Pit & Quarry articles from April 2004

Pit & Quarry archives from April 2004

Crushed stone.(Top News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... * According to the USGS, an estimated 394 million metric tons of crushed stone are produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2003, an increase of 8 percent compared with the same period of 2002. The...

Construction sand and gravel.(Top News)(consumption)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... * The estimated output of construction sand and gravel produced for consumption in the fourth quarter of 2003 is 280 million metric tons, an increase of 5.4 percent compared with the same period of 2002. The estimated annual production of...

Lafarge North America.(Top News)(acquires Kellstone Quarry and River Dock)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... * Lafarge North America completes the asset purchase of Kellstone Quarry and River Dock, a privately owned business based in Cleveland.

Congress.(Top News)(highway program)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... * Congress passes a two-month extension until April 30 of the highway program after House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) dropped his objection to an unrelated provision being attached to the legislation.

Washington wire.(Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics)(transportation bill review by president and congress)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... * President Bush met with the House leadership, including Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), to talk about transportation, and sources confirmed the president is not budging from his position of a $256-billion transportation bill over six...

Red flags.(Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics)(mining tax in Alabama, California court ruling)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... * Alabama State Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow wants to impose a tax of 10 cents per ton of gravel, sand, limestone, granite and other rock quarried in Alabama. The tax would reportedly raise as much as $5.3 million a year for 41 counties with active...

Stock watch.(Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... STOCK WATCH (at press time) THIS MONTH LAST MONTH Cemex SA d 28.89 28.40 Eagle Materials d 55.65 54.99 Florida Rock Industries f 41.97...

Essential economics.(Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics)(construction activities)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Monthly Construction Contract Value Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, in Millions Jan. 2004 Dec. 2003 % Change Nonresidential Building $139,123 $141,492 -2 Residential...

Through the end of January, state DOTs had only obligated about $5.3 billion of federal highway program funds.(Other Economic News...)(United States. Department of Transportation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Through the end of January, state DOTs had only obligated about $5.3 billion of federal highway program funds, half of what had been obligated at that point in FY 2001, the last year with on-time appropriations. According to ARTBA, the...

Twin-tank control.(Brand new: just released to the market)
April 1, 2004... GreyStone Inc. introduced the first twin-tank, sand classifying control system of its kind in the United States. This patent-pending system allows plant operators to run two classifying tanks from a single computerized control system. Utilizing...

New VSI.(Brand new: just released to the market)
April 1, 2004... Metso Minerals has developed a new Barmac vertical shaft impact (VSI) crusher--the Barmac B7150SE. It incorporates all the features of the standard range and adds a number of new ones to provide improved performance, reliability and...

Reduced tail swing.(Brand new: just released to the market)
April 1, 2004... John Deere has added two new C-Series excavator models with the advantage of little tail swing. With a reduced tail swing radius and high productivity, the company says the 13.5-metric-ton 135C RTS and 22.5-metric-ton 225C LC RTS provide...

Oglebay Norton Co. to complete restructuring within chapter 11.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)
April 1, 2004... Oglebay Norton Co. says that the company and its wholly owned subsidiaries have filed voluntary petitions under chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. As previously...

Lafarge North America acquires Kellstone Quarry and River Dock.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Lafarge North America has completed the asset purchase of Kellstone Quarry and River Dock, a privately owned business based in Cleveland. Kellstone Quarry is a limestone quarry located on Kelleys Island in Lake Erie. The quarry produces in...

Events.(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... April 16-19, 2004 NSSGA Young Leaders Council Annual Meeting Tampa, Fla. 800-342-1415 www.nssga.org April 25-30, 2004 IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Technical Conf. Chattanooga, Tenn. 443-212-9100 www.IEEEPCA2004.org May 10-12, 2004...

Rogers Group acquires A&H Sand & Gravel in Indiana.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)(Abrams & Hawkins Sand & Gravel)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Rogers Group has acquired the assets of Abrams & Hawkins Sand & Gravel in Grayville, Ind., from Jerry Abrams and Jerry Hawkins, according to Vice President of Development Scott Alexander. "This acquisition expands our geographic reach in...

NSSGA holds Convention, Plant Operators Forum.(Association News)(National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Nearly 800 registrants converged in Phoenix for the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association's (NSSGA) 2004 Annual Convention. Presenters included former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich. Themed "Managing Your...

NSSGA selects 'Future City' student designers.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)(National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, Chippewa Middle School wins)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A three-student team from Chippewa Middle School in St. Paul, Minn., won the first "Best Uses of Aggregates in Designing Future Cities" at the annual Future City competition culminating National Engineers Week in Washington. It was the first...

