Asphalt Pro - March 2014

Production & Recycling Safety

Stay Safe For Free

SHINE DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH Look Under Mill’s Shell Salvage LCCA Meet Asphalt Leaders What Marked the Mat? MARCH 2014

contents

DEPARTMENTS Letter from the Editor 5 Don’t Have Time for That Around the Globe 6 Safety Spotlight 8 Use Free Education to Make Employees Safer

By AsphaltPro Staff Mix It Up 14 Include Asphalt’s Salvage Value in LCCA From National Center for Asphalt Technology Equipment Maintenance 16 Monitor, Diagnose Recycling Operations Remotely Asphalt milling contractor collects, gathers, accumulates benefits

By Jeff Winke

52 ARTICLES 38 Meet the 2014 ARRA President

By AsphaltPro Staff 40 Meet the 2014 NAPA Chairman

By AsphaltPro Staff 43 Recycling Remains Industry Priority From NAPA 46 Annual Call for Action Take part in your future for funding, legislation, market share

By Sandy Lender

Project Management 24 How to Solve a Depth Problem

By Sandy Lender Producer Profile 30 Pave the Road Less Traveled R.J. Daigle & Sons sees success making all the unusual choices

By Raluca Loher

56

52 APAC Branch Wins Performance Awards with New Equipment

By Tom Kuennen 56 What Are We Likely to Buy? With economic improvement, favorable financing conditions, capital spending goes up for 2014

By ELFA

That’s a Good Idea 76 Take Marks out of the Mat

By John Ball Here’s How it Works 78 Maxam’s Aqua Patch 80 SmicoSymons’ New Clamp Rail System

59 Educate Your Future Execs From ARTBA

Resource Directory 81

62 International Asphalt Lake

By AsphaltPro Staff

Last Cut 82 Does LNG Influence Your Tier IV Fleet?

By AsphaltPro Staff

66 Get Your Asphalt Guide for CONEXPO-CON/AGG

By AsphaltPro Staff

Production & Recycling Safety

38

30 On the Cover

Stay Safe For Free

16

SHINE DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH Look Under Mill’s Shell Salvage LCCA Meet Asphalt Leaders What Marked the Mat? MARCH 2014

Nick Daigle checks on the start-of-shift operations at R.J. Daigle & Sons Contractors’ newly refurbished plant. The loader operator uses the Cat loader to receive a plug of mix from one of the two 240-ton silos at the Central, La., location. See related article on page 30. Photo courtesy of Stansteel and Hotmix Parts.

editor's note March 2014 • Vol. 7 No. 6

Don’t Have Time for That

2001 Corporate Place Columbia, MO 65202 573-499-1830 • 573-499-1831 www.theasphaltpro.com GROUP PUBLISHER Chris Harrison PUBLISHER Sally Shoemaker sally@theasphaltpro.com (573) 823-6297

EDITOR Sandy Lender sandy@theasphaltpro.com (239) 272-8613

ART DIRECTOR Kristin Branscom OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION MANAGER Cindy Pudney BUSINESS MANAGER Renea Sapp AsphaltPro is published 10 times per year: January, February, March, April, May, June/July, August/September, October, November and December by The Business Times Company, 2001 Corporate Place, Columbia, MO 65202 Writers expressing views in AsphaltPro Magazine or on the AsphaltPro website are professionals with sound, professional advice. Views expressed herein are not necessarily the same as the views of AsphaltPro or Business Times Company staff, thus producers/contractors are still encouraged to use best practices when implementing new advice.

SUBSCRIPTION POLICY: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the United Sates, Canada and Mexico to qualified individuals.

One year subscription to non-qualifying Individuals: United States $90, Canada and Mexico $125.00. For the international digital edition, visit theasphaltpro.com/subscribe-2.

Single copies available $17 each.

Since my move to Florida in 2004, I have worked with many people who wear more hats than they expected to at their jobs. We can blame that on company mergers that have eliminated jobs or downsizing in companies that has placed extra work on remaining employees or a shortage of skilled workers in the different industries with which I come in contact or any number of factors. The fact remains I hear people from company presidents to paving consultants to plant operators to PR professionals tell me they don’t have time to listen to voice mails, take a lunch break or read a Monday morning toolbox tip. A friend of a friend got quite fussy when I said no one has time for online video games anymore. I didn’t realize I spoke to a rabid gamer. And therein lies my point.

We make time for what we consider important.

The Canadian politician Charles Richards was quoted saying, “Don’t be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. One man gets only a week’s value out of a year while another man gets a full year’s value out of a week.”

That’s a time-management issue right there. What do we consider important enough each day to make time for its accomplishment? During the workday, do we make time for each task to be completed fully, safely and with excellent quality? Then the all-important question is do we each end the workday or work shift at a reasonable time and attend to our personal lives to keep a healthy balance? Of course there will be special projects that call for the night paving crew to work extra nights and the plant crew to stay late for the day paving crew coming in. Of course there will be times when the safety director needs to revamp the company manual and update the OSHA 10-hour course database.

When was the last time your management team went to lunch to discuss your marketing strategy? It may sound like something you don’t have time for, but in the grassroots effort to pass long-term highway funding this fall, companies all over the United States need to map out how to engage their employees in legislative action. If you don’t make the time to spell out how important asphalt paving is for your town, county and state, you can bet the competition will make the time to promote its product instead.

Few things in business are as important as protecting your market share. It behooves us all to make time to spread the good word about asphalt. It’s in our best interest to promote our product and our companies. Yes, that takes time and energy, but protecting your business is a good use of time and energy.

In my home, I have one of those Successories plaques titled “The Essence of a New Day.” It reminds me that each day is a gift that I can fritter away, like the man who uses a week’s time in a year, or that I can pack with purpose and productivity, like the man who uses a year’s time in a week.

“This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind…let it be something good.”

In addition to the personal time you make for family or friends or yourself, I hope that you’ll make time to assist your company’s growth. Through marketing your own company and sharing the many benefits of asphalt, you lend a hand in the push for protecting our industry’s market share. I look forward to sharing time and energy with you in convincing our representatives that long-term highway funding is a necessity for our industry as well.

Stay Safe,

Sandy Lender WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 5

around the globe

Industry News and Happenings from Around the World CANADA

Haver & Tyler Corp. announces Karen Thompson is the new president of aggregate and minerals processing equipment manufacturer W.S. Tyler. Florian Festge has moved to managing director of the machinery division of Haver & Tyler. Thompson brings 16 years of company experience and a career in the screening industry to her new role.

CHINA

Imports of bitumen to China dropped 21 percent from November to December 2013. Source: Petrosil’s Bitumart.

DUBAI

You can plan ahead for international business write-off travel. The 3rd annual Base Oil and Lubes Middle East Conference will be held in Dubai April 16 through 17.

GERMANY

The software provider PTV Group based in Karlsruhe, Germany, has opened a branch office in Birmingham, United Kingdom. CEO Vincent Kobesen shared that the market environment for the implementation of major transportation infrastructure projects is favorable; the British government is increasingly willing to invest.

UAE

House of Equipment (HOE) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a dealer for Astec of Chattanooga, Tenn., and has been awarded a 2013 Gaia Award during the Dubai Big 5 International Building and Construction Show for the ASTEC Double Barrel Green® System. The Gaia Awards honor companies in the construction sector whose products and services demonstrate a reduction of construction’s impact on the environment. HOE is an exclusive dealer of ASTEC equipment with an operational base in Dubai with branches in Abu Dhabi and overseas to service the entire Middle East.

UNITED STATES

• During his State of the Union address late January, President Obama stressed the importance of a strong national transportation infrastructure system and pressed Congress to pass a surface transportation bill and water resources measure this year.

• For up-to-the-minute info and updates that impact the asphalt industry, follow http:// twitter.com/AsphaltPro. 6 MARCH 2014

CALIFORNIA

As part of the $130 million highway widening project going through Petaluma, Calif., the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has run afoul of federally protected cliff swallows that use bridges for nesting grounds. The netting Caltrans had allowed contractor C.C. Myers to install under the bridge was meant to keep birds away. During the spring of 2013, it actually entrapped many birds that hung in the nets until dead. Even a hawk attracted to the swallows became briefly entangled.

It’s not just a bad public relations move to kill cliff swallows; it’s a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. After a suit brought against Caltrans and the Federal Transit Authority, the nets have been removed. Caltrans will use hard plastic sheeting to keep birds from nesting in the construction zone.

New nests will have to go; workers can use a scraper or high-pressure water hose to remove what birds begin to construct, as long as no birds are killed in the process. Sources: multiple.

INDIANA

The Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana inducted Dan Brown, Mike Acott and Mac McConnaughay into the APAI hall of fame during the APAI Winter Conference in Indianapolis early January.

IOWA

Get safe! Upcoming 2014 Work Zone Safety Workshop is March 28 in Ames at the Iowa State University’s Scheman Building. Visit www.apai.net for more info.

MASSACHUSETTS

• Steve Bevilacqua of Bevilacqua Asphalt in Uxbridge, Mass., is pleased to announce his new facility has earned the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s (NAPA) Diamond Achievement Commendation for Excellence in Asphalt Plant/Site Operations. “We are extremely pleased to have earned this,” he said.

“From the earliest days of this plant’s design and construction, our commitment to both the community and the environment has been at the forefront of our efforts. Attaining this recognition underscores the fact that corporate progress, community relations and environmental stewardship can co-exist.”

• Need project money? Borrow it. According to the Boston Associated Press, the Massachusetts House of Reps approved a bill late January that authorizes the state to borrow the funding it needs for transportation projects up to $12 billion. That doesn’t mean every project will get funded and it still has to get through the Senate.

NEBRASKA

Allmand Bros., Inc., of Holdrege, Neb., found the oldest operating Allmand light tower. Dan and Sue Stucker, the owners of Hotchkiss Rentals in Hotchkiss, Colo., traded in the 1979 square-top Maxi-Lite light tower, which was first owned

by Westmorland Coal, for an Allmand 75th Anniversary Special Diamond Edition Night-Lite PRO™ II Light Tower. The Maxi-Lite had been in Hotchkiss’s rental fleet for 11 years and now will be refurbished and placed at Allmand Bros., Inc., for display.

NEW YORK

The Spain Economic Forum takes place May 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Thomson Reuters at 3 Times Square in New York City. Executives and entrepreneurs in the public and private sectors, fund managers, financial analysts, and reps from the academic and government spheres will offer and gain insight on the current state and prospects of the Spanish economy.

NORTH CAROLINA

The Carolina Asphalt Paving Association (CAPA) proudly co-hosts the International Society for Asphalt Paving (ISAP) 2014 with the North Carolina DOT and others June 1 through 5 in Raleigh.

TEXAS

The Argus Americas Asphalt Summit celebrates its seventh year March 26 through 28, 2014, at the Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel in The Woodlands, Texas. The summit will include topics such as how new crudes impact the asphalt supply, the logistical constraints and availability of rail cars, how new asphalt pavement preservation techniques are impacting the crude and asphalt market, and what issues are impacting the supply and demand in the Americas and the international asphalt market. Visit www.argusmedia.com or contact antonette.jones@argusmedia.com for more information.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Encourage the leaders of tomorrow by nominating a young executive from your company for the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF) 2014 Young Executive Development Program (YEDP). The program will be held June 9 through 12 in the Nation’s Capital.

The competitive nomination process is outlined on page 59.

safety spotlight

Use Free Education to Make Employees Safer

BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF

Users can select which signs they want to view and see the illustration of their placement.

T

he National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse at workzonesafety.org is home to a free resource that members of the transportation construction industry can use to keep its members safer, healthier and more aware of motorist safety, too. In the interest of saving lives or keeping repetitive motion injuries at a minimum, the Road Construction Industry Consortium Training Program Version 11.0 is available at no cost as a download or a CD for companies to use in their safety training and safety culture. Here’s an overview of what this vital program offers.

8 MARCH 2014

First, the workzonesafety.org site explains that the Roadway Safety Program gives users two levels of “instructional modules.” That’s a fancy way of saying you can give employees information at a “basic awareness” level or you can give supervisory and management employees information at an advanced level.

Let’s take a closer look.

Basic Awareness modules present an overview of common hazards in highway and road construction and simple prevention measures. Advanced modules are for presentation to supervisors, managers and others responsible for work zone design, set up and control. The Roadway Safety Pro-

gram (RSP) is designed for use by supervisory personnel with safety and health experience or by safety and health personnel to orient new workers as they arrive on the jobsite.

The basic modules are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese. In fact, as the user moves through the computer screens, he can toggle between languages with the click of the mouse, as demonstrated by Emmett Russell and Gary Fore at the Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida annual conference in September 2013.

