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Superior embraces welding careers through high school competition
Superior Industries hosted a high school welding competition at its on-campus welding training school in Morris, Minn., to promote careers in welding. This is the second year the company has hosted the event, and the number of competitors increased by more than 60 percent this year, according to Superior. Participants came from all over the state of Minnesota, the company says. Students had to complete a timed, dual-application welding assignment in the school’s lab. Judges based the students’ work on proper weld bead placement, uniformity and blueprint reading, among other criteria. "You can have a golden arm, but if you're unable to follow instructions according to the blueprint it's an automatic rejection in our competition," says Dave Dybdal, one of the instructors at Superior's welding training school. "At the end of the day, the kids quickly realize the skills they need to sharpen for better proficiency." The first- and second-place winners received Lincoln Electric PRO-MIG 140 welders, as well as new welding helmets. The third-, fourth- and fifth-place finishers won… Keep Reading
Sandvik Construction introduces HX900 wear segments
Sandvik Construction introduced its HX900 wear segments, which include buttons, runners and bars. According to the company, the wear segments have the longest wear life on the market and maintain the original shape of vital equipment surfaces on crushers, loader buckets, chutes, excavators, rock box edges and weld-on hammer tips. HX900 is a wear material that combines the wear resistance of cemented carbide with the shock resistance, ductility and forming capability of nodular iron. This combination results in a hard material that stands well in tough environments and has long wear life, Sandvik reports. The HX900 wear segments come in three shapes: buttons, runners and bars. The wear buttons have a dome shape that gives them maximum protection and minimizes the effect of impact. The round shape virtually eliminates any risk of a weld crack propagating into the parent metal, Sandvik adds. The HX900 wear runners are designed to protect large areas on bucket bottoms and corners. The wear runners are available in two sizes. Finally, the HX900 wear bars… Keep Reading
AGG1 2016: KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens features Fast Pack system
KPI-JCI & Astec Mobile Screens' Dave McLaughlin talks about the company's Fast Pack system and presents a model of the system of the 2016 AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo. Keep Reading
Atlas Copco appoints dealer in Florida
Atlas Copco Construction Equipment appointed MECO Miami Inc. as a dealer for its customers in Pompano Beach, Fla. MECO Miami will now carry the full range of Atlas Copco equipment, including air compressors, asphalt rollers, light towers, handheld tools and soil rollers. “MECO Miami has a great history of supporting its customers,” says Alan Kurus, Atlas Copco Construction Equipment's vice president of sales. “Our customers can rest assured that their equipment needs will be met while working with MECO, and I’m confident that MECO will continue representing the Atlas Copco brand well.” MECO is a family-owned company that has been selling, renting and servicing a variety of new and used equipment and parts for the agriculture, cranes, heavy lifting, mining and road construction industries in the United States and worldwide for more than 40 years. “We chose to represent Atlas Copco and its equipment because there is an increasing demand for high-quality products in our area,” says Michael Vazquez, MECO Miami owner. “Atlas Copco helps us fill this growing demand.”… Keep Reading
Summit acquires Las Vegas operation
Summit Materials acquired Sierra Ready Mix LLC, an aggregates and ready-mix concrete business headquartered in Las Vegas. According to Summit, the acquisition gives it premier, well-located assets in an expanding market. Sierra operates a sand-and-gravel pit and two ready-mix concrete facilities. It has been supplying ready-mix concrete to the Las Vegas valley since 1994. Its team will remain in place to continue to grow and develop the business, Summit reports. “Sierra’s vertically integrated operations are a good fit within our Utah-based Kilgore platform and a very sound entry into Las Vegas, the next large market south of the Wasatch Front in Utah,” says Tom Hill, Summit Materials CEO. “Sierra has a solid position in a sizeable market at an attractive point in the recovery cycle. We are pleased to welcome Sierra’s truly talented team to our rapidly growing company.” Summit Materials is a vertically integrated construction materials company that supplies aggregates, cement, ready-mix concrete and asphalt in the United States and British Columbia, Canada. It offers customers construction materials and… Keep Reading
