January 2021 Vol. 76 No. 1

Company Profile

Cretex Specialty Products

75th Anniversary

THEN

• Formed in 1981 by Frank Odill, an engineer working at concrete pipe
  and manhole producer Waukesha (Wisc.) Concrete Products.
  First product was the Internal Manhole Chimney Seal, followed by
  an external version about two years later, for use on manhole rehabilitation projects.
  Seals were developed in response to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District and Sewer System Evaluation Survey staff from CH2M Hill
  (now Jacobs Engineering Group) identifying manholes as a major source
  of excess, clear water entry into the sanitary sewer collection system.
  Cities and engineers soon figured out that if theses seals could stop
  water in existing manholes, they most certainly would do the same
  when installed on new manholes.

NOW

• Owned by The Cretex Companies Inc.; an Elk River, Minn.,
  diversified family of manufacturing companies.
• Product offering is comprised of mechanical internal and external chimney seals, mechanical internal manhole and pipe joint seals,
  exterior manhole and pipe joint collars, and epp lightweight manhole
  and catch basin grade adjustment rings.

MILESTONES

• Since adding PRO-RING Manhole and Catch Basin Grade Adjustment System in 2010, it has surpassed all other products to become the
  top seller and widely accepted throughout the industry as the
  best adjustment system available today.
  Experienced significant growth and use in new construction, with about 70 percent of its products being specified and installed on new manholes.
  Moved into a brand-new, expanded – 25,000-square-foot – office and warehouse facility in late 2018.

CONNECTIONS

• Have advertised in Underground Construction magazine and had numerous articles published on the successful use of our products.
  Have participated in UCT for many years, as an exhibitor and/or
  speaker/panelist, including involvement in the Rehab Zone.
  These platforms have allowed us to showcase our products to cities, engineers and contractors, demonstrating solutions to help solve the ongoing problem of inflow and infiltration in sanitary sewer manholes.

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