Taking A Closer Look Into The Concrete Industry
If you live in the United States, it’s likely that you use concrete in some capacity on a daily basis. Concrete is quite ever present in our lives, thanks to the fact that it’s one of the most highly utilized materials out there. As a matter of fact, concrete is used more frequently than truly any other material in the world – at least when it comes to man made materials, that is.
There are many reasons that the average concrete company has found success, as concrete is an incredible material in many different ways. For one thing, it’s very strong indeed, with a strength of at least 3000 psi. In some cases, it’s even much stronger, as some type of concrete has even been found to reach a strength that is as high as 20,000 psi. This makes concrete ideal for use in so many different applications, as it can be assured that the concrete used will more than stand the test of time.
In fact, its longevity is yet another reason that people choose concrete over other available materials. If treated well, concrete materials from the typical concrete company can last for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In fact, concrete dates back millennia, with the oldest mix of concrete known to man traced back the year of 500 BC, so far into our past that many people can’t even really comprehend it.
Therefore, it’s clear that concrete from the typical concrete company can be used for many different applications. Sidewalks, for example, are typically made of concrete. So too are interstate roads – at least nearly one third of them. Of course, industrial concrete repair might become necessary at some points for these roads, as they are heavily utilized and therefore likely to suffer a normal amount of wear and tear. If this repair is conducted in a safe and timely manner, however, the concrete roads in question can be incredibly efficient and safe for everyone who passes over them, as the typical concrete company will know.
And the average concrete company is one that is thriving in today’s day and age, especially all throughout the United States. In fact, bigger than just the average concrete company, the industry as a whole is very much thriving. The data backs this up, showing that it’s an industry now worth at least $37 billion, a number that is growing with each and every year. This industry has also helped to bolster overall employment rates, as up to two million people are employed in the industry of concrete in just this one country alone, let alone elsewhere throughout the world where concrete is also frequently used.
Cement is another promising industry, and though many people think of cement and concrete as one in the same, this is not actually the case. Cement is actually just one important component of the typical concrete mixture, as concrete is typically a combination of paste and various aggregates, typically including cement. Sand and gravel will be used with this cement, or else crushed stone. But cement is a key and critical part of the majority of all concrete mixes, and therefore is a material that is also having a bit of success when we look at total sales.
Though there are actually a number of different kinds of cement currently on the market, it is by and large Portland cement that is the most commonly used. At least, it is Portland cement that is by and large most commonly used when it comes to the making of concrete by the typical concrete company or concrete contractors. And Portland cement is actually hugely versatile, able to be used to create just about everything from stucco to mortar to even some types of grout. Therefore, it has a good many applications all throughout the world that not just in the United States. It’s most important application, however, remains for the creation of concrete through the average concrete company.
Cement has been around for an incredibly long time now, thousands upon thousands of years. In the years that are ahead of us, concrete is likely to remain a critical material used throughout this country and the world in its entirety.