News
Project stories, technical explainers, and chapter news from the precast concrete industry in Illinois and Wisconsin.
What we write about
Most of what appears here falls into three groups. Project stories walk through how precast was used on a real building or structure in the region, with the architect and producer credited. Technical explainers cover a product or a decision designers face, such as when hollowcore makes sense or how a bridge girder gets specified. Chapter news covers events, plant tours, and what the industry is dealing with locally.
For questions rather than reading, the precast FAQ answers the ones we field most often, and the education page covers the accredited courses the chapter delivers at no charge.
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September 4, 2026
Precast Dugouts at Lemont's Field 32
Lemont Park District's Field 32 dugouts are precast concrete with a brick formliner finish. How the field came together, and what a park district gets from precast.
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August 10, 2026
What the Cylinder Doesn't Know: EXACT Technology Joins PCI IW
A cylinder break tells you what the cylinder did. EXACT Technology builds the sensors and match-curing systems that tell you what the element did, and the company has joined the chapter as an associate member.
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August 6, 2026
One Campus, Three Producers: Precast at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest
Three chapter producers have clad the same Lake Forest hospital campus over several years. Each had to match what the one before it built.
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August 5, 2026
Thin Brick Cast Into Storm Shelter Panels at Forrestal Elementary
The gym at Forrestal Elementary doubles as a storm shelter. International Concrete Products cast its brick facade into the panels instead of laying it.
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January 28, 2025
Versatility of Hollowcore
Why Illinois and Wisconsin designers choose hollowcore precast slabs: spans reaching 50 feet, faster schedules, and lower cost than site-cast floors.
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November 6, 2024
Bridging the Past and Future: The Role of Precast Concrete in Modern Infrastructure
Beside the historic Wabash Cannonball Bridge, a new precast concrete crossing shows why precast is the material of choice for modern, long-lasting bridges.
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November 4, 2024
TIP Day: Bridging Research and Reality in Precast Concrete Innovation
Transportation Infrastructure Precast Day at the University of Illinois connected students with the engineers applying precast to real projects.
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November 4, 2024
The Orchard in Lincoln Park: How Precast Delivered Timeless Design and Unmatched Efficiency
How Antunovich Associates and Lombard Architectural Precast delivered a prewar-inspired facade in Chicago's Lincoln Park in about three months.
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