The inside scoop on industry news, views, and products
Back to Main Page |
Advertising Contacts |
Aggregates Manager
e-News
|
At Aggregates Manager e-News press time, the House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections had planned to hold a hearing on July 26 on two new pieces of mine safety legislation, according to the National Mining Association’s NMA Mining Week (July 20, 2007). The decision to hold a hearing on the bills is a departure from full Committee Chairman George Miller’s (D-Calif.) original intent to send the bills to the House floor without giving committee members the chance to examine the bills at a legislative hearing, according to the NMA report. Specifically, the hearing will focus on the “Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2007” (H.R. 2768) and the “Mine Health Enhancement Act of 2007” (H.R. 2769). The House is scheduled to start consideration of the $104 billion FY’08 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill on July 23 and finish it the next day. As reported in the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association's Washington Watch & eDigest, the annual spending bill adhered to the SAFETEA-LU funding levels of $40.2 billion for highways and $9.7 billion for transit. The appropriators also rejected the administration’s request to eliminate the $631 million in RABA (revenue aligned budget authority — the mechanism that aligns revenue into the Highway Trust Fund with outlays) funds. Also included in the bill was $3.6 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, $850 million above the administration’s request and $85 million more than FY ‘07. While the bill is expected to pass, there is some controversy in the way it is funded. Democrats on the appropriations committee included a rescission of $3 billion worth of Contract Authority (CA) to help pay for the bill and mandated that the rescissions must be proportional to all federal highway programs. Further, the bill earmarks a number of projects to be paid for out of the Aviation Improvement Program (AIP), even though the aviation authorization bill does not sanction the projects. Congressman John Mica (R-Fla.), full committee ranking member and Rep. John Duncan (R-Tenn.), Highway Subcommittee ranking member, sent a letter (available at http://republicans.transportation.house.gov/News/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=200) to Transportation & Infrastructure Committee chairman, Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) outlining their concerns about the spending bill and asked the chairman to raise a point of order striking those provisions. Oberstar informed Appropriations Committee chairman, Rep. David Obey (D-Wisc.), that he wanted to work together to resolve the issues. The Democrat leadership issued a rule that essentially prohibits the concerns raised in the Mica and Duncan letter from being brought up during the floor debate. As the House prepares to start debate, a veto threat has been issued: the measure is $1.4 billion over the administration’s request. The White House noted that highway spending in the bill guaranteed by the 2005 authorization law is “spending beyond its means and will be insolvent by 2009.” This is significant because a number of Republicans have signed a letter of intent to vote against any veto-override attempt, which could block the override. The Americans for Transportation Mobility and the Transportation Construction Coalition, of which NSSGA is a member, have sent letters to all House members urging them to abide by the highway and public transit investment guarantees of SAFETEA-LU. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association Washington Watch & eDigest e-newsletter) SACRAMENTO—California’s diesel-powered bulldozers, scrapers and other heavy construction equipment must be retrofitted or replaced during the next 13 years to reduce the air pollution that sickens tens of thousands of residents every year, state regulators decided Under tough new rules adopted by the Air Resources Board, California is the first state to make construction companies fix existing diesel-powered machines. Heavy equipment can last 30 years or more, so without the new mandate, it would take decades for fleets to upgrade to cleaner equipment. Although the fumes are most often
associated with big trucks and buses, 20 percent of California’s
diesel pollution comes from the construction industry. Building,
mining and airport vehicles are responsible for an estimated 1,100
premature deaths statewide every year and more than 1,000
hospitalizations for heart and lung disease, along with tens of
thousands of asthma attacks, scientists say.