The team makes it clear that the program is not intended as a compliance guide. “It is intended to help your company develop the

safety spotlight

Users can move the silhouette to show how easily a worker can appear and disappear from an equipment operator’s view.

worker and supervisor awareness needed to achieve best practices. It is not a substitute for an OSHA 10-hour or 30-hour course or more in-depth training. This material was produced under grant number 46C4-HT23 from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and is based upon work supported by the Federal Highway Administration under grant agreement DTFH6106-G-00007. It was developed by a consortium of the Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America (LHSFNA), American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA), National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), and LIUNA Training & Education Fund. It was produced for the consortium by FOF Communications.”

That looks like a lot of alphabet soup, but it proves a significant point. Many branches of the construction industry came together to gather best safety practices and include safety regulation-adherence to make this program useful and user-friendly. When Russell and Fore showcased its functionality during 10 MARCH 2014

their presentation, the user-friendly facets became obvious.

There are 36 interactive modules, 29 toolbox pamphlets, 5 trainee booklets, 9 guidance documents, a basic instructor guide and an advanced instructor guide included in the free program. The basic hazard awareness items are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese and include the following courses: runovers, night work, disaster response, operator safety, struck or crushed, flagger safety, TTCDs, excavation, electrical hazards, sprains and strains, fall hazards, noise hazards, health hazards, working outdoors, emergencies, and safe driving. The advanced supervisor/manager item is available in English and includes the TTC tool kit, work zone access and egress, speed management, positive guidance, motorcycles/bicycles, exposure controls, law enforcement, public/traveler information, improving worker safety and payment for TTCs. For instance, if working in an area that isn’t governed by the MUTCD and you wish to calculate the distance from your work zone that you should set up a crash attenuator, you can click to the screen titled “Stopping Distance.” This is also a great module to teach workers about the dangers of working alongside motorists.

On the screen, you are able to select a traveling speed for a motor vehicle that parallels the speed limit in your work zone area.

You then select the pavement/road conditions that are likely to occur during the hours of work. For most asphalt paving, you’ll experience dry pavement. Then you click the “start” button so the module can “drive” a car across the screen for you. Next, click the “brake” button and the module will determine how long it takes the vehicle to stop based on the parameters you’ve selected. It will calculate for you how long it takes to stop a car based on the speed limit and road conditions you’ll be working under. It can be an eye-opener for your workers.

A car traveling alongside your reducedspeed highway work zone at 55 miles per hour on a sunny day with dry pavement will require 354 feet to come to a stop once the driver applies his brakes. Where do you want your crash attenuator? How many signs and bits of orange does your worker think are important now?

To give the worker more perspective, pretend it has started to rain and click on the selection for wet pavement. Now the vehicle travels 567 feet before it stops after the driver has depressed the brake. Ask your workers, do they typically move crash attenuators when it starts to rain? Yes or no? Awareness of surroundings needs to increase when weather changes.

To continue the discussion on awareness of surroundings, at the plant or in a work zone, managers can show employees the module on “Equipment Blind Spots.” This is another interactive system where the user can select a piece of equipment to demonstrate. The screen shows the operator’s station on the top portion of the screen and shows what he sees in his mirrors.

The lower portion of the screen shows two planes of visualization. The silhouette of a worker stands in one plane and you can place your mouse/cursor on the silhouette to move it around in that plane. As you move the person, he moves into and out of the equipment operator’s view, and you can see that appearance and disappearance in the mirrors on the top portion of the screen.

You can also see when the person moves into and out of line-of-sight on the second plane on the lower portion of the screen. See the screen shot above.

safety spotlight Another module to share with workers is setting up work zones. You can select from an array of work zone scenarios, such as “TA-39. Median crossover on freeway.” Yes, the software is that specific—and that detailed. For this example, you can click a box that lets you see illustrations of examples of the west-bound signs, or a box to see all the east-bound signs, or see all signs all together, including their placement on the illustration of the west-bound and east-bound lanes of the freeway. It’s a complex set of screens for a complex idea, but offers an enormous amount of good information with excellent visuals that are easy to toggle through (see the screen shot on page 8).

I’ve saved my favorite module, or the one I consider most important, for last. If you show your workers no other modules from the RSP disc/download, please take the time to show the module for reflectivity at night.

Nighttime paving and nighttime pavement repair are common practices in our hurryup-and-get-out-of-the-work-zone world.

When workers go from day shifts to night, they must change more than a sleep cycle.

Make sure their safety mindset changes, too.

The module titled “Retro-Reflective Material” will open their eyes.

Mimicking the concept of the “Stopping Distance” module, this module allows you to select parameters to determine the stopping distance needed for a vehicle. Instead of the vehicle coming into contact with a crash attenuator, you imagine the driver being able to see a worker in the work zone based on his reflective clothing.

When you bring the module up on your screen, you’re presented with a black window beneath which are the instructions and the parameters you’ll select. You select the speed and road conditions from the menus as described for the “Stopping Distance” module above.

After you make those selections, the module gives you a little red car with headlights and a red line showing how far you would travel, given those parameters, before stopping once you depressed the brake. Next, you place your mouse/cursor over the car and move slowly to the right. As you move, a worker holding a stop sign will slowly fade into view, representing how visible he is to you based on his retro-reflective clothing. If traveling at a reduced highway speed of 55 miles per hour on dry pavement, the car will 12 MARCH 2014

Teach workers to lock out and tag out before performing maintenance.

likely hit the worker before the driver sees him if he’s not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

The more reflective material a worker can wear, the better. This module alone makes a clear statement to any employee that the brighter, more reflective clothing is a safer choice for nighttime work.

The amount of information Russell and Fore presented at the Florida conference was almost overwhelming. Once someone has this disc or download, I think the uses for

it will be unending. Whether you need to set up a complex work zone or impress upon a new employee the seriousness of safety measures, there’s a module for that.

Thanks to a grant and a consortium of safety experts, this storehouse of safety information is available to anyone in the construction industry for free. If you wish to download the program, visit www.workzonesafety.org and click on the Training tab.

You can also request the CD be mailed to you from that tab.

mix it up

Include Asphalt’s Salvage Value in LCCA

FROM NATIONAL CENTER FOR ASPHALT TECHNOLOGY

L

ife-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is a commonly used means of comparing two or more investment alternatives. Most highway agencies consider LCCA when selecting between an asphalt pavement and a concrete pavement on major projects.

There are several critical assumptions that have to be made in conducting an LCCA. How agencies make these assumptions can easily tilt the outcome of an LCCA to favor one pavement type.

An LCCA includes initial costs and future costs that are expected to occur over a long period of time (i.e. the analysis period) to determine the best long-term value among available options. Lifecycle costs are most commonly calculated in terms of net present value (NPV), which includes lifetime expenditures for a paving project—initial construction, rehabilitation and maintenance—as well as the salvage value at the end of the analysis period. NPV is calculated using an equation that applies a discount rate to future costs in order to account for the time value of money.

For asphalt pavements, the salvage value term should include the remaining service life of the entire asphalt structure. “Most agencies that consider salvage value in LCCA only look at the remaining life of the last rehabilitation and neglect the value of the underlying asphalt structure that will continue to be used indefinitely,” Randy West, NCAT director said. “The approach we recommend is new in that is includes both parts in the salvage value.”

SET ANALYSIS PERIOD

The asphalt structure at the end of the analysis period includes both the last resurfacing and the underlying asphalt layers still in service from the initial construction. The surface layers have a finite life. How much of that life extends beyond the analysis period is the remaining service life of the rehabilitation. But there is also a significant value for the underlying asphalt layers that will continue to serve as part of the flexible pavement structure indefinitely.

The following equation is used to accurately calculate the salvage value for an asphalt pavement. It includes both components—the remaining service life of the last resurfacing in addition to the value of the remaining lower asphalt layers.

In keeping with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommendations, the analysis period for LCCA should be a minimum of 35 years and include a “major rehabilitation” for both pavement types. The AASHTO Subcommittee on Maintenance defines “major rehabilitation” as “structural enhancements that both extend the service life of an existing pavement and/or improve its load carrying capability.”

In many cases, concrete pavements reach the end of their service lives and are rubblized or removed and replaced with either a new concrete or asphalt pavement. Such work is considered to be reconstruction. A review of Alabama DOT interstate projects found that more than half of all concrete projects were reconstructed in less than 35 years. Similar results were found in other states. In contrast, complete reconstruction of asphalt pavements is extremely rare. Asphalt pavements are typically rehabilitated by milling and resurfacing, leaving most of the underlying asphalt structure intact. This type of rehabilitation can be performed indefinitely.

Therefore, setting the analysis period in LCCA is an extremely important decision because it will impact how many rehabilitation activities are included in the NPV calculation, and whether or not complete reconstruction of a pavement type must be considered.

DETERMINE SALVAGE VALUE Salvage value is the expected worth of an investment at the end of the analysis period. For pavements, salvage value may include two components: serviceable life and residual value. Residual value—the net recyclable value—is generally small compared to the remaining serviceable life. Thus, the serviceable life of the structure at the end of the analysis period is a more significant consideration in LCCA. 14 MARCH 2014

WHEN IT IS NO LONGER FEASIBLE TO MAINTAIN A CONCRETE PAVEMENT AT AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF SERVICE, THE COST OF REMOVAL OR RUBBLIZATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN THE LCCA.

Salvage Value = CLR x remaining life of last resurf. + CRI service life of last resurf. where: CLR = cost of the last resurfacing CRI = cost of the lower asphalt layers remaining from the initial construction When it is no longer feasible to maintain a concrete pavement at an adequate level of service, the cost of removal or rubblization should be considered in the LCCA. In the case of rubblization, the broken up concrete pavement does have a residual value as an aggregate base for the new pavement structure, but that value must be offset by the cost of rubblizing the concrete. For some projects, complete removal of old concrete pavements is necessary to avoid having to raise bridges and barrier walls, add new fill to slopes, and modify drainage structures. For these projects, the removal and disposal cost of the concrete must also be factored into the LCCA. Reprinted with permission from the Vol. 25, No. 2 NCAT Newsletter

equipment maintenance

16 MARCH 2014

With the Guardian telematics system on the Roadtec RX-700e milling machine, David Ando, president of Turtle Southeast can monitor the progress of milling projects from his office.

Monitor, Diagnose Recycling Operations Remotely Asphalt milling contractor collects, gathers, accumulates benefits

BY JEFF WINKE

T

he mythology, legends and folklore surrounding turtles span the globe and history. From the magical significance of turtles found in ancient Earth-creation stories to the masked heroes of the more current day Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the turtle reigns.

Turtles have long been depicted as strong, steady and wise, which are characteristics that The Turtle Companies of central Florida try to abide by. The two companies, Turtle Southeast, based in Largo, and East Coast Milling Turtle, located in Vero Beach, offer asphalt surface milling services, principally to Florida and neighboring states.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 17

equipment maintenance

Carmen Ando pioneered the milling industry in Florida in 1976 under the name of Turtle Southeast. The family business recycles pavements all over the state today with cold milling services and millings sales.

In the past year, Turtle milled more than 10 million square yards at depths ranging from 0.75 inch to more than 24 inches. During this time, Turtle experienced a downtime to operating time ratio of less than 1.3 percent.

Turtle’s largest project ever was the iROX I-75 Road Expansion Project in Lee and Collier Counties where Turtle Southeast milled 30 lane miles or 1.6 million square yards of milled surface. You can read about the massive project in the June 2012 issue of AsphaltPro. During the project, Turtle had as many as five milling machines operating at once and experienced less than one percent downtime.

“Experiencing minimal downtime is typical of how we try to operate,” Tim 18 MARCH 2014

Hammer, maintenance supervisor with The Turtle Companies stated. “Our Elite Maintenance Program and a remarkable Guardian Telematics System on our newer milling machines has virtually eliminated unexpected downtime.”

Turtle’s Elite Maintenance Program calls for three hours of maintenance after eight hours of milling. According to the company, this level of maintenance far exceeds the industry standard. Additionally, all the work crew members have been trained to recognize and perform simple repairs as required.

Four of Turtle’s 15 late-model milling machines are equipped with the Roadtec Guardian telematics system. The telematics-equipped machines include

two Roadtec RX-600e milling machines and a Roadtec RX-700e.

The telematics system is designed to monitor a selected machine in real time through a wireless signal, and address any issues that may arise while the machine works. It also allows Roadtec customer service personnel to remotely view the machine in real time and be there for the customer if needed. The engine, hydraulic system, electrical system and grade control can all be monitored in detail. The machine can also be located by GPS using the Guardian system.

“Diagnosing a machine equipped with the Guardian system is a much quicker and more efficient process,” Hammer said. “The system’s Live Schematics™

equipment maintenance

Brothers David and Tom Ando began in the Turtle Southeast company as equipment operators in Florida and Puerto Rico. Now they are the president and vice president, respectively.

lets me see all electrical circuits in a simple and efficient layout with real time status of all switches, valves and settings. If I need to, I can make changes to the grade control system parameters from my laptop without touching the machine.”

The system will also e-mail fault codes, service reminders and production reports to keep Hammer and others in the company in the loop. Staying up to date with the latest information on each machine is designed to allow Hammer to be much more proactive in monitoring and lowering their operating costs.

