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KPI-JCI celebrates 3,000th screen sold
KPI-JCI sold its 3,000th screen, marking nearly $200 million in revenue for the company from screen sales. "We are very proud that our success as an American manufacturer has allowed us to create jobs in Oregon and beyond," says Jeff Elliott, JCI president. "We are also very proud of our employees, who have made this achievement possible through their commitment to continuous improvement and devotion to meeting the needs of the customer." Louis Johnson, who founded ElJay, originally invented triple-shaft horizontal screens in Eugene, Ore., according to KPI-JCI. The horizontal screens were designed primarily to fill a need to perform in the more challenging environmental conditions of the Pacific Northwest. After ElJay closed, JCI began operations in Eugene and was later acquired by Astec Industries. Keep Reading
Six states to benefit from DOT emergency relief funds
The U.S. Department of Transportation is providing $11.5 million in emergency relief funds from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to help six states cover the costs of repairing roads and bridges damaged by a variety of natural disasters in the last year. "Communities across the country are recovering from disasters that have damaged the roads they rely on to get around," says Ray LaHood, secretary of transportation. "We are doing everything we can to reimburse communities for the work they have done to restore highway operations and other transportation needs." The relief funds will reimburse California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Oregon and Washington for repairs made to roads and bridges that were damaged by flooding, hurricanes and other natural disasters. California will receive $3.8 million for costs associated with repairing roads in and around San Mateo County damaged during the heavy rains in December 2012. Florida will receive nearly $2 million for costs associated with repairs to roads and bridges in Martin, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties damaged by Tropical… Keep Reading
Bill proposed to eliminate backlog of deficient bridges
Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) introduced a $5.5 billion bill June 19 to rehabilitate and reconstruct deficient U.S. bridges. The Strengthen and Fortify Existing Bridges Act (SAFE), which provides $2.75 billion in each of the next two years, was crafted in response to multiple catastrophic failures of highway bridges, including the I-35W Bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis and the I-5 Bridge over the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, Wash. “Providing the means for safe and reliable transportation infrastructure is one of the core functions of our government, and this legislation helps fulfill that responsibility," Rahall said, according to The Exponent Telegram of Clarksburg, W.Va. The bill acknowledges that although MAP-21 includes provisions to strengthen the Federal Highway Administration's bridge inspection and inventory standards, it represents a flat overall investment in U.S. highways and highway bridges. If passed, SAFE would give a 50-percent boost to federal-aid highway bridge funding. Keep Reading
Weighing system manufacturer acquired
Trimble has purchased New Zealand-based Actronic Holdings Ltd., which produces the Loadrite weighing system for wheel loaders, excavators and conveyors. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition gives Trimble the opportunity to add weight as an information element that's collected as part of its Connected Site portfolio. Connected Site is an information system that optimizes and integrates operations across worksites and offices, the company says. Keep Reading
Virginia court’s decision goes in Vulcan’s favor
A Virginia judge sided earlier this month with Vulcan Materials Co., which can now proceed with a mining operation in Caroline County. According to the Free Lance-Star of Fredericksburg, Va., it is unclear when Vulcan will begin operations in Caroline County. Justice LeRoy Millette Jr. of the Supreme Court of Virginia affirmed a 2012 ruling to give Vulcan a special-exception permit to mine sand and gravel on the property. The Free Lance-Star writes that Millette affirmed Circuit Judge Joseph Ellis' ruling that a group of concerned citizens and Friends of the Rappahannock did not have legal standing to contest a 2011 decision to grant the permit. Keep Reading
NSSGA names new president, CEO
NSSGA has named Mike Johnson, currently the executive vice president and chief advocacy officer of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA), its new president and CEO. Gus Edwards, who has served NSSGA as president and CEO since Joy Pinniger announced her retirement in October 2012, is retiring. Edwards served NSSGA for more than 16 years. Johnson, who will take over Aug. 1, joined NBWA in 2006. According to NSSGA, he has been instrumental in the development and advancement of that association's advocacy agenda. “NSSGA is very fortunate to have Mike Johnson coming on board at this critical time," says Ward Nye, chairman of the NSSGA board of directors and president and CEO of Martin Marietta Materials. "He’s a proven leader with a wealth of experience that will serve our membership well as the aggregates industry negotiates its way through a sluggish national economy and the upcoming surface transportation program reauthorization." Johnson has some experience in the construction industry, having spent nearly five years with the National Association of Home Builders.… Keep Reading
Atlas Copco introduces reverse circulation kit for blasthole drills
Atlas Copco expanded its blasthole product offerings with the addition of a reverse circulation kit for the DM45/50 mid-range blasthole drill. According to Atlas Copco, the RC kit offers the added dimension of in-pit grade control. A number of components are included with the optional kit, which can be retrofitted on drills currently in the field. A cyclone arm allows for sampling from the ground or platform level, with a vertical raise and lowering function. A cyclone rotation of 160 degrees provides safe access for cleaning, maintenance and attaching new sample hoses from ground level. Some of the features of the cyclone assembly are a hydraulic upper-knife valve and pneumatic lower-knife valve for collecting and isolating the sample; a hydraulic hinge between the dump box and cone splitter that allows for easy cleaning, Atlas Copco says; and a fixed cone splitter with primary and duplicate sample chutes. A 66-liter dump box, with a steep cone for limiting sample hang-up, is part of the sample collection feature. The primary and duplicate… Keep Reading
Sany America names excavator dealer for Alaska
Totem Equipment & Supply has been named the first Sany America excavator dealer in Alaska, representing Sany in Anchorage. Cliff Huston founded Totem Equipment & Supply in 1961 with his wife and business partner Allie Huston. Today, owner Mike Huston guides the company as an equipment distributor and rental company. Sany America’s excavator offerings include the 7.5-ton SY75C, the 13.5-ton SY135C, the 21.5-ton SY215C and the 23.5-ton SY235C. Additional models will be introduced in North America in the coming year, the company says. Keep Reading
Next ISEE conference in Denver
The International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) will hold its 40th annual conference on explosives and blasting technique Feb. 9-12, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. According to ISEE, as many as 1,600 blasters, manufacturers, government officials and suppliers are expected to gather for the conference from around the world. As in past years, the 2014 program will include exhibits, technical sessions, panel discussions and educational workshops. Organizations are invited to showcase their latest technology, equipment, design, products and services. Keep Reading
