CEMENT QUALITY

QUALITY AND CONSISTENCY ARE PARAMOUNT IN ALL ARGOS PRODUCTS

Argos guarantees the quality of all our products to meet and exceed applicable ASTM, AASHTO and local standards by utilizing statistical control of established internal chemical and physical quality objectives, with follow-up by Argos Technical Services. Raw materials, intermediate products, and finished products are tested frequently at each stage of the process for chemical makeup, reactivity and physical properties like fineness and soundness to ensure that Argos products perform as designed, consistently.

Every product undergoes routine chemical testing, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray defraction (XRD) and wet chemical testing. We also test physical properties like strengths, set time, particle size, heat of hydration, air content and boardlife. These tests are in addition to our rigorous quality control using statistical analysis and quality assurance review, which in turn utilize variability analysis and performance evaluations such as set time, strengths, slump and air content testing for concrete. We also evaluate all our masonry mortar products for initial workability, air content and boardlife. Our state-of-the-art facilities also have the capability for other tests such as heat of hydration, sulfate resistance and petrography.

We also maintain all required state Department of Transportation (DOT) approvals, NSF certifications and internal auditing of Argos products. Argos distributes monthly mill certificates, noting the product quality in our plant and terminal silos as well as consistency from C917 reports covering product variability. Additionally, we provide customers with certificates of compliance for each cement and prospective job project, product data sheets, LEED letters to provide customer LEED credits and requested product letters to engineers, specifiers and agencies in support of our customers. Much of this data is available online for your convenience.

We offer an extensive technical support system that provides customers with solutions throughout construction. Our consistent product portfolio and expert technical services are the two main pillars in Argos’ trifecta of customer support. The third pillar is an extensive distribution network that allows all our customers to receive high quality Argos products. Argos technical services are available to assist customers in every market we serve. Our technical team excels at having the appropriate cementitious product to meet customer specifications.

Our ability to produce and supply a wide range of traditional and innovative cement products is enabled by our state-of-the-art laboratories at all of our six cement production facilities. All Argos laboratories are thoroughly inspected by the Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory (CCRL) and participate in the CCRL proficiency sample program to ensure accuracy and consistency. Every lab has its own state-of-the-art X-ray fluorescence (XRF) machine for chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) technology for cement phase composition, and calorimetry testing to monitor and predict heat of hydration, to name a few. Physical testing of all products is held to strict testing criteria, as laid out by CCRL.

The same equipment and processes we use for our quality programs enable our innovation processes and procedures, allowing us to be flexible in adapting to changing market demands — from thoroughly testing and vetting new cements and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), to product development to support our evolving customer needs. Our robust quality programs allow these innovations to be fully vetted while ensuring products and processes are ready for market. Argos’ technical team works with customers individually to help their products be more environmentally friendly, use less CO2 and become more sustainable.

Our technical teams utilize specialized research and development facilities, which are located at the Argos Technical Center in Cumming, Georgia, and the Argos Innovation Center in Medellin, Colombia, for deeper research and innovative testing.

Argos has routinely been on the DJSI (Dow Jones Sustainability Index) since 2014. All Argos technical team members are highly knowledgeable, qualified, skilled and outgoing with strong diversified areas of expertise.

OUR TEAM

Quality Managers adhere to the Argos Quality Policy and oversee products shipped to exceed standard and performance objectives as well as customer needs. Technical service members in each district are highly skilled to support the development of new products while supporting customers.

The Argos technical team is comprised of engineers, chemists, masons, and experienced subject matter experts with deep qualifications and experience. Their expertise ranges from statistical analysis to field knowledge in concrete, ready mix, precast/prestress, RCC, soil cement and other segments and applications.

All our technical service personnel have key qualifications for their roles, including being ACI Field and Lab Concrete Tester certified and ACI Physical Tester certified. We participate and lead in key technical associations such as:

• PCA (Portland Cement Association)
• ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials – International)
• American Concrete Institute (ACI)
• Slag Cement Association (SCA)
• Department of Transportation (DOT) liaison and harmonization groups
• Local and national masonry associations
• MIT Sustainability HUB

Our experienced team has received numerous awards including Fellowships and Awards of Merit. The team works every day with customers, architects, specifiers, engineers and academic experts to create new solutions or solve field related issues.