Pit & Quarry articles from July 2002

Pit & Quarry archives from July 2002

The five leading States in the production-for-consumption of crushed stone. (Top News).(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * The five leading States in the production-for-consumption of crushed stone in the first quarter of 2002 were Texas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri and Pennsylvania, according to the U.S. Dept. of the Interior's geological division. Their combined...

The five leading states in the production-for-consumption of construction sand and gravel. (Top News).(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * The five leading states in the production-for-consumption of construction sand and gravel in the first quarter of 2002 were California, Texas, Arizona, Washington and Nevada. Their combined total production-for-consumption represented 44.5...

Martin Marietta Materials. (Top News).(bought quarries from Symth Mine)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Martin Marietta Materials purchases a quarry operation from Symth Mine LLP located at Uvalde, Texas; and a granite quarry near Haw River in central North Carolina.

Hanson PLC. (Top News).(bought Choctaw Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Hanson PLC acquires Choctaw Inc. from Amatek Holdings Ltd. for $135 million. Headquartered in Memphis, Choctaw is a leading manufacturer of concrete pipe and related drainage products in the southern United States.

Lafarge North America Inc. (Top News).(Edward T. Balfe retired)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Lafarge North America Inc. announces the retirement of Edward T. Balfe, executive vice president and president of Construction Materials, after 36 years.

Washington wire. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(Mine Safety and Health Administration's new administrator for Metal/Non-Metal)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... MSHA announced that Robert Friend, the agency's current deputy administrator for Metal/Non-Metal, has become administrator for Metal/Non-Metal, effective on June 16. In addition, Ray McKinney, MSHA's current district manager in District 5...

Red flags. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(Mary E. Peters states that increased highway congestion will adversely impact U.S. economy and quality of life)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * In testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure's Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Federal Highway Administrator Mary E. Peters says that increased traffic congestion is a growing threat to the nation's economy and to the...

Essential economics. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(highway construction)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * Contracting for new construction increased 3 percent in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $484.4 billion, according to the F.W. Dodge Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Highway construction rose 1 percent.

The Road Information Program (TRIP). (Other economic news).(bad roads cost motorists about $348 per year in car repairs)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * The Road Information Program (TRIP) says that road conditions in some urban areas are so bad that motorists pay an average of $348 per year in extra vehicle costs, such as replacing shocks and tires.

Demand for material-handing systems and equipment in the United States. (Other economic news).(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * Demand for material-handing systems and equipment in the United States will increase 5.2 percent annually through 2006, according to a new study by the Cleveland-based Freedonia Group, www.freedoniagroup.com.

Stock watch. (Out in front: this month's critical trends and topics).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... STOCK WATCH (at press time) THIS Month LAST Month Centex Construction Prod. f 40.93 44.17 Florida Rock Industries f 36.11 40.40 Hanson Plc ...

Teaming up for you. (Mark My Words).(Aggregate Research Industries and Pit & Quarry to share web sites, and other services)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Richmond, Va.-based Aggregate Research Industries (ARI). ARI is a joint venture between Luck Stone Corp. and industry research specialist Barry Hudson. Pit & Quarry and ARI will work together to...

Correction.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... In my May issue editorial about ConExpo-Con/Agg, I referred to Metso Minerals' recent acquisitions and mistakenly mentioned Nordberg when I meant to write Svedala. I apologize for the confusion.

Confined breaking. (Brand new: just release to the market).(Breaker Technology Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Breaker Technology Inc. offers new benefits with its TB-XC Series of boxed housing breakers. New features and benefits include a 20 percent narrower front head, allowing for trenching in more confined spaces and a 10 percent reduction in...

Special training. (Brand new: just release to the market).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... PT Max, a high-performance conveyor belt trainer recently added to the Persuader belt-positioner family from Flexco, offers a patented design that combines pivoting and tilting movements. With pivot/tilt action, PT Max applies greater training...

Drill string. (Brand new: just release to the market).(Ingersoll-Rand Co., ThunderRod 60-mm drill string)(Product Announcement)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Ingersoll-Rand (IR) combined the traditional design enhancements of high productivity, hole straightness, easy rod replacement, reliability and low operation cost when engineering the new ThunderRod 60-mm drill string. This new drill string...