“At any time I can log on to the Guardian system and view machine speed, location, engine load and fuel usage, all in 20 MARCH 2014

real time, without being on the job site— it’s like being right there on the machine,” Hammer said. “This is especially helpful in monitoring fuel consumption. If I see a machine running at 85 feet per minute and I can alert the operator to slow down to 65 feet per minute, I can save a considerable amount of money on unwarranted fuel use.”

This remote machine monitoring of production, fuel use and machine diagnostics was helpful to Turtle Southeast on a recent job.

“We were working on a 700-acre residential and commercial development project located in Panama City, a good 300 miles away our home office,” Ham-

mer said. “With the Guardian system on our Roadtec RX-700e milling machine, I could monitor the progress of the threeweek project from my office. Fortunately, everything was trouble-free, but if anything had gone wrong, I would have seen it and could have handled it thanks to the telematics system.”

The Panama City project, SweetBay phase one, is the location of the abandoned old Panama City-Bay County International Airport. Turtle completed 160,000 square yards of milling at depths that ranged from 4 to 8 inches.

Having remote, real-time diagnostic access to their milling machines appears to be benefiting The Turtle Companies in

equipment maintenance LEFT AND OPPOSITE PAGE: The equipment operator worked at removing 160,000 square yards of pavement at depths that ranged from 4 to 8 inches during the preparation of former Panama City-Bay County International Airport for new paving and new use.

a couple of ways. First, they can see problems that may not be readily apparent to the machine operator upon initial inspection. All of Turtle’s production crews have been cross trained on how to perform simple maintenance tasks. And second, even though the company’s service vehicles are fully stocked with the typical wear items and parts known to break after heavy use, the Guardian system can pinpoint a problem requiring a part that one of Turtle’s technicians should be dispatched to install.

“Turtle has always been quick to embrace new technologies to help improve operations,” David Ando, president of Turtle Southeast said. “We had already been using a third party telematics system for almost three years. When we heard that Roadtec

VISIT US AT

Booth 50327

was developing its own system we were very excited. The Guardian telematics system has become significant to our business. It allows us to be more efficient with what we have and decrease operating costs and increase profits. It also enables us to see problems before they become major, which provides for scheduled maintenance and repairs before there’s a breakdown on the job and costs our customers money.”

Ando continued: “We have also been showing our customers the system and they seem to be impressed that we are monitoring our equipment so closely and can handle things remotely like making MOBA setting adjustments without needing to send a technician.”

For The Turtle Companies, the bottom line for having telematics on their milling machines is better control… that is, the ability to monitor production real time and diagnose any problems with the engine, hydraulic system, or electrical system.

Dillman builds tough equipment.

Equipment that performs reliably for years. Equipment you can count on to produce high quality asphalt mix. Full plants. Single components. Individual parts.

Dillman gets the job done

project management

For the surprising depth the D&G crew encountered, Dennis Deibel attached the forklift vertically and the operator dug the trench, which varied from 6 to 8 inches of asphalt pavement in some areas.

Solving a Depth Problem

I

n the state of Florida, most parking lots and connector roads have asphalt pavements of 1 to 2 inches.

When contractors go in to repair potholes or perform pavement maintenance on a parking lot surface in the state, they know about how much material they’ll be working with.

When D&G Sealcoat and Striping, Ft. Myers, Fla., got to a recent job in Southwest Florida for routine sealcoating, the owner asked to have a trench put in as well so he could install a camera security system. As commercial pavers know, 24 MARCH 2014

such additions-to-the-order can come up when you’re on the job. You do a quick estimate for the extra work and plan it into the already busy schedule. In this case, Dennis Deibel of D&G got a little surprise after the estimate.

Once his crew started the trench portion of the parking lot job, they found their recycling work would be deeper than expected. Instead of the typical 1.5 inches of asphalt mat, this parking lot had 6 inches of material. It was a single lift of 6 inches to boot!

BY SANDY LENDER

Deibel explained that he has used small cold planer attachments in the past for the first step in recycling pavements, but decided this surface was too thick to try an attachment. Instead, he got innovative.

He fashioned his own excavator out of the pallet lifting tines from his forklift. He attached them vertically on the front of a skid steer so his team could tear out the trench from one curb to the other without disturbing the curb. That system worked.

They placed a pipe in the trench for the camera system the client wanted, filled

project management

ABOVE: One of the easier ways to cut through pavement is with the pavement saw. LEFT: The crew placed pipe in the trench for the security camera wires and poured aggregate around the pipe to fill the trench part way. Then they shoveled a couple inches of asphalt on top to level the trench with the parking lot.

in some crushed stone around that, shoveled in a couple inches of asphalt from a hot box, and hand tamped the trench. The sealcoat process sealed the deal and Deibel said it all worked so well that’s how he would do it again if faced with that challenge again.

For typical project management in such a situation, consultants suggest renting a small cold planer—if you don’t have one on hand. Equipment manufacturers make 22-inch-wide self-propelled cold planers as well as milling attachments for 26 MARCH 2014

skid steers, so the smaller-width equipment is out there to make the job easier.

Deibel’s crew solved their surprising depth challenge with some ingenuity and elbow grease. The end result was a parking lot that pleased the customer. Deibel said he’ll be back in there to sealcoat the lot in three or so years to keep good maintenance and preservation going. In the meantime, the customer knows he has one of the strongest parking lots in the state of Florida.

Pave the Road Less Traveled

J. Daigle & Sons sees success making all the unusual choices

BY RALUCA LOHER

30 MARCH 2014

LEFT: After: It took time, energy and plenty of elbow grease, but with help from Stansteel and Hotmix Parts, the R.J. Daigle & Sons team now has a facility that has garnered the NAPA Diamond Achievement Commendation for Excellence in Hot-Mix Asphalt Plant/Site Operations.

BELOW: Before: The used asphalt plant in Central, La., a suburb of Baton Rouge, had potential.

T

hree years ago, the owner of a used asphalt plant in Central, La., a suburb of Baton Rouge, approached Vance and Ronnie Daigle, owners of R.J. Daigle & Sons Contractors to see if they would be interested in purchasing the plant. The Daigles thought long and hard about the opportunities the facility would create for their business. They knew it was in their best interest to get an expert opinion.

According to Vance, because they had worked with Stansteel, they asked Rick Rees, director of technical services with Stansteel and Hotmix Parts of Louisville, Ky., and his team to visit and put together an indepth report for them.

Based on the report, Vance and his brother Ronnie made the decision to purchase the used and battered plant that seemed hopeless. The purchase included: • 15-acre plant site • 300 ton per hour Stansteel hot mix plant with rotary mixer • 5 cold feed bins with recycle system with RAP gator • tank farm consisting of 3 hot oil tanks • two 240-ton silos with 2 truck scales The folks at R.J. Daigle & Sons Contractors based in Gonzales, La. (also a suburb of Baton Rouge), have gotten used to overcoming the odds. In 1991, after purchasing their first small plant, they heard of naysayers who wondered whether they were going to succeed. As the Daigle asphalt business grew over the years from a dump truck and a roller to 85 employees and two facilities, there was one thing the brothers knew for sure: they had always found success in making thoughtful choices and taking the road less traveled even if they faced skepticism. The Daigle recipe for success is one of hard work, resilience and a whole lot of creativity.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 31

HISTORY Vance and Ronnie Daigle have never had another job in their lives. The family’s business is where they spent all of their time growing up, and it is where the next generation is focusing its energy to this day. Started in 1977 in a suburb of New Orleans, the R.J. Daigle & Sons operation was small and run solely by R.J. Daigle, Vance and Ronnie’s father, a man who was poor but extremely ambitious and conservative with his resources. “A little dump truck and a roller, that’s all we had,” Vance said. “Any day we weren’t in school, we were working there. This is obviously what we were bred to do.”

32 MARCH 2014

It was their dad’s strong work ethic and determination that inspired Vance and Ronnie from an early age. When they acquired their first plant—a used 100-TPH plant, Vance remembers the large producers in the area didn’t have much faith in the small operation. “Asphalt companies used to be large. We were the first small contractor to produce in this area. But we made asphalt, and stayed quiet and worked hard,” he said. Eventually, the brothers bought a new 200-TPH plant in 2001 that continues to operate on their plant site in Geismar, La. The plant in Geismar, although new, came with a set of problems over the years, and the Daigles have since had to make several improvements and additions to the original equipment. “We were strug-

Conveyors feed material from the crusher to the aggregate stockpiles in the yard.

gling and had trouble getting service on our plant,” Vance remembered. This is when the family business encountered the team at Stansteel and Hotmix Parts as they worked on improving their existing operation.

“They came in, replaced all of our controls and it went really well.

Then we started having some confidence because Stansteel did a good job for us and they know what they were doing. Any problems, you could get someone on the phone right away.”

Rick Rees described his experience meeting the R.J. Daigle team: “I made a stop at the R.J. Daigle & Sons plant and I was introduced to Nick Daigle.” Nick, Ronnie’s son, is part of the next generation of as-

phalt experts catapulting the family business to new heights. The next generation also includes Vance’s sons, Ethan and Colin Daigle, who will enter the business after finishing college. Nick Daigle, the 26-yearold general manager, was impressed by Rees and the technology he presented. Stansteel installed new controls to the plant and two AccuShear units to optimize their in-line blending options for warm mix.

According to Rees, “Nick, being a true entrepreneur, understood the technology and everyone agreed the innovative technologies benefit their company and save them money.” In fact, the Daigles liked the results they were achieving with warm mix so much that they added a second Accu-Shear unit to their operation. “You know, the greatest

TOP LEFT AND RIGHT: The refurbished plant is capable of producing warm-mix asphalt and boasts five cold feed bins to deliver a variety of aggregate sizes. BOTTOM LEFT AND RIGHT: After: They upgraded the plant controls; the current operator’s house has an organized control panel with neat and organized wiring.

recommendation you can give about Accu-Shear is that we bought two of them,” Vance said.

BUYING USED The in-depth report prepared for the proposed Central plant purchase was meant to showcase to the Daigles whether or not the used plant had potential for a future operation. Rees explained that the final product was a 34-page detailed evaluation that encompassed everything from metal thickness to state of the controls, to all possible options for a reconditioning overhaul. “Having been on the plant manager’s side in the past, I would never offer any false hope about a used product but I also know a diamond in the rough when I see one,” Rees said.

Here is what Rees advises when it comes to making the decision to buy used: “When looking at a plant to evaluate, you must be very thorough and look at each individual piece. Each piece needs to be broken down to individual concerns—overall condition, thickness of the steel, motors, gear boxes, belts, electrical components, wiring and cables. After evaluating cost of the repairs and comparing to the price of new, will repairs put equipment in dependable operating condition?”

That was the ultimate question that R.J. Daigle & Sons was looking to answer before making an investment. Rees added, “After the evaluation was completed, the Stansteel team did another 34 MARCH 2014

walk-through with the book in our hands to show the customer exactly where our findings and recommendations came from.”

Rees told the good and the bad in the report, according to Vance. “We didn’t just have someone on the phone giving us an answer. He showed us and he must have taken 300 photos with detailed explanations to put in this book and he was here with us.

At that point, we really felt like we had something. We realized it was a really good plant.”

After the process of evaluating took place, the Daigles looked closely into the cost of resurrecting the used facility and bringing it up to the modern standards they desired. It made sense: while their competition remained skeptical, the family saw a potential to give an unwanted eyesore a brand new life without the price tag of buying new equipment.

Stansteel and Hotmix Parts teams were able to recondition every piece of equipment. Rees laid out the scope of the work: • The cold feed bins and conveyors: items such as no flow switches and tachs were replaced.

• The dryer needed some flights and one tire rigged and aligned.

• The rotary mixer needed both tires worked on, new rigging, alignment and tire grinding, new insulation and skin; all chute wear plates were replaced.

• The drag elevator and bintop conveyors were completely rebuilt - chain, slats, floor, side liners, bearings and idlers.

LEFT: Nick Daigle. BELOW: The team reconfigured the asphalt tank farm and installed all new piping.

• The silo’s cone and tub liners were refurbished along with one batcher; the baghouse was rebagged and all new cages with correct venturies were installed along with door seals and door lock-down wedges.

• The asphalt tank farm was reconfigured and all new piping installed.

• The Accu-Shear Advanced and hot oil heater upgrades were done.

• The control wiring was fixed and control upgrades were installed.

• This entire process was much like building a home, Vance joked.

They added a few extra custom touches and upgrades that did not belong in the initial plan, like overspending on painting the plant, adding a green fabric to the fence and making extreme efforts to clean the yard and organize all of the leftovers from the previous owners.

“In the end, we wanted it to look good, to be friends with our neighbors,” Vance explained. Moving into the new facility also meant moving into a new community because the plant is surrounded by residential areas. According to the Daigles, many of their homeowners were not fond of the state the plant had been left in for so many years and the new owners took that concern seriously.

