The Cement Masonry and Tile students learned new lessons about their trades on Feb. 17 when they visited Ozinga concrete as part of Groundhog Shadow Day.

Operations Manager Matt Janas gave them a tour of the huge operation, first showing them the fleet of Ozinga trucks that run on natural gas. Mr. Janas explained that the material to make concrete is shipped to the site by rail, and then outlined how the wet and dry products are mixed together.

At Ozinga, nothing is wasted, Mr. Janas said. The water used at the plant is recycled and used again. If there is concrete left over from a job it is used to make concrete blocks.

The students saw the plant’s batch office, the control room that is the heart of the operation. They also learned that customers can rent tools from Ozinga to stamp concrete into different patterns.

On the tour’s last stop, the students saw concrete floors stained with different colors and patterns, a popular option for restaurants and businesses.