Bricks Bags and Blocks for Bikes- Malta Dynamic Fall Protection Bundle Available in Online Auction

For the past couple of years, Spec Mix has hosted an auction in conjunction with the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 competition in North Texas. This year, the goal is to raise $50,000 to purchase bikes for the underprivileged children of the Dallas, Ft. Worth area. In the spirit of the holiday season the Masonry Trade and its supporters wish to take this opportunity to give back to our community in partnership with our local ABC Channel 8 – WFAA. This year we hope you’ll join us in making a difference in the life of a deserving child.

This year the auction going online to allow more exposure and Spec Rents is happy to play a small part in it by donating a Malta Dynamics Fall Protection bundle (see below pictures and description) for the auction. You can see details below and be sure to go to Spec Mix’s Bricks, Blocks & Bags for Bikes page to bid on this item and the other great products up for auction. Final results will be announced at the SPEC MIX JR BRICKLAYER 500 event.

Malta Dynamics Fall Protection Bundle - $350 value

• 2- Malta Dynamics Warthog® Tongue and Buckle Harness- S-M-L

• 1- Malta Dynamics 6’ Double Leg Internal Shock Absorbing Lanyard with 2 Rebar Hooks and 1 Steel Snap Hook

• 1- Malta Dynamics Pygmy Hog 6′ Self-Retracting Lifeline with Peri Form Hook

Warthog® Harness- S-M-L

6’ Double Leg Lanyard

Pygmy Hog 6′ Self-Retracting Lifeline

Don’t wait! Check out Bricks, Blocks & Bags for Bikes today at: https://www.specmix.com/bbb-for-bikes/

Golden Trowel Awards at CTMCA and SAMCA

Spec Rents, LLC was proud to be a part of the following projects that won awards at recent Golden Trowel Banquets in San Antonio and Austin, TX.

At the San Antonio Mason Contractors Association (SAMCA) banquet, we were proud to be recognized as providing mast climbers for the following winning projects:

• HEB San Antonio 41 - E Commerce Fullment Center with Ericstad, Inc. - Honorable Mention in the Block Category

• CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline with Shadrock & Williams Masonry- Golden Trowel in the Government/Institutional Category

At the Central Texas Masonry Contractors Association (CTMCA) banquet, we were proud to be recognized for providing mast climbers for the following winning projects:

• UT Robert B Rowling Hall with Brazos Masonry - Honorable Mention in the Education: College Category

• The McKenzie with C.W. Oates Masonry- Golden Trowel in the Residential: Multi-Family Category

• St. Austin’s Catholic Church with Brazos Masonry - Golden Trowel in the Restoration Category

Thank you to Ericstad, Inc., Brazos Masonry, C.W. Oates Masonry, and Shadrock & Williams Masonry for allowing us to partner with you on these amazing projects and the many others we’ve done over the years. We appreciate you choosing to use Spec Rents and Hydro Mobile mast climbers to provide your crews with improved safety and production. Together, we’ve been able to do some amazing things!

HEB San Antonio 41 - E Commerce Fullment Center with Ericstad, Inc. - Honorable Mention in the Block Category

CHRISTUS Spohn Shoreline with Shadrock & Williams Masonry- Golden Trowel in the Government/Institutional Category

UT Robert B Rowling Hall with Brazos Masonry - Honorable Mention in the Education: College Category

The McKenzie with C.W. Oates Masonry- Golden Trowel in the Residential: Multi-Family Category

St. Austin’s Catholic Church with Brazos Masonry - Golden Trowel in the Restoration Category

Spec Rents is the proud distributor of Hydro Mobile, Husqvarna, EZG Manufacturing, and Malta Dynamics for Texas. Although we are technically an equipment company, we’re not just in business to sell and rent equipment. We provide our customers with equipment solutions that provide safety and increased productivity. Let us know if we can help you achieve your company’s goals.

Post by:  Elizabeth "Liz" Graves, Sales Manager at Spec Rents, LLC.  Contact Liz at lizg@specrents.com

2019 TMC Mid-Year Meeting in College Station, TX- February 21-22, 2019

Texas Masonry Council is having their second annual Mid-Year Meeting in College Station, TX at Texas A&M University (Whoop!- yes, as an Aggie, I’m excited to have it here again) on February 21 and 22. Here’s the details:

You won’t want to miss this. Mason contractors, this is your opportunity to gather with other contractors and associate members to learn about what TMC has done for you in 2018 and to help make decisions on the priorities of the TMC moving forward in 2019. Be sure to come and voice your opinions for the future of the masonry industry!

EZG Celebrates 20 Years - Product Give Away!

Time flies when you’re having fun they say. 20 years ago, Damian Lang decided to make things better. He started his own equipment manufacturing company to serve the needs of his masonry contracting company. 20 years later, this company is still going strong and it is well-known in the industry that any orange piece of equipment with “hog” in its name is built for the long-haul.

Dad bought his first Mud Hog back in 2001 or 2002- in the early days of EZG. He still has that mixer today. And, no, its not in the mixer graveyard that so many contractors have in their yards. I actually think someone might be using it right now. Don’t get me wrong- it doesn’t look great anymore. But we all know that it’s truly what’s inside that counts. What makes these great pieces of equipment? They’re made to last and built to be easy to repair if they do have issues. After all- masonry crews might be the hardest trade on equipment there is in the construction world.

I joke with my customers when I sell them a Mud Hog that I won’t sell them another mixer until one of their other types breaks down and has to be replaced or if the company grows and they simply need more equipment. As labor continues to be harder and harder to find, utilizing user-friendly equipment that enables crews to work smarter and not harder (such as the Grout Hog) is the way to go.

Congratulations to the great team at EZG Manufacturing. It’s been a pleasure working with you guys and we look forward to another great 20 years of orange equipment. Thanks for always supporting the industry and making it an easier place for those in the field that use your products!

If any of you are headed to the World of Concrete in Las Vegas this week, be sure to check out their booth at C3226. They’ll be giving away lots of great products including the GH75, UGH75, MH9, MH12 or two EZG9’s Mixers. The drawing for the prize will be held on January 24th at 4:00pm in EZG’s booth and you must be present to win.  Also visit Amerimix’s booth for a chance to win an Amerimix Red MH12.

Post by:  Elizabeth "Liz" Graves, Sales Manager at Spec Rents, LLC.  Contact Liz at lizg@specrents.com

CTMCA Golden Trowel Entries Due 4-20-18

We are less than a month out from the 2018 Central Texas Mason Contractors Association (CTMCA) Golden Trowel Entires being due.  They're due electronically by April 20, 2018!

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to:

• Promote the use of masonry
• Promote your company
• Show appreciation to architects for designing with masonry
• Show appreciation to your team for the great work you do
• Show appreciation to your General Contractor team for partnering with you on your projects

What do you need to do?  

1. Download the rules and read them
2. Download the entry form
3. Take photos
4. Submit photos and entry forms electronically
5. Download this flyer and send to your friends or share this blog post with them!
6. Attend the 2018 Golden Trowel Banquet on June 22 at The Archer Hotel in Austin, TX to celebrate masonry!

For help or assistance, contact either Liz Graves at lizg@specrents.com or Katherine Teel at katherinet@continentalcutstone.com.  We are happy to schedule a time to meet with you to help complete your submissions with your team!

Enter in the 2018 MCAA Safety Advantage Awards

Being a company that focuses on safety is a must these days.  It should be the number one priority for all of us- everyone on our payroll deserves to go home at the end of the day without being injured.

With that said, you're doing it.  You're putting "Safety First."  It's resulting in:

• fewer injuries
• cost savings from not dealing with injuries
• keeping your OSHA log in good shape
• reducing your workers' compensation costs down
• preventing OSHA citations
• helping attract and keep more employees through increased company moral

Here's one more thing you can benefit from- the MCAA Safety Advantage Awards.  These awards are based on your company's OSHA Incident Rate.  Entries are due by June 30, 2018.  The top two companies with more than 100,000 hours worked by all employees and the top two companies with more than 100,000 hours worked by all employees will be awarded at the 2018 MCAA Midyear Meeting in Austin, TX.  www.masoncontractors.org/midyear/

Don't miss out on a chance to show off the safety of your company.  This is a way to promote what you believe to be the top priority- safety.  Simply go to www.masoncontractors.org/safety/awards/ to enter.  Entry is free to MCAA Members.

Post by:  Elizabeth "Liz" Graves, Sales Manager at Spec Rents, LLC.  Contact Liz at lizg@specrents.com

Masonry Madness 2018

Today's the day-

Masonry Madness 2018.

2018 Spec Mix Bricklayer 500®

The lineup includes:

• MCAA's Masonry Skills Challege
  • Showcasing masonry apprentices from across the country

• Spec Mix's Toughest Tender®
  • The world's toughest tenders compete to see who can set up their Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 workstation, with a chance to take home $2,500 cash and prizes.

• MCAA's Fastest Trowel on the Block
  • Each contestant's goal is to complete as much of a 30 foot long wall as possible, using 8"x8"x16" CMU and the provided mortar in a twenty-minute heat.

• Spec Mix Bricklayer 500®
  • Each team consists of a mason and mason tender building a 26 foot 8 inch, double wythe brick wall. The most bricks laid in one hour and counted under the quality rules wins the event, winning over $100,0
  • You can watch the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500® World Championship through the 2018 Live Webcast if you aren't lucky enough to be watching it in person at the World of Masonry in Las Vegas today.

Hydro Mobile is one of the many proud sponsors of the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500®.

Check out those beautiful brand new Hydro Mobile M2s.... not to mention the shiny red Ford!

From Texas we have two representatives in the Spec Mix Bricklayer 500®

North Texas:  Mason – Mario Landeros - 554 Brick, Tender – Cristobal Anguiana, from Artisan Masonry – Royce City, TX

South Texas:  Mason - David Chavez - 691 Brick, Tender - Miguel Contreras, from Ranch Masonry, Houston, Texas.

Good Luck to all of today's contestants.  And to all of the spectators, enjoy a great display of the art of Masonry!!!

www.specrents.com

Post by:  Elizabeth "Liz" Graves, Sales Manager at Spec Rents, LLC.  Contact Liz at lizg@specrents.com

 

Come See Us at the 2017 SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 Regional Competition for Houston/South Texas

If you missed the SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 a couple weeks ago in Dallas, it's not too late to check out the one TOMORROW in Houston!

THURSDAY, October 26th @ 11:00 AM

Headwaters Concrete Products, 10538 Beaumont Hwy, Houston, TX 77078

Hydro Mobile P Series

As an added bonus, Spec Rents will be there handing out hats, gloves, and showing off our versatile P Series Hydro Mobile unit, along with a few other products to increase your safety and productivity.  Come check us out at the red tent by the awesome green mast climber to get your Spec Rents swag!

Post by:  Elizabeth "Liz" Graves, Sales Manager at Spec Rents, LLC.  Contact Liz at lizg@specrents.com