Pit & Quarry articles from May 2001

Pit & Quarry archives from May 2001

NSSGA has strongly protested the Bush Administration.(National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * NSSGA has strongly protested the Bush Administration and EPA decision to move forward with the issuance of the revised Tulloch Rule. NSSGA President Joy Wilson says the rule flies in the face of an existing court decision, would increase...

Speaking at the Wall Street Analyst Forum in New York.(highway construction to offset low demand for housing materials)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Speaking at the Wall Street Analyst Forum in New York, building-materials companies say that demand for U.S. highway construction will help offset weakness in demand for housing construction materials that has resulted from the weakening...

Martin Marietta Materials Inc.(purchases Brauntex Materials Inc., Powell Gravel and Topsoil Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Martin Marietta Materials Inc. announced the purchase of Brauntex Materials Inc.'s, limestone facility located at the Chemical Lime quarry in New Braunfels, Texas. The acquisition includes a crushed limestone operation with annual capacity in...

wire.(David D. Lauriski to be nominated for Department of Labor's assistant secratary for Mine Safety and Health)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... B The White House announced the president's intention to nominate David D. Lauriski to be the next assistant secretary of labor for Mine Safety & Health. Lauriski is currently the president of Lauriski and Associates LLC, a consulting firm in...

RED FLAGS.(David Hardy joins Heenan, Althen and Roles L.L.P.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Prominent West Virginia attorney David Hardy has joined the Charleston, W.V., office of Heenan, Althen & Roles LLP, the firm of Pit & Quarry's Legal Editor Mike Heenan. Hardy is well known for representing companies in MSHA and OSHA matters,...

STOCK watch.(for nine companies)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 1, 2001... STOCK watch (at press time) This Month Last Month Centex Construction Prod. f 28.72 30.44 Florida Rock Industries f...

ESSENTIALS economics.(construction contract values for February 2001)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
May 1, 2001... ESSENTIALS economics MONTHLY CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT VALUE SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ANNUAL RATES, IN MILLIONS Feb. 2001 Jan. 2001 % Change Nonresidential Building $177,262 $177,237 0...

According to the U.S. Census Bureau.(construction put in place for January, 2001)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * According to the U.S. Census Bureau, construction put in place in January was $830.5 billion, a 3 percent increase over a year ago.

According to the the Portland Cement Association.(cement consumption declines)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2001... * According to the the Portland Cement Association, portland cement consumption declined in December by 16.8 percent due to inclement weather in much of the country. For the full year 2000, consumption increased 1.1 percent. Total tonnage was...

Accolades and objections.(Martin Marietta Materials Inc. stays optimistic, George W. Bush ignoring industry)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 1, 2001... With the first quarter of the year behind us, it is time to start building momentum for the rest of 2001. Economic uncertainly, and the winter that wouldn't end, has certainly cast a pall over business conditions. But accolades to Martin...

President to nominate Dave Lauriski to head MSHA.(Department of Labor, Office of the Secretary for Mine Safety and Health)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The White House has announced the president's intention to nominate David D. Lauriski to be the next assistant secretary of labor for Mine Safety & Health. Lauriski is currently the president of Lauriski and Associates LLC, a consulting...

Highway construction jumps 24 percent in February.(as reported by F.W. Dodge Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2001... New construction starts in February retreated 2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $488.2 billion, it was reported by the F.W. Dodge Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. The slight decline for total construction was the result of...

Lenker named NSSGA vice president for operations.(Steven E. Lenker, National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) named Steven E. Lenker as vice president for operations. In this capacity, Lenker will have main staff liaison responsibility for all activities and committees under the NSSGA Operations...

Stone, sand and gravel production in 2000 was highest ever.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2001... An estimated 374 million metric tons of crushed stone were produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the fourth quarter of 2000, a decrease of 5.3 percent compared with the same period of 1999, according to the U.S. Dept. of...

Building materials firms to gain from highway spending.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Building materials companies say that demand for U.S. highway construction will help offset weakness in demand for housing construction materials that has resulted from the weakening economy. U.S. highway spending under the TEA-21 will help...

Martin Marietta Materials Inc.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Martin Marietta Materials Inc. announced the purchase of the Brauntex Materials Inc.'s, limestone facility located at the Chemical Lime quarry in New Braunfels, Texas. The acquisition includes a crushed limestone operation with annual...

