Industry Notes

The American Concrete Institute notes that the latest edition of one of its best-selling publications, the “Manual of Concrete Practice” (MCP), is now available. ACI offers the 2008 MCP in a traditional hard-copy version, which contains a set of six books and a separate index; in an easy-to-use CD-ROM version; or in an online version. To order, please call (248) 848-3800 or visit its website (www.concrete.org). ACI also announced six educational seminars to be offered this spring to help the concrete professional remain up-to-date on concrete construction and technology. For more information, go to its website.

Global flooring manufacturer Flowcrete Group has created the role of Global Marketing Manager to spearhead its worldwide marketing function. Ian Dawson, currently Flowcrete’s International Market Development Manager, has been appointed to the position, with responsibility for the company’s 30 offices and 12 manufacturing plants around the world. He will be based at the company’s Malaysia office, the hub of operations for its Asia Pacific and Middle East markets.

Digital Payment Technologies, a leading supplier of electronic parking meters and Internet-based management solutions for the global parking industry, recently received an order from the city of Riverside, CA, to supply 32 LUKE parking pay stations to its downtown Justice Center. The pay stations accept credit cards, bills, coins and Pay-by-cellphone transactions. Using the city’s Wi-Fi network, they will be networked to provide capabilities to parkers such as the ability to add time at any pay station. City officials also will have online access to real-time revenue reports and the ability to remotely change screen messages and rates.

High Concrete Group has been recognized by the International Parking Institute (IPI) in its 2008 Awards for Excellence program. An independent panel of judges selected the Lehigh University Alumni Parking Garage in Bethlehem, PA, for one of five awards in the category of Architectural Achievement. The IPI award is the fifth earned by High Concrete for the Lehigh garage. Last year, the project won the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) Design Award as well as recognition by McGraw-Hill Mid-Atlantic Construction, AIA Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Parking Association.

Standard Parking Corp has been awarded contracts to provide parking management services for Yankee Stadium in New York, the Washington Square Office Complex in Minneapolis and the City Center in Columbus, OH. (1) Standard was awarded a multi-year contract by the Bronx Parking Development Co. and the New York City Economic Development Corp. to provide parking management and special-event services at the 10 existing parking facilities currently serving Yankee Stadium, plus three garages to be built by 2010 in conjunction with the construction of the new stadium. (2) National Office Partners awarded Standard a contract to manage the parking operations at the Washington Square Office Complex. It entails more than 1,600 parking spaces in two garages and three surface lots. (3)The Columbus Downtown Development Corp. awarded Standard a multi-year contract to manage its two City Center parking facilities, containing 4,400 parking spaces. The company will install pay-in-lane technology, upgrade existing control software, enhance credit card capabilities and add Standard Parking signature amenity programs in order to provide a cost-efficient, customer-friendly operating platform. "

Carl Walker Construction has been awarded a $16 million contract from Winthrop University Hospital to add three floors to its existing parking structure in Minneola, NY. The new parking capacity will be used to accommodate employee parking at the medical center. The addition will provide approximately 700 parking spaces on three newly constructed levels. The structure is three bays wide, and has a footprint of approximately 70,000 square feet. The additional spaces will essentially double the garage’s capacity.

Hi-Tech Solutions (HTS), a developer and provider of optical character recognition computer vision systems, and Dalosy Industrial Systems (DIS), a provider of port automation and traffic control solutions, have established HTS Europe – a joint operation that will provide European customers with innovative solutions for port security, container handling and automatic license plate reading. Located near Rotterdam, the Netherlands, HTS Europe will offer comprehensive solutions based on HTS’s vision-based license plate recognition and container code recognition products, integrated with DIS’s gate gantries and portals, laser truck profiling systems, gate control system, pedestal control system, and damage inspection systems, among others.

EZ-Assure, an emerging leader in information systems for physical security, has opened a UK office, led by Paul Lowman. “EZ Assure has established this new office to better serve our growing UK and European customer base” said Brent Van Loggerenberg, VP of Sales and Channel Development. The software company, which is based in Santa Barbara, CA, provides customers comprehensive information about their physical security, as well as remote control of who accesses anything secured with an electronic lock.

