The inside scoop on industry news, views, and products
March 6, 2008
Vol. 4, No. 5
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The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is revising its civil penalty assessment amounts to adjust for inflation. The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA) requires MSHA to adjust all civil penalties for inflation at least once every four years according to the formula specified in the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (Inflation Adjustment Act). The revised penalties apply to citations and orders issued on or after the effective date of this rule. This final rule became effective on March 10, 2008. According to the final rule, the operator of any mine in which a violation of a mandatory health or safety standard occurs or who violates any other provision of the Mine Act will be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $70,000. Each occurrence of a violation of a mandatory safety or health standard may constitute a separate offense. The amount of the proposed civil penalty is based on the criteria in sections 105(b) and 110(i) of the Mine Act. Any operator who fails to correct a violation for which a citation has been issued under Section 104(a) of the Mine Act within the period permitted for its correction may be assessed a civil penalty of not more than $7,500 for each day during which such failure or violation continues. Additionally, any miner who willfully violates the mandatory safety standards relating to smoking or the carrying of smoking materials, matches, or lighters shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $375 for each occurrence of such violation.
The Producer Price Index for Finished Goods rose 1 percent in January, seasonally adjusted, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. This increase followed a decline of 0.3 percent in December and a 2.6 percent advance in November, 123jump.com reported on Feb. 26. At the earlier stages of processing, prices for intermediate goods moved up 1.4 percent after falling 0.2 percent in the prior month, and the crude goods index increased 2.5 percent following a 1.1 percent advance in December, according to the 123jump.com report. The index for materials and components for construction climbed 0.4 percent in January after inching up 0.1 percent in December, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). There’s no way to avoid toxic emissions of hazardous air pollutants under conditions proposed in an application for a new operating permit and reclamation plan for the San Rafael Rock Quarry. That conclusion, among findings of a draft environmental impact released this week, resonates with residents in Peacock Gap, Marin Bay Park, and other neighborhoods who object to the dust and noise generated by the quarry. The 1,000-page environmental report, prepared by Environmental Science Associates of San Francisco at a cost of nearly $1 million, examines a proposed new operating permit for the quarry and a state-mandated plan for restoring the site when mining operations cease. The quarry’s owner, the Dutra Group, wants to dig the pit twice as deep as the 200 feet below sea level allowed by a 1982 permit, and continue operations for another 17 years with 250 truck trips daily. When mining ceases, Dutra wants to cut a channel between the pit and the bay, create a 600-berth marina, and develop 350 housing units as well as office and commercial buildings. ‘Risk of cancer’ According to the report, the proposed reclamation plan would increase daily emissions of organic gases, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and particulate matter small enough to be inhaled deeply into the lungs. Even with mitigation measures, the reclamation plan would have “significant, unavoidable impacts on air quality, including a contribution to significant, unavoidable cumulative human health risks,” the report finds. “Past quarry operations, including shipping materials by truck on Point San Pedro Road, have caused an increase in the incremental risk of cancer for exposed individuals in the vicinity of the quarry and haul route,” the report asserts. Future operation of the quarry will contribute to this risk, even though “diesel engine technology and fuel formulation have resulted in decreases in diesel particulate emissions.” But Ami Dutra, a spokeswoman for the Dutra Group, said, “I don’t believe we’re going to have unmitigatable air impacts.” She said the Dutra Group will release its own air quality study within the next 90 days. The study was done by Environ of Arlington, Va. Dutra added that she couldn’t discuss specific questions about the independent environmental impact report because she hasn’t had time to study it. Judge Sutro steps in In 2004, Marin Superior Court Judge John Sutro ruled that the Dutra Group had improperly expanded its operations and ordered the business to update its reclamation plan — indicating how long it intends to continue mining the quarry, how deep and wide it envisions digging the pit, and what it intends to do with the property after the mine is closed. Sutro’s action came after a neighborhood group, the Point San Pedro Road Coalition, the county, the state Attorney General’s Office, and Metcalf sued the quarry, alleging it was operating illegally and creating a public nuisance by generating harmful dust, excessive noise and traffic congestion. “This issue of silica dust is extremely concerning to us,” said Denise Lucy, co-president of the San Pedro Road Coalition. “We’ve