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Better throughout: Solving a producer’s crusher problems
New manganese wear parts and other tweaks help solve a Wisconsin producer’s crusher problems. Haas Sons Inc. is an aggregate crushing and washing o–peration in central Wisconsin. Phil Haas and his three brothers, Steve, Darrel and Gary, run their father Dave’s crushed stone, sand and gravel business outside of Chippewa Falls. Dave started the business in Thorp, Wis., in 1963. Today, Haas Sons serves the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, various municipalities and many private contracts. In 2012, Haas Sons purchased A-1 Ready Mix, A-1 Transport and A-1 Materials Inc. A-1 Ready Mix, a 50-year-old business with about 40 employees, operated plants in the Wisconsin towns of Wheaton, Bloomer and Menomonie. Haas Sons’ multiple locations in central Wisconsin produce 1.5 million tons of aggregate from three stationary and two portable plants. Additionally, the company has five ready-mix plants that produce 160,000 cu. yd. of ready mix, year-round. The Haas brothers always work to reduce downtime and increase throughput. Keeping equipment running at its peak requires close attention and quality wear parts.… Keep Reading
Philippi-Hagenbuch gives back
Philippi-Hagenbuch is showing its caring side with a new Pink Tailgate Initiative. With a goal of raising money for breast cancer research and prevention, the company will donate 5 percent of all proceeds from sales of its pink tailgates through to the end of the year. Aggregate producers will pay the same price as a regular tailgate, while the pink color will display to the community the producer's support for cancer causes. Philippi-Hagenbuch is partnering on this initiative with Susan G. Komen, a charitable organization dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. The pink tailgates can be purchased directly from the company or through its off-highway truck dealer. For information, visit www.philsystems.com/philanthropy or call 309-697-9200. To learn more about Susan G. Komen, visit www.komen.org. Keep Reading
In the heat of summer
Mid-July temperatures are baking the usual hot spots in North America. And while a blast of polar air will cool things a bit in the Midwest early this week, the heat will return soon enough. With that in mind, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a Hazard Alert on Heat Illness Prevention. MSHA says overexposure to heat can be a significant problem, especially for workers in jobs that require heavy physical labor in hot or humid environments. Heat stress occurs when a person's internal body temperature is higher than 100º F, and it significantly reduces workers’ performance and can require medical attention. "The best solution to dehydration and heat illness," MSHA says, "is prevention." Some of the risk factors MSHA cites for heat stress: • Heavy and prolonged physical labor. • Hot, humid weather. • Direct sunlight. • Work near hot equipment. … and signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion: • Hot and dry skin. • Confusion or delirium. • Loss of consciousness. To prevent heat stress,… Keep Reading
Ever-increasing demand
In his personal blog, The Gates Notes, Microsoft founder Bill Gates cites some incredible statistics. Perhaps the most amazing is that China has used more cement (much more) in the last three years than the United States used in the entire 20th century. Yes, you read that right. Almost every road in this nation was built in the 1900s, as well as most of the buildings, homes, infrastructure, etc., yet China surpassed our cement consumption in just three years. This statistic and more are from the book, "Making the Modern World: Materials and Dematerialization," by Gates' favorite author, historian Vaclav Smil. Gates points out that as more people join the global middle class, they will need more materials, such as concrete for roads and runways and steel to make cars and refrigerators. "There’s no end in sight to the rising demand for more materials," Gates says. "Even though the richest countries are leveling off, many other countries are catching up." He cites Smil's argument that if the poorest 80 percent… Keep Reading
W.S. Tyler and Kemper Equipment demo
W.S. Tyler and Kemper Equipment held a joint demonstration of the Hydro-Clean material washing system at Mason-Dixon Sand & Gravel's Cecil Plant in Port Deposit, Md. The W.S. Tyler Hydro-Clean uses high-pressure jets in a drum to liberate silt and clay particles from the material being processed. The material then travels through a wash screen for final cleaning. In addition to representatives from W.S. Tyler, Kemper Equipment and Ironclad Marketing, about a dozen aggregate producers attended the event. Pit & Quarry was there, too. The site host was Mason-Dixon Sand & Gravel and parent company York Building Products. Michael Honea, process engineer with W.S. Tyler, and Larry Zamkus, division manager, conducted the demonstrations. Zamkus noted that this demonstration model (smaller than production-size models) is a traveling unit that has made its way to at least a half-dozen sites since ConExpo-ConAgg in March. Photos by Darren Constantino Keep Reading
