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Breaking Industry News
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by , Senior Editor
2004 News Archive
Dec. 29, 2006 NSSGA new, re-elected directors named The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NNSGA) has announced the newly elected and re-elected members of the NSSGA Board of Directors and an election to the NSGA Executive Committee. These individuals were unanimously elected by the NSSGA membership. Board members will either fill a vacancy or begin to serve a three-year term beginning with Board of Directors meeting on March 2 during the 2007 Annual Convention in San Francisco, and conclude three years later before the board meeting at the annual convention in 2010. Those elected to a three-year term are the following:
Several board members were elected to first fill vacancies of existing terms. They are the following:
These individuals are now officially serving on the board, filling unexpired vacancies in the 2006 year class, and were also elected to begin their first full (three-year) term on the same day their 2006 term concludes (March 2). They will be eligible for an additional full three year-term thereafter. Joe Salvon, John S. Lane & Son, Inc., Westfield, Mass. and Dianna Saraf, Dan Gernatt Gravel Products, Inc., Collins, N.Y., were elected to fill unexpired terms in the 2008 year class (which concludes just before the Board meeting in 2009). They also are now voting members of the current Board of Directors and will be eligible to be elected for two full three-year consecutive terms beginning in 2009. C. Howard Nye, Martin Marietta Materials, Raleigh, N.C., has been elected to fill an unexpired term on the Executive Committee of NSSGA. He is now a voting member of the current Board of Directors through the 2007 Annual Convention and will be eligible to be elected to three more consecutive one-year terms on the executive committee thereafter. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association e-Digest) Dec. 27, 2006 Vulcan Materials makes management changes Vulcan Materials Co., based in Birmingham, Ala., announced that effective Feb. 1, G. M. (Mac) Badgett, III, will serve as senior vice president, Construction Materials Group, with responsibilities for the group’s key support functions, including marketing, procurement, safety, health, environmental, technical, geological, and operations and engineering services. He will also serve as senior advisor to all of the company’s Construction Materials divisions, and will promote the sharing of best practices among the divisions. Badgett succeeds James W. Smack, who will retire. Ronald G. McAbee, currently president of the company’s Western Division, has been named senior vice president, West. Danny R. Shepherd has been named senior vice president, East. McAbee will oversee the management of Vulcan’s Western, Midsouth and Midwest Divisions while Shepherd will oversee management of the company’s Mideast, Southeast, Southern-Gulf Coast, and Southwest Divisions. Alan D. Wessel has been named president of Vulcan’s Western Division. Michael R. Mills has been named president of the company’s Southeast Division. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association e-Digest e-newsletter, Dec. 19, 2006, edition) Dec. 27, 2006 NSSGA to launch new newsletter The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) plans to launch a new e-newsletter next month that will combine the organization’s e-Digest and Washington Watch electronic newsletters. The new weekly e-newsletter will combine content from both of the existing e-newsletters and is slated to debut Jan. 16, according to NSSGA. Dec. 22, 2006 Vulcan Materials CFO Exercises Options The CFO of Birmingham, Ala.-based Vulcan Materials Co. exercised options for 4,875 shares of common stock, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing Dec. 19. In a Form 4 filed with the SEC, Daniel F. Sansone reported he exercised the shares Friday for $21.31 apiece and then sold them the same day for $91.68 apiece. Insiders file Form 4s with the SEC to report transactions in their companies’'shares. Open market purchases and sales must be reported within two business days of the transaction. (Source: Aggregate Research Industries, Dec. 21, 2006) Dec. 21, 2006 Democrats FY'07 spending plan puts highway funds at risk For the first time in almost 20 years, Congress will finance most of the federal government's activities for FY'07 by using a year-long funding resolution. Incoming Senate and House Appropriations Committee Chairmen Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) and Rep. David Obey (D-Wisc.) announced they intend to pass a joint resolution excluding earmarks that would freeze transportation funding at FY'06 levels. The Democratic proposal would threaten the increased funding levels included in both the House and Senate FY'07 Transportation Appropriations bills. The cuts would include about $3.4 billion for the federal-aid highway programs if reduced from the FY'07 proposed funding level of $39.1 billion. The FY'07 earmark figure was expected to be around $34 billion in transportation projects. The level of FY'06 spending, which included about $29 billion in earmarks, is the basis for the continuing resolution in effect that expires Feb. 15 and presumably would be the starting point for the joint resolution. The congressional Appropriations leaders left open the possibility of adjustments to programs, but it is unclear what "limited adjustments" means. NSSGA and its coalition partners continue to remind Congressional players that surface transportation funds are guaranteed, firewalled, and paid for through user fees and thus are deficit neutral. NSSGA will continue to press for inclusion of the FY'07 funding level of $39.1 billion in the year-long joint resolution. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association eDigest e-newsletter) Dec. 20, 2006 USGS releases report on rock and soil in El Dorado Hills, Calif. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released an independent analysis of rock and soil in El Dorado Hills, Calif. on Dec. 20. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requested the USGS analysis to answer mineralogical questions related to EPA’s October 2004 assessment of exposures to naturally occurring asbestos during sports and play activities in El Dorado Hills. The report, titled Mineralogy and Morphology of Ampiboles Observed in Soils and Rocks in El Dorado Hills, California, is available online at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1362 . “This study contributes important information to the scientific understanding of naturally occurring asbestos,” says Daniel Meer, chief of the Response, Planning, and Assessment Branch in the Superfund Division of the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “The EPA continues to advise that a common sense approach to controlling exposure to dust in naturally occurring asbestos areas is a prudent course of action for California counties with naturally occurring asbestos deposits and for residents of those areas. Reducing exposures reduces the risk of developing asbestos-related disease.” The USGS collected samples of rock, soil, and settled dust residue in the areas of El Dorado Hills where the EPA assessment was conducted. Selected air samples from the EPA 2004 effort were also examined. The samples were analyzed using a number of sophisticated test methods to determine the chemistry, mineral composition and mineral form of the amphibole asbestos structures detected. The USGS report provides further geological characterization to augment the exposure data collected by the EPA. The USGS study documents the presence of respirable amphibole structures, including actinolite and tremolite, in soil and settled dust samples. The EPA’s report titled Preliminary Assessment and Site Inspection Report is available online at www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/noa/eldorado/index.html . More information on Naturally Occurring Asbestos in California can be found at www.epa.gov/region09/toxic/noa/index.html. (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Dec. 18, 2006 AP Interview: MSHA chief says Sago answers lacking MORGANTOWN, W.Va.—The federal government won’t recommend changes in the way coal companies deal with electrical storms or seals on mined-out areas until its own report on the Sago Mine disaster is completed sometime next year, the nation’s top mine safety official said Wednesday. Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) chief Richard Stickler said his agency’s report may take longer than the state’s, but it will be the definitive document on the January tragedy that killed 12 men and will answer questions that, so far, no one else has. Stickler, who met with The Associated Press at MSHA’s Morgantown office, said he wants to deliver the report and a thorough presentation to the families of the Sago victims during the first quarter of 2007, but he won’t rush the investigation. “I think it’s more important to have a quality investigation, however much time it takes,” said Stickler, who headed Pennsylvania’s mine safety office from 1997 to 2003. “Sago is a very complicated accident investigation. We’re really trying to figure out what part lightning played and if lightning did play a part, how did that happen?” he said. “There’s a lot of things we don’t understand at this point.” A state report given to families earlier this week ruled out all possible causes for the Jan. 2 methane gas explosion except lightning, but investigators said they could not determine the route the electrical current took into the sealed-off, underground section. When the families became frustrated with the lack of answers, the state canceled the public release of the document and said it would prepare a new presentation. A spokeswoman for the Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training initially told reporters parts of the report could be rewritten, but agency Director Ron Wooten later said his team would only review the report “to attempt to answer the questions.” Stickler indicated a partial answer on the cause from his team would not be acceptable. “If it was lightning, how did it get in the mine? If you don’t know that, you don’t know how to keep it out, do you?” he said. “There’s questions there we need the answers to.” But MSHA is not looking only at lightning. Stickler said he spoke recently with the investigation team and demanded they assemble the world’s top experts in every field they want to explore. That includes computer-modeling specialists with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who will study explosive forces and a theory called “pressure piling” that questions whether the geometry of openings in the mine could have created blast forces higher than regulators might have expected. MSHA must “accurately determine all the root causes and how they interacted,” he said. The United Mine Workers doubts the lightning theory but said this week that if investigators believe it’s the cause behind Sago, the state should draft regulations requiring evacuation when storms approach. Coal companies prefer options that would not stop production in bad weather. Stickler said MSHA is also looking at those options, including ways to create non-explosive atmospheres behind seals, leaving abandoned sections unsealed and strengthening seals. Federal law already requires lightning arrestors. Stickler said he will be present when his agency’s report is given to the Sago families, and that they will have the chance to question the investigators. “We will give them copies of report, but not necessarily expect them to sit there and read the report and know what’s in it,” he said. One thing the families should not expect, however, is a recommendation that MSHA change the way it oversees rescue efforts. Some relatives and miners who survived the Sago blast blame MSHA for the 11-hour delay in getting mine rescue teams underground. By the time rescuers reached the trapped men 41 hours later, all but one who had survived the initial blast had died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Stickler said MSHA is doing an internal review to determine what, if anything, it could have done differently. That report will be released one month after the investigation report. But he cautioned against “second-guessing the people that were on site.” Stickler said he was in the command center at Pennsylvania’s Quecreek mine, where nine men survived flooding and a 78-hour entrapment in 2002. Neither MSHA, the mine operator, nor the state was in charge, he said. All decisions were made as a team. “If we have another accident tomorrow, I’ll be there,” he said. “And I’ll expect the same teamwork.” (Source: The Associated Press, Dec. 13, 2006. By Vicki Smith) Dec. 15, 2006 Third company convicted of concrete price fixing INDIANAPOLIS—A federal jury convicted a Noblesville, Ind., company and two of its executives on charges of conspiring with central Indiana competitors to fix the price for ready-mix concrete. Jurors on Thursday found MA-RI-AL Corp., which does business as Beaver Materials, guilty of conspiracy. They also convicted cousins Chris and Ricky Beaver on charges of conspiracy and lying to FBI investigators. Two other companies have been fined more than $30 million and several company executives have been sentenced to prison for their role in what prosecutors said was a scheme that lasted from January 2000 to May 2004 and resulted in millions of dollars in illegal profits. Officials from the other companies testified during this week's trial that Chris Beaver, the operations manager for Beaver Materials, and Ricky Beaver, the commercial sales manager, attended meetings during which the firms agreed on prices and discounts and the timing of price increases. The Beavers and the family owned company were the only ones whom prosecutors tied to the conspiracy that did not admit to their involvement. Beaver Materials faces a potential fine of $10 million as a result of the verdict, but defense attorney Jeff Lockwood said he did not believe his clients regretted their decision to fight the allegations. “When you're not guilty it is pretty difficult to make a deal,” Lockwood said. “We didn't believe that there was ever any real evidence that they came to an agreement, joined a conspiracy, because no witness testified that they did anything except remain silent at these meetings.” Thomas Barnett, assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Department's antitrust division, said he was pleased with the verdicts against the Beavers, calling them “participants in a price-fixing scheme that deprived consumers in Indianapolis of the benefit of a competitive marketplace.” Ready-mixed concrete is made on demand and often delivered to work sites by mixer trucks. Buyers include homeowners, building contractors, schools and the government for projects such as sidewalks, patios, driveways, bridges and roads. The scheme came to light last year when Irving Materials Inc. of Greenfield agreed to pay $29.2 million in fines, which prosecutors said was the largest ever assessed in a domestic antitrust investigation. A judge in June ordered Builder's Concrete & Supply Co. of Fishers to pay a $4 million fine for its role. (Source: Associated Press/MSNBC.com/WTHR-TV.) Dec. 14, 2006 EPA proposes first onboard diagnostic systems for new large trucks For the first time, the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to require the emissions control
systems of large diesel and gasoline highway trucks and buses to be
monitored similarly to passenger cars. EPA's proposed regulation for
onboard diagnostic (OBD) systems for large trucks and buses would help
ensure that emissions control systems work properly for the useful life
