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CDE Global to hold demonstration event in Texas
CDE Global will host a wash plant demonstration event in Fort Worth, Texas, Oct. 27-29, at a Metroplex Sand & Gravel pit. At the event, the company will showcase its M4500 modular washing plant, which integrates a feed system, aggregate screening, sand washing and stockpiling on a single chassis. According to CDE Global, the plant has a maximum feed capacity of 450 tph. “We were introduced to CDE at the 2014 ConExpo Con/Agg show,” says Keith Newell of Metroplex. “Shortly thereafter, a member of our team visited the GS Materials Plant in North Carolina. We were immediately impressed by the plant’s ability to manage gradation and silt cuts – producing a golf course spec sand the first pass. With conventional classifying equipment and sand screws this is difficult to say the least.” Metroplex Sand & Gravel also has an AquaCycle A600 thickener, which will be demonstrated. The AquaCycle achieves 90 percent recycling of process water, which significantly reduces the volumes of fresh water required to feed the plant, reports CDE… Keep Reading
Lafarge deal could enhance CRH earnings
Some financial analysts claim Irish cement maker CRH’s acquisition of certain assets from LafargeHolcim will boost its earnings by more than 30 percent over the next year, according to the Irish Examiner. CRH purchased the assets from the European cement giant for about $7.2 billion. “We see the deal as a transformational acquisition, which could be around 34 percent accretive to earnings in its first full year,” says Robert Gardiner of Davy Stockbrokers. According to the Irish Examiner, CRH initially agreed last February to buy assets across Europe, Asia and the Americas that had to be sold in order for the Lafarge/Holcim merger to take place. The purchase is set to boost CRH into becoming the world’s third-largest building materials business, the Irish Examiner says. “The businesses we are acquiring, which represent an excellent geographic fit with CRH’s existing operations, are all strong performers in their respective areas,” says Albert Manifold, CRH chief executive. “The integration of these high quality assets – which we have acquired at an attractive valuation… Keep Reading
Cemex sells overseas operations
Cemex signed an agreement to sell its operations in Australia, Hungary and Croatia, as well as its assets in Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia. The company sold its operations in Australia and Hungary to the Rohrdorfer Group for about $178 million. The Australian operations include 24 aggregates quarries and 34 ready-mix plants, and the Hungarian operations include five aggregate quarries and 34 ready-mix plants. In 2014, the Australian operations had net sales of about $241 million, reports Cemex, while the Hungarian operations had net sales of about $47 million. This transaction is expected to finalize during the fourth quarter of 2015. Cemex sold its operations in Croatia, as well as the assets in Bosnia, Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, to Duna-Dráva Cement for about $256.7 million. The assets sold include three cement plants, two aggregate quarries and seven ready-mix plants. The operations in Croatia, as well as the assets, had net sales of about $138 million in 2014. This transaction is also expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2015.… Keep Reading
Commercial, multifamily construction starts in NYC lead the nation
According to Dodge Data & Analytics, a ranking of the top U.S. metropolitan areas by the dollar amount of new commercial and multifamily construction starts shows the New York City metropolitan area leading the nation during the first half of 2015. A total of $17.3 billion in commercial and multifamily projects in the area reached groundbreaking from January to June 2015 – a 72 percent increase from the same time period one year ago. Miami ranked No. 2 in the leading commercial and multifamily construction starts in the first half of 2015, with $3 billion spent on those projects. The remaining top metropolitan areas include Washington, D.C., at $2.4 billion; Boston at $2.2 billion; and Seattle at $2.1 billion. The New York City metropolitan area during the first half of 2015 showed growth in both the commercial and multifamily sectors compared to the first half of 2014. Commercial building was up 84 percent, while multifamily building was up 67 percent. Large commercial building projects included two structures at the Hudson… Keep Reading
MSHA: Reforms lead to mine safety improvements
The U.S. Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA) says the pattern of violations (POV) reforms it has enacted have increased mine safety and promoted a culture focused on safety and health. The reforms have also led to improvements in mine operator compliance, says Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for MSHA. Under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, MSHA has the ability to issue a POV notice to mine operators who show disregard for safety and health based on the administration’s “significant and substantial” (S&S) violations. According to MSHA, POV notices are given to mines that pose the greatest risk for employee safety and health. MSHA conducts at least one POV review each year, and it notes that only one mine warranted further review in its most recent screening. “The POV reforms sent a message that chronic violator behavior would no longer be tolerated,” Main says. “That message translated into a dramatic reduction in the number of mines with chronic violation records. We have also seen significant… Keep Reading