Martin Marietta purchases quarries in Texas, North Carolina. (Stockpile: the latest producer news).(Martin Marietta Materials Inc.; Symth Mine L.L.P., Luck Stone Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Martin Marietta Materials Inc. announced the purchase of a quarry operation from Symth Mine LLP located at Uvalde, Texas. The quarry produces limestone asphalt, a naturally occurring limestone impregnated with asphaltic oil, which is an...

A few question for ... : John Haines, President. (Stockpile: the latest producer news).(Haines and Kibblehouse Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Pit & Quarry--H&K has its hands in aggregates, construction, demolition and more. What are some of the biggest issues that affect your operations? JH--The two biggest issues for us are people and regulations. Finding qualified people to...

Connecticut. (Northeast).(Metacomet Ridge Conservation Compact)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * East Granby is poised to belatedly join the Metacomet Ridge Conservation Compact. The compact commits the towns that sign to protect the traprock ridges that run from East Haven, Branford and Guilford up through Middletown, Middlefield and...

Maine. (Northeast).(Dragon Cement and Concrete, D.L. Overlock Excavation Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Dragon Cement and Concrete, which operates New England's only cement manufacturing plant and more than 10 ready-mix concrete plants statewide, has received the Governor's Award for Waste Reduction in the private sector. The Governor's Award...

New Jersey. (Northeast).(Passaic County borough, court complaint, Tilcon New York Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * A Passaic County borough has filed a court complaint seeking to close down Tilcon New York Inc.'s quarry operations temporarily, arguing that the company has not had a legal license to operate since January. The borough adopted an ordinance...

Pennsylvania. (Northeast).(multiple topics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * A court order issued in a Bucks County village stops a private company's plans to detonate 10,000 lb. of explosives to blast out stone at a nearby quarry--blasting that residents feared would have showered their hamlet with stones and...

Virginia. (Northeast).(Goochland, Virginia; Martin Marietta Materials Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Martin Marietta Materials Inc. operates the Anderson Creek Quarry off state Route 623 in Goochland. The company is requesting changes to its conditional use permit that would allow expanded operations, some of which would be 24 hours a day....

Alabama. (Southeast).(environmental groups; Alabama Department of Environmental Management)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Environmental groups urged the state to allow spoken comment from the public before making decisions about pollution. "It's time people have a chance to speak at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) about things that...

Florida. (Southeast).(West Miramar,White Rock Quarries)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * In response to West Miramar residents' concerns about blasting in Northwest Miami-Dade rattling their homes, the Miramar City Commission agreed to hold a community meeting on the issue. The blasting comes from a cluster of Northwest...

Georgia. (Southeast).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * County officials are claiming a major victory with a court ruling blocking construction of an asphalt plant in northeast Cherokee. Superior Court Judge Frank Mills sided with the county in his ruling against Vulcan Materials Co. Vulcan has...

North Carolina. (Southeast).(Martin Marietta Materials Inc.'s agreement with Composittrailer N.V.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Martin Marietta Materials Inc. announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with Composittrailer n.v., of Lokeren, Belgium, to manufacture and market commercial truck trailers in North America, utilizing fiber-reinforced composite...

Minnesota. (North Central).(aggregate companies marketing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Minnesota's aggregate companies are helping small towns by showing city planners and local community representatives how they can plan the addition of new homes, retail stores, commercial businesses and natural landscaping features. The...

Wisconsin. (North Central).(multiple briefs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * A Dane County committee has given initial approval to a proposed concrete plant in the town of Cross Plains, despite a refusal by the firm's vice president to rule out future quarry development on adjacent land. The Zoning and Natural...

Missouri. (South Central).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * State environmental regulators have approved a Swiss company's plan to mine about 1,600 acres near its proposed cement plant in northern Ste. Genevieve County. Staff engineers and scientists with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources...

Texas. (South Central).(new cleaner-running diesel engines for trucks)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Many big-rig operators are flocking to truck dealerships, driven by worries over new, cleaner-running diesel engines set to hit the market October 1. Truck buyers are worried about the cost of the new engines, says Marty Naegelin Jr., chief...