Vulcan promotes HR executive.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)(Vulcan Materials Co)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Vulcan Materials Co. announced that J. Wayne Houston has been named senior vice president, human resources. Houston most recently served as vice president, human resources. He joined the company in 1980 and has held positions of increasing...

Ingersoll-Rand sells drilling business.(Manufacturer News)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Ingersoll-Rand Co. Ltd. as agreed to sell its Drilling Solutions business unit to Atlas Copco AB, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, for about $225 million. The transaction, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2004, is...

Goodyear names finalists for Highway Hero Award.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)(Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Four professional truck drivers, who set aside their focus on load transport to come to the emergency aid of others, have been selected as finalists for the Goodyear North America Highway Hero Award, a trucking-industry award for heroism. ...

Exports of construction equipment rebound in 2003.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The market for exports of U.S.-made construction machinery improved 7.44 percent in 2003 as manufacturers shipped more than $6.84 billion worth of construction equipment worldwide last year, according to the Association of Equipment...

Caterpillar Chairman, CEO Jim Owens confirms priorities in analyst call.(Stockpile: the latest industry news)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Caterpillar Inc. Chairman and CEO Jim Owens expects to focus the company on three key priorities: profitable growth, performance through 6 Sigma and people. Owens shared these goals during his first conference call with securities analysts and...

Plant sets up in hours without crane.(Tech watch: cutting-edge solutions)(Grasan concrete/asphalt recycling plants are easy to set up)
April 1, 2004... Grasan road-portable concrete/asphalt recycling systems can be set up quickly without a crane or special tools other than a front-end loader and block-and-tackle. The systems include primary impact crusher plant, side discharge conveyor,...

Mobile crusher offers versatility, ease of maintenance.(Tech watch: cutting-edge solutions)(69,450 lb. BR380JG-1 mobile jaw crusher)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Komatsu America Corp.'s 69,450 lb. BR380JG-1 mobile jaw crusher is the newest model in Komatsu's mobile crusher product family. Designed for mobile crushing applications including highway construction, demolition, quarry and excavation work,...

Point & shoot.(Tech watch: cutting-edge solutions)
April 1, 2004... Last summer, when we asked producers which new-technology gadgets (besides cell phones) they most used around their sites, we were surprised to discover that the top response was "digital cameras." But perhaps the results of that Pit & Quarry...

The snub pulley: one solution to belt slippage.(Conveyor Talk)
April 1, 2004... Belt slippage means costly downtime. By the time you've shoveled out the resulting material spill at the tail end of the conveyor, you know that the problem needs to be solved. The use of a snub pulley is one solution. Mounted close to the...

Vehicle tracking.(Software Solutions)
April 1, 2004... Command Alkon Inc. offers a new generation of intelligent vehicle tracking and reporting system products called CommandFleet. It will eventually replace the current CommandSignal models to enhance advanced communications and data reporting for...

Vehicle scale software.(Software Solutions)
April 1, 2004... The recently introduced Mettler Toledo OverDrive software allows users to control multiple vehicle weighing and data solutions across one platform. OverDrive connects vehicle scales to a standalone PC or integrates them into a local or...

Bullish on business: northeast producers are optimistic about the economy as it relates to the aggregates industry.(Plant Operations)(Land Venture II)
April 1, 2004... Business is ratcheting up in the aggregates industry from Maine to Maryland and this may be a microcosm of what is happening throughout much of the United States this year. Actually, business was not all bad for the majority of quarry...

From coal to stone and back: Haines & Kibblehouse turns an abandoned open-pit coal mine into a thriving aggregates operation.(Plant Operations)(by partnering with Al Roman)
April 1, 2004... The area around Eckley, Pa., is coal-mining country. During the 19th century, hundreds of company mining towns were built in the hills known for their abundant anthracite reserves and many mining operations. Most of those mines, operated...

Good vibrations: the vibrating scalper plays a key role in the success of most material processing plants.(Screening)
April 1, 2004... Grizzly bars are popular for use in extra-heavy-duty, high-capacity applications. They are very sturdy and can withstand large feed size. Grizzly bars also provide the highest capacity owing to the long spacing between the bars. It is...

Adding up costs.(Maintenance)
April 1, 2004... The basics of machinery maintenance is the same no matter what industry you work in. Equipment makes money when it is running and creates debits when it is down. Both the machinery downtime itself and the maintenance departments add to the...

Elevator buckets.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... 4B Components Ltd. has developed a stackable CC-style polymer elevator bucket. It is stackable in the sense that the buckets nest inside one another for reduced storage and shipping space and greater freight savings owing to increased density...

Breaker attachments.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... Atlas Copco Construction Tools Inc. offers a complete line of 15 hydraulic breakers spanning impact classes from 200 to 15,000 ft.-lb. The units are classified in three categories: the light Penta Breaker (PB) Series, the Medium Breaker (MB)...