all been waiting for the EIR to come out to determine what is really happening there.” Key levee repair role Tim Haddad, a Marin County environmental coordinator, said the quarry’s proposals can be approved despite significant environmental impacts that can’t be eliminated. To do so, the Marin County Board of Supervisors must decide that “the decision to approve the project overrides and outweighs the acceptance of the impact,” Haddad said. The impact report notes that the project site is one of a dwindling number of quarries in the area supplying material for a variety of construction uses: Road building and paving, concrete and riprap for shoreline and levee repair. In recent years, the quarry has had contracts to supply rock for levee repair in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta under a state of emergency declared by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The quarry is uniquely qualified to respond quickly to such emergencies due to its deepwater barge dock on the bay. PUBLIC HEARING The Marin County Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the draft EIR on March 25 in their chambers at the Civic Center in San Rafael. The report may be viewed at http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CD/main/comdev/eir.cfm. AT A GLANCE The 750-acre site off North San Pedro Road, including 272 acres on which mining occurs, is owned by the Dutra Group, a dredging, marine construction, and mining business. Produces rock, concrete aggregate, sand, asphaltic concrete and rip rap products, and is designated a significant mineral resource area by California Division of Mines and Geology. About 1.6 million tons of material was produced in 2007. Site includes marshland, a brick manufacturing facility, a 250-foot hill known as South Hill, a quarry bowl that has been excavated about 250 feet below sea level, a rock-crushing and processing facility, an asphalt production plant, docks, and office and residential buildings Rock is crushed from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from May 1 to Nov. 30, but crushing operations close at 5 p.m. from Dec. 1 to April 30. There were 29,246 truck trips into or out of the quarry in 2007. Blasting occurred 72 times last year. Employees range from 30 to 100, based on season. Dutra Group wants to dig the pit twice as deep as the 200 feet below sea level allowed by a 1982 permit and continue operations for another 17 years with 250 truck trips daily. It plans to cut a channel between the pit and the bay, create a 600-berth marina, and develop 350 housing units as well as office and commercial buildings. TIMELINE
(Source: Marin Independent Journal. Article by Richard Halstead, rhalstead@marinij.com.)
FALLBROOK, N.C.—A gravel mining company began preparations last week to widen 1.3 miles of Highway 76 and open a quarry on the east-facing slope of Rosemary’s Mountain. Granite Construction, which plans to operate the quarry about a mile northeast of the intersection of Interstate 15 and Highway 76, started building a fence around its 38-acre site last week. The move signals the beginning of a long-awaited project that involves widening and realigning a portion of Highway 76 between I-15 and Rice Canyon Road — a requirement that the company must complete before it begins selling sand and gravel from Rosemary’s Mountain. The road construction will cost about $26 million and take at least nine months to complete. The work includes straightening two sharp curves and adding a lane in each direction and will begin in May or June, according to those familiar with the project. But before the new four-lane stretch of the route to Pala and Pauma Valley opens next year, those who travel the road must endure traffic delays stemming from road construction and blasting on nearby hills, a project manager said. Granite Construction spokesman Gary Johnson said that once blasting begins in May, the traffic delays will be in the 10- to 15-minute range and will not occur every day. Quarry to open later Once the road construction is finished in 2009, Granite Construction will begin developing the quarry site, which entails building permanent structures, such as a rock crusher and asphalt plant. “We’re guessing that it will be fully operational in three years from now — a year for the road, and two years to get the plant up and running,” said Karie Reuther, a spokeswoman for Granite Construction. Operating from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, the quarry will sell 1 million tons of sand and gravel a year for 20 years, according to site plans. Controversy over its proximity to the San Luis Rey River prompted two decades of opposition from Bonsall-based nonprofit group RiverWatch, but in the last few years the project has received all the permits it needs to begin operating. More recently, opponents of a second proposed quarry in the area have raised concerns about airborne pollutants being released from Rosemary’s Mountain. Granite Construction officials say air quality around the quarry will be monitored. The road construction is the last hurdle Granite Construction must clear before selling the prime ingredient of concrete and asphalt — a mixture of sand and gravel known as “aggregate” — to the building industry in the region. (Source: North Carolina Times online edition, nctimes.com. By staff writer Tom Pfingsten. He may be contacted at 760-740-3516 or tpfingsten@nctimes.com. )
