The leading voice for the crushed stone, ready mixed concrete, sand and gravel, and cement industries' community.
PELA is a 10-month hybrid program with online and in-person educational sessions and networking opportunities.
Careers in the Aggregates, Concrete & Cement Industries
The Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) is the industry’s unified voice, representing more than 200 member companies across the state.
Creating a unified and strong voice for our industry.
PACA monitors and analyzes local, state and federal regulations and advocates for a balanced approach by the regulators.
PACA builds a bridge between our members and our partners at PennDOT, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission along with Pennsylvania’s construction industry to further the use of our materials to the benefit of the commonwealth.
One of the most effective tools in government relations for an industry is a robust advocacy/grassroots strategy.
In the last legislative session, we contributed over $275,000 to our political champions.
November 2025 at Hotel Hershey in Hershey, PA (PACA members only event).
PACA offers comprehensive concrete certification programs for ACI, NRMCA, and PennDOT in the central Pennsylvania area.
Membership has its privileges - most of PACA's events are open to PACA members only.
PACA conducts numerous education and training events during the year.
Choose concrete for your next parking lot project.
Streets built with concrete are built to last, consider concrete for your next project.
Concrete's strong, resilient and the choice for your next building or bridge.
PACA works with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) to convert your parking lot or building project to concrete without hurting your bottom line.
PACA drives a member-approved strategic plan to increase market share and engages specifiers and owners on the value of concrete in their projects.
This program provides free continuing education to the design and specifying communities. There are currently four courses available, ranging from 30 minutes to 60 minutes focused on the cement, aggregates and concrete industries. You'll receive a certificate of completion once you pass a quiz. The bookmarking feature allows you to leave the course and resume where you left off when you return.
The global market for decorative concrete is expected to grow with a CAGR of approximately 6.2%, as more ingenious ways to incorporate it into urban spaces are adopted.
As a durable and versatile building material, stamped concrete serves as a modern flooring choice – especially for home owners looking to add depth to their floors without stretching their budget.
Let’s see how the versatility of decorative concrete makes it an excellent choice for your house.
Stamped concrete is a variant of concrete, textured and dyed to give the illusion of patterns resembling bricks, slate, stone, and wood. Available in a multitude of finishes, it serves as a cheaper and sustainable alternative to bricks or natural stone. Stamped concrete is also a pleasant change from laying lackluster, traditional concrete in your living spaces.
Stamped or decorative concrete is usually tinted by two procedures, either by the use of integral coloring method, or by using a color hardener. In the former technique, color is mixed into the concrete to give it a natural hue, while in the latter, color is sprayed on top of concrete during the early stages of the finishing process.
Stamped concrete has mid-range compressive strength, usually between 3000 to 4000 psi, and lasts at least 25 years if well maintained. It is very versatile, and can be used for various decorative or practical uses in homes. Popular uses of stamped concrete include flooring options for pool sides, outdoor kitchens, specialty gardens, counter-tops, stone walls, driveways, and patios.
Stamped concrete is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also practical and affordable. Here are a few popular designs of stamped concrete that can be used in a residential setting:
Antique stamped concrete design includes realistic shadows, making it the perfect choice for spaces with a traditional feel. Extra hues splashed across the stamped flooring also highlight the texture and accents on concrete, enhancing the depth of the room.
Cobblestone stamped concrete mimics the natural hand cut design of cobblestones, cleverly imitating the pattern of irregular and rounded corners found in nature. This design is formed with a random interlocking pattern, making it suitable for outdoor staircases or entryways.
Faux wood stamped concrete captures the feel and texture of wooden planks – down to the tree rings present in the design. Ideal for maintaining the thermal mass of the flooring, it is a great option for both indoor and outdoor spaces.
The rose hued design of red brick stamped concrete perfectly imitates the appearance of bricks. Hence, this stamped concrete design creates the same look and feel of real red bricks, and is ideal for entryways and driveways.
This light colored, large stone design is perfect for adding a touch of elegance and charm to patios and pool sides. With a random interlocking design copied from real hand-cut sandstone, this design elevates the visual appeal of your flooring. Its faux rough texture and smooth edge, make it suitable for outdoor use as well.
Stamped concrete provides various benefits to home owners – here are some reasons you should opt for stamped concrete in your home:
The surface of stamped concrete is even, smooth, and easy to walk on. All this makes it cheaper to maintain. Cleaning stamped concrete also requires minimal effort, especially since a protective seal guards it from damage.
A mild soap is sufficient to keep the surface in pristine condition. It is also less likely to crack, thereby preventing weeds from sprouting from the ground.
However, stamped concrete is not immune to erosion caused by extended exposure to oil spills, harsh chemicals, hot tires, or sharp objects. Hence, you will need to reseal the surface every once in a while.
With a variety of designs, hues, and shapes, stamped concrete can mimic natural wood and stone, making design possibilities endless. It can be easily added to any living space to amplify the look and feel.
For both indoors or outdoors, stamped concrete can be molded into any texture, color, finish, and print of choice. In fact, it has a high mobility factor, and can be hand-blended on site.
Although the cost may depend on the nature of materials and coloring style being used, stamped concrete is a cheaper alternative to natural wood and stone. It allows home owners the flexibility to enhance their living space on a budget.
The installation of stamped concrete is also stress-free, especially as the mixture can be poured and stamped over surfaces without requiring extraction of existing flooring. This saves on the cost of having to pull up old flooring.
A simple single colored design can cost as low as $8 per square foot, while hand painted premium varieties can cost up to $18 per square foot. In contrast, using natural stone, slate or even marble could cost up to a whopping $28 per square foot!
Stamped concrete is a great choice for home owners looking for aesthetically pleasing designs and a durable material. This is because stamped concrete has a denser surface than conventional concrete, due to the use of color hardeners which form protective layers. This greatly elongates the life of stamped concrete.
Do you know? Well maintained stamped concrete flooring can last up to 25 years!
A coat of sealers on top also defends against natural wear and tear or harsh chemicals such as those found in industrial strength cleaning products.
Stamped concrete is a suitable choice for homeowners looking to experiment with style. Whether chosen for style or practical purposes, stamped concrete provides home owners a wide range of choice, within an affordable budget!
To learn more about concrete and how you can use it to beautify your interiors and exteriors, contact us today.
February 22, 2024
Proficient carbon calculations are increasingly important as “Buy Clean” legislation proliferates. New York and Colorado are among the states that now require carbon calcs for public projects. An estimated 40% of emissions are from the built environment. According to one estimate, the planet’s total building floor area will double by 2060. This makes the concrete industry a key player in the quest for net-zero emissions products and projects.
February 15, 2024
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) notes that cement production is “so carbon intensive that even though cement makes up less than 15% of concrete by weight, it accounts for 90% of concrete’s carbon footprint.” The use of fossil fuels to fire cement kilns is a key source of these carbon emissions.
February 08, 2024
In the quest for reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, everyone has a role to play. In the concrete industry, this includes everyone from manufacturers to contractors, and from trade associations to governments. Here is a review of some of the major initiatives impacting concrete’s sustainability.
February 01, 2024
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) requires high-temperature calcination of limestone. It is possible to use various emissions-reducing pozzolans in concrete. Fly ash comes from coal-fired power plants. Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) comes from steel mills. Another SCM is metakaolin derived from kaolin.
The program is delivered in one (1) module and it should take approximately 30 minutes to complete. You will receive a certificate of completion once you pass the quiz. The bookmarking feature will allow you to leave the course and resume where you left off when you return.