a:30:{s:9:"weblog_id";s:1:"2";s:8:"entry_id";s:3:"319";s:6:"sticky";s:1:"n";s:14:"allow_comments";s:1:"n";s:16:"allow_trackbacks";s:1:"n";s:10:"entry_date";s:19:"2008-11-26 06:12 AM";s:15:"expiration_date";s:0:"";s:23:"comment_expiration_date";s:0:"";s:8:"category";a:2:{i:0;s:2:"16";i:1;s:2:"28";}s:9:"author_id";s:1:"2";s:10:"new_weblog";s:1:"2";s:6:"status";s:4:"open";s:14:"trackback_urls";s:0:"";s:18:"versioning_enabled";s:1:"y";s:5:"title";s:60:"MC Industrial Logs Millionth  Manhour at Holcim Cement Plant";s:9:"url_title";s:59:"mc_industrial_logs_millionth_manhour_at_holcim_cement_plant";s:6:"submit";s:6:"Update";s:10:"field_id_5";s:60:"MC Industrial Logs Millionth  Manhour at Holcim Cement Plant";s:10:"field_ft_5";s:4:"none";s:10:"field_id_9";s:141:"Ninety ironworkers, cement masons and millwrights traveled from 16 states, working around the clock to help complete 13 silos in just 72 days";s:10:"field_ft_9";s:4:"none";s:11:"field_id_13";s:0:"";s:10:"field_id_7";s:22:"MC Industrial,  Holcim";s:10:"field_ft_7";s:4:"none";s:10:"field_id_8";s:3136:"<p>While battling a labor shortage created by the largest expansion in U.S. industrial construction in decades, <a href=\"http://www.mc-industrial.com\">MC Industrial</a>&nbsp; earlier this month completed its one millionth self-performed manhour in the construction of the new Holcim (US) Ste. Genevieve cement plant in Bloomsdale, Mo.<br /><br />MC Industrial, a McCarthy company that serves the industrial construction market nationwide, is general contractor for the silos, conveyors and tunnel portions of the $900 million greenfield site project.<br /><br />\"Besides the sheer challenge of managing 500 or more workers at peak at any one time, we have faced the very real challenge of obtaining and maintaining a workforce on this project,\" explained Will Chipley, project director for MC Industrial.<br /><br />The 13 silos completed earlier this year, in particular, posed major labor challenges, as the project competed for workers with other industrial mega-projects under construction in the Midwest at the same time.&nbsp; Since local unions were tapped out, the call went out to other states for tradesmen and women interested in traveling to Bloomsdale for work.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br />Although the majority of \"travelers\" are now back in their home states, a total of 90 contributed to the 700,000 manhours required to build the cement plant\'s silos.&nbsp; These ironworkers, cement masons and millwrights were recruited from 16 states, some as far away as New Mexico, Florida and Michigan.<br /><br /><strong>Labor shortage reported</strong><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Almost two-thirds of industrial contractors nationwide have experienced labor shortages, according to a new study reported in the November issue of Midwest Construction.&nbsp; \"The study said that demand is particularly strong for ironworkers,\" says Chipley, \"which we have definitely found to be the case.\"&nbsp;&nbsp; This summer and fall, ironworkers in particular were in short supply due to several large power plants currently under construction in the Midwest, he explains.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />Once MC Industrial assembled its large crew, it took careful planning to manage worker safety, as well as to keep everyone productive. \"For two and one-half months, the project was running 24/7, with 13 silos constructed in just 72 days,\" says Chipley.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />In addition to the 13 raw meal, clinker and cement silos, MC Industrial has completed a limestone reclaim tunnel, will soon wrap up work on two 60-foot diameter, 155-foot tall harbor silos which will hold the finished cement for barge loading, and by June 2009, will complete material handling conveyors from the clinker silos to the cement mills.<br /><br />When the plant comes on line in late summer 2009, the new Holcim facility will be capable of producing up to four million metric tons of cement annually&nbsp; Holcim (US) Inc. is one of the largest suppliers of Portland and blended cements and related mineral components in the United States.<br /><br />&nbsp;<a href=\"http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/38977.html\"></a></p>";s:11:"field_id_42";s:0:"";s:11:"field_id_43";s:0:"";s:11:"field_ft_43";s:4:"none";s:10:"category_0";s:2:"16";s:10:"category_1";s:2:"28";}