Alchatek Blog

We have launched our new application!

Finally, a polyurethane estimating calculator for slab lifting and void fill jobs.

This app is a simple, fast, and reliable way to take the guesswork out of estimating Alchemy-Spetec polyurethane slab lifting and void filling materials while prepping for a job.

Follow these steps to download and operate this app:

1. Download App
Search Alchemy-Spetec in your Apple App Store or Google Play Store to install the Poly Estimating App.

 

2. Create an Account for the App
After installing the app, create an account by clicking "Sign Up" at the bottom and following the prompts.

3. Click the Slab Lifting Material Estimator or Void Filling Material Estimator button at the bottom.

4. Select Your Product: 430, 440 or 475
Watch for the expansion rate to appear at the bottom once you've selected the product.

       

5. Input Data
Enter the square footage of the slab and number of inches the slab has settled, then press enter.

6. End Result
The final screen displays the amount of resin needed for your specific job. You will see options for slabs in which 1 side is settled, 2 sides are settled, and all sides are settled. 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

“It always seems impossible until it’s done” – Nelson Mandella

These is a tricky blog subject to connect with a broad audience.  Prioritization of principles is such a subjective topic that there really is no one way to frame it.  Principles that work for one organization may be vastly different than others, while both may be wildly successful.  Let’s examine the differences in one of the most well-discussed company principles known to us all – work hours. 

Elon Musk is commonly quoted with messages suggesting that most successful people simply put in more hours than others.  He has famously been known to work 100+ hour weeks, and suggests that if you work twice the hours of a competitor in a given year, it will take you 6 months to achieve what they do in an entire year.  Sure, this sounds idealistically simple coming from a genius with laser focused visions, but the point is well taken in concept.  And in principle it is true, you have to be willing to out-work your competition.  There are no two ways about this in anything you do.  Now, the art lies in how you outwork them.  If you implement systems modeled around efficiency, perhaps you can accomplish things in 24 hours that would previously require 48.  In theory, with efficient modeling and hard-work, your organization can even out-pace competitors working 100+ hours each week, right?  The debate around working harder or smarter is a circular one.  With the winning position going to working smart and hard. 

On the other side of this spectrum, let’s consider Richard Branson.  Branson believes in a flexible working condition in which employees can utilize technology to work from home and have unlimited leave which Virgin believes adds to an increase in their happiness and productivity.  Now, if you’re like many of us, your reality probably lies somewhere in the middle of these two extremely successful business owner approaches.  So, which the right one?  My humble belief is that it encompasses all of the topics in this blog series, People, Partners, and Products.   

Throughout 2018, you will see this common structure to the monthly blogs I post in the Conference Room Series.  We hope that you will start to notice the breakdown of People, Partners, Products, and Principle.  This should provide you with a behind-the-scenes snapshot of what we are all about at Alchemy-Spetec.  So, getting back to the question of what is the correct working hours principle?

• Find the right people. Only bring on professional adults who respect themselves and the quality of the work they produce.  And appreciate them for it. 
• Partner with like-minded companies and people up and down your vertical. Partner people are just as important as your own co-workers.  (See #1 above.)
• Know what your products do and don’t do. An experienced team with conviction of what their products do, and more importantly, what their products don’t, advances your brand with much greater strides than what over-promising ever will. 
• When #1, #2, and #3 are done correctly, work ethic Principles take care of themselves. You see, it all goes back to people.  Branson and Musk are great visionaries who create great Products, enter into the right Partnerships, and surround themselves with the best People.  Those are the Principles.  Don’t blame your business success or failure on work hours. (See #1 above.)

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is – it is what consumers tell each other it is” – Scott Cook

Most of us have a product line. And all of us at least have an offering.  Unless we’re in the small percentage of companies that are offering uniquely differentiated proprietary products, we also all have similar competing products.  The key word here is Product.  Just because we have competing products, does not mean that we all have similar competitors.  What’s the difference?  And why am I seemingly commoditizing all of our offerings?  Let me explain…

So much more of our inherent value as sales organizations is not in knowing what products we offer, but in knowing what the products we offer do.   Sticking to my own wheelhouse of construction chemicals, the examples of a technical rep making or breaking themselves due to technical expertise are countless.  We all know, too well, the overheard conversation of a product recommendation over-promising on functionality and/or project scope.  The over zealous sales rep quick to state, “it should work in that application.”  This is the sound of a disappointed client, upset customer, stressed rep, tarnished brand confidence, and ruined future relationship flushing down a toilet.  And all of this could be avoided with a truthful statement such as, “I don’t know”, or “I’m not confident recommending this product for this application.” 

