Alchatek Blog

This article is an excerpt from Episode 5 of Alchemy-Spetec's podcast The Injection Connection, featuring JR Crowell and Morgan Helms of Helms Polyfoam. The Injection Connection is hosted by Jim Spiegel: Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute.  (If you'd rather listen, an audio version of this exchange is posted at the bottom of the article.)

Jim Spiegel: How do you go about your sales effort? Do you have people that are specific to just selling or are all your salespeople both technicians and sales professionals? How does that work?

J.R. Crowell: No, we have it divided up, we're very aggressive on the sales. We say all the time we're an outbound company not an inbound company because we are new. A lot of what we're doing, there's just not a lot of people searching for. So, a lot of it is an education piece. You certainly understand that as Alchemy-Spetec is a progressive company and you spend a lot of time educating us and our customers on what you do. And so, we do the same thing. So yeah, from a team standpoint, we do have a business development side, a sales side and we have a technician side. But everybody is cross-trained. When I came on board, I started on the rig with Morgan and we worked every day together. Then once we got somebody to replace me, I moved on and started handling more the operations and the sales and financial piece of the company. That's how we work. If you can train somebody to do what you do, you get to move up. Congratulations!

Morgan Helms: If you can't do the work, you can't sell it either.

Jim: If you need a large number of sales, obviously it can be pretty daunting to some of the sales team. They have these big goals and there's a fine line of discouragement so to speak with setting a goal too high and pushing for the optimal results.

JR: I'm really big on measuring what we're doing at the end of the month. So if we know that if we want to close X amount of business, I need to make X amount of sales. But to get those sales I've got to get X amount of appointments. So I have to make X amount of calls to get those appointments. When you reverse engineer back from that, and you’re able to teach your sales team that way of doing it, it doesn't seem as daunting.

Jim: Talking through the process and how you got to that number. Again, it goes back to planning.

JR: That's right. Hope is not a plan.

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You aren’t taking a break from the economy, and neither are we. Alchemy-Spetec is operating at full capacity. As usual, we have plenty of inventory of both finished goods and raw materials. We are in constant contact with our suppliers and at this time we don’t foresee any supply chain disruptions. If anything changes, I will let you know.

While we are operating at 100% capacity, we are also mindful of our civic duty to help “flatten the infection curve” of the virus. We are practicing social distancing at work. We are wiping down door handles, faucets, and other high touch areas with bleach twice a day. We have cancelled all unnecessary travel and face to face meetings. Over half of our team is working from home.

So, while we are doing our part to stop the spread of the virus, we have decided not to participate in any sort of economic slowdown. We will do our part to keep America healthy – both physically healthy and financially healthy.

I understand that your organization may have changing needs in the following weeks. Please let us know what we can do to serve you better. As usual, we are here to help at 404-618-0438.

Sincerely,

Stephen Barton
CEO - Alchemy-Spetec

JR Crowell and Morgan Helms of Helms Polyfoam are the guests on Episode 5 of The Injection Connection. In this episode, host Jim Spiegel discusses the history of the Helms business, the future of customer support, and the importance of relationships. (Jim Spiegel is Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and a Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute.)

Listen to the episode in its entirety below, or check it out on TheInjectionConnection.com and the following platforms:

• Spotify
• iTunes/Apple Podcasts
• SoundCloud
• TuneIn
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube

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The Injection Connection podcast features in-depth discussions with thought leaders and professionals in the infrastructure repair industry. Host Jim Spiegel is Vice President of Alchemy-Spetec and Board Member at the International Concrete Repair Institute. With 15 years in the industry and experience on job sites around the world, Jim is uniquely qualified to bring you a wealth of informative infrastructure repair content on a regular basis.

This episode's guest Kevin Earles is a long-time friend of Jim, and the National Sales Director for EPMS Supplies based in Nottingham, UK. Topics covered include how they met one another, the future of online distribution, Brexit, and more. Kevin has been in the speciality construction distribution industry for almost 25 years.

Watch the episode in its entirety below, or check it out on TheInjectionConnection.com and the following platforms:

• Spotify
• iTunes/Apple Podcasts
• SoundCloud
• TuneIn
• Google Podcasts
• YouTube

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Leak Seal & Geotech Products & Procedures

March 18th & 19th, 2020 at Alchemy-Spetec HQ in Tucker, GA

Get ready for a thorough education in Leak Seal, Slab Lifting, Soil Stabilization and the Alchemy-Spetec Deep Lift™ process. You’ll get hands-on training from a technical staff with decades of on-the-job experience.