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) has recognized seven member operations in its National Stars of Excellence program for 2007. At Aggregates Manager press time, the seven winners, along with the Excellence in Community Relations Gold Award recipients, were slated to be recognized on March 12 during an awards breakfast at NSSGA’s annual convention in conjunction with ConExpo-Con/Agg in Las Vegas. NSSGA President and CEO Joy Wilson says that “the awards are just a small way of recognizing their [the operations’] contributions to a sustainable America through the economy, environment, and quality of life.” NSSGA Chairman of the Board Louis Griesemer, president and CEO of Springfield Underground in Springfield, Mo., notes that he “congratulate[s] each of these seven operations for their commitment to being outstanding corporate citizens in their communities.” The following operations were given 2007 Stars of Excellence:
Photos courtesy of National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association 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.htmThe Transportation for Illinois Coalition (TFIC) is launching a new federal outreach program to refocus its efforts toward key staff and lawmakers both from and outside of Illinois that influence transportation issues. In the past, TFIC has organized trips to Washington, D.C., to meet with the Illinois Congressional delegation to discuss transportation issues and receive information about the transportation activities at the Capitol. These D.C. trips will still take place, but the federal program will provide additional focus, says John Henriksen, executive director of the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers (IAAP) and a member of TFIC’s coalition, in a written statement. “To maximize our impact with the Illinois delegation, we are forming Congressional District Transportation Teams who will not only build on our past efforts but will, we believe, become even more effective by meeting with members of Congress from Illinois right in their home districts,” Henriksen notes in a written statement. “By using local and familiar constituents, we believe that our outreach to each member of the Illinois delegation will be better than ever, more responsive, and more informative for all concerned.” The teams will be composed of representatives from labor, business, local political leaders, and other TFIC member organizations. Each Congressional District Transportation Team will be lead and supported by a volunteer district coordinator. Some of the activities the Congressional District Transportation Teams may choose to undertake are the following:
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA), in cooperation with the National
Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, is conducting a series of free
mine safety workshops nationwide to address special hazards
associated with the onset of warmer weather at certain mining
operations. The sessions, called “Spring Thaw” workshops, will be
held in March in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio
and Wisconsin. Rock Law Hits the Road Aggregates managers attending ConExpo-Con/Agg ’08 will have the opportunity to meet Mark Savit and Brian Hendrix. Savit is a partner at Patton Boggs, LLC, while Hendrix is a counsel with the law firm. The two are regular contributors to Aggregates Manager’s “Rock Law” column and are well-recognized authorities in the field of mining law. On Tuesday, March 11, from 10 a.m. until noon, Savit and Hendrix will answer operator questions about the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) new restrictions on scheduling conferences. As penalties continue to increase, more operators are trying to work out citations and penalties informally. Get advice on how to deal with these issues at your site. On Wednesday, March 12, from 1 to 3 p.m. Hendrix will answer mine law questions. MSHA Launches Online Violation Tracking Tool for Operators The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) on Feb. 26 activated a new feature on its Web site that will provide additional tools for mine safety stakeholders to assess the safety performance at specific mines around the nation. The addition to MSHA’s Data Retrieval System will enable users to access specific data about violations per inspection day (VPID) and repeat violations of the same standard. MSHA’s Data Retrieval System currently provides users with the ability to examine data on inspections, violations, accidents, inspector samples, operator samples, quartz results, and health samples at specific mines across the United States. The new feature provides additional information on the frequency of violations at mines. Under MSHA rules, the number of violations issued by an inspector per day, and the number of repeated violations of the same safety or health standard are factors in determining the fine a mine operator must pay for each violation. More specific information on the data provided by this new Web feature is located at www.msha.gov/drs/drshome.htm. (Source: U.S. Department of Labor/Mine Safety and Health Administration) APAC’s Arkhola Division Drives Home Hope Discussions at APAC’s Fort Smith, Ark.-based Arkhola division concerning ideas for a community service project led to the concept of advertising on the site’s ready-mixed drums to promote awareness for local non-profit organizations. Soon after, the “Arkhola Supplies Hope” campaign was launched. To date, there are three trucks in service for this campaign with several more to come this year, says Park Estes, vice president of sales for Arkhola Sand & Gravel.