When I started my recently new position, I jumped on a conference call with a new customer with great potential.  In this call, we discussed a specific application, and a high-ranking member of our team responded, “I wouldn’t recommend that yet, we still have a lot of testing to do.”  This was music to my ears.  I automatically knew that I was in the right place.  I’m quite confident that this sincerity only leads to more confidence from our customers, which fosters a better relationship.  And whether you know it or not, often times the end-user on the other line is just as knowledgeable on application.  They often times know the right answer, but want to see if you do too.  You’ll always get second and third chances to guess right.  But you typically never get a second chance to guess wrong.  

Be confident in your products, and what they can do.  But I genuinely believe that amateur technical support ends with what products can do, and true technical expertise starts with knowing what they can’t.  Support your products and service with conviction in both. 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

“Our success has really been based on partnerships from the very beginning” – Bill Gates

It doesn’t require a merger or acquisition to create a 1+1=3 partnership.  It requires two companies, through open communication, identifying alignment of supply and demand services rendered and required.  Seems simple enough, right?  Absolutely not. 

Whether we admit to this or not, every business fulfills their agenda first.  We have to.  We have to turn our own lights on before we worry about who else has turned on theirs.  But, how far does this culture trickle down?  What messages are being sent to sales and marketing teams?  After all, the message sent to the sales team is the market-facing message with which our brands enter the arena.  Sure, marketing campaigns paint a picture, but what is the dynamic when you sit down with a representative and share dialogue?  Next time you’re on a sales meeting call, listen and compare how many times WE or US is used compared to THEM or THEY. This alone will be a very indicative sign of company culture and how it pertains to our view of our own partnerships. 

Mattew Dixon, author of The Challenger Sale, profoundly suggests “what sets the best suppliers apart is not the quality of their products, but the value of their insight—new ideas to help customers either make money or save money in ways they didn’t even know were possible.”    We are all suppliers.  In some way or another, we supply our products to service an industry need.  How valuable is your insight?

Invite yourself to your client’s next sales meeting to understand THEIR needs.  Report back to your sales manager only what THEY are trying to achieve.  What is the best-selling line for your distributor?  How can you compliment THEIR efforts selling to THOSE customers? What are THEIR sales goals in 2018?  How can you help THEM achieve that goal?  What is the most profitable service your contractor performs?  How can you supplement THAT service?  How can you improve THEIR sales and marketing targets for this service?

I’ve always believed that money is a by-product of being good at something, and if you think making money is the industry you’re in, you have a far less chance of ever being industry-leading.  And the industry-leader there, Jeff Bezos, still did it by offering partners and customers industry-changing service.  Firstly, be the best at servicing your partners needs, and your company’s bottom line will fall into place. 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

Happy New Year from Alchemy-Spetec.

Over the next twelve months, I will be producing a monthly four-part blog, entitled Conference Room.  Producing content for forty-eight original blogs is quite an ambitious objective, but we all know not much gets achieved without setting lofty goals, and working towards them with diligence.  Our Conference Room blog will run concurrently with two other series focused on the Geotechnical and Waterproofing construction industry segments.  Through these blogs, we aim to provide our audience with an insight into not only the Alchemy-Spetec product line, but also the broader general industries as well as a behind-the-scenes snapshot of how we operate as an organization and how we prioritize our efforts.  We welcome questions, comments, and criticisms throughout, and look forward to finding ways to improve through this dialogue.  We hope you enjoy our blogs!

 “Getting the right people in the right jobs is a lot more important than developing a strategy” – Jack Welch

You read it in every business culture book, and you hear it in every management meeting.  Not only are people the most important dynamic to your business, good ones are extremely difficult to find.  We all realize that nothing in the business goes well when good people aren’t putting in their well-respected efforts day in and day out.  While this is certainly true inside each business, it is perhaps even more true outside of your business. 

The same phenomenon occurs when we don’t have the right people as partners anywhere along our respective verticals, or anywhere in our lives for that matter.  Do your suppliers share the same pillar principles?  Are you aligned with your distribution network’s goals?  As a supplier, do you share the same confidence in your product as the contractor has in their own skill and craftsmanship?  If the answer to any of these are ‘no’, then you’re not aligning with the right people.  In the often-quoted Best-Selling Book Good To Great, Jim Collins emphasizes the importance of first and foremost focusing on having the right people on the bus.  Why should this be any different for all of those people that make your brand uniquely yours?  Commitment to, and appreciation for finding the right people should be all of our #1 objectives. 

Tis the season for reflection and new beginnings.  Although you can’t throw someone off the bus who is sitting around your holiday dinner table, take some time to appreciate those around you who are the right people in your business and in your life.  And as we begin the new year, critically and reflectively consider if you’re performing as the right person on each bus you ride.  Next stop on this bus is Part 2 of 4; Partners. Be sure to stay tuned!  

