ADVANTAGES
 

QUALITY

All SPEC MIX® manufacturers follow a quality assurance program that is unmatched. First, our commitment to quality starts with the raw materials used, as each mix constituent is required to meet ASTM standards. Certifications of compliance are constantly updated and readily available for all ingredients including the final products. Furthermore, an independent laboratory is hired to test all mix designs and performance of all products for ASTM or ACI compliance. To eliminate any possibility of contamination on the job site, the quality of our products is maintained by enclosing and palletizing each [recyclable] bulk bag with an outer protective plastic jacket.

Using only dried sands and accurately weighing all ingredients before preblending our products eliminates the chance of any inconsistencies. The computer-batching process can account for each mix component as it is weighed ensuring the finished product complies to design and specification requirements. Batch Tickets can be recorded to document the actual weights of ingredients for each product manufactured. Samples may be retained for quality assurance or for reproducing existing products for future products. When it comes to quality, SPEC MIX® is your solution!

CONSISTENCY

A mason's level of productivity is directly related to mortar consistency. At SPEC MIX, product consistency is the primary objective at each of our facilities. Batch-to-batch consistency is maintained by first using dried sands to eliminate the bulking effect associated with varying moisture within the aggregate. Depending on the fineness and moisture content of the sand, bulking can change the volume by as much as 30 percent. All aggregates, cements, lime, admixtures and coloring pigments are preblended at the factory. This ensures no variations and results in more consistent set times and complete control of aggregate to cement ratio. In masonry mortars, batch-to-batch accuracy results in reliable compressive strength gain, better flexural bond and more consistent colors throughout the masonry assemblage. No longer do you need to worry about patchwork mortar joints or the integrity of the wall being affected by a change in the labor force.

EFFICIENCY

The SPEC MIX® silo and bulk bag system is specifically designed to drastically reduce the labor required to batch materials on site. Our silo systems allow a masonry crew to make a double batch of mortar in 50 percent of the time needed for conventional jobsite mixing. What typically takes a laborer 8-10 minutes will now take 5 minutes! The simplicity of the silo system makes it possible to change the person at the mixing station, ANY TIME, while gaining faster batch times and consistent mortar throughout the project. One person can make 2-3 products -- gray mortar, colored mortar and grout -- in the same time as the traditional process. Most contractors will have their lift operator make all the mortar for the masons, which saves the expense of stationing an additional laborer at the mixer for 6-8 hours per day. The labor savings is enormous, especially over the course of the entire job.

To further maximize productivity, our portable SPEC MIX® silos are easily moved about the jobsite to reduce forklift time traveling from the mixer to your masons at the wall. Therefore, as the crew moves about the job site, the SPEC MIX® mixing station will follow to increase productivity. In addition, our various silo systems make it possible to experience these same advantages for interior work, high-rise work, and residential construction sites where space is limited but mobility is a necessity.

Weather is never a problem. Rain soaked or frozen sand piles kill productivity. Not with the SPEC MIX® system. The silos are easily enclosed for construction in all climates. SPEC MIX® products stay dry; they will not freeze! Just heat the mixing water and your crew is ready to start working.

CLEANER AND GREENER

SPEC MIX® is truly an environmentally friendly product. Field mixed materials require piles of sand and paper bags of cementitious material. At a typical masonry construction site, 15 to 30 percent of all sand delivered is wasted. At the cost of sand today, the figure attached to waste can be staggering! This sand along with empty paper bags must be removed from a site and placed in a landfill. At SPEC MIX®, we are proud to save in excess of 6 million paper bags and countless tons of sand from landfills every year, not to mention the costs of disposal. Our pallets and bulk bag containers are completely reusable and are picked up whenever a load of material is delivered to a site. A SPEC MIX® mixing station is clean, safe, efficient and professional!

SAFETY

Conventional, field-mixed materials involve a significant degree of repetitive motion affecting the lower back. In a single day, laborers often lift and shovel more than 13,500 pounds, twisting their backs approximately 1,300 times.

The SPEC MIX® system completely eliminates shoveling and heavy lifting associated with field mixing. The ergonomically correct silos are designed to reduce injury. Worker's compensation claims can cost in excess of $100,000, greatly affecting the profitability of a project. SPEC MIX® can lower jobsite injuries, reducing a contractor's safety modification rating and workmen's compensation expense, which can make a contractor more competitive on bid day.

SPEC MIX® silos are designed to meet all OSHA standards, and our highly trained sales representatives are available for on-site silo safety training. Contact your local licensee or SPEC MIX® Inc. to get the SPEC MIX® Safety and Operations Manual to ensure job safety, EVERYDAY!