Guam Contractors’ Association
NEWS BULLETIN
Vol.54 Issue 2 FEBRUARY 2013
Dodging holes
Benefiting Special Olympics Guam
A Fun-Filled Day for the Entire Family.
Sunday • April 28, 2013
th 6 Annual
CONTENTFEBRUARY
6
S.A.M.E.
10
COMMITTEE UPDATE
14
YOUR ENVIRONMENT
16
FEATURE STORY
20
FEATURE STORY
24
PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS
26
TRADES NEWS
28
GARRISON REPORT
30
MEMBER BENEFITS
16
Feature Story
20
Feature Story
Gut Busters Hey neighbor, Give me a sign that you’re making your overgrown garden I was just more attractive. about to.
NOT WHAT I HAD IN MIND.
GOOD.
Backyard Wildlife
Safari
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CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN
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THEDIRECTORS PRESIDENT James A. Martinez, GCA PAST CHAIRMAN William “Bill” Beery, Tutujan Hill Group CHAIRMAN Robert Salas, Landscape Management Systems VICE CHAIRMAN Tom Anderson, Black Construction SECRETARY/TREASURER Art Chan, Hawaiian Rock CONTRACTORS DIRECTORS: Tom Nielsen, Maeda Pacific Corporation Juno Eun, Core Tech International Mike Venezia, Hensel Phelps John Robertson, AmOrient Louis De Maria, dck pacific guam LLC ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: Patty Lizama, Individual Assurance Company Paul Calvo, Calvo’s Insurance Carlo Leon Guerrero, M80 Office Systems Inc. Ray Yanger, Matson Navigation
THEEDITORIALS Guam Contractor’s Association (GCA) in conjunction with AdzTech and Public Relations, Inc. publishes the Construction News Bulletin (CNB) monthly. Reproduction of materials appearing in this publication is strictly forbidden without written permission by GCA. While we always strive for accuracy, we will from time to time overlook mistakes. In order to help us improve the quality and accuracy of this publication, we ask that you take the time to look at the information provided and notify GCA of any corrections as needed. Opinions and editorial content of this publication may not necessarily be those of the publisher, staff, GCA members, GCA Board of Directors and advertisers. For more information about advertising in the GCA Construction News Bulletin contact the advertising department at (671) 477-1239/2239 or email at adztech@teleguam.net. Distributed to GCA members or can be obtained by stopping by the Guam Contractors’ Association office located at 718 N. Marine Corps Drive, Suite 203, East West Business Center, Upper Tumon, Guam. To find out more about how you can become a GCA member contact Guam Contractors’ Association at Tel: (671)647-4840/41 Fax: (671) 647-4866 or Email: gca@teleguam.net. www.guamcontractors.org Postmaster. Send address changes to Guam Contractors’ Association, located at 718 N. Marine Drive Corps Suite 203, East West Business Center, Upper Tumon, Guam.
THETEAM PUBLISHER: James Martinez SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR: Geri Leon Guerrero AD SALES: Tom Mendiola June Maratita PRODUCTION: Geri Leon Guerrero Christopher “Taco” Rowland Tanya Robinson PHOTOGRAPHERS: Marty Leon Guerrero Christopher “Taco” Rowland EDITOR: Adztech CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: John Robertson David F. Macaluso Tammy Jo Anderson Taft
Dr.Noel Silan DPM, ABMSP P.C.
GCA STAFF: Francine Arceo Desiree Lizama COVER: Pot Holes
S.A.M.E.UPDATE
Society of
Guam SAME presents:
SAME Guam Post General Membership Luncheon January 17, 2013
American Military Engineers
Topic: GUAM EPA Plan Review and Permitting Procedures
Guest speaker at the January meeting for the SAME Guam
Post was Angel Marquez, Acting Chief Engineer for the Guam Environmental Protection Agency. As requirements change throughout the years, as a planner, it is important to understand what is required in order to be in compliance with our island’s environmental laws. In his presentation, Mr. Marquez discussed the process and the procedures required in order to obtain the appropriate EPA approvals and permits.
CAPT John Heckmann with Angel Marquez, Acting Chief
“...to protect Guam’s air, water and other valuable natural resources.” PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESS
Engineer, Guam EPA
In 2012 alone, Guam EPA has issued over 1400 permits.
LOCALLY-ENFORCED MANDATES
This presentation can be viewed on www.youtube.com or go to epa.guam.gov for more information.
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S.A.M.E.UPDATE
Other notable notes...
was presented by LCDR Brian Schonefeld, Facilities Management Director Public Works Dept. NBG
Sustaining Member Brief was presented by Richard Stump of Stanley Consultants ~ Founded September 1,1913 - 100 Year Anniversary
~ Middle East/N. Africa: UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Libya ~ Caribbean: Jamaica, Puerto Rico ~ 1,100 Members Worldwide / Member-owned ~ Specialize in Infrastructure, Energy, Environmental & Construction Management
To join SAME Guam Post, log on to SAME.org and click on “Membership” at the top of the home page.
