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Case and Kip Moore honor construction workers with music video
Country music singer Kip Moore, partnered with Case Construction, debuted a music video honoring men and women in the construction industry. The song, titled “On the Case,” is a personal homage to Moore’s fan base and those that have supported him throughout his career. “These folks come out to my shows after working long shifts, 50-60 hour weeks, and I never forget that,” says Moore. In conjunction with the music video, fans also will able to submit photos in a contest for a chance to have their crew or equipment featured in a second fan cut of the music video. Fans who submit photos will also be entered to win concert tickets for Moore’s “Up in Smoke” tour. The video was released in coordination with Labor Day weekend and can be viewed here (or at the bottom of this post). Photo submissions will be accepted through November 20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqcAI9bLbUo Keep Reading
MSHA releases July inspection results
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released its July impact inspection results, which included 190 citations and eight orders during special inspections from 15 coal mines and three metal and nonmetal mines. These monthly inspections began in April 2010 and take place at mines that have poor compliance histories. As of June, violations overall were down, with violations per inspection hour down 19 percent, significant and substantial violations down 27 percent, unwarrantable failures down 53 percent and lost-time injury rates down 9 percent. Keep Reading
McLanahan names first VP of manufacturing
McLanahan named Mark Slonaker as its first vice president of manufacturing. He will be responsible for overseeing manufacturing operations at all U.S. locations, maintaining safe standards and corporate objectives, and making sure the company meets and exceeds all customer and industry requirements. Prior to this position, Slonaker served as the vice president of manufacturing for F.L. Smithe Machine Company and as the vice president of engineering for Blair Companies. Photo: McLanahan Keep Reading
Terex MPS launches new jaw module
Terex Minerals Processing Systems (MPS) has launched the new MJ47 primary jaw crusher module, its largest jaw module to date. Made for large quarries or contractors that want a stationary type model without a normal stick-built plant, the MJ47 has a modular design that consists of several pre-designed static and semi-static crushing and screening “plug and play” modules. Its design also allows for a quick set-up time and ease of operation, says the company. The machine also features the Terex Simplicity double-deck vibrating grizzly feeder, a large capacity truck dump hopper, a discharge conveyor, a galvanized/painted I-beam frame, a wrap-around maintenance access platform, and stairs and guardrails. Photo: Terex Keep Reading
Holt Cat opens new store in Edinburg
Holt Cat opened a new, 47,000 sq. ft. facility in Edinburg, Texas. The store will offer a range of services, from Caterpillar machine sales, rentals, parts and service to comprehensive rebuild capabilities and custom product fabrication. Holt Cat General Manager Dave Harris expects the full-service facility to help expand the company’s presence in Hidalgo County and better service customers in southern Texas. “The new Edinburg location is going to make it even easier for our customers operating in the Rio Grande Valley to have convenient access to the heavy equipment products and services they need,” he says. Keep Reading
NSSGA to host webinar on legislative issues
The NSSGA is set to host a webinar that will provide updates on key legislative issues that are of importance to NSSGA members, as well as environmental, safety and health regulatory developments. The webinar will also cover pending litigation related to NSSGA and other regulatory issues that are affecting the aggregates industry. The webinar will be taking place on September 4 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Learn more about the event here. Keep Reading
Oldcastle names Randolph EVP, strategy and development
Oldcastle Materials Inc. named Kirk Randolph as EVP, strategy and development. In his new role, Randolph will be leading the acquisition and integration of new businesses as well as developing growth initiatives for the company. Until accepting this position, Randolph was the president of Oldcastle’s Central West Division, a title he has had since joining the company in August 2006. Before his career at Oldcastle, Randolph held various senior leadership positions with Ashland Inc.’s APAC group of companies. Keep Reading
July construction climbs 6 percent
According to McGraw Hill Construction, new construction starts in July rose 6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $588.8 billion. The July statistics raised the Dodge Index to 125, which went up from 118 in June and marked the highest level the index has reached so far in 2014. Results showed that nonresidential building and nonbuilding construction sector (public works and electric utilities) advanced, while residential building remained unchanged from June. “The construction expansion this year is getting more of a contribution from nonresidential building,” says Robert Murray, chief economist and vice president for McGraw Hill Construction. "With residential building being limited so far in 2014 by the sluggish single family market, the further growth for nonresidential building has been needed to keep the construction expansion going." Murray also attributed this month’s increase to a rise in manufacturing plant construction, an upward momentum of commercial building and a stabilization of institutional building. Keep Reading
MSHA allocates $8.3 million in safety training grants
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has allocated $8,348,423 in health and safety training grants for 47 states and the Navajo Nation in fiscal year 2014. The grants will be used to cover training and retraining of miners employed at surface, stone, sand and gravel mining operations, as well as those working at surface and underground coal and metal/nonmetal mines. “These state grants support the safety and health mission contained in the Mine Act,” says Joseph Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “These federal funds will enable miners to better prepare for the task at hand and arm them with the proper knowledge to avoid accidents and injuries.” Some states also will use their grants to support their mine emergency response and other Mine Act functions. Keep Reading