Lafarge gives back with amphibian tunnel installation
Lafarge Canada partnered with the Fraser Valley Conservancy to install a tunnel for amphibian protection in the Ryder Lake area of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada. The Fraser Valley Conservancy has been working with local landowners in the area since 2008 to study the migration patterns of local amphibians, as well as the challenge they face moving across roads from woodlands to wetlands. It took Lafarge four days to install a tunnel and rebuild a road to facilitate the migration of baby toadlets. According to a press release, the tunnel required an innovative design that allowed light into the space while assuring its structural integrity. The tunnel also features a grate system that Langley Concrete donated. According to the conservancy, the tunnel provides strength for road traffic, low maintenance and durability. “Our partnership with Lafarge has enabled us to finally implement this toad tunnel which has been a vision for the conservancy for many years,” says Joanne Neilson, executive director of the Fraser Valley Conservancy. “Lafarge brought the construction expertise and… Keep Reading
Groff Tractor to distribute Rubble Master equipment
Groff Tractor & Equipment, formerly Trico Equipment, entered into an agreement with Rubble Master to sell its full line of compact crushing and screening equipment. Groff Tractor will now distribute Rubble Master equipment in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, eastern Pennsylvania and Virginia. "Like Groff, Rubble Master believes that customer service means lifetime support," says Sean Collins, vice president of Groff Tractor. "Before we offer a new line, we review the manufacturer’s parts availability and warranty coverage. Rubble Master passed our stringent standards. The Rubble Master product line provides significant cost savings to a large segment of our core customers. It is a strategic fit to our existing product offering.” Rubble Master carries compact mobile crushing and screening machines used in recycling, demolition, quarrying, mining and contracting applications. The company’s line includes five compact crushers and nine screens. Gerald Hanisch, president and CEO of Rubble Master, says the partnership will help expand Rubble Master’s reach throughout the United States. “Bringing Groff Tractor on board continues to strengthen our coverage… Keep Reading
NSSGA adds Dunne as director of communications
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) added Patrick Dunne as its director of communications. In this position, Dunne will lead the day-to-day communications efforts for the association. Prior to this position, Dunne served as assistant director of communications at the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), where he led public outreach efforts, media relations and branding strategies for more than four years. He also directed annual campaigns for National PA Week and managed the academy’s social media strategy. Before working at AAPA, he managed communications and media relations at the National Business Aviation Association. “Aggregates are the foundation for our country’s infrastructure,” says Dunne. “I look forward to bringing my experience to this great industry and leading efforts to promote a clear understanding of their critical nature to federal policymakers, media and communities across America.” Mike Johnson, NSSGA president and CEO, expressed confidence in Dunne’s ability to contribute to the association’s three-year growth strategy, Rocks Build America. “Our industry must have a strategic communications plan that educates policymakers… Keep Reading
Dodge Momentum Index reports gains in July
The Dodge Momentum Index rose to 125.3 in July, according to Dodge Data & Analytics, which is up 5.4 percent from 118.9 in June. The Momentum Index is a monthly measure of the first report for nonresidential building projects in planning. Improving real estate market fundamentals in the commercial sector, as well as increased bond-related funding for institutional projects should continue to raise the Index through the rest of 2015, reports Dodge Data. Additionally, the Index increase in July can be attributed to a 6 percent increase in institutional planning and a 4.9 percent increase in commercial planning. A total of 13 projects entered planning in July with a value exceeding $100 million – seven commercial projects and six institutional projects. For the commercial building sector, a $200 million Wal-Mart in Davenport, Fla., and a $200 million office building in Washington, D.C., entered planning. In the institutional building sector, a $350 million Las Vegas Convention Center expansion entered planning, as well as a $188 million high school remodel in Snoqualmie, Wash. Keep Reading
