Asphalt Pro - August/September 2011

Pick up Some International Style

Stay Safe: Keep ’em Healthy

Fulton Hogan Sets Record on Australian Carriage Way Watch Production for Flight Changes Plan the Perfect Plant Upgrade Training Tips for U.S., Abroad Canadian Pavement Repair August/September 2011

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Myriad factors affect flight life, thus production efficiency. See related article on page 8.

Photo courtesy of Kenco Engineering.

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The paving train for Mainroad uses an EZ Street product to repair University Blvd. in Vancouver.

See related article on page 24. Photo courtesy of EZ Street, Miami.

August/September 2011 Departments

Articles

Equipment Maintenance 8 Evaluate Flights for Best Production

by Steve Elam

18 Make Great Production Decisions: Part I

by Cliff Mansfield

Safety Spotlight 10 Insure for Health and Safety

by Envision Healthcare Producer Profile 12 Fulton Hogan Paves a Smooth Australian Carriage Way

by Sandy Lender Equipment Gallery 32 Roadtec’s 1000th Shuttle Buggy Here’s How It Works 42 Humboldt’s HM-9110 Permeameter Last Cut 44 Crude Oil Market Fluctuations Create Shift to Preservation

by Kayt Sukel

24 Mainroad Solves Problem in the Cold

by Russ Klettke 28 Train Crews to Compete

by Todd Mansell

18

Batch or drum? Portable or stationary? Cliff Mansfield takes us back to basics for best production. See related article on page 18. Photo courtesy of CM Consulting, Odell, Ore.

36 Participate in Funding Now

by Sandy Lender 37 Equipment Finance Activity Grows after Two Years of Declines

by ELFA 38 International Expressway

by AsphaltPro Staff

12

This paving train features new equipment and a quality-conscious crew down under. Their Astec T200 plant (on front cover) fed the 92-lanekilometre project. See related article on page 12. Photo courtesy of Fulton Hogan, Dry Creek, South Australia.

40 Detronic Construction Takes on World Cup Crushing

by AsphaltPro Staff

The international marketplace offers large companies with the right capital opportunity to work abroad, but bidding and working take on a little different style, as the project stories in this issue demonstrate. For smaller companies not interested in throwing their hat in so large a ring, such stories offer clever ideas that could enhance practices at home.

Resource Directory 46 www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 3

August/Sept. 2011 • Vol. 4 No. 10

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editor’s note

What Message are You Sending Across Cyberspace?

Siemens Process Instrumentation and Analytics launched a physical tour from Orlando with a 53-foot mobile station back in early July, but they’re complementing it with a blog at https://blogs.siemens.com/measuringsuccess. That’s wise social media marketing, because even though I was only an hour or so away from Orlando that day, I wasn’t able to drive over and participate in the festivities. But I could read all about it online.

When I spoke at CONEXPO about online social marketing, several in the audience shared that they’re starting—or have recently started—blogs for their construction companies.

Such marketing is finding people who use tools similar to AngiesList to check you out before they make a hiring decision. Your blog can show that you’re a “human” company that knows what it’s doing. And so much more.

Such marketing also gives you the chance to promote the asphalt industry’s good name. What bothers me is the use of online articles, marketing statements, etc., to convince neighbors and state DOTs of warm mix asphalt’s (WMA) benefits to the detriment of hot mix asphalt (HMA).

Ladies and Gentlemen, HMA is a sound and environmentally positive product that we’ve used for decades in environmentally positive scenarios. Recycling asphalt from milled roadways and using technologically advanced systems to prevent blue smoke from escaping the HMA process are just two examples of what the industry has worked at to lend a hand in protecting the environment. Now that WMA is growing in popularity—and environmental benefit—it shouldn’t be used to cut down an already environmentally responsible process and industry.

As just one example, let me draw your attention to a newspaper article posted online in early June concerning the Georgia DOT’s test results of the use of WMA and air quality. Spokesperson Georgene Geary was quoted as saying the use of WMA “has the potential to help control a portion of our paving costs, allow us to extend the construction season in North Georgia, and reduce paving-related greenhouse-gas emissions at the same time.”

The article went on to blast HMA and its “high” temperatures and oh-so-horrific use of fuel for “long” periods of time. The writer even goes so far as to imply HMA takes “hours to cool before it can be used.” I’m incensed that the writer didn’t mention how much energy a PCC pavement incurs nor how long it takes a PCC pavement to cure before it can be used.

But this online article was a comparison of HMA and WMA—to HMA’s detriment. What a shame.

As we all meet each other in cyberspace to discuss the many benefits of asphalt (hot, warm and cold), let’s remember that our industry is a responsible one no matter what method we’re using to repair and build the nation’s infrastructure. We may have a personal bias toward one method or another, but we should keep in Out in the social networks, mind that the true competitor for our marketshare is the you can find us on the following: concrete industry, not our brethren or the various prod- Blogger (http://theasphaltforum.blogspot.com) ucts we can create for our customers.

Wordpress (www.theasphaltpro.com) Also keep in mind that the online social media plat- Twitter (http://twitter.com/AsphaltPro) form you choose to use gives you instant information Facebook (visit & like the Asphalt Pro Magazine page) and a way to share or spread that information instantly. I LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/in/SandyLender) highly recommend you only share from reliable sources And others… so you’re only spreading correct information, and I highly recommend you follow/friend AsphaltPro wherever you see us online. We watch out for good news bits to highlight for you, making your filtering easier. We’re not set up to be a CNN or NBC World News, but we are set up to bring you asphalt news that affects your bottom line. In turn, you can spread that news or absorb it for use in your day-to-day decision-making.

Keep a positive word for asphalt all around the Internet and I hope to see you on any of the AsphaltPro platforms. The first I hope you’ll check out is our always-evolving website at www.theasphaltpro.com, which now has our popular “Ask the Expert” section online. Choose whether your question is geared more toward paving or production and send it to the appropriate expert—Tom Skinner or Cliff Mansfield—and you’ll get a direct reply.

Stay Safe, Sandy Lender www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 5

AROUND THE GLOBE Industry News and Happenings from Around the World India Cummins, Inc., Columbus, Ind., is set to double the production capacity of its 3.3-liter engine with a new, 400,000-square-foot manufacturing operation located in Chennai, India, in July. This facility, established in collaboration with Simpson & Co., Ltd., is designed to meet a demand in growth from manufacturers of 4-cylinderpowered compact equipment across the 55-horsepower to 120-hp range. The companies anticipate producing 180,000 engines this year for domestic and export markets.

Korea Doosan, Korea, once again served as one of the five British Open’s sponsors in July. The Open Championship is one of the oldest in professional golf; Doosan joins such giants as HSBC, Mercedes-Benz, Nikon and Rolex in celebrating its 140th year. Last year, Doosan donated a DX55W wheeled excavator to the British Open, and the donated model is used to maintain all of the British Open courses, including the grounds at Royal St. George’s, this year’s venue.

Russia The CTT-CONEXPO Russia 2011 exhibition held May 31 through June 4, 2011, at the Crocus Internationl Exhibition Center in Moscow proved profitable for companies like Black Cat Blades, Humboldt, JCB and John Deere. The show opened May 31 with a positive mood and growth as the Russian economy continues to improve and billions of dollars are allocated for infrastructure and related building projects.

United States For updates, opinion and links concerning funding legislation, fast news, quick deadlines, etc., be sure to check the blog at www.TheAsphaltForum.blogspot.com., the website at www.theasphaltpro.com, our facebook page or our twitter account at http://twitter.com/AsphaltPro. We’d love to connect with you more often!

Arkansas The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) director, Dan Flowers, will retire after 17 years at his post this Sept. 21. According to the AHTD, that’s the longest any state transportation agency CEO has served. Flowers has worked in the department for 43 years. Assistant Chief Engineer for Planning, Scott Bennett, will succeed Flowers in September.

Colorado • Long time Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association Member Frontier Oil & Refining Co. has merged with Holly Corporation, Inc., Dallas, Texas. The new company, 6 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

HollyFrontier Corporation will be the 2nd largest publicly traded independent refining company with 440,000+ bpd of crude capacity.

• Komptech USA, Westminster, Colo., has appointed Marcel Vallen as its new CEO; Johannes Pohl will continue as president. Komptech manufactures waste and asphalt shingle shredding machines.

Idaho From ECCO, Boise, Idaho, safety gets a little less expensive this Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. ECCO distributors get a break on a “Safety Savers” promo pack from ECCO that includes new worklamp models and the new 5.0-inch basic camera system. The discount for the distributor qualifies the customer for a promotional price. Ask your local ECCO sales rep for more details. www.eccolink.com

Illinois Some South American visitors have recently optimized their operations with equipment from KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens after a tour of the Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc., factory in Yankton, S.D., and a factory tour of Astec Mobile Screens in Sterling, Ill. Construcciones El Condor purchased multiple KPI-JCI portable plants and the GT145-3D from Astec Mobile Screens.

Indiana COO Tom Linebarger takes over as chairman and CEO for Cummins, Columbus, Ohio, this Jan. 1, 2012, as current CEO Tim Solso retires.

Kentucky The 2011 ICUEE education programs to be held this Oct. 4 through 6 at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville offer new co-located programming from AEMP - the Association of Equipment Management Professionals, sessions from UCT - Underground Construction Technology and new for 2011 - sessions from International Erosion Control Association, National Association of Trailer Manufacturers, SAE International and Scaffolding Industry Association. Visit www.icuee.com to register.

Pennsylvania • Looking for a way to celebrate safety? The team at Eriez®, Erie, Pa., hosted a safety celebration outdoors at the company’s headquarters facility to recognize the plant’s achievement of 1,000 days without a lost-time accident. State and local officials joined the company’s 300+ employees for a steak cookout served by the Eriez management team.