of heavy-duty on-road vehicles. (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Dec. 13, 2006 Congress: No funding for Energy and Mineral Schools Reinvestment Act In one of the final acts of the 109th Congress, the House of Representatives approved as part of its tax legislation a Senate-passed bill (S. 3711) allowing limited offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in the effort to increase the nation's energy independence. The legislation opens 8.3 million acres of Gulf waters 125 miles from the Florida Panhandle. It was part of a massive tax package that cleared the Senate early Dec. 9 shortly before the 109th Congress adjourned. The bill calls for the Interior Department to begin offering leases within a year. Actual production likely would be at least four or five years beyond that. A previous House-passed version of the bill included the Energy and Mineral Schools Reinvestment Act (EMSRA) that provides additional funding for petroleum and mining schools, but the Senate bill adopted by the House does not. The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association says that it will continue to look for opportunities – along with ad hoc coalition partners – to enact EMSRA and increase funding to mining schools. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Washington Watch e-newsletter, Dec. 12, 2006, edition) Dec. 12, 2006 U.S. Geological Survey: Nearly 841 million metric tons of aggregate produced, shipped in Q3 2006 An estimated 467 million metric tons (Mt) of crushed stone were produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the third quarter of 2006, a decrease of 3.5 percent compared with that of the same period of 2005. The estimated output of crushed stone produced for consumption in the first 9 months of 2006 was 1.3 billion metric tons (Gt), a decrease of 1.3 percent compared with that of the same period of 2005. The estimated U.S. output of construction sand and gravel produced and shipped for consumption in the third quarter of 2006 was 385 Mt, compared with 395 Mt in the same period of 2005. The estimated output of construction sand and gravel produced for consumption in the first nine months of 2006 was 963 Gt, a slight increase compared with that of the same period of 2005. An estimated 841 Mt of total aggregates were produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the third quarter of 2006, compared with 869 Mt in the same period of 2005. The estimated output of total aggregates produced for consumption in the first 9 months of 2006 was 2.2 Gt, a slight decrease compared with that of the same period of 2005. The decreases in the production of crushed stone and construction sand and gravel were due to various conditions. The residential construction slowdown in several markets in the United States has contributed to a lower aggregates demand. Unfavorable weather conditions and transportation issues in certain areas also helped to lower aggregates production and demand. The estimated portland cement consumption decreased by 5.1 percent in the third quarter of 2006, but increased by 1.5 percent in the first 9 months of 2006, compared with that of the same periods of 2005. This information is produced by the USGS monthly survey of U.S. cement producers. The production-for-consumption estimates for crushed stone, construction sand and gravel, and aggregates, are generated independently for each state and each geographic division, and the 48 conterminous States, which are treated as a separate statistical sample areas. Therefore, some differences may exist between the total for a division and the sum of the State totals that are part of the same geographic division. Similarly differences may exist between the estimations of total aggregates and estimations done separately for crushed stone and construction sand and gravel for a specific statistical area. The information produced by the USGS quarterly survey on domestic production of crushed stone, construction sand and gravel, and aggregates has become a significant indicator of construction activity at the national, regional, and state level. This survey is a sample survey that generates production-for-consumption estimates by quarters, based on information reported voluntarily by a limited number of producing companies. Occasionally, the number of companies reporting in an area varies from quarter to quarter, or previously reported data by some companies are revised. As a result of such changes in the size or the composition of the statistical sample, the estimated quantities for prior quarters are recalculated. The latest release of the quarterly “Mineral Industry Surveys” contains the most recent estimated totals and percentage changes and supersedes previously published similar information. The estimated crushed stone sold or used in the United States in the third quarter of 2006 decreased in six of the nine geographic divisions and increased in the remaining divisions. The largest decreases were recorded in the Pacific (11.0 percent), West North Central (5.8 percent), and West South Central (5.4 percent) divisions. The largest increase in the production of crushed stone was recorded in the Mountain (4.8 percent) division. The leading geographic divisions in the production of crushed stone sold or used in the third quarter of 2006 were the South Atlantic with 115 Mt, or 24.6 percent of the U.S. total, followed by the East North Central with 85.9 Mt, or 18.4 percent, and the Middle Atlantic with 57.4 Mt, or 12.3 percent. The estimated construction sand and gravel sold or used in the United States in the third quarter of 2006 decreased in six geographic divisions, and increased slightly in three divisions. The largest decreases were recorded in East South Central (9.0 percent), the South Atlantic (5.8 percent), and the Pacific (3.1 percent) divisions. The largest increase in the production for consumption of construction sand and gravel was recorded in the Middle Atlantic (0.6 percent) division. The leading geographic divisions for the total amount of construction sand and gravel sold or used in the third quarter of 2006 were the Mountain with 77.6 Mt, or 20.2 percent of the U.S. total, followed by the East North Central with 74.3 Mt, or 19.3 percent, and the Pacific with 66.5 Mt, or 17.3 percent. The estimated U.S. output of aggregates sold or used in the third quarter of 2006 decreased in seven of the nine geographic divisions. The largest decreases were recorded in the Pacific (5.2 percent), the South Atlantic (4.5 percent), and the West South Central (4.3 percent) divisions. The largest increase in the production for consumption of aggregates was recorded in the New England (1.6 percent) division. The leading geographic divisions for the total amount of aggregates sold or used in the third quarter of 2006 were the East North Central with 158 Mt, or 18.8 percent of the U.S. total, followed by the South Atlantic with 140 Mt or 16.6 percent, and the West North Central with 106 Mt, or 12.6 percent of the U.S. total. The estimated totals by quarters for the geographic divisions do not include Alaska and Hawaii. The estimated production-for-consumption of crushed stone in the third quarter of 2006 decreased in 25 of the 39 States that were estimated, with the largest percentage decreases occurring in Oregon (32.2 percent), West Virginia (22.5 percent), Wisconsin (17.6 percent), Kansas (14.8 percent), and Wyoming (9.3 percent). The five leading States, in descending order of production, in the production-for-consumption of crushed stone in the third quarter of 2006 were Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri, and Ohio. Their combined total production-for-consumption represented 30.4 percent of the U.S. total. The production-for-consumption of construction sand and gravel decreased in 21 of the 42 states that were estimated, with the largest decreases occurring in Maryland (29.4 percent), Oklahoma (21.5 percent), Mississippi (16.4 percent), Louisiana (14.6 percent), and Nebraska (14.2 percent). The five leading states, in descending order of production, in the production-for-consumption of construction sand and gravel in the third quarter of 2006 were California, Minnesota, Michigan, Texas, and Arizona. Their combined total production-for-consumption represented 36.5 percent of the U.S. total. The production-for-consumption of total aggregates in the third quarter of 2006 decreased in 32 of the 45 States that were estimated, with the largest decreases occurring in West Virginia (21.7 percent), Oregon (20.2 percent), Mississippi (14.3 percent), Kansas (12.9 percent), and Maryland (10.4 percent). The five leading States, in descending order of production, in the production-for-consumption of aggregates in the third quarter of 2006 were California, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Their combined total production-for-consumption represented 27.1 percent of the U.S. total. A total of 268 companies representing crushed stone and construction sand and gravel producers reported production-for-consumption information to the third quarter sample survey. The large participation of the producing companies in this survey is reflected by the high percentage coverage obtained for most geographic divisions and states. The percentage coverage indicates how much of the total estimated production-for-consumption for a state or a geographic division was actually