Pit & Quarry articles from July 2001

Pit & Quarry archives from July 2001

According to the U.S. Dept. of the Interior's geological division.(crushed stone)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... * According to the U.S. Dept. of the Interior's geological division, an estimated 287 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced and shipped for consumption in the first quarter of 2001, a decrease of 1.8 percent compared with the same...

Martin Marietta Materials Inc.(buys rights to quarries)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * Martin Marietta Materials Inc. acquired the operating rights of two limestone quarries and a sand and gravel operation, located in central Indiana, from Jones Crushed Stone. The three locations have a combined annual capacity of about 1.6...

More than 400 NSSGA members converged on St. Louis June 10-12 to hear keynote speaker.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * More than 400 NSSGA members converged on St. Louis June 10-12 to hear keynote speaker, Martin Marietta Materials President and CEO Steve Zelnak, launch the meeting with a call to aggregates companies of all sizes to embrace new technologies...

Sandvik has agreed to acquire part of Svedala Industri.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * Sandvik has agreed to acquire part of Svedala Industri, the Swedish industrial group, through the Sandvik mining and construction unit. The Svedala unit will be acquired from Metso Corp., in order to gain approval for its acquisition of...

STOCK WATCH.(for construction materials companies)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... STOCK WATCH (AT PRESS TIME) THIS MONTH LAST MONTH Centex Construction Prod. d 30.36 29.48 Florida Rock Industries f 45.30 48.95 Hanson Plc f 33.52 ...

WASHINGTON WIRE.(includes multiple records)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The transportation subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee approved a $59.1 billion fiscal year 2002 transportation spending bill on June 12. The bill fully funds both TEA-21 and AIR-21. Total highway spending amounts to $32.7...

RED FLAGS.(includes multiple records)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * A U.S. District Court has struck down a proposed Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission regulation that would have banned the morning use of off-road diesel construction equipment during summer months. * State DOTs committed...

Essential Economics.(contract value of construction building)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... Essential Economics Monthly Construction Contract Value Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rates, in Millions April 2001 March 2001 % Change Nonresidential Building $173,734 $163,470 +6...

Construction put-in-place during March 2001.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... * Construction put-in-place during March 2001 was estimated at a seasonably adjusted annual rate of $854.4 billion, 1 percent above February, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Portland cement consumption declined in February.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * Portland cement consumption declined in February, according to the Portland Cement Association. The drop was attributed to fewer construction days. Year-to-date consumption of portland cement remains just above last year's levels.

Gaining with training.(survey, opinions on training programs)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... At the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association's (NSSGA) Mid-Year Meeting in St. Louis, the Marketing Analysis Promotion & Training committee released the results of a survey it conducted earlier this year. The survey gauged member opinions...

Mobil oil decreases ring, liner wear.(Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 features new detergent/dispersant chemistry and unique base oils in a harder working lubricant that delivers even stronger performance. The new formulation of Mobil Delvac 1300 Super provides superior control of...

Tramac booms emphasize down-pressure.(Tramac's CDB Series stationary booms)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Tramac CDB Series stationary booms offer the latest design for rock-breaking applications in aggregate quarries and mines. Tramac CDB booms feature massive, heavy-duty steel plate construction to provide reliability, performance and durability....

Michelin tire provides greater stability.(radial tire for loaders and graders )(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Michelin has taken its XTLA L2T radial tire for loaders and graders to a new level of performance with the introduction of the 550/65R25 XTLA L2T. Engineered for durability and versatility, this tire provides exceptional traction and long, even...

Martin Marietta acquires three operations.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... Martin Marietta Materials Inc. acquired the operating rights of two limestone quarries and a sand and gravel operation, located in central Indiana, from Jones Crushed Stone. The three locations have a combined annual capacity of about 1.6...

Tin Top receives safety recognition award.(from TXI)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... TXI's Tin Top Sand and Gravel recently received a safety award for 18 years with no lost-time accidents. Under TXI's "Corporate Safety Recognition Program," the facility was awarded a plaque and employees received gift cards in recognition of...