36 MARCH 2014

“When you are in your backyard, barbequing in the afternoon it’s so much nicer to see that green fence when you look out,” Vance said. And he’s not done. “We want to plant some more trees and grow some grass. We want to participate in the community because we are not here alone. We want to belong with our neighbors.”

Air quality is also an important aspect of being part of the residential community. When the old plant had to run for the first time after the Daigle family bought it, the dust problem was so bad that calls came in from those in surrounding homes saying, “We’re not having this,” according to Vance. Since then, the new facility has an improved baghouse and air quality permits that are in line with being great neighbors. “This is quality of life for everybody. And it’s now something for them to be proud of too.”

This is a big difference from the way the site used to look. The area was a trash dump, according to Nick Daigle. “There was anything you can imagine…from waste [product] to scrap rubber and tires. We probably spent every weekend throughout the summer cleaning it up.”

Because they couldn’t figure out how to get rid of the enormous amounts of pipe, Nick and his family had to think creatively when it came to landscaping the property - they stacked the giant concrete pipe cylinders in perfect order and created a second line fence around the facility. All the hard clean-up work solved an aesthetic problem but also gave the Daigles a lot of free space to roam on their new property. “Luckily, it looks good and works really well,” Nick said.

He is proud to say that all of this work to improve the R.J. Daigle reconditioned plant has earned them the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s (NAPA) Diamond Achievement for Excellence in Hot-Mix Asphalt Plant/Site Operations. According to the NAPA website, this commendation is a self-assessment tool that allows companies to “benchmark operations to a national standard” and “demonstrate good corporate citizenship and neighbor-friendly operations.” Earning the Diamond commendation “can lead to enhanced safety at the plant and paving sites, monetary savings, produc-

tion of a better quality product, improved plant appearance, better-training of employees, and expanded community outreach programs,” the website states.

LESSONS LEARNED, SAVVY ADVICE The Daigles shared that the process of purchasing a used plant can pay off if you take the risk with the right information in mind. “You have to be dedicated all the way,” he explained. “But keep in mind a brand new plant set up on your site is costly.” Vance went on to say, “We estimate that we have spent less than half of the cost of a new plant here and we have a facility that is as close to new as you can get.”

Here are some of the lessons learned: Get an inspection. Don’t just call someone for a quick opinion, Nick Daigle said. “Get a full evaluation from a company you trust.” Before you order this, make sure their evaluation standards are up to par with yours, because some companies may not consider evaluations the same as you do. “In the end, it was worth every penny,” Vance said.

Make sure the reconditioning company has an in-house engineering department. Even if the evaluation is correct and the company offers a great deal on reconditioning your used equipment, you have to make sure they are not actually subcontracting the engineering work to someone who does not work with asphalt plant designs and specs. R.J. Daigle & Sons had extreme confidence awarding the job to Stansteel because of their “wonderful engineering department,” Vance said. “It is a true engineering department.”

Be prepared to go over budget. A reconditioning project will always include some unforeseen expenses because of what one may find once the process is under way. If the initial evaluation is done right, those extra expenses will not be significant.

Don’t underestimate where the “heart” of the plant is. Your controls are a vital part of your asphalt plant, Vance explained, much like the heart is to the human body. Finding the right controls for your reconditioned project is very important and not to be underestimated. “We can understand the steel of an asphalt plant, we know how it works. But when it comes to the heart of the whole place, the controls, you have to be special to know how to do that,” he said. So put a lot of thought into the type of controls your plant will operate with.

Have some tenacity and patience. “Although Stansteel did all the work, my brother, Nick and I were here all the time,” Vance explained. “It truly is a team effort.” Working alongside the company doing the reconditioning job is an important part of the process as is being patient and persevering at all times, Nick added.

Do not be discouraged. Keep an open mind. Those who drove onto the grounds of this Louisiana used plant were often so struck by the poor condition it was in that they could not look past that initial shock to make a good buying decision, Nick said. And although R.J. Daigle & Sons did not have any experience with reconditioning asphalt equipment, they said they saw potential and decided to look into it further. They now have high hopes for what this facility can offer their larger operation and look forward to growing their business and becoming even better neighbors in their new home.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 37

MEET THE 2014 ARRA PRESIDENT

BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF

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he Asphalt Recycling and Reclaiming Association (ARRA) based in Lanham, Md., asks its president to serve a second year at the helm and Patrick Faster has accepted the challenge. Here is his profile to give the industry a look into what makes this leader tick.

NAME: Patrick A. Faster TITLE: President, ARRA COMPANY: National Sales Director, Gallagher Asphalt Corp.

AGE: 58 BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: Head up Gallagher’s recycling division YEARS IN THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY: 20+ AREA OF EXPERTISE: Hot In Place Recycling EDUCATION: BA St. Norbert College/ MBA University of Wisconsin PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND: In and around the highway market for 30 years, the last 20 of which have concentrated on recycling FAMILY: Married with three adult children FAVORITE BOOK: Excuses be Gone, Dr. Wayne Dyer FAVORITE MOVIE: Shackleton, an Antarctic Explorer WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR PROFESSIONAL/BUSINESS LIFE? Many, probably none more than my father.

WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR PERSONAL LIFE? My entire life, my two older brothers. My adult life would be my wife.

38 MARCH 2014

WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST DIFFICULT OR MOST EXCITING CHALLENGE YOU’VE OVERCOME? On a fairly personal basis, alcohol was not a good fit for me. It took some years to realize that, and was difficult to overcome. The most exciting was the same issue. The positive change post-alcohol for me was very exciting, and continues to be so to this day some 15 years later. Every aspect of my life both professionally and personally improved. The bigger question here is why am I sharing this with you? Because I can and am happy to do so.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU SEE FOR THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY IN 2014? Again it will be to assist agencies in managing roadways with a fraction of the budgets they require.

ARRA’s Patrick Faster, speaking in this photo, advocates for road preservation.

This picture was taken at a recycling workshop, one of Faster’s passions.

Patrick Faster is responsible for leading Gallagher’s recycling division.

Rubber Blenders

Polymer Blenders

Reaction Tanks

WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR CAREER IN THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY HAVE YOU ENJOYED THE MOST? Recycling; marketing and preaching the values of various recycling disciplines. Educating agencies on the proper way to manage roadways via disciplines that actually bring something to the party.

Hot Oil Heaters & Exchangers

WHAT IS YOUR GOAL TOWARD ASSISTING THE INDUSTRY IN MEETING THAT CHALLENGE? Continue to educate agencies on the value of re-using the materials that they have already bought and paid for.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MOST FOR YOUR YEAR AS PRESIDENT? The value of membership is priceless, so to continue to see our association grow is perhaps the most gratifying.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 39

MEET THE 2014 NAPA CHAIRMAN

BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF

T

he National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) based in Lanham, Md., brings a chairman of the board of directors to the helm each year. For 2014, that gentleman is William C. Ensor III. Here is his profile to give the industry a look into what makes this leader tick.

NAME: William C. Ensor III TITLE: Chairman, NAPA COMPANY: President, Maryland Paving Inc. AGE: 65 BRIEF JOB DESCRIPTION: Responsible for providing senior leadership at Maryland Paving Inc.

William C. Ensor III

YEARS IN THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY: 22 AREA OF EXPERTISE: Strong focus on developing and guiding people, sales and management EDUCATION: Maryland Bible College and Seminary COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Vice president of Christian Farmers Outreach; Board member Maryland Farm Museum and the Maryland Steam Historical Society; Life member Ducks Unlimited FAMILY: Wife Patty; Three children Jennifer, Elizabeth and Clark; Six grandchildren Will, Clark, Lewis, Dylan, Spencer and Reece FAVORITE BOOK: The Bible, New King James Version FAVORITE MOVIE: Casablanca WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU SEE FOR THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY IN 2014? Market share, of course, federal funding, and the reauthorization of the Federal-Aid Highway Programs 40 MARCH 2014

WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR PROFESSIONAL/BUSINESS LIFE? My uncle, George Palmer, who owned Gray & Son and Maryland Paving. He instilled in me an understanding of the importance of relationships and the values I bring to business. I also owe a lot to Barton Mitchell of Superior Paving; he was always very encouraging and supportive of me.

WHAT ASPECT OF YOUR CAREER IN THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY HAVE YOU ENJOYED THE MOST? The friendships I’ve made and the relationships that have been forged. I’m also proud to have helped ensure that the travelling public has safe, efficient, smooth roads.

WHAT IS YOUR GOAL TOWARD ASSISTING THE INDUSTRY IN MEETING THAT CHALLENGE? I aim to further enhance the processes and programs my predecessors have put into place, and to make sure they function at full efficiency. We have a big task ahead of us with the PEC, and I intend to see it through. I also am looking to build NAPA’s membership and to strengthen our relationships with allied industries, such as The Asphalt Institute.

WHO HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR PERSONAL LIFE? God and my father.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MOST FOR YOUR YEAR AS CHAIRMAN? I’ve already met so many really wonderful people and, now that I’m travelling across the country, I look forward to meeting even more great people and helping them make their operations even better.

WHO IS “MANNING THE FORT” AND SERVING IN YOUR POSITION FOR YOUR COMPANY WHILE YOU SERVE AS CHAIRMAN THIS YEAR? Jeff Graf, Executive Vice President for Maryland Paving. He’s been here for 21 years, and is well primed for the challenge.

42 MARCH 2014

TOP: Bill Ensor worked and met with other members of NAPA at the 2013 annual meeting. All photos courtesy of NAPA. ABOVE: Ensor’s Maryland Paving company hosted a plant tour for Representative Andy Harris (R-Md.), who is at the podium speaking. Also pictured, from left, are Bill Ensor, Brian Dolan of Maryland Asphalt Pavement Association, and Representative Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.).

RECYCLE REMAINS INDUSTRY PRIORITY

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n the latest survey of the U.S. asphalt pavement industry’s use of recycled materials and warm-mix asphalt (WMA), nearly a quarter of all asphalt mixes produced in the 2012 construction season were produced using WMA technologies. The survey, conducted by the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) under contract to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), found that the 1,141 U.S. asphalt plants queried produced about 86.7 million tons of WMA during the 2012 construction season. This marks a 416 percent increase in the use of warm mix since the survey was first conducted in 2009.

Because WMA is produced at a lower temperature than traditional asphalt mixes, it uses less energy to produce, reduces emissions, improves worker safety, and offers construction benefits. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx commented in January during the 2014 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting that the use of WMA is ex-

pected to save $3.6 billion in energy costs alone by 2020.

Asphalt pavements also continue to use increasing amounts of recycled and reclaimed materials. The survey found that about 68.3 million tons of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and 1.86 million tons of recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) were used in new asphalt pavement mixes in the United States during 2012. For the first time since the start of this survey in 2009, the amount of RAP and RAS used by producers exceeded the amount collected.

The use of RAP and RAS during the 2012 paving season translates to a savings of 21.2 million barrels of liquid asphalt binder, saving taxpayers some $2.2 billion. When reclaimed asphalt pavement and shingles are reprocessed into new pavement mixtures, the liquid asphalt binder in the recycled material is reactivated, reducing the need for virgin asphalt binder. Using reclaimed materials also reduces demands on aggregate resources.

FROM NAPA

“Ensuring high performance roads at a cost-effective price has always been a goal for the asphalt pavement industry,” NAPA President Mike Acott said. “It has spurred us to continue to look for new solutions and to put innovations into practice.”

Compared to previous surveys, conducted annually since the 2009 construction season, the use of recycled materials has continued to increase.

In 2012, RAS use reached 1.86 million tons — a 56 percent increase over 2011, and a 165 percent increase since 2009.

Since 2009, RAS use has been reported in 37 states. RAS includes both manufacturer scrap shingles and post-consumer roofing shingles.

RAP use also continued to climb, increasing to 68.3 million tons in 2012, a nearly 22 percent increase from 2009.

More than 99 percent of asphalt pavement reclaimed from roads went back into new roads. In the survey, 98 percent of producers reported using RAP in their mixes.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 43

ANNUAL CALL FOR ACTION Take part in your future for funding, legislation, market share

BY SANDY LENDER

T

he atmosphere at the 59th annual meeting of the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) Feb. 2 through 5, 2014, in Boca Raton, Fla., held a more positive air than the 58th annual meeting in 2013. From the perspective of the AsphaltPro staff, it was a pleasure to visit with asphalt professionals and industry leaders. The committee meetings, breakfast or luncheon discussions, and coffee-break interviews revealed plenty of work ahead for industry members. Unfortunately, not all of the work ahead is the financially lucrative kind. At least, the work won’t be immediately financially lucrative, but by spending energy in the areas of legislative and funding battles and crushing the competition’s errors, we pave the way for the “paying” work later.

