Alchatek Blog

We are proud to announce that we are currently exhibiting at the No-Dig Show in Palm Springs, CA. Visit us in Booth #146!

"NASTT’s No-Dig Show is the largest trenchless technology conference in North America, where professionals attend to learn new techniques that will save money and improve infrastructure. This show offers six tracks and 160 peer-reviewed, non-commercial presentations, including case studies detailing environmentally friendly trenchless solutions and cost-saving opportunities for municipalities and utilities. With over 190 exhibiting companies and multiple networking events, spend quality time with current colleagues/customers and grow your connections. Whether you’re a newcomer or a show veteran, NASTT’s No-Dig Show is the must-attend conference for underground infrastructure professionals."

Click here to read more about the No-Dig Show.

Reps Attending: Jim Spiegel, Thad Brown
Polyurethane Solutions Demonstrated: Seal Leaks, Stabilize Soil, Lift Slabs
Booth Number: 146
Address: Palm Springs Convention Center 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs, CA 92262 

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Hydroactive chemical grouts, by definition, require hydrogen molecules from water to initiate the polymerization reaction.  Typically, an ISO component is catalyzed by an amine, but this solution will remain unreacted until it comes in contact with hydrogen.  All of the contractors out there familiar with chemical grouts are familiar with the ‘skin’ on the top of a catalyzed batch.  This is simply the top layer of the catalyzed batch showing signs of initiation just through contact with moisture in the air.  For injection into active leaks, these products are a slam dunk.  But what happens when you get to the job, and there is no leak where there was one just a few days ago? 

Most manufacturers will provide the generic answer of ‘just introduce water.’  And in layman’s terms, this is accurate.  But what is the CORRECT way to introduce water?  Twin streaming through an F-Valve Assembly is perhaps the most proven technique to ensure adequate and thorough activation of hydroactive grouts.  An F-assembly is an applicator apparatus designed specifically for twin streaming multi components.  This can easily be achieved through the use of two pumps, one designated for water and another designated for chemical grout.  This will also prevent the leaking resin phenomenon sometimes observed following mechanical packer removal. 

Alchemy-Spetec supplies F-assemblies and the following hydroactive grouts: Spetec PUR H100, Spetec PUR F400, Spetec PUR F1000, Spetec PUR H40, AP Fill 700, and AP Soil 600.  For application recommendations and guidance, call an Alchemy-Spetec consultant now at 404-618-0438.  Don't rely on suppliers who simply promise a universally easy application process.  Lean on the suppliers who teach you how to navigate the unique challenges that each job site inevitably presents. 

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Waterproofing is a broad term in the construction world.  The distinctions of above-grade and below-grade pretty well sum up the offerings out there.  But when considering chemical grout’s place in the waterproofing world, we primarily stick to below-grade applications. 

An understanding of what chemical grouts can and can’t do is a very valuable tool for any waterproofing or concrete repair contractor.  On many job sites, several systems are being applied across a variety of trades against costly and ambitious deadlines.  Most well-established manufacturers have all of the physical property testing, warranties, case studies, and approved applicator programs to get the job done.  Unfortunately, no manufacturer warrants against human error. 

What happens when an HVAC contractor or an electrician takes it upon themselves to drill a “little” hole for their penetration?  What happens when backfill operators “barely touch” an installed membrane system?  Or what happens when another contractor just “pushes or pulls a bit” to make a penetration detail work?  What often happens is very costly to the client and/or general contractor in both time and money.  Enter chemical grouts. 

In a hydrostatic condition, the smallest of failures can cause huge water infiltration issues.  Chemical grouts can be utilized in below-grade hydrostatic conditions, while providing a positive side repair applied from the negative side.  In all estimations, these conditions can be a nightmare for even the best waterproofing contractors.  As localized repair of the compromised membrane is achieved, often the hydrostatic pressures relocate, causing seemingly new leaks in other areas (when in actuality, it is the same small failure causing the bigger problem). 

Some advanced below-grade manufacturers are going the route of specifying pre-installed injection tube systems such as the Spetec ITS Kit in which leaks can be quarantined to specific areas of repair.  Chemical grouts such as Spetec AG200, Spetec PUR H100, Spetec PUR F400, and Spetec PUR H40 can then be injected into cracks, cold joints, and through injection tube systems. 

So, although some contractors may not associate chemical grouts with new construction waterproofing, these solutions definitely have their place to be at the pre-bid and design tables when discussing the waterproofing design.  To schedule an experienced technician for your next design meeting, please contact us today. 

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I’m a big proponent of using chemical grout to fix all sorts if issues, be they geotechnical or waterproofing related. Most contractors and distributors that offer chemical grouts fall into one or more of the following categories: Residential Slab Lifting and Foundation, DOT Infrastructure and Roads, and Municipal Storm and Wastewater. Certainly, there are some others, but these are the main ones we see.

