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Geotechnical News • June 2014
31
THE GROUT LINE
the market has stabilized, you may
want to focus on maintaining and/
or increasing your market share. This
can be accomplished by taking a hard
look at your existing operations to
see what can be done to stabilize your
operations with a more cost- effective
approach to your current market-share.
When the market is declining, that is
when I believe the greatest opportuni-
ties are available. In work and in life,
exploration moves us forward. We
find new ways to work, welcome new
ideas, and try new fields, if there is
ever a time to make your mark, it is
then. Sometimes the greatest motiva-
tor is when our back is against a wall.
We just need to make sure that wall is
not of our own doing but is the result
of things beyond our control.
I, for one, am proud to be part of an
industry that has at least a 50-year his-
tory of innovations and explorations.
There are new application methods
that continues to break down walls
built with bricks of “can’t.” It is said
that innovation is the antithesis of fear.
If there has ever been an industry that
has learned to control the “fear” factor,
it is the Grouting Industry.
One of my favorite definitions of
marketing is, “a gathering of people
for buying and selling.” (Webster
Dictionary). I learned many years ago
from Jim Warner that this gathering of
“people” needs to include good com-
petitors. I could get on a long soap box
of explanation, but just suffice it to say
“a rising tide lifts all ships.” If all you
want to be is an island, you might find
it gets to be a lonely place. Eventually
you will find that there is a world out
there moving forward without you.
It is no secret that the Grouting
Industry is somewhat recession-
resistant. When an economy goes
into a recession, governments usu-
ally step up their infusion of money
for infrastructure upgrades and new
construction which is conducive to
the grouting industry. Also, existing
structures don’t really care what the
economy is doing. There will always
be the need for specialty engineers and
contractors who are adept at stabiliz-
ing, re-leveling or doing some type of
grouting repairs either structurally or
geotechnically.
When I look at the success of the 4
th
International Grouting Conference
held in New Orleans (February 2012),
is it any wonder that this industry is
moving forward at the pace it is going!
The continued success of the annual
Colorado School of Mines Grout-
ing Course, the participation in the
Geo-Institutes Grouting Committee,
the numerous websites and blogs by
manufacturers, engineers, contractors
and suppliers are all testaments to the
success of this industry.
One of the most encouraging aspects
of this industry is the inclusion of
some very innovative and motivated
new companies that I believe will be
the long-term continued success of
this industry. Obviously, our commu-
nity of existing companies continues
to hold the bar very high for new com-
panies to compete, but there are times
when those with a whole new look at
the challenges this industry addresses
come up with some very innovative
ideas. In today’s business environ-
ment, it is more important than ever
that we constantly look forward, con-
sistently innovate, and implement new
and better ways of doing business.
Constantly innovating might mean
learning a new aspect of existing
grouting applications or drilling
capabilities. There are numerous ways
of acquiring information and help
through webinars and seminars the
drilling and grouting industries pro-
vide. I can’t stress enough the need to
share your knowledge and experiences
through participation in these opportu-
nities. Because this is an international
magazine, I can’t begin to list all the
organizations that need your participa-
tion, but let me say, you could start by
looking into such organizations as the
ASCE Geo-Institute, Deep Founda-
tions Institute (DFI), The International
Association of Foundation Drill-
ing (ADSC), International Concrete
Repair Institute (ICRI), American
Concrete Institute (ACI), World of
Concrete (WOC), just to name a few.
Most, if not all these organizations,
have grouting or ground improvement
committees that are always looking for
active members.
I would, also, mention that a lot of
manufacturers and suppliers now
hold some very good training ses-
sions, so when purchasing materials
or equipment, you may want to select
a product or manufacturer who has
the capability of training your opera-
tors. Just be responsible in your due
diligence, making sure you are dealing
with a supplier or manufacturer who
has a good record within the industry
and that you’re not just falling for a
good sales pitch.
As a Grouting Consultant, I’ve had the
privilege of working with numerous
contractors around the world. It never
ceases to amaze me how robust and
vibrant this industry is. Success usu-
ally requires sacrifice, and if there has
been one huge fault to this industry, I
would say it has to do with the amount
of travel involved. Projects are site-
specific and require a lifestyle of tem-
porary locations which is very hard on
families. This industry is doing a great
job of addressing the “safety” issue,
but is doing a poor job of addressing
the “family” issue. The only solution I
have found is to recommend that your
company establish regional boundar-
ies for your marketing strategy for
the sake of your crews. When hiring
a new employee, you really need to
establish the number of days per year
that employee is willing to travel and
abide by those agreements. I speak
from experience - there is no amount
of compensation that replaces family
time. Whenever I speak at seminars,
I try to challenge the engineering
community to make sure they give
their local contractors a chance to
bid on their projects without bring-
ing in an out-of-town contractor. I’m
convinced more than ever that when
we have successful family members in