LEGISLATION, FUNDING REMAINS FRONT-BURNER ISSUE During the second general session titled Taking the Wheel: Securing the Market for Asphalt, NAPA Vice President of Engineering Research and Technology Audrey Copeland explained to the attendees that our industry has a five-year cooperative agreement with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the advancement and deployment of new and innova46 MARCH 2014

The presentation of the 2013 National Asphalt Pavement Association Awards Wednesday, Feb. 5, during the 59th annual NAPA meeting included the announcement of the Sheldon G. Hayes winner—APAC-Missouri, Inc., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Springfield, Mo.

tive technologies to design, specify, construct and preserve asphalt pavements.

This is an agreement FHWA awarded to NAPA in 2013, which began with Fiscal Year 2014 (FY14), that will use up to $2.5 million to advance asphalt technologies.

The project focus is two-fold:

1. Promote the deployment and adoption of state-of-the-art innovative materials, design procedures, specifications, practices, and construction methods to improve asphalt pavement performance and to extend the pavement life of our transportation infrastructure.

2. Replace or update multiple documents developed over the past decade or earlier to improve the performance of asphalt pavements to reflect today’s technologies.

Funding for research and development is vital in any industry, of course.

The advancement of innovative asphalt technologies is just one area where funding dollars are at work.

What asphalt professionals would like to see is the successful passage of a robust, long-term, on-time transportation bill with a funding source in place. During the legislative committee meeting Feb. 4, special guests shared that the transportation construction industry as a whole has stability through September—or through FY14. After that, our industry will need $16 to $19 billion from a new revenue source to fund the Highway Trust Fund at its current level.

As much as the typical American is frustrated with “government” these days, guests at the legislative committee meeting offered hope for bi-partisanship. While it will still take effort to convince staunch conservatives to spend money, asphalt industry members can—and have the responsibility to—make their voices heard in every corner of Congress for full funding.

Committee members shared pointedly that “We are one of the big interests in Washington.”

We should not assume that nothing will be accomplished in 2014 because of elections and representatives fearing for their seats. Instead, committee leaders suggested we can leverage their fear.

If our representatives think they’ll lose their seats by failing to pass a highway funding bill, they may be more inclined to act for the good of the country’s economy. It’s time to make them care. Even if a representative is already “doomed” to lose his or her seat due to the political climate, he or she can at least go out on a positive note. Wasn’t it King Theoden who said in The Two Towers, “If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end as to be worthy of remembrance.” Perhaps likening highway funding to the battle for Helm’s Deep is a bit over the top, but this is the construction indus48 MARCH 2014

try’s future we’re discussing; the nation’s economy is tied to the infrastructure we build and maintain. Congress needs inspiration.

Each asphalt producer can assist with inspiration. If you wish to give your representative a tour of your asphalt plant, NAPA PAC will help you.

If you need talking points for a presentation, NAPA’s government affairs site has that. If you want to schedule a visit with your representative in D.C., you can join this year’s Transportation Construction Coalition fly-in at the Mayflower Renaissance Hotel June 10 and/or the NAPA fly-in Sept. 9, which the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association will join as well.

WHAT ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF A ROBUST, LONG-TERM, ON-TIME TRANSPORTATION BILL WITH A FUNDING SOURCE IN PLACE. The point is each one of us has an opportunity to assist in getting a longterm highway bill put in place. We can’t assume Congress will merely extend the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) bill. We certainly can’t expect the funding levels of MAP-21 to remain adequate for 2015 and as the legislative committee expressed, we can’t count on HTF to be available. We must encourage Congress to act in some capacity that will be worthy of remembrance.

CRUSH CONCRETE One item to address when it comes to highway funding is keeping Congress out of the business of material selection. The typical state representative isn’t well-versed in pavement engineering, thus isn’t uniquely qualified to be weighing in on what parameters departments of transportation should or shouldn’t use when selecting a paving material for roads. Copeland stated

in her presentation during the second general session, technical expertise, not politics, should drive decisions for building the nation’s infrastructure.

Throughout the 59th annual meeting, NAPA staff members and committee chairs pointed out the ways members of the concrete industry have tried to have pavement life-cycle costs legislated into specific pavement material selection at a federal level. During the legislative committee meeting, it was announced that a presenter at the recent Transportation Research Board (TRB) meeting had told the ready-mix and PCA audience to start using MIT research to get state legislation passed in favor of concrete pavements. Legislating engineering decisions is not something any industry should desire.

Back in the early days of highway development, legislating pavement type met with disapproval. During Copeland’s second general session talk, she pointed this out.

“In the 1920s, Thomas Harris MacDonald took issue with the idea that an ideal roadway had to be 10 inches of reinforced concrete,” she told the audience. MacDonald believed so strongly in his convictions that he walked out of highway meeting proceedings. He believed a roadway should be constructed to suit its purpose and economy. As it turned out, others agreed; 94 percent of the nation’s roadways are paved with asphalt. To this day, surveys of end users show they want pavements that have good drivability and good value.

MacDonald was right. Now we’re in year 2014 and our national association has a history of award-winning pavements—some thicker than 10 inches, some thinner. Feb. 5 of the annual meeting, NAPA held its 2013 awards program, during which the association presented 21 Quality in Construction (QIC) airport pavement awards and more than 100 QIC paving awards.

The Ray Brown Airport Pavement Award for highest-rated airport pavement went to The Lane Construction Group of Roanoke, Texas, for its work on the Naval Air Station, Fort Worth.

This project included a green award, which is earned by contractors for their use of sustainable practices in the construction of an asphalt pavement.

The Sheldon G. Hayes Award for highest quality in an asphalt pavement went to APAC-Missouri, Inc., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Springfield, Mo., branch for its Missouri Department of Transportation project, southwest district, on I-44 in Jasper County.

The finalists for the Sheldon G. Hayes Award were as follows: Heartland Asphalt, Inc., of Mason City, Iowa, for its Iowa DOT Highway 14 project in Butler County; Knife River Materials of Bemidji, Minn., for its Minnesota DOT Thief River Falls Trunk Highway 75 project in Marshall County; and The Shelly Co., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Twinsburg, Ohio, for its Ohio DOT I-76 ODOT Project 395-11.

“THE RESEARCH WILL BE USED TO CREATE THE FACTS THAT WILL CREATE THE TOOLS WE CAN ALL USE TO INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKERS IN OUR STATES AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL.” The asphalt industry recognizes its quality establishments and practices as well as its quality projects each year. NAPA created a commendation program that assists company officials in assessing their environmental responsibility. Not only does this type of self-assessment and self-regulation give the industry quantifiable data to measure our positive—and negligible ecological—impact in comparison to the concrete industry’s effects on our world, it gives asphalt facilities a way to show neighbors how seriously they take community relations. During the awards ceremony Feb. 5, NAPA announced an addition to the successful diamond program.

NAPA’s Diamond Commendation Program was first to provide companies in the asphalt industry a blueprint for excellence already, focusing on plant operations, environmental compliance and community relations. The Diamond Quality was added to the proWWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 49

gram to help ensure the quality of the pavement material produced by the plant. The Diamond Paving encourages and recognizes excellence in paving operations. Next: companies will have the opportunity to take their plant/site operations to the next level with the Diamond Achievement Sustainable Commendation.

A new, optional level for the Diamond Achievement Commendation, the Diamond Achievement Sustainable Commendation addresses the three pillars of sustainability—long-term economic, environment and social objectives. This is your company’s opportunity to show

50 MARCH 2014

your community and your employees that you are committed to pursuing continuous excellence in your operations today and well into the future. Companies that meet the threshold standard for the Diamond Achievement Commendation can opt to continue with the application process to see if they qualify for the Diamond Achievement Sustainable Commendation.

NAPA will begin accepting applications for 2014 Diamond Commendations, including the new Diamond Achievement Sustainable Commendation, on April 1, 2014.

Holding a current Diamond Commenda-

tion is a signal to customers and the community that your company’s operations measure up to national best practices.

You can get more information on the Diamond Program, including NAPA’s latest addition to it, at www.asphaltpavement.org/ diamond.

Awards and commendations aren’t the only way to prove we have the best product on the market. As mentioned above, it takes technical expertise instead of politics to select the correct pavement for long-term use.

Be aware of the facts about asphalt and use them to correct materials engineers and others who may be misguided or led astray without you. The Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) has a numbered list of asphalt facts that you can subscribe to electronically or have fed to your website or blog. Visit www.asphaltroads.org to check out the list and find other resources that will be helpful to you when state or county engineers have questions about asphalt—or its competition.

Information about the Pavement Economics Committee (PEC) has been released intermittently during the past year and I have questioned how the new committee relates to the APA. During a question-and-answer panel at the annual meeting, John Keating, former NAPA chairman, shared that the PEC will be the deployment plan for the asphalt industry in its commitment to hold and protect market share while “The APA will be the driving force behind deployment.”

Panel members broke PEC down into a no-nonsense research and tool-building mechanism. “The research will be used to create the facts that will create the tools we can all use to influence decision-makers in our states at the grassroots level.”

With the force of state asphalt pavement associations, the APA, NAPA staff, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and individual company owners and employees sharing good information and the good message of asphalt with neighbors, zoning boards, state representatives and others, not only will funding and legislative issues be affected positively, asphalt industry interests will be protected for the future. The plan is a good one. The information shared at the 59th annual meeting set a positive and productive tone for 2014 and beyond.

There’s much work ahead—both progressive and lucrative.

APAC Branch Wins Performance Awards with New Equipment

BY TOM KUENNEN

52 MARCH 2014

The Shears Division-Salina Branch of APAC earned the first place 2012 Full-Depth Paving Award for Outstanding Construction in Quality HMA Pavements for its work on Water Well Road at Ohio Street for Saline County.

Photos courtesy Wirtgen America Inc.

T

he Kansas Asphalt Pavement Association presented its first place 2012 Unique Paving Award to the APAC Kansas Inc.-Shears Division, Salina Branch in central Kansas—an Oldcastle Materials company—for outstanding construction of quality hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements for its work on the Kansas Highway Patrol’s Practice Track in Salina. KAPA also presented the Shears Division Salina Branch its first place 2012 Full-Depth Paving Award for outstanding construction in quality HMA pavements for its work on Water Well Road at Ohio Street, for Saline County.

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The award winning pavements were made possible by skilled crews working with a 10-foot tracked Vögele Vision 5200-2 paver. While that’s not unusual, what’s different is that the company had owned the paver less than three months prior to placing the winning pavements.

“Is it unique for a company to win two paving awards with very limited exposure to a machine?” Shawn Commerford asked. He’s the construction manager of APAC-Kansas Inc.’s Shears division in Salina, Kan. “Yes, it is. It says a lot about our people and the machine itself. Our people know what they are doing, but the machine obviously is built correctly.”

54 MARCH 2014

APAC crews from the Salina Branch executed the highway patrol test track work Sept. 20, 2012. It was constituted of 9,300 tons of RAP base, 5,812 tons of 4-inch base course, and 3,487 tons of 1.5inch friction course.

“We did the Figure 8 test track barely three months after purchasing the Vision paver,” Commerford said. “Using a brand new machine, we were able to pave figure eights with multiple superelevated curves in it that led out into a 10,000-ton square parking lot. We went right from the figure eights to the parking lot, with minimal adjustments, and you can’t tell the difference between the parking lot and the track.”

For the full-depth award, not two weeks after the highway patrol track, Salina Branch placed 7,600 tons of 4-inch warm mix asphalt (WMA) containing 50 percent RAP, and topped it with 2,500 tons of 2-inch WMA containing 25 percent RAP. Productivity is key for paving contractors, and the new paver is key to Salina Branch’s productivity. “The more you get done, the easier it is to run a machine,” Vern G. Hopkins, vice president, APAC-Kansas’ Salina Branch said. “That you are able to set the paver and go makes a big difference, for example, when you are doing variable widths. One reason we bought the paver was that we wanted the front-mounted screed. It’s a real tool for production, and

LEFT: Skilled crews used a new 10-foot paver to get award-winning pavements in Salina, Kan. ABOVE: The APAC Salina Branch specified a front-mounted screed. BELOW: From left, APAC-Kansas’s Shawn Commerford and Murphy Tractor’s Tom Menzer

the more production you get, the more money you make.”

The Vision paver is one of 20-plus pavers among eight branches of APAC-Kansas.

Commerford spoke of this one’s visibility into the paver hopper.

“You are up so high that the angle is right to look into the hopper,” he said.

“You can simply sit in the seat, as one sits in a chair, and look inside the hopper. I’ve run pavers for 12 years, and when you get down into the end of the load, you always catch yourself leaning forward and looking. Or you have to have someone else there. But at APAC we don’t like anyone around our hoppers other than our designated truck spotter. We want the operator

to have total control of the material flow out of the trucks, and that [means] not only having a good view of the side of the machine, but also into the hopper.

“Anyone in the paving game will tell you that the auger feed is very important,” he added. “They either are run too low, or too full. With poor visibility you have a nightmare on your hands. But with the Vision paver you have everything right there in view of the operator.”

