COVER STORY READY MIXED Making the Grade Shasta Redi-Mix proves Fortera ReAct SCM performance in Veteran Success Center slabs One of the benchmark projects Califor-nia-based Fortera has logged for its recently introduced ReAct supplementary cementi-tious material is taking shape at Simpson University. The concrete schedule for the Redding, Calif. school’s new Business, Tech-nology, and Engineering Building—future home to the Maurice & Marianne Johannes-sen Veteran Success Center (VSC) and STEM program facilities—includes slab and footing mixes with blended binder and ReAct volume at up to 10 percent. “The footing concrete pours just like our traditional mix designs. For slab-on-grade, placement and finishing are very similar to mixes containing fly ash. Saw cut control joints hold an edge better than typical fly ash mixes, and we’ve observed no abnormal cracking to date,” says SK Construction Pres-ident Brian Kaminsky. His firm is part of an all-Redding proj-ect principal team for Simpson University: Gifford Construction, general contractor; Nichols, Melburg & Rossetto, architect/engi-neer; and, Shasta Redi-Mix, for whom Fortera has deployed a portable charging assembly to dose mixer trucks from ReAct supersacks. “Partnering with Simpson University—a valued institution in the community—to support both their STEM and veterans out-reach programs is a tremendous honor for us,” says Fortera CEO Ryan Gilliam. “It’s especially meaningful that this pour is happening in Redding, where our plant has been five years in the making. We’re committed to having a positive impact in our own community and proud to contribute to the foundation—both figuratively and literally—of education, vet-eran success, and sustainable infrastructure.” Simpson University is the only private university between the Golden State capital, Sacramento, and Eugene, Ore. The VSC will provide crucial resources to veterans as they transition from military service to student and civilian life. It will offer admissions and enrollment assistance to prospective stu-dents, veteran-specific benefit navigation, supportive veteran community spaces, study resources, and mentoring. Approximately 10 percent of Simpson students are veter-ans or their dependents. The new space and LOCAL EMBRACE CEO Ryan Gilliam Fortera processes ReAct and companion cementitious materials in a facility adjacent to the CalPortland Co. cement plant, also located in Redding. The Fortera technol-ogy captures carbon dioxide from plant flue exhaust and converts it to concrete-grade calcium carbonate. The Simpson Business, Technology and Engineering Building con-crete schedule requires 18 tons of ReAct, representing 13 tons of captured CO 2 . 36 • May 2025 Fortera has engineered a ReACT dosing assembly for projects where ready mixed concrete plant silo compartments are unavailable. www.concreteproducts.com
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