Alchatek Blog

If you are a concrete repair contractor, you may at some point want to make cold calls to gain new business. Calling on new prospects can be very frustrating if you are not used to it. Cold calling can be done by phone or in person. Before you even contact your prospect, make sure to do as much research on them as possible. Once you’ve thoroughly researched your prospect, you can make an initial contact.

In this thorough research, ask yourself how you can help their business.  What services does the contractor offer, and how are your products relevant add-on revenue streams and offerings that compliment their current operation?  If calling a distributor, know what product lines they already stock, and educate them on how your product line is complimentary to an their current partners, and why it makes sense for their internal efforts.  Successful cold-calling informs the contact of a new and exciting opportunity for them.  It does not represent a new and exciting opportunity for you.  A successful introduction will leave that person seeing you as a potential value-add partner, and not a slimy salesman.  Aim to be a business partner before a vendor.   Remember, companies see most vendor relationships on the expense side.  Business partners have more effect on the revenue side.  Ask yourself where you stand.  

Helpful tips for your first contact with a prospect:

• Stay focused on the client and not yourself.
• Make sure you plan all your questions before you make the sales call.
• Be very careful to not overwhelm your client with information.
• Listen to them and get a sense of their needs.

One of the biggest mistakes is to try and sell right away. Never attempt to sell on your first cold call. Gather as much info as you can, focus on the relationship and keep your client very relaxed. Listen to their needs and concerns. After gathering all of your info, set up a time to go back to that client and provide the answers he or she was looking for. Remember this is about the client and not you!

We at Alchemy-Spetec aim to be much more than a simple vendor for your materials and equipment. We provide robust technical, sales and marketing consulting to our customers. If you have any questions about these sales tips or any other marketing or technical information, please call us at 404-618-0438.

Want more information on marketing your contracting business?

We are pleased to announce that Spetec PUR H100 and Spetec PUR F400 are now made in the United States! 

Old Packaging
24 Pails Per Pallet

The Same Product You Used to Get in These Metal Pails 

• Same quality.
• Same consistency. 

New Packaging
Available Now
36 Pails Per Pallet

Advantages

• Can see the amount of product in container.
• Room for up to 10% catalyst in the pail.
• 2” opening allows room for 1.75” mixing paddle.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec leak seal products?

Perhaps even more eloquent than e=mc2 is Isaac Newton’s Second Law of motion, F=ma. For all of those fellow physics enthusiasts out there, we all know how F=ma is the flathead screwdriver in the formula toolbox; and for good reason. The amount of Force generated by any individual object being equal to the object’s mass multiplied by the acceleration of that object has profound proofs across the universe that can also be observed in our everyday partnerships.

Take a minute to consider your own business. How much force do you have in your industry? For most large companies, a considerable amount of force is generated simply from being so big, or having an extreme amount of mass. Any acceleration is extremely forceful in the industry simply because of the mass.  But for a smaller, or less massive, company to generate the same industry force, the acceleration must be much greater. This is why successful startups and new product launches are projected to have extremely high growth rates, or very high factors of acceleration. Without considerable acceleration in a small company or new product launch, the industry force is quite small simply because their masses are so insignificant. I’m not recreating the wheel here, after all, Newton was putting this phenomenon into Law in the 17^th century. Another description of acceleration is Disruption, while another description of mass is Scaling. 

But let’s consider this regarding the partners that we choose. We are all seeking industry force. This comes in many canned phrases such as brand awareness, product adoption, market leading, etc. etc. But what we are all trying to say is that we want the market to know we’re there; that we want to be forceful in the markets in which we operate. 

So, what would Isaac Newton say if he was a business consultant in the 21^st century?  Shortly after lamenting about the shame of our youth paying more attention to the Kardashians than to Kinetics, I think he would call for the ole’ flathead, F=ma. Perhaps your organization can acquire a unique technology and give mass to their acceleration. Or maybe your unique technology needs a distribution partner with nationwide outlets giving it more mass. This may sound very simple, but how often do we see partnerships thinking that mass+mass = increased force? When in actuality, they are just cutting their acceleration in half. 

Next time you have a vendor detailing their service pitch, or you're reviewing your own pitch to prospective clients, take a minute to consider Newton’s Second Law. Who offers mass, and who offers acceleration? If you get this formula right, you’ll be on the path to creating force the way the rest of the universe does. 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

In 1927, a German physicist, Werner Heisenberg, introduced what would become the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. In short, his theory maintained that two very distinctive properties when examining any particle, location and momentum, could not be accurately measured at the same time. The more one knows about one value, the less it knows about the other. So how does this relate to business? 

By multiplying the deltas of position and momentum we arrive at a value that is equal to Planck’s constant/2pi. Planks constant is relevant here as it’s essentially a measure of granularity in the world around us. And there is the magic word: Granularity. How often do our Strategy teams discuss granularity? It’s turned into one of those jargon words that seem to carry more form in conversation than any function in execution. But nonetheless, everyone in Strategy wants granularity.

