Industry Construction
Concrete | Website altusprecast.com | |
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Founder Oldcastle Precast, Building Systems
Chomarat North America Key people Thomas Holmes, Chairman Products CarbonCast High Performance Insulated Wall Panels
CarbonCast Insulated Architectural Cladding
CarbonCast Architectural Cladding
CarbonCast Double Tees | ||
AltusGroup, Inc. is a national partnership of 17 precast concrete companies and seven industry suppliers founded in July 2003 to develop, manufacture and market precast concrete innovations throughout North America.
Contents
Innovations include the CarbonCast line of technology that uses C-GRID carbon fiber grid for shear reinforcing developed by Chomarat North America.
History
AltusGroup emerged from a development initiative between Oldcastle Precast and Chomarat North America, formerly TechFab, LLC.
Chomarat North America first conceived commercial grid structures using fiberglass roving and epoxy in 1997. It was initially named, “PetroGrid,” and introduced by Amoco Fabrics & Fibers Co. in 1998 to create geo-grids for the road paving market.
In 1998-99, Chomarat North America and Oldcastle Precast entered a joint development agreement to explore the use of carbon fiber structural grids for use in concrete. The original precast product champion and technology visionary was Harold Messenger.
From 1998-2001, development efforts focused on product, process, testing, and engineering design validation surrounding grid use in concrete. Dr. Thomas Harmon, a professor of engineering at Washington University, St. Louis, provided primary research support for the initiative, also co-funded by both companies.
Early research and development works serve as the engineering design basis used today to design and manufacture CarbonCast.
Operations
AltusGroup emerged from a development initiative between Oldcastle Precast and Chomarat North America, formerly TechFab, LLC and operates under the concept of co-opetition. Member companies collaborate and share information to advance the development and marketing of CarbonCast and other technologies, but compete for jobs through the conventional sales and bidding process.
Its member companies place volunteer representatives on committees that oversee the policies and function of the organization: