All manufacturers
are in the business of making money. Precast concrete producers
are no different from other manufacturers in that respect. At Kraft Energy™, we’re dedicated to helping concrete producers
get the most from their curing investment.
Precast concrete producers differ from some manufacturers in that
they have a two-step manufacturing process where the second step
is sometimes seen as optional. The first step,  precast
concrete casting, is a given. But the second step, accelerated curing,
is sometimes neglected. The reason for skipping accelerated curing
is usually the same from producer to producer: it costs money. And
since concrete producers are in the business of making money, it
can be difficult to choose to spend additional money in the production
process.
Precast concrete producers who look at the big picture, however,
realize that accelerated curing provides cost savings in both time
and materials that not only offset the expense but also provide
additional return on the investment. And, accelerated curing provides
a better quality product, which satisfies customers and reduces
waste. Many of our customers are investing a lot of money in new,
more sophisticated production equipment. They realize that investing
only in the front end doesn’t make sense. The back end
of the process, the curing process, deserves their attention as
well.
In this website, you can learn more details about the cost savings
and benefits of concrete curing systems from Kraft Energy™.
Here is a summary of how accelerated concrete curing saves money.
Accelerated
curing systems:
- Lower the cost of producing concrete products by reducing the
amount of cement and other additives required in the mix
- Decrease energy costs by efficiently using heat created by cement
during curing
- Reduce turnaround time for hardened products, which frees up
rack space and makes better use of production personnel
- Dramatically lessen the number of rejects and customer complaints
 An
example I often use to illustrate these concepts involves concrete
pavers: there are both financial and quality incentives to accelerate
the curing of concrete pavers. Accelerating the hardening of the
pavers reduces the amount of rack space, building space and pallets
required – reducing the initial capital expense of a greenfield
project. Reduced hardening times of no more than 12 hours allow
for immediate secondary processing (splitting, grinding and polishing,
tumbling, etc) without intermediate yard storage saving a huge amount
of money on strapping materials, transportation and yard space.
Accelerated curing allows for the use of GGBFS (ground granulated
blast furnace slag) and other latent hydraulic by-products that
reduce material costs. From a quality aspect, proper curing improves
the consistency of all concrete properties including color, strength
and durability, and it reduces the likelihood of secondary efflorescence
and lessens complaints.
Whether choosing Vapor, Quadrix™, Convect-Air™, ThermalCure™
or an air circulation system, the consistency achieved by controlling
the curing portion of the production process will become immediately
evident – providing a sense of having made an overdue change
for the better.
At Kraft Energy™, we are dedicated to concrete curing and
appreciate your interest in the subject. This website is an example
of our commitment
to this industry. We trust it will educate you about concrete curing
and guide your decisions in incorporating curing systems into your
business. We are here to answer your questions and want to help
you select the best accelerated curing system for your business.
Michael K. Kraft
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