Alchemco’s best-in-class TechCrete 2500 waterproofing agent turned out to be the saving grace for civil engineering students at Kennesaw State University and their entry into the 2022 ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition. The world leader in innovative concrete waterproofing systems donated their product to the students to assist in their concrete canoe build, after they found themselves in a time crunch when supply chain issues delayed their building materials by months.

Established by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1988, the Concrete Canoe Competition requires college and university students to design, build and successfully race a concrete canoe. They are responsible for canoe and display design, presentation, a design paper, and a technical handbook on the canoe. The parameters of the competition change slightly each year, forcing students to think outside the box and conquer new engineering challenges.

This year’s competition came with a new set of challenges for 14 Kennesaw State University students who volunteered their time to participate in the competition, with supply chain issues delaying their materials by more than three months. A process that typically begins in August every year wasn’t started until materials arrived in November. With their typical concrete surface sealers taking weeks to apply and dry, the TechCrete 2500 waterproofing agent allowed them to seal their concrete canoe in just one day—cutting out 2-3 weeks of work. The time-saving measure allowed them to successfully complete their 200-pound concrete canoe in time for the competition.

“I heard Alchemco CEO Mario Baggio talk about his company’s TechCrete 2500 product at a conference, and knew it was the product we needed,” said Kennesaw State University civil engineering student Dale Goff. “It’s an impressive product that saved the day for our team, allowing us to save precious weeks when our timeline was severely diminished. I can see how this product is an exceptional asset to the construction industry as they battle the same supply chain delays we experienced.” 

“We’re proud to have been able to assist these ambitious students at Kennesaw State University, and had complete confidence that our TechCrete 2500 product would prove successful in this unique application,” said Baggio. “We look forward to helping them in future competitions as needed.”

Additional information about Alchemco’s TechCrete 2500 product can be found online at https://www.alchemco.com/techcrete.