The Conco Companies, Author at The Conco Companies

Over the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic has required us to mask up, stay 6’ apart from others, limit in-person interactions, and make adjustments to our daily lives and schedules to limit the spread of the virus. Unfortunately, the virus has gone on to claim more American lives than U.S. soldiers killed in World War II. Many of us personally know of someone who either died from COVID or at the very least, became ill from exposure.

The pandemic has taken lives, livelihoods, and upended our communities.

Many people working in the service economy (restaurants, travel, hotels, etc.) have lost their jobs and watched their savings evaporate, putting them in great financial hardship. Though construction is deemed an essential business, Conco was not immune to the effects of COVID. Projects were delayed, put on hold, or canceled, causing us to lay off good people until business returns to normal. We’ve had colleagues contract the virus, and we mourn with those who have lost loved ones.

After a year of struggles and heartache, a national vaccination program is underway.

Mass vaccination sites are popping up throughout the country, driving up the immunization rate. As of early April, just over 22% of the American population has been fully vaccinated. However, skepticism about the three available vaccines is among the highest in the construction industry. A recent poll finds that only 54% of construction workers plan to get the vaccination.

From all accounts, the vaccination program is working well.

The United States is currently vaccinating more than 3 million people a day. This has resulted in a significant drop in positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths associated with COVID. We’re not out of the woods, but from all indications we’re headed in the right direction. To protect those around us, including family, friends, co-workers and the general public, we need to remain vigilant and do our part. We can empower our fellow colleagues and workers to get vaccinated with the resources provided by the Roll Up Your Sleeves initiative.

The majority of Conco’s senior management has already rolled up their sleeves to take the vaccine.

The sooner COVID is put behind us, the sooner we can return to our normal life. We each have the right to make our own choices, and Conco understands that choosing to get vaccinated can be a deeply personal choice. We encourage our employees, suppliers, and clients to get the facts and make an informed decision.

Let’s get back to work!

It is often said that the construction industry is slow to embrace technology.

Walk on to some job sites and you will see workers perform tasks using the same methods of 30 – 40 years ago! However, some exciting advancements are now being implemented by commercial concrete contractors keen to provide their clients with a better finished product. The following are just a few of the remarkable new tools Conco has adopted to perform layout functions for our clients.

“Layout” refers to the means and methods for laying out a structure before construction begins. When laying out a project, the technician identifies the location of all the walls, slab edges, block outs, embeds and any other important locations. Lay out a job poorly and you end up putting up walls or other structures in the wrong locations, which is of course a very costly mistake. The task of laying out a structure has gotten progressively harder as methods to accelerate construction projects routinely lead to plan changes and updates. This requires that the person doing layout has the most up-to-date set of plans.

One tool that Conco uses for this purpose is a Robotic Total Station (Figure 1).

As part of our Building Information Modeling services, the Robotic Total Station allows the technician to download the most current set of plans and to measure and verify distances so that control points can be established in the proper location. The Total Station improves accuracy and easily verifies results.

Conco additionally deploys 3D laser scanning.

A 3D laser scanner uses a non-contact technology to digitally capture the shape of physical objects using a line of laser light. Here are just some of the ways a 3D scanner can improve the efficiency and accuracy of the construction cycle:

1. Pre-construction planning.

Conco uses a 3D scan of the site to verify site logistics (Figure 2). If you need to know the exact distance to a curb, sidewalk or even the bottom of a telephone wire, you can determine that with a 3D scan. Knowing this information up front helps you develop an effective, reliable plan and to avoid costly or challenging surprises.

2. Pre-pour and post-pour as built information.

As part of our Quality Assurance plan, Conco uses a 3D scanner to ensure that rebar dowels, opening blockouts, hanging forms, slab edges, embeds, etc. are in the right place prior to concrete pours (Figure 3). Following a concrete pour, our 3D scanner can detect structural deviations in slab elevations. For instance, if you need to understand how much deflection is occurring in a slab, taking pre-pour, post-pour, and post-shoring scans will give a clear picture of elevated slab performance. Naturally, it is much easier and more cost-efficient to make changes before concrete is poured.

3. Slab finishing heat map and FF/FL analysis.

This QC step helps clients identify areas of concern in early stages to avoid delays on framing a structure or flooring prep (figure 4). The scan can also be used to confirm the engineered camber plan and drainage for a slab.