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

Pursuing the Dream

You can make a lot of money in the slab lifting business. There are many markets to take advantage of, including Residential, Commercial-Industrial and Transportation. Let’s take a quick look at all three...

Residential Slab Jacking

The residential market offers tremendous opportunities for the slab lifting contractor. Obviously there are driveways, foundations, patios, pools, and porches. Don’t think residential only includes houses. There are countless opportunities in the apartment and condo sectors as well.

Commercial-Industrial Slab Jacking

Because scenarios for slab lifting are infinite in the non-residential category, let’s lump Commercial and Industrial together. Concrete parking lots, showroom floors, industrial park walkways and an endless supply of huge warehouse floors are just the tip of the iceberg in this extremely lucrative field of opportunity.

Slab Jacking for the Transportation Sector

Last but not least, take a look in the transportation sector. The world is covered with miles and miles of concrete roads, highways, bridge approach slabs, and railroad support slabs. A large percentage of them have settled in one spot or another (and the rest are vulnerable to future settling). There will NEVER be enough slab lifting contractors out there to address ALL of these current and future slab lifting needs. Your fortune awaits...IF you know what you’re doing.

Avoiding the Nightmares

It would be irresponsible to paint a completely rosy picture of the business and neglect to warn you of the pitfalls. Risk is an underlying factor in any new endeavor, and slab lifting is no different. Threats of failure can arise from problems with your Equipment, your Lifting Material and your Technical Knowldege.

Equipment Problems

You don’t want to wing it when you put your lifting rig together. Seek the advice of an experienced technician to make sure you have all the equipment you need, reliable machinery, and a trailer rig that was built to haul it all around. The last thing you need is a hose bursting, a generator failing or (and this has happened) a trailer axle breaking on the day of your first job!

Lifting Material Problems

How would you like to spend your time working on jobs that actually pay? Using reliable polymers will cut way back on the chances you’ll have to load up your rig and waste a day re-doing a job you were paid for long ago.

Technical Problems

Here’s where it’s critical to partner with a knowledgable polymer supplier that cares about your success. Some who have gone before you failed at their new venture because they weren’t prepared to overcome common challenges that arise on slab lifting jobs. How do you deal with a slab that has fused to a wall or another slab and stubbornly refuses to lift? What about very small structures that easily leak polymer from underneath all sides without raising an inch? Then there’s the fun surprise of realizing the wrong side of your slab is lifting. You can also accidentally crack slabs, damage your customer’s proprty and - in the the biggest nightmare of them all - permanently overlift the slab.

A Realistic Guide to Slab Lifting Success

We can start you on the journey of total preparation for success in slab lifting. Our experienced technical consultants can educate you on the causes of settled slabs, the process of repairing them, and critical facts about the polymer material on which your jobs will rely. You'll learn about trailer rig options, the MixMaster slab lifting gun, pump options and accessory equipment. We also offer tips on markering your business, estimating materials for jobs, and essential techniques for avoiding on-the-job problems. To get started, call us today at 404-618-0438.

Want info Alchemy-Spetec slab lifting products?

One thing we pride ourselves in here at Alchemy-Spetec is offering full, four wheel drive marketing support. We don't make money unless YOU do, so we're happy to help you get the word out about your concrete repair services. When talking to customers, I often hear the following question: "What's the best way to get leads for my business?" Obviously, there are many ways. One of the most effective, however, is creating content that your potential customers will find helpful. One of the best ways to do that is to start a blog. Very often I sense hesitation after I make that suggestion. Sounds like a lot of work, right? We can tell you from experience that it's worth it. Here are a few reasons why...

A blog is a great way to increase your leads. Especially if you update it frequently and use search friendly terms in your article titles. Search engines prefer websites that are consitently updated with useful content. The more articles you publish, the more you increase your chances of being found by someone searching those subjects you write about. You will also establish yourself as an authority on in your area, which makes the selling process that much easier. Make sure you request your reader’s contact info at the end of each blog post in exchange for a brochore or some other valuable download.

If you'd like tips on setting up a blog, establishing a posting schedule and getting ideas for content; give us a call at 404-618-0438.

Want more tips on marketing your contracting business?

Last year in Florida alone, I gave over 30 lunch and learn presentations on the subject of polyurethane as a method of filling voids and stabilizing soil behind bulkheads and seawalls.  These presentations were done at various engineering firms from the panhandle down to Miami.  Besides serving as an opportunity to feature polyurethane in a specific application, it is also a forum to explore other applications that may arise.  I can’t tell you how many times I would be discussing permeation of soils behind a seawall and an engineer would ask, “Hey could that be used in this other situation that I am dealing with?”  At the very least it is an opportunity to plant seeds for projects down the road. 