APAC has found the Vision paver to be versatile enough to use at virtually every opportunity. “We used to have a bigger paver and a medium-sized paver, and we would pick which paver would go to which job,” Commerford said. “We don’t have to do

that anymore. We still run other pavers, due to scheduling. But the versatility of this machine makes that choice very simple.

“Case in-point: Last Thursday at 8 p.m. we finished up a 2,100-ton overlay of a parking lot for Kansas DOT,” Commerford added. “Friday morning we hauled it to Salina to pave a 55-ton parking lot that’s no bigger than the size of this room. We no longer have to pick and choose which paver we’re going to haul to each job, depending on the size of a job. With the DOT job we paved inside two sheds, but also were paving outside, stretched out 15-, 14- or 12-foot, but with the versatility of this paver we also can get inside the salt sheds and maintenance sheds, where we’re narrow as we can be.”

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 55

Recycling efforts are enhanced when companies invest in advanced technology. Among the well-researched and documented milling equipment offerings in the asphalt industry, Novatek provides the NovaPick™ Diamond Pick polycrystalline diamond—or PCD—stinger tips for milling tools. Photos courtesy of Cat Paving Products.

WHAT ARE WE LIKELY TO BUY? With economic improvement, favorable financing conditions, capital spending goes up for 2014

T

he Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA), which represents the $827 billion equipment finance sector, revealed the Top 10 equipment acquisition trends for this year in light of the $1.5 trillion in capital goods or fixed business investment that U.S. businesses, nonprofits and government agencies will spend. Because those entities will finance more than half of those assets, the trends ELFA lists impact a significant portion of the U.S. economy. Businesses will need to consider a dynamic environment of economic growth, wider credit availability, and favorable interest rates in their equipment acquisition decision-making.

William G. Sutton, CAE, is the president and CEO of ELFA. “For a majority of U.S. businesses, equipment financing is a critical source of 56 MARCH 2014

BY ELFA

funding, helping them to acquire the equipment they need to operate and grow,” Sutton said. “Equipment acquisition plays a critical role in driving the supply chains across all U.S. manufacturing and service sectors. To assist businesses in planning their acquisition strategies, we have distilled recent research data, including the Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation’s 2014 Equipment Leasing & Finance U.S. Economic Outlook Report, industry participants’ expertise and member input from ELFA meetings and conferences to provide our best insight for the Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2014.”

ELFA forecasts the following Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2014:

1. Investment in equipment and software will reach an all-time high in 2014. As the U.S. economy and underlying economic fundamentals, including GDP, continue to improve, business investment is forecast to reach a record $1.5 trillion in 2014.

2. Equipment replacement demand will continue to drive investment. Stronger economic growth will boost businesses’ confidence and appetite for capital expenditures, but overall, equipment already in place can be used at a higher capacity. Until businesses find they need to expand their capacity to meet operational demands, their equipment investment will be in replacing existing aging or obsolete equipment.

3. Demand for equipment financing will increase due to greater stability in the federal budgeting process. Businesses will enjoy a greater level of comfort than they have in recent years to make their equipment acquisition decisions for 2014. The two-year budget agreement passed by Congress reduces fiscal pressures and lessens the chance of a potential government shutdown, while a rising tide of economic growth will lift all boats.

As equipment acquisitions increase, so will businesses’ demand to finance them.

4. The global economy will play a part in the “big picture” impacting businesses’ equipment acquisition decisions. The lack of long-term breakout growth and expansion in equipment acquisition has some of its causes beyond U.S. shores. External factors like the stagnant Eurozone, foreign oil prices and the cooling of a hot Chinese economy, which have combined to impede growth, will continue in 2014.

5. Rebounding of some industry sectors will spur varied equipment types. Growth in investment is forecast for numerous equipment types, some of which will be the result of increased activity in the housing and energy sectors. The rebounding housing industry will have spillover effects on equipment verticals, including construction as well as trucking and rail transportation to ship homebuilding supplies. Manufacturers’ plans for billions of dollars in investments to take advantage of cheap, rapidly expanding U.S. supplies of oil and natural gas will expand production capacity for energy and downstream products, such as petrochemicals and plastics, and increase demand for industrial equipment.

6. A majority of U.S. businesses will use some form of financing for equipment acquisition. In 2014, investment in plant, equipment and software in the United States is projected to reach $1.5 trillion, of which 57 percent ($860 billion) is expected to be financed through loans, leases and lines of credit, a slight uptick from 55 percent in 2013. In a continuing trend, seven out of 10 businesses will use at least one form of financing to acquire equipment.

7. Credit market conditions will remain favorable for longterm equipment financing. In a continuing trend from last year, businesses will generally find an increasing credit supply as they consider equipment acquisitions.

astecused.com Joe Clancy

Astec Pre-Owned Equipment Mobile: 423.240.6968

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[2] 30K gal. Vertical AC Tanks, Hot Oil Heater, Preheater, 20K gal. Vertical Fuel Tank [2] Astec 200 Ton Silos with ceramic cones and batcher [2] bin Recycle with Crusher

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[2] 30K gal. Vertical AC Tanks, Hot Oil Heater with 3 pumps, Calibration Tank [2] Astec 200 Ton Silos with ceramic cones and batcher [2] bin Recycle with Crusher Controls 2012

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 57

ABOVE: With the increase in importance of tacking between pavement layers, does your crew need to invest in a tack wagon? The Equipment Leasing and Financing Association forecasts the right purchasing environment to add such an important item to your fleet in 2014. Photo courtesy of E.D. Etnyre. RIGHT: If you’re unsure whether it’s time to upgrade equipment, keep in mind that advances in automation and intelligent compaction as well as improvements to basic technologies and operator comforts often bring a higher level of quality control (QC) to a crew that has reached a plateau. With the Equipment Leasing and Financing Association’s forecast for an optimal buying climate in 2014, the stars are aligned for purchasing the product that will bring the next level of QC to your operation. Photo courtesy of Top Quality Paving, Manchester, N.H. Photo of Brox Industries plant in the snow on page 3 courtesy of Dave Roma, Manchester, N.H.

8. A low short-term interest rate environment will continue, while long-term rates will rise but remain below the historical average.

Businesses that want to conserve cash and take advantage of the many other benefits of financing their equipment acquisitions can look forward to the prospect of continued low short-term interest rates until 2015. Although the Federal Reserve’s policy agenda for 2014 will likely result in a rise in long-term interest rates, inducing some companies to lock in lower rates, they will remain low enough by historical standards to keep financing an attractive option for acquiring equipment.

9 Technology innovations will continue to improve the customer experience. While demand for software and technology equipment is expected to remain strong, equipment finance companies will use technology to optimize their delivery and fulfillment systems around customer service. They will meet a growing demand for cloud and mobile technology as well as access to real-time company data and business intelligence.

58 MARCH 2014

10. Long-awaited changes to the lease accounting standard will continue to be debated. A new draft of proposed lease accounting changes issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board and the International Accounting Standards Board issued in 2013 generated substantial opposition for being too burdensome and complex. As a result, the Boards will continue re-deliberations into 2014 and will conduct additional meetings to address concerns before changes are adopted.

For a video that discusses the Top 10 Equipment Acquisition Trends for 2014, go to www.EquipmentFinanceAdvantage.org/ Articles/10Trends2014.cfm . If you need to make a presentation to leadership in your company or just learn more about incorporating equipment financing into your business strategies, visit www.EquipmentFinanceAdvantage.org . There, you’ll find more resources, a digital toolkit and an infographic to include in your PowerPoint, etc.

EDUCATE YOUR FUTURE EXECS

U

ntil March 31, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation (ARTBA-TDF) will accept nominations to attend the 2014 Young Executive Development Program (YEDP), held June 9-12 in the Nation’s Capital.

Now in its 19th year, the YEDP introduces young executives to the federal legislative and regulatory processes and to how they impact the transportation design and construction industry. It features sessions on highway/transit financing, economics, environmental, regulatory and legal issues, public-private partnerships, and industry innovation.

Admission to the YEDP is a competitive process.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: 1. Nominees should be under 40 years of age, though exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.

2. Nominees should have at least three years of experience in the transportation design and construction industry, have

made a significant contribution to the work of his or her firm, and shown evidence of strong leadership potential for the industry.

3. To be considered for admission to the YEDP, candidates must be nominated by a sponsor and submit a completed application form.

NOMINATION PROCESS: A letter of nomination and recommendation written by a principal of the firm, a senior executive within the governmental agency, or a senior-level faculty member at the university which employs the applicant must accompany each application.

Applications must be received at The ARTBA Building in Washington, D.C., by Monday, March 31, 2014. To obtain a copy of the application form, visit www.artbatdf.org . Contact ARTBA’s Sara Jones at sjones@artba.org or (202) 289-4434 with any questions. As an added incentive, all individuals who nominate someone for the program will be entered into a drawing to win an iPad.

VISIT US AT BOOTH 61344

FROM ARTBA

The program is held in conjunction with ARTBA’s annual Federal Issues Program (FIP) and Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) Fly-In, giving participants the opportunity to meet with their congressional delegation about pending transportation issues. YEDP fellows also hear from industry CEOs who share their career experiences and offer their perspective on leadership and business issues.

Participants will come away with valuable knowledge about ARTBA’s role in shaping the transportation policy debate on Capitol Hill, and gain a greater understanding about how they can play a leadership role in helping grow the transportation construction market in the future.

Many YEDP graduates serve on the ARTBA Executive Committee, Board of Directors and other association committees/councils. They include 2013 ARTBA Chairman Steve Wright of Wright Brothers Construction in Tennessee, who became the first YEDP graduate elected chair.

Training: Why Bother?

ContraCtor’s 25 operators said: • 92% was at the least as to what they expected.

• Over half felt the content was excellent or perfect.

• 80% agreed the contents met their expectations.

• 96% agree that at least somewhat that expectations were met.

• Two thirds agree their job performance will improve.

• 96% agree their job performance will somewhat improve.

• Over two thirds felt Web-Based Training is more effective than Classroom Training.

• 100% will refer it to others.

test results: • The Operators improved 44%.

• Two thirds had over 10 years experience and they improved 40%.

• ROI:2/3 gave it a payback within 6 months.

• Nearly 1/4 of them felt the payback was going to every week.

• Two thirds of those giving this one week payback were 10 year veterans.

clarence@clarencerichard.com 952-939-6000 www.clarencerichard.com

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 59

international snapshot

International Asphalt Lake

BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF

I

n La Brea, Trinidad, the company of Namalco Construction Services LTD prepared for the start of construction of the San Fernando to Point Fortin highway project by purchasing a new asphalt plant. The plant is rated at 400 tonnes per hour and would supplement the company’s existing 200-TPH plant.

Naeem Ali, owner of Namalco Construction, hosted a tour for media, which included Minister of Works and Transport Jack 62 MARCH 2014

Warner and Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport Stacy Roopnarine. That was in 2011 when the company’s project manager, Lenny Sookram, announced they were importing the new plant. Sookram told the media, “The road construction industry worldwide is quickly moving towards new techniques and construction methods in the reuse and recycling of existing construction materials or what is called reclaimed asphalt pavement

(RAP) material.” He said that’s why the company had invested in an asphalt plant that could produce mixes with percentages of RAP. Dennis Hunt of Gencor Industries, Orlando, discussed the company’s other excellent ingredient: virgin asphalt. “Due to their strategic location adjacent to Lake Asphalt (Pitch Lake, La Brea), they have a convenient and cost-effective supply of high grade bitumen. They use natural asphalt from this Pitch Lake in

our asphalt plant. They store it in a specially made asphalt tank that keeps the asphalt in suspension until time of use.”

Namalco Construction is situated in one of the few places in the world that has natural asphalt and the company uses it in their plants to make mix that Hunt said meets international industry standards.

Photo courtesy of Gencor.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 63

conexpo

Get Your Asphalt Guide for CONEXPO-CON/AGG

BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF

The Astec family will have 42 pieces of equipment in its booth 50327 in the central hall.

F

or the biggest construction trade show on the continent, you want a guide that shows you exactly what you’re interested in so you don’t have to wade through piles of information. For the March 4 through 8, 2014, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE 2014 show in Las Vegas, more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space and dozens of seminars compete for your attention. The Association for Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) that organizes the event has stated there’ll be limited printed materials on site, so you’ll want to download the mobile app as we instructed you in last month’s preview section. Even with an electronic guide in your hand, you’ll want to narrow down the 2,400 exhibitor options to those that are of most importance to you. To make that easier, AsphaltPro staff asked asphalt equipment manufacturers and service providers to share their CONEXPO-specific infor66 MARCH 2014

mation with us. On the next few pages, please find the asphalt-related vendors who will have information, equipment, special offers, new technology and/or nifty specials for you at the show.

