
New R&D Agreement Explores Uses of
Wheat-Based ConcreteBy Marcia
Wood October 20, 1998WASHINGTON, Oct 20--Lightweight concrete products such as exterior
panels for high-rise office buildings may soon be made with an unusual
ingredient--wheat starch. The Agricultural Research Service,
chief research agency of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, and Artlo Industries, Inc., of Perris, Calif., entered into a
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement today in Washington, D.C., to
develop, test and commercialize wheat-based concrete. Artlo Industries
manufactures custom pre-cast concrete products. "Unique and promising new uses of wheat starch resulting from
agricultural research may provide strong, durable and attractive products for
commercial and residential useand an important new market for America's
wheat growers," said I.
Miley Gonzalez, USDA Under Secretary for
Research, Education and Economics. In
addition to building materials, other potential products from wheat-based
concrete may include ornamental fountains, benches and planters. Gonzalez signed the research agreement on behalf of USDA at a symposium for
Hispanic-owned businesses in USDAs Jamie L. Whitten Building in
Washington, D.C. Hispanic-owned Artlo Industries provides concrete products for some of the
world's largest construction corporations as well as for other architectural,
design, and engineering firms. Established in 1951, the company employs about
35 artisans and others at its 40-acre facility in Southern California. Under the new agreement, ARS scientists in Albany, Calif. will provide
samples of wheat-based aggregate for making the concrete to Artlo Industries. Artlo Industries will test various mixes of the concrete for strength and
durability, according to company president Arthur M. Lopez. Artlo will also
determine cost-effective ways to manufacture lightweight, pre-cast wheat starch
based concrete products for indoor and outdoor uses. At the ARS Western Regional Research
Center, Albany, Calif., plant physiologist
Gregory M.
Glenn will help develop specifications for commercial products. Glenn holds
a patent for wheat-based concretes. Todays symposium was sponsored by USDA 's
Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization and the Washington, D.C.-based
Latin American Management Association.
LAMA promotes Hispanic enterprise, industry and technology. The Cooperative Research and Development Agreement was arranged by LAMA and
ARS' Office of Technology
Transfer. Technology contact: Martha B. Steinbock, Technology Transfer
Coordinator, Pacific West
Area, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, 800 Buchanan St., Albany, CA
94710, phone (510) 559-5641, fax (510) 559-5963,
[email protected]. Story contacts Marcia A Wood U.S. Department of Agriculture | |