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MSHA releases results of January impact inspections
Federal inspectors issued 253 citations, orders and safeguards during special impact inspections conducted at 12 coal mines and four metal/nonmetal mines in January, MSHA announced. The coal mines were issued 171 citations, 15 orders and two safeguards, while the metal/nonmetal operations were issued 64 citations and one order. These inspections, which began in force in April 2010 following the explosion at the Upper Big Branch Mine, involve mines that merit increased agency attention and enforcement due to their poor compliance history or particular compliance concerns. Since April 2010, MSHA has conducted 403 impact inspections, which have resulted in 7,162 citations, 718 orders and 26 safeguards. Keep Reading
MSHA reports reduction in penalties on aggregate producers
According to MSHA data and reported by NSSGA, penalty assessments imposed on aggregate producers in 2011 declined by 18 percent, to $16.9 million from $20.6 million in the previous year, while citations and orders declined by the same amount. While a number of NSSGA members say they noticed a slight reduction in citations and assessments last year, it seems just as many reported no difference in MSHA enforcement actions, the association noted. While NSSGA said it appreciates the reduction, the level of assessments is still about 50 percent more than the 2007 level of just more than $11 million. Keep Reading
Pit & Quarry to report daily news, buzz from AGG1
The AGG1 Aggregates Forum & Expo kicks off Tuesday, March 13 in Charlotte, N.C., and Pit & Quarry will be there to provide the latest information from the trade show floor as it happens. E-newsletter subscribers will receive updates on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from the Charlotte Convention Center. Editors will report the latest buzz from the event, technology on display and news from NSSGA's annual convention. AGG1 runs March 13-15 and is co-located with World of Asphalt. Keep Reading
NSSGA president weds, becomes Joy Pinniger
Joy Wilson is now known as Joy Pinniger after the president and CEO of the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association was married in February, the association announced. Keep Reading
Eriez announces three hires in sales department
Craig Lorei, Christopher Ramsdell and Jayne Corey joined the Eriez team as technical sales representatives, the company announced. Lorei was formerly employed as a business development specialist at Alliance Plastics. While earning his undergraduate degree, he worked as an intern in Eriez’s marketing communications department. Ramsdell comes to Eriez from KD Industries, where he was involved in inside sales, sales support and purchasing. Prior to joining Eriez, Corey ran her own interior design company, worked in a family-owned civil engineering business and was employed in the industrial engineering department at Murata Electronics. Keep Reading
Atlas Copco Construction Service Division now operational
Atlas Copco’s Construction Service Division for its newly formed Construction Technique business unit is a more focused service organization serving the construction, demolition and road construction industries, according to the company. The company believes this new focus will allow Atlas Copco Construction Service to be more responsive, agile and customer-centric. In addition to a 24-hour tech support hotline and 14 existing Atlas Copco stores from coast to coast, the new division has opened five ISO 18001 certified refurbishment and service centers: in Santa Ana, Calif.; LaPorte, Texas; Independence, Ohio; Covington, Ga.; and a satellite hydraulic attachment shop in San Antonio. All offer refurbishment, repair service and field service, and are staffed with factory-trained technicians. The new division also will offer service training to customers and dealers. Keep Reading
Talbert Manufacturing to feature custom trailers show
Talbert Manufacturing, manufacturer of heavy-haul, specialized and custom-built trailers, is featuring two custom trailer models in Booth 13136 of the 2012 Mid-America Trucking Show, set for March 22-24 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. Attendees will view the Talbert 2+3+2 65-ton HRG East Coast trailer with a tandem-axle jeep dolly (pictured above) and the Talbert 35-ton SRG double drop trailer. The Talbert 2+3+2 65-ton hydraulic removable gooseneck East Coast trailer features a gooseneck and flip extension to accommodate a tandem-axle jeep dolly. The unit is designed with the ability to add a tag- or pin-on axle to the jeep to allow a 3+3+2 axle configuration. Operators without a four-axle tractor can access the optional pin-on axle for the jeep to maintain axles that remain legal to scale the payload. Featuring 60-in. axle spacing, as well as an airlift on axle three and a chain lift on axles one, two, four and five, the trailer is also capable of running with three, four or five axles in a row without… Keep Reading
John Deere outlines way to meet emissions regulations
John Deere announced the continuation of its planned building-block approach to meet U.S. Final Tier 4 and European Union Stage IV emissions regulations. Final Tier 4/Stage IV regulations for off-highway diesel engines begin as early as 2013 for engines 74 hp and below. Regulatory dates for engines 75 hp and above will be implemented in stages starting in 2014 and 2015, and require particulate matter levels established by Interim Tier 4/Stage III B regulations to be maintained while requiring an additional 80 percent reduction in nitrogen oxides from previous regulations. To meet Final Tier 4/Stage IV emissions regulations in some power categories, John Deere developed the Integrated Emissions Control system – an optimized aftertreatment solution paired with the performance-enhanced, fuel-efficient Interim Tier 4/Stage III B engine platform, featuring cooled exhaust gas recirculation. The system will typically consist of a diesel oxidation catalyst, diesel particulate filter and a selective catalytic reduction system designed to meet the demands of off-highway applications. The company said it will continue to tailor its system configurations to… Keep Reading
Vulcan, Martin Marietta await arguments in takeover trial
Vulcan Materials and Martin Marietta Materials completed four days of a trial in Wilmington, Del., arguing Martin Marietta's hostile takeover attempt of Vulcan. According to reports, Judge Leo Strine Jr. asked lawyers for post-trial briefings before final arguments are held during the week of March 29. The case centers on Martin Marietta’s December hostile takeover attempt of Vulcan, in which it sought to combine the companies in an all-stock deal and create a global aggregates leader. Vulcan rejected the offer, claiming Martin Marietta used confidential information in the takeover attempt. Keep Reading