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CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN
FEBRUARY2013 | 7
Our Commitment to Guam, Micronesia and the Philippines Runs Deep s -OST EXPERIENCED AND LARGEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN THE 7ESTERN 0ACIlC s 3UCCESSFUL YEAR HISTORY OF CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE ENCOMPASSING MULTI DISCIPLINED PROJECT MANAGEMENT IN CIVIL STRUCTURAL ARCHITECTURAL MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING s "LACK #ONSTRUCTION #ORPORATION "## RECEIVED TOP HONORS WINNING BOTH THE 2012 Excellence in Construction First Place Overall Project Award FOR ITS EXECUTION OF THE 3ANDY "EACH (OMES PROJECT AS WELL AS BEING AWARDED THE COVETED TITLE OF 2012 GCA CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR!
Black Construction Corporation
Telephone 671.646.4861/5 www.blackconstructionguam.com
COMMITTEUPDATE
Military, Government and Labor Relations Committee Update – February ‘13 The Congress has passed the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013 but not the Defense Appropriations Act, as noted last month. The so called “Fiscal Cliff” was averted by simply kicking the can further down the road. The best our Congress could do was to invent a new term: “Sequestration”. The impact on Guam and the force realignment are unclear but logic would dictate that the outcome will not be positive for our island’s economy. By John M. Robertson
DOD Components to Plan for Budget Uncertainties Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter released a memo on 10 January directing the services and defense agencies to begin planning for possible upcoming budget challenges. The memo allows defense components to freeze civilian hiring, terminate temporary hires and reduce base operating funds. It also allows components to curtail travel, training and conferences and to curtail administrative expenses. The memo points to the threat of sequestration and the continued use of a continuing resolution as a way to fund the department. Sequestration was to have become effective 2 January, but Congress delayed its activation until 1 March to give lawmakers more time to come up with an alternative. It would impose major across-the-board spending cuts. Those cuts would amount to about $500 Billion for the military over a 10 year period. Since Congress did not approve an appropriations act for fiscal 2013, the Defense Department has been operating under a continuing resolution and will continue to do so at least through 27 March. Because most operating funding was planned to increase from fiscal 2012 to fiscal 2013, but instead is being held at fiscal 2012 levels under the continuing resolution, funds will run short at current rates of expenditure if the continuing resolution continues through the end of the fiscal year in its current form, Carter wrote in the memo. Given this budgetary uncertainty, the department must take steps now, the deputy secretary said. “I therefore authorize all Defense compo-
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nents to begin implementing measures that will help mitigate execution risks,” the memo reads. “For now, and to the extent possible, any actions taken must be reversible at a later date in the event that Congress acts to remove the risks. … The actions should be structured to minimize harmful effects on our people and on operations and unit readiness.” The memo allows components to review contracts and studies for possible cost savings, to cancel third- and fourth-quarter ship maintenance, and to examine ground and aviation depot-level maintenance. This last must be finished by 15 February. It also calls on all research and development and production and contract modifications that obligate more than $500 million to be cleared with the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics before being awarded. For science and technology accounts, the components must provide the undersecretary and the assistant secretary of defense for research and engineering with an assessment of the budgetary impacts that the budgetary uncertainty will cause to research priorities. The foregoing is from a 10 January article in American Forces Press Service titled: “Memo Tells DOD Components to Plan for Budget Uncertainties”. Defense Secretary Panetta Speech at Georgetown University The U.S. military might not be able to respond to a crisis overseas if sweeping federal budget cuts go into effect in March, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said. Panetta’s comments come one day after President Obama urged Congress
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to pass deficit reduction legislation that eliminates or delays those spending cuts. Panetta, who is planning to retire as soon as a successor is confirmed, used some of his most forceful language in this 6 February speech to criticize lawmakers for not quickly moving to avert sequestration and pass a defense appropriations bill. “My greatest concern today is that we are putting our national security at risk by lurching from budget crisis to budget crisis to budget crisis,” Panetta said. For nearly his entire year-and-half tenure as defense secretary, Panetta has been outspoken on the topic of sequestration — about $500 billion in defense spending cuts over the next decade. He has argued DoD has already paid its share toward deficit reduction. The Pentagon has already cut $487 billion from planned spending over the next decade as mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011. But Congress’ inability to pass further deficit reduction could lead to the sequestration cuts. The Pentagon would be forced to chop $46 billion from its budget between March and September of this year should those cuts take effect. There follows, excerpts from what he said. Let me remind you -- I talk about security -let me also remind you that sequester does serious damage to the non-defense side of the budget as well. It's not just defense, it's education, loss of teachers, it's child care. I think the estimate is that some 100,000 children will be kicked out of Head Start. It's about health care, 700,000 women and children will no longer receive nutritional assistance. It's about food safety, it's about law enforcement, it's about airport safety. It's about a number of other programs that support our quality of life in this country.