(Source: Los Angeles Times, By Margot Roosevelt, Times Staff
Writer The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) has submitted testimony to the House Education and Labor Worker Protections Subcommittee hearing on the Supplemental Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2007 (S-MINER, H.R. 2768) and the Miner Health Enhancement Act of 2007 (H.R. 2769), mine safety bills. NSSGA’s statement discusses that the first priority of the aggregates industry is and will continue to be the safety and health of its workers. This commitment is demonstrated by the heightened level of effort invested by the industry to sustain an improved performance and through the development and implementation of more effective safety and health programs. It is a partnership between industry and its workforce and the government’s education, training and compliance assistance programs. The NSSGA statement makes the point that the S-MINER Act is premature because it comes before MSHA and the industry have had adequate time to fully implement the MINER Act and could undermine the success that has been achieved. By imposing another layer of regulation on an industry that already is highly regulated and has shown continued safety improvements at this time would create confusion and threaten further progress. The S-MINER Act takes a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to recognize that mines are unique. NSSGA members have achieved a continuously improving safety performance record. The MINER Act, written as a result of tragedies in the coal sector, has impacted the aggregates industry. Further extension of the S-MINER Act to the stone, sand and gravel industry is not warranted and contradicted by the industry’s improving safety performance. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association)
“We need a one-two punch to get America’s federal surface transportation program back on track,” American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) President & CEO Pete Ruane said July 24 during a news conference in Washington, D.C. “In the short-term, the federal Highway Trust Fund’s fiscal house needs to be put in order to help meet the promises of the 2005 highway and transit investment law, and begin addressing the nation’s vast transportation needs,” Ruane continued. He pointed to a recently released forecast of Highway Trust Fund revenues showing a shortfall that could result in a $16 billion cut in federal highway investment to the states beginning in FY 2009. Compounding the problem, he said, were construction costs that have gone up over 30 percent in the past three years, and the buying power of the gasoline tax, which will be 10.8 cents in 2010 vs. 18.3 cents in 1993. All revenue options to finance new transportation improvements should be on the table, according to Ruane. “America also needs a similarly bold and visionary long-term plan — led by the federal government — that strategically focuses on meeting future national transportation needs, such as U.S. global competitiveness and efficient freight movement,” he said. Ruane delivered his remarks along with other industry leaders during a National Press Club event announcing the release of a comprehensive report, “A New Vision for the 21st Century,” about the current conditions and future needs for the nation’s transportation programs. He commended American Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials (AASHTO) members and staff for their leadership in producing the report and hosting several related conferences that were critical to the development of the final recommendations contained in the document. Everything you need to know about operations, equipment, and management can be found in Aggregates Manager. To sign up for a free subscription (for aggregates industry professionals), go to www.Aggman.com/circulation/subform.htmInternational Mine Rescue Conference set for Aug. 27-Sept. 1 The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is slated to host the International Mine Rescue Conference Aug. 27-Sept. 1 in Nashville. The National Mining Association (NMA) is co-sponsoring the event. This is the third time the conference has been held in the United States. Mine rescue experts from around the world will speak at the conference. For more information about the conference, contact MSHA at 202-693-9470. Concrete prices stable, asphalt prices up SKOKIE, Ill.—Concrete prices in June again remained nearly unchanged with a slight 0.1 percent gain, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index. Lumber prices increased for the first time in two months, growing by 0.9 percent. Steel prices increased a slight 0.4 percent while asphalt saw the same 0.1-percent gain as concrete. Overall, steel prices increased 10.6 percent during the past year. Asphalt prices rose 7.7 percent in 2006. Concrete prices have changed at a slower rate, with a 4.5 percent increase from June 2006 price levels. Lumber prices to date have declined with a 7.9 percent negative change from 2006. (Source: Portland Cement Association) Lawrence Cement Inc. fined $90,000 for health and safety violation
Cemex’s second quarter 2007 net sales increase 6 percent Monterrey, Mexico-based Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. announced that consolidated net sales increased 6 percent in the second quarter of 2007 to US$4.9 billion versus US$4.6 billion in the comparable period of 2006. EBITDA decreased 1 percent in the second quarter of 2007 to US$1.1 billion versus the same period of 2006. CEMEX’s consolidated second-quarter financial and operational highlights are as follows:
