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Azfab expands coverage in Mid-Atlantic, Northeast
Azfab has named Pennsylvania-based Mellott Co. its newest distributor. The Mellott Co. will cover seven states for Azfab, including North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York. As part of the partnership, the Mellott Co. will now offer Azfab's line of hydro-cyclones, dewatering screens, thickeners, plate and frame presses, and belt filter presses. Keep Reading
Sany America names excavator service manager
Bobby Oldham has been named excavator service manager for Sany America. He will be responsible for warranty administration, service and warranty policies for the earthmoving group, dealer standards and measurable metrics for distribution channels. Oldham spent the past eight years as a service manager for a Komatsu dealer in Georgia and Oklahoma. He previously worked as a service manager for Ingersoll Rand Co. Keep Reading
USGS says dredge mining a cause for California beach erosion
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that dredge mining of shoals near Angel and Alcatraz islands and throughout Suisun Bay is robbing the bay of sand that keeps San Francisco's Ocean Beach from eroding, according to new research by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). USGS, in fact, says one particular 10-mile stretch is eroding faster than any other section of California. The erosion is partly due to sand mining, USGS says. In October, the California State Lands Commission granted a dozen 10-year sand-dredging leases – nine in the central bay and three in Suisun Bay – to two companies: Hanson Marine Operations and Jerico Products. A nonprofit environmental group, San Francisco Baykeeper, countered with a lawsuit in November, claiming the project's environmental impact report didn't properly assess the effects of mining activity on coastal erosion. Keep Reading
Schneider Electric, Kaman come to terms on distribution
Schneider Electric, a specialist in energy management, has entered into a national distributor agreement with Kaman Industrial Technologies Corp (KIT). As part of the agreement, Schneider Electric will become KIT’s primary line of AC drives, sensors, low-voltage controls and automation. The deal also authorizes the sale of Schneider Electric programmable logic controllers (PLCs), human machine interfaces (HMIs) and signaling equipment. KIT will begin stocking these products at more than 200 locations throughout the United States in the first quarter of 2013. Keep Reading
Vulcan Materials hosts Chinese delegation
Vulcan Materials Co. hosted visitors from China in October at its quarry in McCook, Ill., sharing best-practice strategies for aggregates mining and production. A delegation of Chinese government officials visited as part of a program the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) developed. The delegation visited Vulcan's McCook Quarry for a firsthand look at how the company deploys technology and engineering to produce construction aggregates in a safe and socially responsible manner. “I like to consider it a humanitarian effort,” says Carl Vizza, director of professional learning programs at IIT. “It’s important to lead by example, because in their country, reform will have to come from within.” Keep Reading
Holcim employees mark company’s centennial with service
Employees at Holcim's Portland facility in Colorado are participating in a yearlong community service initiative to mark the 100th anniversary of the parent company. Employees have participated in several community events throughout the year as part of the Together for Communities initiative. In March, for example, employees gathered at a park on two occasions to help install drainage systems, lay sod and plant 10 pine trees, along with other plants. Employees also landscaped a museum, where employees assisted in the construction of an outdoor storage shed and cleaned up the grounds. “Our employees at the Portland facility have shown great dedication in their response to Together for Communities,” says Sergio Martinez-Hernandez, plant manager of the Holcim Portland plant. “They have planned projects that target education, the environment and the community." Keep Reading
Construction project delays not uncommon
Eighty-three percent of construction owners are reporting project delays and 41 percent are reporting project cancellations, according to FMI's Construction Users Roundtable (CURT). Also, 93 percent of owners report having to self-fund projects. The roundtable is made up of U.S. construction owners who, according to FMI, represent nearly $200 billion in capital and maintenance power. FMI surveyed 45 CURT members. Keep Reading
JJB Silverhawk buys two San Diego area quarries
JJB Silverhawk LP has purchased two Southern California quarries from McGrath Jamacha Road LLC and McGrath Willow LLC for undisclosed amounts. The quarries, located northeast of San Diego in the cities of El Cajon and Lakeside, had been family-owned since the 1940s. The El Cajon quarry is a 65-acre granite pit that will continue to be mined for crushed rock, rip rap, aggregate base and manufactured sand. Operating equipment, including rolling stock and processing plants, were included in the sale. The Lakeside quarry spans nearly 22 acres and will be mined for sand products. JJB Silverhawk is closely related to Superior Ready Mix LP, an Escondido, Calif.-based company. Keep Reading
ARTBA predicts US construction infrastructure growth
The American Road & Transportation Builders Association’s (ARTBA) annual forecast suggests that the U.S. transportation construction infrastructure market will show modest growth in 2013. According to ARTBA’s forecast, this segment will increase 3 percent to $130.5 billion in 2013. The association’s chief economist, Alison Premo Black, says growth is expected in highway and street pavements, private work for driveways and parking lots, as well as airport terminal and runways. But ARTBA predicts the bridge market, which has shown substantial growth over the last 10 years, to remain flat in 2013. According to Black, the pavements market will be sluggish in 2013, growing 2.8 percent to $58.4 billion. This includes $47.7 billion in public and private investments in highways, roads and streets, and $10.7 billion in largely private investments in parking lots, driveways and related structures. ARTBA anticipates pavement work to be down in 25 states. Growth above a 5-percent range is expected in 19 states. Still, according to Black, there are at least two developments that could lead to additional… Keep Reading