• The Volvo Road Institute® now lists courses for its 47th year. The course curriculum ranges from two- to five-day

sessions beginning in September and continuing through May 2012, with classes held at two training facilities— Chambersburg, Pa., and Phoenix, Ariz. Visit roadinstitute. com.

South Dakota KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens, Yankton, S.D., is pleased to announce the inaugural class of marketing department interns for the 2011 summer. Daniel Filsinger, Clearwater, Neb., is a junior at Mount Mary College in Yankton pursuing a degree in graphic design and media arts and business administration. Jordan Slate, Yankton, S.D., who has just finished his second year at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, is fulfilling an internship requirement for his marketing degree. The company also introduces Carrie Kranz as international parts sales rep. Kranz worked parttime in the inventory control dept. at Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc., before graduating from the University of South Dakota with a Master’s degree in Spanish education. She’ll serve dealers and customers with a focus on international territories.

Virginia Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., Woodbridge, Va., announces the acquisition of Fru-Con, a leading water and wastewater infrastructure contractor based in Virginia from Bilfinger-Berger, Germany. Fru-Con will retain its name and operate as a region of Balfour Beatty Infrastructure.

Michael R. Fischer, vice president of Fru-Con will continue to be base in Woodbridge and will lead the approximately 150 regional employees. Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., delivers industry-leading civil engineering and construction expertise for transportation and water infrastructure projects throughout the United States.

Wisconsin Caterpillar, Oak Creek, Wis., announced in early July it has completed its acquisition of Bucyrus International, Inc., which was valued at approximately $8.8 billion. Steve Wunning will have executive office accountability for Caterpillar’s global mining business, including Bucyrus.

Washington, D.C. The National Hispanic Construction Association will hold its first “Building from the Foundation” conference this

Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel located in Washington, D.C. For details and to register, visit www.nationalhca.com.

Evaluate Flights for Best Production

by Steve Elam

T

he personnel at Hotmix Parts and Stansteel have helped countless customers by doing detailed in-field evaluations to assess their entire combustion, air handling and burner flighting systems. We take hundreds of phone calls each year to help diagnose and troubleshoot. It is this experience that leads us to believe that there are some key factors to consider in the appraisal of flighting systems and their performance in balance with each plant’s individual production and efficiency needs.

In much of our evaluation, we look at the entire exhaust gas temperature as a key element. The levels differ with counter-flow drum mixes, batch plants or straight counter-flow dryers, as well as with parallel flow units. Because each one has a different profile, its performance will depend on the materials it’s running and the amount of RAP, shingles, warm mix or other materials present in the process, as well as how well the physical size of the dryer or drum relates to the actual production rates it’s processing.

Capturing the exhaust gas temperature as it relates to the mix temperature and production rates is the starting point of the evaluation, which should be followed by an inspection of the general unit conditions. One important question to ask when performing the visual inspection is has paint burned off of the exhaust plenum on the plant? If the paint is indeed burnt off, does it appear to be more on one side than the other? And is this the result of routine exposure or isolated occurrences? An irregular pattern tells us that there is an uneven veil of flighting throughout the unit and, as pockets or tunnels of heat are escaping, the lost high temperature gases can burn off the duct paint and represent energy/money lost out of the stack. The root cause for this is not getting an even, and possibly dense enough, cross sectional veil and failing to transfer the heat and energy from the fuel to the material being processed.

For a more in depth analysis, an infrared temperature gas can be used to map the temperature profile of the drum. The results of such measurements can be used to help diagnose problems at that time as well as provide valuable historic information for future analysis.

8 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

Photo courtesy of Kenco Engineering, Inc.

equipment maintenance

Although in counter-flow and parallel flow drums, there are many more things going on in the rotating cylinder than just heating and drying.

For the purpose of this discussion, we are interested mainly in the unit’s function as a dryer to combine fuel and air/oxygen to complete combustion and transfer that heat into the materials to reduce the moisture and elevate the temperature of the material. It then is secondary how much it’s heated to combine with recycle, shingles or other materials.

If at all possible, look at the flame within the dryer as it’s operating. The reason this is important is to see if there are any of the aggregate, sand or material that is actually dropping or passing through the flame envelope.

If this is the case, this could severely affect the efficiency and increase the fuel consumption dramatically. In addition, it causes many negatives such as incomplete combustion and a higher level of emissions.

The next area to look at in the plant walk-around is the induced draft fan after the baghouse or wet scrubber and check if it is varying in the amount of air flow. Often, the simplest process, which you might be tempted to do, will be just to open the plant fan wide open and keep it in that range, regardless of production. This, again, will very negatively affect efficiency and pull out a great deal of extra finer material to the secondary collection equipment, primary collector, wet scrubber or baghouse.

As the plant walk-around continues, we check out the silos. Is there ever material raining from the silos? This would indicate that the material has not dried by the time it has exited the dryer or drum mixer.

The history of the unit also matters in the evaluation. Have the requirements for the dryer or drum mixer changed throughout its life? As a general rule, there are a lot more recycle, shingle and other materials being added to plant production throughout the life of the unit. If this is the case, there is virtually zero chance that the same flights shipped in the unit at the time of manufacture are the same type of flights that should be used in current conditions.

Next, look for wear patterns and inspect the inside of the unit to see if flights have folded over or no longer lift and veil the material. This will be a clear indicator of an efficiency loss.

Finally, the production rate is to be reviewed. It will certainly matter whether this is a very frequent start/stop process or if there is a lot more production being run in a longer mode. More storage silo capacity on the plant and extended production runs can be made part of the process.

If many of the aforementioned upsets or poor operating conditions are noticed during the evaluation, the plant operator or equipment foreman can certainly call a company and have a thorough evaluation made by expert personnel. This will include looking at gas temperature profiles, oxygen levels in the combustion and how to tune the heating/drying and, if a drum mixer, mixing and blending process into a much more effective profile.

In addition, we must remember that there are many more people running warm mix today. The warm mix can disguise many of these issues. If the material is not thoroughly heated and dried, it can’t effectively be made as warm mix because the internal moisture or remaining moisture may affect the amount of either foam or chemicals that should be added. It’s critical to get the fundamental principles of heating and drying working to their optimum level rather than wait or hope for the best.

Steve Elam is the Hotmix Parts General Manager. For more information, contact him at (800) 826-0223 or SElam@hotmixparts.com.

Flights to

Watch

by Brian Handshoe

All types of flights are subject to wear regardless of flight type.

It’s more of a function of the thickness and construction material of the flight as well as its placement in the drum itself.

Parallel flow drums will wear very differently than counter-flow drums. In a counter-flow drum, RAP or RAS won’t directly affect dryer flight wear because they are both introduced in the mixing chamber, downstream from the drying section. The same applies for asphalt oil type. Flights can be adversely effected, however, from excessive heat often caused by overheating the virgin aggregate to compensate for higher RAP percentages.

The only one you can write off is the mixing flights. By definition, they live outside the drying environment and, therefore, won't affect veiling or drying efficiency.

Brian Handshoe is the vice president of operations for Kenco Engineering, Inc. For more information, contact him at (800) 363-9859 or brian@kencoengineering.com

www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 9

Safety Spotlight Insure for

Health and Safety

by Envision Healthcare

H

ealth and safety go hand in hand. For Kevin Serafin, vice president for Cencom, Chicago, safeguarding employee health is a priority. Serafin worked his way up from staff engineer and project manager to vice president, and in the process he’s gone from managing projects to managing employees’ welfare at Cencom.

The company is one of the top mid-sized land surveying and civil engineering consulting firms in the Chicagoland area. The firm subscribes to a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) through Envision, known for their paperless instant claims processing system that directly pays the provider. Cencom specializes in land development engineering and planning, design, land surveying, and performs all support services to help its clients realize the full value potential of their projects. Cencom managers rely on Envision’s comprehensive healthcare plans so that they can help their employees realize their full value potential as well.

Keep in mind the HRA takes care of health issues while workers’ compensation takes care of any on-the-job injuries that might take place.

10 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

A spokesperson for Envision explained that “With employee healthcare, the employer is making decisions on a whole host of issues—cost of care, competitiveness in the marketplace, etc. The average deductible is over $1,750 for all expenses.” The set-up Envision provided for Cencom “provides them with one big bucket that helps them plan, and the employer can really help themselves and their employees out.”

Cencom provided its employees with health insurance through GreatWest Healthcare until Great-West was bought out. Serafin said that GreatWest was “Okay, from a cost perspective, but once they were bought out, we were subjected to a downgraded service program.”

Part of Serafin’s job is employee retention, and he knew he’d have to do something to keep his employees healthy and happy. While Cencom was with Great-West, they had an office manager who maintained their healthcare subscriptions through a broker. They still work with that broker, maintaining the close relationship that developed over many years, but when Serafin took over the healthcare duties for Cencom, he knew they had to make some changes in the face of the rising cost of healthcare. He looked around the industry and brought in Hank Kruse of Envision.

“I’ve worked with Hank on a couple of levels,” Serafin said. “He’s a strategic advisor. We brought him in to offset costs.”

Through Envision, Cencom provides its employees with an HRA that carries a $1,750 deductible. “We help contribute to their deductible, to offset the cost of a higher level of health insurance,” Serafin explained. “If we double the deductible, Cencom will pay that second $1,750 through Envision. Because they’ve enabled us to participate in our employees’ healthcare in this way, by limiting our liability, Envision has provided us with a creative solution to reduce the cost of their insurance while limiting my employees’ exposure to that higher deductible.”

Cencom pays medical claims with pre-tax dollars out of its HRA. Envision has enabled Cencom to set up a health savings account (HSA) in order to provide Cencom’s ownership group with a way to contribute their own pre-tax dollars for their healthcare. In this way, Envision enables Cencom to help take care of every employee in the company, regardless of the double-digit increases to individual’s costs they’d been seeing previously.

Healthcare is an ever-changing industry, and Serafin relies on Envision’s expertise to help guide him through the rough spots. “After the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act came into effect, Hank helped me wade through it all,” Serafin said. “He’s the one who tells me how new healthcare regulations will affect my business, and the types of things I should be transitioning to.