Consolidated corporate results In the second quarter of 2007, majority net income increased 6 percent to US$611 million from US$579 million in the second quarter of 2006. Net debt at the end of the second quarter was US$4.1 billion, representing reductions of $US1.1 billion during the quarter and US$4.1 billion since the end of the second quarter of 2006. The net-debt-to-EBITDA ratio decreased to 1.0 times from 1.2 times at the end of the first quarter of 2007. Interest coverage reached 8.9 times during the quarter, up from 7.7 times a year ago. Second-quarter highlights for Cemex’s markets Net sales in our operations in Mexico increased 10 percent in the second quarter of 2007 to US$967 million, compared with US$883 million in the second quarter of 2006. EBITDA increased 2 percent to US$357 million in the second quarter of 2007 versus the same period of last year. Cement, ready-mix, and aggregates volumes increased 3 percent, 8 percent, and 78 percent, respectively, during the quarter compared with the second quarter of 2006. Cemex’s operations in the United States reported net sales of US$941 million in the second quarter of 2007, down 16 percent from the same period in 2006. EBITDA decreased 31 percent to US$242 million from US$349 million in the second quarter of 2006. Cement, ready-mix, and aggregates volumes decreased 11 percent, 21 percent, and 16 percent, respectively, during the quarter versus the second quarter of 2006. In Spain, net sales for the quarter were US$520 million, up 9 percent from the second quarter of 2006, while EBITDA increased 2 percent to US$157 million. Cement, ready-mix, and aggregates volumes decreased 6 percent, 7 percent, and 4 percent, respectively, during the quarter versus the same period of the previous year. Operations in the United Kingdom experienced a 12 percent increase in net sales during the second quarter of 2007, to US$536 million, when compared with the same quarter of 2006. EBITDA decreased 9 percent to US$37 million in the second quarter from US$41 million in the comparable period of 2006. Net sales in the Rest of Europe region increased 10 percent during the second quarter of 2007 versus the comparable period of the previous year, reaching US$1.1 billion. EBITDA was US$161 million for the region in the second quarter of 2007. Cemex’s operations in South/Central America and the Caribbean reported net sales of US$504 million during the second quarter of 2007, representing an increase of 36 percent during the same period of 2006. EBITDA increased 64 percent for the quarter to US$172 million versus the same period of 2006. Second-quarter net sales in Africa and the Middle East were US$179 million, up 2 percent from the same quarter of 2006. EBITDA increased 2 percent to US$46 million for the quarter versus the comparable period of 2006. Operations in Asia reported a 23 percent increase in net sales during the second quarter of 2007, to US$108 million, versus the second quarter of 2006, and EBITDA was US$29 million, up 28 percent from the same period of 2006. (Source: Business Wire) U.S. Concrete updates second quarter, full year 2007 expectations HOUSTON—U.S. Concrete, Inc. on July 19 announced that second-quarter 2007 earnings are expected to be approximately $0.17 to $0.19 per diluted share, which is at the low end or slightly below the company’s previously issued guidance. Final second quarter earnings remain subject to management’s completion of its customary quarterly closing procedures. “When we announced our second-quarter earnings guidance in May, we indicated we had experienced unusually wet weather in our Texas market during April and early May,” U.S. Concrete’s President and CEO Michael W. Harlan stated. “We pointed out that, to meet our earnings guidance for the second quarter, we would need to see normal weather patterns in this market, which did not occur.” Harlan says the company’s Dallas/Fort Worth market was impacted by heavy rain during 46 percent of the production days in the second quarter, which resulted in volumes for this market being lower than our forecast by approximately 18 percent, or 264,000 cubic yards. “This volume shortfall negatively impacted earnings in the second quarter,” Harlan noted. “In addition, the continued slowdown in residential construction has resulted in lower-than-expected volume in each of our major markets that is not being fully offset by the increase in volume we are seeing in non-residential and public works construction. “We are encouraged by the continued improvement in our material spread (revenue less raw materials costs) in our major markets that we experienced in the second quarter of 2007,” Harlan continued. “This is a good indication that our selling price improvement is outpacing our raw materials cost increases, which should lead to better operating margins as our volumes improve. We will continue to try to improve our material spread in the second half of the year.” Looking ahead to the remainder of the year, Harlan notes that the company has a strong backlog, particularly in the contracted commercial and public works sector of our business; however, he says he does not expect customers to be able to increase construction activity to levels that will allow recovery of the entire shortfall experienced in the first half of 2007. “We now expect, assuming normal operating conditions for the remainder of the year, EBITDA for the full year to be between approximately $86 million and $91 million and earnings per share of between $0.46 and $0.53 per share,” Harlan