Nebraska. (Rocky Mountain).(Martin Marietta Materials Inc. looks to expand)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Martin Marietta Materials Inc. is requesting to expand a quarry site in the southern part of the Sarpy County from 150 acres to 270 acres. The company is seeking a special-use permit from the Sarpy County Board that would allow it to open a...

Utah. (Rocky Mountain).(Staker and Parson Companies acquisition)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Staker & Parson Cos., a Utah supplier of road-building services and construction materials including gravel, asphalt and ready-mix concrete, says it completed the purchase of U.S. Aggregates Inc.'s assets for Oldcastle Materials Group, its...

California. (West).(includes several articles)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Angry eastern Fresno County residents say they plan to block RMC Pacific Materials from building an aggregate mine off Highway 180 near Sanger. Eighteen months ago, RMC paid $2 million for more than 2,000 acres on Jesse Morrow Mountain that...

Washington. (West).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * A rock crushing and gravel mining project at the Bayman Gravel pit near Johnson and Evan roads is back on the front burner in Asotin County. "If this project becomes a reality, it will have a devastating, negative impact on our neighborhoods...

Hanson PLC.(Choctaw Inc. acquisition)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Hanson PLC acquired Choctaw Inc. from Amatek Holdings Ltd. on a debt free basis for $135.0 million in cash. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Choctaw is a leading manufacturer of concrete pipe and related drainage products in the southern...

Lafarge North America Inc.(retirement and appointments announced)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Lafarge North America Inc. announced the retirement of Edward T. Balfe, executive vice president and president of Construction Materials, after 36 years. Since 1994, when Balfe was selected to head up Lafarge's construction materials...

Oglebay Norton Co.(appointments and promotions)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Oglebay Norton Co. announced its plans for leadership succession. Michael D. Lundin, currently president and COO, will assume the additional title of CEO effective January 1, 2003. Current Chairman and CEO John N. Lauer will continue to serve...

Essroc/Italcementi.(Riverton Investment Corp. acquisition)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Essroc/Italcementi, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ciments Francais, has completed its purchase of Riverton Investment Corp., which trades as Capitol Materials Corp. Riverton is headquartered in Winchester, Va. The acquisition will enable...

America's least wanted aggregate specs: no spec is perfect but here are a few that may do more harm than good. (Special report).
July 1, 2002... This is the second in a two-part series on aggregate specifications. You can read the entire article online at www.pitandquarry.com.--Ed. The vast majority of mix designs for asphalt and concrete are based around the sieve analysis test....

Heated screens keep material moving. (Tech watch: cutting edge solutions).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Midwestern Industries' Converta-Screen is low-voltage, electric, screen-heating equipment that keeps damp materials flowing smoothly and efficiently. On unheated screens, damp material clogs cold wire mesh, reducing efficiency and causing...

Over the top. (Tech watch: cutting edge solutions).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... Designed for challenging environmental enclosure problems, Temcor's aluminum domes feature a unique space truss design and highly engineered components. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The company says its domes offer the ideal span-to-rise...

Improving belt traction, tracking. (Tech watch: cutting edge solutions).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... Van der Graaf Inc.'s line of drum motor lagging options and motor face patterns improve belt traction and belt tracking. A variety of laggings can be added to complement the standard parabolic (machine-crowned) shell that tracks on all points...

Clean wheeling. (Tech watch: cutting edge solutions).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... DirtSquirt from the National Environmental Service Co. (NESCO) is a powerful, portable wheel wash system designed for quarries, cement plants and other job sites where mud, dirt and carry out can cause an environmental problem on local streets...

Portable productivity. (Tech watch: cutting edge solutions).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... Inertia Machine's portable impactors are designed for economical production in a wide range of aggregate crushing applications. Four new models are included in the Inertia line, each of which is well-suited for a variety of applications ranging...

You've got courtesy. (eBusiness: update for the wired world).
July 1, 2002... As Pit & Quarry prepares to choose winners of its annual Producer Web Site Awards program, we have been examining the dozens upon dozens of Web sites now operated by crushed stone, sand and gravel producers. The purpose of these sites...

Komatsu America Intl. Co. and Hard Dollar Corp., a provider of integrated cost estimating and project management software systems for the infrastructure construction industry, announced a new strategic alliance.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Komatsu America Intl. Co. and Hard Dollar Corp., a provider of integrated cost estimating and project management software systems for the infrastructure construction industry, announced a new strategic alliance. As part of this alliance,...

