NJIT Dedicates The Silvi Materials Concrete Lab, Honoring More Than Two Decades of Partnership

For more than 20 years, Silvi Materials has worked alongside the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) to help prepare the next generation of leaders in the concrete industry. This summer, that partnership received a lasting tribute with the dedication of The Silvi Materials Concrete Lab in Colton Hall.

The newly named laboratory recognizes Silvi Materials’ longstanding commitment to the university’s nationally recognized Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program and the company’s role in advancing hands-on engineering education, workforce development, and innovation within the concrete industry.

The dedication ceremony brought together NJIT leadership, faculty, students, representatives from the CIM National Steering Committee, and members of the Silvi Materials team to celebrate a partnership that has become a model for industry and higher education.

The Silvi Materials Concrete Lab Supports Applied Learning

Throughout the ceremony, speaker after speaker emphasized that the relationship between NJIT and Silvi Materials extends well beyond financial support.

Dr. Teik C. Lim, President of NJIT, described the partnership as “the epitome of a perfect industry-university relationship,” highlighting how it provides students with meaningful hands-on experience both in the classroom and in the field. He noted that the collaboration serves as an example for other industries seeking to build stronger connections with higher education.

Today, the laboratory serves hundreds of students each year through civil engineering and Concrete Industry Management coursework, while also supporting senior capstone projects, nationally recognized student competition teams, and cutting-edge research into topics such as self-healing concrete, low-carbon concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete, and long-term infrastructure durability.

Faculty members shared that the facility supports approximately 280 students annually and accounts for nearly 100,000 student hours each year through coursework, competitions, and research activities.

Investing in the Future of the Concrete Industry

Nicole Maher, Executive Director of the National Steering Committee for the Concrete Industry Management program, reflected on the unique partnership model that has helped make NJIT’s program one of the nation’s strongest.

She explained that successful CIM programs rely on close collaboration between universities, the national steering committee, and local industry partners. Beyond financial support, companies provide internships, scholarships, guest lectures, facility tours, mentorship, and real-world industry experience.

Maher noted that Silvi Materials has consistently demonstrated that commitment.

“I don’t know if you could name another company that checks all of these boxes and committed the time, talent, and resources quite like Silvi Materials.”

She added that Larry Silvi II’s leadership has served as an example for the industry and described the lab dedication as “an amazing lasting legacy.”

Twenty Years of Building Careers

In his remarks, Silvi Materials Co-President Larry Silvi II reflected on how the partnership began more than two decades ago.

After helping establish one of the first CIM programs outside Middle Tennessee State University, Silvi led the effort to identify the right university for a Northeast program. Following an evaluation of several institutions across the region, NJIT was selected, a decision he said has proven to be the right one.

Silvi emphasized that the industry’s future depends on education and attracting professionals who intentionally choose careers in concrete.

“The industry lacked professionalism because it lacked education,” he said while recalling the program’s early days. “I’m a big believer in education.”

Today, the results of that investment can be seen throughout Silvi Materials.

Each year, the company brings on NJIT interns, and numerous NJIT graduates have gone on to build careers throughout the organization, including employees who have remained with the company for more than 15 years. “The big winners are the students,” Silvi said.

“The university has won because they have this tie to real-life experience in industry … and it’s been a huge win for the industry.”

The Silvi Materials Concrete Lab Reflects a Lasting Commitment

For Silvi Materials, the dedication of The Silvi Materials Concrete Lab represents a shared belief that the future of the concrete industry depends on investing in education, developing leaders, and strengthening the connection between industry and academia.

As students continue to learn, test, research, and innovate within the lab’s walls, the partnership between Silvi Materials and NJIT will continue helping prepare the next generation of professionals who will build the infrastructure of tomorrow.