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All of this would be the consequence of an arbitrary legislative mechanism so onerous, so onerous that it was designed not to take effect, but to force the right kind of action. The president yesterday issued a stark warning about the consequence of sequester of these deep and indiscriminate cuts, and urged Congress to at least have a smaller package of savings and tax reform that could delay sequester. I strongly support those efforts. We cannot allow this to happen. But it is difficult to believe, frankly, that Congress would simply stand aside, stand aside, fail to make the decisions necessary to resolve this crisis, and allow the defense, economy, and quality of life of America to be irreparably damaged. But time and time again, we have postponed action and instead have fallen into a pattern of constant partisanship and grid lock and recrimination. And not only have they failed to come together around a big plan to reduce the deficit, they've also failed in their basic responsibility to pass appropriations bills, how we fund the government each year. We are operating on a C.R. today -- continuing resolution -on appropriation because they failed to pass appropriations bills. You know when the last time is that the Congress passed all of the appropriations bills in time? 1994. 1994. That is a basic responsibility to be able to fund the government. My fear is that there is a dangerous and callous attitude that is developing among some Republicans and some Democrats, that these dangerous cuts can be allowed to take place in order to blame the other party for the consequences. This is a kind of "so what?" attitude that says, "Let's see how bad it can get in order to have the other party blink." I've seen that attitude before. It was the same attitude that led to a government shut-down in 1995, same attitude. "Let it happen. The other side will blink, even though it's going to hurt people, even if -- even if it's going to hurt our citizens, even if it's going to hurt our security. This is a good way to make the other side blink." And, when they did it in 1995, it badly hurt the American people. And it created a political backlash that damaged those who were blamed for
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that crisis. Same damn thing is going to happen again if they allow this to occur. Those that do not learn the lessons of history are bound to repeat the mistakes that were made. And we are about to see that happen again. If Congress doesn't act, and the Department is forced to operate, as we will be, under a year-long sequestration and a year-long continuing resolution, let me tell you what will happen. We will have to abruptly absorb in a period of about six months -- remember, we're in the fiscal year, started October 1st, we've got about six, seven months left in the fiscal year. If sequester goes into effect, we'll then have to absorb those cuts in that latter part of the year. We'll have to absorb $46 billion in sequester reductions. And we'll be facing a $35 billion shortfall in operating funds for our active forces. That's a reality. That is a reality. Make no mistake, if these cuts happen, there will be a serious disruption in defense programs and a sharp decline in our military readiness. We have already begun an all-out effort to plan for how to operate under such a scenario. But it's also very clear that there are no good options. Department and each military service are moving ahead with near-term actions. We have got to reduce the spend rate that we're in now. Because we assume, silly us, that we would get a 2013 appropriation, what we requested. And so we're operating on this hope that 2013 appropriations bill will be passed. It hasn't been passed. So we're spending according to that. And now, if we're spending at this rate and we suddenly have to hit reductions, we're going to have to be able to take those deductions where? We've got to protect the war-fighters in Afghanistan. We've got to protect our force projection in the Middle East. There's only one place that comes out of, and it's readiness. And that's what will happen. We've already implemented, tried to slow down the spend rate. We've implemented hiring freezes. We've curtailed facilities maintenance. We're laying off temporary and term employees. We're looking at putting 46,000 jobs at risk. But we're also being forced to contemplate what will happen if the sequester goes into effect. That's just happening based on the fear of what we may face.
If sequester happens, let me tell you some of the results: • We will furlough as many as 800,000 DOD civilians around the country for up to 22 days. They could face a 20 percent cut in their salary. You don't think that's going to impact on our economy? You don't think that's going to impact on jobs? You don't think that's going to impact on our ability to recover from the recession? • We're going to cut back on Army training and maintenance, putting about two-thirds of our active brigade combat teams outside Afghanistan at a reduced readiness level. We've got to cut back on their training. We're going to have to cut back on the ability to support the troops who are not in the war zone. So what happens is we put more stress on those who are in the war zone. • We're going to have to shrink our global naval operations with a reduction of as much as one-third in our western Pacific naval operations. This whole idea about trying to rebalance will be impacted. • We'll cut the Air Force flying hours and weapons system maintenance, putting flying units below acceptable readiness standards by the end of the fiscal year. This is not a game. This is reality. These steps would seriously damage the fragile American economy, and they would degrade our ability to respond to crisis precisely at a time of rising instability across the globe -- North Africa to the straits of Hormuz, from Syria to North Korea. We would have no choice but to implement these kinds of measures if Congress fails to carry out its basic responsibility to the American people. This is no way to govern the United States of America. This budgetary crisis creates uncertainty. It creates doubt and most importantly from my point of view, it undermines the men and women in uniform who are willing to put their lives on the line in order to protect this country. It puts at risk our fundamental mission of protecting the American people. And worst of all, as I said, it is a self-made crisis. A basic fact of life is that the Department of Defense can't do its job without the partnership of the Congress. We cannot do it without Republicans and Democrats who are willing to work with
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COMMITTEUPDATE
And our quality of life is important to our national security.
COMMITTEUPDATE
us to protect our national security. In a world of responsible politics, members of Congress elected by the American people should never take a step that would badly damage our national defense and undermine our support for our men and women in uniform. And yet today, we are on the brink of seeing that happen. And even if Congress acts again temporarily to prevent the effects of this crisis, and hopefully they will do that, but I have to tell you, if they only kick the can down the road, it continues the long shadow of doubt about whether the fundamental problems we face can really be resolved. That is a high price -- a very high price that could be paid as a result of governing by crisis. And as I said, the ultimate result of that is to lose the trust of the American people. This is not just a bad joke. This is not just a bad joke. And it isn't a bad joke that Congress now has the lowest ratings it's had in recent history. So, what I would like to urge is that the leaders of Congress do what's right for this country. I know the political system now is immersed in sound bites. They're immersed in money. They're trying to raise money for elections.
