Under the new, increased competition the precast concrete industry faces, it is safe to say that there we are not part of frozen niches in frozen markets for which established producers compete. Markets and industries are themselves in flux, and to the winners belong not so much the old-fashioned spoils of victory as the right to define the terms of competition in the future. In the bridge industry, precast concrete has been for many years unfairly considered mostly for short, simple span structures. However, with the advancement in engineering design, technology, material properties and quality, the precast concrete industry is likely to increase its edge and become the solution of choice for any span to depth ratio. This presentation will focus on outlining some of the most cost-effective tools available today to the precast concrete industry to achieve this competitive edge. Our inherent benefits such as ease and speed of construction, quality control through certification, maintenance, aesthetics, durability, etc., have provided an excellent performance track record and a sustained growth during the last 50 years. It is time to stretch out the span length coverage of precast bridge girders, as well as the potential usage of precast bridge girders. By simply increasing the knowledge and application of what is available today in our industry we can strengthen our weaknesses associated with depth limitations and/or transportation limits, hence increasing our ability to compete in a market previously reluctant to our material.
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