A geotech contactor was called to Livingston, NJ to evaluate a settling man-made waterfall. The waterfall was constructed to continuously pump water from the pond below to the very top, so it could flow back down over the rocks. Over time, leaks and voids began to form through the entirety of the structure due to erosion. The structure itself started to settle as the water began washing out the soil underneath. In order to remediate the problem, the contractor advised undersealing the entire structure to seal it and fill voids underneath. This process would stabilize the entire structure and prevent any further movement.

Powerful Polymer

To complete the job, the contractor selected Alchemy-Spetec's AP Fill 720 structural polymer due to its ability to permeate and encapsulate loose supporting soil into one solid mass. This material is a single component, closed cell, hydrophobic, water-reactive, solvent and phthalate-free, low-viscosity polyurethane injection resin for stabilizing soil and filling voids around structures (cutting off any existing leaks in the process).

Painless Procedure

The crew drilled small holes, installed injection ports, and injected the material into the soil below, every four feet, eventually creating a grid pattern across the entire structure. They started this process at the top of the structure and worked their way to the bottom, injecting the material into each spot until the void was full (a.k.a. grouted to refusal).

Rapid Result

From the start of the project, planning, and evaluation took about a month. Once the injection plan was in place, the crew completed the job in just a day and a half with a four-man crew. The man-made waterfall is now leak free and will continue to see decades of further use. 

Want more information about Soil Stabilization?

A general contractor on a new commercial construction job reached out to Atlanta-based geotech contractor SiteMix Pressure Grouting LLC about the foundation phase of a project they were working on.  Sheet pile panels were used for erosion control while they poured the foundation walls.  After the foundation concrete was cured, there was still a layer of gravel and soil being held in place by the sheet pile panels, located between the panels and the foundation.  If the contractor were to pull up the sheet piles without stabilizing that gravel and soil first, it could become unstable, leaving the foundation without a surrounding layer of supporting soil. The soil and gravel would need to be locked in place first before the sheet pile panels were removed. Soil stabilization specialists SiteMix Pressure Grouting LLC were the perfect subcontractors for this job.

Powerful Polymer

The technicians selected Alchemy-Spetec's AP Fill 720 structural polymer for the job due to its ability to permeate the soil and encapsulate the gravel into one solid mass.

Painless Procedure

The crew inserted injection rods to a depth of about 12 feet deep at a spacing ratio of 3 feet apart along the entire length of the foundation wall. Next, they injected the structural polymer until it was seen bubbling up through the surface of the ground (a.k.a. grouted to refusal).

Rapid Result

The entire layer of surrounding supportive soil and gravel was locked into place. When the sheet piles were pulled, only a thin gap from the sheet pile panels remained. The contractor then filled that gap with cement, leaving a solid supportive wall of soil/gravel/grout to support the foundation.

Want more information about the Deep Lock® soil stabilization process?

The Problem

Unstable soil can be defined as soil that will not stay in place on its own, and therefore requires extra support. It should be noted that unstable soil can threaten the stability, security, and safety of property and can damage, degrade, and even destroy a number of structures, such as residential dwellings, garages, driveways, and pool decks. There are a variety of factors that can cause unstable soil including erosion, poor compaction, freeze/thaw cycles, and decomposition.

The Solutions

Soil can be stabilized with:
AP Soil 600
AP Fill 700
AP Fill 720
AP SoilGel 200

Once the bearing capacity of the soil has been increased with this process, then the structure can be lifted if necessary.

Want more info on residential soil stabilization?

As one of the most impenetrable permeation grouting products on the market, AP Soil 600 is a single-component, moisture-activated, hydrophobic, low-viscosity, soil stabilization grout. This permeation grout is ideal for stabilizing loose sand and soil around all types of concrete structures, as well as sinkhole remediation.

Applications

• Permeation grouting.
• Stabilizing loose sand and soil.
• Sinkhole remediation.

Advantages

• Encapsulates and strengthens loose soil.
• Very low viscosity for good soil penetration.
• Watertight.
• Adjustable set time.
• Pumped as a single component.
• Phthalate-free (more environmentally friendly).
• Certified To NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 (approved for contact with drinking water).

Check out this Soil Stabilization explainer video! 

Want more information on soil stabilization?

Single component, water-activated, hydrophobic, low viscosity, closed-cell polyurethane injection resin for stabilizing soil. Also good for filling voids and cutting off high-flow underground leaks, AP Fill 700 is a proven polyurethane soil stabilization solution.