A lunch and learn is a training and development event that is scheduled during a lunch hour in a work day. This is a great way to give a presentation to engineers, municipalities, or contractors on the latest advancements in polyurethane technology for geotechnical and infrastructure repair applications.

Our lunch and learn presentations are designed to facilitate conversations about the benefits of using polyurethane technology on geotechnical, structural, and civil projects. We aim to be your go to partner and that includes bridging the gap about what tools to use, how to use them, when to use them, and how to market yourself in your field.

We schedule lunch and learns every month at various engineering firms, contractor offices, and municipalities. These sessions are a great way to meet our technical experts in person, ask questions, and even demo a product. And who can turn down a good lunch? We take care of that as well. 

After most presentations we will have contractors or engineers who show interest in our products. Many times we will have engineering consultants approach our team and ask for a private demo to specify our products for future projects.

Benefits of Attending a Lunch and Learn

• Learn about the latest polyurethane technology and tools available.
• Ask first hand questions and receive immediate feedback.
• Networking opportunity and private demos available.
• Complimentary lunch may be provided.
• Sessions are usually kept under an hour

How Do I Get on the Schedule?

Contact us and we’ll have one of our regional managers reach out to set up an appointment.  Let us know the product line you are interested in, and any additional information about possible projects. We will formulate a presentation tailored to your needs. If a presentation on short notice is required, we can even have pizza delivered and give the presentation remotely via a screen sharing program.

Want information on the products we offer?

Alchemy-Spetec will be at World of Concrete 2018 in Las Vegas. Be sure to visit us: Silver Lots - O40551. Click here for a discount on Exhibits-Only Admission.

While there's certainly lots to see and do at the concrete industry's premier trade convention, don't forget to check out some shows while you're there! To make it easy, we've done some research for you. Here's an overview of some of the best entertainment events in Vegas during World of Concrete.

Adam Sandler at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

January 27

Adam Sandler’s films have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide and include box office hits such as Grown Ups, Just Go With It, Bedtime Stories, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. In 2014, Sandler signed a deal with Netflix to produce and star in four original movies to premiere on the streaming channel. The first three films, The Ridiculous 6, The Do-Over and Sandy Wexler, are the most-watched movies on Netflix to date.

Click here for tickets and more info...

An Intimate Evening with Santana

January 24, January 26 - 28

He's one of the greatest guitarists of all time, and now you can see Carlos Santana up close. Rock out to an evening of greatest hits live when Santana returns to the Las Vegas House of Blues.

Click here for tickets and more info...

The Eddie Griffin Experience

All Shook Up: A Tribute to the King

January 21 - 27

Elvis is definitely in the building — every night to be exact. If you love the King, you’ll love the only All-Elvis show on The Strip, featuring hits that made him the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music. 

Click here for more info...

Blue Man Group

January 21 - 27

Blue Man Group will rock your world. Blow your mind. And unleash your spirit. Leave your expectations at the door and let three bald and blue men take you on a spectacular journey bursting with music, laughter and surprises. Electrify your night at the specially designed state-of-the-art Blue Man Theater at Luxor Hotel and Casino. 35 million people of all ages, languages and cultures know what Blue Man Group is really about. Now it’s your turn.

Click here for tickets and more info...

Learn more about Alchemy-Spetec products, so you're fully informed when you visit us at World of Concrete!

Alchemy-Spetec has a reputation for the best technical support in the business. Our technical consultants have years of on-the-job experience and give the best guidance and training you'll find anywhere. No job is too challenging when you know we've got your back.

But what about getting those jobs in the first place? Did you know that we also offer marketing support? If you want assistance finding and reeling in the best, most profitable concrete repair jobs out there, give us a call. The Alchemy-Spetec Marketing Department is very proactive in assisting customers.

Some of the materials and services we offer include:

• Referrals to professional consultants on web design, search engine optimization, online advertising campaigns, etc.
• Illustrations depicting infrastructure repair processes.
• Photographs of jobs, products and/or equipment.
• Videos and/or animations depicting infrastructure repair processes.
• Customizable slab lifting graphic files for large format signs.
• Customizable marketing brochures.
• Guidance in creating sales presentations.
• Ongoing advice on any marketing issues that arise while you’re doing business with us.

These are just a few of many marketing offerings available to our customers. If you have any further questions in this area, please contact our Marketing Department for assistance at 404-618-0436.

Want more information on how to market your contracting business?