Wednesday - Leak Seal

• Leak Seal Product Line Overview
• Curtain Grouting
• Permeation Grouting
• Leak-Seal Product Mixing
• Pump & Packer Overviews
• Leak-Seal Accessories
• Municipal Applications
• Live Injection Demos
• Open Discussions

Thursday - Geotech

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Soil Stabilization
• Geotech Product Mixing
• Rig & Mobile System Overviews
• Geotechnical Accessories
• Slab Lifting Live Demo
• Deep Lift™ Overview
• Soil Testing with the
• GPR & Penetrometer
• Maintenance Discussions
• Pricing / Estimating / Cost Savings
• Open Discussions

Every once in a while, we will get a call from a frustrated contractor who has had a few jobs in a row where they used more foam than estimated.  Extra foam also means extra time on the job site so it's a serious concern with financial consequences.  

Although it's easy to think it might be the polyurethane not working right, that's usually not the case because formulations generally remain unchanged year after year.  Once a certain formula is dialed in and has gone through various approvals; it is unlikely to be changed.  So, what could be happening?

Site Evaluation Issues

I have been on more than a few jobs where the operator runs into a problem because the salesperson has missed something.  In cases where more foam than predicted is used it is usually because there is a big void that was not initially identified or there is very poor soil compaction.

When doing a proper site evaluation, you should start with bringing the right tools.  Bring a golf club or a piece of rebar to tap on the concrete and listen for voids.  Concrete makes a distinctly different "hollow" sound when there is a void beneath it.  Tap around the area to determine the extent of the void and then take measurements.  

I also like to have a cordless hammer drill with a 3/8" bit and a 1/2" bit.  If the customer will give you permission, ask to drill a small hole through the slab to check the void.  Make a mark on your drill bit when you break through the slab so you can determine the thickness of the slab.  Then I like to use a fiberglass driveway marker to stick through the hole and measure the amount of void.  If my drill bit is breaking through at 4" and my driveway marker goes in 7" before contacting the ground, then I know I have a 3" void.  When in contact with the ground, try to push the probe further into the ground to get an idea of compaction. If you can bury the probe by hand, then you know the ground is super soft or saturated and you need to account for more foam being used.

If you bring a borescope camera, you can drill a 1/2" hole in the slab and then insert the camera to have a look.  A good borescope will allow you to turn the camera head 90 degrees to have a look under the slab in a horizontal position.  These cameras plug into your smart phone or tablet so you can record video or take still shots.  This can be very compelling evidence to show a property owner and it also indicates that you know what you're doing.

So, what if you have all the cameras and probes, and you know how to sound out a piece of concrete with your piece of rebar; does that guarantee you won't go over on foam usage?  The answer to that is "No" because you may know how to check for a void, but you may not know where to check.  

Take, for example, a driveway slab that is down 2" from the garage slab.  It's easy for a salesperson to come out and measure the driveway slab, check for voids, and put together an estimate.  The experienced salesperson will also ask to go in the garage or carport to check for voids under that slab.  Polyurethane foam always tries to find the easiest path to travel when it is expanding.  If there is a washout under the driveway caused by a misplaced downspout; there is a good chance the void continues up under the garage as well.  Check the garage slab for cracking and tap on it with steel to listen for voids.  The point is to not get so focused on the obvious and take a look at the bigger picture.

Foam Issues

As I mentioned earlier, it's typically not going to be an issue with the foam unless you are using the wrong foam or sub-par foam in the first place.  However, you can still make a poor-quality finished foam with perfectly good raw materials and that will definitely affect the yield and the amount of foam that you will use on a job.  

Because Alchemy-Spetec does not use recycled materials in our formulations, the B-side is almost clear in color and the A side is always the color of weak coffee.  A quick test shot of our foam will let you know right away if it's on ratio because it will be a nice off-white color with a smooth skin forming as it expands.  If there is too much A side the foam will look more yellow and the texture will be crunchy.  If there is too much B side the foam will be pale white and soft.  It will take longer to cure and, in both cases, it will take more product to get the job done.

Besides doing an occasional test shot to check for color and foam curing speed, it's also important to watch the pressure gauges on the machine to make sure they are equal.  Also make note if you are going through a drum set and you consistently have too much A or too much B left over while the other drum is empty.  It could be an adjustment needs to be made at the machine itself.

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In what is becoming an annual tradition, we are re-posting this classic Christmas blog from our Southeast Regional Manager, Andy Powell.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us here at Alchemy-Spetec.

This time of year, most people will spend a little extra time with their loved ones.  It is also a time to reflect on the loved ones we miss that are no longer with us.  Like most of us, I know people who have either been lost or have suffered through a loss.  In those cases there was nothing that could have been done to stop it.  However, there are things that we can do to guard against job related safety hazards.