Articulated haulers.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... John Deere's 250D, 300D, 350D and 400D articulated dump trucks (ADTs) are designed to increase productivity through numerous improvements that deliver a higher horsepower-to-weight ratio. Other enhancements increase operator comfort and fuel...

Slurry pump.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... A heavy-duty submersible pump designed to handle various types of slurries has been introduced by ITT Flygt Corp. The number of parts in the 5150 pump were greatly reduced and the design radically simplified, creating a low-maintenance,...

Primary impactor plant.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... The KRH1515, Grasan's largest road-portable primary impact crushing plant, can be configured for concrete/asphalt recycling (side discharge) or crushing limestone (end discharge), providing reduction ratios as great as 30:1 in closed circuit....

Gear coupling.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... The Lovejoy/Sier-Bath Farr gear coupling is designed specifically for the rugged requirements of high-horsepower underground and surface belt conveyors. The bolt-on design of the drive lends itself to fast installations requiring no alignment,...

Submersible pumps.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... Pumpex dry-pit submersible pumps feature the complete SmartSeal cartridge that combines both mechanical shaft seals into a complete, easily replaceable sealed cartridge. Fast, easy field replacement is accomplished without special tools or...

EtherNet/IP adapter.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 40 AC drive users can now control, configure and collect data over Ethernet with the Allen-Bradley 22-COMM-E adapter from Rockwell Automation. The EtherNet/IP adapter sends and receives PowerFlex 40 drive operating and...

Crushing, screening plant.(Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace)
April 1, 2004... The new UltraMax Stealth3 closed-circuit crushing and screening plant from Eagle Crusher Co. is a 500-05 closed-circuit, portable crushing plant capable of producing recycled asphalt and two Superpave cubical products simultaneously at more...

Congress passes another short term highway extension until April 30.(National affairs: key issues)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Congress passed a two-month extension until April 30 of the highway program after House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) dropped his objection to an unrelated provision being attached to the legislation. The president signed the bill on Feb....

TCC fly-in participants urge action on TEA-21 reauthorization.(National affairs: key issues)(Transportation Construction Coalition )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... More than 400 members of Transportation Construction Coalition organizations converged on Washington Feb. 24-25 and made hundreds of visits to members of Congress to urge passage of TEA-21 reauthorization legislation. At a legislative...

NSSGA says Congress may reauthorize TEA-21 for only two years.(National affairs: key issues)(National Stone, Sand & Gravel Associations)(Transportation Equity Act for the Twenty-First Century of 1998)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... President Bush met with the House leadership, including Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), to talk about transportation and sources confirmed the president is not budging from his position of a $256-billion transportation bill over six...

Courts hand down endangered species act ruling.(National affairs: key issues)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed a lower court's decision that scientific contributions to species recovery must be incorporated in Endangered Species Act (ESA) decision-making. At issue in this case was how the National Marine...

Rep. Young presented award from Public Transportation Association.(National affairs: key issues)(Don Young )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was presented with the American Public Transportation Association's (APTA) National Distinguished Service Award for 2003. On hand to present...

New Jersey.(Northeast)(Cemex Inc. to Gene Mulvihill Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The quarry on Lime Crest Road in Sparta was shut down as ownership was transferred from Cemex Inc. to a corporation co-owned by major county developer Gene Mulvihill. Mulvihill's corporation is the fifth owner of the quarry since 1996. The...

Pennsylvania.(Northeast)(Lehigh Asphalt Paving and Construction Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The company that wants to expand a quarry in East Penn Township over the objections of hundreds of residents also wants the municipality to reimburse it $17,000 for legal fees it incurred in a court fight related to the proposal. Lehigh Asphalt...

Alabama.(Southeast)(quarry materials tax)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... State Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, D-Red Bay, wants to impose a tax of 10 cents per ton of gravel, sand, limestone, granite and other rock quarried in Alabama. The tax would raise as much as $5.3 million a year for 41 counties with active quarries....

Florida.(Southeast)(Florida Rock Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... To battle Florida Rock Industries, West Putnam residents have formed a committee and will start looking for a lawyer to represent them against a proposal to start another sand-mining operation near Johnson. They formed a panel to "get something...

North Carolina.(Southeast)(Vulcan Materials Co.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A quarry company stalled its expansion plans in the face of opposition from nearby residents and Charlotte City Council members. Vulcan Materials wanted the city to abandon an 860-ft. section of Old Nations Ford Rd., allowing the company to...

Michigan.(North Central)(Byron Township Plaaning Commission to allow Riverfront Sand and Gravel's sand mining operation)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... After receiving more information, the Byron Township Planning Commission will allow a sand mine to operate for another year. The Planning Commission unanimously approved a one-year renewal of the permit for Riverfront Sand and Gravel's 52-acre...

