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Metso introduces HP5 cone crusher
Metso has introduced a new cone crusher to the global market at AGG1. The company designed the new HP5 with safety, simplicity and eco-efficiency in mind. Automatic settings, specialized maintenance tools, reduced emissions and energy-efficient motors are just a few of the improvements built into this new cone crusher. The Nordberg HP5 follows the successful HP3, HP4 and HP6 as the fourth model in an all-new range of high-performance cone crushers. The design of new Nordberg HP5 leverages Metso’s 100+ years of crusher know-how and experience with more than 9,000 HP cone crushers in operation worldwide. The result is a crusher that is designed to deliver a combination of efficient crushing action, optimal feed size, high performance and the lowest cost per ton. It has a 5 percent larger feed size versus the HP400 and higher capacity than the HP500 in tertiary applications. In addition, a higher cavity density improves interparticle crushing action for end products with more consistent gradation and superior shape. Keep Reading
Still challenges ahead
For the aggregates industry, there is much to be optimistic about in the Spring of 2015. Martin Marietta and Vulcan Materials, the nation's two largest producers, are reporting strong earnings and outlooks. The Producer Price Index shows that crushed stone, sand and gravel are fetching higher prices than ever. And our Pit & Quarry Aggregates Industry Index is flirting with the 300 level for the first time. While I've been very skeptical in this space for any hopes of a long-term highway bill in recent years, it seems the tide might be turning. In a conversation with Mike Johnson, president and CEO of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, we both commented on what we referred to as the "noise" or "chatter" coming out of Washington regarding the need for an increase in infrastructure spending. It's certainly at an increased volume, and not just from lobbying groups this time. Politicians in the White House and on both sides of the Congressional isle are calling for it. Washington knows the… Keep Reading
Countdown to AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo: Record Breaker
The 2015 AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo has achieved record-breaking exhibit space and exhibitor participation. The co-located AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo and World of Asphalt will be held March 17-19, at the Baltimore Convention Center, in the scenic Inner Harbor area of the city. The two shows target the business and professional development needs of aggregates, asphalt, pavement-maintenance and traffic-safety professionals. More exhibits, more education More than 400 exhibitors will use about 130,000 net sq. ft. of exhibit space for the co-located events. More exhibitors and exhibit space means more of the latest equipment and products to compare side-by-side. Exhibitors include a mix of new and returning companies, from large multinationals with multiple product lines to smaller firms with niche products. There will be 100-plus education sessions held in conjunction with AGG1 and World of Asphalt. Education includes the signature AGG1 Academy from the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (see page 24) and People, Plants and Paving Training Program from the National Asphalt Pavement Association, as well as… Keep Reading
Parks and recreation
When visiting an aggregates operation, I’m always fascinated to hear what plans the owners and managers have for reclamation. Often, it’s nothing more than backfilling, sloping the surface to an acceptable grade and returning the land to a natural state. Many producers take matters a step further by reintroducing vegetation native to the area, stocking ponds with fish and creating an environment to encourage the re-population of native insect and animal life. And some reclamation projects are even more ambitious. Crushed-stone quarries and sand-and-gravel pits have been reclaimed into everything from parks and golf courses to shopping malls and housing developments. One of my favorite end-use stories comes from Kentucky, where a former underground aggregates operation opened this month as a playground for cyclists. The new underground bicycle park with miles of dirt trails and jumps has been built inside an abandoned limestone mine in Louisville. The original underground operation, Louisville Crushed Stone, was operated from the early 1930s to the early 1970s. It was developed by Ralph Rogers, founder… Keep Reading
NSSGA 2015 Annual Convention
In conjunction with AGG1 is the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s (NSSGA) Annual Convention, which takes place March 15-18. It is an opportunity for association members to come together to help plan the group’s strategic direction. This year's convention features two general sessions, each with keynote speakers and panels discussing hot topics for both the aggregates industry and the larger transportation industry. Related links: >David Stillman to present keynote speech at NSSGA convention >NSSGA to recognize Grassroots Award winners at convention Keep Reading
2015 AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo
Baltimore is the site of this year’s AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo. The show will offer more than 130,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space together with World of Asphalt, as well as a full slate of educational sessions. It will be held Tuesday, March 17 through Thursday, March 19, at the Baltimore Convention Center. AGG1 focuses exclusively on the aggregates industry and features in-depth, industry-focused educational programming and comprehensive exhibits that showcase the latest technologies and innovations in aggregates-related equipment, products and services. Show registration information is available at www.agg1.org. Learn more about the show here. Learn more about the show's educational opportunities here. Keep Reading
New NSSGA membership plan for small operations
Good news for smaller aggregate operations. The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) now offers a lower-price membership option for single-location producers with fewer than 10 non-office employees. There are some limitations, as this new "eProducer" membership does not come with voting rights, for instance, but it's an opportunity for producers to benefit from the association in other ways. This includes discounted rates for NSSGA events, an opportunity to participate in the association's Safety Committee and more. And NSSGA benefits, as well. “With greater resources and numbers, NSSGA can do much more to impact the upcoming debate over the soon-to-expire highway trust fund patch and some of the onerous regulations that threaten the industry,” says Alan Parks, vice president, Memphis Stone and Gravel Co., and chairman of NSSGA’s Membership Committee. NSSGA’s “eProducer” membership is offered at an annual rate of $325. To qualify, a company must operate a single facility located in the United States, have fewer than 10 non-office staff and not have been an NSSGA member within… Keep Reading
NSSGA members lobby against EPA water rule
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing its Waters of the United States rule, which the agency says is designed, in part, to reduce confusion about the Clean Water Act. The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) argues that the rule would have an extremely detrimental effect on aggregate producers. The rule, says NSSGA, would redefine navigable waterways, allowing the agency to regulate areas that are dry much of the time, and where there is no clear connection to where people or fish swim. NSSGA President and CEO Mike Johnson told Pit & Quarry that, left unchecked, the rule could make it difficult for many producers to operate. "It could even put some smaller aggregate producers out of business," Johnson added. To make their case to Congress, about a dozen NSSGA members took to Capitol Hill. The goal was to join the many voices speaking out against the rule and asking Congress to force EPA to withdraw it. Johnson said there are a number of things Congress can… Keep Reading
Countdown to AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo: Education
There’s a lot to learn this March in Baltimore for aggregate industry managers and employees. The 2015 AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo’s in-depth educational programming is designed to provide industry professionals with practical, “real-world” knowledge they can use in their business operations and on the jobsite. According to the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), the industry-focused education complements the show’s exhibits of the newest equipment, products and technologies. The co-located AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo and World of Asphalt Show & Conference will be held March 17-19, at the Baltimore Convention Center. One registration fee includes admission to both shows. NSSGA says AGG1 Academy is the one place to go to learn about virtually every aspect of the aggregates industry. Five topic tracks are offered: Operations & Production; Environment, Safety & Health; Business Management; Leadership; and Automation, Technology & Software. Sessions range from 101-level classes to higher-level sessions. For management: The Business Management Track sessions focus on the business of your operation, including understanding business and financial principles… Keep Reading
