The concept behind CemenTech’s machinery is simple -- rather than mixing a batch of concrete with a short shelf life at a remote location and trucking it into the job site, why not mix the ingredients right on the truck?
That novel concept has led to the Indianola, Iowa, company’s machinery being sold in over 50 countries around the globe.
“We’ve been the innovators, if you will, in our little niche market,” said Gary Ruble, Chairman and CEO of Multi-Tech, Inc., CemenTech’s parent company.
From construction sites in industrialized countries, such as the Autobahn in Germany, to projects in developing nations, such as the Caribbean Islands, CemenTech’s machinery can be found throughout the world.
The company’s idea has produced a long list of advantages compared to a standard cement drum truck, which transports concrete that is pre-mixed to a construction site.
One benefit of using a CemenTech concrete mixer is that the concrete is always fresh and of the best possible quality.
Most ready-mix concrete that is transported via a drum truck begins to rapidly degrade in quality within 45 minutes of it being mixed. Because CemenTech’s mobile cement mixer mixes the concrete components -- sand, stone, Portland cement, and water -- at the point where it will be poured, the concern that a load may break down en route to the construction site is eliminated.
A second advantage of CemenTech’s machinery comes from the changing needs of the construction industry. The days of allowing 28 days for concrete to sufficiently set are over. The increasing demand for concrete to become more of a rapid-setting material provides an opportunity for CemenTech’s equipment to be utilized at a construction site. The company’s concrete will reach its maximum strength in as little as 15 minutes.
CemenTech units are also often used for short-load concrete projects, which require less than a full load. Rather than making a full batch with much of the concrete going to waste, a CemenTech piece of equipment will allow the user to simply make the exact amount at the particular location and have materials left to make concrete for a different location.
Additionally, CemenTech offers users a variety of specifications for concrete often needed at various construction sites. The company’s machinery can mix different strengths and colors of concrete for different projects, such as footings on a house versus what is needed for a sidewalk pour.
The innovative design of CemenTech’s machinery also sets the company’s equipment apart from the rest of the field. The compartments carrying the water on a CemenTech truck are made from a polymer plastic, rather than steel, which eventually rusts and cracks on other mixers, requiring the unit to be replaced every few years. The mixing process usedin a CemenTech truck also produces a less dusty cement.
Finally, the advanced technology of the mobile mixer allows the user to operate the machine by remote control on the job site.
Not only is CemenTech a leader in the volumetric concrete industry, but the company is also continuously pursuing new opportunities for product development.
They build a municipal sludge mixer that produces reusable fertilizer, which is especially beneficial to areas of the country in which the soil lacks lime.
Another quality that makes CemenTech unique in the industry is the fact that the company is 100 percent employee-owned. Each of CemenTech’s 100-plus employees are part owners of the company.
Ruble gives high marks to Iowa’s work force.
“We very much think the work ethic in Iowa is far better than some other parts of the country,” Ruble said. “We have great people. The ability to pick up quality people is just wonderful for manufacturing.”
He also has praise for the state CemenTech calls home.
“I tell everybody and anybody that will listen that Iowa is the perfect place for us to be doing business,” Ruble said. “We are centrally located in our domestic market and the access we have to the interstate for delivery of our product is excellent.”
