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USGS reveals fourth quarter production stats
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an estimated 540 metric tons of total construction aggregates were produced and shipped for consumption in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2014, a 7 percent increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2013. In addition, the estimated annual output of construction aggregates produced for consumption in 2014 was 2.17 billion metric tons, which is a 7 percent increase compared to 2013. The estimated production for consumption of construction aggregates in the fourth quarter of 2014 increased in seven of the nine geographic divisions compared to the fourth quarter of 2013. Production for consumption of aggregates also increased in 34 of the 43 states. The five leading states for total output were Texas, California, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois, with a combined total annual output of 638 metric tons. An estimated 317 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced and shipped for consumption in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2014, a 9 percent increase compared to the same period in… Keep Reading
MSHA releases January impact inspection results
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) announced federal inspectors issued 176 citations, eight orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at 13 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines in January. The monthly inspections, which began in April 2010, involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns, reports MSHA. Since April 2010, MSHA has conducted 879 impact inspections and issued 13,756 citations, 1,229 orders and 56 safeguards. View MSHA’s monthly impact inspection list for January 2015 here. Keep Reading
Rulmeca names Lansford as new regional sales manager
Rulmeca Corp. named Bob Lansford as its new regional sales manager, Western U.S. Lansford will be responsible for serving mines, processing plants, aggregates producers, OEMs and food processors west of the Mississippi River. He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and has worked closely with distributors, sales representatives, OEMs and end users throughout his career. Keep Reading
Major Wire names Burch as new dealer
Major Wire Industries named Burch Materials & Supplies as its newest aggregates and mining screen media dealer. Burch will now supply Major’s screen media solutions, including the FlexMat 3 Self-Cleaning Screen Media and OptimumWire Woven Wire, to its customers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. “Major’s dedication to continuous product development and the supply of consistently high quality products will allow our customers to increase their production while reducing their plant operating costs and down time,” says Jeff Nelson, vice president and general manager of Burch. “We are very excited to have joined the Major team.” Keep Reading
MSHA launches two online tools to track violations
The U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) introduced two online tools to assist operators, miners, MSHA and others in tracking violations of standards commonly associated with mining deaths and underground coal mines. These tools also allow users to monitor a mine’s compliance history, including its eligibility for a Pattern of Violations or the number of violations it has received. The first tool allows users to identify the health and safety standards in MSHA’s “Rules to Live By” outreach and enforcement program, which consists of standards created to prevent common causes of mining facilities. Twenty-eight of the standards apply to coal mines, and 19 apply to metal and nonmetal mines, reports MSHA. The “Rules to Live By” tool includes a page displaying the number of violations during the last inspection quarter for underground mines and the last 6-month inspection period for surface mines. It also lists the specific “Rules to Live By” standards cited by MSHA and the number of times cited for that inspection period. The second tool tracks… Keep Reading
AGG1 2015: Around Baltimore: Oriole Park
While in Baltimore, take a tour at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Visitors on the tour have the opportunity to view club level suites, the press level and the dugout. March hour tours are Monday through Saturday between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and Sunday between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tickets cost $9 for adults; $6 for children 14 and under; $6 for seniors 55 and over; and free for children 3 and under. Tours proceed rain or shine, but can be subject to change due to snow and ice conditions. For private group tours, call 410-547-6234. Keep Reading
Mobile app offered for AGG1 attendees
A free mobile app will be offered for those attending the 2015 AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo/ World of Asphalt Show & Conference March 17-19 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The app, designed to help attendees plan and manage their time onsite, is synchronized with the full capabilities of the AGG1 and World of Asphalt exhibitor directory and show planner. Using the app, attendees can browse the exhibitor directory, create a list of must-see companies and products, navigate the show floor with interactive maps, schedule educational sessions, manage educational handouts, set up appointments with exhibitors and connect with other attendees. The app will be available for download early March on the World of Asphalt and AGG1 websites. Keep Reading
Majority of House calls on Congress to create long-term highway bill
A majority of both Republicans and Democrats signed a letter initiated by Reps. Reid Ribble, R-Wisc., Dan Lipinski, D-Ill., and Tom Reed, R-N.Y., to Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., urging Congress to develop a long-term highway bill, reports the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA). The letter was signed by 285 House members and calls on Congress to “move a responsibly paid-for, multiyear surface transportation bill that will support much needed economic growth throughout the nation.” “My constituents in northeast Wisconsin and Americans all over our country in the manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and distribution sectors rely especially heavily on our roads and bridges to move people and goods from place to place—and the certainty that they will be able to continue to do so in the future,” says Rep. Ribble. “Long-term funding for our roads and bridges would provide the security that our country needs to ensure that our infrastructure remains safe, reliable and serviceable for years to come.” Read a copy of the… Keep Reading
NSSGA to recognize Grassroots Award winners at convention
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) will recognize four active advocates for their efforts to influence federal policy during 2014 at its Annual Convention in Baltimore, Md. Robert F. Weldon of Weldon Materials will receive Grassroots CEO of the Year; Brian North and Steve Whitt of Martin Marietta will receive Grassroots Coordinators of the Year; and Rich Lehman of Edw. C. Levy Co. will receive Grassroots Advocate of the Year. In 2014, Weldon, the vice chairman of NSSGA’s Government Affairs Committee, participated in a number of meetings with members of Congress, attended the Washington, D.C., fly-ins and provided feedback on his meetings to NSSGA. North and Whitt both fought the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Act overreach. North coordinated a letter-writing campaign opposing the EPA’s proposal to expand federal jurisdiction over waters that have little or no connection to flowing steams and rivers. Whitt provided examples of the rule’s effects on operations, including the economy, to the White House and EPA staff. Lehman was active in… Keep Reading