reported by companies participating in this survey and was used to generate the estimated totals for that particular area. The percent changes between the estimated production-for-consumption for the current quarter and the same quarter of the prior year included in this report are important indicators of the production/consumption trends occurring in a particular area of the country. (Source: U.S. Geological Survey. Information in this report was written and researched by Jason Christopher Willett, crushed stone specialist; Wallace P. Bolen, sand and gravel commodity specialist; and Nicholas a. Muniz, data) Dec. 12, 2006 Cemex shareholders approve $12 billion bid for Rinker takeover Monterrey, Mexico-based Cemex won shareholder approval on Dec. 7 for its $12 billion (A$17.4 billion) hostile takeover bid of Rinker Group Ltd., an Australian building materials firm, according to a Reuters report in Dec. 8, 2006, edition of The New Zealand Herald. Cemex is the world’s No. 3 cement maker. According to the report, Rinker is fighting the takeover and has rejected the offer on grounds its price is "far too low." If Cemex takes over Rinker’s operations, it would create the world's biggest ready-mix concrete and aggregates firm, according to the report. However, France-based Lafarge and Switzerland-based Holcim would still be ahead of Cemex in cement production. Cemex operates in more than 50 countries and is the top U.S. cement maker, according to the report. The United States accounts for 80 percent of Rinker revenues, according to the report. Rinker also has operations in China and Australia. Cemex has refused to increase its offer, according to the report, and said on Dec. Dec. 11, 2006 MSHA makes new emergency mine evacuation rules permanent The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued a final rule on Dec. 8 that requires mine operators to increase the availability of emergency breathing devices, provide improved training on the use of the devices, improve emergency evacuation and drill training, install lifelines for emergency evacuation, and require immediate notification of MSHA in the event of an accident. “These new requirements are an integrated approach to providing proper guidance to miners and mine operators during emergency situations,” says Richard E. Stickler, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, in a press release issued by MSHA. “The new rule adds additional protections for miners and provides them with more tools to survive a mining accident should one occur.” Earlier this year, MSHA issued a rare emergency
temporary standard (ETS) aimed at protecting miners by helping them to
evacuate an underground mine in the event of an emergency. MSHA held
public hearings on the ETS following its publication in the Federal
Register. The process was completed with issuance of the new
permanent rule on Dec. 8.
One of the more significant results of the new rule is the establishment of only one phone number for use in reporting mine accidents within 15 minutes after it is known an accident occurred. All mine operators, including operators of metal and non-metal mines, must call 800-746-1553 to report mining accidents within the required time limit. For the full text of the rule, please click here for a downloadable PDF. Dec. 6, 2006 Polaris Minerals receives the 2006 Mining and Sustainability Award Vancouver, British Columbia-based Polaris Minerals Corp. has received the 2006 Mining and Sustainability Award for its efforts to promote sustainable development in the British Columbia mining sector. “I am pleased to recognize Polaris Minerals and all of the nominees for their commitment to their communities and to the environment,” said Minister of State for Mining Bill Bennett in a press release. Bennett presented the award along with Michael McPhie, president and CEO of the Mining Association of British Columbia, at a gala dinner. “Polaris Minerals has created positive, mutually productive relationships with local communities and First Nations, and serves as a model for others in the mining industry to follow,” Bennett continued in the press release. Polaris Minerals Corporation and its partners, the Kwakiutl and Namgis First Nations are developing the Orca Quarry near Port McNeill. Polaris and its partners, the Hupacasath and Ucluelet First Nations, also propose to develop the Eagle Rock Quarry, near Port Alberni. The company was nominated for its engagement with local communities and its respect for the traditional rights of First Nations while balancing economic, social, and environmental goals. The Mining and Sustainability Award was launched in 2005 by the Mining Association of British Columbia to publicly recognize the diverse companies, communities, First Nations, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and individuals committed to advancing and promoting sustainable development in the British Columbia mining and minerals sector. There were 11 nominees for the award this year, the first year it was presented jointly by MABC and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Dec. 4, 2006
The Holland Group, Otto Sauer Achsenfabrik GmbH The Holland Group, Inc. and Otto Sauer Achsenfabrik GmbH (SAF) on Dec. 6 announced that they have signed a definitive agreement which will result in the merger of the two companies. SAF is a supplier of integrated axle and suspension systems for trailers, with headquarters in Germany. Holland Group is a leading supplier of coupling, lift and suspension systems for trucks, tractors and trailers, with headquarters in Michigan, USA. Terms of the arrangement were not disclosed; the merger is expected to occur by year-end. Both companies are world-class original equipment suppliers with highly complementary products, leading market positions, strong management teams, and excellent design, engineering, production, and testing technologies. The merger creates a truly global supplier of transportation equipment with the critical mass required to compete in the market with twenty-six manufacturing and warehousing facilities worldwide. The two companies also share a similar history. Both began as suppliers of horse-drawn agricultural products before evolving into suppliers to the heavy transportation industry, and both have been privately held family businesses. After the merger, the two companies will be subsidiaries of SAF-HOLLAND GROUP GmbH headquartered in Bessenbach, Germany with combined annual turnover of approximately $975 million. The company will employ 3,000 people worldwide. Its combined product portfolio will be marketed under the Holland and SAF brand names. (Source: The Holland Group) Dec. 3, 2006 CLEVELAND—Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 4.1 million net tons in October, a decrease of 4.5 percent compared to a year ago. Loadings were more than 10 percent behind the month’s 5-year average. Although water levels on the Great Lakes usually begin their seasonal decline in the fall, the drop is occurring faster than normal this year, and so further amplifying the lack of adequate dredging in many ports and waterways. Cargo totals are being negatively impacted. Vessels in the limestone trade, for example, forfeit anywhere from 80 to 125 net tons for each 1-inch reduction in loaded draft. For the year, the Lakes limestone trade stands at 31.5 million net tons, a decrease of 2 percent compared to the same point in 2005. Shipments are, however, slightly ahead of the 5-year average for the January-October timeframe. To view a PDF of tables with a breakdown of Great Lakes Limestone Trade: Oct. 2001-2006 and the five-year average, click here. (Source: Lake Carriers’ Association) Dec. 2, 2006 Comments filed on