Ohio.(North Central)(American Steamship Co.)(Oglebay Norton Co.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The American Steamship Co. may buy one of the Great Lakes' oldest shipping companies, reports the Detroit Free Press. Oglebay Norton, a Cleveland-based miner and 12-vessel shipper of industrial minerals, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy...

Wisconsin.(North Central)(Sauk County Earth Day 2004)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Plans are progressing for Sauk County Earth Day 2004. Several activities of years past will be returning, and a few new features are planned for the April 25 celebration. Tours of the Rock Springs quarry by Martin Marietta Materials is a new...

Missouri.(South Central)(Dave Snider appointed)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The state Department of Transportation has named Dave Snider its interim director, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission announced. Snider takes over for Henry Hungerbeeler, who announced in December that he would resign. Snider...

Texas.(South Central)(Royal Trading Co)(Valero LP)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... San Antonio-based Valero LP has acquired two asphalt terminals from Royal Trading Co. for $28 million. The first terminal is located in Catoosa, Okla., near Tulsa, and has a storage capacity of 340,000 barrels, four truck loading stations, a...

Colorado.(Mountain)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.) announced that Colorado's share of federal highway funding will increase 46.5 percent over the next six years if the Senate's proposed TEA-21 reauthorization package is passed. Allard is a member of the Senate...

California.(Pacific)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the city of Santa Clarita may intervene in a lawsuit that could determine the fate of the controversial Soledad Canyon gravel mining project. The city is one of the staunchest opponents of the...

Idaho.(Pacific)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Cassia County has been ordered to pay attorney fees in a lawsuit between the county, the city of Burley and Magic Valley Sand and Gravel. The Idaho Supreme Court issued an opinion overturning a 5th District Court ruling by Judge Monte Carlson...

Thermal energy 101.(Safety: key issues)(fatalities in cement and lime industries)
April 1, 2004... The stone category in MSHA's record-keeping system includes the cement and lime industries. Cement and lime plants have very high temperature processes. In 2002 there were 64 nonfatal thermal burn injuries in stone, sand and gravel. The two...

Lawful discrimination.(Law: key issues)
April 1, 2004... Under federal law it is now clear that it is permissible for employers to discriminate against younger workers in favor of older workers. Youth is not a status that can or will be protected by the EEOC following the Supreme Court decision in...

ALJ doubles civil penalty in denial of entry case.(Legal highlights: key issues)(Administrative Law Judge)
April 1, 2004... A Maine sand and gravel operation was fined $500 for refusing to allow an MSHA inspector to perform an inspection in a February 4 ruling by a Federal Mine Safety and Health review Commission judge, who doubled the agency's proposed $250 civil...

Battle lines being drawn.(Economics: key issues)(presidential elections)
April 1, 2004... Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts has secured the democratic nod for president and the nation is gearing up for the fall elections. Pundits say the 2004 contest between President Bush and Kerry will be calculated and brutal, which will make the...

January construction recedes 3 percent, highways down 23 percent.(Economics: key issues)(statistics)
April 1, 2004... The value of new construction starts in January settled back 3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $522.1 billion, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Residential building held steady with...

Hanson acquires Athens Brick for $40 million.(Supply chain: news from affiliated industries)(Hanson Brick)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Hanson Brick, North America's largest brick manufacturer, announced that it has acquired Athens Brick Co. Inc. from Texas Industries Inc. for $40.4 million in cash on a [debt-free basis and subject to usual post-closing adjustments]. "This...

U.S. Concrete CEO elected chairman of RMC Research Foundation.(Supply chain: news from affiliated industries)(Eugene P. Martineau)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... U.S. Concrete Inc. announced that its CEO, Eugene P. Martineau, has been elected chairman of the board of trustees of The RMC Research Foundation. Since 1991, The RMC Research Foundation has served the ready-mixed concrete industry through...

Pennsy Supply provides foundation for CowParade Harrisburg 2004.(Supply chain: news from affiliated industries)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Pennsy Supply, a Southcentral Pennsylvania supplier of aggregate, concrete and asphalt, is donating the production of more than 130 concrete bases for life-size, fiberglass cows that will be part of CowParade Harrisburg 2004. CowParade has...

Looking to buy? Contact these advertisers for your equipment and service needs.(Directory)(Illustration)
April 1, 2004... Associations/Shows/Auctions Coal Prep Show 800-927-5007 www.coalprepshow.com Intl. Society of Explosives Eng. 440-349-4004 www.isee.org Messe-Munchen 89-949-2 ...

Coming in May.
April 1, 2004... * MegaProducers * Maintenance * Washing & Classifying * Portable Plants