leadership and cooperation that ultimately led to a balanced budget and a surplus. Ultimately, we all have a responsibility to hold our elected leaders accountable and to fight for the kind of country that we want to have. We must never forget that our democracy has survived because it was born in the crucible of public service. The preamble of the Constitution says "We, the people," not “We, the government,” not “We, the Republican Party,” not “We, the Democratic Party, but "We, the people of the United States in order to establish a more perfect union, in order to establish justice and domestic tranquility and common defense and promote the general welfare and secure the blessings of liberty do ordain and establish the Constitution of the United States." "We, the people." I will end with a story that I've told many times, because it makes the right point, of the rabbi and the priest who decided they would get to know each other a little better. So one evening they went to a boxing match. They thought if they went
to events together, talked to each other, they would learn about each other’s religion. So at the boxing match, just before the bell rang, one of the boxers made the sign of the cross. And the rabbi nudged the priest and said, "What does that mean? The priest said, "It doesn't mean a damn thing if you can't fight." We bless ourselves with the hope that everything's gonna be OK in this country. But very frankly, it won't mean a thing unless you're willing to fight for it. So my message to you, the students in this audience, is that doesn't mean a thing if you are not willing to fight for the American dream. The dream that my parents had. The dream of giving our children a better life. The dream of maintaining a government of, by, and for people. That torch of duty is now passing to a new generation, and with it passes the responsibility to never stop fighting for that better future. Thank you, very much. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.
As I said, I've spent most of my life in Washington. I'm not naive about the messy realities of governing in our democracy. I've been there. It's become somewhat of a cliché for members of Congress, like myself, to kind of harken back to the good old days, where there was bipartisanship and consensus. Make no mistake, governing has never been easy. From the budget battles in the Reagan Administration to the government shutdown, I have witnessed divisions and partisanship and gridlock. They are the enduring features of a political system, but they can also be a crutch for leaders to use to avoid their responsibilities. I'm proud to say that during the time I served in the Congress, I did witness a lot of what Congress did at its best. Despite the partisan differences, there was a bipartisan group in leaders in the Congress: Tip O'Neill, Bob Michel, Howard Baker, Bob Dole, George Mitchell, Pat Moynihan, Tom Foley and so many others -- who worked at that time with a Republican administration to enact bold budget compromises. We sat together in budget meetings. We put everything on the table. And we ultimately found compromise. It is that spirit of
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CONSTRUCTION NEWS BULLETIN
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YOURENVIRONMENT
Reporting Is Cheap And Easy.
Paying Fines Is Not. By Tammy
It’s a pretty simple equation. Filing the correct paperwork is much easier and cheaper than paying fines. Key filing deadlines are quickly approaching for companies that have or use certain types of chemicals at their facilities. The first day of March marks a deadline, the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (Guam EPA) is asking all businesses to look at the requirements laid out by the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA). Businesses, depending on their operation and the type of materials used at their site, may be required to file various forms with Guam EPA to be in compliance with EPCRA requirements. One of the items required by EPCRA is an Emergency Response Plan. FILING CORRECTLY Making sure your company is in compliance is easier than ever. The Agency recently released a fact sheet outlining how to start and finish the reporting process. The fact sheet is available online or at Guam EPA’s main office. The reporting process starts by pulling up the step-bystep procedure guide. The guide helps you determine if your company needs to submit reports or if you are exempt. Reports include data to help emergency responders including outlining emergency notification procedures, describing evacuation plans and identifying facilities and transportation routes of extremely hazardous substances. The majority of the data gathering is aimed at 356 extremely hazardous substances. 138 of these chemicals overlap with CERCLA’s list of hazardous substances. Some of the most
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common chemicals include formaldehyde, chloroform, sodium cyanide, sulfur dioxide, chlorine and ozone. There are various amounts of these chemicals that trigger the requirement to report them under the EPCRA law. Companies need to remember that regulated substances are not the same as extremely hazardous substances. As companies go through the list of chemicals used and stored on site, there are clear guidelines to how much must be present to require reports. For 62 flammable gases and volatile flammable liquids, the Threshold Planning Quantity is 10,000 lbs. These are materials that a company would have a Material Safety Data Sheet about on hand. In comparison, there are 302 listed toxic chemicals, including ammonia, have a minimum only 500 lbs or possibly less if they have a more stringent Threshold Planning Quantity. Knowing how much of each chemical is stored at a facility is the whole point of this reporting system. That’s the key to using this information for successful community planning. That’s why these reports are required. SUBMITTING CORRECTLY Once you figure out that your company must report, the online forms are easy to fill out and submit. All forms can be submitted electronically to Guam EPA staff. Although forms can be submitted in hard copy, the Agency is hoping everyone submits electronically to reduce the amount of paper used in this process. Submitting the correct EPCRA and Tier II forms is required by law. Recently four companies in Guam were fined by U.S. EPA for failing to submit the proper reports regarding EPCRA requirements.
