Join WACA

Involvement and membership in a industry specific association is a fundamental opportunity to increase knowledge and awareness, education, and work within a vital industry network. Below are links to apply for membership and we look forward to having your company become a member of the assocaion.


WACA Membership Application Form: Click Here

Annual Directory Update Form: Click Here

BENEFITS, ADVANTAGES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF

The advantages of belonging to an industry trade Association are obvious when you add them up. Industry ASSOCIATIONS give you the opportunity to accomplish common objectives with support, maximize communications and information, and address Industry needs and issues with the strength of a statewide network. The Washington Aggregates & Concrete Association has been doing this since 1959 and continues to serve the industry to help address the issues and challenges of the way our industry does business.

Industry ADVOCACY and Representation:

• The Association is YOUR advocate for the sand, gravel, and concrete, and related businesses.
• The Association ACTS on your behalf before state agencies, local governments and the legislature to insure the industry perspective is considered.
• Agencies tell us: "Companies that participate in their Association are much better informed about regulations and achieve greater compliance success". The Association network of member companies can help you sort through complex regulations and implement solid compliance strategies, including technical, regulatory, credit, and environmental.
• The Association when necessary challenges the outcomes of court cases, agencies regulations, and to prevent overreaching or bad law from establishing bad precedents. Recent efforts include: Challenging Ecology Shoreline Guidelines, Challenging Prevailing Wage rules, Hiring legal consul for Manufacturing Sales Tax Exemption representation.

In the State Legislature:

• The Association employs a full time lobbyist to support, monitor, or oppose Bills and regulations affecting our Industry and YOUR business.
• We represent you on employer and work place issues, environmental, fiscal, transportation, and other key issues to promote industry opportunity, and reduce industry / employer burdens.
• The Association is part of an extensive business and construction industry network including: Associated General Contractors (AGC), Association of Washington Business (AWB), Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), WA. Construction Industry Council (WCIC), and the Washington Trucking Associations (WTA).

Political Action Committee:

• Actively participates in all state primary and general elections, with industry financial support for candidates that support our industry.
• Our average election cycle contributions are $20,000 plus per election cycle on industry behalf.
• Our financial support is also provided for Specific Industry issues such as transportation issues; Ref. 51, Yes on R-49, No on I-695, and environmental initiatives such as No on I-547 and Ergonomics.

Land Use Study Committee:

• Governor appointed committee to address permitting challenges and reached agreements with local community permit opposition leaders, local governments and others to increase compliance with the Growth Management Act (GMA), provide practical designation policies and address the need for future aggregate resources and availability.

Dept. Of Ecology:

• The Association wrote the original federally approved NPDES storm water group General permit.
• Negotiated on behalf of industry on 2 State NPDES storm water general permits and related fee structures.
• Provided industry leadership and language on Shorelines Management Revisions.
• Serves as a liaison to agencies on industry permit requirements, keeping the bad things out and making permits more practical and compliance easier to achieve.

Dept. of Natural Resources:

• Actively participated on all Surface Mining Rewrites since 1990,
• Provided guidance on proposed state wide Ordinance committees,
• Effected and improved reclamation standard revisions and eliminated automatic 10 year timelines,
• Prevented flood plain mining bills banning extraction activities from becoming law
• Prevented counties from encroaching on DNR exclusivity language for reclamation authority
• Promotes fees and permit requirements apply to all operators including cities, counties, and WSDOT

Dept. of Transportation:

• Responsible for getting the law changed to allow booster pressure switches in ready mix cabs.
• Prevented DOT extra wide tire standards from applying to booster axles on ready mix trucks.
• On going Tech Committee directly participates with the DOT on changes to sand, gravel, and concrete specs

Dept. of Revenue:

• Maintained a constant four year effort at a cost of $40,000 on behalf of industry to get Manufacturing Sales Tax Exemptions to apply to ready mix trucks, and aggregate processing equipment by rewriting the "Extraction WAC" to reclassify industry activities as manufacturing.
• Provided guidance for refund procedures to secure almost $2.3 Million dollars in industry MST refunds.

