The 2017 International Tilt-Up Convention and Expo brings together the leading suppliers and manufacturers in today’s tilt-up industry. The innovation that comes from TCA’s exhibiting companies is unparalleled and plays a vital role in the industry’s design capabilities, technological advancements and simplified process that are used today.

Read this year’s exhibitor Q&A to discover new and exciting products and services that will be featured in the exhibit hall, how the convention shapes the supplier and manufacturer’s understanding of today’s tilt-up industry, what kind of feedback they are looking for and where they see the greatest potential for the tilt-up industry over the next five years.

TCA: What product/service are you most excited to share at the Tilt-Up Convention in Miami this year?

Architectural Polymers, Inc.: In the Tilt-Up world, bigger truly is better. Our two large CNC machines offer superior solutions for standard patterns, custom patterns and concrete art while our 6’x16’ Thermonator allows for a greater number of pattern possibilities. Overall, we are most excited to provide solutions at these larger sizes which are ideal for tilt-up. Check out the basket weave texture at the outdoor demo and tell us if you can find the seams.

Connect-EZ/Tincher’s Welding LLC: Connect-EZ’ goal is to introduce new innovative products every year. This year we are focusing on Column Sockets, which eliminate the necessity of box-outs around the column foundations. These increase safety, allow uninterrupted screeding of the floor slab and eliminate the imprint of the column box-out on the panel’s surface.

CTS Cement Mfg. Corp.: The product that we are most excited to share is Rapid Set® WunderFixx® which is a fast setting, universal patching and smoothing cementitious compound that is engineered for tilt-ups. In addition, we are just as excited about demonstrating our tilt-up products by showing the process of patching and smoothing a panel in the outside demonstration area.

Custom Rock Formliner: Custom Rock Formliner has a very innovative offering of textures for the tilt-up community. We have geared our standard textures to the palate desired in today’s market. We also have the ability to create custom form liners with quick lead times. because we know architects relish the ability to “make their mark” with a custom texture on exterior walls. We have textures ranging from weathered and worn to contemporary and clean in all the primary texture categories. We are most excited to get feedback and ideas from our customers, the tilt up concrete contractor and designer.

Dayton Superior: Dayton Superior is excited to introduce new tilt-up construction brochure that highlights full portfolio of products and services that Dayton Superior offers for tilt-up industry. We are also introducing a few new tilt-up products this year: high capacity lifting insert with stay-in voidformer, high capacity 42’ fixed brace and low VOC bondbreaker.

Endicott Thin Brick and Tile: Endicott will be highlighting our 16” thin brick units along with the other sizes and textures we are known for. We will also be showcasing our new plant expansion, which will allow us to meet the increased thin brick demand from our customers.

HD Supply Construction and Industrial White Cap: Coast to Coast Professional Tilt Up Specialists, Products & Services.

IconX, L.L.C.: Icon has been hard at work developing composite shear connectors for the tilt-up market. We are excited to show the contractors two new products. In addition to our original Icon Model 23, designed for use in 2 to 3 inches of insulation, we our introducing the Icon Model 34 shear connector. Model 34 can span 3 to 4 inches of insulation and provides the contractor a tool to achieve R-Values ranging from R-8 to R-34. Icon is also excited to announce that we now have a Carbon Fiber connector that is available in both the Model 23 and 34. The Carbon Icon allows for higher composite action, longer spans, and low panel deflections.

Innovative Brick Systems, LLC: At Innovative Brick Systems, we are excited about our new MUD product. which can be used as an alternative to wax to protect the brick in situations where wax is not an option or is a time factor and possibly even entire jobs. MUD can be applied on site and hot water is not needed to clean up the finished product. The MUD is also more environmentally friendly. IBS has also begun introduction of our Total Tilt Package, which is a full service, premium product that can reduce much of the site work of the brick and liner process!

KEIM Mineral Coatings of America, Inc.: Concretal® Mineral Silicate Stains and Finishes for concrete. By using the same raw materials as the concrete itself, these finishes penetrate and form insoluble chemical bonds within the concrete so they can never lose adhesion. Being natural mineral, these finishes are also very vapor permeable and will allow cast concrete to remain dry. And, both the mineral silicate binder and lightfast mineral pigments deliver decades of durability and fade proof color performance, even in bright colors like Ultramarine Blue. And these natural mineral finishes are the ultimate eco-friendly and sustainable coatings with virtually no VOC’s nor added chemicals or pesticides.