Applications

• Concrete void filling for all types of structures.
• Consolidating loose soil.
• Filling voids under concrete slabs.
• Cutting off underground water flows.
• Cutting off high-flow leaks.

Advantages

• Very low viscosity.
• Water-impermeable polyurethane resin.
• Adjustable set time – as fast as 20 seconds.
• Injected as a single component.
• Phthalate free available (more environmentally friendly).
• Certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 (approved for contact with drinking water).

Check out the AP Fill 700 sample demo! 

Want more information on soil stabilization?

Geotech specialists from Ground Consolidation Services were called into a job by a general contractor in Atlanta. A property owner was restoring a very interesting pool house in an upscale neighborhood. The pool actually sits atop and in the center of the pool house itself. During the initial restoration process, they discovered voids under the pool house foundation.

Powerful Polymer

The GCS crew recommended Alchemy-Spetec's AP Lift 475, a two-component, hydrophobic, structural lifting polymer designed for airport, highway, and railroad applications. It can be used to stabilize structures, fill voids, and lift slabs supporting tremendous loads. The real beauty of this material is its ability to be traffic ready in less than one hour.

Painless Procedure

The technicians used the compact PolyBadger pump system for this job since the location was not easily accessible with a slab lifting rig. The PolyBadger, manufactured by Alchemy-Spetec, is a tough and compact mobile cart system for pumping polyurethane resin. Using this pump, the crew was able to fill the voids at a relatively quick pace.

Rapid Result

The GCS technicians were out of the way and the restoration crew was able to start backfilling the area in a few short hours.

Whether your focus is on soil stabilization, leak seal, or slab lifting, it’s a known fact that growing your contracting business is hard work. As an experienced consultant and advisor, I am aware that many contractors focus so much time on generating new leads that they may overlook another great source of new revenue: re-engaging past customers.

It costs about five times more money to attract a new customer than to sell to an existing customer. And it's 50% easier to sell to an existing customer than to a new customer. It has also been said that 80% of most business revenue comes from just 20% of its existing customers. (Source: Forbes Magazine's "Five Customer Retention Tips for Entrepreneurs".)

Owners and managers of these types of properties are likely to provide repeat business...

• Commercial properties
• Multi-unit residential properties
• Schools, universities, education departments/districts
• Municipalities/government agencies

If you put your mind to it, I'm sure you can think of a few more. You can also reach out to previous individual residential and small business customers occasionally.

Customer Retention Tips

Remember, customers do not owe you their loyalty, it has to be earned. You may be the most qualified and diversified contractor in the area, but if you want to get that repeat business you have to implement a retention program. Here are a few suggestions...

• Create an email newsletter. Send out tips and advice that your customer base may find helpful. You can also include case studies or success stories from recent jobs. Holiday greetings are always good as well. Throw in a promotion or discounted service offer every now and then, but make sure your communications are always primarily focused on useful content.
• Gifts, holiday cards, and birthday cards are a nice way to express customer appreciation. Sending items like this via traditional mail will help you stand out from the crowd a bit, as more and more people are moving towards a "digital only" approach.
• Take a moment on a regular basis to check up on your past customers' social media accounts. Like, favorite, and share anything you find relevant or interesting. This is just another way to remind them that you're interested in how they're doing and that you're available should they need any further assistance.

Take some time to brainstorm and I bet you'll come up with some unique approaches of your own. If you're too busy to do this kind of stuff, hire a part-time assistant. The jobs you get as a result of these activities may pay for the assistant, and then some. Give it a shot and find out.

Want more contractor marketing tips?

Alchemy-Spetec is pleased to announce the promotion of Andy Powell to the newly created position of Geotech Division Manager. In this position, Mr. Powell will supervise the currently expanding team of Geotech Regional Managers and report to the Vice President of Sales and Marketing. This change reflects our continuing efforts to serve our customers in the best way possible and build on our product and market expertise as the company grows.

Andy Powell has been with Alchemy-Spetec since the inception of the company in 2013. His experience includes manufacturing, application, equipment, estimating, field service, and training for the entire product line. Prior to employment with Alchemy-Spetec, Andy served as Sales Manager and Field Technician for HP Industries, a supplier/contractor for the Concrete Pipe and Precast manufacturing industry. He was responsible for sales, AutoCAD, equipment installation, and employee training for pipe machinery and reinforcement equipment. He has extensive domestic and international experience working in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Turkey, and China.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec geotech products?