U.S. Concrete Inc.(acquires Sierra Precast Inc., Smith Precast Inc., Concrete Industries Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * U.S. Concrete Inc. has completed the acquisition of three companies that had combined revenues of $19 million in 2000. All three companies will be integrated into U.S. Concrete's existing operations. The companies acquired include: Sierra...

British construction materials group Robert Brett and Sons.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * British construction materials group Robert Brett and Sons has acquired two U.S. firms. The company acquired West Sand and Gravel, which operates four sand and gravel pits in the Richmond, Va., and Shenandoah Valleys areas of the United...

If you think training is expensive ...(Employee training)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Before turning my back to make copies, I saw a neatly dressed man, a service technician, approach the service counter at the copy center. Service technician: "I am here to look at the laminator." Clerk (surprise in her voice): "Why?"...

MSHA training for contractors.(Mine Safety and Health Administration)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Independent contractors are at mines regularly. They perform innumerable specialized tasks including construction, roofing, electrical repairs, plumbing installations, tire changing, equipment set up, blasting, loading, hauling and dumping. ...

North Central report.(Mining data)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2001... Stone producers in the North Central region of the United States continue to report steady market conditions, but a contracting national economy, slackening demand and rising energy and fuel prices are setting the stage for a so-so year. ...

MegaProducers 2001 : Pit & Quarry's annual list of the nation's top crushed stone, and sand and gravel operations.(Directory)
May 1, 2001... The following list is an enhanced version of data collected by the U.S. Dept. of the Interior's geological division. This ranking of the nation's largest producers is divided into three separate groups: total aggregates, crushed stone, and sand...

Volvo introduces first E-Series loader.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The Volvo L220E, a new 7-cu.-yd. wheel loader, is designed to move more material per gallon of fuel than any other machine in its class. Volvo Construction Equipment says it has set new standards in wheel loader performance with the launch of...

Komatsu enters new markets with 40-ton articulated hauler.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Komatsu America International Co.'s HM400-1 articulated truck provides the earthmoving, road construction and quarry markets with key reliability and performance. The company says it offers high productivity and lower cost-per-ton hauled. The...

Pin grabber.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The hydraulically controlled Caterpillar Pin Grabber Plus quick coupler is designed to make work-tool changes fast and easy. The unit mounts to the end of the stick and allows buckets, clamshells and other standard work tools to be used with...

Machine diagnostics.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... The Vibscanner lightweight data collector features built-in sensors for 10 important machine parameters: vibration acceleration, displacement and velocity according to ISO standards as well as Shock Pulse for bearing damage and lubrication...

Where are we going?(Electronic commerce)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Over the past year, we have watched it happen. Dot-com companies, worth millions and billions of dollars on paper, have crumbled owing to a lack of real-world profits. The Internet that changed the way we do business is now itself changing. ...

Volvolution.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Volvolution -- Volvo Construction Equipment has launched its new e-commerce Web site, VolvoCE.com. The site will initially feature the company's compact equipment line, but will expand to include all of its products. The site includes a product...

Paperless trail.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Paperless trail -- Terex Earthmoving (Terex.com) will use Bell and Howell's Internet-based product support solutions to automate its parts, service and warranty processes. Bell & Howell's Net-Compass applications suite replaces Terex's...

Cat auction.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Cat auction -- IronPlanet Inc. sold all 30 pieces listed for $987,550 in its largest online auction to date. This online auction featured equipment from Caterpillar and other sellers, and included primarily late-model, low-hour Caterpillar...

Crunching the Numbers : Summit Stone builds equity by adding crushers, subtracting costs and multiplying production at its Idaho quarry.
May 1, 2001... Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary defines "equity" as: "ownership, especially when considered as the right to share in the future profits or appreciation in value. It is this kind of equity that Jerry Cox, president and founder of...

Fisher Industries.(Fisher Sand and Gravel)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Fisher solutions generate profitable operations Fisher Sand & Gravel entered the aggregate market in the early 1950s. Our main focus at that time was to locate, process, and deliver sand, gravel, aggregate, and crushing services to...

Buy, Rent or Lease: What Will Work for You? Multiple equipment-acquisition options give operations more choices.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... When you need a new piece of equipment, be it a wheel loader, primary crusher or screening plant, you have many choices as to how that piece of equipment ends up in your hands. There are good reasons to buy, lease or rent a given piece of...