Meadow Burke: This year at TCA, Meadow Burke, the innovators in concrete construction, will be sharing both a new product and service!

Our new product preview will allow you to be the first to see the prototype of our panel to footing connection system that we have in new product development. Join us daily for live product demonstration at the Meadow Burke booth; 12 noon Friday the 28th – Saturday the 30th to learn more.

You can also find out more about the collaboration between Meadow Burke and Thermomass to develop the Complete Tilt offering. Complete Tilt is an insulated concrete panel consolidated design service, which pairs MB’s Lift & Brace engineering and TM’s turn-key fabrication service. With a dedicated project manager, we will provide concierge level service delivering an engineered system and unrivaled single source efficiency. The key benefits for users of Complete Tilt will be a more efficient drawing and review process, shorter lead times with a single point of contact for management and state of the art drawing layouts.

Nawkaw: Nawkaw is excited to share the application of our new VOC-Free mineral stain, NawTone-K—ideal for Tilt-Up concrete!

Nox-Crete Products Group: Recently, Nox-Crete has brought to market cost-saving tilt-up accessories that improve results. Clean Line Reveal extruded PVC rustication strips leave incredible tilt wall panel detail with limited grinding and patching requirements at a low applied cost. Nox-Crete has also launched a new precision engineered laminated veneer lumber edgeform called Pac Form. Preliminary testing shows that Tilt-Up contractors can expect to get 10 repours with this material without warping.

SureBuilt Concrete Forms & Accessories: We are introducing two new products for lifting and connecting panels, we are looking forward to sharing this with the attendees.

Thermomass: We’re excited to talk about Complete Tilt, our collaborative engineering service with Meadow Burke. Complete Tilt is an insulated tilt-up panel design service, which pairs MB’s Lift & Brace engineering and TM’s turn-key fabrication service. Contractors will have the opportunity to work with a dedicated project manager and will experience a more efficient drawing and review process, shorter lead times, a single point of contact for project management and state of the art layouts.

Wagman Metal Products: Our patented Revolution Rotary System repurposes the common power trowel machine into a versatile scrubbing, stripping, and polishing tool. For many years, it’s been used to strip off unwanted materials from the floor surface after tilting the walls up. Dirt, sealers, bond-breakers and most glue products are efficiently removed with equipment that’s already on site. The polishing aspect is even more exciting because it allows the tilt-up contractor to keep floor and wall polishing within their scope, instead of giving that portion of work to a specialty contractor.

TCA: How has past participation in this event shaped your understanding of the tilt-up industry?

Architectural Polymers, Inc.: In the 10 years that we’ve been a member of the TCA, we’ve seen the challenges and developed systems to make life easier for the tilt-up industry.

Connect-EZ/Tincher’s Welding LLC: Every year we learn more by attending the TCA convention! The contacts we make and the relationships we renew every year are invaluable to the success of Connect-EZ. We look forward to this event every year!

CTS Cement Mfg. Corp.: It’s opened our eyes to how fast the tilt construction industry continues to grow and how it continues to become more advanced in the architectural design-build community.

Custom Rock Formliner: The TCA brings together a very rich collection of variety in markets from California to Nova Scotia. Nowhere else can a vendor learn so much in so little time about how to gear their business to help make their customers, and ultimately the vendor, successful. From the time to mingle in the exhibit hall with attendees to the time allowed for vendors to attend the learning sessions, it’s a very valuable event.

Dayton Superior: The tilt-up industry consists of a dedicated group of contractors, engineers, architects and manufactures who are always looking for ways to improve and promote the tilt-up industry as well as share new ideas.

Endicott Thin Brick and Tile: We have realized that with the right design team, associate members, and producer member anything is possible. It has also helped us see the variety of building types being constructed using Tilt-Up concrete panels.

HD Supply Construction and Industrial White Cap: The TCA Events have given us a Great understanding of what the Tilt Up Contractor needs to be successful.

IconX, L.L.C.: We have listened to the tilt-up contractors and design engineers and understand what they need to be successful and competitive in the insulated wall panel market. The consensus is that the panel size keeps growing and insulated panel design needs to improve to keep up. We designed the carbon fiber version of the Icon shear connector to achieve this. The advantage of carbon fiber is in its ability to make tall panels and longer spans.