The division covered three of its concrete trucks with advertisements for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Morgan Nick Foundation, and the Ft. Smith Boys and Girls Club. Although advertising on ready-mixed drums is not a new idea, it has not been done without any cost to non-profit groups in this region, according to Oldcastle Materials. APAC is part of Oldcastle Materials. The No. 1 priority of this campaign is to raise public awareness and funds for these organizations with traveling billboards, Estes says. However, as a secondary benefit to Arkhola, a positive image for the construction industry is being projected, he says. “We have had calls to our office and employees stopped on the street being thanked for what we are doing with this campaign,” Estes says. “This — and the feedback from our customers — has given all the employees of Arkhola another reason to be proud to be a part of the Arkhola team. Any of us could find ourselves in need of the services of the organizations, and it’s our hope that the ‘Arkhola Supplies Hope’ campaign will help sustain them and their noble causes to meet the needs of all.”
CRH Announces Plan to Release Preliminary 2007 Earnings CRH, a manufacturer of cement, aggregates, asphalt and ready-mixed concrete, will release its 2007 preliminary earnings on March 4. Vulcan Expects Home Construction Decline, Rising Sales for Infrastructure Vulcan said it expects the broad use of aggregates in construction and the multiyear nature of highway and infrastructure projects to help offset continued weakness in residential construction and softening in certain categories of private nonresidential construction, Vulcan CEO Don James said in the company’s 2007 full-year operating report it publicly released on Feb. 13. “Leading indicators such as contract awards for highways and nonresidential construction in Vulcan-served markets continue to grow and lead other U.S. markets,” James said. “Some of this increased spending is being offset by higher costs for construction inputs including steel and energy-related costs such as liquid asphalt and diesel fuel. The sharp downturn in residential construction activity was only partially offset by increased levels of highway construction and nonresidential construction, James said. “The pricing environment for aggregates remained favorable during 2007,” he pointed out. “The average selling price for aggregates increased 13 percent in 2007 despite a 9 percent decline in aggregates shipments.” For a downloadable PDF of the full earnings report, click here.
MARKETING Permeable Pavements Taking Industry by ‘Storm’ These porous pavements can reduce the need for expensive storm water drainage and wet pond retention systems and excavation. Porous asphalt and pervious concrete are hot topics in the construction industry right now. Both are storm water drainage systems that, if designed and installed properly, will reduce stormwater runoff while also gaining environmental and economical benefits. When permeable pavements are used for parking areas, streets, plazas, and walkways, they minimize stormwater runoff to surrounding streams and lakes and allow for natural filtration to recharge local groundwater supplies. Permeable pavements reduce the need for expensive storm water drainage and wet pond retention systems and excavation, thereby allowing for more economical and beneficial land use. Permeable pavement and the aggregate industry Porous and pervious designs both use a very deep sub-base of crushed aggregate uniformly graded with about 40 percent void space for stormwater storage and recharge. The sub-base design depth depends on the soil. Silty clay soil is slow to drain so a deeper base might be needed; sandy loam will drain more quickly and require less depth. Permeability of soils should be verified. A percolation rate of 0.5 inch per hour and a soil layer of 4 feet or more are generally recommended. The average sub-base is about 2 feet deep, with some as deep as 4 feet to handle the stormwater. This is a significant increase in aggregate usage-per-square-foot versus sub-base under traditional impervious materials. “There are hundreds of systems out there, and we are getting calls every week asking if a permeable pavement system is the answer to a particular application,” points out Dan Wible, P.E., a water resource engineer at Cahill Associates, which designs porous asphalt pavements. Phil Kresge national resource senior director, Mid-Atlantic for the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), which promotes pervious concrete and tracks projects, says there are more than 250 projects listed with 60 percent of them in the Southeast, the majority of which are in North Carolina. Twenty percent are in California, with the remainder spread across the Northeast in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Vermont, and Minnesota. As the need and popularity of these stormwater systems increases, so will the need for more aggregate to make them functional, Kresge notes. What in the world is permeable pavement? Porous asphalt and pervious concrete are engineered with a 15- to 30-percent void system that allows rainwater to percolate through it. Essentially, this is achieved by reducing or eliminating the “fines” or fine aggregate in the mix. The fines are replaced with more coarse aggregate to make up the cubic yard in the case of pervious concrete or the ton as porous asphalt is sold. This reduction in fines creates voids that are made from the coarse aggregate bridging each other and creating air voids. Permeable pavements can drain at a rate of 3 to 5 gallons-per-minute per square foot.