categorical exclusions under The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) filed comments Dec. 1 on the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) proposed guidance to federal agencies for establishing and using categorical exclusions in meeting their responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Generally, the guidance promotes creation of categorical exclusions and attempts to streamline the NEPA process. NSSGA supports the efforts to streamline the NEPA process, which, too often, has been used to delay much needed, and cost-effective federal transportation projects. NSSGA also supports the opportunity for increased public comment and involvement in this process and the need for greater flexibility to be given to states to determine additional categorical exclusions. In light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2001 SWANCC and 2006 Rapanos decisions, the Army Corps of Engineers and EPA may determine that certain isolated “wet” areas lack sufficient hydrological or ecological nexus to navigable waters and also otherwise have no other resource value. Examples include ephemeral streams, dry washes, roadside drainage ditches, puddles, vernal pools, arroyos, storm drains, culverts, curb and gutters, isolated, non-navigable, intra-state waters or wetlands, and other means of water conveyance where these areas lack other resource value such as habitat for threatened and endangered species or do not provide other benefits such as flood attenuation and ground water recharge. In the event that such criteria are met, federally authorized transportation construction and improvements should be categorically exempt from NEPA compliance. When developing a categorical exclusion, the federal agency must make certain that the proposed category clearly describes all the actions that should be included. NSSGA is concerned that this requirement may result in the omission of the exclusion, although they are very similar to listed actions. To remedy this problem, the guidance could still require agencies to list all the actions included under an exclusion, but could also permit agencies to create a catchall provision for certain exclusions to capture actions that did not make the list, but that were similar to listed actions. The catchall provision would include criteria for analyzing whether an action was sufficiently similar to warrant inclusion under the exclusion. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association eDigest e-newsletter) Dec. 2. 2006 MSHA seeks to hire mine inspectors in Illinois, Indiana The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is continuing its efforts to hire new mine inspectors in Illinois and Indiana by conducting on-site applicant screenings Dec. 4, 2006 at Rend Lake College, 468 North Ken Gray Parkway, Ina, Ill. Registration for all candidates begins at 7 a.m. “MSHA is interested in hiring professionals who are willing to help our agency keep U.S. mines safe by preventing accidental injuries and fatalities,” said Richard E. Stickler, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “We’re looking for qualified people who will continue to make safety the number one priority for the mining industry.” MSHA is the federal agency charged with inspection of mining operations nationwide for adherence to regulations designed to protect the safety and health of working miners. The agency is recruiting coal mine inspectors for surface, underground and electrical positions in Benton and Hillsboro, Ill. and Vincennes, Ind. Those whoare unable to pre-register for the screenings may be tested and screened as “walk-in” candidates, subject to space availability. All persons attending the screening should bring a completed resume and photo identification. Check the MSHA Web site at www.msha.gov to confirm the status of the screenings before traveling to the site. Applicants will be notified of test results and selected candidates will participate in a two-year formal training program. Applicants must be able to efficiently perform arduous duties. Selected applicants at the GS-9 level will receive a starting salary of about $43,000 annually. For additional information, please visit the Inspector Career Trainee Program Web site at www.msha.gov/Inspectors/InspectorsInternProgram.asp. Applicant screenings are scheduled as follows:
Dec. 2, 2006 MSHA looks to Kentucky for new mine inspectors MADISONVILLE, Ky. — The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is continuing its efforts to hire new mine inspectors by conducting on-site applicant screenings on Dec. 2, 2006, at the John H Gray Building, on the campus of Madisonville Community College, 2000 College Drive, Madisonville, Ky. Registration for all candidates begins at 7 a.m. “MSHA is interested in hiring professionals who are willing to help our agency keep U.S. mines safe by preventing accidental injuries and fatalities,” said Richard E. Stickler, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “We’re looking for qualified people who will continue to make safety the number one priority for the mining industry.” MSHA is the federal agency charged with inspection of mining operations nationwide for adherence to regulations designed to protect the safety and health of working miners. The agency is recruiting coal mine inspectors for surface, underground, and electrical positions in Madisonville, Morganfield, and Beaver Dam, Ky. Those whoare unable to pre-register for the screenings may be tested and screened as “walk-in” candidates, subject to space availability. All persons attending the screening should bring a completed resume and photo identification. Check the MSHA Web site at www.msha.gov to confirm the status of the screenings before traveling to the site. Applicants will be notified of test results and selected candidates will participate in a two-year formal training program. Applicants must be able to efficiently perform arduous duties. Selected applicants at the GS-7 level will receive a starting salary of about $36,000 annually. For additional information, please visit the Inspector Career Trainee Program Web site at www.msha.gov/Inspectors/InspectorsInternProgram.asp. Applicant screenings are scheduled as follows:
Dec. 2, 2006 U.S. Department of Labor’s MSHA Seeks to Hire Mine MSHA seeks inspectors in Alabama The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is continuing its efforts to hire new mine inspectors by conducting on-site applicant screenings on Dec. 2, 2006, at the Bevill Business and Industry Building of Bevill State College, 101 State St., Sumiton, Ala. Registration for all candidates begins at 7 a.m. “We’re looking for qualified people who can help us to continue to make safety the number one priority for the mining industry,” said Richard E. Stickler, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “This agency needs individuals who want to dedicate themselves to our mission and help us eliminate hazards that threaten working miners.” MSHA is the federal agency charged with inspection of mining operations nationwide for adherence to regulations designed to protect the safety and health of working miners. The agency is recruiting coal mine inspectors for surface, underground, and electrical positions in Bessemer and Birmingham, Ala. Those who are unable to pre-register for the screenings may be tested and screened as “walk-in” candidates, subject to space availability. All persons attending the screening should bring a completed resume and photo identification. Check the MSHA Web site at www.msha.gov to confirm the status of the screenings before traveling to the site. Applicants will be notified of test results and selected candidates will participate in a two-year formal training program. Applicants must be able to efficiently perform arduous duties. Selected applicants at the GS-7 level will receive a starting salary of about $36,000 annually. For additional information, please visit the Inspector Career Trainee Program Web site at www.msha.gov/Inspectors/InspectorsInternProgram.asp. Applicant screenings are scheduled as follows: Sumiton, Ala. — Dec. 2 at 7 a.m., Bevill State College, Sumiton Campus (Bevill Business & Industry Bldg.), 101 State St., 35148 Dec. 1, 2006 USGS: Crushed, sand and gravel down in third-quarter 2006 The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released its preliminary highlights of the crushed stone and sand and gravel industry 2006 third-quarter report it plans to release next week. Crushed stone was down in the third quarter
compared to last year, down in first nine months of 2006, according to
Jason Willett, the crushed stone commodity specialist for USGS’s