“I do like what I get from Envision. By limiting my employees’ exposure to higher fees, and helping Cencom reduce costs to the company, Envision has created a win-win situation for everybody.”

producer profile

Fulton Hogan Paves a Smooth Australian Carriage Way

by Sandy Lender

12 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

T

he 23 kilometers of deep lift asphalt with stone mastic asphalt (SMA) wearing course was the first major asphalt project in South Australia for Fulton Hogan although not the first in Australia that the crews had laid. But it’s the new construction carriage way they’re most proud of right now. All 92 lane kilometres featured an average IRI of 0.56, which makes both owner and contractor pleased.

“It was 90 kilometres from the quarry to the project,” he said. “Having Ken Little of Fulton Hogan attributed the excellent IRI number to a variety of best production and paving practices. “The IRI number is a the quarry as part of the project team meant that there was no contracproduct of the process,” he said. “We had a real focus on reducing variation tual interface and we were all on the same page and the focus was fit for purpose and not just specification. So often quaras any action; be it stop/start, change level, end of ries supply material to specification but the variation a run, even stopping the roller introduces variation within the specification is so great that control of and diminishes the ride. The aim was to get going the mix is difficult to maintain. We did not have this and change nothing; long uninterrupted runs have problem. At the start, we made sure the quarry was contributed to the good IRI numbers.”

Roadtec RP190 comfortable that they could produce their nomiWith an Astec T200 Double Barrel Green erected Roadtec SB1500 nated gradings consistently, then we designed our for, and in the mid-point of, the project and new Dynapac CC424 asphalt mixes.” equipment all around, Fulton Hogan put together Dynapac CC222 To design the various mixes, Fulton Hogan a set of mixes that the client—the Department Dynapac CP215 techs got their bitumen from Shell. “Shell supplied for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure, South the bitumen for the project and Fulton Hogan has Australia—approved, and put together a project Fixed Astec T200 Double Barrel our blending operation in Adelaide where all the plan with joint venture partner York Civil to build Green plant with 450 tonnes of hot polymer modified bitumen was produced for the a new carriage way and bridges for the Northern storage built on site for the project project. We worked closely with Shell in forecasting Expressway project. It took 460,000 tonnes of demand and generally the supply of imported asphalt, 18 months and a very focused effort to place bitumen was seamless. When there were a couple of the asphalt pavement.

Little discussed the mix design. His team had to go through a prequal- hiccups, Shell kicked in and helped source product from interstate.”

From there, the techs designed, proved and got approval for all mix ification process to get approval to use the aggregate on the job. They used rock from their own Waterloo Quarry and found the quality and designs on the project. Once Fulton Hogan has a design in mind, the crews monitor it to keep variations out of the picture, as Little mentioned above. consistency critical to achieving excellent ride quality.

New Equipment on the Job

LEFT: “We monitored everything,” Ken Little said. “We had dedicated staff to monitor compaction of every layer, every run, every day, throughout the day.”

RIGHT: Fulton Hogan’s two crews put down 460,000 tonnes of stone mastic asphalt (SMA) in 92 lane kilometres. www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 13

A Joint Venture

Fulton Hogan and York Civil made up the joint venture. York Civil took care of all the structures, which comprised 16 bridges, and drainage. Fulton Hogan did the rest—earthworks, pavements, asphalt, landscaping and intelligent transportation services (ITS).

The paving train included the Roadtec Shuttle Buggy and RP190 paver.

In the background, notice one of the 16 bridges York Civil constructed for the project.

“I know it sounds familiar,” he said. “We had a very controlled process. We monitored everything. We had dedicated staff to monitor compaction of every layer, every run, every day, throughout the day. We worked closely with our client and got approval to change our processes to lay to thickness rather than level.

Our runs were lane width so we maintained control of the screed. We employed a consultant statistician to analyse, review and improve our process control. There weren’t many rocks unturned.”

That kind of dedication to detail takes a quality crew. Little had a host of crew members he was proud of from this job, starting with a few leaders. “We had the best and most experienced technical and operational leaders on our team: Morrie Deller, our asphalt project manager and Peter Armstrong our national technical manager. Fulton Hogan provided the best equipment, all of it new. We had everything heading our way and had plenty of fun delivering a new benchmark for the industry.”

One of the benchmarks Little talked about was an 8,024-meter single pull of 2,056 tonnes of SMA in an 11-hour shift. The jointless mat set a record for the company and possibly for Australia paving in general. What makes the 14 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

One of the benchmarks Little talked about was an 8,024-meter single pull of 2,056 tonnes of SMA in an 11-hour shift. The jointless mat set a record for the company and possibly for Australia paving in general.

Here the paving train provides the foreground for the Astec T200 plant, installed at a mid-point of the project in South Australia.

Some of the new equipment used on the Northern Expressway included the Dynapac CC424, CC222 and CP215.

feat even more intriguing is its inconspicuous beginning.

The 11-hour single run didn’t come at any specific time that the crew manipulated. They weren’t pushing to get a specific amount of mix out for the owner. They weren’t after a timerelated bonus. They weren’t at a point in the project where they had to “up” production.

“None of the above really; as a team we were focused on delivering a good job,” Little said.

“At time of tender it was clear to our client that ride quality was very important to them and we undertook to deliver a pavement with excellent ride. One of the strategies we employed to get good ride numbers was to reduce transverse joints and attempt to keep them 2 kilometers apart. We had only a relatively small plant and essentially we could only do what we could do. On this day we had a very long section in front of us and we got a good start and just kept going, no rush or push.”

16 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

The paving crews put down a deep lift SMA mat for the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure.

The owner didn’t specify the use of the SB1500, but the Fulton Hogan team elected to use it to assist in smoothness. “It was employed to deliver a good pavement by reducing variation in temperature, segregation and mix supply to the paver; these in turn help achieve a consistent mat and compaction.”

Although more than one crew worked the project, only one remained on the long pull.

“During this project we had two crews on site most of the time,” Little explained. “One crew on the main carriage way and one doing the interchanges and tie ins. When we were doing wearing course it was commonplace to use the second crew to relieve the crew on the run for meal breaks so the paving train did not stop.

On long days the second crew would have staggered start times and finish the run off in the afternoon.

“On the day in question [the 11-hour pull] the second crew also did 400 tonnes of base course asphalt. You ask about detail work, yes

and no, as the runs were at set widths, the leveling system was set and locked up. It was all about letting the paver do the work and just keeping an eye out for any changes. Our rolling team maintained excellent rolling patterns to minimize any additional bumps; they probably had the most intense work.

“The leaders of this charge were Daniel Clements, our asphalt operations supervisor with seven years service; Frank Dietrich, laying foreman with twelve years service; and Scott Hummel, transport manager with six years service.

“As much as the single run was a good record to set, I believe the delivery of the asphalt works on this project to such a high level of quality is something the whole team is proud of and the fact that the contribution of all members is recognized by all fellow members, from the excavator operator at our quarry through to the laboratory technicians confirming mix quality.”

This portable MileMaker series plant from ADM was recently installed in Canada.

Make Great

Production Decisions

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article appeared in another publication in the mid ’90s. Cliff Mansfield and AsphaltPro staff have updated the information for today’s producer with today’s mix products and equipment marketplace in mind.

by Cliff Mansfield

18 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

Part I

In today’s climate, one important criterion for success is control of your own destiny. When it comes to paving projects, it’s difficult to have any type of control if you’re at the mercy of just a few hot mix suppliers. You’re stuck using their products on their schedules. Your schedules get disrupted or your job’s quality gets compromised. These are not good choices for most paving companies.

Let’s say that after years of buying hot mix from the local supplier you’ve made the decision to purchase an asphalt plant and start producing material for yourself. You may even sell it commercially to competing paving companies. You’ve made an important decision in my opinion—one that with careful planning should make you money in the coming years.

From here you’re going to be called on to make a lot more important decisions like asphalt plant type, style, configuration, size, brand and budget. Once you’ve made those choices, even more issues crop up, such as asphalt cement (AC) tank size, storage silo size, number of cold feed bins, number of RAP bins, type of pollution controls and so on. For someone new to asphalt plants, these can be baffling issues.

In the following two-part discussion, I’m going to try to demystify the process through which all these choices are made. Check out the sidebar, Plant Offering Basics, on page xx to see my explanation of the various types and styles of AC plants to perhaps help you with those choices.

Placement

The first requirement is to have a place to put an asphalt plant. You need a place that is zoned correctly and either has or can use a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) that allows an asphalt plant. Then you need a steady source of quality rock that meets all of the specs for use in your market area. This requires a little research on your part.

Don’t worry too much about the local supplier catching on to the fact that you’re investigating the possibility of putting in an asphalt plant. The supplier may put pressure on you to abandon your plans, such as rescinding any special deals you may have had with it, but it cannot refuse to sell you mix.

Anti-trust laws prevent existing vendors from punishing you for going into competition with them.

Assuming you have a place to put a plant and a good rock source, the first couple of choices you will have to make involve type and style. To make a choice between batch or drum, portable or stationary, you need to have some idea of the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Style

When considering placement, another facet of the plant to consider is its style. There are two: portable and stationary. It’s fairly easy to choose between the two, once you know the answers to a couple of questions: Do you need to move your plant? If so, how often will it be moved?

Portable plants can cost substantially more than their stationary brethren. If you only need to move your plant once every few years then it is possible that the cost of moving the plant is considerably less than the cost of portability on the original order. I recommend that companies in this category consider buying a skid-mounted plant with flexible wiring, such as SO cord, equipped with quick disconnects.

Owners who plan to move their plants several times a year must purchase a portable facility.

When looking at these units it is strongly recommended that a self-erect silo/drag combination be considered. In the Northwest a crane to set the silo and drag conveyor can easily cost in excess of $8,000.00 per move. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that if you move your plant four times a year, you can pay for the difference in cost for a self-erect in about two years.

