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Sandvik, Dyno Nobel draw record number to Quarry Academy
Sandvik Construction and Dyno Nobel hosted Quarry Academy 2013, their seventh annual event, in San Antonio from Nov. 12-14. Quarry employees and those who serve the industry participated in the three-day technical course. Their experience included a visit to Martin Marietta Materials' Beckmann Quarry and a featured speaker who focused on safety and leadership. According to Sandvik, the academy addresses best practices in quarry 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. “Our goal is to stress post-recession process improvements,” says Jeff Heinemann, vice president of Sandvik Construction. “It’s a tough situation in today’s market. We want to give attendees the tools to address these issues.” Photo: Sandvik Construction Keep Reading
AED hires president, CEO
Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) named Brian McGuire president and CEO. McGuire will assume his duties Jan. 6, 2014, and be based at AED's headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill. He was most recently the president of the Tooling and Manufacturing Association, headquartered in Park Ridge, Ill. McGuire is only the third AED president and CEO in the last six decades, according to a press release. He will be introduced to AED membership at the 2014 Summit & Condex from Jan. 15-17, 2014, in Houston. Keep Reading
U.S. cement consumption to reach nearly 80 million tons
Growth in U.S. construction markets could be dampened by Congressional drama that erodes consumer confidence and hinders recovery, according to the latest forecast from the Portland Cement Association (PCA). "American consumers love drama. Moreover, Congress knows how to create it, with more on the way when the debt ceiling talks resume early in 2014," says Edward Sullivan, PCA group vice president and chief economist, in a press release. "Each time the political circus on Capitol Hill addresses extensions of the debt limit, budget approvals or the fiscal cliff, it harms the burgeoning economic momentum." PCA expects 2013 cement consumption to reach nearly 80 million metric tons, a 4.5 percent increase over 2012. Consumption levels will reach 86 million metric tons in 2014, an 8.1 percent year-over-year gain. Also, PCA predicts real construction spending to grow 1.3 percent in 2013 and by 8 percent in 2014. Sullivan believes the trough point for roadway construction was reached in 2013. "Improving state finances could provide surpluses by 2015 that states can apply to neglected… Keep Reading
New location for Thompson Pump in Mid-Atlantic
Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Co. Inc. recently moved its Jessup, Md., branch serving the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area into Baltimore. The new branch location is situated on 4.6 acres. According to Thompson Pump, the location includes sufficient office space for its growing staff and ample space for storing and servicing pumps, parts and pumping accessories. Keep Reading
ARTBA forecasts moderate 2014 growth for infrastructure
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) is forecasting that the overall U.S. transportation infrastructure construction market will grow 5 percent from $129 billion this year to $135.8 billion in 2014. Alison Premo Black, ARTBA's chief economist, said the market would be led by expected double-digit growth in airport runway and terminal work, a 6 percent increase in bridge and tunnel construction, and five percent, or better, growth in total investment in waterways and ports, and heavy and light rail. Uncertainty about the level of federal support for state highway programs after next September, however, will continue to depress the road pavement market next year, according to ARTBA. Black forecasts the pavement market will grow to $54.4 billion in 2014, up 2.6 percent nationally. This includes $42.7 billion in public and private investment in highways, roads and streets, and $11.6 billion in largely private investments in parking lots, driveways and related structures. The market, however, will be uneven nationwide, she says. ARTBA forecasts paving work to be up in 19… Keep Reading
Pennsylvania to pump $2.4 billion into its transportation system
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R-Pa.) signed a transportation bill into law that invests an additional $2.3 to $2.4 billion into the state's roads and bridges by the fifth year of the plan, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). The bill will also provide funding for transit systems across the state. By the fifth year of the plan, the transportation package will invest an additional $1.3 billion annually for state roads and bridges; $480 million to $495 million annually for public transportation; $237 million annually for local roads and bridges; $144 million annually in a multi-modal fund; $30 million annually for dirt, gravel and low-volume roadways; and $86 million annually for Pennsylvania Turnpike expansion projects. Partial funding for the new transportation package is being derived from the elimination of the flat 12-cent gas tax and modernizing an outdated transportation financing structure through the uncapping of the wholesale, Oil Company Franchise Tax. According to PennDOT, Pennsylvania law states that revenues from fuel taxes must be directed to highway and bridge-related… Keep Reading
LaHood weighs in on need for federal infrastructure funding
Ray LaHood, former transportation secretary, said on an MSNBC radio show that the federal government is “too afraid” to invest in new infrastructure, according to The Hill. “It’s going to be up to Congress, it’s going to be up to the administration, and the people to decide that they are sick and tired of driving on crumbling roads, bad and dangerous bridges, and riding on 50-year-old transit systems,” LaHood said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “People in Washington are afraid to make these kinds of investments,” he added. LaHood made his comments one day after a train derailment resulted in four deaths and more than 60 injuries in the Bronx, N.Y. Keep Reading
First look at the Aggresand
Terex Washing Systems (TWS) hosted a special dealer and customer event Nov. 21 at Carolina Sunrock's Kittrell (N.C.) Quarry, where the Aggresand system made its North American debut. Also, Powerscreen introduced its Trakpactor 320SR impact crusher, and it showed a three-part system that included a Premiertrak 400 jaw crusher, a 1000 Maxtrak cone crusher and a Warrior 1400X screening plant. The Aggresand, which produces three aggregates and two sands, handles 250 tph and features a 16-cu.-yd. hopper. The conveyor leading from the hopper is angled upward at a 18-degree angle, and a 40-in.-wide belt is designed to offer a good material spread and minimize spillage, according to Gary Stewart, applications and sales support engineer at TWS. The plant's screen is made up of three 16-ft. x 5-ft. decks. According to Stewart, one of the key benefits of the Aggresand is the fact that it ships in six containers. This simplifies setup time, he says. "Everything's set up in Ireland," Stewart says. "Even grease lines are done in Ireland and ready… Keep Reading
Summit Proppants to produce frac sand in Missouri
Summit Proppants was granted a mining permit from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that will allow it to begin mining sand near Farmington, Mo. According to a press release, the oil and gas industry will use the sand as a proppant in hydraulic fracturing. Summit has obtained the rights to mine about 70 acres, and it will build its wet plant on the site. It intends to produce washed sand from the Cambrian LaMotte sandstone. The sand Summit will produce is a 20/50 mesh size, and it has a crush strength that meets all API and ISO specifications. Summit says it will be able to produce sand year-round due to more favorable weather conditions. Keep Reading
