Author
Companies announce aggregates seminar
General Equipment & Supplies Inc. and General Aggregate Equipment Sales expect about 300 attendees at their third Aggregate Seminar. The two-day event will be held March 5-6, at the Holiday Inn in Fargo, N.D. Attendees from the Midwest and Canada will choose from 18 educational training sessions presented by manufacturer representatives. The event also includes a large outdoor equipment display. “This event will offer educational seminars, covering the latest in industry trends, while giving our regional aggregate producers optimal networking opportunities,” said Jerry Kern, a General Equipment vice president. For more information, visit www.genequip.com. Keep Reading
Transportation Secretary LaHood leaving administration
Secretary Ray LaHood announced to the employees of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) that after serving for four years in President Obama’s Cabinet, he will not be staying on for the second term. LaHood sent an email to DOT employees across the country, which included the following information: “I have let President Obama know that I will not serve a second term as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the Department, and I am grateful to President Obama for giving me such an extraordinary opportunity. I plan to stay on until my successor is confirmed to ensure a smooth transition for the Department and all the important work we still have to do. As I look back on the past four years, I am proud of what we have accomplished together in so many important areas. But what I am most proud of is the DOT team. You exemplify the best of public service, and I truly appreciate… Keep Reading
NSSGA announces safety, environmental, community-relations awards
The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) announced the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners of its Safety, Environmental and Community Relations Excellence Awards, in addition to its top honor -- The Stars of Excellence for operations that accumulate multiple gold awards over a five-year period. The awards program recognizes aggregates operations throughout the United States and Canada for their extraordinary commitment to safety, for their superior performance as environmental stewards and for their community involvement and support activities that have enhanced the image of the aggregates industry during 2011-2012. The Stars of Excellence and all Gold Awards in each category will be presented at NSSGA’s 2013 Annual Convention in San Antonio, at the Grand Hyatt on Mon., March 18. Two Stars of Excellence recipients • Center Hill Quarry, Cemex, Center Hill, Fla. • Cottonwood Facility, Granite Construction, Salt Lake City • Lacey's Spring Quarry, Rogers Group, Inc., Lacey's Spring, Ala. Safety Excellence Gold Awards • Tilcon Connecticut Inc., Southington Sand & Gravel, Small,Southington, Conn. • Vulcan Materials Co., Cleveland Quarry,… Keep Reading
McLanahan Corp. finalizes Eagle Iron Works acquisition
Speculated to have been in the works for some time, McLanahan Corp. has finalized its acquisition of Eagle Iron Works and formed a new company -- EIW, LLC. While no official announcement has yet been made, a letter from McLanahan President & COO George Sidney to the company's customers reads: "[EIW] will remain in Des Moines, Iowa and will maintain its own identity in the market. EIW, LLC will continue to offer Eagle Iron Works equipment, supply parts and manage its sales efforts through a coordinated system of EIW, LLC dealers. More information will be forthcoming over the next few months." EIW manufactures washing and classifying equipment, and will display 3D models of its offerings at the AGG1 show this March in San Antonio. No details of the deal have been announced, but the Des Moines Register reports that Eagle Iron Works had a liquidation value of $7.12 million at the end of 2010. This marks the first time in its history that the company has not been owned by… Keep Reading
The right time for lost time
When traveling to pits and quarries in North America, it's common to be greeted with a sign touting the site's safety record -- "X number of consecutive days without a lost-time injury." The same pride is often on display at factories where equipment for our industry is manufactured. There is no doubt that the aggregates and manufacturing industries are safer places to work than in years past. Recognition for superior safety records is given out by the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, as well as many state associations. The Sterling Safety Award and the James M. Christie Safety and Health Professional Award are an honor for the companies and individuals who receive them. Such awards are just a small part of the motivation for maintaining a safe workplace. Most producers I talk with take great pride in it. With that in mind, producers should also do what it takes to keep employees safe from the flu and other contagious illnesses. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports… Keep Reading
What’s ahead?
What can we expect for the aggregates industry in 2013? Assuming both sides in Washington are able to compromise and avoid the fiscal cliff (a big assumption, I know), the year ahead looks to be a gradual move in the right direction. In the fall, Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc in the eastern United States, and the rebuilding process will be a jump start to construction work and employment in New York, New Jersey and other hard-hit areas. Bloomberg News says reconstruction work and hiring related to the superstorm could range from $140 billion to $240 billion and increase U.S. economic growth by 0.5 percent. The report says most of the reconstruction will begin in early 2013, and the economic benefits from housing construction will take place over several years. For the nation as a whole, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association projects that the U.S. transportation construction infrastructure market is expected to show modest growth in 2013, increasing three percent from $126.5 billion to $130.3 billion. Helping it along… Keep Reading
What’s ahead?
What can we expect for the aggregates industry in 2013? Assuming both sides in Washington are able to compromise and avoid the fiscal cliff (a big assumption, I know), the year ahead looks to be a gradual move in the right direction. In the fall, Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc in the eastern United States, and the rebuilding process will be a jump start to construction work and employment in New York, New Jersey and other hard-hit areas. Bloomberg News says reconstruction work and hiring related to the superstorm could range from $140 billion to $240 billion and increase U.S. economic growth by 0.5 percent. The report says most of the reconstruction will begin in early 2013, and the economic benefits from housing construction will take place over several years. For the nation as a whole, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association projects that the U.S. transportation construction infrastructure market is expected to show modest growth in 2013, increasing three percent from $126.5 billion to $130.3 billion. Helping it along… Keep Reading
What’s ahead?
What can we expect for the aggregates industry in 2013? Assuming both sides in Washington are able to compromise and avoid the fiscal cliff (a big assumption, I know), the year ahead looks to be a gradual move in the right direction. In the fall, Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc in the eastern United States, and the rebuilding process will be a jump start to construction work and employment in New York, New Jersey and other hard-hit areas. Bloomberg News says reconstruction work and hiring related to the superstorm could range from $140 billion to $240 billion and increase U.S. economic growth by 0.5 percent. The report says most of the reconstruction will begin in early 2013, and the economic benefits from housing construction will take place over several years. For the nation as a whole, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association projects that the U.S. transportation construction infrastructure market is expected to show modest growth in 2013, increasing three percent from $126.5 billion to $130.3 billion. Helping it along… Keep Reading
Quarry Academy a success in San Antonio
Sandvik and Dyno Nobel teamed up to host their annual Quarry Academy event last week in San Antonio. More than 90 attendees listened to experts discuss drilling, blasting, loading, hauling, screening and crushing. Held at the Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel, the three-day academy also included a quarry tour and time on equipment simulators. Jeff Heinemann of Sandvik and E.J. Burke of Dyno Nobel kicked off the event with opening remarks, followed by Jim Caldwell of Southwest Research Institute, who discussed "Lean Thinking Applied to the Quarry Process." In total, there were 92 participants and 35 representatives from Sandvik, Dyno Nobel and Volvo, including 20 instructors -- and Pit & Quarry was there, too. Participants used electronic devices at their seats to provide speakers with feedback. The technical courses addressed current best practices in unit operations with a focus on systems integration, economic sustainability, process improvement, cost reduction and the use of practical safety as a part of daily work behavior. Quarry tour and keynote One highlight of the… Keep Reading