The most common aggregate gradation for both asphalt and concrete applications is an AASHTO No. 8. Crushed and cubical are preferred more than gravel for functionality and aesthetic value, although gravel has been used with success. Pervious concrete normally requires a sub-base or reservoir of No. 57 stone, while porous asphalt calls for an AASHTO No. 1 to AASHTO No. 5 with AASHTO No. 3 most commonly specified. Both sub-base’s are frequently placed on top of a geotextile fabric. Remember, the depth of the stone will vary according to the hydrologic conditions of the soil. Poorly draining soils will require deeper stone beds and/or underground stormwater chambers, dependent on the soil’s infiltration rate and the size of the maximum storm for which the system is being designed. Normally, the minimum depth for this reservoir course is shown as 8 or 9 inches, but more commonly the average depth is 24 inches. There is a “top filter course” or “choker course” made up of AASHTO No. 57, AASHTO No. 8 or similar that is placed on top of the “reservoir” course at a depth of 1 to 3 inches. In addition to providing some filtration, it stabilizes the surface to accept the permeable product without movement or rolling during the application. The preferred particle shape for sub-base is crushed aggregate to insure interlock and a stable base. Why use permeable pavement stormwater systems? There are substantial environmental benefits, says Greg Yoko from Dubuque, Iowa-based Land Development Break Throughs, a company that specializes in workshops and conferences for the land development industry.
“Recent interest in green building and recognition of pervious pavements by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a best practice for stormwater management has heightened interest in its use throughout North America,” Yoko says. The U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System is the standard for determining a building’s degree of sustainability. At least two credits toward a LEED certification can be attained by using a permeable pavement stormwater system — one credit for managing rate and quantity of stormwater and another for managing water quality, Wible says. Both are achievable if they are designed and installed properly. There are many other credits available depending if concrete or asphalt surface is chosen including rainwater collected and used onsite, innovation in design, heat island reduction, and others. If a building or property receives enough credits, it is LEED-certified as a sustainable property, which is very attractive when property owners plan to sell or lease a building. Indirectly, this could lead to more properties using the pervious concrete in place of other materials. Importance of water quality Water quality is very important. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements mandate criteria for a stormwater runoff quality. As mentioned earlier, the silty clay soil may drain slowly, but is better at filtering the water. The sandy loam soil drains quickly, but it is less effective at filtering out dissolved solids.
The stormwater that percolates through the system will undergo natural filtering and purification so that the water reaching the groundwater table is close to the same quality as runoff soaking directly into the surface as long as the infiltrating runoff contains only the common, mostly biodegradable, materials. The purpose of naturally treating the water is to prevent pollutants from entering streams, lakes, rivers, or groundwater supplies. Some pollutant sources for parking lots include litter, spills, fertilizers, pesticides, and vehicle pollutants, such as greases and oils.
A study on water quality is currently being conducted on porous asphalt and pervious concrete pavements right now at Villanova University, located outside Philadelphia. “It’s just a matter of waiting for Mother Nature to cooperate,” Kresge says. The project consists of side-by-side, 1,500-square-foot pavement sections divided by a concrete barrier with a waterproof membrane. The RMC Research & Education Foundation in partnership with Villanova University, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Prince George’s County, Md., is funding the study. Patrick Jeffers, a Villanova graduate student participating in the study, says the next step is to wait for rain. The pavements must receive a minimum 1/4-inch rainfall to flush the system and calibrate the equipment. Following that, data can be gathered with each rainfall of at least 1/4 inch. The three-year study of water quantity and quality will focus on adjacent pervious concrete and porous asphalt surfaces and will measure both systems’ efficacy in treating polcyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), phosphorous, nitrogen, metals, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TSD), PH, and conductivity. Additionally, first flush samplers will be used to evaluate any runoff from both pavements. For more information on pervious concrete or porous asphalt pavements systems, see the following publications: Porous Asphalt Pavements — National Asphalt Pavement Association. Information Series 131 Pervious Concrete — National Ready Mixed Concrete Association NRMCA/American Concrete Association ACI pub. ACI 522R-06 Pervious Concrete.
Photos courtesy of Pennsy Supply
New excavators debut this month Hitachi is introducing two new excavators at this month’s ConExpo-Con/Agg show, including the reduced tail-swing Zaxis 135US-3 and the new wheeled excavator, the Zaxis 220W-3. Both machines feature Tier 3 engines and the company’s new CRES II cab, which is bigger and has more glass area that previous cabs. Both are more powerful than the models they replace and travel at faster speeds. The Zaxis 135US-3 also has faster arm roll-in and boom lower/arm movement due to hydraulic refinements, and the Zaxis 220W-3 has more stability for moving Jersey barriers without outriggers.
