Along with our business partner Besser Company, Omni Block is set to exhibit in Munich April 15th through the 21st. BAUMA is the largest construction show in the world.

“We plan to meet several interested groups from at least 7 different countries with the intent to set-up international distributors,” said Denny Miller, President of Omni Block. He went on to say, “Besser has existing business relationships with numerous block plants in several countries that have expressed substantial interest in manufacturing and marketing Omni Block.”

Download the BAUMA app to see who is exhibiting and where our (Besser) booth will be located.

Boston – Omni Block System 12 seen here rolling off the burnishing machine. The integrally colored burnished block is being installed in a climatically controlled self-storage facility. Notice how precise the edges are after the burnishing of the block. This type of precision is not typical when burnishing standard block.

The plastic flashing tray is placed below the finished floor and above grade. Testing has proven that any moisture that would enter inside the block can drain down the wall and be captured by the flashing trays and then out the wall. The flashing totally protects the interior from moisture.

We have added the BlockFlash product to our library of design details.

A Halogen light was placed directly behind the Omni Block test wall and was turned on during the darkness of night. The amateur videos below show both walls. The CMU wall clearly shows that the light source was detectable on the front side of the block wall at every vertical and horizontal joint. The Omni Block wall shows virtually total darkness on the front side while the light source is directly behind. The one small bright spot is actually a reflecting glare from the camera light off the front of one of the inserts.

Back Light Test.1 from Denny Miller on Vimeo.

Back Light Test.2 from Denny Miller on Vimeo.

Mason Laying Block from Denny Miller on Vimeo.

The second video shows the mason installing the small insulation insert into the interior block cavities. There is only one way that foam can be put into the cavity, so it is “completely foolproof”. Mason contractors get paid approximately $.25 per insert installed. As shown in this video, which is 22 seconds long, the mason installs 7 small foam inserts or earning the contractor $1.75. If you pay a mason $24 per hour, how many inserts must he install on average during the project? This mason is not at all racing or working at an unsustainable pace, so it is possible to install 1200 inserts in an hour, equating to a possible $300 of revenue earned in one hour.

Mason Installing Small Inserts from Denny Miller on Vimeo.

The third video shows the mason installing the large insulation insert into the exterior block cavities. There is only one way to install the large insert into the exterior cavity, again making it intuitive, thus requiring zero training. This video is 20 seconds in length and the mason only installs 5 inserts. This would equate to $225 of revenue per hour.

Mason Installing Large Inserts from Denny Miller on Vimeo.

Omni Block Insulated Concrete Block Used In Single-Family Residence
Thermocouple Monitoring

Tempe, AZ – June 29, 2012 – Construction has begun on a custom single-family residence. The residence is two-stories with a basement below. The architect/builder is Tom Norris, who said, “This project has been six years in the making. Over this time the owner researched numerous construction components, various insulation strategies, HVAC systems, and green building techniques and determined that Omni Block was the best wall system for his residence”.

The owner, an electrical systems engineer, selected Omni Block as the wall structure and is going to implement precise thermocouple monitoring by placing thermocouples within the wall at various strategic locations (see detail below). The thermocouples measure the heat gain or loss across the block, from the exterior to the interior sides of the wall assembly. All exterior wall exposures will be included. The information will be collected, recorded and then distributed to their respective printed circuit boards, which are then directed to a central computerized monitoring platform. The information will then be monitored online. The customized printed circuitry will record the data 24/7.

“This information should prove invaluable, as it will facilitate the collection of substantially more accurate data than just a wall system’s overall R-value, which will allow HVAC mechanical engineers to more accurately size and zone future residential and commercial buildings when Omni Block is utilized,” stated Denny Miller, CEO of Omni Block.

“Mr. Miller added, Our goal is to present accurate information to the building industry. We are eager to see exactly how this process is implemented so that we can formulate a program and ultimately offer thermocouple monitoring as an economical option in all buildings and in all climactic zones.”

For Immediate release

Atlanta, Ga. – June 25, 2012 – Oldcastle® Architectural, the largest producer of concrete masonry products in North America, has partnered with Omni Block, to market in the southeast, a high performance masonry wall system that provides thermal performance that far exceeds traditional masonry.

