Episode Details
Back to Episodes
EP #159: Low-Carbon Concrete? Kiss My Grits. Type I/II Is Back!
Season 1
Episode 159
Published 1 month ago
Description
THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: GPRS
Before you cut, core, drill, trench, or start guessing what is inside the slab, call GPRS.
GPRS helps contractors locate what is hidden below the surface with ground penetrating radar, utility locating, concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and mapping services.
They help keep your jobsite safer, reduce costly hits, and give your team better information before the work starts.
Learn more here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/gprs
ON THIS EPISODE OF THE CONCRETE LOGIC PODCAST
The concrete industry spent the last few years blaming Type IL cement for almost everything.
Cracking. Scaling. Low breaks. Slow set times. Higher water demand.
Now Type I/II cement may be making a comeback.
So what happens when the “bad guy” leaves the room and the same concrete problems are still standing there?
Rich Szecsy joins the show to explain what he is seeing in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, why cement suppliers are shifting, and why this move back to Type I/II may expose an uncomfortable truth.
Maybe Type IL caused some problems.
Maybe it didn’t.
But concrete was never problem-free before Type IL showed up.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
00:00 Introduction
01:02 The big topic: Type I/II cement coming back
01:26 How to support the Concrete Logic Podcast
03:34 Rich’s view on the Type IL vs Type I/II shift
04:24 Why Type IL became more available after 2020
05:31 Rich’s 100% placement rate during the supply crunch
06:44 Concrete complaints blamed on Type IL
07:45 What happens if Type I/II returns and problems continue?
09:33 Contractors adjusting to changing cement types
10:07 Micro business needs vs macro industry needs
10:59 Past material changes that caused industry panic
11:24 Why concrete has always had variability
12:28 The old Type I vs Type II confusion
12:43 What cement suppliers are telling customers
13:05 Is the market asking for Type I/II again?
14:00 Why the market decides which cement wins
14:58 How quickly Texas shifted from Type I/II to Type IL
16:08 How ready-mix producers may handle both cement types
16:47 Submittals that allow either Type IL or Type I/II
17:29 Rich’s blunt definition of quality
18:35 Why the producer-contractor relationship matters most
19:51 Jobsite meetings, AI research, and “raspberry”
20:54 Is the Type I/II shift really happening?
21:28 Closing thoughts
GUEST INFO
Rich Szecsy, CEO, Big Town Concrete
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/rich-szecsy/
CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
The people who understand concrete are the people who get listened to.
Not the loudest person in the meeting.
Not the guy repeating what he heard ten years ago.
Not the person blaming every problem on the latest material change.
The person who understands the “
Before you cut, core, drill, trench, or start guessing what is inside the slab, call GPRS.
GPRS helps contractors locate what is hidden below the surface with ground penetrating radar, utility locating, concrete scanning, video pipe inspection, leak detection, and mapping services.
They help keep your jobsite safer, reduce costly hits, and give your team better information before the work starts.
Learn more here:
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/gprs
ON THIS EPISODE OF THE CONCRETE LOGIC PODCAST
The concrete industry spent the last few years blaming Type IL cement for almost everything.
Cracking. Scaling. Low breaks. Slow set times. Higher water demand.
Now Type I/II cement may be making a comeback.
So what happens when the “bad guy” leaves the room and the same concrete problems are still standing there?
Rich Szecsy joins the show to explain what he is seeing in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, why cement suppliers are shifting, and why this move back to Type I/II may expose an uncomfortable truth.
Maybe Type IL caused some problems.
Maybe it didn’t.
But concrete was never problem-free before Type IL showed up.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
- Is the cement market really shifting back to Type I/II?
- Why did Type IL become so common after 2020?
- What happens when one cement type gets blamed for every concrete problem?
- Will cracking, scaling, low breaks, and set delays disappear?
- Why the producer-contractor relationship matters more than internet arguments
- How ready-mix producers may handle Type IL and Type I/II at the same time
- Why the market, not the noise, decides which cement gets used
00:00 Introduction
01:02 The big topic: Type I/II cement coming back
01:26 How to support the Concrete Logic Podcast
03:34 Rich’s view on the Type IL vs Type I/II shift
04:24 Why Type IL became more available after 2020
05:31 Rich’s 100% placement rate during the supply crunch
06:44 Concrete complaints blamed on Type IL
07:45 What happens if Type I/II returns and problems continue?
09:33 Contractors adjusting to changing cement types
10:07 Micro business needs vs macro industry needs
10:59 Past material changes that caused industry panic
11:24 Why concrete has always had variability
12:28 The old Type I vs Type II confusion
12:43 What cement suppliers are telling customers
13:05 Is the market asking for Type I/II again?
14:00 Why the market decides which cement wins
14:58 How quickly Texas shifted from Type I/II to Type IL
16:08 How ready-mix producers may handle both cement types
16:47 Submittals that allow either Type IL or Type I/II
17:29 Rich’s blunt definition of quality
18:35 Why the producer-contractor relationship matters most
19:51 Jobsite meetings, AI research, and “raspberry”
20:54 Is the Type I/II shift really happening?
21:28 Closing thoughts
GUEST INFO
Rich Szecsy, CEO, Big Town Concrete
https://www.concretelogicpodcast.com/guests/rich-szecsy/
CONCRETE LOGIC ACADEMY
The people who understand concrete are the people who get listened to.
Not the loudest person in the meeting.
Not the guy repeating what he heard ten years ago.
Not the person blaming every problem on the latest material change.
The person who understands the “