What started as an idea seven years ago to mechanize the placement of concrete median barriers that are aesthetically pleasing, has grown into SlipStone, Inc., a company with approved patents or patents pending in 13 countries, including the United States. Mike Allen, Chief Financial Officer of Allen & Sons Construction and President and Innovator of SlipStone, found a system that can impress any design onto all visible sides of a slip formed wall. The SlipStone system uses a textured mold wrapped around a roller, attached to a GOMACO paver. Molds can be cast from almost anything, from seashells to logos.

Mike has teamed up with Hod Cooper of Cooper Engineering, Inc. to not only install SlipStone barriers throughout California, but to launch the company throughout the rest of the United States and abroad.

SlipStone and Cooper Engineering are in the midst of a project in Fortuna in Northern California, on California State Highway 101. The project involves about three miles of highway median improvement. Along the three-mile stretch there was some traditional concrete barrier, some guardrails, and areas with no barrier at all. They are placing new imprinted design-enhanced concrete median barriers. SlipStone, began work in May and is not currently on the project, but the crew of 15 will re-mobilize in September to complete the project.

“We view the SlipStone process as a problem-solver for areas where the natural landscape is particularly beautiful and the community is looking for a product that is aesthetically-pleasing,” Hod explains. “Caltrans needed to install a concrete median barrier on this stretch of highway, but the community of Fortuna wanted something that was good-looking. They were sensitive to the natural beauty of the area.

“The aged concrete walls were discolored and blended in with the environment,” Hod continues. “We came up with stain colors for the new concrete barriers that matched the natural colors of the area. We worked on the colors during the design phase of the project and the community gave us input on the colors. They chose a pattern for the wall that we already had a mold for.

“We realize that the SlipStone system may not be for everyone, but in areas of the country where there’s a lot of natural beauty, we can try to preserve the beauty, as well as upgrade the safety of the roads,” he adds.

SlipStone uses the new generation GOMACO Commander III paver, purchased from Terry Equipment for placing the imprinted concrete median barriers. The concrete is loaded into the front of the slip form extrusion machine and then extrudes a rebar-reinforced wall out of the back.

According to GOMACO’s website, the Commander III “is recognized around the world as the elite multi-application slipform paver in the concrete construction industry….no other paving machine in history has been capable of tackling more types of projects and satisfying more customers. The list of applications continues to grow as contractors and GOMACO work in partnership on new innovations and attachments.”

With the GOMACO Commander III and the SlipStone process, Cooper Engineering can place 1,200 feet a day of finished product. This compares with 200 feet a day with the traditional hand form, pour and strip method. The time savings not only translates into money savings, but also causes less public inconvenience and increases safety, Hod says. When staining is involved, members of the crew follow the paver and stain the median barrier by hand.

Many Departments of Transportation throughout the United States are accepting the SlipStone method. One of the main reasons for this is the cost savings of completing the medians barriers with the paver, as opposed to by hand. But another reason is that points of impact with the barrier made by motor vehicles

is less noticeable on the imprinted surface than it is on a traditional gray concrete median barrier. This not only means a more visually pleasing product, but less work for highway maintenance crews.

“With the staining and the integral color in the concrete, along with the pattern, impacts are hardly noticed,” Hod says. “You just don’t get the black tire marks. It is as if the impacts are camouflaged.”

Both Hod and Mike see great future potential for the SlipStone system.

“We want to educate the public and inform highway designers so that they know there’s another option out there for concrete median barriers,” Hod explains. “We know it’s not the answer for every situation, but for areas like Fortuna and other coastal communities it is a fit.

“We foresee tremendous growth because we’ve seen a tremendous response to the product and the system,” he continues. “We are in the process of staffing up to meet the needs of the demand for the system. We want to see it being used in California, throughout the States and the world.”

Mike and Hod are handling all phases of the business. They sell the rights to the system, train those who’re partnering with them and maintain the quality of the product.

In addition to median barriers, the SlipStone system can also be used on: jersey barriers, retaining walls, waterside bulkheads, architectural curbing, and walkways.

SlipStone currently partners with contractors in Pennsylvania, New York, Canada, and, most recently France, to place its architecturally designed concrete walls and surfaces.

For more information look online at www.slipstone.net or look them up at their offices at 599 South Kraemer, Anaheim, California, 92806. Cc