Minerals Information Team. For a more detailed report, watch the Aggregates Manager Web site (www.aggman.com) and the print edition of the magazine. For the full third-quarter report when it’s available, go to www.usgs.gov. Nov. 30. 2006 Oldcastle Materials buys Oregon sand and gravel firm Oldcastle Materials, a division of the Irish construction-materials company CRH, recently bought its second aggregate company in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Oldcastle bought Egge Sand & Gravel in Eugene, Ore., in November, adding to its roster, which includes Klamath Pacific in Klamath Falls and River Bend Sand & Gravel in Salem, Ore. “Oldcastle’s a very, very good company,” said Richard Angstrom, the president of the Salem-based Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Organization. “They’re well-respected in the industry. They do a good job in the communities they’re in.” Oldcastle has more than 13,000 employees in 30 states. It made more than $3.5 billion in revenues in 2004 offering aggregate, asphalt, ready-mix concrete and construction services. (Source: StatesmanJournal.com, staff and wire reports, Nov. 23, 2006) Nov. 30, 2006 Metal/non-metal mining industry reaches 24 fatalities so far this year The metal and non-metal mining industries, at press time, have experienced 24 fatalities in 2006, with the death of 41 year-old equipment operator on Nov. 10 at a Minnesota construction sand and gravel operation, according to a Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Fatalgram report. The equipment operator, who had four years of mining experience, was killed when the victim and a co-worker were standing underneath the head pulley section of a conveyor preparing to attach a chain that was to be used to move the conveyor, and the bolts connecting the conveyor truss sections in the conveyor’s frame failed — causing the head pulley section to fall and strike the victim. At press time for the Dec. 1 edition of Aggregates Manager e-News, this was the fourth falling material fatality in 2006, according to MSHA. There were 33 fatalities reported in the metal/non-metal mining industries, and three falling material fatalities as of the same date of this incident in 2005, according to MSHA. MSHA offers the following best practices to avoid future fatalities:
Nov. 28, 2006 Highway appropriations stalled; continuing resolution likely Congress is currently in recess for the Thanksgiving holiday and returns to work for a short lame duck session the week of Dec. 4. The outgoing Republican majority appears to have decided to punt on dealing with nine FY ‘07 appropriations measures, including the Transportation Appropriations bill and instead passes a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government operating until the Democrats take over in January. Only two appropriations bills (Defense and Homeland Security) out of 11 have been enacted into law. This negatively impacts the highway program, which under a CR would be funded at the FY ‘06 $36 billion level for the length of time the CR is in effect as opposed to the authorized amount of $39.1 billion for FY ‘07, contained in both the House and Senate versions of the FY ‘07 Transportation Appropriations bill. Further, depending on the length of the CR, there could be ricochets by state DOTs who look askance at authorizing new projects until a full appropriations bill is enacted. NSSGA is working with its coalition partners to gain an exception so that the higher amount could be appropriated for the highway program even under a CR. Thus far there is not a crack in the GOP-led strategy. The following chart from the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association provides an update on issues of importance to the aggregates industry:
(Source: National Stone, Sand & G ravel Association Washington Watch Nov. 28, 2006 e-newsletter) Nov. 27, 2006 Caterpillar moves Asia Pacific operations headquarters to Beijing BEIJING, China—Caterpillar
Inc. announced on Nov. 21 it is moving its Asia Pacific Operations
headquarters to Beijing, China. Caterpillar Vice President Rich Lavin,
who has administrative responsibility for manufacturing operations in
Caterpillar’s Asia Pacific Division, will relocate from Tokyo, Japan, to
Caterpillar’s Beijing offices as part of this decision.
Nov. 22, 2006 ARTBA: 2006 a record year for transportation construction market The 2006 U.S. transportation construction market was the most robust in more than 20 years with the value of work on highways, bridges, airports and transit systems up 15 percent over the last year, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA). Fueled by increased federal, state and local highway investments, a $2.3 billion congressional appropriation for repair work on highways damaged by Hurricane Katrina and greater investments in freight rail, the total value of construction performed on transportation projects is expected to hit a record $106 billion in 2006, up from $92 billion in 2005, says ARTBA Vice President of Economics and Research Dr. William Buechner. Highway and bridge construction provided much of the driving force for the 2006 growth. The value of construction work on highways and bridges grew almost $11 billion—or 16 percent—to $76.3 billion—the largest increase since 1984, when Congress was funding extra highway construction to help end a severe recession. Some of the increased spending reflected higher construction costs, particularly for asphalt, cement and aggregates. But, even after accounting for higher costs, the real increase in highway and bridge construction was a robust eight percent or more, Buechner, a Harvard-trained economist, says. Unlike 2005 and 2006, when rising construction costs ate up part of the dollar increase in highway construction spending, the purchasing power of construction budgets in 2007 may get an unexpected boost from declining construction material costs. The 2005-06 inflation in highway construction costs appears to be slowing and may be ending. Falling petroleum prices are bringing down asphalt costs while the growth of worldwide cement capacity may help stabilize the cost of ready-mix concrete. The Producer Price Index for highway construction materials actually fell in August and September. If costs stay down, construction dollars in 2007 would buy more construction than in 2006, ARTBA says. Buechner forecasts modest growth in the range of one to two percent for the U.S. highway and bridge construction market in 2007. His forecast for other transportation modes: Airports: After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, airport construction fell due to less air travel and the diversion of federal airport construction funds to enhance airport security. These trends have now been reversed. As a result, the value of construction work on airport runways and related projects grew 18 percent in 2005 to $5.8 billion and should grow to about $6 billion in 2006. For 2007, increased federal funding for airport construction plus increased revenues from Passenger Facility Charges and excise user fees should push airport construction to more than $6 billion. New contracts awarded for airport construction are up 23 percent so far in 2006, supporting an outlook for continued growth. Subway and light rail: The value of construction work performed on subway and light rail projects has hovered around $3.5 billion for the last five years. A number of major projects are in line for federal financing in FY 2007, but the impact on construction probably won’t occur until 2008 and later. ARTBA expects no breakout from the $3.5 billion construction level in 2007. Freight rail: The value of construction work performed on freight rail is on track to total $7.9 billion in 2006, up more than 20 percent from $6.6 billion in 2005. Rail construction is largely privately financed and is driven by the volume of freight traffic. As long as the economy keeps growing, this market should also grow. (Source: American Road & Transportation Builders Association) Nov. 20, 2006 Incoming chairman of transportation committee sets agenda The presumptive chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee, Rep. James Oberstar (Minn.), currently the ranking Democrat, wasted no time in setting the agenda for the 110th Congress. The agenda, which largely mirrors the current agenda includes the following:
