Our friend Jorge Figueroa Silva, CEO of Tilt-Up Asesores SA de CV, presented a talk at the 2022 Tilt-Up Convention and Expo in Denver, Colorado, titled, “Tilt-Up in Mexico: Challenges and Opportunities.” In it, he outlined how construction in Mexico is influenced by the processes and technological advances that occur in North America, with a lag of about 5 to 10 years. 

Addressing the crowd of mostly Spanish-speaking attendees with passion for his country, he shared how a lag in technological advances, difficulties in supply procurement, and cultural differences combine to create a potentially troublesome situation for our tilt-up industry in Latin America. He pleaded for the leaders of our industry in the United States to invest in the education, training, and growth of the tilt-up industry in Latin America. He explained how the continued advancement of the industry beyond Mexico, further south, would be dependent on the health of the Mexican tilt-up community. 

His message struck a chord with me as it relates directly to two fundamental charges of the association:

• 1. Maintain a professional stature as the best-informed organization on the subject of tilt-up concrete.
• 2. Develop and expand tilt-up markets.

In the past, we have worked to deliver on these charges for our tilt-up community beyond the borders of the US, and we’re excited to recommit to those efforts in 2023 by reinvesting in the education and promotion of tilt-up abroad. New initiatives supporting member development in Mexico and South America will be introduced throughout the year. Additionally, our commitment to providing multilingual resources will be strengthened. 

To kick off these important initiatives, TCA is establishing an International Membership Taskforce that will identify opportunities and strategies to increase engagement of members outside of the United States. I look forward to reporting on their ideas and activities in the near future.