Dept. of Labor and Industries:

• Negotiated with and on behalf of industry to remove arbitrary prevailing wage applicability to our "transit mix drivers"
• Provided industry communications regarding the importance of completing Prevailing wage surveys and arbitration standards.

COMMUNICATIONS and EVENTS

Legislative Workshop

Our "On the Hill" opportunity to meet directly with legislators and work industry issues.

• Provides a unique opportunity to work with legislators in the process of state government.
• Is the result of our Legislative Planning Retreat.

Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards:

• Now in its 35th year, the EIC banquet showcases and honors the achievements of Washington state designers, construction and engineering professionals. Held in May.

Summer Family meeting:

• Our industry family comes together to conduct the annual business of the Association, network with colleagues, and recognize the efforts of Association volunteers that make our efforts successful through out the year. Held in July or August.

Winter Workshop:

• Our technical event of the season, often cosponsored with Oregon or British Columbia. Program features regulatory, production technology, equipment advances, agency relations, and compliance strategies from established experts.

Other Communications and Events

• Our Associate Member Exhibitions showcase new products and services and report on new industry technologies and production efficiencies. Held in November in conjunction with the Winter Workshop.
• First published in 1992 the Industry Impact paper details the industry's contribution and importance to Washington State in jobs, taxes, revenue, production and resource trends and reclamation accomplishments. A revised edition will be produced in 2003.
• Fast Trax is the official Association newsletter and keeps members up to date on news from Olympia, committee reports, industry / member achievements, and regional and national industry news. Associate members can advertise for FREE to promote products and services as well as provide technical expertise to help member companies stay abreast of changing technologies and work place issues.

e-TRAX is our electronic version of Fast Trax. This electronic newsletter is designed to provide you with regular Flash updates on legislative issues, agency news, and general industry association information.
Our website at www.washingtonconcrete.org is the Association website that provides real information to the public about the importance of the industry, state geological history, benefits and uses of aggregate and concrete industry products and services. The website also contains a complete listing of committees, calendar, events and other resource information and is also accessible through www.washingtonaggregates.org.
The Annual Membership Directory puts in one place all member contact information and now includes the membership of the ACI WA. Chapter. This is an excellent networking resource and resource for vendors and suppliers throughout Washington.
Our Association "Aggregates in the Classroom" curriculum was developed for elementary school grades and is adaptable to Jr. High grades. The curriculum features a teacher mineral / rock activity workbook, WA. State aggregates poster & "Great Floods" video; the Ice Age story of Eastern WA.
COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP & NETWORKING
Comprised of Industry professionals, the Association has seven active committees working on your behalf:

Safety:

Dedicated to issues that provide for a safer work environment for employees their families and employers and help our members achieve compliance.
Committee works directly with local MSHA offices and co-sponsors Part 46 Annual training, participates in the Governor's Safety Council and an excellent working relationship with local inspectors and their district offices.
Promotion:

The Committee assists member companies in their promotion of cement, concrete and aggregate products. This includes opportunities in concrete paving, streets and local roads, intersections, parking lots, residential ICF construction and CDF. The committee has lead the way in Concrete Paving demonstration projects such as; White Topping for Parking Lots, Fast Track / 12 - 24 hour Paving, Ultra Thin Concrete and Pervious Concrete Paving.
Since 1996 has featured the Concrete Pavilion at the Seattle Home Show promoting aggregate and concrete products directly to the public.
Environmental and Land Use Committee:

Primary negotiator and liaison with agencies such as Ecology and DNR.
Actively participated in the Governors Land Use Study; NPDES permit development and renewal, and Shorelines Management Act review.
Evaluate local land use issues regarding counties and GMA.
Supported by members with extensive legal, land use, and permitting backgrounds.
Technical Committee:

