In 1913 Petersen Sheet Metal Works was founded in Storm Lake, Iowa by L.T. Petersen. In 1920 the business was relocated to the rural town of Denison, Iowa, where it is in operation today. Being located in the heart of agriculture, L.T. decided to tend to the needs of the farmer. He invented an automatic livestock waterer out of concrete. Thus, the beginning of a manufacturing company was formed, and soon the name was changed to Petersen Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. To this day, Petersen Mfg. Co., Inc. manufactures a variety of concrete waterers that are shipped to farms and feedlots throughout the United States and Canada.

In the late 1970s Chris Petersen, son of L.T. Petersen and now CEO and President of Petersen Mfg., saw a need to market something other than waterers. One of the first items created was a concrete picnic table. The durability of concrete was appealing to customers – the tables seemed to withstand anything that Mother Nature could offer and could easily survive the test of time.

More ideas were conceived and developed, and soon more products were manufactured. Today, Petersen Mfg. has a complete line of concrete site furnishings including many styles of tables, benches, planters, drinking fountains, waste receptacles, cigarette snuffers, bollards and many other custom-made items. The demand for their concrete products pushed the company to form, aside from the waterer division, a separate entity now known as Petersen Leisure Products Division.

Petersen Mfg. has always strived to make quality products, with perfection always their goal. Today the operation has expanded its product line to include products made from wood, metal, fiberglass and plastics. Petersen Manufacturing’s products can be found in shopping malls, downtown street projects, architectural projects, restaurants, hotels, motels, schools and many other localities. From coast to coast, custom-designed products are shipped to all 50 states and several foreign countries.

General Specifications

I. MANUFACTURER’S QUALIFICATIONS
Petersen Mfg. maintains at all times a quality control program as herein outlined so as to ensure that all precast meets all requirements as specified under physical requirements. All precast shall be manufactured by skilled workmen who have had at least five (5) years experience in similar work and supervised by a foreman certified by the ACI.

II. MANUFACTURING
All precast work shall be true to dimension and have clean, accurate arises and details faithfully executed. Reinforcing steel shall conform to ASTM 615 and deformations shall conform to ASTM M305. All precast work shall have a minimum compressive strength of 5,000 psi at 28 days of age when tested by means of cylinder molds (6x12) from the materials. There shall be a maximum of 4-6% air entertainment for all precast according to ASTM standards.

III. MOLDS
The forms for the precast units shall be constructed of metal or fiberglass laminated designed to withstand casting pressures without distortion. All anchors, inserts, bolts, etc. will be placed and secured in the forms as required for the attachment and handling of the units. These shall be clamped so as to hold them in position during fabrication.

IV. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
All exposed surfaces are treated to remove the surface matrix and expose the aggregate produced by chemical retardant – not sandblasting. All precast shall have the water-repellent sealer treatment applied in strict accordance with manufacturer’s specifications. All tolerances shall be within 1/8" of specified dimensions, designed for structural analysis and calculations.

V. COLOR
Color to be uniform throughout as approved by owner or specifier in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations.

VI. MATERIALS
• Portland Cement: ASTM C150 Type 1 or 3.
• All aggregate to meet ASTM C33 specifications.

VII. REQUIRED MATERIALS FOR APPROVAL
A. Shop drawings with dimensions, general construction component parts, anchoring details and installations.
B. Samples upon request of architect.
C. Complete date on manufacturer’s specifications and technical information.

VIII. APPROVED MANUFACTURER

Petersen Precast Site Furnishings
Division of Petersen Mfg. Company, Inc.
1527 4th Avenue South
P.O. Box 664
Denison, Iowa 51442
TEL: (712) 263-2442
(800) 832-7383
FAX: (712) 263-5090