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Table of ContentsSummer Conference Registration Opens NPCA Crane Certification Webinar Contact Us - WPCA Office has MOVED! | Upcoming Events
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President's Message
Finally the trucks are moving daily instead of every once in a while. The gloomy days of winter are over and we are able to open the shop doors to let the fresh air in. Improvements and equipment fixes made over the winter are being put to the test. Employees seem happier and are in full production mode. Checks are starting to come in the mail instead of just bills. Gone are the days of calling your own company's phone number just to check to see if the phone system is working because it hasn't been ringing. Spring is definitely here and it's another start to what I hope is a safe and successful year for all of us.
Mark your calendars for this year's Summer Conference in Trego July 15-16. I know that summer weekends are busy, but try to make it to this conference. The conference venue sounds like a wonderful place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Relaxing is not all there is though. We do have a few issues to discuss at the Saturday morning business meeting. One issue that we have been discussing for a number of years is crane operator certification. There is finally an operator test that will be more in tune to the equipment that we operate every day. We will have someone from NPCA attending the conference to explain more in detail about this certification and the changes that are made. If there are any questions on this certification, please bring them to the conference or contact the WPCA before the conference. The November 2017 deadline for having your operators certified is not far away.
Hopefully everyone is doing well and I look forward to seeing you in July.
Bruce Wieser
WPCA President
Legislative Update
Governor Walker Signs Tax Bill Favorable to Precast Concrete Manufacturers WPCA staff has good legislative news to report! On Friday, April 15, Governor Walker signed AB 629 into law. This new Act would repeal the double tax on heavy truck and trailer purchases. Upon the Governor’s signature, this bill is now Act 361. Assembly Bill 629 – exempts the federal excise tax on the retail sales of heavy trucks from the definition of taxable sales price the federal excise tax on the retail sales of heavy trucks. In plain English, this bill only allows the state to apply sales tax to the actual sales price of the truck, NOT to the sales price PLUS the Federal Excise Tax. In general, here’s an EXAMPLE of how the new law will work:
Savings of $990 The following are a few important aspects of the legislation. This will allow you to determine if it applies to your recently purchased or future purchased trucks:
**The buyer can claim a refund directly from DOR if the claim is for more than $50. They DO NOT need to request a refund from the seller first. For more information on filing a claim, please use the Department of Revenue resources below: Phone: (608) 266-2776 Website: revenue.wi.gov Email: DORSalesandUse@revenue.wi.gov It’s An Election Year – Time To Get Involved I wanted to provide a quick update to the WPCA producer AND associate members of the importance of getting (and staying) politically involved during elections. As most of you know, the WPCA collaborates with other septic-related associations in sponsoring a political conduit called the Wisconsin Industries for Environmental Protection (WIEP). The WIEP Conduit is a very important business partner to precast concrete manufacturers because it positions the WPCA for legislative success. Up to 2,000 bills are introduced each session in the state legislature. WIEP conduit helps elect people who write laws you and your business must live with. Through extensive research and ongoing monitoring, WIEP conduit keeps you informed, involved and influential in the legislative decisions that are important to you and your business. Please consider joining WIEP conduit today! For those that are still skeptical, please take a look at the political involvement of WPCA peer associations for a good example of what other associations level of political giving is. 2012 Election Cycle
2014 Election Cycle
George Klaetsch
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NPCA Crane Committee Update
NPCA and the crane committee met with the company hired to write the new Precast Concrete Delivery Crane certification. The firm CIC (Crane Institute Certification) will finish the questions and the test will be ready by the end of 2016. The OSHA operator license must be obtained by November of 2017.
The written test will use the QMC 50-37R Load chart and the US Truck Crane PC 16 load chart. Charts are simple and can easily be learned. The written test will have two parts, general knowledge from OSHA Standard 1926 Subpart CC and followed by a test on the both load charts. Both tests will have about 35 questions out of a pool of approximately 90.
The practical in the seat test (or remote control) will be on a QMC crane with 36’ of boom. The license will be good for either style of boom under 21 tons as CIC has pre approval for this size. NPCA is now offering webinars for $199 and $299 for non members June 14th or July 26th. We expect more will follow. The committee is pleased with the results and is confident our operators will pass the new test. Basic NPCA full membership cost is $ 1,400.
Articulating and A Frame trolley booms will not be tested or licensed by CIC or NPCA. The only OSHA exemption is for burial vaults placement and articulated cranes unloading into a storage area or job site but if precast is placed into final position an operators license is required. There is no exception for QMC or UST Crane booms, they must be operated by a licensed operators at all times.
| Steve Mader Crest Precast Concrete NPCA Crane Committee Member | Andy Winkler Wieser Concrete NPCA Crane Committee Chair |
NPCA Crane Training Webinar
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Please make note of our new address! Wisconsin Precast Concrete Association |