The local supplier may put pressure on you to abandon your plans, such as rescinding any special deals you may have had with it, but it cannot refuse to sell you mix. Anti-trust laws prevent existing vendors from punishing you for going into competition with them.

Configuration

There are also two configurations of a drum plant that you need to consider—parallel flow and counter-flow. Each configuration has its own uses. For instance, in a parallel flow asphalt plant the aggregates enter the drying drum at the same end that the burner is on. The flame path and the aggregate travel down the drum in the same, or parallel, direction.

Parallel flow asphalt plants are usually much less expensive than a counter-flow. Their drums are generally shorter, making the portable versions easier to move. The thing to watch out for in a parallel flow plant is liquid AC injection. Most parallel flow plants inject the AC in the same drum as the burner flame. The liquid asphalt is exposed directly to the heat of the burner, which oxidizes the oil, producing blue smoke. You want to keep these plants properly maintained and adjusted to keep them from smoking.

The counter-flow asphalt plant works a little differently. It has its burner at the opposite end from the aggregate entry. This means that the aggregate travels counter to the direction of the flame travel. The advantage to this process is that more of the heat produced by the burner is imparted to the aggregate as it travels down the drum. This is immediately evident by observing the exhaust stack temperature in both types of plants. A counter-flow will have a 250 or so degree stack. A parallel flow will see temps around 340 degrees or so. www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 19

Plant Offering Basics Another advantage is that in a counter-flow plant the asphalt oil and the RAP are never directly exposed to the superheated air stream from the burner. This means that the asphalt oil, either virgin or RAP, is not oxidized to produce the smoke that drives up the CO and NOx. The only real weakness to a counter-flow is the purchase cost. The cost difference could be $500,000 or more depending on the production rate of the plant and whether it is portable or not.

Coming Up

In next month’s Part II we’ll discuss size, used versus new and the all-important cost of asphalt plants.

Cliff Mansfield is the proprietor of CM Consulting, Odell, Ore. For more information, contact him at (541) 354-6188 or send him your question through the “Ask the Plant Expert” form on the home page at www.TheAsphaltPro.com.

The Batch Plant As its name implies, a batch plant makes mix in batches. Feeders feed aggregate to a rotary dryer where moisture is removed. Aggregate is then transported to a set of screens where it is divided into several component sizes and stored in hot bins. The plant’s blending computer then correctly proportions these aggregates into a weigh bin. From here, the aggregate is introduced into a pugmill and dry-mixed for a specified amount of time. The oil is introduced at the proper time and the combination is then wet-mixed for the required time.

At the end of this cycle, the pug gate opens and the finished hot mix is either discharged directly into a waiting truck or it’s dropped onto a moveable chute, which leads to a slat conveyor and on to a holding silo.

Batch plants range in size from a 250-pound baby Madsen (which is the smallest I know of) up though 18,000-pound monsters. I’ve heard of a 20,000-pound behemoth, but haven’t seen it. They are generally rated at 1 batch per minute, so a 4,000-pound plant would yield 120 tons per hour, while an 18,000-pound unit would yield 540 tons per hour.

A batch plant’s strength lies in its ability to make sellable hot mix out of almost any reasonable stockpile. Another strength inherent to a batch plant is its ability to switch specs mid-truck if needed. Essentially, if you supply the plant with ¾ - 0 inch aggregate, you can make any mix that uses materials contained within those parameters. Depending on what screens you have installed in the plant, you can make 3/8 - 0 inch mix for one truck, and then switch to ¾ - 0 inch mix for the next and still be able to blend a nice ½ - 0 mix for the third. In some operating situations, that’s a valuable ability.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that if you move your plant four times a year, you can pay for the difference in cost for a self-erect in about two years.

om r f t n la p h tc a b d n ou p 0 This is a 3,00 Madsen.

Aesco 20 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

A batch plant also uses numerous steps to produce hot mix. It’s those steps that make it valuable and make it a weakness to an operator who’s making the same mix all day long. What it boils down to is the fact that a batch plant spends about 30 percent of its time waiting on bins to weigh up, the pugmill to empty and similar activities. To an operator who doesn’t have to make a lot of daily mix changes, perhaps a batch plant isn’t the right choice.

The Drum Plant The drum mix plant is a continuous mix facility that takes the hot mix manufacturing process to its basics. In the feeders a computer program proportions the aggregates into the correct blend to meet job requirements. This material is then conveyed to the dryer where moisture is removed.

Depending on the type of drum plant, either the last third of the dryer is where the correct percentage of asphalt is injected and the resultant material is thoroughly mixed, or the dried aggregate is sent to a separate mixing drum where these things occur. At this point in both styles the resultant hot mix is discharged into a slat conveyor for transport to a storage silo where it is distributed to haul trucks.

Drum plants range anywhere from 8 to 600 tph. The most common plants are between 150 and 400 tph.

By eliminating most of the steps taken by a batch plant to produce mix, a drum plant is able to do its job more economically. They operate at a higher rate of production for a given drum size because the mixing process is continuous. They use less energy to produce the same product

For a contractor who is required to supply several different mix-designs in the same production run, a drum plant may not be the best choice. This problem can be overcome through the use of multiple silos and a sharp operator, but multiple silos are not as practical if you must be portable.

than a batch plant because there are far less components to heat, thus they use less fuel. With fewer motors turning they consume less electricity.

By the nature of their design, drum plants are limited to producing one mix design at a time. If you introduce properly gradated ½ - 0 inch aggregate into the unit you are going to get the same thing out of it. For a contractor who is required to supply several different mix-designs in the same production run, a drum plant may not be the best choice. This problem can be overcome through the use of multiple silos and a sharp operator, but multiple silos are not as practical if you must be portable.

www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 21

Mainroad Solves Problem

in the

Cold

by Russ Klettke

The pavement was a thin layer atop a topsoil/clay subgrade and had been seeing more traffic than it was designed to handle.

The freeze-thaw cycles and other factors contributed to alligator cracking along University Blvd.

In the wet climate of Vancouver where motorists and contractors alike are used to freeze-thaw cycles, University Boulevard needed a winter patch. Originally designed for light traffic, the road had seen population— thus traffic—increases. Alligator cracking had led to serious pavement deterioration in some areas and the lovely grove of trees lining the road had sent root disruptions into the pavement as well.

It was time for a fix, even if that fix had to come in the cold of December.

The 2010 Ministry of Transportation (MoT), British Columbia, budget didn’t allow for a complete reconstruction of University Boulevard. Mainroad, a contractor with MoT, worked with Christopher Hunt of EZ Street Canada to pull together a solution.

They used EZ Street as an experimental, temporary layer over the worst stretches of the road to make the road passable and to eliminate/reduce costs of reimbursement requests MoT had been receiving from damaged cars traveling over University Blvd. that winter.

Everyone’s intention was to repave in the summer of 2011, in a new budget cycle.

“The pavement quality was always poor because it had a shallow depth over a topsoil/ clay subgrade,” Richard Hoare of Mainroad said. “It was very thin and receiving more traffic than it was originally designed to handle. We thought it should be resurfaced.”

24 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

To start the project Dec. 11, 2011, a full crew showed up. Sources said the manpower was equivalent to what would be necessary for laying down a hot mix in a hurry. The temperature that day was 38 to 40 degrees F (3 to 4 degrees C).

The crew discovered early on that they had too much manpower for the EZ Street application.

They weren’t working with a cooling hot mix that required multiple fast workers.

“As we progressed through the day we realized we didn’t need so many people to work with a cooling hot mix,” Hoare said. “Next time we don’t need so much labor to rake and shovel. We can run a more relaxed operation with fewer people.”

Good news for the crew: there was no special equipment required and the crew’s learning curve was minimal. Sources pointed out that safety was less of a concern with no 300-degree F mix to worry about on the job.

The lack of cooling hot mix led to another benefit for the Ministry; they had less waste. Sources estimated they eliminated 10 to 20 percent waste as there are no temperature challenges with the EZ Street product. “There was no product wastage,” Hoare said. “It’s a huge advantage to be able to plan regardless of weather.”

RIGHT: The final product gives Mainroad and MoT a smooth surface with a quiet ride, and one they don’t anticipate will have to be redone this summer after all.

Overall, Hoare noted that the Ministry saved enough money on this project that other avenues are open. “We saved money on this road that we can now use on other roads,” he began. “There were fewer claims for damaged tires, which saved the MoT more money. There was no wastage of asphalt. We can plan this kind of work regardless of weather…we don’t need a constant feed of trucks with hot product where interruptions of supply creates joints in the pavement.”

Another benefit Hoare is pleased with is the sound. “We did hear there would be a noise benefit, but this was our first application,” he said. “It is like pressing a mute button when traffic passes over the EZ Street pavement. This was more than just fixing the pavement.”

Hunt agreed. “This [noise reduction] was the happy accident….It has something to do with modified polymers. It could be good for railroad crossings.”

While thinking in theory, sources posed that any municipality in North America or abroad that faces brutally cold temperatures will face water main breaks in winter. As MoT has shown with their University Blvd. project, those areas wouldn’t have to wait for a sunny day—or spring—to effect a repair that might have to be redone in warmer summer months. Instead, EZ Street can be stockpiled and used for street repairs as needed.

“This is a pretty economic way of fixing large areas,” Hoare said. “Laid down pavement stays slightly flexible. We initially tried the EZ Street paving option to help with a winter pothole problem with the expectation it would hold until we could complete full depth repairs, but the results have exceeded our expectations.”

For more information, visit www.ezstreetasphalt.com

26 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

LEFT: The paving crew had more manpower than it needed once the day got under way. Because the crew was not working to keep a hot mix from cooling beyond workable conditions in the 38- to 40-degree F ambient temperatures, workers found themselves less stressed out with the EZ Street mix.