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Jo Anderson Taft
According to a press release from U.S. EPA the four companies each paid $2,000 and corrected their violation by submitting reports to Guam EPA. Although the law allows federal EPA to impose significantly higher penalties for failure to submit reports, the press release says future violators may face higher fines given the outreach being done about proper reporting. We are really trying to help every company that must report do so within the timeline. This helps our emergency planning but ensures they are in compliance with the law and will be avoiding potential penalties and fines. PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY The EPCRA law was enacted in 1986 after environmental disasters like the chemical release in Bhopal, India in 1984. The law focuses on four parts that help communities plan for emergency situations that may involve the hazardous substances. This type of information helps our emergency responders and the Guam Fire Department have all the facts before they rush into a situation. Knowing exactly what chemicals may be on site, emergency responders can better respond and protect themselves and the environment. For example, he explained, some situations may involve highly combustible substances or chemicals that can quickly spread as toxic fumes. EPCRA reports help protect emergency responders and the community. That is why they are so important. Not only does this reporting help companies protect their workers by having evacuation plans and information about the chemicals readily available, it protects the community if there is ever an emergency that could involve these chemicals. The closer we come to 100% compliance with reporting, the safer our villages will be.
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YOURENVIRONMENT
ONLINE RESOURCES: Check out Guam EPA’s fact sheets and more information at issuu.com/GuamEPA - For more information about Guam EPA visit the official website at http://epa.guam.gov - Guam EPA’s Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/GuamEPA - Guam EPA’s Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/GuamEPA - Follow Guam EPA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GuamEPA
Upcoming deadlines Companies must submit Tier II inventory reports to U.S. EPA by March 1 for chemicals stored during calendar 2012.
For more information To learn more about properly filing EPCRA reports in Guam, call Guam EPA’s Green Parcel Project Manager Walter Leon Guerrero at 475-1644 or email walter.leonguerrero@epa.guam.gov or contacting Tammy Jo Anderson Taft at tammyjoanderson.taft@epa.guam.gov.
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Sealing and Protecting
The Island by David F. Macaluso
Pacific Surface Masters is a local cleaning company that comprises of nine employees, but aside from the basic janitorial services, PSM also specializes in tile and grout cleaning, restoring, sealing and protecting hard surfaces.
number of new surface sealants and cleaners made in the mainland by Foxfire Enterprises. Some of those products include Foxfire 5000wb (a new product line that waterproofs concrete), Foxfire PL-1007 (a vapor emission blocker), HD Concrete Cleaner (used to prepare surfaces to accept sealers, paints and other coatings) and Super Blue (a high performance detergent used to remove grease, oil, tar and road grime).
According to Pacific Surface Masters President Carlo L. Leon Guerrero, PSM was formed because he saw a gap in this industry and knew that it would fill the needs of businesses and companies to have their hard surfaces cleaned and protected.
Foxfire’s product line is unique because it’s not a surface coating, it’s actually a water-based solution that penetrates and seals cracks, pores, capillaries, honeycombs, and joints in concrete, masonry and wood. It bonds and becomes part of the concrete or wood and prolongs its useful life making it stronger. This product can be used on sidewalks, curbs, driveways, retaining walls, roofs, wood decks, patios, and pavers. Since it’s made of hydrophilic properties, it does not alter the surface profile or surface tension.
Leon Guerrero said, “We specialize in tile and grout cleaning. There is actually a special technique and proper method for doing this work. We went to Arizona, got trained, certified and brought those techniques back to Guam. It is a niche service that people really need here. We basically focus on hard surfaces, restoring and protecting them.” PSM is also the exclusive distributor in Micronesia for
“There are tons of waterproofing products that are out there, but those products are really surface coatings similar to paints, elastomeric, and epoxy. But with this one, the Foxfire 5000wb, it’s not a coating, and that’s what makes this product unique,” said Leon Guerrero. “My analogy of surface coatings, like elastomeric and epoxies is that they act like a band aid, it just covers the intended area. If it is not properly applied and there are
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pinholes in the application, water will eventually find its way underneath. Our sealers address the root of the problem; it will penetrate deep into the concrete and react with the alkaline inside the concrete. This will densify and seal the concrete internally. Ideally it can be used in new construction, such as a freshly poured concrete for the roof. The sealant can be applied to the concrete and it will address the problems linked to spalling.” Concrete spalling is usually caused by corrosion of the steel reinforcement bars embedded in the concrete matrix. This can cause critical structural problems that can even potentially force the demolition of a particular structure. But Pacific Surface Masters found a product that will seal the concrete and prevent spalling. Leon Guerrero adds, a surface coating can then be applied to the roof to provide reflective properties to make your home cooler. Pacific Surface Masters’ intention is to protect the natural beauty of stone or hard surfaces like granite, marble, ceramic tiles, and pavers. According to Leon Guerrero, a lot of times people will try to get rid of mold, mildew, and other organic stains that may have accumulated on their dark driveway or outside of their home. Removing this can be a difficult task, but PSM offers a sealant
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FEATURESTORY
Pacific Surface Masters started four years ago as a tile and grout cleaning service, but by thinking outside the box, the company is now an exclusive distributor for new concrete and waterproofing sealant products that is unique to this region. These new products could help Pacific Surface Masters expand their client base throughout the Micronesian Islands.
