Oakland Park, Kan.-based Ash Grove Cement Co. announced that Chengqing (Cheng) Qi has joined the company as its technical center director. In his new role, Qi will oversee operations at the company’s technical center – a world-class laboratory for research and testing of aggregates, cement, concrete and lime. Qi succeeds long-time technical center director Greg Barger. To allow for a smooth transition, Qi will work alongside Barger until Barger’s retirement in 2017.
“Qi’s work experience, technical proficiency and educational credentials will make him an important and immediate asset to the Ash Grove technical center,” said Ron Vidergar, vice president of technical services. “Additionally, his knowledge of the cement industry will allow for a smooth transition into his new role.”
Most recently Qi served as technical manager for a cement manufacturer where he was responsible for troubleshooting cement, concrete and aggregate performance; testing materials; and evaluating new material sources. Prior to that, he worked at Professional Service Industries, Inc. as a materials engineer and petrographer.
Qi has authored or contributed to more than 20 technical papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. He is a member of multiple technical committees for the American Concrete Institute and ASTM International. Qi earned a doctorate in civil engineering from Purdue University, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in materials science and engineering from Southeast University in Nanjing, China.
“I am pleased to work for Ash Grove,” said Qi. “Ash Grove Cement has a culture of sustainable development. It is a well-respected leader in the cement industry and acutely focused on product quality and new materials development. I see great opportunities for the technical center to continuously improve and contribute to the success of the company.”
