Meld USATaking Concrete to a New ExtremeMany people who know anything about concrete see it in one of two extremes: the simple material used for driveways, or the moldable product that is a favorite among concrete specialists and designers because it lends itself to so many color, texture, and form variables. But Meld USA is redefining the way the public thinks about and experiences concrete by casting its own architectural material - extremeconcrete. Meld USA, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, creates counters, sinks, tiles, store fixtures, furniture pieces, and other concrete products. The company focuses not on the boring driveway stuff nor the artistic, one-of-a-kind pieces, but on product prototyping, custom design services, and turnkey manufacturing.  extremeconcrete™ - cafe counter Utilizing a proven manufacturing process that blends state of the art concrete technology with hands-on forming and finishing, every product Meld makes is engineered to deliver years of predictable performance and stunning visual appeal. The company is the nation's exclusive manufacturer of extremeconcrete™ products, an architectural material that is manufactured from a mixture of concrete, and fused with color and textures.  Fixture "I love the material," said Michael Bustin, president of sales and marketing. "Plus I've always been a big interior design buff. I read about five to seven trade magazines a month." The company was founded by Michael's brother, Peter Bustin, who serves as the chief operations officer. In other words he and his crew make the products. And Michael promotes the products. He's been known to skim leading architecture and design magazines, read about a project in the works and call the person in charge, urging them to blend Meld's concrete products into the project. Many times it works. Prior to founding Meld USA, Peter explored the world while working in various business positions across the map, including Australia, New York, Florida and Asheville, North Carolina. Michael, who holds degrees in physics and engineering, spent six years as a senior project manager for a commercial construction company. And for two years he was the site development manager for the Southeast division of a New York firm. He had been fascinated by concrete since his college days studying material sciences and later working with concrete while in construction management. He and his brother had heard about some of the things that people on the West Coast were doing with concrete. "We were motivated to experiment as a side thing," Bustin said. But Michael's intrigue with concrete was piqued when he landed the position of national sales director for a major California studio that produces finished concrete products.  Concrete Countertop Bustin was able to sell concrete products to such powerhouse architectural firms as Gensler, a global architecture design and planning firm whose clients are Fortune 100companies and dot.coms, professional service and consulting firms, public agencies, and institutions. "I was selling to the largest design firms in the world," he said. " I loved what I was selling and I was around creative people." So the time came in 1997 for the brothers to meld forces and reinvent Peter's existing company. Why the name Meld USA? "Meld is originally from to blend or merge," he said. "We use the raw materials to make extremeconcrete. And on the flip side, we meld the extremeconcrete™ with materials like glass, metal, plastic and wood to make finished products for high impact living, working and entertaining environments. Plus we're blending our educational experience with our likes and dislikes."  Concrete Table Bustin said the extremeconcrete™ product sets Meld USA apart from its competition. "We're more of a specialty manufacturer," he said. One of the first steps was understanding color. There are over 60 standard colors with more than 300 colors in the Meld USA color library, which is continuously expanding. An in-house designed computer program develops batches, prints out the "recipe," catalogs colors, and provides the water-to-cement ratio. "This way things are made consistently, measured to the hundredth of an ounce," Bustin said. Extremeconcrete™ was recently added to Material Connexion's innovative materials library in both NYC and Milan, Italy. Material ConneXion is the largest global resource of new materials. The library references more than 1,400 new and innovative materials representing eight categories: polymers, glass, ceramics, carbon-based materials, cement-based materials, metals, natural materials and natural material derivatives. Architects, engineers, industrial and interior designers, manufacturers use the prestigious materials library to access specifications and manufacturers' contacts for the latest, most innovative materials and processes from around the world. "We were added with a certificate of materials excellence ... This gives us a lot of credibility. It really sets us apart," said Bustin. Another thing that sets the company apart is its use of technology. "We really embrace technology from the selection of our raw materials and ad mixtures to the use of computerized systems... CAD is used to develop shop drawings and product designs. We use CNC technology to make intricate designs and maintain strict tolerances. In other words, computers are used to design, transfer information, and create the shapes out of concrete. "Many of our customers have challenged us to find ways to incorporate concrete in places where you've never seen it before. We're continually working with our clients to deliver a functional and aesthetic result that truly exceeds expectations. I think that explains why many of the designers who've chosen extremeconcrete™ have been so pleased and have come back to work with us on additional projects." Meld USA's clients include Duke University, Cedar Hill Design Center, Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, International Furniture Market, Domicile Home Furnishings, and Northwestern Mutual. What's next on the agenda? By February the company hopes to open the doors to a concrete design center that will showcase everything from fixtures, floors, and lighting to conference tables and reception desks. "We want to provide a sense of who we are," Bustin said. "We'd ultimately like to have more of a focus on large-scale commercial projects." Next the Bustin brothers are aiming to roll out a line of kitchen and bath fixtures, sinks, and mobile islands, then furnishings and accessories. In addition to the extremeproduct™ name and the use of technology, another thing that sets the company apart from the others is Michael Bustin's commercial construction background. "I know how commercial construction works," Bustin said. "I know how important it is to have the participation of the designer, the owner, and the contractor." meld USA  Michele Dawson writes each week on one of the contractor members of The Concrete Network (www.concretenetwork.com). She has written about the home building industry for several years and was on the public affairs staff of the California Building Industry Association. 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