As veteran CONEXPO-CON/AGG attendees have come to expect, companies such as Astec Industries, Inc., of Chattanooga and Caterpillar have the megabooths again. For instance, 42 pieces of equipment, nearly 90 percent of which are new to the industry, will be exhibited in the Astec booth 50327 in the central hall. Companies represented include Astec Inc., Astec Mobile Machinery GmbH, Astec Australia, Astec de Brasil, Breaker Technology Inc., Carlson Paving Products Inc., Dillman Equipment Inc., GEFCO Inc., Heatec Inc., KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens, Osborn Engineered Products SA, Peterson Pacific Corp., Roadtec Inc., and Telsmith Inc.

In big news for the Astec family, CEI Enterprises has taken on production of the former Astec concrete plant items, and will also have products on display at booth 50327. Astec is one of the global leaders in the manufacture of equipment for asphalt road building; aggregate processing; oil, gas and water well drilling; and wood processing, among others. Today, Astec Industries manufactures more than 200 products from rock crushing and screening plants to hot mix asphalt facilities, geothermal drills, milling machines, asphalt pavers, material transfer vehicles and more. For more information, visit www.astecinc.com.

As mentioned above, the Roadtec team will be in the booth and President Jeff Richmond told us they’re bringing 12 items. In fact, Richmond said to look for the new silica-dust removal technology on one of its machines on display. The company plans to make that technology

conexpo standard on its mills ahead of the industry launch date and will be discussing safety with customers at the show.

The company is also bringing back its Stealth paver with a great promotion.

When unveiling the Stealth paver Roadtec will donate $10,000 of its sale to the Fischer House charity. The Fischer House provides support and lodging to families of soldiers who are in one of the military hospitals undergoing treatment for injuries. The Fischer House takes some of the financial burden off military families and now Roadtec will take some of the financial burden off of Fischer House.

Look for the following machines in Roadtec’s 40 percent of the Astec booth: • FB-85 broom • RP-190e rubber tire asphalt paver • RP-195e rubber track asphalt paver • RP-2505 steel track paver • RX-100e 20-inch mill • RX-300e 23.6-inch mill • RX-600e cold planer • RX-900e cold planer • SB-2500e • SP-100e Stealth paver • SX-2e stabilizer-reclaimer • SX-8e soil stabilizer From the mega-stands to the not-solarge, Advant-Edge Paving Equipment of Loudonville, N.Y., exhibits this year in booth 53104 in the central hall. The company brings its Ramp Champ Series II sloped pavement edge maker to display.

With county and state agencies specifying contractors to build a 30-degree safety edge as part of asphalt road paving projects, both new and resurfacing, AdvantEdge offers the new model design as a lighter and less costly option to the original Ramp Champ. It has been designed to meet federal and state government safety edge paving guidelines and designed to attach to any conventional paving machine, with or without a shim set. It’s fully reversible, which means the same unit can be attached to either the right or left side of the machine. It comes with detachable shoes so replacing a worn shoe is possible without replacing the entire device and changing out for a differently shaped shoe is possible for creating a longitudinal center joint.

The team from Asphalt Drum Mixers, Inc., Huntertown, Ind., will be at booth

D&H Equipment builds tanks ranging from 10,000 to 32,000 gallons to fit a variety of asphalt needs. They provide agitation using top-mounted drive screw augers or top-mounted mixers and use heating coils or direct fire systems to regulate temperature. Ask about the variety of configurations ranging from horizontal skid-mounted, trailer-mounted, container-framed or vertical. Information is available at booth 30819 in the central hall.

8610 in the platinum lot. They’ll have the EX Series plant offering high volume and environmental friendliness in a compact design. The following team members will be on hand to visit with attendees: Mike Devine, Mark Simmons, Steve Shawd, Jeff Dunne, Rolando Haddad, Carlos Cardenas, Lloyd Tisher and Mark Bower.

Stansteel & Hotmix Parts is exhibiting in booth 52710 in the central hall with another sizeable offering. The team will have the Accu-Shear® advanced inline blending system on the floor for attendees to check out. The system is a way of blending multiple liquids directly at the hotmix plant. This can include the addition of chemical additives, foaming, or in other cases combining liquids to modify the performance grade of the asphalt at the plant. The team will have video demonstrations available at the booth as well as information on boosting RAP percentages on both batch and continuous plants, information and videos on the handling of shingle processing, and more.

Stansteel will also have illustrations and examples of conversion projects for its RAP Eater™ counterflow drum mixer and its Accu-Assurance Control Technology™. Ask about RECON™ services in which Stansteel & Hotmix Parts have helped contractors recondition equipment, upgrade conveyors, raise production rates and increase reliability. As a part of its RECON services, the compa-

ny offers the services of Hotmix Doctors to review and analyze existing plant sites to make them run better or change to run new requirements such as Superpave, Stone Mastic, multiple grade asphalt cements and other rapidly changing specs.

New this year, Hotmix Parts & Stansteel offer a number of training and education programs from manager exchange conference to a plant operator orientation on best practices and hands-on training. Sign up during the show for one of the small class sizes.

D&H Equipment, Ltd., Blanco, Texas, will display its horizontal mixing chamber in booth 30819 in the central hall.

The unit is designed to mix asphalt with rubber, polymer or any dry powder at up to 45+ tons per hour of binder. On the polymer side, it wets and delivers the polymer to the mill quickly for increased efficiency.

At press time, Jason Cox, who will be available to visit with attendees, hoped to bring a control cab with blender controls as well. D&H specializes in asphalt blending equipment and provides a range of user-friendly controls from manual, semiautomatic or fully automated. One machine is designed to accurately blend both polymer (up to 15 percent) and/or rubber (up to 22 percent) with precise receiving of material using reverse weighing hopper/auger delivery systems, weighbridge systems and MicroMotion flow meters.

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conexpo

Volvo experts will be on hand to discuss industry trends, total ownership experience, customer support agreements, analysis services, attachments, remanufactured components, Volvo financial services and more at booths 10951 in the north hall and booth 1300 of the gold lot.

D&H will also have information on its storage tanks, reaction tanks, concentration tanks, hot oil heaters, heat exchangers, portable loading rack, and top-mounted agitation kit for horizontal tanks.

NEW TECHNOLOGY One of the hot topics around the industry is designing engines that meet the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 Final regulations and equivalent standards in Canada and Stage IV in Europe. Both Caterpillar and Cummins Inc. have plans to wow attendees with their offerings. Cummins has started production of 6-cylinder engines certified to meet the regulations. Engine production across a 190-horsepower (hp) to 675-hp (142- to 503-kW) output will increase during the course of the year as off-highway equipment manufacturers release machines ready to meet the near-zero emissions standards that took effect Jan. 1, 2014.

This latest generation of 6.7- to 15-liter Cummins engines will be featured in a wide range of Tier 4 Final construction machines, material handling equipment, power packs and cranes set to debut at 68 MARCH 2014

CONEXPO 2014. The new equipment will highlight how Cummins engines bring “Technology That Transforms” to operators, reflecting the theme of Cummins booth 84808 in the South hall.

Cummins also announced its full 49-hp to 675-hp (37- to 503-kW) engine lineup for Tier 4 Final/Stage IV emissions will include the new QSF3.8 and QSG12 engines. In addition to engines, Cummins will also display some of the first Tier 4 Final-ready power packs in the industry, together with a power rental trailer.

Cummins portfolio of key enabling technologies will be highlighted with the new NanoNet™ fuel filters and Variable Geometry Turbochargers (VGT). Cummins Emission Solutions will feature its recently announced EcoFit™ urea tanks, lines and quality sensor, establishing a full package aftertreatment and dosing system with SCR technology.

Among the copious offerings Caterpillar, Peoria, Ill., will display in booths 1015 of the gold lot and 10915 of the north hall, the company has listed its focus on engines and fuel efficiency. Stop in to ask about the technologies that help you accurately monitor, track and manage fuel use. And check out the latest in off-road mining, aggregate, hauling, excavating,

loading, paving, compacting equipment and more. Don’t forget to ask about the new B-Series of compactors and Ecomode for the all-important fuel saving focus.

Volvo also launches Tier 4 Final equipment. The company will showcase more than 17 innovative products in booth 10951 of the north hall, including a new generation of E-Series excavators, GSeries articulated haulers and H-Series wheel loaders. At the 6,000-square-foot outdoor booth 1300 of the gold lot, visitors can try their hand at operating a BL60B backhoe loader and an EC55C excavator with prizes offered for safely and successfully completed tasks in the shortest time.

New Tier 4 interim-compliant equipment from Wirtgen Group featuring intelligent technology will dominate the 41-machine exhibit at booth 51021 in the central hall. The 39,600-square-foot booth will have new asphalt pavers of all sizes from Vogele, cold mills and recyclers from Wirtgen, asphalt and soil compactors from Hamm, and mobile crushers from Kleemann. Be sure to look for the Super 2100-3i paver with AB 600 TP2 plus screed displayed being fed by a Wirtgen 3800 CR recycler to simulate cold inplace recycling. Also look for: • Vision 5200-2i paver • Vision MT 3000-2i Power Feeder MTV • H 25i VC soil compactor • HD 12 VO roller • W 250i cold mill • W 200Hi cold mill • MC 110 R EVO mobile jaw crusher • MC 110 Z EVO mobile jaw crusher • MR 110 ZS EVO II impact crusher • MR 130 Z EVO II impact crusher The Roman numeral II on the Kleemann impact crushers indicates they’ve reached Tier 4 Final compliance.

The minds at Willow Designs LLC, East Berlin, Pa., are revving up as well. Jerrod Willow and Jeremy Harget will be at booth 9492 in the platinum lot to showcase the new power-actuated safety edge systems. For contractors who pave for DOTs and counties with plenty of rural roads to put a sloped pavement edge along, an attachment that makes a safe/ sloped pavement edge has become a vital piece of the paving arsenal. Willow de-

conexpo

The 170-foot-long SuperStacker™ is KPI-JCI’s latest model of telescoping stackers for building desegregated stockpiles. By controlling the extension of the stinger conveyor, radial travel and conveyor incline, layered windrows can be built.

The new generation of SuperStackers has replaced the e-chain with the festoon system, providing less maintenance and smoother operation. They also feature an enhanced Wizard Touch ® automation control system for more stockpiling options. Visit KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens in booth 50327 in the central hall.

signed one and now has a business that sells the product. Stop by the booth to see how it works. The company is offering a show special: with any order taken at the show for a notch wedge or safety edge system, Willow will include a free set of asphalt depth checkers.

A new organic technology comes to CONEXPO through Maxam Equipment of Kansas City, Mo. The company is proud to assist in introducing Aqua Patch to the U.S. marketplace. It is a non-VOC based cold patch road repair material that uses organic renewable additives to produce a cold mix material. Stop by booth 7986 for product demonstrations and information on becoming a distributor or user. And look at the feature on page 78 for details.

Libra Systems, Inc., Harleysville, Pa., introduces its Smart Alerts module at CONEXPO. The module allows configurable alerts to be sent to authorized employees or customers. Users receive alerts via text or email on their portable devices (smartphones, tablets, etc.).

Alert types exist that are of interest to 70 MARCH 2014

end-users, salesmen, job foreman, plant superintendents, and general management. The alert types include those based on shipped loads, shipped tons, received loads, received tons, tons batched to silo, overweight tickets, and minutes of inactivity. The other items you can see demonstrated at the booth 65429 in the south hall are the Camera ID for security and proof-of-purchase, self-service kiosks for increasing revenue and truck traffic, remote printer terminals for increasing truck throughput and safety, silo safety system, Generation3 asphalt plant control and truck scale ticketing system, Enterprise information server on-line gateway between the office and plants, and the Plantwise blending control system with fully graphic operator interface.

Eagle Crusher Company, Inc., of Galion, Ohio, will have something that’s difficult to miss at the show. The company will unveil a nearly 80-foot-long E-Plant, a high production triple-deck screening/crushing system on one chassis. The system has a three-deck screen on a closed circuit

plant to enable processing of up to five products—including three spec products—at one time, or two decks may be returned to increase production beyond 40 percent, compared to other similarly sized plants on the market. Producers can choose to screen products before crushing; crush all products or crush with the grizzly product removed. A bypass flopgate may be used to pull off grizzly material or blend to screen. The fully self-contained system features a reversible second-deck cross conveyor for product versatility.

Like all Eagle Crusher UltraMax® series plants, the E-Plant comes equipped with solid-steel, three-bar rotor with a lifetime rotor warranty. You can have a guided tour of it at booth 52156 in the central hall.

KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens will unveil its latest innovations at booth 50327 in the central hall. Six pieces of equipment will be exhibited, including the new-generation SuperStacker™, the Kodiak Plus® K500+ Cone Crusher, the Series 9000 Dewatering Screen, the High Frequency Screen for the Industrial Sands Market, the FT2650 Jaw Crusher with pre-screen option and the new-generation 3055 Vanguard Jaw Crusher.

