PUBLIC APPEARANCE AWARD

PURPOSE

To provide statewide recognition to aggregate, concrete, cement, admixture, fly ash, fiber and allied members who have facilities that provides service to our industry. This includes anyone or an organization that provides outstanding contributions to improving our public image either within our industry or to the general community, as well as contributions to providing educational opportunities for the community. Focus will be placed on companies or organizations which have not only met, but have surpassed, governmental compliance regulations and have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in plant appearance, landscaping and community relations.

 

ELIGIBILITY

 Any TACA member company in good standing producing from a permanent location in the State of Texas is eligible to enter. This will include established and new facilities. Awards will be given for individual facility merit, so a company may wish to submit more than one entry. However, categories are determined by a company's TOTAL annual production volume, not by individual plant production volume. Therefore, individual plants submitted will be competing against other individual plants of the same company.

 

CRITERIA FOR JUDGING

• Project must have taken place between May 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021.
• The judging will be based on 10 of the 12 criteria listed below (as some criteria are not applicable to some plants). For specifics on each criterion, see OFFICIAL entry form. Each criteria will be graded on a 10 point system, (10 being the highest and 1 the lowest), with a possible 100 total points.
  1. Entrance and Approach
  2. Office and/or Scale House
  3. Employee Areas
  4. Other Structures
  5. Appearance from Neighbors and/or Public Highways
  6. Plant Appearance, Including Mobile Equipment and compatibility to surroundings
  7. Dust Control
  8. Erosion Control
  9. Mining area appearance and/or stock pile appearance
  10. Trash and Scrap Control
  11. Settling Pond and/or Reclamation
  12. Trucks
• Entries must show specific improvements planned, underway or completed for each plant being entered based on 10 of the 12 criteria described above.

 

ENTRY INFORMATION

Entries MUST be received by May 3, 2021.

Entries are to consist of:

Maximum of two photos per criteria (before and after)
  -Photos should be labeled
Entries must include a written narrative of one paragraph covering each criteria
Entries must be submitted using the online form below.
Only entries using the Official Public Appearance Award Entry Form will be eligible and MUST include:

1. Company name and plant being entered
2. Street, City, Zip code in which the plant is located
3. Name of Principal (e.g. Plant Manager)
4. Phone number(s)

 

AWARDS

Where appropriate, an award will be presented in each category.
Awards will be presented to the Best Plant per Category.

 

CATEGORIES

READYMIX
Annual Production CY*

A    More than 2,000,000
B    500,000 to 2,000,000
C    Less than 500,000

AGGREGATE
Annual Production Tons*

A   More than 3,000,000
B   1,000,000 to 3,000,000
C   Less than 1,000,000

CEMENT
A (One category only)

ADMIXTURE, FLY ASH AND FIBER PRODUCERS
A (One category only)

ALLIED MEMBERS
A (One category only)

Entries must be received by May 3, 2021. Entries must consist of a written narrative of one paragraph, along with a maximum of two photos (before and after) per each criteria, demonstrating specific improvements planned, underway or completed for each individual plant being entered based on 10 of the 12 criteria described in the rules. Submit your form including photos by May 3, 2021.

Entrance and Approach should feature neat and well-maintained landscaping and signing.
Examples: Use of planters, pavement and curbing, professional signage, fencing, dust control, decorative materials (such as stone walls and flags), lighting, safety.

Office and/or Scale House should address the general appearance of outside landscaping and interiors of the structures.
Examples: use of shrubs, flowers, paved parking areas, curbing, signage, traffic control, dust control, painting (interior and exterior), interior improvement, safety.

Employee Areas ideally should feature separate facilities designed to heighten employee morale. They might include such facilities as: change rooms, locker rooms, lunch areas, recreational areas (such as an outdoor picnic site), safety.

Other Structures should feature a neat and tidy appearance of all support buildings not directly related to operations. Examples: pump houses, welding shops, screen and other storage facilities, vehicular maintenance shops, labs, storage facilities, safety.

Appearance from nearest neighbors and/or Public Highways involves the proper use of berms and other landscaping techniques. It might involve projects such as: tree planting utilized as a perimeter screen from neighbors and public highways, construction of walls, safety.

Painting, landscaping, appropriate traffic control, safety.

Dust Control involves use of control systems to suppress: at plant entrances (particularly the front entrance), on haul roads, on access roads, at the stockpile, at the processing plant, in blasting, loading areas, safety.

Erosion Control is attained principally by: use of drainage ditches, use of landscaping and other group covers (such as grass), use of riprap, safety.

Mining area appearance and/or stockpile appearance encompasses all the elements of maintaining a neat operation. Examples: floor maintenance and proper drainage, trimming of walls, no hanging rocks, safe attractive slopes, landscaping, proper grading, crowning, dust control on haul roads, seeding on the inside of berms, sump appearance, safety.

Trash and Scrap control is an integral element of maintaining a neat operation. Examples: maintenance and disposal of abandoned equipment, provision for disposal of other scrap, safety.

Settling Pond and/or Reclamation are important elements of a company's operation. Particular attention should be given to: overall maintenance of the settling pond area, pond slopes, evidence of a comprehensive plan for reclamation being maintained, safety.

Trucks are an important extension of your company’s operation. Care and maintenance of trucks is an extremely critical element in building and maintaining your company's image. Prime areas of consideration should include: Condition of the fleet and its handling (i.e., movement) within the plant Evidence reminding trucks of their responsibilities to the general public, such as signs, posters and handouts Safety.