What is Precast Concrete ?

Precast concrete is a construction product that is manufactured off-site using a mold. The concrete is then cured in a controlled environment, often a precast concrete plant. Once cured, it is removed from the mold, and it is prepared to be shipped to the job site where it will be constructed. Precast concrete products include beams, columns, double tees, panels, planks, slabs, stairs, wall panels, and more!

History of the Precast Concrete Industry

Many suspect the precast concrete industry began in ancient Rome, as the extensive network of underground tunnels that exist to this day seems to indicate the use of precast building materials.

However, the documented history of the modern-day precast concrete industry began in the 1900s when an English engineer by the name of John Alexander Brodie discovered precast concrete components could come together to build a structure efficiently. Brodie was the first to get a patent for the process of creating precast concrete-paneled buildings.

In 1950, the first major precast concrete structure appeared in the United States—the Walnut Lane Memorial Bridge in Philadelphia. This bridge is recognized by many as the beginning of the precast concrete industry in the United States as we know it today. A few years later, the Precast Concrete Institute was formed to begin to set standards for this emerging industry.