The physical world around us is made up of particles. You, me, the buildings we work in, and the computer screen you’re looking at; all made up of particles. So, let’s be careful on the amount of granularity that we all aim to achieve in decision making processes. The often-quoted phenomenon of analysis paralysis lies in the Uncertainty Principle. The more you examine one aspect of any given part of the physical world, products and opportunities included, the less you know about another aspect. There’s no way around this.

To find the spin of a particle, or the angular momentum, light is often shined on that particle. But true to Heisenberg’s Principle, the energy from the light makes the particle spin faster, thus harder to measure. So next time you tell your team members to ‘get more granular’, remember Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle. You may be far more effective by identifying an opportunity, and creating your own spin. Or taking an existing spin, and find your own location. Werner Heisenberg has well shown us that it’s not possible to strategically measure both. The more light you shine on something, the faster it spins. So be careful with how granular you get.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

When you set out to work on a leak seal injection project, it's important to be prepared. 

Let's imagine you have a big polyurethane grout injection job today. Great, let’s go!

Everything starts going into the truck and you’re off. You get to the job, start pulling material, equipment, tools and a lot of other stuff out of the truck - then someone asks, “Where is the______? And where is the _______? And what happened to the _______?"

Suddenly it’s time to find the nearest hardware store, so you can get what you need, so you can get your job started and finished and cleaned up after you’re done. When you're not prepared, one trip to the hardware store is usually only the beginning. Sometimes multiple trips are necessary to get the project done.

The Boy Scouts always talk about the importance of being prepared. Here is a little help. Make a checklist to be sure you have what you need, so you can get to the job…..get started……..and get it done (without holding up work because someone needs to go to the hardware store).

Here is a suggested starter list. Add to it whatever else you think you may need:

Before you pack up for a job, it's critical to make a checklist of what you need. Check it twice (like Santa does) to make sure you have everything squared away up front. 

Want more information on leak seal crack injection?

In this post I'll provide a brief overview of four different ways to fix leaking wall joints with Alchemy-Spetec polyurethane chemical grouts.

• Drill at a 45 degree angle, injecting on alternating sides of the joint. Drill deep into the wall, but don't drill through the wall and into the soil. Instead the drill holes should penetrate the crack itself, allowing for resin to seal the crack in the wall.
  
  
• Drill straight through the wall and into the soil. Inject through either side of the joint every 8 to 10 inches.  Curtain grout behind the joint and into the soil, creating a leak barrier behind the wall.
  
  
• Soak AP Oakum in our resin, then dip it in water and shove it into the joint.  Pack oakum to the back of the joint, working your way towards the front of the joint.  Now you have a tight seal.
  
  
• Pack AP Oakum into the front half of the joint, leaving the back of the joint oakum-free.  Then push an injection needle through the oakum, and pump grout to back side of joint. This will fill the void with foam and make a very good reinforced seal.

• Spetec PUR F400
• AP Seal 500

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec leak seal products?

The Deep Lift™ process is different from common slab lifting in that it requires polyurethane foam to be injected deep into the soil beneath the structure. Deep Lift™ is often appropriate for certain larger structures and more flexible pavements that may not be ideal candidates for conventional slab lifting. It can also be used in conjunction with conventional slab lifting. In this post, I'll provide a quick overview of the Deep Lift™ process and its many applications.

The Process:

1. Complete a thorough site evaluation including – soil borings, DCP testing, and GPR as necessary
2. Address any potential binding with saw cutting, clearing of joints, and removal of old grout
3. Based upon soils data, calculate grid spacing and injection depths
4. Drive injection tubes to the correct depths and locations
5. Inject the appropriate AP Lift series polymer(s) in the predetermined sequence while monitoring for lift
6. Follow the grout plan, adjusting the injection depths and locations as the structure raises into place

The Applications:

• Bridge abutments
• Highway approach slabs
• Rigid and flexible pavements
• Ports and airports
• Settled buildings
• Soil densification and encapsulation
• Lift stations
• Pipe and tunnel segments
• Equipment pads

Want more info on the Deep Lift™ process?

Continuing on from the previous overview of Mechanical Packers and Ports, let's take a closer look at all of the required mechanical ports and accessories you could possibly need for your next chemical injection project.

The product line is comprised almost entirely of the most versatile steel mechanical packers compatible with practically all of the chemical injection grouts supplied on the market. These steel packers are offered in bottom-zerk and top-zerk style, allowing for customization and familiarity on site for all contractor preferences of technique and clean-up. All top-zerk configurations are interchangeable with button head clutch-couplings that prohibit excessive leakage which is ideal for finished or pristine spaces, or overhead applications. Alchemy-Spetec also supplies the required couplers that connect the anti-return valve to most standard industry hoses. For custom fittings, please consult your local pneumatic or hydraulic parts supplier.

Other common industry offerings are also available in zinc and aluminum designs, which offer variances in weight, price point, and chemical resistances. Plastic bang-in types are available in 3/8” and 5’8” diameters, and are most commonly used on concrete slab-lifting and soil stabilization projects allowing for higher volumes of material to be pumped prior to reaction.

