New system sets standard for nation’s fastest-growing construction method
DIVCON, Inc. (Spokane Valley, Wash.), the Inland Northwest’s recognized leader in tilt-up construction, has become one of the first companies in the U.S. to become certified by the Tilt-Up Construction Association (TCA). The association created the new certification system to recognize tilt-up contractors that have met strict safety standards and have demonstrated a proven track record of quality work.
DIVCON has constructed dozens of tilt-up buildings in the region, including several that have won national awards for construction. It is the fifth company in the U.S., and the only one in the Pacific Northwest, to receive TCA certification.
“This certification represents national recognition that our company consistently constructs quality concrete tilt-up buildings and other structures,” says John Miller, DIVCON’s chairman. “It also provides future customers, architects and engineers with confidence in our ability to deliver results.”
Unlike precast construction, in which concrete walls are cast at a plant and then transported to a job site, tilt-up construction involves casting concrete walls on-site and then tilting them into place. This method combines the advantages of reasonable cost with low maintenance, durability, speed of construction and lower transportation costs. As a result, it has become the fastest-growing method for low-rise commercial construction in the U.S.
While a certification process has long been in place for plant precast construction companies, no such process has existed for tilt-up construction companies until now. As tilt-up construction continues to grow in popularity, it is becoming increasingly important for tilt-up contractors to be able to demonstrate they have met an objective, measurable set of industry standards.
“This is a rigorous standard, which draws on the experience and dedication of DIVCON, Inc. to quality, safety and good management practices,” says Ed Sauter, the TCA’s executive director. “TCA is proud to have DIVCON as a TCA-certified company.”
To receive TCA certification, companies must have completed multiple tilt-up construction projects, employ American Concrete Institute-certified personnel, maintain a strict safety program and track record, meet specific quality control standards, and present third-party verification of completed projects.
Miller says he expects that tilt-up projects will continue to represent a growing share of the company’s overall project portfolio as demand for that type of construction continues to rise in the region. Among the company’s recent tilt-up projects are facilities for Pullman, WA-based Schweitzer Engineering, and the Veterans Administration Outreach Center in Spokane Valley’s Pinecroft Business Park. Some of the company’s current projects include a 60,000-square-foot office building in the Meadowwood Technology Center, in Liberty Lake, WA, and a building in the Pinecroft Business Park that will house a Walgreens Home Health Pharmacy.
Founded by John G. Miller and Susan E. Miller in Spokane in 1976, DIVCON, Inc. operates as a full-service contractor and specializes in market niches, including design-build projects for private customers. It is the recognized leader in tilt-up concrete construction in the Inland Northwest.
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