FEATURESTORY
that will keep all concrete, tiles, masonry and wood it in its natural state, making the chore of water blasting driveways and homes less frequent. When it comes floors, Guerrero believes there is a practice that is going on in the janitorial industry that needs to be addressed when it comes to cleaning ceramic tiles. “There is a practice that is going on in the janitorial cleaning industry that I think should be changed. I found that people are applying wax onto ceramic tiles and grout. The problem is when you apply wax to ceramic tile and grout, you are actually ruining the investment that people put into their floors,” said Leon Guerrero. “You are not supposed to apply wax to ceramic floors or grout, natural stone, slate, granite or marble. You need to clean it properly, keep it in its natural form, and then seal it properly with a penetrated sealant. Since wax is a surface coating, all that dirt you didn’t pick up off the grout and tiles in the initial cleaning, will be trapped and sealed under the wax. There is a special process that needs to be done to clean these hard surfaces. Some of these companies are used to doing strip and wax service to vinyl tiles and flooring, but then what they will do is apply that same techniques to the harder surfaces, once they do that they ruin the floors.” On the northern part of Guam, high levels of indoor radon have been documented. This inert colorless and odorless radioactive gas can enter the
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home through cracks in the foundation and build up over time. Radon occurs naturally as elements in the soil break down. Prolonged exposure to high levels of radon can increase the risk for lung cancer. According to Guam EPA, their surveys indicate that close to 27% of the homes on Guam have higher levels of radon than the level recommended by U.S. EPA.
keeping out gas and moisture.
PSM now has a sealant that could prevent radon gas from penetrating the home through cracks in the foundation. The Foxfire PL-1007 sealant could be a solution to this problem since it is a vapor blocker.
Leon Guerrero adds, everyone is trying to go green, especially with projects that are going on at Big Navy and Andersen Air Force Base. If you are using LEED products then that is a plus if you are bidding on a project located on those bases.
“Islanders living in the northern villages who already have their floors down, can apply PL-1007 sealant on the floors. If people already have ceramic tiles installed, those tiles are nonporous, so that part of the floor is alright. But the grout lines are porous so they would have to be treated to seal and prevent the radon gas from entering the home. It’s uncertain whether or not this will mitigate the problem completely, but it’s a good preventative measure. There may be other measures needed to keep out the gas. But by sealing the grout lines is a good start,” said Leon Guerrero.
These concrete and waterproofing sealant products are water-based, they are non-toxic and environmentally safe. They are also VOC compliant (products which are less susceptible to explosions and other fire risks) and meet the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements of EQ 4.2.
PSM has been a member of the Guam Contractors Association since 2010. Their main mission is to provide contractors, the construction industry, industrial industry and the consumer with an unparalleled line of environmentally friendly products. To find out more information about Pacific Surface Masters or its products, you can visit their website at www.PacificSurfaceMasters.com. There is also a video on this site that will show the full effects of these sealants in action.
Leon Guerrero suggests developers who are constructing new homes can seal foundations with the PL-1007. This sealant will insulate the home by
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by David F. Macaluso
FEATURESTORY
In 1957, Hawaiian Bitumuls and Paving Company began operations on Guam. A year later the company formed Hawaiian Rock Products (HRP) and it has been serving the island for over 55 years. Today Hawaiian Rock Products has 400 workers and is the largest producer of aggregate based construction materials and road paving contractor on Guam, Saipan, Tinian, and Palau. According to Hawaiian Rock Representative Jose "Art" Chan, during that time no one else on island could lay asphalt for the roads, driveways, parking lots, runways and taxiways. Since the company’s inception and with nearly 6 decades of experience on the island, Hawaiian Rock can account for installing over 90% of Guam’s roads. Hawaiian Rock Products Corporation has made significant achievements to the island over the past decade especially paving the asphalt runways at the Guam International Air Terminal and at Andersen Air Force Base. In October 2008, Hawaiian Rock won the contract to extend runways 6R and 6L at the
Guam International Air Terminal. The company also completed this task nearly two years later in September 2010. Hawaiian Rock also has an existing contract reconstructing various taxiways at Andersen Air Force Base. In addition, in 2012, they were awarded a contract to complete the newer extension of the runway 24R at the Guam International Air Terminal. Recently Hawaiian Rock completed roadwork on Route 4 which included the resurfacing and repaving a 3.4-mile stretch from McDonald’s in Hagåtña. to the Route 10 intersection in Chalan Pågo. This project began on August 4, 2009 and was funded by $16.6 million from the Federal Highway Administration to make improvements to the road.
efficient because they have the ability to complete more jobs with the same amount of labor and have better control of the output of their products. Chan said, "Some of the challenges that came up while working on this project were due to strict enforcement and "no variance" to FHWA specifications. These standard specs for construction of roads and bridges on FHWA projects, better known as “FP-03”, was formulated for projects within the Continental USA. Following those specs HRP could not be met FHWA requirements using the available “coralline limestone” aggregate. But with extensive research and development, we came up with the Asphalt Job
The project faced challenges in meeting Federal Highway Administration requirements for the pavement material used, coralline limestone, but Hawaiian Rock invested in acquiring a modern asphalt batch plant in order to meet the newer, more stringent quality requirements and standards of the asphalt industry in regards to the Federal Highway Administration guidelines. The acquisition of that facility not only helped the route 10 project come to an end in November 2012, but it also makes Hawaiian Rock's operation more
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FEATURESTORY
"Most of Guam roads have surpassed that, even the ones where full compliance with the specifications were not fully enforced," said Chan. "The Dense Graded Friction Course which constitutes the upper ¾” to 1” layer of the roads use material which we import and are basaltic in nature. This material does not polish, less absorptive, and is more durable than our native limestone." According to Chan, the engineering design changes made on this project was a savings of $1.6 million, that money can be used to help improve other future Guam roadway projects. Mix Formula which is an improved and approved product." The project included guardrail, drainage improvements, curb and gutter, utility adjustments, pavement markings, and roadway signs. Chan also points out, "A major benefit of the roadwork is the center lane, which reduced the likelihood of traffic accidents." The FHWA specifications, when followed, will ensure that the road lasts the 20-year life expectancy it was designed for.