The T&I Committee, which is the largest committee in the House of Representatives, has historically worked in a bipartisan fashion. In a press conference on Nov. 8, Congressman Oberstar said he hoped the spirit of bipartisanship that has traditionally characterized the work of the Committee would continue. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s Washington Watch newsletter, Nov. 10, 2006) Nov. 16, 2006 Martin Marietta Materials Q3 profit drops but EPS rises Provider of General building materials Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. recorded an increase in earnings per share from a year ago on higher net sales. However, net earnings declined slightly from a year ago. The Raleigh, North Carolina-based company posted net earnings of $76.2 million down from $76.4 million last year. Net earnings increased to $1.68 per share compared to $1.65 per share in the previous year. On an adjusted basis, earnings increased to $1.58 per share compared to $1.42 per share last year. Net sales for the quarter increased 7 percent to $529.6 million from $497 million last year. Earnings from operations increased to $114.7 million from $107.8 million a year ago. Earnings from continuing operations declined to $75.7 million from $76.1 million in the prior year. Total revenue increased to $604.1 million from $563.9 million a year ago. Gross profit increased to $148 million from $134.9 million last year. On a segmental basis, net sales for the Aggregate segment increased 6 percent to $493.8 million from $465.8 million a year ago. Net sales for the specialty products climbed 15% to $35.8 million from $31.2 million a year ago. For the first nine-month period, net earnings increased to $183 million from $144.9 million last year. On a per share basis, net earnings were $4.02 compared to $3.11 last year. Net sales for the nine-month period increased to $1.47 billion from $1.31 billion a year ago. Gross profit climbed to $385.3 million from $314.2 million in the prior year. Total earnings from operations increased to $285.6 million from $227.1 million last year. MLM is currently trading at $88.19, down $0.30 on a volume of 478,000 shares. (Source: RealTimeTraders.com, posted Oct. 31, 200) Nov. 15, 2006 Luck Stone recognized for inventive reclamation efforts The Division of Mineral Mining of The Virginia
Department of Mines, Mineral and Energy (DMME) and the Virginia
Transportation Construction Alliance (VTCA) honored Luck Stone Corp.’s
Construction Aggregates division at its annual
“We’re very proud of the group of associates that worked on reclaiming the land in King William County; I hope their creativity and innovation in land use planning will inspire others in our industry with their reclamation efforts,” said Bill Chenault, Vice President of Luck Stone’s Southern Region. “Our group’s diligence and unmatched commitment to reclaiming the land at our King William site are admirable.” Nov. 14, 2006 Rinker, fending off Cemex, posts 11-percent profit gain Rinker Group Ltd., the Australian building materials maker trying to fend off an $11.7 billion takeover bid by Mexico’s Cemex SA, said second-quarter profit rose 11 percent after increasing the price of cement and crushed rock. Net income rose to $204.6 million, or 23 cents a share, in the three months ended Sept. 30, from $185 million, or 20 cents, a year earlier, the Sydney-based Co. said in a statement today. Sales rose 7 percent to $1.41 billion. CEO David Clarke has blunted the impact of a housing slowdown in the U.S., where he makes 80 percent of sales, by increasing prices and tapping demand for asphalt and gravel for road building. His focus on the high population growth states Florida, Arizona, and Nevada means Rinker will benefit quickly when housing demand increases again. “Given what’s going on in the housing markets in the U.S., Rinker is very well placed strategically in the long term,” said Rob Patterson, who manages the equivalent of $2.8 billion in stocks at Argo Investments Ltd. in Adelaide, including 3.7 million Rinker shares. Cemex, which has offered $13 a share, or A$16.86 at today’s exchange rate, will “absolutely” have to increase its bid to about A$20 a share, Patterson said. Rinker stock rose 4 cents to A$18.65 at 12:24 p.m. in Sydney. The shares have surged 27 percent since Cemex’s bid. “The market is focused on this takeover and the earnings have really taken a back seat,” said Michael Birch, who manages about $120 million at Wallace Funds Management in Sydney. “There was nothing in there that would lead Cemex away from that bid.” Hostile Bid Monterrey-based Cemex made its offer Oct. 27 after a six- month, 35 percent slump in Rinker stock. “The Rinker board considers the offer hostile and highly conditional, and that it materially undervalues the company,” Chairman John Morschel told analysts today. Perpetual Investments, which has a stake large enough to block the takeover, has also called the bid too low. Clarke said full-year earnings per share would be at the lower end of his earlier forecast of 84 cents to 90 cents, assuming a “further modest deterioration in housing in Florida.” The company earned 80 cents a share last year. “Rinker’s short-term earnings forecasts aren’t that relevant anymore,” said Atul Lele, who helps manage the equivalent of $307 million in stocks at White Funds Management in Sydney, including Rinker shares. Investors have turned their attention to whether Cemex raises its offer or a rival bidder emerges, he said. Room to raise Cemex could increase its offer by 32 percent and still be able to service the debt using Rinker’s cash flow, Merrill Lynch & Co. said in early November. Holcim Ltd., the world’s second-biggest cement maker, or Lafarge SA, the world’s biggest maker of building materials, may bid for Rinker, according to Matthew McNee, an analyst at Goldman Sachs JBWere. Clarke told analysts he would continue to make acquisitions after the company agreed to buy three quarries in Kentucky. He plans to make four or five small takeovers in the next few months. Finding larger targets has proved difficult, he said. “Our balance sheet is strong and we have plenty of flexibility for further acquisitions,” he told reporters in Sydney. Morschel declined to comment on whether Rinker may take over competitors such as Vulcan Materials Co. or Martin Marietta Materials Inc. or was approaching other potential bidders to thwart Cemex’s plans. Long-term view Rinker’s earnings before interest and tax in the United States rose 19 percent to $287 million in the second quarter, on an 8-percent increase in sales. Residential housing construction fell at an annual rate of 17 percent last quarter, the biggest decline since the first quarter of 1991, after shrinking at an 11-percent pace in the previous three months. “The longer term is likely to be strong,” Clarke said, citing forecasts that Florida, Arizona and Nevada will have the biggest population growth in the U.S. to 2030. To weather the current downturn, Rinker has cut more than 900 jobs and today doubled its target for annual cost savings to $100 million. The company saved $43 million in costs in the first half. In Australia, Rinker’s second-quarter earnings before interest and tax fell 6 percent to A$55 million ($42 million) on a housing slump in New South Wales, the biggest state, and higher prices for oil and raw materials. Sales increased 6 percent to A$409 million. The Co. has halted its planned buyback of up to 5 percent of its stock because of the takeover bid. It had acquired about 1.7 percent for $155 million as of Oct. 25. Rinker will pay a first-half dividend of 16 Australian cents a share, up 14 percent from last year. (Source: Bloomberg, Nov. 9, 2006. Article by Mariam Steffens. To contact the reporter on this story, write to Miriam Steffens in Melbourne at msteffens1@bloomberg.net.) Nov. 13, 2006 Indiana governor proposes 75-mile tollway INDIANAPOLIS–Gov. Mitch Daniels proposed the
construction of a 75-mile tollway that would run from Interstate 69
northeast of Indianapolis and loop east and south of the Hoosier
capital, passing through six counties before connecting with Interstate
70. He said the connector, the cost of which has not
been estimated, would stimulate economic development by linking six
interstates in the five counties it would pass through. As proposed, the
tollway would pass near Pendleton, Greenfield, Shelbyville, Franklin,
Martinsville and near Mooresville. (Source: Associated Press. Article by Rick Callahan) Nov. 10, 2006 APAC agrees to pay $2.25 million fine
APAC Atlantic, Inc. (APAC),
based in Greensboro, N.C., agreed to pay $2.25 million settling a civil
action in the Middle District of North Carolina for false asphalt
testing. DOT investigation revealed that six asphalt plant technicians
employed by APAC had falsified tests on several federally funded highway
construction projects in the Greensboro area and as a result
sub-standard asphalt may have been used in several projects.