Oglebay Norton moves from ships to stone.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... In 1998, Oglebay Norton -- then a "mature shipping business with limited growth potential," according to John Lauer, chairman, president and CEO -- began implementing a growth strategy to build a more diverse industrial minerals and aggregates...

U.S. Aggregates Inc. announced the resignation of Daniel Yih.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... U.S. Aggregates Inc. announced the resignation of Daniel Yih as interim CFO, treasurer and vice president, effective immediately. He will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors of U.S. Aggregates.

Students win scholarships from National Lime & Stone.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Eight $2,250 scholarships have been awarded to children of National Lime & Stone So. employees from the C. Paul Palmer Memorial Scholarship Fund. The awards are based on academic excellence, school activities and community service. The...

The Aggregate & Ready Mix Assn. of Minnesota.(hosts open house)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The Aggregate & Ready Mix Assn. of Minnesota (ARM) hosted an open house for members and friends. According to Tim Reagan, the association's director of marketing, the open house was designed to acquaint members and friends alike with the "new...

Acting New Jersey Governor Donald DiFrancesco.(signs weights and measures bill)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Acting New Jersey Governor Donald DiFrancesco has signed into law a weights and measures bill, which affects the transportation of construction materials. The signing took place at the 38th Annual Concrete Awards, sponsored by the New Jersey...

The Iowa Limestone Producers Assn.(relocates)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The Iowa Limestone Producers Assn. relocated to new offices. The association can now be reached at 5911 Meredith Drive, Suite A, Des Moines, IA 50322. Phone: 515-262-8668 Fax: 515-262-0299.

The Arizona Rock Products Assn.
July 1, 2001... The Arizona Rock Products Assn. (ARPA) held its Convention 2001, Past Victories, Future Successes, at the Surf & Sand Resort in Laguna Beach, Calif. According to Ken Quartermain, ARPA president, "The focus of concentration was on such issues as...

Passive help for active problems.(industrial accidents, analysis and prevention)(Industry Overview)
July 1, 2001... New hires, old hands, foremen, superintendents, plant managers, area managers, vice presidents and safety directors figured out that injuries don't occur very often to operations people when plants are running smoothly. When operations are...

MSHA: Evaluating operation helps reduce accidents.(Mine Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... According to John K. Radomsky, of MSHA's metal/non-metal safety and health accident investigation program office, at least once each year, producers should take the time to evaluate their entire operation in an effort to reduce accidents. ...

Fall-protection equipment offers many benefits.(Mine Safety and Health Administration citations)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... While OSHA regulations are specific with regard to fall protection, MSHA regulations are not as clearly defined, says Robert Babin, product manager for Fall Protection Systems. MSHA-cited violations for fall protection have been upheld in...

Reading the signs.(traffic control planning for for mining haul roads)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Planning for traffic control is an essential part of the overall planning of a mining operation. Traffic-control planning should anticipate changing conditions and future needs. This is especially true at newer sites and on new or changed haul...

A talk with MSHA's new boss.(Mine Safety and Health Administration, Dave Lauriski)(Interview)
July 1, 2001... Pit & Quarry conducts the first major interview with new MSHA chief Dave Lauriski. This is the first in a two-part series. You can read the entire interview online at www.pitandquarry.com - Ed. P&Q: What aspects of your work in the private...

National legislative report.(National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association takes proactive stance on legislative issues)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... In a spring dominated by news of turncoat politics, rumors of an indictment of a U.S. senator and the very real execution of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh, the aggregates industry was busy trying to make partners with the Bush...

Here comes HazCom.(Hazard Communications program)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... This is the first in a two-part series on HazCom compliance - Ed. In 1985, the president of a company called Film Recovery Inc. was convicted of murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison because an employee was exposed to cyanide fumes and...

Sand up, stone down in first quarter.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... An estimated 287 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the first quarter of 2001, a decrease of 1.8 percent compared with the same period of 2000. The estimated U.S. output of...

Economic snapshot.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Stone producers currently report steady market conditions, although concerns continue to be raised about fuel prices and the effects surges and spikes will have on bottom lines. At the same time, legislators looking to curry favor with voters...

