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.
April 23-24, 2025 in State College, PA (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 30-60 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.
If you're looking for new ways to enhance your homes curb appeal, decorative concrete is your answer.
Decorative concrete delivers advantages and value in a number of ways. With the wide array of colors and textures to choose from the owner is virtually limited only by his or her imagination. There are also options regarding the method used to obtain your pavement enhancements. A brief list of those options is provided below.
Integrally Colored Concrete - In this option the color of the concrete is distributed completely through the material. If the surface of the material is scarred or chipped the color of the concrete is still visible. The concerns of the past regarding fading and batch to batch consistency have been mitigated by the advent of today’s new color admixtures.
Textured Finishes - The look of concrete may also be changed by texturing it’s surface. The texturing may be achieved through the use of chemicals or by sandblasting. These methods offer a variety of textures and provide the user with greater control over the amount of exposure and increased uniformity in appearance. Exposed aggregate concrete is an example of this technique. With an exposed aggregate finish the color of the concrete may be controlled to match or contrast with the type of aggregate in it. The slip resistant finish produced through exposing the aggregate allows for greater security for pedestrians in the case of inclement weather.
Stamped Concrete - Using this method the concrete surface can be made to replicate the pattern and texture of brick, slate, flagstone, cobblestone, stone, and even wood. The color is typically produce through the use of some type of shake on powder. These shake on colors produce concrete with an extremely hard, mar resistant surface. The advantage offered by stamping can be found in the savings realized during the installation process (as compared to laying brick or stone) and the long term performance of the pavement.
Stenciling/Staining - These processes provide yet another avenue for the owner to consider to spice up the project. Stenciling involves masking off an area of the concrete and sand blasting, coloring, or etching the exposed area to produce a finish that leaves a pattern or faux finish. Stains, which penetrate to pavement surface, may be applied to produce a unique mottled finish to the surface of the concrete.
Would you like to see some examples of homes that enhanced their value by incorporating decorative concrete? Check out our case studies page here.
For more information about using concrete and other aggregates in your next construction project, visit our website or contact us today.
February 22, 2024
Proficient carbon calculations are increasingly important as “Buy Clean” legislation proliferates. New York and Colorado are among the states that now require carbon calcs for public projects. An estimated 40% of emissions are from the built environment. According to one estimate, the planet’s total building floor area will double by 2060. This makes the concrete industry a key player in the quest for net-zero emissions products and projects.
February 15, 2024
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) notes that cement production is “so carbon intensive that even though cement makes up less than 15% of concrete by weight, it accounts for 90% of concrete’s carbon footprint.” The use of fossil fuels to fire cement kilns is a key source of these carbon emissions.
February 08, 2024
In the quest for reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, everyone has a role to play. In the concrete industry, this includes everyone from manufacturers to contractors, and from trade associations to governments. Here is a review of some of the major initiatives impacting concrete’s sustainability.
February 01, 2024
Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) requires high-temperature calcination of limestone. It is possible to use various emissions-reducing pozzolans in concrete. Fly ash comes from coal-fired power plants. Ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) comes from steel mills. Another SCM is metakaolin derived from kaolin.
This program provides free continuing education to the design and specifying communities. There are currently four courses available, ranging from 30-60 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