LEFT: Some employees learn well on the job. Here a gentleman works with Sakai’s intelligent compaction system. RIGHT: Hands-on training is only one method of training paving crew members. Here a worker drives a Sakai roller.

Train Crews to Compete

T

o stay competitive in today’s global market, companies must invest in training and educating their workforces while establishing mechanisms to ensure knowledge and experience is transferred to new employees. This is a challenge all contractors face in today’s mobile workforce.

Gone are the days when an employee stayed with a company for life. Statistics show that construction workers have among the highest employee turnover rates in any industry at approximately 25 percent per year. A report by the Construction Industry Institute reveals that an effective employee training program results in skilled workers who produce higher quality work, are more productive and are likely to stay longer.

There are several approaches to developing and implementing effective training programs that will meet specific employee and company objectives. This article presents a brief background on the value of investing in an employee-training program and suggests steps to consider for developing a training program in your company.

Why Invest in Training We’re all in business to make money. Investing in an effective training program will improve your bottom line by improving the quality of the work you produce and by retaining skilled employees. Quality of work has become more important as Texas, and the rest of the country, have moved toward warranty and performancebased specs on public infrastructure projects.

Costs for repairs on warranty projects can be substantial, as these contracts shift more risk to contractors, encouraging them to “get it right the first time.”

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has encouraged performance-based contracts (warranty work) to become the norm for all federally-funded road building projects in the future . Some European countries have let warranty projects from 15 to 20 years. The only way to be competitive in bidding this type of 28 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

work is if your paving crews are well-trained.

Excellent materials alone will not suffice.

An effective training program will help reduce employee turnover. It is estimated that employee turnover in the construction industry costs employers an average of $13,935 per employee.4 A survey done by the Construction Industry Institute (CII) reports that the second most effective employee retention initiatives in the construction industry, at 71 percent somewhat effective and 14 percent highly effective, are training and re-education programs. This ranks second to cross-training. Wages rank fourth in the survey.

Also, of construction industry employers surveyed by CII, 80 percent reported that their training/re-education programs saved them money in employee turnover costs, while the remaining 20 percent reported that they broke even on their investment in training programs.

Implementation First, step back, look at what you have and decide where you want to be. This should include looking at your corporate objectives and looking at the direction of the construction industry as a whole.

An effective training program starts with a structured plan to meet specified goals by a certain date. “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up somewhere else.”5 Decide what specific areas of training you want to focus on and design a curriculum. Second, a financial investment is required. Training, whether done in-house or by outside consultants, requires money for salaries of trainers and trainees, course materials and paid time for employees to undergo training. Finally, consider some lost production costs on projects where field training is being done. Costs associated with lost production can be minimal if training

is integrated into the project through careful coordination of field operations.

Once a company is committed to implementing a training program, it must design an approach that includes a mix of different venues if it is to be truly effective. Generally, a mix of classroom and field training will meet your needs. Web-based training for paving crews is improving.

Using your training curriculum as a guide, determine what results will be tracked to ensure that training effectiveness can be measured. An example might be tracking improvement of the average percent compaction on asphalt-paving jobs from month-to-month and year-to-year.

The more specific the measurement items are, the better understanding you will have of the effectiveness of training and how to improve it.

Several methods have been proposed to assess training effectiveness, such as written tests for the classroom training and field demonstration “audits” that evaluate individual operators on a rating scale6 on specific tasks. The rating must be designed to be as objective as possible, to eliminate the “human factor” so that all workers are rated on the same basis.

The most effective training comes from workers asking questions and having the freedom to try new approaches. Encourage your workforce to ask questions. Provide answers or direct them toward a solution by encouraging them to try out their idea. A “thinking” worker is an innovative and efficient worker. Recognize accomplishments. Evaluate your crews on the basics. Consider having your crews evaluate themselves and ask them in what areas they would like additional training.

One of the key elements of your success as a training manager is to support what you say through investment in training and equipment. The over-arching themes of any training program should be to ask questions and learn to do by doing. When people are given a “safe” environment where they can try their ideas, the results will stick with them forever and the training program will have achieved its objective. Although company culture will largely decide what method is used to ensure effective training, the next five sections suggest a general approach to structuring a successful training program.

1. Maintain a record of best practices

7

Keep a record of best practices for your operation. Although some practices are industry standard, others will be specific to your operation and will depend on the type of equipment you use (plus other factors). A record of best practices enables employees to focus on what works and provides employers with a guide for 30 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

measuring improvement. Use best practices as a training tool for integrating new employees into your operation. The best practice for each task should be maintained as a live document that can be updated as new methods are learned. It’s essential that there is a mechanism in place to make the entire crew aware of any changes.

2.

Let employees establish best practices for doing a particular task The most successful training programs allow workers to decide the best practice for a specific job function. People come from different backgrounds and bring a wide variety of work experience with them to the company. One of the best ways to share the experience of all employees is to have them collectively establish the best practice for a particular task. This is perhaps the most challenging aspect of training paving crews.

Realize that across the board consensus will not always be possible because many workers are reluctant to change. To react this way is human nature, because a change from what you have been doing implies that you’ve been doing it “wrong” up to this point. “The most effective way to cope with change is to help create it.”8 In most situations where people resist change, they have not been given objective or quantitative feedback to make a fact-based decision on their technique. The only support they have in this situation is their intuition.

The only way to be competitive in bidding this type of work is if your paving crews are welltrained. Excellent materials alone will not suffice.

For example, in compacting hot mix asphalt (HMA), a roller operator may have been trained that pinching a longitudinal joint from the cold side is the most effective way to make a durable, long-lasting joint. In fact, this is generally not the most effective method of HMA compaction, however, the operator was never given measured feedback (percent compaction numbers) as to the actual results of their method. It is important in training to make decisions based on measurable information. This is how the owner will evaluate your job. “Because I said so” or “That’s the way it is” are not credible statements. Ask yourself how you would react if someone answered your questions with those phrases.

3.

Use technology to provide immediate, quantitative feedback When feasible, use technology to measure improvement and facilitate training. For example, if a paving crew is being trained to minimize thermal segregation in the asphalt mat behind the paver, consider providing each member of your paving crew with an infrared temperature gun (or the Pave IR system) to provide immediate feedback so that they can try new things to improve their process. Immediate feedback will give workers the opportunity to witness the results, make decisions and update their best practice. Effective use of technology minimizes training costs and increases accountability by having employees “own” their training.

Well-planned investments in technology for providing feedback will get employees more involved and quickly pay off in terms of training and quality workmanship.

4.

Foster a “safe” learning environment Foster a safe environment where people are not penalized for suggesting changes or other ways of doing things. Allow workers the freedom to suggest changes and try new ideas on how to achieve quality objectives. Encourage people to ask questions and seek answers. It’s human nature that people are more likely to believe what they see than what they hear. Of course, ensure that employees are aware of the consequences of trying new things without the permission of a job supervisor. New construction methods can often be tested during a “slow time” when production conveniently allows for it and corrections can be made if necessary.

5. Recognize mistakes as learning opportunities

We are human and make mistakes. Recognize mistakes and take advantage of them as learning opportunities. Often, the only way we know what does work is by knowing what does not work! Include this learning in your best practices.

Avoid Failure

When training programs fail to provide the desired improvement, it is most often a result of poor execution. General root causes for failure9 often include the following: Lack of technical or interpersonal skills p Not knowing how to do the job (technical training) p Knowing how to do the job, but not do it well (technical training and feedback) p Lacking team skills necessary to execute jobs that require collaborative efforts (people skills)

Lack of information (feedback) p Not knowing what they are supposed to do (lack of instruction) p Not knowing why they should do it (technical training, asking questions) p Not knowing how well they are doing a task (feedback, recognition) p Not knowing the proper approach (technical training) p Not knowing that the prescribed approach is better than one’s own approach (access and understanding of best practices) Limitations beyond the control of the employee p Contradictory mandates from various levels of management p Lack of resources, inadequate equipment p Unskilled supervision/management/leadership p Task being impossible for anyone to do – unrealistic expectations p Personal problems Faulty consequences of employees’ actions p Poor execution gets positive or no negative consequence p People are punished for doing the right thing p No understanding of which actions cause which consequences – random consequences occur (positive and negative) unrelated to performance outcomes

Get it Right

Your company will realize many benefits from an effective training program. Some benefits such as improved compaction, smoothness and production are easily quantifiable, whereas the benefits of improved business relationships, employee retention and company reputation are not so easily measured. Improved product quality will provide financial bonuses on quality control/quality assurance projects and give you a competitive advantage on warranty work. The reputation of being a quality contractor has benefits not only in terms of gaining future business opportunities, but also creates the perception of a place that people want to work. This will help attract and retain qualified talent.

Managing a successful training program is as much an exercise in managing people as it is in providing technical training. Understanding what motivates people is essential in developing a training program.

Combine your company objectives with individual employees’ needs and develop a specific training curriculum. Provide technical training, but also the tools and freedom to execute what is learned. Encourage process improvements that are based on facts. Keep records of best practices and continuously update the practices as new learning supports change. Maintain structure and send consistent messages to workers from all levels of management. A well-planned and properly focused training program will result in quality products and innovative solutions that will improve your bottom line and benefit the asphalt paving industry as a whole.

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics from September 2003 to September 2004.

Construction Industry Institute report RS135-1, October 2000.

3 SEP-15 FHWA http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/p3/defined/index.htm 4 Employment Policy Foundation tabulation of Bureau of Labor Statistics data from August 2003 to August 2004.

5 Casey Stengel 6 Skinner Consulting Services has proposed a comprehensive training program that includes a rating scale from 1 to 10 on specific tasks. Low scores in an area require more training focus on that task.

7 Best Practices is a term meaning the most successful, known procedure for executing a particular job function.

8 I.W. Lynette 9 Phil Berghausen, Center for Executive Solutions, Sunnyvale, CA 1 2

www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 31

EQUIPMENT GALLERY

Roadtec’s 1000th Shuttle Buggy

The 1000th SB-2500 Shuttle Buggy® MTV leaves the Roadtec factory in Chattanooga this spring.