said. Earnings release and conference call schedule The company will release its second-quarter results at 6 a.m. ET on Aug. 9, 2007. In conjunction with the release, U.S. Concrete has scheduled an investor conference call for the same day, which will be broadcast live via the Internet at 10 a.m. ET. The call can be accessed live via phone, by dialing 303-262-2131 and asking for the U.S. Concrete call 10 minutes prior to the start time or live via the Internet by logging on to U.S. Concrete’s Web site at www.us-concrete.com. A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available through Thursday, August 16, 2007, and may be accessed by calling 303-590-3000 and using the passcode 11094070#. An archive of the Web cast will be available shortly after the call on the company’s Web site at www.us-concrete.com within the investor relations section of that site. Cemex completes multi-billion dollar Rinker takeover CEMEX announced on July 16 that it had officially completed its multi-billion dollar takeover of Rinker Group. The deal is valued at $16.8 billion. The acquisition will bump up CEMEX’s annual sales by 28 percent, to more than $US23 billion. As part of the deal, CEMEX has agreed to sell 39 concrete and aggregate plants in southern U.S. (Source: National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association Washington Watch & eDigest e-newsletter)
Safety Shares Pass Me an Extinguisher! When a fire strikes, no one – except perhaps an experienced professional or volunteer firefighter – is ever ready for it. Nevertheless, you can learn from the way firefighters react and follow their example of disciplined, cautious response. First of all, if you recognize or suspect a fire, sound the alarm. Activate the fire alarm system, call 911, or radio for help. Before you do anything else, make sure help is on the way. Next, evacuate the building or the area where the fire is located. Alert others and, if someone is hurt, overcome by smoke, or even slow to get out, insist that others get out of harm’s way. If the fire is small, and you think you can extinguish it or slow its spread, don’t just grab the closest fire extinguisher and cut loose. Determine the type of fire and make sure to use the right kind of extinguisher. Not every extinguisher works on every type of fire, and using the wrong kind could injure you or cause the fire to spread. Types of fires There are four types of fires. Class A fires involve burning common combustibles: wood, paper, cardboard, cloth, or trash. These substances leave an ash. Class A stands for ash. Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids: gasoline, oil, solvents, paints, or grease. These substances often come in barrels or buckets, so some people think Class B stands for the type of container, but it really stands for boiling liquid. Liquids do not actually burn; rather it is the liquid’s vapors that burn. If the liquid gets too hot, too fast, all of it may vaporize and cause a dangerous BLEVE, a potentially disastrous Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion. Only attempt to extinguish small Class B fires and leave the big fires to professional firefighters. Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment: wiring, motors, motor control centers, and panel or junction boxes. Electricity is a charged current. Class C stands for current or charge. Using the wrong type of extinguisher could result in electrocution. Class D fires involve combustible metals: magnesium, aluminum, titanium, or sodium. Metal fires are dangerous, but fortunately they are uncommon at mines. Consider Class D as standing for don’t fight these fires. Get away from these types of fires and leave them to professional firefighters. Types of extinguishers Like fires, there are four types of extinguishers. They are rated and labeled A, B, C, or D for the type of fire they are designed to fight. Match the type of extinguisher to the type of fire. Some fire extinguishers can be used on several types of fires. They are multipurpose rated to extinguish type A, B, and C fires. Proceed with caution There are four conditions must be met before you fight a fire:
Remember, fires are serious hazards. If the fire is large or growing or if the conditions just don’t seem right, let the fire burn. Don’t risk your life. Property can be replaced, lives can’t. Using an extinguisher When using an extinguisher, there are four steps to follow. They can be remembered by using the acronym PASS. P – Pull the pin out of the handle using the ring attached to it. The pin prevents the extinguisher from being accidentally discharged. As long as the pin is in place, you can’t squeeze the handle to discharge the extinguisher. A – Aim at the base of the fire; that is where the burning material is located. Aiming at the flames will let the agent pass the fire without effect. S – Squeeze the handle. This will release the pressurized extinguishing agent. S – Sweep the nozzle and discharging extinguishing agent from side to side, through the burning material at the base of the fire. Keep spraying until the fire is out and make sure it doesn’t reignite. Don’t worry about saving the extinguishing agent for a later fire. Once an extinguisher has been even partially discharged, it must be recharged before being returned to service. A good practice is to lay fully discharged extinguishers on their side, rather than setting them upright standing on their base. Extinguishers on their side indicate they are fully discharged, so other people won’t waste time trying to use them if more extinguishing agent is required.