Construction activity advances 3 percent.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... The value of new construction contracts increased 3 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $476.5 billion, according to the F.W. Dodge Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Moderate growth was reported for two of the three...

ICAR addresses research needs.(International Center for Aggregates Research)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... At this year's ICAR conference, researchers focused on aggregate characteristics and performance-based specifications. This is part one in a three-part series. -- Ed. Aggregates, concrete, bases and fines were the official topics of the...

Advanced shifting.(Dana Corp. introduces Spicer TE32 transmission)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Dana Corp.'s Off-Highway Systems Group offers the Spicer TE32 transmission, designed for performance, durability, and operator safety and comfort under a wide variety of operating conditions. The TE32 was formerly known as the T42000. It is...

Good vibrations.(Hanson Building Materials uses self-cleaning Flex-Mat screen cloth)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Hanson Building Materials produces fine stone for asphalt mix at its Ringgold, Ga., limestone quarry. Crushed stone is run through a 6-ft. x 20-ft. double-deck screen running large-diameter woven wire on the top deck with final product sizing...

A mechanical engineering graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin has patented a design that holds promise for dramatic fuel savings.(Dimitrios Dardalis)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... A mechanical engineering graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin has patented a design that holds promise for dramatic fuel savings in heavy-duty diesel engines of the future. Dimitrios Dardalis predicts his Rotating Liner Engine...

Iridium Satellite LLC.(introduces mobile satellite data services)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Iridium Satellite LLC announced the commercial availability of its mobile satellite data services, including dial-up connectivity and direct-Internet connections. The company launched voice services in March. Iridium's data services offer a...

Southern States Power Co. Inc.(completes facility construction)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Southern States Power Co. Inc. has completed construction of its Coachella Valley Biodiesel production facility, which will produce 10 million gallons of Biodiesel fuel annually. Clean air standards are tightening, and major biodiesel...

A variable-speed fan clutch controls and minimizes the speed of large, engine-cooling fans.(from Rockford Powertrain Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... A variable-speed fan clutch controls and minimizes the speed of large, engine-cooling fans when maximum cooling is not required. According to Rockford Powertrain Inc., research has shown that the average fuel savings available with the addition...

Friend to the environment.(Caterpillar will use Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... All Caterpillar truck engines will employ ACERT (Advanced Combustion Emissions Reduction Technology). Integrated with the next generation HEUI fuel system for on-highway truck engines and the latest in Cat electronics, ACERT will serve as the...

Swiss-Army excavator.(new technology invention)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Wouldn't it be great if Victorinox made excavators? They don't. They actually make the world-famous Swiss Army Knife. Still, it would be nice if an excavator included all the little appendages needed to perform a number of operations on the...

Quietly winning.(includes several Internet-related articles)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... dconstantino@ advanstar.com We've all heard about the big Internet bust. Dot-coms have disappeared left and right, and those that are still around have watched their stock values fall from the sky and through the floor. But while Internet...

Record breaker.(data for IronPlanet online sales of heavy equipment for May, 2001)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... @ Record breaker -- IronPlanet Inc., an online marketplace for used heavy equipment at IronPlanet.com, sold nearly $4.1 million worth of used equipment in May, breaking the company's record for monthly equipment sales and coming close to the...

Twice-loved Cat.(Point2 Internet Systems Inc., Caterpillar Inc. enhance web site)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... @ Twice-loved Cat -- Point2 Internet Systems Inc. and Caterpillar Inc. have joined to enhance Caterpillar's used construction equipment site at CatUsed.com.

Parts online.(from Equipment Sales and Service (United States) and EarthKing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... @ Parts online -- Equipment Sales & Service will join with EarthKing to develop a Web site (eConstructionParts.com) to sell parts to the construction and mining industries.

Computer management.(new software from Blue Ocean Software Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Track-It! from Blue Ocean Software Inc. is a complete system for microcomputer management. It manages PC inventory, LAN auditing, purchasing, help desk, training and reporting for one, low price. The company says Track-It! reduces operational...

