A group of regional, primarily independent operators have formed a national consortium, Concrete Products Group, to develop and license production of a variety of proprietary masonry units. Charter members and their territories are Kirchner Block & Brick/Midwest Products Group, central U.S.; Oberfield's, Inc., located in the Ohio Valley area; Block USA, operating in the South Central region; Basalite Products, Inc. and Orco Block Co., Inc., covering the West Coast; Amcon in the upper Midwest; and, A. Jandris & Sons, Inc. on the East Coast. The group also anticipates the addition of key regional producers covering Florida, Atlanta and the Carolinas later in 2007.

Concrete Products Group President Mark Wilhelms, of Kirchner Block, announced the alliance at members' inaugural meeting in Kansas City. The partnership was organized to provide timely delivery options and consistent products for regional and national masonry customers, he notes, including retailers, construction companies and contractors with the need for accelerated delivery, exacting standards and quality products in a cost-effective pricing structure. "By joining together, independent manufacturers recognized that our customers (and the industry as a whole) would benefit immensely by providing a reliable, consistent source of supply with assured delivery for regional and national retailers," Wilhelms affirms.

Initial alliance products include Spec-Brik concrete masonry veneer, which lends the brick-like look for community-friendly developments. "The line provides architects, developers and contractors with a convenient masonry option in the construction of new property and developments," says Wilhelms. The product has debuted in an Ohio Kroger store and Missouri Marriott Courtyard, he adds.