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NSSGA names 2013 award winners
The Stars of Excellence and Gold Awards in various categories will be presented at NSSGA’s 2013 Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, at the Grand Hyatt on Monday, March 18. NSSGA Two Stars of Excellence recipient winners for 2013 are Cemex's Center Hill Quarry in Center Hill, Fla.; Granite Construction Co.'s Cottonwood facility in Salt Lake City; and Rogers Group's Lacey's Spring Quarry in Lacey's Spring, Ala. Three Safety Excellence Award winners will also be honored. Tilcon Connecticut Inc.'s Southington Sand & Gravel, located in Southington, Conn., is being recognized in the small producer category. Vulcan Materials Co.'s Cleveland Quarry in Cleveland, Tenn., is the award recipient among medium-sized producers. Martin Marietta Materials' Kentucky Avenue Mine in Carmel, Ind., is the recipient in the large producer category. Three Sterling Safety Award winners will also be recognized in three categories. The award recipient among small producers is Iddings Quarry Inc. in Mifflinburg, Pa. VantaCore Partners in Philadelphia is the award winner among medium-sized producers, and Rogers Group in Nashville, Tenn., is… Keep Reading
NSSGA tabs San Antonio Spurs GM as keynote speaker
R.C. Buford, general manager of the San Antonio Spurs, will deliver the keynote address March 20 at NSSGA's Annual Convention in San Antonio. The address will be given in Ballroom C 3 at the Gonzalez Convention Center. Buford will discuss running one of the NBA's most successful franchises and address how companies should look at their people as both employees and key investments. Keep Reading
Vulcan quarry sold in Wisconsin
The Birmingham Business Journal reports that Vulcan Materials Co. has sold its quarry in Oshkosh, Wis., which closed last month. P&Q North Kosh LLC purchased the quarry. Michaels Materials will operate the facility. Keep Reading
King launches used dredge company in Tennessee
A new company that buys, refurbishes and sells dredges recently launched in Nashville, Tenn. Don King, who has built a 50-plus-year career around dredges, established Dredge Central LLC. James Morris, who's worked with King for more than 35 years, will serve as the company's general manager. Bobby King joins the company as parts and purchasing manager, and Rick King, Don's son, is manager. Keep Reading
Dodge Momentum Index at highest mark in two-plus years
The Dodge Momentum Index rose for the second straight month in January, climbing 2.7 percent to 97.6 and providing some optimism for the nonresidential building segment. The index is a monthly measure of the first report for nonresidential building projects in planning, and the 97.6 mark is the index's highest reading since mid-2010. According to McGraw-Hill Construction, which calculates the Dodge Momentum Index, January's increase was the result of stronger activity for both its commercial and institutional segments. The institutional segment, in fact, climbed 3.1 percent in the month, driven by a surge in new hospital projects entering the planning phase. A 2.3 percent gain in the commercial segment, meanwhile, reflects an uptick in plans for new offices and stores, including a Chevron office complex in Texas and a mixed-use tower in San Francisco. Keep Reading
Thompson Pump names dealer in three Midwestern states
Thompson Pump and Manufacturing Co. Inc. has appointed KM Specialty Pumps & Systems as regional sales, rental and service representatives for Thompson Pump products in parts of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. KM Specialty is headquartered in Chandler, Ind. Keep Reading
Sany getting involved in NASCAR
Sany America is partnering with Tommy Baldwin Racing to serve as the primary sponsor of driver Dave Blaney’s No. 7 Chevrolet SS for 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, and as the associate partner for 22 races. The No. 7 Sany car features a large rendition of the Sany logo on the hood and the word "Sany" emblazoned in red on the rear sides, trunk and roof. Keep Reading
Mining deaths in 2012 second lowest on record
Preliminary data released Jan. 31 from MSHA indicates that mining fatality rates reached an all-time low for the second straight year in 2012. Fatality rates are calculated based on the number of mining deaths per 200,000 hours worked. Thirty-six miners, including 17 in metal/nonmetal mines, died in work-related accidents at U.S. mines last year. The 36 represents the second-lowest annual fatality total on record and is one more than the historic low of 35 deaths that occurred in 2009. Three of the 17 miners killed at metal/nonmetal mines had less than one year of experience at the mine. Five miners had less than one year of experience at the job or task they were performing. Seven miners died in West Virginia, five in Kentucky, three each in New York and Alabama, two each in Montana and Florida, and one each in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia. The leading cause of all miner deaths was powered haulage, which claimed the… Keep Reading
NSSGA chairman’s event, Hall of Fame ceremony are March 17
NSSGA is hosting its 2013 Chairman's Welcome Reception on March 17 from 6 to 7 p.m. in San Antonio. The event, for which Pit & Quarry is the sponsor, will take place at the Grand Hyatt. It precedes the inaugural Pit & Quarry Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which starts at 7 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt. Those interested in attending the Chairman's Welcome Reception can register at http://convention.nssga.org/registration. Tickets for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony are available here. Keep Reading
