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.
Project is one of only eight strong walls in the US, and the only one poured monolithically
Centre Concrete
Leonard S. Fiore
State College, Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) College of Engineering Research & Teaching Space 2 Building (West 2) is a multi-story (4-story, plus a basement) 105,000-gross square foot facility with an estimated construction value of $63M.
The research high-bay area, located between the main West 2 building and the West Parking Deck, will consist of a 45’ x 60’ reaction floor (Strong Floor) and 30’ high reaction walls (Strong Walls). The system is configured in an L-shape to enable testing forces from multiple directions, utilizing over-head cranes, hydraulic actuators, and other equipment within the high-bay research facility as part of a complete structural testing system. It is one of only 8 strong wall systems in the country and the only wall that was cast monolithically, 336 cubic yards.Due to the stresses that are applied to the area, a significant amount of steel reinforcement (250 tons) was required creating congested form work. Based on the amount of reinforcement and aesthetic requirements, a self consolidating, small aggregate concrete material was utilized.
The complete Strong Wall/Strong Floor System is constructed of 520 yds of cast-in-place concrete with a specified strength of 5,000 psi at 28 days.
Due to the importance of this structural element, the contractor constructed a mock-up to test placement techniques and materials in March of 2021 in preparation for a late-Fall placement. Additional testing performed by Centre Concrete Company warranted the use of a shrinkage-reducing admixture to reduce susceptibility to cracking.
In addition to the reaction floor, the highly-variable limestone geology on the project dictated the foundations consist of a micropile, cap and grade beam system. The foundations, as well as, the below-grade walls consisted of low carbon concrete and was placed in the Fall of 2021. This material is produced with a lower carbon footprint utilizing pozzolans and new technology to reduce cement and still obtain the required design strength.
Challenges that were encountered and overcome included: lower heat of hydration, slower strength gain and modifications required with on-site testing.
In total, Centre Concrete provided approximately 6,000 yards of green, sustainable concrete on this project which was also recognized as the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association’s Commercial Project of the Year(Buildings Division) for 2022.
Due to the stresses that are applied to the area, a significant amount of steel reinforcement (250 tons) was required creating congested form work. Based on the amount of reinforcement and aesthetic requirements, a self consolidating, small aggregate concrete material was utilized.
In total, Centre Concrete provided approximately 6,000 yards of green, sustainable concrete on this project which was also recognized as the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association’s Commercial Project of the Year (Buildings Division) for 2022.
Built into a hillside, ICF construction met the challenge of this project site.
Unique pattern and color make this pervious concrete pad stand out.
The project featured tilt-up concrete construction as well as pervious and roller compacted concrete pavements.
Pervious concrete was selected because it offered a life-cycle cost advantage over asphalt.
Pervious concrete allowed the addition to be built, while maintaining impervious cover limits.
The building features Insulating Concrete Form (ICF) construction.
RCC placement met pavement load requirements and need for quick construction turn-around.
Concrete was the answer for the severe rutting that the street was experiencing.
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.