(Source: Aggregate Research Industries) Nov. 9, 2006 Barnhill adds 300 employees with acquisition Barnhill Contracting Co. said on Oct. 27 that it had purchased the North Carolina assets of APAC-Atlantic Inc.'s Coastal Division for an undisclosed sum. Barnhill, a Tarboro-based general contractor with the bulk of its operations in the Triangle, bought 10 asphalt plants and six offices in the eastern half of the state. The acquisition added 300 to 310 people to Barnhill’s payroll, pushing its total employee count to more than 1,300 workers, the company says. The transaction means Barnhill now owns and operates 20 asphalt plants in eastern North Carolina, including one in Raleigh. APAC-Atlantic also sold a number of South Carolina assets simultaneously to a third party. Barnhill offers full-service general contracting in general building, site development and heavy highway construction. (Source: Triangle Business Journal, Oct. 30, 2006. Article by Patrick Hogan) Nov. 9, 2006 Birch Mountain plans to construct South Haul Road CALGARY—Birch Mountain Resources Ltd. announced plans on Nov. 1 to file an application with Alberta regulatory authorities to construct 12 kilometers of road south from the Muskeg Valley Quarry (MVQ), along the eastern side of the proposed Hammerstone Project.
The road will connect with
the proposed East Athabasca Access Road. Subject to regulatory approval,
the company plans to clear trees this winter followed by road
construction in the summer of 2007. The new road and bridge will reduce the haul distance, by several kilometers on a more direct route, from Birch Mountain's quarry and planned quicklime plant to the oil sands operators on the west side of the Athabasca River and the City of Fort McMurray. To meet the growing demand for aggregate, a second rental crushing spread is now operating in the quarry. The last modules of Birch Mountain’s own larger crushing equipment are expected on site shortly and the new crushing spread should be fully operational by mid-November. The combined throughput of the three crushing spreads ranges from 2,000 tons per hour to 3,000 tons per hour depending on the material specifications. (Source: Birch Mountain Resources Ltd. via Aggregate Research Industries) Nov. 8, 2006 MSHA touts solar-powered haul road lighting New lighting systems utilizing light-emitting diodes (LEDs) powered by solar cells provide applications for haul road safety lighting. The low-power drain of an LED makes solar power more practical than in the past. Installation requires no wiring. The placement of solar-powered LEDs for lighting a busy intersection, sharp curve, foggy area, narrow passage or any place of safety concern, is only limited by the ability of the solar cell to receive ample charge from sunlight. Manufacturers of the lighting systems offer a broad array of styles, colors and combinations to suit the desired end user specifications. For information on manufacturers that are known to MSHA to have such products available, contact MSHA's Approval and Certification Center at 304-547-0400 or e-mail InnovativeProducts@dol.gov. (Source: Mine Safety and Health Administration) Nov. 7, 2006 American Geological Institute renames legendary geoscientist award in honor of Dr. Marcus E. Milling The American Geological Institute (AGI) and the AGI Foundation have renamed the Legendary Geoscientist Award in honor of former AGI Executive Director, Dr. Marcus E. Milling, who passed away on October 17, 2006. The award will now be known as the Marcus E. Milling Legendary Geoscientist Medal. The Legendary Geoscientist Medal is given annually to a person who has contributed significant scientific achievement and sustained service to the geosciences throughout their career. This honor reflects Dr. Milling’s ambition of creating an environment that would foster opportunities to increase the public's awareness of the contributions made by geoscientists to society. His professional career began as a research geologist with Exxon in 1968 where he remained until 1980. From there he went to ARCO Oil and Gas as a general manager and left seven years later as manager, geological exploration dtaff. In 1987, he joined the University of Texas at Austin as the associate director of the Bureau of Economic Geology where he coordinated their oil and gas industry consortia programs and environmental and water resource investigations. Dr. Milling served as AGI's Executive Director from 1992 until July of 2006 when he became Senior Advisor. During his tenure with the Institute, he led AGI into a period of sustained financial stability and increased AGI membership from 19 to 44 societies. He was a champion for earth science education and outreach. Under his auspices, he increased the role of the geosciences in the political process with the creation of the Government Affairs Program. Dr. Milling received numerous other honors during his career. These include the American Institute of Professional Geologists Ben H. Parker Memorial Medal (1997), the Association of American State Geologists Pick & Gavel Award (2005), and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Special Award (2007). Dr. Milling was an exceptional geoscientist who made great strides in increasing geologic awareness for education, government, and the public throughout his career. The renaming of this award to the Marcus E. Milling Legendary Geoscientist Medal recognizes this legacy and sets a stage for the broad scientific and professional commitments for which future recipients will be recognized. (Source: American Geological Institute) Nov. 6, 2006 Oldcastle buys Oregon’s Egge Sand & Gravel After more than 40 years of running his sand and gravel operation in north Eugene, Vern Egge has sold it to a European conglomerate. Oldcastle Materials Inc., a division of the Irish construction materials company CRH, bought Egge Sand & Gravel's name, its aggregate-rich 260-acre site off Coburg Road, trucks, equipment, and buildings, including a new $3.5 million asphalt plant. The companies did not disclose a sale price. Oldcastle kept Egge Sand's 114 employees with wages and benefits comparable with what they'd received under Egge's ownership, said Gary Warren, president of Egge Sand & Gravel. "We lost no people, and there are no intentions to lose people," he said. Under Oldcastle's ownership, the company is poised to grow 30 percent to 35 percent over the next five years, Warren said. Egge Sand & Gravel is the third Oregon aggregate producer that Oldcastle has acquired in the past few years. Oldcastle also owns Klamath Pacific in Klamath Falls and River end in Salem. (Source: The Register-Guard, Nov. 1, 2006. Article by Sherri Buri McDonald) |
convention
in Virginia Beach, Va., for its reclamation efforts for the company’s
former Sand and Gravel Operation in King William County.
Luck
Stone received “Honorable Mention” in VTCA’s award reclamations program,
Best Reclamation-Quarry, which recognizes companies that demonstrate a
high level of resourcefulness, innovation and timeliness that result in
successful mine land reclamation, while preserving minerals that are
vital to the economy of Virginia.