Evaluates and recommends technical issues and solutions.
Develops necessary tools for member use. These include: Pre Construction checklist, local area specifications, and commentary on Sustainable Development.
WSDOT:

Works exclusively with the WSDOT on specification development and suggests practical infield changes.
Addresses in field issues; inspection, testing, placement and batching.
Conducts an Annual Joint Training Workshop with Central and Regional personnel.
Advises the DOT on industry product applications and changing industry technologies.
Aggregates Committee:

Produced the 1992 Industry Impact paper highlighting the importance of aggregate industry to WA. State.
2002; Working with Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) to update original 1992 paper. Purpose is to educate and inform community groups and elected officials about aggregate industry contributions, resources, and benefits.
Networking:

One of the most important and tangible benefits of Association membership is the ability to communicate and work directly with industry members through committees and association meetings. The ability to work within industry, to get industry solutions to industry issues without reinventing the wheel saves time and money, while providing real solutions.
Mentor Members:

Our larger members often act as mentors to our smaller companies sharing their resources and information to solve problems, implement solutions, and identify improvements.
MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
Association Major Medical and Dental Plans:

Underwritten by Premera Blue Cross and Met Life Dental offers small and medium employers...

4 Medical & 4 Dental plans and 2 Vision Options
PLUS the ability to secure cost effective group major medical and other insurance products for employees and their families.
NEW Association Offices:

Built in 2002, the industry Offices showcases industry products in residential construction.
Over 2,495 sq. ft houses the resources for the Association, NW Cement Shippers Group and WA. ACI Chapter.
Offices provide meeting space, classroom space and conference space for member companies.
Extensive Technical, Video and Publications Library.
RETRO:

The mission of the Association Retro program is to maximize state industrial insurance premiums refunds for program participants.
Professionally and independently managed for effective claims management strategies.
Has paid over $794,000 in Retro refunds to member companies including a 78% refund.
Association membership is required to participate in the Retro program.
WACA Retro members keep 100% of their refund because they earned it.
Safety management is accomplished by Retro claims managers to work with RETRO members to reduce accidents, provide workplace solutions, employ claims management decisions such as Light Duty, and actively work with L&I claims managers on closing open claims.
National Industry Associations Network

Working cooperatively with National Ready Mix Concrete Assoc. (NRMCA) and National Stone Sand & Gravel Assoc. (NSSGA), and ACI, we offer nationally sponsored and accredited education programs and events:

NRMCA Certified Concrete Sales Professional (CCSP): An extensive sales training program for concrete sales admix, cement, and sales managers covering: Concrete Basics, Customer Knowledge, Finance and Accounting, and Professional Selling Skills.
NRMCA Concrete Driver Professional (CDP): A new course offered to help educate industry drivers on vehicle safety, environmental awareness, Concrete basics, and customer service skills. Significant Feature: Pre Trip exams are conducted by WSP and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement officers demonstrating our industries commitment to vehicle safety, and communicates a positive image of public safety.
American Concrete Institute (ACI) Classes:

The Association also serves as the administration arm for the Washington Chapter of ACI. Certification courses offered: Field Testing, Lab Testing, Strength Testing, Flatwork Finisher and Aggregate Technician.
The Association can offer member discounted publications from NRMCA, NSSGA, and ACI.

Summary
The Washington Aggregates & Concrete Association is an investment in your industry and your business

Full time year round lobbying expertise, legislative network, and agency oversight
savings retroactive to 1995. Value every day, every year, on every MST Exempt purchase.
Agency relations on rule development and permit content. Greater industry involvement equals greater industry success.
Issue specific Committees working on your behalf.
A strong statewide membership means a unified & larger presence in dealing with industry issues.
Ability to challenge legal issues for the fraction of a cost of going it alone.
With an industry vested in keeping our industry strong, healthy, and working together; we can accomplish common industry objectives.
As the foundation of Washington's future growth and economic development, we represent the best our industry has to offer to our neighbors, communities, state, and local officials.