Hydro-Clean demonstration
W.S. Tyler and Kemper Equipment held a joint demonstration of the Hydro-Clean material washing system at Mason-Dixon Sand & Gravel's Cecil Plant in Port Deposit, Md. The W.S. Tyler Hydro-Clean uses high-pressure jets in a drum to liberate silt and clay particles from the material being processed. The material then travels through a wash screen for final cleaning. In addition to representatives from W.S. Tyler, Kemper Equipment and Ironclad Marketing, about a dozen aggregate producers attended the event. Pit & Quarry was there, too. The site host was Mason-Dixon Sand & Gravel and parent company York Building Products. Michael Honea, process engineer with W.S. Tyler, and Larry Zamkus, division manager, conducted the demonstrations. Zamkus noted that this demonstration model (smaller than production-size models) is a traveling unit that has made its way to six sites since ConExpo-ConAgg in March. Another demonstration of the unit will be held tomorrow, May 22, at R.E. Pierson in Bridgeport, N.J. The Hydro-Clean proved effective at the Maryland demonstration. The unit cannot wash fine material… Keep Reading
Penny for their thoughts
An Indiana newspaper reports that Rogers Group has temporarily withdrawn its bid to operate a quarry near Lafayette, as the company attempts to address the community’s concerns. The story here is an all-too-common one: Rogers Group faces reluctance on the part of citizens to see an aggregates operation in their neighborhood. That is why I read with interest the results of a survey from the Professional Skills Development Institute. The study, The Social and Economic Impacts of Operating Quarries/Pits in Southern Ontario, set out to: • Gain an understanding of what it is like, from the residents’ perspective, to live near an active quarry/pit. • Determine if and how an operating quarry/pit may affect residents’ way of life and their community. • Gain an understanding of how local residents and aggregate producers resolve issues and concerns. The group surveyed residents living within 1,000 meters (just over half a mile) of 10 active operations in Canada – including operations owned by Lafarge, Dufferin Aggregates, Walker Aggregates and others. About 370 surveys… Keep Reading
Labor pains
According to the U.S. Geological Survey and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, there has been about a 5 percent drop in aggregate-industry employment since four years ago. That number is due in part to more streamlined processes and the fact that technology is allowing producers to do more with less. And while new technology offers considerable benefits, including equipment that is more user friendly (requiring less-skilled operators to run it), it is also more complicated to service (requiring better-educated personnel to maintain it). Aggregate producers who attend our annual Pit & Quarry roundtable event consistently tell us that one of the biggest challenges they face is attracting and keeping quality employees. The consensus seems to be that today’s young are going for more glamorous career paths, and pitching the construction and mining trades as rewarding work is a tough sell. Adding to the challenge is the fact that today’s high-tech equipment often requires technicians with more education. One producer even told us that he’s no longer hiring from tech… Keep Reading
Notes about highway funding
In its Q1-2014 Construction Outlook Report, FMI forecasts a modest 1 percent increase in highway and street construction for 2014 to $82.2 billion. The company says, "Public-private-partnerships still hold out hope for projects that can generate revenue from usage fees, but funding from more private investors will not approach the needed amount of infrastructure the country needs to make." FMI notes these facts: • President Obama’s 2015 budget calls for “$199 billion over four years to continue critical investments in highways and includes the creation of a new freight program as well as a new “Fix-it-First” program, which is aimed at repairing structurally deficient bridges. • According to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, “Taking into account changes in wages, materials and inflation, state and local governments awarded $54.3 billion in real highway and bridge contracts between February 2012 and January 2013, compared to $55.8 billion in the same 2011-2012 time period.” • State budgets will continue to be strained, and it will be difficult to get larger projects… Keep Reading