Hitachi Construction's new Web site (www.hitachiconstruction.com) is designed to be clean and uncluttered.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Hitachi Construction's new Web site (www.hitachiconstruction.com) is designed to be clean and uncluttered, yet packed with all kinds of useful information. Reflecting the integration of Hitachi and John Deere sales and marketing, information...

Donaldson Company Inc. launched its newly enhanced, next-generation Web site (www.donaldson.com).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Donaldson Company Inc. launched its newly enhanced, next-generation Web site (www.donaldson.com). The redesigned site gives customers more product and sales support, allowing users to receive fast, easy access to global filtration technology...

Simplicity Engineering, manufacturer of heavy-duty screens and feeders for the mining and aggregate industries.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Simplicity Engineering, manufacturer of heavy-duty screens and feeders for the mining and aggregate industries, has added online part ordering capability for its network of dealers and customers worldwide. Customers ordering online will still...

Caterpillar has introduced a secured intranet database for Cat dealers.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Caterpillar has introduced a secured intranet database for Cat dealers, which enables Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) the opportunity to provide Cat dealers with model specific information. The system also has the capability to...

Precision measurement: how the right tools improved blast efficiency for one quarry. (E&T Blasting).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Every blaster knows any one of a number of variables can make or break a blast. Geology. Rock type. Hole depth. Drill path. Explosives used. All of these influence a blast's effectiveness. Any one can mean the difference between success and...

Critical fact, pivotal person, textbook time. (Quarry Safety).
July 1, 2002... Tuesday's headline: "Two Men attending Lowe's speedway race are found dead in their tent." Why Tuesday? It took until late Sunday for a wife to turn in the missing-person report. Her husband did not return from Saturday's race on Sunday as...

Sound safety practices reduce deaths, injuries. (Quarry Safety).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Although the mining industry is steadily becoming safer, working in a quarry can be a very dangerous place--especially when wheeled or tracked equipment is in motion at the job site. Preliminary investigations into the 15 deaths recorded thus...

Based on this year's accidents involving vehicles, MSHA investigators offer numerous tips for avoiding tragedy. (Quarry Safety).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Evaluate the stability of any uncompacted ground prior to operating mobile equipment on it, especially after heavy rains. * Require flotation devices be maintained in the operator's cab on mobile equipment working in the vicinity of...

AOSafety. (Quarry Safety).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... AOSafety has developed a new soft brow guard for Lexa eyewear. The company reports that its soft, clear and durable PVC design provides proper cushioning and enhanced particle protection. Also, its light weight makes it comfortable to wear. ...

American Allsafe Co. (Quarry Safety).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... CudaSpree spectacles have been added to the American Allsafe line of safety eyewear designed to be comfortable while ensuring regulatory compliance. Among the features are: * Adjustable nosepiece for better fit. * Four-point adjustable...

Miller. (Quarry Safety).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... Miller, a division of Dalloz Fall Protection, has a new line of fall protection harnesses available with its Miller DuraFlex Python Harness Series. A combination of webbing materials presents a more comfortable fit and makes the entire harness...

Superior Signals Inc. (Quarry Safety).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... The SY46200M master LED light head series from Superior Signals--designed to function in adverse environments--can control multiple LED vehicle-mounted light modules. The master, plus one cable, controls both flash rates and flash patterns for...

Quest Technologies. (Quarry Safety).(advertisement)
July 1, 2002... Quest Technologies has released a new personal heat strain monitor within its QuesTemp Series of heat stress and thermal environmental monitors. Called the QuesTemp III, it simplifies heat stress management with a miniature data logging...

Reduced wear, through technology: the FARO arm technique helps producers determine the best wear liner material for cone crusher applications. (E&T Wear Parts).
July 1, 2002... Cavity design and wear profile control are important processes in the creating and analyzing of cone-crusher wear materials. These processes involve a variety of methods including the use of a portable and precise measurement device called the...

New manufacturer to open in Iowa. (Manufacturer news: focus on suppliers).(Universal Engineering Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Joined by Cedar Rapids, Iowa, city officials at a press conference, Daniel Ferguson, CEO, and Thomas Werning, CFO, publicly announced the formation of Universal Engineering Corp. Following the closing of the Cedar Rapids operations of Metso...