SK Bowling says its Clothes Cleaning System is the quickest and most effective way to remove dust from workers’ clothing and maintain OSHA compliance. Designed for removing respirable dust in mining operations, a worker enters the cleaning booth, activates the system, and rotates in front of a bank of low-pressure air nozzles. In 18 seconds, 90 percent of the dust in his clothing is removed without contaminating others or the work area, according to the company.
New line of oscillating mounts
New, improved housing system The next-generation APPH impact crusher from Hazemag features a new, improved housing system and front apron on all models. This generation also has an extra heavy-duty housing system — 1-1/2-inch thick sidewalls — on the APPH-1620, APPH-1622, and APPH-1630 and of course still incorporates the HAZtronic System Technology, which the manufacturer says it invented. There are currently more then 75,000 HAZEMAG impactors working worldwide, more than 1,000 APPH impactors working worldwide, and more than 200 APPH impactors in use in the United States.
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Milan Lipensky is the technical services
manager for Pennsy Supply, Inc. in Harrisburg, Pa. Pennsy Supply is
a leading supplier of aggregate, concrete, and asphalt in the
Mid-Atlantic region. The company is part of the Mid-Atlantic Group
of Oldcastle Materials, Inc. 
Fintec has unveiled a new track-mounted
impactor that combines its expertise in designing track-mounted
mobile crushers with the impact-crusher expertise of its new parent
company, Sandvik. The new 1440 features a Sandvik PR301D impactor
with a fluid clutch drive and a 440-horsepower engine. Fed by a
two-deck pre-screen, the crusher is a four-hammer, open-style rotor.
The unit has an operating weight of 49.8 metric tons and is about 51
feet long. It is designed for throughputs of 300 to 350 metric tons
per hour.
Removes respirable dust
Lovejoy’s Rosta division has extended
its line of Rosta AB oscillating screen mounts with the introduction
of the AB-HD 50. The new model is designed for longer service life.
Its controlled performance during shutdown eliminates the need for
side snubbers, using 16 rubber inserts to absorb the remaining
energy of the screen box. It is designed for heavy, free-oscillating
screens and shaker conveyors, fits into tight spaces, and eliminates
the need for auxiliary parts.
Custom Truck Sales in Regina, Sask., was named 2007 Kenworth Dealer of the Year for the United States and Canada at the annual Kenworth Dealer Meeting held recently in San Diego.
Custom Truck Sales was chosen as Kenworth Dealer of the Year from among Kenworth’s six Gold Award winners for 2007. Other Gold Award winners are Edmonton Kenworth (Edmonton, Alb.), Inland Kenworth – U.S. (California, Arizona and New Mexico), Kenworth of South Texas (San Antonio, Texas), Kenworth Sales Company (Salt Lake City, Utah), and MHC Kenworth (Oklahoma).
Liebherr has chosen to expand its exclusive licensing and technical information alliance with Immersive Technologies to include the company’s range of hydraulic mining excavators and shovels.
This follows the alliance signed in 2005 for the Immersive T 282 B simulator representing one of the world’s largest haul trucks.
Liebherr will now work exclusively with Immersive Technologies to develop training simulators for the Liebherr range of excavator and shovels.
The first Liebherr mining excavator represented in a simulator is Liebherrs current flag ship the R 996. Other models will follow imminently given the market’s strong demand for simulation products for enhanced operator training for mining machines.
New Holland Construction and Kobelco Construction Machinery America have joined the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA), a 29-year-old business membership organization that promotes the growth and professionalism of its members in the construction industry.
HACIA’s membership represents more than 250 construction companies, professional services and construction-related service firms. Member benefits help minority- and women-owned businesses in the industry to better market their products and services, grow their circle of business contacts and gain project leads. HACIA is cited by many developers and government agencies as a reliable assist agency and a valuable resource for female- and minority-owned construction companies.
Since acquiring Durex Products Inc. in October 2007, Linatex Corp. of America has been implementing a merger plan to ensure customers and employees experience minimal disruption. Both companies are continuing operations as normal while sales and operations merge.
“There is no rush to force the two companies together without proper, robust planning,” says Greg Caddle, president of Linatex Corp. of America, in a written statement. “We’ve seen too many organizations try to do this in the past with disastrous results. We really want to embrace the best of both companies and to ensure that our customer experience remains a priority.”