The SB2500 Shuttle Buggy® material transfer vehicle (MTV) from Roadtec, Inc., Chattanooga, may not be a new product to industry veterans, but it’s a popular one that has crossed a major milestone this year. Earlier this spring, the company shipped its 1000th MTV. Now there are SB-2500s in use in 48 U.S. states, in 20 countries and on 6 continents.

Roadtec designed the Shuttle Buggy to re-mix hot mix asphalt (HMA) just before feeding it to the paver after a series of pavement failure studies in the 1980s pointed to material segregation as

one of the most important causes of failures. By remixing material before charging the hopper, road builders could eliminate material segregation. This was a boon for road builders who don’t have direct control over the mix at the plant.

The paving foreman can’t control factors that contribute to segregation, like less than perfect stockpile management at the plant or long truck wait times. He can regain control by remixing the asphalt for even temperatures and even material size.

The Shuttle Buggy is designed to do more than remix material in front of the paver. The Roadtec material transfer technology has led the way to improved smoothness and even densities in asphalt pavements, which is key to durability of the asphalt surface.

For more information about the SB-2500, contact Stephanie Rider at (423) 265-0600 or srider@roadtec. com. Also visit www.roadtec.com. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro.

Powerscreen Adds International Availability

screening equipment in Florida, Georgia, the Caribbean and Latin America. The company has continually expanded its locations with support centers in Atlanta, Hiti and most recently in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

The company has continued to explore markets outside the U.S. and strengthen its presence in the Caribbean. Key to this plan was the opening of a warehouse support center in the Dominican Republic. Under the name of a newly

formed company, Powerscreen Caribbean, they will continue to provide customers in the Caribbean with service, thanks to a knowledgeable staff, full parts inventory, service department and a complete stock of equipment available for sale or rent.

In the past 18 months, Powerscreen Caribbean has had many successes in the Dominican Republic. One customer, Constructora Hermanos Yarull, bought 10 machines in the

Powerscreen customers in the Dominican Republic will benefit from improved product availability and support thanks to a new support center recently opened by longstanding dealer, Powerscreen of Florida, Lakeland, Fla. During the past 27 years, Powerscreen of Florida has earned a reputation as a leader in the sales, rental and aftermarket support of crushing and 32 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

Powerscreen of Florida includes, from left Rafi Bournigal (vice president), Denis Grant (president) and Richard Grant (president).

last year to fulfill its commitment with Barrick Gold Quarry. Constructora Hermanos Owner Pedro Yarull said, “Our relationship with Powerscreen Caribbean/Powerscreen of Florida started many years ago through Rafael Bournigal. This company has great equipment, excellent after-sales service, and personnel who care about the success of the customer. We have many Powerscreen® products including a Premiertrak jaw crusher, three impactors, three Powerscreen Titan 1800 screen plants, three Powerscreen Chieftain Rinsers and many more. These machines are critical in our construction projects including a major contract we have in the Barrick Gold mine in the city of Maimon, Dominican Republic. This company is our main crushing and screening plant supplier and we will continue to work with them.”

Ferreteria Ochoa is said to be the largest company in the Dominican Republic and Latin America for block production. They are located in Santiago, which is the second largest city in the Dominican Republic Diego Olivares, managing director, has just bought a new Chieftain 1400 track machine for his company. Over the years, Ferreteria has acquired numerous machines from Powerscreen of Florida, including the Warrior 1800 and the 4242SR. Olivares explained why he keeps coming back to Powerscreen Caribbean and Powerscreen of Florida. “We are very happy with the equipment and the honesty of the staff.”

Powerscreen is part of the Terex Materials Processing segment of Terex Corporation. For more information on Powerscreen® crushing, screening or washing products visit www.powerscreen.com to find your local dealer. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine. www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 33

Equipment Gallery Eriez’ Service Brochure

Eriez, Erie, Pa., now offers its full-color 5-Star Service® brochure in PDF and printed formats. According to the literature, Eriez’ 5-Star Service Center helps eliminate or reduce equipment downtime by ensuring that customers’ magnetic, vibratory and inspection processing equipment is back in operation and functioning at peak performance.

Eriez personnel point out that the service center is equipped to remanufacture even the most complex systems. The rebuild capabilities of the service center are highlighted in the brochure. It points out the type of Eriez equipment that can be remanufactured, which can save customers thousands of dollars versus buying new.

Download the brochure as a PDF at http://service.eriez.com. To get a printed copy, contact Eriez at (888) 300-3743 or e-mail eriez@eriez.com and request brochure B-102. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.

ECCO’s VigiLED II

The safety team at ECCO, Boise, Idaho, launched its new VigiLED II this summer. The light offers bracket or flush mount flexibility so it can be mounted just about anywhere on a vehicle.

The LED features a clear polycarbonate lens with four LEDs that illuminate in the color of your choice—amber, blue, clear, green or red. Its warning capability can be customized by selecting from 24 flash patterns and synchronizing multiple heads to operate simultaneously or alternately. Here’s a quick list of features: • multiple unites synchronize together • surface or bracket mounting available • 24 flash patterns • Die-cast base and polycarbonate lens • Choose from amber, blue, clear, green or red • Weatherproof IP67 rating • SE J595 class I (light output only) • Warranty: 1 year For more information, contact marketing@eccolink.com or visit www.eccolink.com.

Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.

Standard Filter’s Free Analysis

If you’re not sure how much life is left in your filter bags, Standard Filter Corp., is willing to help test that, for free. If you’d like to find out if dust is migrating through your filter bags or if you’re using the correct filter for your process, the Standard Filter experts can offer you a free, detailed, written analysis of what’s taking place in your baghouse—even if you’ve just overheated it.

A free filter bag analysis from Standard Filter ensures you get the right bag for your filtration needs; improves baghouse efficiency; and maximizes filter bag performance. The testing process includes a permeability test, a mullen burst test, a miscroscopic analysis, and failure mode analysis.

To take advantage of this free filter bag analysis, fill out the filter analysis form online at www.standardfilter.com and send it with your filter to Standard Filter.

For more information, contact Standard Filter at (800) 634-5837 or visit www.standardfilter.com. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.

34 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

McDonalds’ Pavement Maintenance Guide

The father and son team of Thomas and Patrick McDonald combine nearly 60 years of construction and maintenance to present a book full of practical tools and tips aimed at helping anyone manage a successful pavement maintenance project.

In the Guide to Pavement Maintenance, the duo include tables that describe what type of maintenance to use and when, as well as how to perform maintenance tasks.

The book is available on amazon.com and www.pavementbook.com.

Doosan’s Heaped Rock Buckets

If you still move aggregate, work stockpiles or do even larger work with a wheel loader, Doosan, West Fargo, N.D., introduces a product you’ll be interested in. Its new rock buckets feature capacities of 4, 4.5 and 6 cubic yards. The two smaller buckets are 128.9 inches wide and 54 inches high while the largest bucket is 136.2 inches wide and 68.5 inches high. All three models feature a spade nose design and standard weld-on teeth.

Doosan rock buckets are available with pin-on mounting only.

For more information, contact Doosan at (515) 557-2046 or visit www.doosanequipment.com. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.

Volvo’s EC250D and EC300D Take it Up a Notch

The new EC250D and EC 300D excavators from Volvo Construction Equipment are heavy duty machines that weigh 54,230 an 61,730 pounds and 66,140 to 73,630 pounds respectively. Meeting the requirements of the strictest emissions legislation, these powerful machines excel in heavy digging and lifting duties.

Both machines are fitted with Tier 4i certified Volvo D8H engines, delivering lower emissions and high fuel efficiency. These engines feature a waste-gate turbo, externally cooled exhaust gas re-circulation (EGR) and a combination of diesel oxygen catalyst (DOC) and diesel particulate filters (DPF) with partial fuel burner and active regeneration. Maximum power is 202 hp for the EC250D and 227 hp for the EC330D. For more information, contact Bill Law at Volvo CE North America at bill.law@ volvo.com or (828) 650-2000. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.

KTP Enterprises’ Changes

After 28 years, Ernie Kaplan, Lincolnshire, Ill., has sold his FastMeasure business, but you can still stay out of the sun with a FastMeasure device in your work truck or other vehicle instead of walking behind a measuring wheel. You can access this information at www.fast-measure.com.

For more information, contact KTP Enterprises at (888) 876-6050. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.

“Hot Mix Asphalt, Paving the Highway to the Future”

C.M. Consulting Looking for a used 150 tph hot plant?

EXPERIENCED ASPHALT PLANT CONTROL TECHNICIAN • The candidate must be knowledgeable in all aspects of asphalt plant electrical maintenance with an emphasis on how electrical problems relate to the mechanics of an asphalt plant.

• The individual must be willing to relocate to Louisville, Kentucky.

PRIMARY DUTIES

• Diagnose and repair electrical asphalt plant problems over the telephone.

• Assist in the design of new asphalt plant control systems.

• Evaluate customer needs for new electrical control equipment.

• Some travel required.

• The individual must be able to communicate very well with customers and fellow workers. He/she must be a self-motivator and willing to do whatever necessary to assist our customers.

Email resume to: jspencer@stansteel.com

WE CAN HELP!

2007- TEREX Counter-Flow drum plant w/ diesel fuel burner, 80-ton self erecting, back weighing silo w/batcher & 200 tph slat conveyor. 4-bin cold feed w/scale conveyor & slinger conveyor, Computer controlled AC oil pump injection system, baghouse with exhaust fan, dust return blower and rotary air compressor. Portable 20,000 gallon AC tank. Plant moves in 4 loads. This plant has made less than 50,000 tons since new. Sale is FOB Seattle Washington and plant will be available November 1st.....Call for Price.

Many New and Used Asphalt Plants for Sale

New Portable Counterflow Drum Plants, 100 to 500 TPH ......................................Call.

