AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) welcomed more than 500 attendees to its 69th Annual Meeting at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. The theme this year was “Leading the Way.”

Outgoing TACA Chairman Tim Foley, City Concrete, Inc., noted the thinking behind the theme. “We represent the largest cement, aggregate, and concrete production in the country," he said. "We run safe and clean operations. We give back to the communities — both as a group and, most importantly, as individuals. We really do ‘Lead the Way.’”

Josh Leftwich, President and CEO of TACA, provided the state of the industry address, highlighting Texas’ population growth — an additional 9,085,073 more residents between 2020 and 2022, which is more than any other state in the nation. “The state’s population growth means there is no end in sight for the construction materials needed to accommodate this expansion. That’s where TACA member companies come in,” he said.

For example, in 2022, the Texas industry produced 60.3 million cubic yards of ready-mix concrete, 293 million tons of aggregate, and 21.1 million tons of cement. That is 2.07 cubic yards of ready-mix concrete, 10.1 tons of aggregate, and 0.70 tons of cement for every person in Texas.

“The industry will continue to thrive, despite the many challenges of increased regulation, labor shortages, inflation, and frequent misinformation about the industry,” Leftwich said. “We certainly have a great story to tell, as we work safely and efficiently to supply the materials Texas is demanding.”

TACA members also heard from Robert Mineo II, PE, LEED AP, Director at FMI Capital Advisors, about the impact of economics and drivers for construction materials on the current market, along with industry leader Mike Philipps, President of National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, who discussed the national state of the industry, including sustainability efforts.