About the SDC

The concrete industry's Strategic Development Council (SDC) was formed in 1997 and is a council of the ACI Foundation. The SDC provides to the concrete industry an in-house forum where the concrete industry, including government and academia, can come together with companies and entrepreneurs with new technologies at senior levels to discuss strategic issues and tactics including support of practical research to the benefit of all. For entrepreneurs, SDC provides a showcase for their technologies and an opportunity to work with concrete industry leaders to find pathways to accelerate technology acceptance. This supports the ACI Foundation's mission to increase the understanding of concrete materials and to support programs that improve the quality and potential competitiveness of concrete design and construction.

The SDC comprises member organizations that include suppliers, manufacturers, architectural/engineer firms, contractors, trade associations, and owners. It is led by a group of member volunteers and is managed daily by the Managing Director, SDC and the Manager, SDC Operations, in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

To facilitate advancement of concrete technology, the SDC:

• Provides a forum for visioning and prioritizing key challenges facing the concrete industry
• Assists ACI in timely adoption of innovative technologies, problem solutions, and best practices
• Provides a framework for development of programs that respond to industry opportunities to accelerate technology acceptance

The SDC is currently engaged in a number of initiatives/projects dealing with accelerating technology acceptance (ATA):

• Identifying critical industry technologies that most impact the concrete industry,
• Identifying barriers to technology acceptance and implementation, and
• Acting as a catalyst to remove barriers.

The SDC also provides its members with a vehicle to form and participate in collaborative research and development efforts to accelerate acceptance of concrete systems and technologies.

The organization is emerging as the leadership and voice for the concrete industry on issues involving the entire industry. It provides the objective voice that advocates improvements to industry efficiency and quality.