NSSGA to host safety leadership webinar
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) has its next AGG1 webinar on safety leadership slated for 1 p.m. EST on May 19. According to NSSGA, demonstrating commitment to safety is a critical part of changing the culture of an organization, and this webinar will provide techniques for leaders to drive their companies toward a safer culture and achieve other safety objectives. Ed Elliott, who recently retired as director of safety and health for Rogers Group, will present the webinar. In 2014, Elliott was named Kentucky Miner of the Year by the Kentucky Crushed Stone Association for his efforts to bring the National Metal/Non-Metal Mine Rescue Contest to Lexington, Ky. According to NSSGA, Elliott has more than 30 years of experience in safety and health in the aggregates industry. During the webinar, he will identify the steps leaders of all sizes of operations should take to achieve their safety objectives, NSSGA adds. Registration for the webinar is $49 for members and $99 for nonmembers per location. NSSGA also offers… Keep Reading
Vulcan achieves 20 percent growth in first quarter
Vulcan Materials Co. revealed that its total revenues in the first quarter of 2016 grew $123 million, or 20 percent, to $755 million, and that its total gross profit more than doubled, with growth in all segments. Compared with the first quarter of 2015, aggregates shipments rose 5.7 million tons, or 17 percent, and freight-adjusted aggregates pricing increased $1.08 per ton, or 9.5 percent. As a whole, the aggregates segment’s gross profit increased $81 million, or 119 percent, to $148 million. According to the company, the gradual recovery in construction activity and demand for aggregates continued across most of the company’s footprint in the first quarter. In addition, the asphalt, concrete and calcium segment gross profit improved $6 million, or 60 percent, collectively. Asphalt gross profit in the first quarter of 2015 was $12 million, compared to $9 million in the first quarter of 2015. Concrete gross profit improved $2.7 million from the prior year, and the calcium segment reported gross profit of $0.6 million, a 13 percent improvement over… Keep Reading
NMA names MINExpo 2016 chairperson
The National Mining Association (NMA), sponsor of MINExpo International 2016, named Denise Johnson, president of the Resources Industries Group for Caterpillar, as chairperson for the event, which will be held Sept. 26-28 in Las Vegas. “As the sponsor of MINExpo, NMA is excited to bring together the equipment, parts and service providers who are committed to working with mining companies throughout the world to improve safety, lower costs and maximize productivity,” says NMA President and CEO Hal Quinn. “Caterpillar exemplifies that commitment, which is demonstrated in part through its ongoing support of NMA and MINExpo. That said, we are thrilled to have Denise Johnson as our MINExpo 2016 chair.” Johnson joined Caterpillar in 2011 and initially served as the general manager of specialty products within the company’s Reman & Components Division, where she was responsible for wear component products and facilities. Prior to this, she served at General Motors, where she worked in operations and product management. In 2012, the Caterpillar board of directors named Johnson vice president with responsibility… Keep Reading
CRH interested in Heidelberg’s US, Belgium assets
CRH is interested in U.S. and Belgian assets that HeidelbergCement may sell to address competition concerns over its acquisition of Italy’s Italcementi, according to Reuters. "U.S. cement is of interest to us and we're fully aware of the asset that may spin out of the potential acquisition,” says Albert Manifold, CRH’s chief executive. “With regards to Belgium, it's a prime asset and certainly it would make a good fit with our businesses, providing the value is right.” According to Reuters, German cement maker HeidelbergCement agreed to buy Italcementi for 6.7 billion euros last year. Reuters adds that the company says it would propose selling all of Italcementi’s activities in Belgium and mandated BNP Paribas to run the process. HeidelbergCement is a building materials company in more than 40 countries. Its core activities include the production and distribution of cement and aggregates. CRH is a global building materials group that employees more than 89,000 people at around 3,900 locations worldwide. It delivers building materials and products for use in buildings, roads,… Keep Reading