I've been fortunate enough to spend time in an OSHA safety training class.  It was required in order to be present supervising a project at a chemical facility.  Signing in at 6 AM, I’ll admit I was not looking forward to spending all day there.  By the end of the day I was glad that I went.

In an intro video, the narrator said that every morning when you kiss your loved one goodbye before you go to work, keep in mind that someone, somewhere will not come home from work that day.  Workplace accidents are almost entirely preventable.  Investigations typically find the cause quite easily. 

The class I attended contained a dozen or so modules, each one with a video case study followed by the teaching.  Every case study module covered a different accident where people didn’t come home from work that day.  All of them could have been prevented.  I learned about fire, electrical and chemical safety; as well as confined space, ladders, scaffolds, and working in trenches.  I have worked in the construction industry since my teenage years, so it was sobering to look back and think about some of the close calls I had.

If you're a contractor or industry related business owner looking for a good investment, send your employees to one of these classes.  It’s an excellent opportunity for them to learn safety principles that can protect you, your other employees, and your business from being lost.  It’s a gift that will keep on giving.  You don’t need Christmas as a reason to do this, but in the spirit of the season, you may want to make it the reason.  

Click here to find an OSHA safety class near you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Alchemy-Spetec's Geotechnical consultant Andy Powell and Bayset Specialist Trade Suppliers recently conducted Geotechnical concrete repair training programs in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane Australia. 

The training agenda included:

• Geotech Product Line Overview
• Soil Stabilization
• Geotech Product Mixing
• Rig & Mobile System Overviews
• Geotechnical Accessories
• Slab Lifting Live Demo
• Deep Lift™ Overview
• Maintenance Discussions
• Pricing / Estimating / Cost Savings
• Open Discussions

We'd like to thank Bayset and Andy Powell for working together to get contractors down under trained in the use of polyurethane for slab lifting, soil stabilization and the Deep Lift™ process!

Want information on future Alchemy-Spetec training opportunities?

Alchemy-Spetec is pleased to offer a customized version of the popular Estimate Rocket invoicing, client management and CRM tool for contractors.  The custom version includes material estimating calculators for Alchemy-Spetec geotech polyurethanes.  These calculators make it easy to figure out the amount of material you'll need for any given job.  Sign up now via this Alchemy-Spetec link to get the customized version!  (Visiting the Estimate Rocket site in any manner aside from the links we provide will get you the generic, non-customized version.)

Paperless Workflow

Creating impressive proposals has never been easier with Estimate Rocket’s easy-to-use business templates. Leave a lasting impression with professional paperless estimates and invoices you can create and deliver to clients in seconds. 

Job & Client Management

Keep your clients most important information organized and at your fingertips 24/7. The system automatically saves and organizes current and previous jobs, contact information, notes, and more.

Powerful CRM Tools

Stay connected with customer relationship management tools that keep you more responsive than ever before. Automated reminders and appointment scheduling let you know when to take action. Automated Follow-Ups stay in touch with your customers automatically.

Team Collaboration

Bring your entire team with an easy to use web-portal where crews can view appointments, field estimators can build estimates, and accountants can send out invoices.

Financial Reports

View up to the minute reports and know exactly where every job stands. Advanced reporting gives greater depth with detailed job statistics. Easily export to QuickBooks or other accounting software that imports CSV files.

Access on Any Device

Whether you’re on site with a customer or back in the office, you always have complete access to all features. Estimate Rocket works on Mac, PC, iOS, Android, Blackberry and any other web-enabled device.

AS Material Estimation Calculators

As mentioned previously, the Alchemy-Spetec customized version of Estimate Rocket features AS geotech material estimation calculators built in!

Slab Lifting in Cold Weather

Contrary to popular opinion, as a contractor, you don’t have to put up your equipment and rigs due to cold weather. There are many jobs to be done and many ways to keep your material conditioned. Use this season to your advantage and gain valuable business.

Seasonal attractions such as theme parks, for example, are a great place to start looking for winter work. Many of these parks (the ones that aren’t in Orlando) shut down for the winter and this is the time they do maintenance and repairs. Think of all the concrete lifting and leveling that can be done.

Read all about cold weather slab lifting markets, conditioning materials and more in our blog post Slab Lifting in Cold Weather.

Leak Sealing in Cold Weather

You have a variety of options for seeking leak seal jobs that are inside, out of the elements, during the winter months. (See the linked article below for a list of ideas.) If you’re still up for working outside during the winter months, you’re in luck because concrete contracts during colder weather. The contraction makes cracks open wider (thus easier to seal). One important point to understand is that cold weather requires you to make an extra effort to keep your materials and equipment warm.

Read all about cold weather leak seal markets, conditioning materials and more in our blog post Polyurethane Leak Seal in Cold Weather.

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