Alchemy-Spetec is also very pleased to bring back the high-pressure blue and red 5/8” and 1/2" diameter mechanical packers with a large washer on the top. An industry go-to packer for many years, these packers feature a specialty rubber allowing for even higher tolerances for pressure hold. Rounding out the accessory items offered by Alchemy-Spetec are flush wands to clear drill holes of debris, injection needles to point-inject behind oakum or existing sealants, and F-assemblies that permit the ultra-effective twin-streaming technique of pre-mixing water and hydro-active chemical grout.

Please take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the Alchemy-Spetec Mechanical Packer and Accessories brochure (see download button below). Call us directly at 404-618-0438 for samples, pricing, and/or local distributor contact information.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec mechanical packers?

The term ‘Mechanical Packer’ probably doesn’t mean much to those not in the concrete repair industry. But for those close to chemical grouting, this term certainly brings about thoughts of both form and function. Mechanical packers are also referred to as ports, or more simply, packers. But we would like to be very clear that a port is not a packer.  

Mechanical packers were designed to withstand high pressure injection applications by inserting them into pre-drilled holes in a concrete substrate at various diameters ranging most commonly from 1/4" – 5/8”. Mechanical packers feature a rubber base with a threaded shaft. As the threaded shaft is tightened, the rubber base is compressed, creating a compression seal inside the drill hole. The ultimate pressure tolerance is dependent upon the amount the rubber is expanded and the total surface area of the rubber base that is in contact with the drill hole. That is, a smaller diameter packer will have considerably less surface area of rubber compressed against the concrete side walls, and thus holding a lower amount of pressure when connected to high pressure equipment. Most job site and substrate conditions will permit successful injection results with a diameter of 3/8” – 1/2".  Of course, some contractors have personal preference of smaller or larger sizes.  

Concrete packers also come in various types. Suppliers will market benefits of steel, brass, zinc, or aluminum. All things considered, steel packers tend to be the most versatile packers as they are compatible with all chemical grout types, while the brass, aluminum, and zinc can exhibit signs of deterioration when using oxidizing agents such as the salt component in a polyacryate gel. However, some contractors insist that the breakdown is not as quick as marketed by suppliers, therefore utilizing brass and aluminum packers in these applications as well.  

Each packer features an anti-return ball valve that is opened under pressure, allowing the passage of chemical grouts. Upon depressurizing, the ball valve will close, prohibiting the return flow of the injection resin out of the drill hole. This ball valve can be located on the top of the packer, in the base of the packer, or even freely-floating in the packer shaft to allow for maximum flow. There are pros and cons to each ball valve location depending on job site condition and application and finishing techniques.  

Lastly, there are plastic alternatives commonly referred to as ‘bang-in’ or ‘hammer-in’. These packers do not have the threaded metal shaft, but as they are driven into the drill hole, the same compression seal theory takes hold as the tapered edges become lodged into the drill hole sides. Another form of plastic ports is a plastic, surface-mounted version that is commonly used in epoxy injection and/or in the event that drilling into the substrate would be considered harmful or ill-advised.  

For more detail on your specific project needs and packer or port recommendation, please contact a knowledgeable Alchemy-Spetec representative at 404-618-0438. Alchemy-Spetec offers all of the packers and ports listed above, as well as all of the chemical grouts and pumping systems required to make your next chemical grouting job a success!

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec mechanical packers?

"No matter how great the talent or effort, some things just take time.  You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.”
– Warren Buffet

In my career, I have never worked for the 800-pound gorilla. My 12 years have been spent pioneering brands and eating elephants one bite at a time, as a good friend of mine always says. In a lot of ways, my DNA is programmed for the daily grind required to promote a brand and climb the ladder to one day become industry-leading.  

When assuming a new role with Alchemy-Spetec, I was very intrigued by the amount of technical expertise that the team offered. Having longtime industry experience in every facet of the business is very appealing to all of us. We have all come from well-established industry brands, with many of our team members being a part of the industry-leading chemical grouting manufacturer for decades. Now two months in, it’s very clear that all of the experience in the world does not substitute for the daily grind process required to achieve company-wide goals.  

The partnership of Alchemy-Spetec will be celebrating its 1-year mark as of March, 2018. It has been an exciting time for everyone on both sides. However, a long road of specification work and project support lies ahead. One of the things I like most about the building materials industry is that it is very grounded and straight forward. There are no shortcuts in our world. The path is clearly paved for what needs to be done to create a well-known brand.

1. Develop and manufacture quality products
2. Clearly define performance benefits
3. Market products to design professionals and end-users
4. Deliver on supply chain
5. Provide top-notch on-site support
6. Repeat

There is no way to skip any of these steps other than to hustle more than the next company (who may be ahead of, or coming after, us). I’m confident that wherever you find an Alchemy-Spetec team member, you’ll find them hustling through the process outlined above. And in the event that you are unaware of our team's technical capabilities, not to worry, we are confident that you will soon work with us on a chemical grouting project. We welcome all constructive criticism to improve as we aim to be the industry-leader in chemical grouting solutions...but after all, some things just take time.   

Want more info on Alchemy-Spetec products?