As the popularity of slab lifting with polyurethane continues to heat up, there is more and more competition for residential business. With the ability to electronically access bid data across the USA, there are few secrets; all the big players know about the DOT work and water treatment plant expansions, etc.

Why work so hard fighting over the same pie everyone else knows about? How about baking your own pie?

A healthy population depends on access to clean water and a healthy supply of food. North America is a world leader in producing both.  The US and Canadian agricultural industry though, remains untapped by specialty concrete repair contractors and their suppliers. Rather than tell you where to look for opportunities in "Big Ag", let me share an example in which I found myself advising a customer who was installing polyurethane. This example will be enough to get you thinking...

Three stories below ground level I saw a stream of water shoot all the way across a grain bin. I was in the great plains of Canada in the lower levels of a grain terminal. With a capacity for receiving 800 tons of grain per hour; and the responsibility of drying it and storing it, the owners of this terminal could ill afford water intrusion issues. Twin rows of belly dumping grain haulers pull into the facility on a regular basis and drop everything from wheat, barley, peas, lentils, etc. 

The noise was deafening as the hard seeds cascaded down through the facility into hoppers below. The problem in this hopper was slow water intrusion seeping into the bin. The effect was twofold as the ceramic wear plates that protect the steel were delaminating, and the incoming grain was getting wet. This made it harder for the augers and grain elevators to work properly, created a health risk, and created a lot of manual shoveling in a confined space environment.

The stream of water came from our contractor's first drill hole, an indicator of how much hydrostatic pressure surrounded the hopper. We had to overpower this pressure with some pressure of our own. Twin streamed warm water and AP Fill 700 (maxed out with 10% Cat 107) reacted instantly and were already making foam as they entered the cold 48 degree water surrounding the hopper. A thorough application of between 50 – 75 gallons encapsulated the bin we were in and pushed away the water. The ceramic tiles dried up and the owners were ecstatic; they did not even ask what it would cost because they had no other solution. To replace or reline those bins would have been next to impossible or would've required massive downtime and disassembly of everything above the bins.  We, on the other hand, solved the issue in one day. Appropriately, a “grain themed” celebration was held after the job was over later that day with cold beer and Irish Whiskey!

The point of telling this story is to make you aware that there is a huge untapped market out there, full of people who need the solutions your business offers. Whether it is stabilizing soil under slabs and structures or stopping water intrusion. Just about every state and province has major agricultural business going on, including crops and livestock. I won’t speak for everyone, but I would wager that most contractors are not calling on those types of facilities and businesses. Instead of waiting for the phone to ring about another driveway lift; make someone else’s phone ring with some good news about chemical grout. Do this consistently and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

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Product

AP Lift 475 is a two-component polyurethane chemical grout resin system (1:1 ratio) developed for the reinforcement and stabilization of loose bulk ballast stones on railway tracks.

Procedure

AP Lift 475 is mixed together, then poured on the ballast stones to increase the rigidity and stiffness of ballast. When applied, this product is a weather resistant solution that reduces vibrations and provides a buffer zone from the concrete slab track to the ballast track. AP Lift 475 helps to reinforce the ballast, reduce loose stones and dust, as well as prevent pulverization. The AP Lift 475 also provides an excellent binder for stabilization of the ballast, so when excavation is needed under the ballast and the tracks, for applications like Micro-tunnelling, AP Lift 475 will bind the ballast together to prevent cave-ins from occuring.

Solution

For rail infrastructure, compliance of Polyurethane Stabilized Ballasts may be favorable due to the strains that can be tolerated under the loads distributed from the superstructure down through the substructure. Large differences in mechanical behavior of clean ballast before and after polyurethane stabilization indicate that the introduction of Rigid Polyurethane Foam to ballast creates a geocomposite, referred to herein as polyurethane stabilized ballast, with different and generally superior mechanical properties to that of clean ballast, recycled ballast, and fouled ballast. Excerpted from “Mitigating Ballast Fouling Impact and Enhancing Rail Freight Capacity” by the National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research and Education.

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There are many ways to seal leaks in concrete structures. One of the oldest methods uses water to activate polyurethane chemical grout to either bond to the concrete to form a watertight seal or to fill voids, and stabilize concrete.

According to (NASSCO) National Association of Sewer Service companies chemical grout started in 1955. Polyurethane grout has been used in tunnels, elevator pits, manholes, tanks, and even to lift slabs. Studies show that 40% of groundwater leaks in the sewer systems enter through manholes. When this happens over time the manhole will start to break down and needs to be rehabbed. Both Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic grouts can be used to seal leaks in all types of concrete structures. Here are a just few of our water activated products that are used on a daily basis.

• Spetec PUR F400
• AP Seal 500
• AP Fill 700
• Spetec PUR H100

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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