Early in the planning stages, Turner contacted the local Symons Dealer, MaCon Supply Company, to ask about forms for the 7' thick concrete slab for the base of the coker unit. MaCon asked to visit the job site with Symons to get a feel for which systems to recommend for the slab and other parts of the project.

At the site, the Project Coordinator and Project Superintendent Stan Daniels talked with Symons and MaCon about the aggressive construction schedule and the large number of concrete structures that were planned. They liked the suggestion to support the table top and tie beams with brackets embedded in the columns instead of constructing the large number of shoring frames that the thick slabs would require, and they were anxious to hear more

After looking at plans and seeing the scope of the project, MaCon and Symons could see that a total team approach was needed in order to get the sale. They immediately scheduled a sales presentation for a date a few weeks later with the promise to CHS that they’d bring plenty more good ideas to the table.

The meeting included key members from MaCon and Symons Steel Form Division, CHS project management and several carpenter foremen. MaCon presented a proposal that covered forms and accessories for all of the concrete structures planned. They answered questions about form availability and lead time, and pointed out the advantages to CHS of having their supplier close at hand in nearby Billings. The plan included weekly site visits from Symons or MaCon representatives for the first eight months of critical construction, and then visits as needed thereafter.