John Deere's Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division.(agreement with Daewoo Heavy Industries and Machinery Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * John Deere's Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division commenced an agreement with Daewoo Heavy Industries and Machinery Ltd. to develop the largest four-wheel-drive loader ever offered under the Deere name. The agreement gives John Deere...

Terex Corp.(to acquire Demag Mobile Cranes)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Terex Corp. entered into an agreement to acquire Demag Mobile Cranes GmbH & Co. Demag, which manufactures and distributes telescopic and lattice boom cranes, is one of the leading mobile crane producers worldwide, with 2001 revenues of about...

Metso Minerals.(will close down conveyor belt production unit in Germany)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Metso Minerals is streamlining its operations and intends to close down the conveyor belt production unit in Hamburg, Germany. The unit employs 95 persons and its net sales were EUR 11 million in 2001. The closing decision is based on...

Dewatering screw. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).(from GreyStone Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Single and fine material dewatering screws from GreyStone Inc. feature an exclusive adjustable screw shaft. This allows producers to wash a broader range of spec aggregate product sizes. One-in.-thick rock-grade rubber wear shoes attached to...

Metal detector. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).(from Eriez Magnetics)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Eriez Magnetics' Megatec model 1220 metal detector is a rugged, lightweight and compact unit designed for aggregates plants where larger pieces of metal must be detected. The Model 1220 fits on most standard CEMA conveyors with belt widths of...

Drives. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).(from WEG Electric Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The CFW-09 Vectrue drive from WEG offers volts-per-hertz, sensorless vector, and closed-loop vector control in a single drive. In addition, it features WEG's proprietary Optimal Braking technology, which greatly increases braking torque...

Modular feed system. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).(from Superior Industries of Morris Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Superior Industries offers a new modular feed system that delivers ultimate versatility, cost cutting and one-load portability. Its design is based upon the latest trends in equipment modularity. Producers can minimize freight costs while...

Fluid Bed Dryer. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).(from Ventilex USA)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... A fluid bed dryer from Ventilex USA can save as much as 40 percent on a company's gas bill when drying aggregates, according to the company. The Fluid Bed Dryer Heat Recovery System recycles the residual heat carried in the sand, gravel or slag...

Sensor. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).(from LMI Selcom)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... LMI Selcom offers the high-resolution M24 single-point sensor for three-dimensional profiling using 23 lasers with up to 600 percent more profiling capability than most competing sensors, according to the company. The sensor is ideal for height...

Self-propelled crusher. (Equipment showcase: your productivity marketplace).(from Extec Screens and Crushers)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Extec C-10 is a compact, self-propelled crusher that brings the revolutionary features of the Extec C-12 to the smaller quarry or demolition site where operating space is limited yet high performance is required. Of most sturdy construction...

Construction contracting advances 3 percent in April; highways also up. (National affairs: key issues).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... New construction starts in April rose 3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $484.5 billion, according to the Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill Construction. Compared to the previous month, moderate improvement was registered by...

Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and John Warner (R-Va.) have introduced an amendment to S. 1917.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and John Warner (R-Va.) have introduced an amendment to S. 1917 that would increase the obligation limitations for highway funding for FY 2003 from $28.2 billion to $29.5 billion.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek comments on various asbestos-related issues prior to revising its regulation on asbestos.

NIOSH.(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * NIOSH, the government's leading health and safety research agency, has stepped up pressure on regulators to reduce the existing permissible exposure limit (PEL) for crystalline silica based on findings contained in a hazard review on the...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency.(agree on definitions)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a final rule in the Federal Register (Vol. 67, No. 90) that jointly amends the respective regulations of each organization so that both agencies will have...

MSHA has jurisdiction over small pit; Judge says operation affects commerce. (Legal highlights: key issues).(Mine Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Review Commission Judge Richard W. Manning fined a small sand and gravel operator $1,000 for denying entry to an MSHA inspector and also assessed penalties totaling $275 for violations of quarterly report and workplace examination requirements....

Stone production increases in first quarter. (Economics: key issues).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... An estimated 283 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the first quarter of 2002, an increase of 0.8 percent compared with the same period of 2001, according to statistics...