Alkali free accelerator Sika has introduced an alkali free shotcrete accelerator, Sigunit L53 AF S. The product reduces overall shotcrete-generated dust and rebound, and it improves shotcrete bonding to surfaces. It also is chloride and alkali free, so it does not attack steel or iron and isn’t a threat to groundwater, according to Sika.
Thayer Scale designed its new “SI” Insertion weigh-belt module to fit easily into an existing belt or vibratory conveyor line. The SI feeder comes in either scale over or scale under design. Its short support framework and a 24-inch-long V-guided conveyor (12, 18, or 24 inches wide), make it an ideal weighing module for insertion into a transition space between existing conveyors or equipment, according to the company.
High-volume pumps Subaru has introduced a new diesel trash pump designed to move high volumes of trash water without clogging. The 6.8-horsepower PTD310T has a 3-inch port and a capacity of 317 gallons per minute. The 9.9-horsepower PTD410T has a 4-inch port and 449-gallon-per-minute capacity.
For more new products for the industry, check out
the
RollOuts
section
|
Unique
feeder fits in existing belt
Construction
software developed Dexter + Chaney employed has broken ground
on a second office building to accommodate the company’s growing
work force.
The new three-story, 12,000-square-foot office will be adjacent to Dexter + Chaney’s existing office building that the company purchased in 1999. Employees will occupy both buildings when the new one is completed in April 2008. Together, the two buildings nestled on the 2.3-acre Dexter + Chaney “campus” will provide more than 24,000 square feet of office space for the growing company.
The latest people news on who’s who and who has moved where within the industry. |
Larry Craig (R-Idaho) is named as the new ranking Subcommittee on Forests and Public Lands, according to the National Mining Association. The committee has legislative responsibilities relating to national mining and minerals policy, reserved water rights, and public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service and The Bureau of Land Management.
Morris,
Minn.-based Superior Industries has appointed Roger Wuellner
as its territory manager for conveyor components products in the mid
southern region of the United States. Wuellner has 18 years of sales
experience as a territory manager and national accounts manager.
Headquartered in Spring Hill, Kan., Wuellner will be working with components distributors in the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.
The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has hired Melanie Bassett as a regional director, focusing primarily on the Midwest. Based in St. Louis, Mo., she is responsible for field activities including membership, leadership, and grassroots development, fundraising, member services and ARTBA representation at industry events.
Before joining ARTBA, Bassett worked as executive director of congressional and public affairs for the Great Lakes Regional office of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, based in Chicago, Ill. This region included oversight of resources in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. In this post, she was responsible for cultivating and expanding the organization’s grassroots and political network of corporate members, local chambers and associations. She also worked directly with Members of Congress and numerous top-level executives on legislative priorities and advocacy issues.
Prior to her work with the Chamber, Bassett was the Midwest regional political manager for Associated Builders and Contractors. She expanded the association’s advocacy efforts in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio, and was part of the team that $1 million dollar political action committee to support pro-business candidates.
Bassett has also held the role of consultant for a variety of political and issue advocacy campaigns throughout the Midwest. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with a concentration in political communication from Ohio University.
Sponsored by:
Compiled by Tina Grady Barbaccia, Aggregates Manager Senior Editor.
To contact Tina about the newsletter content, send e-mail to e-news@aggman.com or call (630) 364-2306.Interested in being a sponsor of our newsletter? Contact your sales representative for more information. Click here for list of contacts.
Aggregates Manager e-News
Aggregates Manager magazine
Click here for your FREE subscription!
Click here for your FREE subscription!
Go to AggMan.com