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Hawaiian Rock is not only a local contractor, but it is also a supplier to both island contractors and the local civilian community. Chan said, "Hawaiian Rocks has high standard ready mixed concrete, Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU or Hollow Block), Precast Concrete Manholes, Reinforced Concrete Pipes, Keystone Retaining Wall System, Coralline Aggregates, Hot Mixed Asphalt and Cold applied Asphalt." Hawaiian Rock Products President, Jerrold C. Johnson was named 2012 Guam Business Magazine Executive of The Year on January 12th at the 30th
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annual Guam Business Magazine Executive of the Year gala. Johnson was among eight nominees who were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the local business community. Hawaiian Rock also has helped shape and improve Guam on many different levels from helping the local economy by creating and providing jobs along with improving Guam’s infrastructure on a number of island wide projects In addition to
building the island, Hawaiian Rock also gives back to the local community by making donations and contributions to charitable institutions, numerous organizations, team sports and youth leagues.
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PHOTOHIGHLIGHTS
GCA Luncheon January 16th, 2013 Fiesta Resort Guam
Guam Museum Ground Breaking January 28th, 2013 Skinner Plaza
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TRADESNEWS 26 | FEBRUARY2013
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MEMBERBENEFITS
Diabetic Foot Problems they age the neuropathy and decreased circulation sets in. This combination makes diabetic patients more vulnerable to foot and leg problems. Diabetic foot problems can be caused by infection, neuropathy or poor circulation. It may be caused by any one of the three aforementioned or in combination with each other. Diabetics are more susceptible to an infection and usually have a harder time fighting it off.
Dr.Noel Silan, DPM ABMSP Diabetes Mellitus is a worldwide medical disease now affecting even 3rd world countries more so than ever. It is a major public health issue stretching resources all across the globe. In the US alone it is the leading cause of new blindness and the 3rd leading cause of death. Heart disease, amputations, kidney problems and blindness are more common in the Diabetic population. Despite advances in medicine and the treatment of diabetes, diabetic foot problems account for many hospital days per year. Why is this so? With the development of Insulin , diabetics are able to live longer and pass on their traits. As
Diabetic Neuropathy is the number one reason why diabetic patients present to the emergency room for foot problems. The neuropathic foot is health in appearance and its only red flag signals are numbness and pain. The foot has diminished pain sensation from sharp, dull, hot, or cold senses. This exposes the neuropathic foot to trauma without the person even knowing. This is turn leads to a break in the skin , infection then an unexpected trip to the Emergency room. With diabetic nuropathy also comes a whole myriad of symptoms. Numbness, tingling, itchiness, sharp tingling pain and even imbalance of the feet/legs. There is a unique type of neuroosteoarthropathy that occurs in the neuropathic foot. It usually preceded by swelling of the joints, followed by bone and joint destruction. This usually renders the foot wide, deformed and irregular in shape. This is called Charcot disease.
Guam Foot Clinic
The diabetic ischemic foot looks unhealthy characterized by dry skin, lack of hair and atrophy of muscles. It is usually associated with stabbing pain, severe cramps and fatigue of the legs even in short distances. Ischemia makes any sore a limb or life-threatening situation. In the US alone there are greater than 20,000 amputations a year. Peripheral arterial disease is the main cause of morbidity and disability in diabetic patients. Once an amputation is performed it is a downhill spiral especially due to the coexisting medical problems that exist with diabetic patients. Following is a summary on how to take care of your feet For the Diabetic patient 1) Never apply any form of heat to your feet 2) Never soak the feet for prolonged periods 3) Don’t go barefoot 4) Don’t perform bathroom surgery on your feet 5) Don’t cut your on toenails or have pedicures 6) Never use strong OTC medicines on your feet 7) Don’t allow your corns or callouses to go untreated 8) Never assume that sensation ot circulation in your feet is normal 9) Don’t wear shoes that are too tight or don’t fit 10) Never keep the feet too moist or too dry
Express Med Pharmacy Bldg138 Kayen Chando St. Dededo, Guam 96929 • (671)633-3668 wk • (671)647-0027 fax Dr.Noel Silan DPM, ABMSP P.C.
