Blogs

The first Earth Day was held in 1970, a day that is considered the “birth” of the modern environmental movement. Earth day began as a national “teach-in” on the environment, with 20 million Americans participating in protests, rallies, and demonstrations for a healthy, sustainable environment. Since then, it has paved the way for 35 years of development, research, and innovations in sustainability, becoming a global movement to preserve Earth’s natural resources and create environmentally conscientious practices/standards. The movement caused by the inception of Earth Day has affected nearly every industry in the world, including construction, with more and more projects incorporating eco-friendly designs and green building practices.

Like baseball, Northern California is gearing up for a exciting season. The Sacramento branch has made big movement in 2014 and we expect the momentum to continue well into 2015. According to reports, construction in the region is at its highest level in seven years. In the last year, we have ascertained our local presence and continue to swoop up the abundance of work opportunities. The upward trend and immediate increase in business has created a need for new hires. We are pleased to boost the local economy by keeping more people busy and intend to hire more individuals still. We’ve recently hired 3 new technicians, bringing us to a total staff of twelve (12), a strong bullpen, if you will.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) – including heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure – is the number 1 killer of women and men in the US. It is the leading cause of disability, preventing Americans from working and enjoying family activities.[1] American Heart Month is a campaign designed to bring awareness to diseases of the heart. Just like the New Year inspires many of us to reflect upon and commit to self-improvement behaviors, February is a perfect time to learn about CVD and how one can live a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Dr. Yiwen Bu recently joined Twining’s AER division as a Research Engineer. Dr. Bu is a recent graduate from Purdue University with her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering. Her work at Purdue University includes nanotechnology of cementitious materials, service life modeling and durability assessment of concrete to corrosive environment, as well as new technologies for quality control of concrete production. Dr. Bu co-authored more than 10 publications in proceedings of international conferences as well as peer-reviewed journals on cement and concrete materials. Using her knowledge and expertise to bring about technology innovation and upgrade to the construction industry is her greatest enthusiasm.

We all agree that diversification is essential to firm health. But diversifying revenue types can be as valuable as diversifying markets. Backlog building is about much more than total revenue generated, it’s about stability, reputation, and the overall health of your firm. For this reason, it’s critical to understand the types of backlog that make up your projections. This will enable you to identify areas of weakness and opportunity. It will also help you work toward creating a high performing company, service line, or profit center.

On this day, we are celebrating all of America’s veterans, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. We owe you all so much, our lives are shaped every day by their sacrifice.