Quarry design.(software from Surpac Software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Quarry from Surpac Software International contains tools for quarry design, planning and production in a format that the company says is easy to apply for fast, accurate information. Quarry is suitable for sites that are wishing to apply...

ActiveX control.(new from BinMaster)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... BinMaster's new SmartBob ActiveX Control makes it easier to integrate the SmartBob Inventory Management System into your existing control system. This system is designed to interface with HMI software programs such as WonderWare, Intellution,...

Blast fragmentation.(new software from Precision Blasting Services)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Breaker 5.0 from Precision Blasting Services can predict and compare the relative difference in fragmentation from one blast to another. The program can compare the changes in fragmentation as affected by many of the normal blasting variables,...

Beat the Clock : By making wise equipment choices, Summit Stone has found a way to maintain high production in limited operating hours.(Summit Stone Inc. opens sand and gravel operations in Boise, Idaho)(Company Profile)
July 1, 2001... Summit Stone has established a green-field sand and gravel operation in Boise, Idaho. The company, based in Clarkston, Wash., is now in the first phase of a multi-phase project that calls for the mining aggregate from the site and then...

Preventing Stockpile Segregation : Using advanced, automated stockpiling methods and equipment, segregation can be kept to a minimum.
July 1, 2001... During the process of creating a traditional, conical stockpile, the force of gravity uses the greater inertia of the larger aggregate particles to separate them from the finer particles. Therefore, every bucket load of aggregate taken from a...

From the Drill to the Plant : When developing a blasting strategy, managing all aspects of the process is critical.
July 1, 2001... At mines and quarries, the cost that really matters is the total cost. The costs of individual unit operations only matter in how they affect the final cost. To achieve the best results in the 21st century, it is essential to manage...

Telescoping conveyor.(new from Fisher Industries)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Fisher Industries offers a 36-in. x 225-ft., heavy-duty overland conveyor, which the company says adapts easily to vertical curves. The unit combines high production capacity (1,000 tph) along with over-the-road portability that reduces setup...

Portable conveyors.(new from E.F. Marsh Engineering Co.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... E. F. Marsh Engineering Co., which produces Marco heavy-duty tubular truss frame conveyors, offers a new line of portable conveyors. The line includes transportable stackable conveyors, stackables with radial package, road portable radial...

Hauling tire.(new quarry dump truck tire from Michelin et Cie.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... The Michelin X Quarry is a durable E4 tire designed to optimize performance of rigid dump trucks in the most demanding quarry conditions. The extra-deep, long-lasting tread keeps machinery moving in severe conditions. The Michelin radial tire's...

Custom panels.(conveyor covers from Curveline Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Custom-curved metal conveyor covers in many different profile configurations are available from Curveline Inc. The Curveline process turns standard metal building panels -- including economical 7/8-in. corrugated profiles -- into highly rigid,...

Horizontal shaft impactors.(new horizontal shaft impact crushers from Eagle Crusher Company Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... The UltraMax line of horizontal shaft impact crushers from Eagle Crusher Co. delivers high-volume production of uniform, cubical spec product in a wide variety of processing, recycling and mining applications, says the company. Producers can...

Side-dump trailers.(Thurston Manufacturing Co.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Thurston Manufacturing Co. offers a new generation of Circle R side-dump trailers that bring increased strength and significant weight reductions. One noticeable improvement is in the tub portion of the trailer. Circle R side dumps now have a...

Mobile crusher.(new from Komatsu America International Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Komatsu America International Co. offers the 104,720-lb. BR550JG-1 mobile jaw crusher with Hydraumind technology. The system supplies the optimal amount of oil through load-sensing and pressure compensated valves, thus sensing overloads and...

Cone crushers.(Johnson Crushers International)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... JCI offers a 19-in. x 27-in. color poster of its Kodiak cone crushers. The cross-section graphic illustrates the internal mechanisms and also reflects many new and patented features, such as: internal balancing with weights placed out of the...

Feed hopper/ conveyor.(from Grasan)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Grasan's road-portable feed hopper/conveyor is designed to handle a variety of materials at rates of 300 to 500 tph. The unit includes an 8-ft., 6-in. hopper with abrasive wear liners and folding wing extensions, a 36-in. x 65-ft....

