Author
U.S. Concrete acquires two operations
U.S. Concrete acquired Heavy Materials LLC and the assets of Spartan Concrete Products LLC, two integrated construction material operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Heavy Materials is a producer of ready-mixed concrete and aggregates. The operation has four ready-mixed concrete batch plants, a fleet of 32 mixer trucks and two quarries with total aggregates reserves of about 40 million tons. Heavy Materials also leases an industrial waterfront property that it uses as a marine terminal and sales yard. According to U.S. Concrete, the combined operations create a vertically integrated platform to serve an extensive base of customers throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands and other Caribbean islands. "These acquisitions are highly aligned with our strategic goal to establish leadership positions in resilient, attractive markets and further enhance our mix of vertically integrated operations," says William Sandbrook, president and CEO of U.S. Concrete. "We plan to create a more efficient operating dynamic in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Caribbean by combining the efforts of these two separately owned businesses into one… Keep Reading
Volvo shows Halloween spirit through pumpkin carving
Who knew Halloween and construction could go together? Volvo Construction Equipment found a creative way to combine the two – through pumpkin carving templates. The company offers free templates for you to carve an articulated hauler, excavator or wheel loader into a pumpkin. Click here for the templates. Keep Reading
Congress approves three-week highway bill
Congress approved a measure to extend federal transportation funding for three weeks, reports The Hill, extending spending until Nov. 20 and preventing a shutdown in funding on Thursday. According to The Hill, Obama has rallied against short-term transportation funding patches in the past, but he's expected to sign the bill in order to prevent an interruption in the nation’s road funding ahead of the busy holiday travel season. Lawmakers in the House and Senate say this three-week patch will give them time to finish work on a long-term highway bill. "This three-week extension will allow the House and Senate to go conference on our bipartisan long-term bill and get that signed into law before Nov. 20," says Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). The Senate already passed a six-year highway bill in July, but the measure only includes three years’ worth of guaranteed funding. Similarly, the House has worked on a six-year, $325 billion transportation bill that also only contains three years of guaranteed funding. According to The Hill, the House's bill would… Keep Reading
MSHA releases fatality data for third quarter of 2015
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) released its summary of U.S. mining deaths from July 1 through Sept. 30. The data shows seven fatalities occurred in industry accidents in the third quarter of 2015, which is eight fewer fatalities than the same period in 2014. According to MSHA, preliminary data indicates that 14 miners died on the job at coal mines in 2015, which is the fewest number of coal mining deaths in a fiscal year in coal mining history. In addition, this number is down from 18 deaths in 2014. In metal and nonmetal mining, 23 miners died in 2015, which is six fewer than in 2014. Of the seven miners of the third quarter, two died in coal mining accidents and five died in metal and nonmetal mining accidents. “These deaths remind us why we must continue our vigilance and ensure effective safety and health programs are at work throughout the industry,” says Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and… Keep Reading
North America Frac Sand Inc. acquires frac sand deposit
North America Frac Sand Inc., headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, acquired North America Frac Sand (CA) Ltd. and its 30,000 acres of leases that are estimated to contain 6.4 million tons of recoverable reserves of frac sand, as well as potential reserves of at least 66 million tons. With the discovery of new frac sand reserves comes challenges. The challenges facing North America Frac Sand include the following: Meeting all of the American Petroleum Institute specifications with respect to size and shape of the frac sand deposits Maintaining sufficient contiguous volume and value to be economical Ensuring all reserves are close to oil and natural gas reserves, or at least to railways, for cost-efficient transportation According to the company, it’s strategically located to replace a significant portion of the 70 percent of the frac sand being imported into Canada from Wisconsin. By trucking directly to customers, North America Frac Sand says it saves more than 930 miles of shipping costs. It also bypasses bottlenecks of the supply chain, which are railcar… Keep Reading
Lehigh Hanson names new president, CEO
Lehigh Hanson named Jon Morrish as its new president and CEO, succeeding Daniel Harrington. Harrington retired after serving more than 20 years with the company. He held the position of president and CEO since Jan. 1, 2010. According to the company, Harrington successfully steered the company through one of the worst economic downturns in recent history, allowing the company to capitalize on market recovery in the last few years. Prior to this position, Morrish served as the president of Lehigh Hanson’s South region. He also held the positions of managing director of the Hanson cement business in the United Kingdom and managing director of Hanson Concrete. In addition to becoming president and CEO of Lehigh Hanson, Morrish will also join the managing board of HeidelbergCement, effective Feb. 1, 2016. Photo: Lehigh Hanson Keep Reading
NSSGA accepting applications for scholarship
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) is accepting applications for the 2015 Jennifer Curtis Byler Scholarship. According to NSSGA, the $5,000 scholarship was created to remember the life and accomplishments of Jennifer Curtis, the daughter of Jack Curtis of L.C. Curtis & Son, a Georgia sand-and-gravel producer. Jennifer served on a number of boards and commissions, including the Republican National Committee. She was also a fundraiser for Republican candidates. Graduating high school seniors or current college students who wish to pursue a career in politics, public relations or a related field, as well as the children of aggregate producers, are encouraged to apply. Learn more and apply for this scholarship here. Keep Reading
Purvis acquires assets of two supply companies
Purvis Industries, headquartered in Dallas, acquired all of the assets, brand rights, websites, personnel and intellectual property of Industrial Mining Supply and Sun Belt Supply. Industrial Mining Supply has locations in Phoenix and Elko, Nev., and Sun Belt Supply services the lightweight belting market in Phoenix. “We are excited to be able to bring on an outstanding organization such as Industrial Mining Supply and Sun Belt Supply and into the Purvis Industries family of companies,” says Cameron Barker, vice president of corporate operations for Purvis. “They not only allow us to expand our presence into new geography, but also enable us to further develop and expand into new customers in the Arizona marketplace.” Dave Corson, president of Industrial Mining Supply, will work for Purvis to help develop Industrial Mining Supply and Sun Belt Supply, as well as help facilitate the transition process. “We are excited about this new chapter in the development of Industrial Mining Supply and Sun Belt Supply,” Corson says. “I feel Purvis Industries is the best match… Keep Reading
Liebherr names dealer in Northwest
Liebherr signed a dealer agreement with Orion Equipment that will give Orion responsibility for the promotion, sales and service of Liebherr’s line of earthmoving and material handling equipment. Through this agreement, Orion will service customers mainly in the greater Seattle and greater Portland regions. “We are very excited for this new business relationship and look forward to working with the team at Orion Equipment,” says Peter Mayr, president of Liebherr. “Their corporate values are similar to those of Liebherr. Their professional approach and their focus to provide excellent service are assets that Liebherr customers will benefit from.” Orion Equipment has been a dealer and distributor of heavy and civil construction equipment, logging and forestry equipment, demolition equipment, and scrap and recycling equipment for more than 30 years. The company looks forward to the newly-formed partnership with Liebherr. “The breadth and depth of the product lines that Liebherr offers, coupled with their exceptional quality, makes it the partner for the unique construction, demolition and material handling needs of this region,” says… Keep Reading