4. Core wall plumbness as built.

For other building trades such as the companies that install elevators and prefabricated stairs, a true and plumb wall facilitates their work (Figure 5). Validating that the wall is plumb eliminates future issues and is also far more aesthetically pleasing.

The final piece of equipment that Conco deploys is a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Scan (Figure 6).

This device can look into the concrete and identify where rebar and post-tensioning cables can be found. Using a GPR where there is a need to drill into a slab, wall or column eliminates the potential of damaging and compromising the structure by negatively impacting the cable or rebar.

The latest technologies have improved the accuracy of laying out structures. Conco has embraced the benefits of these tools and incorporates their use in our daily operations. By doing so, we can build better structures for our clients.

A building’s design and architectural style will leave an impact for years to come.

Poorly designed architecture will cheapen the look and feel of a neighborhood, while a thoughtfully constructed building can accentuate the surrounding architecture. The latter will be the case for 2072 Addison, a new mixed-use building in the Berkeley Arts district that is developed by Ruegg & Ellsworth, designed by Kirk Peterson Associates (KPA), and constructed by ECS Corp and Conco.

2072 Addison pays respect to Berkeley’s timeless character.

As developers who were born in Berkeley, Dave Ruegg and Bob Ellsworth wanted 2072 Addison to respect their hometown with a historical design. Through their business, Ruegg & Ellsworth, they shared their vision with architects Kirk Peterson and Mike Tracy at KPA. Once the design was finalized, ECS was brought in as the general contractor, who in turn approached Conco to build the structure with a cost-efficient design-build approach. Conco then contracted Hoogerwerf & Associates to develop the structural plans.

KPA chose a concrete façade for its versatility and design flexibility. Using concrete as a medium, ECS contracted Conco to build the formwork, and pump and place the concrete. Conco used a combination of casting concrete in place and using shotcrete, a type of concrete that is sprayed onto walls at high velocity. The result is a beautiful exterior with a mix of Roman features and delicate and chunky elements that befit any structure in the Arts district. It’s no wonder that the Berkeley city planners embraced the design.

Construction is a feat of skill and collaboration.

Building great structures takes a combination of vision, design, and execution that can only be accomplished with a skilled owner, architect, and structural engineer. Together, they transform their visions into working designs for the general contractor and subcontractors, like Conco, to execute. Conco is proud to have played a part in creating the finished product, and are thankful to work with a fantastic team.

2072 Addison 2 — Mike Tracy and ECS Team

We can all agree that 2020 was a year like no other. Our personal lives bled into our professional lives, with little distinction between the two. Even though construction was classified as an essential business, that didn’t mean Conco could continue “business as usual”. Far from it.

All businesses have a social responsibility to their workers, contractors, and the general public to operate as safely as possible.

For Conco, responsible operation means making work practices safer for our employees and contractors. Though 6’ social distancing sounds like a simple concept, it runs counter to an industry that is most successful when people work closely to accomplish a common goal. Conco isn’t one to back away from a challenge, and we quickly adapted with minimal disruption to construction schedules.

The pandemic wasn’t the only extreme circumstance Conco overcame in 2020.

The flurry of West Coast wildfires necessitated that work couldn’t be performed when the air quality reached unhealthy levels. Civil protests brought on by national events also required work to cease at times.

For Conco’s work to continue, we needed a plan—or in this case, several plans. We quickly adopted a COVID-19 Hazard Analysis plan along with Risk & PPE Assessments specific to placing concrete.

Part of Conco’s COVID-19 plan included:

Stepping up pre-task planning when maintaining 6’ social distancing becomes necessary.
Daily health screening with medical questionnaires and temperature checks.
Increased supervision to assist crews with work plans and monitor compliance.
Staggering work hours and breaking out crews into smaller groups.
On projects where feasible, implement access restrictions on the jobsite to control movement around a project.
Daily toolbox talks that stress the importance of staying home when not feeling well.
Tools sanitized at the end of each shift, and shared equipment sanitized before and after tasks.
Bathrooms serviced 2-3 times more frequently than in the past.
Daily housekeeping and cleanup.

In addition to our COVID-19 plan, we developed another action plan for when air quality is a concern.