2003 ALMIX 120 TPH Portable Drum Plant, complete...........................................Call.

1980s STANSTEEL 250 TPH Semi-Port. Drum Plant .............................................Call.

90-Ton Silo 350 TPH Drag & 12-Ton Weigh Batcher, very nice! ...........................Call.

BMG 200 TPH Skidded Drum Mixer, nice AC plant ................................................Call.

1966 Madsen 5,000# Batch Plant w/Silo and Drag ...................................... $100,000.

Cliff Mansfield Inc. • P.O. Box 407 • Odell, OR 97044 Office 541-352-7942 • Fax 541-352-7943 • www.hotplantconsulting.com www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 35

Participate in Funding

Now

by Sandy Lender

D

uring a webinar in July, experts spoke about the need to step up our grassroots involvement in getting adequate highway funding passed. At the time of the webinar, the House Proposal for transportation funding sat at $230 billion over six years, which represents a 35 percent cut in funding, according to Jay Hansen, vice president of government affairs for the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). This also represents job losses and other cuts in the construction industry.

If your company can afford to operate on 35 percent less work, this article is not for you. But if you dread the thought of laying off more workers and machining old parts one more time, there are ideas offered in the webinar that you may want to try.

When this issue hits your desk, your representatives will be on their August recess. While they’re back in their home districts, they need to hear from you and your employees.

Call to arrange a meeting with your Congressman, but be flexible. If it’s too late in the month and his or her schedule is booked solid, be willing to meet with a staff member. Those staff members have your representatives’ ears. Be sure to leave behind a professional public relations piece at the end of your meeting. You want to have something that brings the issue down to a local level for the Congressman. How many of his or her constituents have you had to lay off? How many more will be affected if a fully funded highway bill doesn’t succeed?

If you can’t meet in person, a phone call is the next best thing. You can also make calls to local radio stations with salient points about the highway bill. Attend town hall meetings where your issue may not come up unless you mention it.

While in their districts, Congressmen will check out their local papers. Make sure there’s a letter to the editor in there from you. Thank the Congressman (by name) for his or her influence so far; mention something specific he or she has done that has helped your company or your county. Then be sure to mention how a fully funded transportation bill will help your company and all his/her constituents as well.

One of the ideas that the National Stone Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) brought to the table is hosting a facility tour. It may be too late to get on your representative’s schedule this August, but it’s worth a try. Touring an asphalt plant is a great public relations move for a Congressman, so he or she may be willing to move things around to make it happen.

You want to write the invitation, give it a few days to go through the system, and then follow up with a phone call. Remember to be flexible. If your representative isn’t available on the day you’re running RAP, ask what day he or she is available. If something comes up and he or she has to cancel at the last minute, don’t be discouraged. Reschedule.

The purpose of the tour (for you) is to educate legislators about the industry and your company.

You want to show them what affects your business. You want to do this through an articulate member of the staff who knows the history of the company like the back of his hand.

No matter what method you choose for communicating with your Congressman, there are four main talking points that hosts of the webinar stressed. 1) We need a multi-year bill. 2) We need the current funding level as the minimum. 3) A 35 percent cut is unacceptable. 4) We need passage now.

The webinar held in July was hosted by the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA), NAPA, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), NSSGA and the Portland Cement Association (PCA).

36 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

Equipment Finance Activity Grows after Two Years of Declines

F

ollowing declines in new business volume in 2008 and 2009, the equipment finance industry began to regain volume in 2010, according to the 2011 Survey of Equipment Finance Activity (SEFA) released in mid-July by the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association.

The survey reported an overall 3.9 percent increase in volume in 2010, compared to a significant 30.3 percent decline reported in 2009 and a 2.2 percent decline reported in 2008. The SEFA, which is based on responses from 108 ELFA member companies, covers key statistical, financial and operations information for the $521 billion equipment finance industry.

“Through 2010, the equipment finance industry showed gradual but steady growth,” William G. Sutton said. He’s the ELFA president and CEO. “Although uncertainty about the broader economy continues, more recent data collected in the first two quarters of 2011 suggests the trend toward an improved equipment finance industry is continuing.”

Survey Highlights

Key findings for 2010 as reported in the 2011 SEFA showed that although total new business volume increased by a moderate 3.9 percent, just under half of the survey respondents experienced an increase in volume between 2009 and 2010.

• By market segment: All market segments showed growth in volume, except for the small-ticket segment, which saw a contraction in volume.

• By organization type: Captive equipment finance organizations saw the strongest increase in new business volume (11.3 percent). Independents saw their volume grow by 5.2 percent, reversing their significant 46.3 percent decrease in volume reported in the 2010 SEFA. From an asset perspective, agriculture, trucks and trailers, and medical imaging/ electronic devices saw increases in new business volume, while construction, energy and printing saw decreases. The categories with the biggest increases in new business volume were state and local government; mining/oil and gas extraction; federal government; agriculture, forestry and fishing; and arts/entertainment/recreation.

The survey showed pre-tax income and net income regained healthy margins. Though revenues decreased slightly in dollar terms by 0.5 percent, pre-tax income reached 29.2 percent of adjusted revenue and net income was 21 percent of adjusted revenues, levels last seen in 2007 and 2006.

Financial measures such as return on average assets (ROA) returned to levels last seen in 2006, while return on average equity (ROE) showed a robust leap to 22.1 percent. (Note that the average ROE reported by the survey between 2001 and 2009 never rose above 15 percent.)

Delinquencies and full-year losses (charge-offs) declined, following overall economic trends hinting of economic recovery.

Finally, in continued good news, the survey showed continued signs of improved business conditions. In 2010, cost of funds continued to drop for the third year, and though pre-tax spreads declined in 2010 compared to 2009, they were stronger than spreads were between 2005 and 2008.

While overall headcount decreased slightly, employment did grow in the business development, credit approval and syndication areas, while positions in the account services area declined. Efforts in asset remarketing are also a focus, with sharp increases in staffing levels.

About the Survey

The SEFA is a broad compendium of industry data, comprising a representative cross-section of equipment lease and loan origination by product, structure and origination. It provides a baseline and benchmark for companies operating in the equipment finance space through a voluntary survey of ELFA member companies.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP managed the 2011 SEFA. Equipment types financed, as explored in the survey, include agriculture, construction, medical, industrial, trucks and trailers, and many other equipment types. Types of financing offered by the equipment finance companies include tax-oriented finance leasing, short-term operating leases, leveraged leases, conditional sales agreements, off-balance sheet loans and tax-exempt leasing.

The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) is the trade association that represents companies in the $521 billion equipment finance sector. ELFA members are the driving force behind the growth in the commercial equipment finance market and contribute to capital formation in the United States and abroad. For more information, please visit www.elfaonline.org.

www.theasphaltpro.com | ASPHALT PRO 37

y a w s s e r p Ex International

by AsphaltPro Staff

I

n this scenic section of Shizuoka prefecture, Japan, the capable Maeda Road Construction Co., Ltd., used Sakai equipment in its compaction train on the New TĹ?mei Expressway.

The MW700 served in the breakdown position with the GW750 in the intermediate role. The crew stepped up to SMA mix challenges by using the MW700 in oscillation mode. Notice also that they placed boards alongside the centerline to assist in supporting the unconfined edge for superior density along the joint. Photos courtesy of Sakai America.

38 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

LEFT: Detronic Construction uses the Metrotrak on site crushing demolition for new roads, buildings, infrastructure, etc., in time for the World Cup in 2014. RIGHT: The shear size of the stadium dwarfs the massive construction and demolition equipment readying it for the World Cup and Olympic Games in 2014 and 2016.

Detronic Construction

Takes on World Cup Crushing Construction work has already begun in Cuiabá, Salvador, and Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where Powerscreen® Metrotrak and XA400S models are crushing demolition waste to produce materials for new stadiums and roads. Detronic Construction has the contract to ready the sites for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil, where an estimated US$18.7 billion is being invested. Powerscreen, Dungannon, Northern Ireland, has supplied crushers for development work.

by AsphaltPro Staff

40 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

According to Ayres de Azevedo Barreto from Detronic, “One of the contracts was scheduled to take six months, but the job was concluded in just four due to the high capacity and performance of Powerscreen’s tracked crushers.”

Those tracked plants are something novel in South America. Previously, operators in Brazil favored static plants, which had to be used outside of urban centers and therefore away from demolition sites. “The traditional plants in Brazil were static and wheel plants,” a Powerscreen spokesperson said. “However, we have been increasing with sales of track plants, in particular the [Metrotrak] in the biggest stadium of football in the middle of city with 10M people.”

With Powerscreen® equipment offering a versatile and mobile solution, the material can now be processed on site allowing operations in previously inaccessible areas. One key benefit of this approach is that it eliminates pollution and heavy truck traffic. There are also financial benefits with the equipment generating revenue from the sale of recycled materials produced. And recycling is a big deal.

The recycling of construction and demolition waste is being treated as a high priority following the adoption of national solid waste policy legislation in 2010. This law assigns shared responsibility for waste management between companies and public authorities. The Brazilian government has said that recycled materials will contribute to a forecast US$104 billion in increased economic activity surrounding the 2014 World Cup, meaning there is considerable room for growth in the sector.

One spokesperson said, “The demolition material is very rich. There are not any contamination materials such as wood, clay, waste, etc....This is an excellent material to use in the infrastructure for roads before the asphalt. This material can be used in many kinds of infrastructure such as roads, houses, etc.”

The crushing plant used at the World Cup sites is supplied by Powerscreen’s official dealer in the country, Simplex Equipamentos LT, a manufacturer and distributor of fixed and wheeled crushing and screening equipment with over 25 years of local experience.

For more information on Powerscreen® crushing, screening or washing products or Customer Support please visit www.powerscreen.com to contact your local dealer.

here's how it works

Humboldt’s HM-9110 Permeameter

T

esting asphalt permeability takes any number of manual machines or processes.