Conveyor safety.(MCR Technologies)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... MCR Technologies offers a complete line of conveyor safety products, including the LRS 004 single-pull safety switch, designed for conveyors 65 ft. or less in length, and the HEN 001 dual-pull safety switch, offering 40-percent greater coverage...

Group controller.(Schenck Weighing Systems software)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Up to 16 gravimetric screw feeders, weighfeeders, solids flow meters or pumps can be graphically configured and monitored using Schenck AccuRate's new Disocont compatible, DG-2000 group controller. The Windows NT-based DG--2000 software...

On-board weighing.(PAT America Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... PAT America Inc. has introduced a dynamic weighing and totalization system designed to increase the efficiency and productivity of loader operations. The MC 400 accurately measures loads dynamically and totals more than 1,000 separate...

KiloWate is now Viking Scales Inc.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Former KiloWate General Manager Erik J. Smith has closed a deal making him the new owner of the company, which he has renamed Viking Scales Inc. The Georgetown, Texas, company is positioned to be a leader in the electronic scales market,...

Cummins to halt development of engine line.(will cut 500 jobs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Cummins Inc. will cut at least 500 jobs by mid-2002 and halt development of a new engine line as it continues restructuring. The cuts, which the company plans to achieve through firings, layoffs, retirements and attrition, come about 211/42...

Telsmith Inc.(Richard A. Patek)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * Telsmith Inc. appointed Richard A. Patek president. With 23 years experience in the aggregates industry, Patek was most recently president of Kolberg-Pioneer Inc.

Kolberg-Pioneer Inc.(Rick Hutmacher, Greg Stach, Joseph P. Vig)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * Kolberg-Pioneer Inc. appointed Joseph P. Vig to the position of president. The company also appointed Greg Stach to the position of engineering manager and promoted Rick Hutmacher to the position of project engineer-research & development.

Charles Kahn III is now director.(ABB Automation Technology Products Division)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... * Charles Kahn III is now director, industrial sales, for the low-voltage motors and drives business of the ABB Automation Technology Products Division.

Seven months early and under budget : DESIGN/BUILD PROCESS SAVES SOUTH CAROLINA $250,000 ON HIGHWAY.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2001... South Carolina's largest design/build project, dedicated in March, was completed seven months ahead of schedule, $250,000 under budget and without a single lost-time accident. Design and construction of the $386 million, 28.5-mile,...

Improved design for open-graded asphalt.(developed by National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University developed specifications and mix-design methods to improve the performance of open-graded friction course (OGFC) asphalt. First used by some western states in the 1960s,...

Slip-formed batch plants promote concrete advantages.(S and W Ready Mix Concrete Co., Port-Land Systems)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... S&W Ready Mix Concrete Co., Clinton, N.C., has teamed with Port-Land Systems to market slip-formed concrete construction of ready-mix batch plants. S&W used the method to build a plant three years ago in Castle Hayne, N.C., north of Wilmington....

ADM parallel flow plants.(Asphalt Drum Mixers)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Asphalt Drum Mixers' (ADM's) SPL Series portable and stationary parallel-flow asphalt plants range in capacity from 30 to 110 tph. Portable plants combine the cold feed bin, surge system and drying/mixing drum on a single trailer frame. Plant...

ASPHALT.(National Asphalt Pavement Association releases public relations video)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The National Asphalt Pavement Association released an eight-minute video -- Working It Out Together -- to help hot mix asphalt (HMA) companies create and maintain positive community relations. The video explains how HMA plants operate and...

ROAD BUILDING.
July 1, 2001... The Construction Innovation Forum (CIF) invites nominations for its 14th annual NOVA Award. Nominated innovations -- including materials, design, equipment, detailing, contract administration, labor relations, management, training and...

MISC. MARKETS.(EarthShell Corp. tests hot beverage cups)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... EarthShell Corp. began in-service testing of hot beverage cups made primarily from limestone and starch. If successful, the cups will join the company's line of plates, bowls and Big Mac containers already in use at the Department of the...