When wildfires ravaged the West Coast, Conco made a significant investment in respiratory equipment and training for proper utilization. Even with new equipment and training, there were times when Conco decided it was best to suspend work duties for the time being.

In spite of the unanticipated challenges, we are proud of our dedicated employees and their ability to find ways to get the job done. As the pandemic continues to impact every aspect of our lives, we’ve adapted to deliver our concrete services on time.

Amidst the pandemic, Conco has topped out the following structures:

Esterra Park Block 3 – Redmond, WA. Contractor: JTM

8-story office building part of a 30-acre master planned community.

Topped out October, 2020

400 University – Seattle, WA. General Contractor: BN Builders

10-story office building in the heart of downtown Seattle.

Topped out November, 2020

24^th & Harrison – Oakland, CA. Contractor: Holland Partner Group

20-story residential tower with retail/restaurant space.

Topped out November, 2020

2016 Telegraph – Oakland, CA. Contractor: Holland Partner Group

24-story residential tower.

Topped out January, 2021

The Grand – Los Angeles, CA. Developer: Related Companies

Twin tower (29-story and 46-story) development with a hotel tower, residential tower, and retail on a city block.

Topped out North tower: November, 2020 | South tower: February, 2021

One Santana Row West – San Jose, CA. Contractor: Devcon Construction

8-story office building designed for research and development.

Topping out: March, 2021

Topping out a structure is the culmination of months of hard work by many different people.

The obstacles overcome during the pandemic have been challenging, but the resilience and dedication of the Conco family brought many projects to their successful conclusion.

Conco is one of the foremost suppliers of concrete services for the Western U.S. We started in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products. Since then, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have regional offices serving Northern California, Southern California, Oregon, and Washington.

In May 2020, The Conco Companies topped out Angelo Tower, which is part of a project that produced multiple low-income housing units in the Vancouver community. Also contributing to the project were Robertson & Olsen Construction, Wilson Architects PLLC, and KGA Consulting Engineers.

Conco was selected to contribute to the concrete portion of the project because of our expertise in:

Concrete pumping
Horizontal elevated-deck formwork
Vertical cast-in-place formwork
Engineering
Detailing
Reinforcing supply & fabrication
Trucking

The project scope included pouring Slab on Grade (SOG), three elevated decks, and three elevated Slab on Metal Decks (SOMDs). This totaled to a project size of 150,000 SF. The challenges of this project included pouring multiple mat foundations, and placing round architectural columns for a high-end appearance.

Conco began the project in November 2019 and adjusted our process accordingly to COVID-19 guidelines. The Angelo Project is one of the first projects we worked on during the pandemic, and one of many that will be completed quickly and safely.

Conco is one of the foremost suppliers of concrete services for the Western U.S. We started in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products. Since then, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have regional offices serving California, Oregon, and Washington.

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Rolling Up Our Sleeves to Get Back to Work

The pandemic has taken lives, livelihoods, and upended our communities.

After a year of struggles and heartache, a national vaccination program is underway.

From all accounts, the vaccination program is working well.

The majority of Conco’s senior management has already rolled up their sleeves to take the vaccine.

Using Technology to Improve Construction Layout

It is often said that the construction industry is slow to embrace technology.

One tool that Conco uses for this purpose is a Robotic Total Station (Figure 1).

Conco additionally deploys 3D laser scanning.

1. Pre-construction planning.

2. Pre-pour and post-pour as built information.

3. Slab finishing heat map and FF/FL analysis.

4. Core wall plumbness as built.

The final piece of equipment that Conco deploys is a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Scan (Figure 6).

A Building for the Ages: 2072 Addison St, Berkeley

A building’s design and architectural style will leave an impact for years to come.

2072 Addison pays respect to Berkeley’s timeless character.

Construction is a feat of skill and collaboration.

How Conco Tops Out Structures During a Pandemic

All businesses have a social responsibility to their workers, contractors, and the general public to operate as safely as possible.

The pandemic wasn’t the only extreme circumstance Conco overcame in 2020.

Part of Conco’s COVID-19 plan included:

In addition to our COVID-19 plan, we developed another action plan for when air quality is a concern.

Amidst the pandemic, Conco has topped out the following structures:

Topping out a structure is the culmination of months of hard work by many different people.

Apartment Tower Topped Out by Conco in Downtown Vancouver

The Conco Companies

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