For the ASTM Provisional PS-129·01 procedure, Humboldt offers the HM-9110, which is a 4-inch machine, and the HM-9111, which is a 6-inch machine. Here’s how they work: Position the two rear legs on an angle (45 degrees) and tighten the bolts. Attach the outflow pipe to the brass ball valve and tighten. The outflow pipe will then be positioned two inches over the bottom of the sample pedestal.

Next, attach the two upright rods to the permeameter base by threading through the base and installing the nut from the bottom on each rod and tightening.

The piston on the front panel is used for drawing a vacuum on the membrane in order to position the membrane cylinder over the sample.

Attach the tube from the cylinder to the vacuum 42 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

quick-connect on the front panel; working the hand pump back and forth you will notice the membrane being pulled against the side wall of the container. This will allow you to place the container over the sample and pedestal. You will then position the top cap assembly into the container and over the sample. Note the two dished out pockets in the top cap are to be aligned with the nylon acorn nuts on the hold down clamp. The hold down clamp is then positioned to upright rods and the nuts tightened.

The two clamping screws on the clamp assembly are screwed down evenly until the large o’rings on the pedestal and top cap are expanded against the side wall of the latex membrane in the container.

The manometer tube is then placed through the clamp assembly and into the top cap.

The container tubing is then removed from the vacuum quick-con¬nect on the front panel and attached to the pressure quick connect.

The membrane can then be pressurized using the hand pump. Keep in mind the gauge on the front panel is for reading positive pressure only.

Please note the latex membrane is susceptible to damage and will leak if not cared for properly.

For more information, contact Humboldt at (800) 544-7220 or hmc@humboldtmfg.com, or visit http:// www.humboldtmfg.com. Tell them you saw it in AsphaltPro Magazine.

Show us How it Works If you’re an equipment manufacturer with a complex product, let us help you explain its inner workings to the readers of AsphaltPro magazine. There’s no charge for this editorial department, but our staff reserves the right to decide what equipment fits the parameters of a HHIW features. Contact our editor at sandy@theasphaltpro.com.

the last cut Crude Oil Market Fluctuations Create Shift to Preservation

by Kayt Sukel

T

he asphalt industry finds itself at the whim of rising oil costs all too often. With the current turmoil in the Middle East, limited refining capacity and high consumer demand for gasoline, it’s no surprise that oil prices are surging. With that rise, many industry experts worry that asphalt production will be out priced by consumer and commercial fuel demands—perhaps even leading to an overall lack of asphalt as seen in late 2008. Many of those same experts suggest such an unpredictable market is causing a much-needed paradigm shift to preservation over new construction and traditional rehabilitation methods.

“In 2008, high demand for fuel was causing refiners to tend to run lighter crudes and maximize all their capacity to coke and convert heavy materials to light materials,” Gayle King said. He’s the former President of the Association of Asphalt Technologists who now works as an independent consultant. “And when crude prices are over 100 dollars, it creates all the incentives to turn on everything that converts heavy materials to fuel.”

Once that happens, there is less crude available for asphalt production—and the potential for a shortage of asphalt and pavement materials.

High petroleum prices, however, also hit the asphalt industry in a second way—limiting the budgets of state and local agencies. As the price of gas rises, consumers often limit their consumption, resulting in Liquid Asphalt Cement Prices—average per ton Company, State ConocoPhillips, Tenn.

April ’11

May ’11

June ’11

less tax dollars going into Department of Transportation and other infrastructure coffers.

“The price of oil is going up, which generally means the price of asphalt is going up, too. And we saw a huge spike just a couple of years ago,” Jim Moulthrop said. He’s a senior consultant at Fugro Consultant and the executive director of the Foundation for Pavement Preservation. “That in concert with the fact that less tax money is being generated because people are using less fuel is a bit of a double-whammy.”

Although it’s hard to suggest that a volatile market is a good thing for the asphalt industry, King said that it has inadvertently made positive changes to the market with a new focus on preservation.

Although it’s hard to suggest that a volatile market is a good thing for the asphalt industry, King said that it has inadvertently made positive changes to the market with a new focus on preservation.

“Money may have initially driven the ideas but I think more people are coming around to the idea of preservation because it just makes sense,” Moulthrop said. “Just like it makes sense to change the oil in your car or July ’11 paint your house, it makes sense to use preservation treatments and $565.00 keep the roads good longer and at less cost.”

615.00

$520.00

$600.00 $612.50

NuStar Energy, Ga.

535.00

630.00 615.00

NuStar Energy, N.C.

535.00

630.00 615.00

615.00

NuStar Energy, S.C.

535.00

630.00 615.00

615.00

NuStar Energy, Va.

550.00

630.00 640.00

640.00

Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, N.C.

535.00

625.00 625.00

600.00

Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, S.C.

535.00

625.00 625.00

Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, Va.

535.00

625.00 630.00

Marathon Petroleum, Tenn.

520.00

Marathon Petroleum, N.C.

Crude Oil Activity (U.S. Crude)

Diesel Fuel Retail Price (dollars per gallon)

futures spot data

stocks

May 27

$100.59/bbl

373.8 m bbl

May 30

3.948

600.00

Jun 3

$100.22/bbl

369.0 m bbl

Jun 6

3.940

615.00

Jun 10

$99.29/bbl

365.6 m bbl

Jun 13

3.954

550.00 565.00

565.00

Jun 17

$93.01/bbl

363.8 m bbl

Jun 20

3.950

510.00

550.00 595.00

595.00

Jun 24

$91.16/bbl

359.5 m bbl

Jun 27

3.888

Valero Petroleum, Va.

530.00

625.00 625.00

615.00

Jul 1

$94.94/bbl

358.6 m bbl

Jul 4

3.850

Massachusetts Average

530.00

587.50 650.00

642.50

Jul 08

$96.20/bbl

355.5 m bbl

Jul 11

3.899

California Average

634.70

667.50 592.20

565.90

Jul 15

$97.24/bbl

351.7 m bbl

Jul 18

3.923

Missouri Average

482.50

555.00 570.00

550.00

Jul 22

$99.87/bbl

354.0 m bbl

Jul 25

3.949

Data for Southeast region, Source: ncdot.org; Data for Massachusetts, Source: mass.gov; Data for California, Source: dot.ca.gov; Data for Missouri, Source: modot.mo.gov 44 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011

Source: Energy Information Administration

Source: Energy Information Administration

resource directory ACE Group.............................17, 45 Contact: Carl McKenzie Tel: 888-878-0898 sales.enquiries@ashaltacesales.com www.asphaltace.com

CEI..................................................4 Contact: Andy Guth Tel: 800-545-4034 info@ceienterprises.com www.ceienterprises.com

Heatec, Inc........Inside Front Cover Contact: Sharlene Burney Tel: 800-235-5200 sburney@heatec.com www.heatec.com

Asphalt Drum Mixers...... 22-23, 36 Contact: Steve Shawd or Jeff Dunne Tel: 260-637-5729 sales@admasphaltplants.com www.admasphaltplants.com

C.M. Consulting...........................35 Contact: Cliff Mansfield Tel: 541-354-6188 CMConslt@aol.com www.hotplantconsulting.com

Maxam Equipment.....................11 Contact: Lonnie Greene Tel: 800-292-6070 lgreene@maxamequipment.com www.maxamequipment.com

Asphalt Plant Products..............46 Contact: Tom Holley Tel: 866-595-3268 Cell: 706-466-3678 www.asphaltplantproducts.com

Eagle Crusher..............................27 Tel: 800-25-EAGLE Sales@eaglecrusher.com www.eaglecrusher.com

B & S Light...................................29 Contact: Mike Young Tel: 918-342-1160 Sales@bslight.com www.bslight.com Bullis Fabrication........................37 Contact: Greg Bullis Tel: 866-981-8965 gregbullis@bullisfabrication.com www.bullisfabrication.com

E.D. Etnyre...................................19 Contact: sales@etnyre.com Tel: 800-995-2116 www.etnyre.com EZ Street......................................41 Tel: 800-734-1476 Info@ezstreet-miami.com www.ezstreetasphalt.com

Meadwestvaco............................15 Tel: 800-458-4034 www.evotherm.com www.mwv.com NAPA............................................43 Mid-year Meeting www.hotmix.org Process Heating............................9 Contact: Ron Jay or Rick Jay Tel: 866-682-1582 Ron@processheating.com Rick@processheating.com www.processheating.com

Reliable Asphalt Products.............. ...................................... Back Cover Contact: Charles Grote Tel: 502-647-1782 c.grote@reliableasphalt.com www.reliableasphalt.com

Stansteel.......................................... ..................... Inside Back Cover, 25 Contact: Dawn Kochert Tel: 800-826-0223 dkochert@hotmixparts.com www.hotmixparts.com

Roadtec..........................................7 Contact: Sales Tel: 429-265-0600 Sales@roadtec.com www.roadtec.com

Tarmac International, Inc............... ...............................................31, 33 Contact: Ron Heap Tel 816-220-0700 info@tarmacinc.com www.tarmacinc.com

Rotochopper, Inc........................39 Inside Back Cover Tel: 320-548-3586 Info@rotochopper.com www.rotochopper.com Stansteel .........................................

Asphalt Plant Products…...........25 Contact: Dave Payne Tel: 800-826-0223 dpayne@stansteel.com www.stansteel.com

Top Quality Paving.....................21 Contact: John Ball Tel 603-624-8300 Tqpaving@yahoo.com www.tqpaving.com WRT Equipment..........................10 Contact: Dean Taylor Tel: 800-667-2025 or 306-244-0423 dtaylor@wrtequipment.com www.wrtequipment.com

AsphaltPro’s Resource Directory is designed for you to have quick access to the manufacturers that can get you the information you need to run your business efficiently.

Please support the advertisers that support this magazine and tell them you saw them in AsphaltPro magazine.

46 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011