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Rogers Group purchases Ashmore Bros.
Rogers Group, a fourth-generation company based in Nashville, Tenn., purchased Greer, N.C.-based Ashmore Bros., an asphalt company that also offers mobile crushing and screening services, reports Greer Today. The sale price was not disclosed. According to Greer Today, Mark Ashmore, president of Ashmore Bros., made the announcement at the company’s annual picnic. “We’re a third-generation company and we really didn’t have all the people and family in place to go to a fourth generation,” Ashmore says. “With that being said, you better go out on top of your game than the bottom.” Rogers Group human resources director met with Ashmore employees in late August to discuss the one-year transition that will now take place. Dave Rechter, division vice president, and Greer, plant manager, for the Rogers Group, says the two companies align well with each other. “When we first approached one another, their core values, in regards to safety, employees and their involvement within the communities they serve, is very much in alignment with our core values at Rogers,” Rechter… Keep Reading
Precision Pulley acquires RAS Industries
Precision Pulley & Idler (PPI), headquartered in Pella, Iowa, acquired RAS Industries of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. The integration of the companies will occur over the next few months, reports PPI. “The acquisition of RAS will enhance our product offering for the global market while allowing us to increase our range and reach of services and technical assistance to customers,” says Roger Brown, president and CEO of PPI. The goal of the PPI, through this acquisition, is to continue to provide high levels of service to its customers and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with them. PPI is a manufacturer of pulleys, CEMA-rated idlers and accessories, including take-up frames and bearings. It has five locations throughout the United States. Keep Reading
Fall of crude prices puts Canada in recession
Canada is a big petroleum exporter, so the slump in crude prices, which is currently below $50 per barrel, has put the country into a recession for the first time in six years, according to CNN. Official data Statistics Canada released shows second quarter gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.5 percent on an annual basis. Additionally, first quarter GDP dropped 0.8 percent, reports CNN, which puts Canada in a technical recession. Slowed global growth and too much supply have slammed oil prices, which has had a detrimental effect on Canada’s already discounted heavy oil trades. Depressed crude prices and the uncertain outlook have forced companies to slash spending and delay projects across Canada’s oil sands industry. Canada’s economy is experiencing troubles in other segments as well, such as the housing market. CNN expects Canada’s troubles will have a negative effect on the United States because Canada is the biggest U.S. export market and accounts for about 20 percent of U.S. exports. "[The] outlook for the Canadian economy suggests that… Keep Reading
Teamsters union launches highway bill campaign
With federal funding for road and transit programs set to expire Oct. 29, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) union is preparing to launch a campaign – “Let’s Get America Working” – to encourage lawmakers to approve a long-term highway bill, reports The Hill. According to The Hill, IBT is planning to run radio ads in the Washington, D.C., area and purchase space in Capitol Hill publications to focus lawmakers’ concentration on highways upon their return to Washington. The union say it’s launching the campaign to persuade Congress to pass a long-term highway bill this fall because “the nation’s roads, bridges, ports, airports, railroads and mass transit systems are crumbling.” Based on estimates from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the union says as much as $3.6 trillion should be spent by 2020 to repair and modernize the country’s transportation system. “Our campaign seeks to restore a dynamic and prosperous middle class to drive economic growth by helping to advance policy decisions that create and maintain good middle-income jobs, guarantee… Keep Reading
NSSGA to host AGG1 webinar on compression crushers
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s (NSSGA) September AGG1 webinar, “Compression Crusher Basics and Optimization,” will be held Sept. 17 at 1 p.m. Eastern. The webinar will focus on compression crushers, including how they operate, as well as the process of choosing the optimal liner set and setting for your desired feed and reduction ratio. The webinar will also cover how to check the settings and the difference in output that can be seen by the crusher settings. It’ll address basic operational parameters and simple maintenance procedures. The presentation will cover information based on three learning objectives, including how to define your crusher’s performance; how to determine your optimal crusher setting; and how to maximize your performance through linear selection. Mark Krause, general manager of the aggregate processing division of McLanahan, will be presenting the webinar. Registration for this webinar is $49 for members and $99 for nonmembers per location. NSSGA also offers webinar packages. Register for this webinar here. Keep Reading
NSSGA to present Excellence Awards at AGG1
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) will be presenting its Awards of Excellence at its annual convention and AGG1 in Nashville, Tenn., March 20-23, 2016. The awards honor companies and individuals who operate safely, engage their communities and are stewards of the environment. They also recognize operations and industry professionals for their contributions to the stone, sand and gravel industry as a whole. “NSSGA’s annual awards recognize the best, the brightest and most innovative operations in our industry,” says Mike Johnson, NSSGA president and CEO. “These are the operations that lead the way in enhancing the stone, sand and gravel operations for the benefit of our workers, our environment and our communities. By constantly improving, aggregates producers provide a better, more affordable and more sustainable product in order to grow our industry and provide the best raw materials to build America’s tomorrow.” Operators can apply for a variety of awards, including: Safety Excellence Awards: The Safety Excellence Awards recognize individual operations with exemplary safety records in their size… Keep Reading
13 states temporarily shielded from waters rule
A federal district court judge granted a preliminary injunction that blocked the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule from taking effect on Aug. 28 for 13 states, reports the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says it will honor the injunction in the 13 states listed on a lawsuit, which includes Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. For all other states, the rule is effective Aug. 28. According to NSSGA, a total of 30 states have sued the EPA over implementation of this regulation. Two other district courts considered preliminary injunctions earlier this week. However, the appropriate jurisdiction for these cases was the appellate courts – and they did not rule, according to NSSGA. “This preliminary injunction absolutely supports what NSSGA, other industries and the majority of the states have been saying all along that this rule is not based on sound science and is an unprecedented expansion of the EPA’s jurisdiction,”… Keep Reading
Aggregate production up 5 percent in first half
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an estimated 607 million metric tons (Mt) of total construction aggregates were produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the second quarter of 2015. That's a 3 percent increase compared to the total number of aggregates produced and shipped in the second quarter of 2014. The estimated production for consumption in the first six months of 2015 was 994 Mt, according to USGS. That's a 5 percent increase compared to the same six-month period of 2014. The estimated production for consumption of construction aggregates in the second quarter of 2015 decreased in four of the nine geographic divisions measures, compared with that sold or used in the second quarter of 2014. In addition, production for consumption increased in 24 of the 43 states that were estimated, with the five leading states (in descending order) being Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio. In addition, USGS reports an estimated 360 Mt of crushed stone were produced and shipped for consumption in the… Keep Reading
Study says global demand for cement to reach 5.2 billon metric tons in 2019
World Cement, a study conducted by The Freedonia Group, projects world demand for cement to rise 4.5 percent per year to 5.2 billion metrics tons in 2019. In value terms, this means global demand for cement will advance 7 percent per year to $420 billion in 2019. Gains will be driven by healthy increases in construction activities in developing countries throughout the Asia/Pacific and Africa/Mideast regions, says the study. China will continue to be the largest driver of growth for cement, and North America will also have strong gains as the U.S. construction industry continues to recover from recessions. Additionally, blended cement will continue to be the most popular cement type at the global level, accounting for 75 percent of total demand in 2019, reports the study. The report indicates that India is expected to post the fastest growth in cement demand of any major national market. Other countries expected to post strong growth include Vietnam, Indonesia and Pakistan. According to the study, demand for cement in North America… Keep Reading