Many of the contractors I’ve worked with over the years have had to give a presentation at one time or another. In some cases, they need to make a pitch to a potential client (for example at municipality or state agency contract meetings). In other cases, they have the opportunity to market their services by giving presentations at trade shows, “lunch and learn” seminars, webinars, homeowner association meetings, professional association events, etc.

Presentation opportunities can sometimes arise on short notice. This is why you can benefit from creating presentations ahead of time. If you’d like, you can ask our marketing team to critique your presentation. You can also inquire about getting a member of our sales team to co-present when an opportunity does come along.

Incorporate the following tips to create a powerful presentation for your contracting business. Some of these suggestions may seem contrary to everyday conventional practice, but who wants a run-of-the-mill presentation? We’ve tested this approach time and time again, with consistently positive results. It will be worth your while to at least give it a shot.

Fewer Words

As a detail-oriented professional, you may be inclined to pack your presentation slides with lots of text in order to get all your important points across. This is not the most effective way to give a presentation. It can lead to information overload and a drowsy, impatient audience. When creating a presentation, you want to condense the information and only include text that is absolutely essential.

Powerful Images

Now that you have seriously scaled back your text use, the next step is to make the presentation livelier. The audience needs to be actively engaged rather than bombarded with data. If you associate a powerful image with each essential point, the audience is better able to visualize and remember the concept.

Engaging Stories

Once you have simplified your text and added visually striking images, you can add extra punch by incorporating stories to get your points across. As a contractor, you probably have many stories from the trenches. Telling a story is a surefire way to make sure a message sticks.

White Paper Instead of Note-Taking

One thing that dilutes the impact of even the most powerful presentations is audience note-taking. This habit guarantees that half their time is spent looking down at their desk rather than paying attention to you. That’s why it’s helpful to prepare a whitepaper (basically a multi-page essay with any essential graphics) that summarizes all the key points from your presentation. Inform the audience up front that there is no need to take notes, as they will receive a written summary afterward. Explain to them that they’ll get a lot more out of the presentation if they provide their full attention.

Conclusion

Since I believe in giving credit where credit is due, I'd like to acknowledge that most of these ideas came from the book Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery by Garr Reynolds.

For more tips on how to create a powerful presentation for your contracting business, or to inquire about co-presenting with one of our specialists, give us a call at 404-618-0438.

Want more ideas for marketing your contracting business?

About Alchemy-Spetec and the Geotechnical Division

Alchemy-Spetec is an international leader in the manufacture and supply of chemical grouts for Geotechnical, Seawall Repair, and Leak Seal applications. Geotech is the largest division of Alchemy-Spetec. Our focus: Controlling water movement through permeable soils and improving soil-bearing capacity for construction and remediation projects.

About the Opportunity

Permanent full-time positions are available in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and South-Central United States.

We are expanding the Geotechnical Division. The Northeast/Mid-Atlantic/South Central regions are critical to our successful expansion. We are searching for a leader to facilitate this growth opportunity. You will report to the Geotech Division Manager and take responsibility for locating and converting selected prospective clients, expanding existing clients, and networking with established Regional Managers to grow the Geotech Business in your region.

Responsibilities

• Generating new sales opportunities by finding and developing new customers in key markets.
• Contacting prospective customers who have sent inquiries and converting them into customers.
• Establishing relationships with local governments and engineering firms to develop new opportunities.
• Delivering rapid growth and business revenue in the region through proactive sales activities.
• Working with existing Regional Managers and Technical Support to meet territory goals.
• Building Regional Networks of Referral Partners in support of our customers.
• Working closely with the marketing team to provide content and leverage existing opportunities.

Location & commitments

• Remote-based office with Travel throughout your region.
• Periodic Training and organizational meetings in Tucker, GA, and Reno, Nevada.
• Estimated travel: 50-70%

Candidate requirements

• Proven experience in business development and networking.
• Experience in this industry sector (Environmental, Geology, Civil, Foundations, Engineering).
• Strong business, communication, and budgeting skills.
• Professional, engaging, technical, and determined personality that is also comfortable learning geotech equipment.
• Goal-oriented self-starter who requires little supervision.
• The ability to track and achieve KPIs.

Benefits

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Contact us to apply

If you have a passion for business development and the geotechnical and environmental industry, then we would like to meet you. Consider becoming an important teammate of a growing organization that is dedicated to saving and developing property and infrastructure. Send your resume and cover letter to Andy Powell at apowell@alchemy-spetec.com.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?