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NSSGA seeks to hire operations and engineering executive
NSSGA is actively searching for a person to fill an operations and engineering executive role. The individual in this position will direct all operations and engineering functions of the organization, as well as provide industry oversight, technical guidance and information dissemination on plant and quarry matters affecting the aggregates industry across the U.S. A Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering, preferably materials, mining or construction management, is required. A minimum of seven years' experience with aggregates production, materials science, industry economics or regulatory compliance is also required. Applicants are asked to provide their salary history and expectations along with a letter of interest and résumé. Applications can be submitted to jobs@nssga.org. They will be accepted through Aug. 20, 2013. Keep Reading
Weather slows Martin Marietta but quarterly net sales still up
Martin Marietta Materials Inc. reported a 4-percent net sales increase Tuesday, when the company released its second-quarter performance results. Pricing growth of all aggregates products and a quarterly net sales record the company's Specialty Products business established drove Martin Marietta's growth. Still, Martin Marietta says wet weather constrained sales in certain regions, particularly in the Midwest and Southeast. The company estimates that precipitation reduced shipment volumes between 1.5 million and 1.7 million tons. “The second-quarter results show our ability to manage through weather-related disruptions, which did not prevent us from performing well," says Ward Nye, president and CEO. "More importantly and for the longer term, we are well positioned to leverage a strengthening business environment for our products. "To that end, we continue to see positive indicators of construction activity, including double-digit growth on a year-to-date basis in the private-sector construction market. Historically, increases in private-sector construction have led to growth in public-sector construction. We anticipate this trend will continue and remain well-positioned to serve these opportunities." The nonresidential market,… Keep Reading
MSHA shares results of June impact inspections
MSHA issued 157 citations, 10 orders and one safeguard during special impact inspections conducted at four metal/nonmetal mines and nine coal mines in June. In metal/nonmetal mines between April 2010 and June 2013, total violations decreased 18 percent; significant and substantial (S&S) violations decreased 37 percent; unwarrantable failure violations decreased 65 percent; and operator-reported lost-time injuries per 200,000 hours worked decreased 26 percent. Keep Reading
Senators press for action on Highway Trust Fund
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, called on Congress to act to preserve 3 million jobs that are reportedly in jeopardy due to funding shortfalls once MAP-21 expires. Boxer held a press conference with Sen. John Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.) and Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) to stress the matter's urgency. According to NSSGA, the senators explain the transportation fiscal cliff the U.S. faces upon MAP-21's expiration in a letter to their colleagues. The three senators also released a state-by-state breakdown of the jobs that would be lost to make their point. “We applaud Chairman Boxer for making the case for Congress to take steps now to assure the future of the Highway Trust Fund before it becomes insolvent in 2015," says Ward Nye, president and CEO of Martin Marietta Materials and NSSGA chairman of the board of directors. "We support the chairman and will continue our grassroots efforts to grow the coalition calling for action.” NSSGA is pushing a similar effort with 19 new members… Keep Reading
Xylem relocates within Virginia
Xylem moved its branch in Chesapeake, Va., to Norfolk, Va. The new location features a larger office and shop with 17,500-combined sq. ft., to better accommodate staff and serve customer needs. The address is more centralized for the local work the company performs, Xylem says. In addition, the new location has a larger yard – at 5.5 acres – for storage of additional inventory such as pumps, HDPE pipe and accessories. Keep Reading
House committee exploring federal gas tax increase
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee discussed increasing the federal gas tax during a hearing about the existing shortfall between incoming and outgoing road and transit funding, according to The Hill. The 18.4-cents-per-gallon federal gas tax, which generates about $35 billion per year, has not risen since 1993. The Hill reports that the last surface transportation bill spent $54 billion per year. Considering the disparity, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members are discussing a variety of potential solutions to address the funding shortfall. Democrat committee members suggested raising the federal gas tax as a solution, but Republicans met the idea with resistance. "We're sitting here talking about a tax increase," said Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.), according to The Hill. "We just had a tax increase on January 1 and we're going to have another tax increase next year with ObamaCare. "I don't think most Americans know what the fuel tax is," he added. "What they know is the price of gas. If we find a way to bring the price… Keep Reading
Obama weighs in on infrastructure issues
President Barack Obama touched on U.S. infrastructure during an economic speech July 24 at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill., pointing out that more than 100,000 bridges are theoretically old enough to qualify for Medicare. "Businesses depend on our transportation systems, our power grids, our communications networks – and rebuilding them creates good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced," Obama said, according to prepared remarks released from the White House. "And yet, as a share of our economy, we invest less in our infrastructure than we did two decades ago. That’s inefficient at a time when it’s as cheap as it’s been since the 1950s." Obama added that infrastructure's needs will only get more expensive the longer the U.S. waits to address them. " The businesses of tomorrow won’t locate near old roads and outdated ports; they’ll relocate to places with high-speed internet; high-tech schools; systems that move air and auto traffic faster, not to mention get parents home to their kids faster," he said. "We can watch that happen in other countries, or we… Keep Reading
SME hires operations director, two others
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) added three associates in Tim Reagan, Michelle Davidson and Rebecca Smith. Reagan joined SME as director of operations and is responsible for the membership, meetings and publications departments. He previously served NSSGA as senior vice president of member services, as well as the Aggregate & Ready Mix Association of Minnesota as executive director. Davidson will serve SME as human resources administrator. She has 26 years of experience as a certified human resources professional, working previously with Digital, Compaq, Hewlett Packard and ADP Total Source PEO Services. Smith assumed the position of Minerals Education Coalition (MEC) curriculum coordinator. She is responsible for creating K-12 curriculum and activities related to minerals and mining. Smith previously was senior earth science educator and visitor programs manager at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Keep Reading
Weir opens facility in Canada
Weir Minerals Canada relocated its service and distribution operation within Fort McMurray, Alberta. Its new 19,000-sq.-ft. facility is in MacKenzie Industrial Park. According to Weir, the facility will support customers in the Athabasca oil sands with a larger presence for customer service and order entry, inventory, and field service operations. The relocation project, which began in April 2012, triples the company's storage and adds two service bays. Weir Minerals Canada will host an open house Sept. 11 to mark the grand opening. The open house coincides with the Oil Sands Trade Show and Conference. Keep Reading
