When the Toledo Zoo needed manufactured rocks, natural-looking outdoor year-round pools, and large inside observation areas for its new Arctic Adventure polar bear and seal compound, it turned to Kuhlman Corporation for the material; a zoo architect in Philadelphia, PA; and a zoo contracting firm, Cemrock, in Tucson, AZ.

The large dual exhibit, which opens next year, features gunite—a specialized concrete with small coarse aggregate—sprayed onto mesh forms. These forms get shaped into basic rocks and pools. Gunite is then built up and shaped to create the final contours. Gunite also was applied to a wall made of high-strength Kuhlman concrete (6,000-8,000 psi.), constructed by A.A. Boos & Sons contractors.

“Kuhlman’s quality and service are excellent,” said Ken Tucker of
Cemrock Landscape. “Its people are knowledgeable and great to work with. I wish I could use Kuhlman on all my jobs across the country.”

Tucker praised the consistency of concrete load after load—particularly important in large spray-on applications—and Kuhlman’s on-time delivery, which helps contractors better allocate equipment and staffing for increased on-the-job efficiency.

Kuhlman utilizes a central-mix plant to custom pre-mix its many types of concrete instead of adding each ingredient directly into the mixer trucks. The result is higher quality, more durable, and consistent concrete. On a daily basis, Kuhlman’s quality control manager tests concrete in its in-house testing lab, and Kuhlman dispatchers are graded on their on-time performance—now well over 90 percent and improving annually.

Kuhlman concrete already has withstood the tests of time in the Carnivore Café and other Zoo structures built by the Federal Works Project Administration in the Depression. Kuhlman’s No. 1 goal is to make its customers successful…because when its customers are successful, they return to Kuhlman, project after project.