The partnership is part of extensive research and development to provide sustainability and to meet the new energy code requirements. In addition to high R-values, Omni Block masonry units repel moisture by using optional integral admixtures, resist mold, and offer superior fire resistance.

Licensed to Adams and Georgia Masonry Supply, Oldcastle® companies, Omni Block fulfills the need for sustainable design by using an innovative design. Omni Block is versatile and provides a high degree of design flexibility with a wide variety of sizes and finishes, such as polished ground face or split face units. Structural integrity and durability make Omni Block a well suited choice for both commercial and residential projects.

About Oldcastle® Architectural

Oldcastle® Architectural is a leading supplier of innovative and sustainable masonry and hardscape products for North America’s building and landscaping markets. Oldcastle Architectural is the innovator behind many of the industries’ well-known brands including Glen Gery Brick®, Trenwyth™ masonry products, EnduraMax™ High Performance Wall System and Belgard® Hardscapes among others. Oldcastle Architectural is a division of Oldcastle Building Products™, a subsidiary of Oldcastle®, Inc., the North American arm of CRH plc one of the top five international building products companies–www.crh.ie.

For more information, call (855) 346-2766 or visit www.oldcastlearchitectural.com.

Some time ago, Denny Miller, CEO of Omni Block, approached Ms. Pat Williquette, Director of the MARC Center with the idea of having the Center assemble electrical boxes for future Omni Block projects all across the country. Since the different electrical box configurations were all basically slightly different versions of the same assembly requirement, Mr. Miller thought that if the Center’s labor pool could learn how to assemble one, they could assemble all of the different models.

Ms. Williquette was very apprehensive at their first meeting because she was unclear of what would be required of her unskilled laborers. The MARC Center is a private nonprofit corporation providing educational, therapeutic, rehabilitation and social services to children and adults with developmental and physical disabilities and behavioral health challenges.

Ms. Williquette explained that each task required for the electrical box assembly would need to be clearly defined, detailed with simplistic drawings and the very basic tools specifically listed and supplied. Mr. Miller continued to believe that the laborers that he had briefly met could accomplish small tasks if they were properly and patiently trained. Ms. Williquette remained cautiously optimistic but did not want to over commit the MARC Center’s capabilities. This was understandable, as nothing this complicated had ever been attempted by the Center.

After the initial meeting, Mr. Miller returned to his office and set out to break down the individual tasks and then had his staff complete very clear drawings that showed the step-by-step process of assembling the various electrical boxes.
Once the electrical box assemblies had been clearly defined and were properly depicted with easy to understand drawings, the appropriate tools were purchased to complete the individual tasks. The only thing left to do was to set-up an appointment with Ms. Williquette to demonstrate the assembly process.

A second meeting was arranged at 11:00 the next morning and Mrs. Williquette as this was a time when she could observe the assembly process in her facility. Mr. Miller asked if she would have 5 or 6 laborers on hand to assemble a few of the electrical boxes. She agreed and then Mr. Miller offered to bring in pizzas for everyone at noon. Ms. Williquette agreed to that as well and now had a little excitement in her voice.

Eagerly the next morning, Mr. Miller took the drawings, tools and the unassembled electrical box components to the MARC Center. Once there, a work station table was provided where the components, the corresponding drawings, and the tools were laid out at the appropriate stations. Ms. Williquette filled the stations with laborers after she determined the level of competence that would be required at each station.

Each laborer was trained at their station. In some cases the laborers needed to practice their task, but within a short period of time they became fairly proficient. As they got better and better, the smiles on their faces became larger and larger. Soon they would complete their task and pass the partially assembled box to the next person in the assembly line.

By the end of the hour, the assembly line was running efficiently and completed electrical boxes were being boxed, ready for installation into future construction projects.

When the pizza showed up, it became a real party, and everyone was so appreciative. While everyone was enjoying their pizza, Mr. Miller showed the laborers some construction photos that the laborers could see where and how the boxes would be used. This seemed to bring a greater appreciation to the laborers as they realized their efforts were actually very valuable.

“It is little times like this in my life that has reminded me again and again how fortunate and blessed that I am. This is a day I shall never forget.”

Pass it on….