Credit: Original article published here.

I remember when I first started in the precast industry in 2004 at Wells Concrete (formerly Hanson) there was one busy task to keep up on:  delivering product binders to clients.  It was actually a great way to meet people face-to-face with a handshake instead of clicking the send button in Outlook.  Granted it took some time to assemble the latest printed information, make sure it was in the right order with the proper tabs, and all that drive time added up…but it was worth it!

After I made some phone calls around town and asked what most people are doing these days, Architects and Engineers have mixed feedback on product binders.  Some industry professionals are entirely online and using their networks for digital storage.  Other experts would prefer to have a hard copy where they can markup tabs, create notes, and flip through the pages to find information fast.  But the most common response I noticed in speaking with some friends around town was to have a little bit of both.

The trend is obviously shifting towards going digital and that’s where Wells Concrete’s website can help.  Just go to wellsconcrete.com and hover over the ‘Resources’ tab at the top of the home page.  Here you’ll find four key information dropdown tabs:  Design Details, Load Tables, Specifications, and Brochures – it’s basically our online product binder.

It’s true we want the design community to have Wells’ product binder online and at your fingertips.  But, we also don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to sit down at the table together and work through panel layouts, design considerations, and offering up production efficiencies.

So, the next time you’re looking for a detail or precast clarification, please call me or go to our online product binder.  And if you REALLY would like an updated hard copy product binder, please let me know and I’ll arrange for a delivery and a handshake.

Mat Boie
Sales