Author
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
Economist expects recovery to continue into 2013
In a 2013 construction forecast released Dec. 4, ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu predicted nonresidential construction spending to expand 5.2 percent next year, with much of the expansion coming from privately financed projects. “With the elections now behind us, the hope is the White House and Congress will be able to successfully navigate the nation past its fiscal cliff,” Basu says. “If that happens, the latter half of 2013 could be surprisingly good for nonresidential activity given the large volume of construction projects that were put on hold during the course of 2012. However, the baseline forecast calls for only moderate expansion in nonresidential construction spending next year.” According to Basu, rising consumer confidence will lead to a 10 percent expansion in total commercial construction. He also noted the fastest growing major U.S. industry during the last year in terms of absolute job creation was professional and business services, and because many firms in this category use office space, office-related construction spending is expected to rise 10 percent. In addition,… Keep Reading
MSHA, NSSGA reaffirm education, training alliance
MSHA and NSSGA will maintain their now 10-year-old alliance aimed at preventing injuries and illnesses at U.S. aggregates operations. Signed at MSHA’s headquarters on Dec. 7 in Arlington, Va., the agreement calls for the two organizations to work closely together on the promotion of safe working conditions, the development of effective miner training programs and the expansion of mine safety and health outreach and communication. “Although the alliance is precluded from getting into the area of enforcement, the work done in training, leadership and education by way of Safety Alerts, NSSGA’s magazine safety pullouts and quarterly CEO safety newsletters is critical for all aggregates operators," says Louis Griesemer, the alliance's co-chair who's also president and CEO of Springfield Underground Inc. in Springfield, Mo. The agreement calls for the two organizations to work closely together on the promotion of safe working conditions, the development of effective miner training programs and the expansion of mine safety and health outreach and communication. Both groups work to promote a national dialogue on safety and… Keep Reading
Main hails appeals court decision as miner victory
MSHA Assistant Secretary of Labor Joe Main called a U.S. Court of Appeals rejection of a worker discrimination case a resounding victory for miners and their right to identify hazardous conditions that put themselves and others in danger. Main made his comment in reference to a case in which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit rejected an appeal of Cordero Mining LLC. The court affirmed a Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission law judge's earlier decision in which the judge ordered Cordero Mining to reinstate a discharged employee to her former position, compensate her for lost wages and benefits, and remove from her personnel files any references to the discharge. The court also upheld a $40,000 penalty Cordero Mining must pay. The case stems back to May 2010, when a shovel operator with 28 years of experience as a miner filed a complaint with MSHA alleging that Cordero Mining terminated her employment in retaliation for her repeated safety complaints. The miner claimed her unlawful discharge had… Keep Reading
Institutional building increase boosts Dodge Momentum Index
The Dodge Momentum Index, the monthly measure of the first report for nonresidential building projects in planning, held steady in November, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. The index registered a 92.5 in November – an increase relative to October's revised 92.0. The modest gain in the November index was the result of an increase for institutional building, which grew by 1.7 percent in November. The education component of the index was a bit stronger in November, although it's likely to settle back in the coming months as budget constraints linger. The increase in institutional building plans was partially offset by a decline in the commercial component of the index, which in November eased 0.6 percent from October. New development plans for office projects slipped in November, although new plans for store projects rose modestly over the month. After reaching a low point in mid-2011, McGraw-Hill Construction says the Dodge Momentum Index's turnaround has been a slow and hesitant one, with monthly upward movement often followed by a decline. A recovery in… Keep Reading
