After two decades of embracing “precast innovation powered by collaboration,” AltusGroup and its member companies continue to develop advanced precast solutions that meet the needs of an evolving building and construction market.
“In the two decades since our founding, we’ve seen a deepened focus on energy savings, carbon footprint mitigation and on-site labor reductions, all amid an enhanced desire for aesthetic freedom and versatility,” said John Carson, AltusGroup executive director. “Through our novel co-opetition model, we’ve brought a variety of innovative technologies to the marketplace to make precast an even more competitive building enclosure option – with more product development on the way.
The organization celebrated 20 years of accomplishment and looked to the future at its annual general meeting this fall in Tampa, Fla. Among the noteworthy highlights of AltusGroup’s past two decades:
- Developing and commercializing the world’s first insulated precast concrete wall system that uses carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) grid as a wythe connector along with composite design action and introduction of the product – CarbonCast – as the country’s first nationally recognized brand of precast concrete wall systems.
- Recognition with several industry awards including the Product Innovation Award from Architectural Products, R+D Award from ARCHITECT magazine, Buildings magazine’s Top 100 Products and Architectural Record’s Product Reports.
- Growth of the AltusGroup organization from its original five members to today’s 14 members – a number that reached as high as 19 before industry consolidation. An additional nine companies support the group as Innovation Partners, while an International Affiliate supplies CarbonCast product in Europe.
- Educational outreach and continuing education with over 8,500 programs delivered in person and online since 2006.
AltusGroup’s flagship CarbonCast technology has been used on more than 2,500 successful projects representing 35 million square feet of wall surface since 2003. Projects with CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels have won numerous PCI Design Awards since the technology was introduced.
Additional product and technology developments that will speed construction, reduce jobsite labor and lower precast’s carbon footprint are slated for introduction in 2024 into 2025.
Novel co-opetition model enables investments in innovation
Central to AltusGroup’s success has been adherence to its co-opetition model whereby members cooperate to develop precast advancements then compete with one another in their respective market areas.
To innovate, AltusGroup brings together the best and brightest engineering and manufacturing minds in the precast-prestressed industry. Members then pool financial resources for product development, testing and marketing, enabling them to share the costs for research and development. AltusGroup also scans the market for licensable precast technologies that could benefit from incremental innovation, broader distribution and more robust marketing.
“By cooperating, our members can reduce their investments in R&D while innovating breakthrough technologies with a team of the best technical minds and advisers in the business,” said Carson. “It’s the ultimate win-win situation, especially when the demands of the building industry are evolving more rapidly than ever. We are nimbler than a trade organization and have a deeper pool of knowledge than any one company. We are unbridled in our thinking and actions.”
Leadership named to drive group strategy and direction
AltusGroup’s board of directors guides the organization and provides strategic direction. Board members are selected from AltusGroup’s membership and direct tactical strategy and execution as needed.
Officers and board members elected at the Annual General Meeting will serve through October 2024. They are:
- Chairman: Joe Bunkers - Gage Brothers.
- Past Chairman: Hagen Harker - Mid-States Concrete Industries
- Chair Elect: John Arehart - Enterprise Precast of Texas
- Treasurer: Dave Schneider - High Concrete Group
- Secretary (and Innovation Partner Representative): Jason Pitcole – Master Builders
Board members:
- Suzanne Aultman and Terri Ward - Metromont
- Lance Lorah - High Concrete Group
- Brian Laufenberg, John Leatham – Chomarat NA
- Peter Gay - Knife River
- Andrew LeVatte - Strescon Limited / Pre-Con
