Gathering in Toronto were the intellectual elite, as it pertains to the application of concrete in North America. To say that I was out of my element is the understatement of the decade. For the layman such as myself it was like watching paint dry in super slow motion. The conversations so technical, the subjects dissected down to the most minuscule detail. The questions of where to change a period at the end of a statement, or to move details from the opening of a specification to the middle were all lost on this humble Sales Associate. However as with any salesman I was keyed in on opportunity. I was able to meet Hayder A. Rasheed Ph.D Associate Professor at Kansas State University. Rasheed wishes to test on the ComBAR® product and offered to make the proper introduction of our company to the State of Kansas and the Kansas Department of Transportation both of which he has a long standing relationship. I met with John P. Busel of the ACMA ( American Composites Manufacturing Association) long time Hughes Brothers advocate that was excited to hear the ComBAR® now has a presence in the United States. He will be instrumental in giving more credibility to our efforts as we move forward in the USA. I should also mention that both men are voting members of the ACI. Dritan Topuzi is now also a member of the ACI which with coaching from 440 Chair has the information needed to increase our participation and influence on the use of composites in reinforcement moving forward.
Tuesday evening concluded with a Gala at the Royal Ontario Museum.
In the evening standing on my hotel balcony I notice above me the concrete damage from the rebar spalling and secured a visit with the hotel’s Vice President Josef Ebner and his General Manager Ron Pellerine and discussed how the use of ComBAR® and other related Schoeck products could assist the failure they are currently experiencing and they have agreed to open the lines of discussion, as well as allow us to participate in talks with the engineers they are contracting to rehabilitate the building.
I was once told that luck is when preparation meets opportunity, and in that respect I feel that a great deal of luck transpired over the course of my three days at the ACI convention. I also feel optimistic that ComBAR® should participate this February in the ACI World of Concrete to keep the momentum of Schock ComBAR® moving forward.
Cheers
Domenico Pace