Caddle says one of Linatex’s major goals in 2008 is to focus on improving customer delivery. “Durex Products Inc. has adopted modern methodologies combined with a strong customer focus to continuously improve delivery performance,” he says in the statement. “This is something we want to preserve, strengthen, and adopt throughout our combined organizations.”
The latest people news on who’s who and who has moved where within the industry. |
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republican Leader John L. Mica (R-FL) has named U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) as the Ranking Republican on the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee.
Boozman replaces former Congressman Richard Baker as the top Republican of the Subcommittee with jurisdiction over water resources development, conservation and management, water pollution control, water infrastructure, and hazardous waste cleanup. Federal agencies under the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency.
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) named Ronald W. Kruse, president of National Lime & Stone Co. (NLS), Findlay, Ohio, as recipient of the 11th annual Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award for his dedication to the construction aggregates industry, his family and his community.
For 53 years, Ron Kruse has been an employee of National Lime & Stone Co., a member of industry associations and an advocate of the aggregates industry. For the past 50 years Ron has been a vital part of his community while raising and supporting his family.
Joining NLS in 1954 as a college summer intern, Kruse worked in the quarry to gain a hands-on appreciation of the industry. After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University he joined the company’s accounting department and began learning the aggregates business. Several years later he joined the sales department. Kruse knew at that point he had to be fully committed to his family and company, but also involved in industry associations and the community to be successful.
He became active in the Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association (OAIMA) and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA). As NLS grew so did Ron’s involvement with these organizations. His peers elected him director on the OAIMA Board from 1980-1988 and from 2000-2006. He served as president of this state aggregates association from 1986-1988 while serving on a committee to select an executive director. He was inducted into the OAIMA Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the association’s award for outstanding contributions in 2000. Kruse continues to serve as chairman of its nominating committee.
He served on the NSSGA Marketing Committee from 1971-1994 and as the committee’s chairman in 1992. He served as an association director from 1991-1996 and from 1999-2007. During this same time he served on the national association’s nominating committee and helped assure the successful transition of the merger of the National Stone Association and the National Aggregates Association in 2000. His leadership on the board helped cement the merged association’s unity and his leadership at NLS was also recognized as he was promoted to company president.
Kruse also took on leadership roles in his Findlay community. He served as president of the Board of Education, Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, as well as leading church committees.
With Marge, his wife of 50 years, Ron has three children and nine grandchildren. As he retires from National Lime & Stone Co., he leaves a legacy of what the Barry Wendt Award honors: commitment to family, community, company, and to the aggregates industry through leadership of state and national associations.
Scott L. Rhodes has been elected group vice president of the western region of National Lime and Stone Co. by the firm's board of directors.
Rhodes came to National from Cooper Tire and Rubber Co., where he has been employed since 1994, most recently as director of the commercial products division in Findlay.
In his role with National Lime, Rhodes will have operating margin responsibilities and will be in charge of both the sales and production activities of the Findlay, Lima, Rimer, Buckland, and Delphos plants, and the Ready-Mix Concrete Division.
Rhodes has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from Bowling Green State University.
National Lime’s board also elected group vice presidents for its central and southern regions.
Brian J. Wheeler will have operating margin responsibility for the industrial minerals business, as well as the Carey, Bucyrus, and Upper Sandusky markets and plants.
He retains responsibility for the technical services of product development, engineering, and maintenance.
Chad D. Doll will have operating margin responsibility for the Columbus region, Marion, and South Columbus aggregates plants. In addition, he will be responsible for the sales and production activities of the recycling business and Cascades Cut Stone, a producer of architectural and decorative stone.
All three group vice presidents will report to Tony L. Price, senior vice president of operations.
National is the 14th largest producer of crushed stone in the nation and is one of the largest suppliers of construction aggregates in Ohio. It has 13 quarries in Ohio.
Quarries or distribution centers in Ohio are located in or near Akron, Buckland, Bucyrus, Canton, Carey, Columbus (Delaware), Columbus (Lockbourne), Delphos, Findlay, Landeck, Lima, Marion, Massillon, Rimer, Tusky Valley, Upper Sandusky, Vanlue and Wooster.
The company is the largest domestic producer of dried dolomitic stone used to manufacture flat glass. Other industrial minerals manufactured by National are used by such industries as roofing, steel, agriculture, and automotive. National also produces cut stone in Vanlue for architectural and landscape markets.
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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.
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