Innovative Brick Systems, LLC: The TCA Annual Convention has allowed us to have a better understanding of the trends in the tilt-up industry, and helped us tailor our products and services to the needs of our customers as they react to the needs of their projects. Both the conversations with everyone in the exhibit areas as well as time in the educational breakout sessions always bring some additional knowledge of these trends.

KEIM Mineral Coatings of America, Inc.: We are new to the show this year.

Meadow Burke: The show is a great way for Meadow Burke to connect with designers and contractors alike, who are involved in tilt-up construction. Hearing their opinions and listening to their needs during the design or construction phase is invaluable as we strive to serve our customers, and the industry.

Nawkaw: By learning more about the Tilt-Up process, we have realized the potential Tilt-Up offers and are keen on developing products that complement industry needs. Our application services match our level of dedication to the Tilt-Up industry, offering a wide range of solutions to everyday challenges.

Nox-Crete Products Group: Over the years, our membership in the TCA has been critical to developing and maintaining a successful tilt-up product strategy. We get a chance to listen to concrete contractors, so we can develop new product solutions that solve common concrete field problems.

SureBuilt Concrete Forms & Accessories: Tilt-up is small group of engineers contactors and suppliers , usually hanging out and networking with the same people and contacts, it is very hard to break in as new company or supplier.

Thermomass: The Tilt-Up Convention and Expo provides unparalleled access to contractors and designers in a friendly, casual setting. The convention creates a collaborative environment, resulting in dialogue that drives innovative new products and services for Thermomass and the industry alike.

TCA: What kind of feedback are you looking for from this year’s attendees?

Architectural Polymers, Inc.: We have a commitment to continual improvement and we’re always looking for more feedback on our user-friendly systems.

Connect-EZ/Tincher’s Welding LLC: At Connect-EZ all of our ideas or new products come from engineers and contractors in the industry. Our goal is to innovate new products that bring productivity, cost effectiveness and safety to tilt-up. When we attend the TCA convention we do a lot of listening.

CTS Cement Mfg. Corp.: The feedback we would like is for attendees to see these aspects as beneficial to their jobs.  Since tilt-ups are being built at a much faster pace, our products help meet the fast track schedules. Tilt-ups are becoming fancier and more detailed in their design, and our products make it easier to achieve much better results on panels. The product also has a low pH and allows for paint to be applied sooner, which keeps them on track to finish their jobs more quickly.

Custom Rock Formliner: At Custom Rock, we strive to innovate and to bring new options and fresh thinking to both architects and contractors.  We absolutely need feedback from the field about the challenges and issues facing the industry today, and to that end, we welcome the opportunity that the TCA show affords us to interact with attendees.  Whether it’s an industry-wide issue or job-specific challenge, we’re here to help.

Dayton Superior Corporation: We are hoping to learn more about current tilt-up industry trends  and regulations that might affect the industry.

Endicott Thin Brick and Tile: We would like to the attendees to have a full understanding of Endicott’s manufacturing capabilities in regards to color, size, and texture capabilities.

HD Supply Construction and Industrial White Cap: Future market expectations from the industry and how to better assist the contractor.

IconX, L.L.C.: With the new expectations set by the 2012 Energy Code we are interested to see if Tilt-Up customers are asking for higher R-Values and high-performance insulated panels. We are beginning to see cities, counties, states and other non-government entities require energy code compliance and high-performance panels.

Innovative Brick Systems, LLC: As a supplier, we are always asking our customers what things we are doing right and what things they need us to do differently.   What worked for them and what could have been better? They are usually not shy about telling us the latter, but we continue to ask and hope to get more direction from them this year.

KEIM Mineral Coatings of America, Inc.: What are your greatest challenges when finishing exterior concrete?  How do these challenges impact our bottom line?

Meadow Burke: We want you to be part of our new product development process.  Give us feedback on how you would use the prototype of the panel to footing connection and even help us select a name for the product!  Also, what else is a challenge in the field?  How could we make your project quicker, with lower cost and safer?  Your challenges are our new product development opportunities!

Nawkaw: As we continue to expand into the Tilt-Up market, we hope to learn new ways to increase awareness of our application services and become specified on more Tilt-Up projects in the future.

Nox-Crete Products Group: We look forward to learning more about contractor plans to mitigate the risk of silica dust inhalation. Several of our high-performance chemical and accessory solutions reduce the need for grinding on tilt-up wall panels. These products can be implemented as dust control work processes to help meet the new OSHA requirements. Change is inevitable, but staying ahead of this new regulation doesn’t have to kill your profits. In fact, by taking advantage of next generation solutions from Nox-Crete, your operations can run more efficiently to give you an edge on your competition.