D ia be t i c F o o t Prob l ems • Go u t • S por ts/W or k Related Injur ies • Skin Disea s es • Sur ger y 28 | FEBRUARY2013
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GARRISONREPORT
Does Your Construction Company Need to Change to Improve Profitability? The current recession has placed tremendous pressure on the profitability of the construction industry, causing some contractors to even take work at below cost. This situation is easy to blame on the recession, but the underlying problems existed in the construction industry long before the recession. The hypercompetitive nature of the construction industry has existed for decades. Look at some of the statistics and professional opinions. For years contractors have been complaining about how difficult it is to find qualified people. Peter Drucker wrote, “The first sign of decline of an industry is loss of appeal to qualified, able, and ambitious people.” In 2005 Forbes magazine reported that the return on investment for the construction industry was a mere 9.7 percent compared to the average for all U.S. industries of 16.7 percent. This means that even in the middle of a construction boom, the construction industry had the second worst industry ROI in the United States. If contractors can’t earn a reasonable profit during a construction boom, when can they? This has resulted in most contractors’ fighting to survive. Unfortunately for decades the construction industry has experienced the second highest turnover of businesses, with only the restaurant industry being worse. In
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2005 40 percent of contractors didn’t make a profit and many more made insufficient profits as a return on their expertise, investment in time and money, risk and effort involved. In contrast, Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, “Those skilled in war subdue the enemy’s army without fighting. Their aim must be to take all under heaven intact through strategic superiority.” Without a superior strategy, contractors find themselves in a bloody ocean as a result of the competition beating each other up. The question your company must address is, “Do we have a superior strategy?” To help your company evaluate that question, I have provided several questions that you need to answer: • Is your company facing increased competition in your markets? • Are you constantly asked to lower your prices to get the job? • Is your company focused more on how to build cheaper instead of focusing on innovation and value creation for clients? • Are you blaming your company’s struggles on a poor construction market? (Keep in mind the U.S. construction market even during the recession has been in the $800 billion range, so there is still a lot of work out there.) • Do you believe the only way to
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compete in today’s hypercompetitive marketplace is to obtain the absolute lowest possible bids from subcontractors and vendors? • Does it appear the only way to grow your business is through mergers or acquisitions to increase market share or to enter new markets? • Do you feel like your customers think of your services as a commodity? • Are your key competitive advantages basically the same as your competitors’? (In other words, are you emphasizing price, fast schedule, quality and construction experience?) The problem here is that while there may be differences between you and your competition, in a hypercompetitive marketplace, these differences shrink and become very difficult or impossible for the prospect to discern. Therefore, they perceive your services as a commodity and choose contractors based on price. If you answered yes to a majority of these questions, then I hate to inform you that you don’t have a superior strategy and your company is competing in a bloody ocean. The obvious answer is to get out of the construction business. Don’t panic! I’m not suggesting that you stop building things. After all, that’s what you do. However, that’s not the business you
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GARRISONREPORT
are in; the business you are in is how you add value for your clients. To do that you must redefine the construction business. Too many people think of the construction process as what exists from ground breaking until the contractor turns over the keys to the owner. To escape the bloody ocean, contractors need to redefine the process to include the time frame from the time a project is first thought about until the structure is torn down. Why? First, contractors have a tremendous amount of value they can contribute in the expanded scope. For example, owners have told me the place where contractors can help them the most is before construction. Second, the cost of construction represents somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of the total lifetime cost of a building depending on the type of building. These percentages don’t include the impact on the cost of people working in the building. This expanded time frame drastically increases the opportunities for contractors to differentiate their services and, therefore, avoid the red ocean of hypercompetition. Is this easy? Absolutely not! Why? First, if it were easy, everyone would do it. But more important, unfortu-
nately there are many owners and contractors who believe the red ocean approach is the best and attempt to prevent others from escaping it. Fortunately not everyone agrees with a red ocean approach and, therefore, contractors who want to escape the bloody ocean caused by hypercompetition need to aggressively seek out others that understand what I refer to as Construction 3.0™ Strategies. This approach opens all kinds of opportunities for contractors to improve their profitability while better serving their clients. This is true regardless of whether they are competing on an integrated project delivery job or are forced to compete on the more conventional design-bid-build project. Construction 3.0™ Strategies is not a quick fix to the construction industry but is a comprehensive approach to construction that integrates several powerful concepts. There is no single approach that fits all situations, but Construction 3.0™ Strategies allows contractors to apply critical concepts and principles that have a proven track record of success to their unique situation. It doesn’t matter if you are an international giant or a small local contractor. It doesn’t
matter if you are a design-build contractor or a low-bid contractor. The amount of potential benefits will vary depending on the contractor’s specific situation, but virtually every contractor can benefit. Further, while many contractors are already implementing some of the concepts described in Construction 3.0™ Strategies, they usually can still find additional ideas to take their performance and profitability to the next level. One advantage of Construction 3.0 ™ Strategies is that many of its concepts and ideas can be implemented at very little cost but reap significant payback so the process pays for itself and more. In today’s hypercompetitive marketplace, no contractor can afford not to take advantage of strategies that can help its business be more profitable while providing greater value to its clients. To learn how Construction 3.0™ Strategies’ concepts and principles can begin to help improve your company’s bottom line, contact Ted Garrison (Ted@TedGarrison.com or 386-4376713).
"Ted Garrison, president of Garrison Associates, is a catalyst for change. As a consultant, author and speaker he provides breakthrough strategies for the construction industry by focusing on critical issues in leadership, project management, strategic thinking, strategic alliances and marketing. Contact Ted at 800-861-0874 or Growing@TedGarrison.com. Further information can be found at www.TedGarrison.com." v
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