Genetec has announced that within the last four months, five police departments in Texas have selected AutoVu, its advanced license plate recognition solution, to automate recovery of stolen vehicles: Houston PD, Corpus Christi PD, Del Rio PD, El Paso PD and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. Previous to the automation of checking license plates, officers would either manually punch license plate numbers into their mobile data terminals, which would then compare plate numbers to an online database of stolen vehicles, or they would call in numbers to dispatch centers if for some reason suspicion was raised.

James Meanyhas joined the Skidata sales team as its Eastern District Sales Manager in Vehicle Access. He has more than 20 years of parking experience in sales, management, and technical service. His responsibilities will include working with regional clients to expand Skidata’s sales and distribution network within the Eastern US, increasing its municipal market presence nationally and overall product brand recognition.

Walter P Moore has added top structural engineering talent in its Los Angeles office with expertise in secure and seismic engineering design services. Managing Director is Joseph M. Ales Jr., Ph.D., P.E., a Principal who relocated from its Tampa office. Ales was instrumental in helping the firm attain status as a recognized leader in Building Information Modeling and in establishing its secure design capabilities. Rafael Sabelli, S.E., has joined the firm as Principal and Director of Seismic Design. Recognized as an industry leader in seismic issues in structural engineering, he is co-winner of the 2008 T.R. Higgins Lectureship Award from the American Institute of Steel Construction for work on buckling-restrained braced frames, an emerging load-resisting system.

Quixote Transportation Technologies (QTT) has appointed Mike Corbett as Director of Operations. In He will be responsible for directing, coordinating and overseeing project and material management, manufacturing, quality assurance, field installations, customer service, training, and post-delivery technical support. Additionally, Corbett will provide leadership and direction in executing new customer service strategies that will ensure that QTT remains a leader in the transportation industry.

Tina Kitts, Owner of Chain of Events, was awarded the parking contract to oversee and manage the parking operations for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society events scheduled for April in San Diego and Carlsbad, CA.

Lisa Parker, an AutoCAD technician with the Minneapolis office of Walker Parking Consultants, has earned the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional credential. The distinction differentiates building professionals who have the training to successfully move a development through the LEED certification process. This accreditation demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the “green” building process and LEED rating system

Metric Parking has appointed Sandy Mace as Development and Systems Manager. The defining point in his career so far has been the contactless credit card development. Mace, who has taken over Metric’s R&D and Systems Department staff of 21, says the technology is the future for the parking industry. “There is no question that it is the way forward,” said Mace, whose new appointment is set to transform the R&D and Systems operation at the Swindon, UK, factory.

McMahon Associates has promoted Casey A. Moore, P.E., to Principal and Mark A. Roth, P.E., to Associate. Moore is Vice President and serves as the firm’s Director of Business Development. Roth is General Manager of the firm’s office in Yardville, NJ.

TagMaster has received a significant order for RFID equipment to be used within the German fast-moving consumer goods industry. Last fall, the company was qualified as the chosen supplier to a German system integrator. Tests led to a large initial order (1.8 million Swedish kroner), with delivery during Q1 of 2008. “A German media company has created a unique, shopping-related direct marketing concept for supermarkets. The concept allows suppliers and store owners to map customers’ buying behavior, with the knock-on effect of increasing sales. This is a fantastic new application with great potential,” said Peter Thorander, Director of the AVI business unit.

Parkingspots dot com has announced its official launch at www dot parkingspots dot com. The company provides an online database of available parking throughout Canada and the United States. Free to list (for Pspot owners) and free to search (for prospective renters), the site is designed as a listing service for parking spots. It includes easy navigation and search functions that utilize Google Maps, as well as postal ZIP codes and street addresses.

Zeag USA has entered the California market via its direct factory office in Culver City. The company will work directly with its customers as it does in so many other states in the USA. For more information, contact the Vice president of Operations, Don Graham, via e-mail at Don.Graham@zeagusa.com