Oils & Lubes: At a Glance -- Products target drilling operations, harsh environments and heavy equipment.(multiple topics)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Coupling compound D-A Lubricant Co. offers D-A Coupling Compound NL Pumpable to its specialty line of lubricants. D-A Coupling Compound NL is a non-lead containing anti-seize lubricant designed to provide protection for drill stem...

Stockpile Secret : A fully automated telescoping radial stacking conveyor saves a producer up to 25 percent on annual costs per ton.
May 1, 2001... Consider Texas, where the state's road construction budget ballooned in the last five years. New companies are bidding for the contracts and, in a few cases, winning bids are coming in below the state's estimates. Obviously profit margins are...

Picking a Shovel : Vulcan Materials' Corona, Calif., quarry reaps huge production gains using a new excavator.
May 1, 2001... In North American quarries, a wheel loader often pulls the weight in truck-loading operations. Increases in both technology and operator comfort in the 1970s led many quarry supervisors away from traditional cable shovels or excavators in...

Off-Highway Tires: At a Glance -- Loader, two-piece and underground-mining tires.(multiple topics)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Mining tire Bridgestone/Firestone Off Road Tire Co. (BFOR) expanded its line of underground mining tires. The 14.5R15 VSDL (V-Steel D-Lug) features an extra-deep L5 tread for protection against cuts and impacts. The tire also features a...

Schenck Weighing Systems.(BEMP belt scales)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... The company's BEMP belt scales, with Ecocont integrator/display, provide material-processing managers with continuous in-line belt performance information. You can monitor rate, totalized weight, speed and load from conveyors using simple,...

Tecweigh.(WY-10 belt scale)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... The WY-10 belt scale features LVDT load sensors that cannot be overloaded. Self-storing weights and digital weigh processors provide simple calibration and self-diagnosis. Rigid, heavy-duty, all-welded construction make it ideal for use in...

Emery Winslow Scale Co.(Flat Top II low-profile truck scale)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... The Flat Top II low-profile truck scale combines electronic instrumentation with a virtually indestructible hydrostatic load cell weight-sensing system. Because the system has no electronics in the scale platform, the 75,000-lb. stainless steel...

Superior Industries.(Quick Transfer conveyor)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... The Quick Transfer (QT) conveyor is a highly versatile and mobile conveyor that saves time and money by offering the ability to haul six conveyors on a single flatbed trailer, cutting down your freight costs. The QT can be used as a truss...

MCR Technologies Group Inc.(conveyor safety products)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 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...

Linkwell Corp.(to be distributor for Inchon Iron and Steel)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... Linkwell Corp. will become the exclusive American distributor for the Inchon Iron & Steel line of crushers, screens and feeders. Inchon produces a full line of jaws, cones, screen decks and feeders. The FSK series of jaw crushers range in size...

Volvo Days offers first looks.(Volvo Construction Equipment)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... At its annual Volvo Days event in Asheville, N.C., Volvo Construction Equipment offered dealers, operators and the trade press the first-ever look at its new L220E loader. Pit & Quarry was the only aggregates industry magazine invited to the...

Cat hosts Construction Customer Seminars 2001 at its proving grounds near Tucson, Ariz.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
May 1, 2001... Dozens of construction customers, as well as Pit & Quarry magazine, got a chance to operate the latest Caterpillar equipment during the company's Construction Customer Seminars 2001. Caterpillar also used the opportunity to introduce a number...

The Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2001... * The Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association reports that for the sixth consecutive year, record-setting growth occurred in booked and billed sales for the industry. Booked sales totaled $7.3 billion for 2000, and shipments totaled $7.3...

Working Woman magazine honored Caterpillar Inc.(as leader in supplier diversity)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Working Woman magazine honored Caterpillar Inc. as one of America's top 30 companies for supplier diversity. To be recognized for excelling at supplier diversity, Fortune 1000 companies had to show they spend a significant percentage of...

Deere & Company and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Deere & Company and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. will create a 50/50 joint venture for wheel loaders in Japan. Deere and Hitachi have operated Deere-Hitachi Construction Machinery Corporation in North America for manufacture and...

Swedish mining and construction machinery group Atlas Copco.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Swedish mining and construction machinery group Atlas Copco has agreed to buy the products unit of U.S. mineral exploration contractor Layne Christensen for $19 million.

Helmut Peters.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2001... * Helmut Peters, formerly executive vice president of the Volvo Construction Equipment Group, has been appointed president of JCB Inc. in North America.