Thermomass: Tilt-Up Construction continues to gain share against more traditional methods of construction in North America. Thermomass looks forward to hearing about local and regional tilt-up trends and building types that are new and emerging.

Wagman Metal Products: We believe that tilt-up contactors will realize a tremendous opportunity in offering floor polishing services to their clients as a value-added upgrade. Since they already own power trowels, they have an extremely low-barrier to enter the polishing market, compared to the cost of traditional grinding and polishing equipment.

TCA: Where do you see the greatest potential for the tilt-up industry over the next five years?

Architectural Polymers, Inc.: We see a lot of potential for growth in the tilt-up industry in the South and Southeast. With our new form liner systems for tumbled thin brick, we’re getting a lot of great feedback and seeing amazing results.

Connect-EZ/Tincher’s Welding LLC: As internet retail sales continue to grow market share, we see the development of large regional distribution centers as a growing market. The imagination and experience of tilt-up contractors and engineers has expanded the tilt-up markets for many years, and we see that as a source of continued growth for the industry.

CTS Cement Mfg. Corp.: The greatest potential we see for the tilt-up Industry over the next five years is along high traffic distribution routes and the renovation/restoration of existing tilt-up buildings.

Custom Rock Formliner: The tilt-up industry has the challenge of reaching owners, architects and general contractors and is up against building methods with much heavier marketing budgets.  The ability to be nimble and efficient in the approach to providing solutions the building industry seeks is paramount to the success of the tilt-up industry.  The vendors that supply material to the tilt-up industry must continue to support the efforts of the TCA in growing support and awareness for a truly special construction method.

Dayton Superior Corporation: Warehouse, distribution and data center projects are experiencing an unprecedented growth right now and we believe that tilt-up market is well positioned to take advantage of this growth.

Endicott Thin Brick and Tile: As the tilt up industry grows as a preferred method of construction, the demand for more sophisticated designs will also increase.  Cladding materials like thin brick, will continue to grow as owners are seeking out natural design elements like clay brick.

HD Supply Construction and Industrial White Cap: The custom tilt-up church’s, office buildings, schools, etc…

IconX, L.L.C.: We see the potential for adding value to the building through LEED certified, energy savings, performance, resilience and aesthetics.  These additional values allow the contractor to separate themselves from the pack of metal, masonry and EIFS contractors and improve their bottom line.

Innovative Brick Systems, LLC: We are expecting the multi-story opportunities to continue to grow as well as the retail and institutional market.  Many projects that might otherwise have been built with conventional construction or precast, may be built tilt-up because of the success in past years and ingenuity shown by some of the award winning tilt-up designs!

KEIM Mineral Coatings of America, Inc.: Continued demand for rapid and less costly warehouse, distribution and retail space construction along with innovative applications of tilt-up construction techniques in new architectural applications where cost and time are critical factors.

Meadow Burke: Tilt-Up is embraced for its speed of construction, durability, and ability to control temperature over its precast, masonry or steel wood frames alternatives.  There is potential to widen this appeal upon a geographic basis into markets where the alternative methods are still prevalent.  Perception changes around Tilt-Up being only a low-rise industrial or commercial building solution, to a multi-story architectural focused solution, would also lead to opportunities for the industry.

Nawkaw: We foresee the education sector and parking decks becoming a high-demand area for tilt-up over the next five years. With the projected industry growth in these particular areas, it is only a matter of time before this cost-effective building method is more commonly utilized in these building types.

Nox-Crete Products Group: Design teams specifying Store Prototypes expect product compatibility across the entire project scope. Nox-Crete formulates our chemical products using a System Approach, which are tested to achieve 100% compatibility. This minimizes RISK for the entire Project Team when Nox-Crete is involved. In addition, we are seeing demand for Single Source partnerships trending up from contractors driving efficiencies. They want to get into higher levels of discounts, and know they can count on Nox-Crete performance.

SureBuilt Concrete Forms & Accessories: Big exposure for tilt-up is maybe rising water holding walls around the urban areas.

Thermomass: Skilled labor shortages, increasing and enforceable energy efficiency regulations and a drive towards more durable and sustainable construction will drive demand for Thermomass insulated tilt-up construction for years to come.

Check out the full list of exhibitors participating in this year’s convention atwww.tilt-up.org/events/2017-tca-convention/exhibitors.