z-Meter boom pump compensated for the ditch/obstacle by placing concrete from one side. Meanwhile, the 36-Meter Putzmeister placed concrete from the opposite side.

Pumping in a staggered pattern, the two end hoses basically met in the middle. Both boom pumps had to be stopped and moved once during the pour.

“Stan and I might have gotten a few chuckles about the difference in our physical appearances when we showed up at the job, but no one complained about the end result,” Williams said.

“For this job, I operated the 52Z-Meter, my favorite because of its five-section boom. Stan worked the 36-Meter. All conditions were fairly ideal except the more challenging way we had to setup and move the pumps. However, we calculated the unit moves just right so concrete delivery never had to stop.”

Along with Williams and Shouse, a number of other well-matched pairs participated in the pour: two pumps, two batch plants and two laser screeds. In addition, nine riding trowel machines and 24 men were assigned to the project. Beta Resources, Tulsa, and Pro Struck, Lenexa, Kan., supplied the laser screeds.

The pouring crew achieved FF 56 flatness and FL 32 levelness, or about 33 percent better than job specifications required.

“We essentially scheduled all this equipment to speed up the process and ensure no cold joints occurred,” Dostal said. “With the motto ‘Measured Quality’ on our hard hats, we need to have total control with full contingency plans in place.

“However, we do put a lot of faith in Williams’ and their equipment so we don’t usually schedule a pump backup. With Rick (Williams) at the controls, we know the job will get done right because he’ll do whatever it takes to make it a success. I’m sure his operators would do the same.”

Williams established his business in 1981 by grouting pools. He then moved into hard-rock work and purchased a Thom-Katt® hydraulic trailer pump in 1985. In 1987, he expanded his fleet with boom pumps. Today, the company operates six Putzmeister boom pumps and one truck-mounted line pump. Williams and his wife, Barbara, are co-owners of the company.

Hope Lumber and Supply Company, based in Tulsa, is a privately held corporation that supplies lumber, building materials and building-related services to professional homebuilders. The company’s new $6 million warehouse and distribution center is scheduled for completion this summer.

JOB SPECS General contractor: CBCI Jim Freeman, Tulsa, Okla. Concrete contractor: Cantera Inc., Tulsa, Okla. Pumping contractor: Williams Concrete Pumping, Inola, Okla. Ready-mix supplier: Dolesé Concrete, Oklahoma City, Okla. Laser screed suppliers: Beta Resources, Tulsa, Okla. and Pro Struck, Lenexa, Kan. Equipment: Putzmeister 52Z-Meter and 36-Meter