Superior Industries, of Morris, Minn., launches new material handling, conveying and processing innovations with an indoor site in the central hall at booth 51838; and an outdoor site in the brand new platinum lot at booth 7602. Superior will also highlight its full conveyor component line at both booths. Superior Industries sales and engineering teams will be on-hand to discuss how these systems and components will boost productivity and efficiency in countless applications.

Here’s what to look for: the Zipline™ conveyor engineered for quick installation; Telestacker® conveyor with new XTP axle; Razer Tail® truck unloader with adjustable discharge conveyor height and wireless remote control operation; and a portable screening plant that’s 8-foot by 20-foot.

SmicoSymons Vibratory Screens of Oklahoma City, in collaboration with patent owner Advanced Screening Technologies, Inc., will be exhibiting new technology in booth 90710 in the platinum lot.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 71

conexpo The industry’s first hydraulically-operated opening and closing clamp rail system is used for fast change outs of worn or broken tensioned screen media on one or more decks simultaneously. It is designed to reduce downtime from an average of 8 to 12 hours on common size triple-deck screens to 3 to 4 hours for change outs. The screen media is also expected to perform longer due to the hydraulic clamp rail system’s consistent tensioning. Check out the Here’s How it Works feature on page 80 of this issue for details. For more information, visit www.smico.com.

Midwestern Industries, Inc., of Massillon, Ohio, also brings something new for the screening market. The end-tensioned Model MR-7 Screener is a compact double-deck screen that handles sand, gravel, crushed stone, coal, slag, recycled asphalt or concrete, and more.

Get information at booth 51278 of the central hall.

Dexter+Chaney of Seattle has released a cloud-based equipment-management solution that attendees can check out at booth 64920 in the south hall. The software includes features for preventive maintenance, equipment tracking and a mobile app. The company has been providing complete construction management software for more than 30 years.

For more information, visit www.dexterchaney.com.

ACE Torwel hydraulic commercial options include an 18 horsepower Honda engine, inverted V conveyor bridge, belt over chain conveyor, ACE precision twin spinner assembly, and an 18- or 20-inch poly spreader disc. Visit them at booth 51805 in the central hall.

See the BOMAG-Cedarapids CR552 paver in booth 50675 in the central hall.

The latest updates to Dexter+Chaney’s equipment management offerings include an app that can be downloaded for use on Apple and Android mobile devices. The app allows field staff to enter equipment info from the job site and synchronizes automatically with Spectrum Equipment Management. You can see how at booth 64920 in the south hall.

72 MARCH 2014

Fairbanks Scales, Inc., of Kansas City, Mo., is the oldest scale company in the United States and will showcasethe Talon HVX Series portable vehicle scale and the FB2550 driver assist terminal at booth 1320 in the gold lot. The FB2550 DAT is designed to eliminate safety concerns and liabilities by keeping drivers

in their cabs; drivers don’t have to walk across scale platforms and traffic lanes.

Attendees will also be able to see the 1605T series remote display and watch how it operates. Fairbanks’ high-intensity LED remote display with integrated traffic light is designed to save time, space and money by combining traffic

conexpo control and display functions in a single device.

Forta Corporation, Grove City, Pa., will have information on its Aramid fibers for strengthening asphalt mixes at booth 51826 in the central hall. Stop by to visit with Scott Nazar, Natasha Ozybko, Chase Eyster and/or Tom Baggett.

MERGERS Not just new technology makes its debut at CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE. New businesses launch new titles and new partnerships show off new synergies for attendees. For instance, the team at Meeker Equipment will be featuring new products at booth 51204 in the central hall from its recent acquisitions of Infernotherm and Construction Parts, Inc. Clarence Richard Company joins forces with Fast-Way/Ideal Manufacturing of Billings, Mont., to bring yet another weighing and feeding control option to market with the

company’s EZ-Flo Scales. You can check this out at booth 61344 in the south hall.

AsphaltPro readers know that the ACE Group LLC joined forces with Torwel to become ACE Torwel, Inc., based in Surrey, British Columbia, in 2013. The company will exhibit at booth 51805 in the central hall. Reps will have information on ACE Torwel’s line of heavy-duty, commercial, V-box municipal sand & salt spreaders, which are available in 6- and 22-yard capacities. For more information on ACE Torwel operates from modern manufacturing facilities in Bellingham, Mass., and Willmar, Minn. For more information on ACE Torwel products and dealer programs, visit www.asphaltace.com or www.acetorwel.com.

Probably one of the most buzz-worthy mashups in 2013 was the announcement that BOMAG Americas had acquired the Cedarapids line of equipment from Terex. New distributors frequently join the ranks to rent or sell this equipment. The BOMAG Cedarapids CR552 mainline pav-

er with its full-width capacity will be on display at booth 50675 in the central hall.

BOMAG will also display new cold milling machines as it has expanded its product range by offering the new rear rotor design BM-35 series. The three new models have maximum cutting tool life, and the BM 600 and BM1000/35 models will be in the booth for your viewing pleasure.

Also check out BOMAG’s Tangential Oscillation Compaction (TanGO) technology while at the booth. TanGO is optimized to target bridge structures, building proximity and intermediate/finish rolling applications. Directed horizontally, TanGO maintains continuous material contact. The interaction of TanGO rear drum oscillation and traditional front drum vibration are designed to offer advantages on challenging asphalt mixes.

Many asphalt professionals have wondered what the Terex family has for them.

The Terex Aerial Work Platforms, Construction, Cranes, and Materials Processing business segments will showcase new

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 73

conexpo

equipment, safety features and service solutions at booth 1047 in the gold lot. Specifically, Powerscreen® and Terex® Finlay branded mobile crushing and screening equipment is offered for quarrying, mining and recycling. Powerscreen will have three new machines to check out: • Premiertrak™ 300 jaw crusher • Powerscreen Trakpactor™ 320SR impact crusher

74 MARCH 2014

• Powerscreen Warrior™ 2100 high-capacity mobile screening plant Hercules Sealing Products also has partnership news. The company has just become the authorized master distributor for Bulldog Hydraulics and Gaskets, and will unveil the new product line in booth 80654 in the IFPE section of the show. The company will also feature new cylinder repair parts including urethane rod seals, wipers, buffer seals and wear rings.

Visit Hercules at booth 80654 in the IFPE section of the show to check out the new product line for Bulldog Hydraulics and Gaskets.

ASPHALTPRO Don’t forget to swing through the grand lobby to see your AsphaltPro staff. We’ll be in booth 20061, right across from the National Asphalt Pavement Association.

We’re down the hall from the CONEXPO-CON/AGG education center and

near the AEM booth and Show Store.

That means you can’t miss us! We’d like to visit with you in person. We’ll have samples of Asphalt Lane for you to review and consider for your company’s marketing and public relations program and we’ll have articles you can use to increase your marketing efforts for the asphalt industry.

If you need a refresher on the show mobile app, which is sponsored by Caterpillar, check out the last issue of AsphaltPro, which is available online at www.TheAsphaltPro.com. Also, be sure to visit the show’s website at www.conexpoconagg.com to map your show at any time. There’ll be very few printed items to help you out once you’re on the tradeshow grounds, so grab the nearest iPad or smart phone and start clicking! Remember to tweet with us, too. AsphaltPro is on twitter @AsphaltPro. We hope you enjoy CONEXPO-CON/ AGG and IFPE this year and look forward to sharing asphalt information with you.

that's a good idea

Take Marks Out of the Mat

W

hen paving a smooth asphalt mat, each member of the crew keeps an eye on quality control (QC). If someone sees a mark in the mat, he should speak up. How the crew responds depends on the nature of the mark. For example, if the mark is a onetime plug of missing material, you may have experienced a clump of mix or a

76 MARCH 2014

stray piece of aggregate under the screed for a moment. If it’s not recurring, that means it has self-corrected. Depending on the size of the “hole,” one of the laborers will get a scoop of mix to fill it in and the lute man will smooth the material prior to the breakdown roller’s work. If the mark is a streak or line in the mat, it’s time to investigate.

BY JOHN BALL

In the picture on the facing page, the front-mounted screed has a jagged spot in it.

You can see the divot that looks like a missing tooth in the nose of the screed. This interferes with mat quality. It drags the material and causes checking in the mat or what you call a dead spot in the head of material.

This kind of damage happens most often when the paver runs over a manhole

LEFT: If damage to the screed nose causes a mark in the mat, assess the mark before stopping the project. You may be able to roll the mark out with the breakdown roller(s), which would be ideal for production.

In that case, order the screed part to arrive overnight and finish the paving shift with care. If the streak in the mat can’t be solved with the breakdown roller, it’s best to stop the job, repair or replace the screed/paver, and continue with excellent equipment. BELOW: The Problem: This divot in the screed nose is the result of striking a manhole cover or other structure in the roadway. BELOW BOTTOM: This close-up of the nose shows a smooth, intact surface.

cover, sewer cap, water grate or some such item in the road. That’s easier to do than a new operator might realize. The nose of the screed hits the cover or other obstruction in the road and a piece breaks off like this in the picture.

You can avoid this kind of damage to the screed by using a manhole cover riser or by performing hand work around the utilities or manhole covers before mainline paving.

If the line in the mat is light enough that the breakdown rollers can roll it out, the

crew can probably finish for the day. You have to take density into consideration and make sure the rolling train can still achieve proper compaction all across the width of the mat.

If the damage to the screed is causing striping in the mat and the rollers can’t roll it out, the best thing to do is call the plant and have them stop the trucks. Depending on the project, you won’t want to risk compaction densities to keep paving with a streak in the mat.

The nose of the screed is such a popular component for parts shops that one can typically be sent out overnight and the mechanic can have the paver back up and running the next day. Given the role material segregation plays in smoothness, it’s often worth an 18or 24-hour delay to get a part delivered to ensure a top quality pavement.

John Ball is the proprietor of Top Quality Paving, Manchester, N.H. For more information, contact him at (603) 493-1458 or tqpaving@yahoo.com.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 77

here's how it works

Step 1 Clean debris out of the pothole.

Step 2 Pour AquaPatch from the bag into the hole.

Step 3 Level the patch mix with a shovel or other tool.

Step 4 Step 5

Evenly pour about a quart of water over the patch so the organic additive in the material can set up.

Compact the patch with a hand tamper.

Maxam’s Aqua Patch

S

pawling concrete can be an unfortunate fact of life. If the concrete on your street is raveling apart at the joints, Maxam Equipment, Inc., is proud to assist in introducing Aqua Patch to the U.S. marketplace to fix it.

Aqua Patch is a non-VOC based cold patch road repair material that uses organic renewable additives to produce a cold mix material. Here’s how it works.

First, you will want to sweep debris out of the hole to be patched. Water can remain in the hole, but deleterious material such as leaves or litter should be removed. Be sure your crews are good stewards of the environment and dispose of any plastics, metals or other recyclables appropriately.

78 MARCH 2014

Second, open the bag of Aqua Patch and pour the contents into the hole.

Third, the manufacturer recommends leveling the patch mix with a shovel so it is slightly higher than the immediate surface around it. In some patching procedures, crews have learned to overfill— and sometimes mound the material— by 2 or more inches. That amount of excess “fluff factor” isn’t necessary with the Aqua Patch material.

Fourth, evenly pour about 1 quart of water over the patched area. An organic additive that makes up the patch material sets up hard within an hour when water is added.

The final step is to use a hand tamper to compact the patch material into a smooth finish. The area can be opened to traf-

fic after about 15 minutes, according to the manufacturer. Full curing is typically complete after an hour For more information, contact Andy Welch at (800) 292-6070 or awelch@ maxamequipment.com. Let them know 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.

RAP14116 – Terex Portable E-225

Five bin cold feed, single deck scalping screen, scale conveyor E-225 drum mixer w/ slinger feed, recycle collar, Hauck Star Jet 360 burner RA-218 baghouse w/ fan, damper, dust return auger to the drum 30,000 gallon AC tank w/ Burke heater, unloading and metering pumps Warm mix pump assembly 55-ton self erect silo system w/ reject chute Two recycle bin set up w/ rap breaker, scalping screen, scale conveyor Control trailer w/ Allen Bradley MCC, Terex HMA blending and load-out controls Twin silo system w/ slat conveyor RAP-13444 2000 GENCOR DRUM PLANT

• Portable UDP 400 Ultradrum Drum Mixer • Portable 182 Rotoair Baghouse • (2) Skid-Mounted 30,000 GAL AC Tanks

• 5 Bin Portable Cold Feed System • 10x15.5 Skid-Mounted Rap Bin w/ 36 in Feeder

RAP-13225 CEDARAPIDS PORT. DRUM MIXER PLANT

• 8x43 Parallel Flow Drum Mixer • Cedarapids CR4300500 Baghouse • 150 Ton Standard Havens Silo

• (2) Portable Burke AC Tanks • Portable Control House • 4 Bin Portable Cold Feed

RAP-13697 STANDARD HAVENS SILO SYS.

• (2) 200 Ton Silos • Clam Shell Gates • 5 Ton Bintop Batchers

• (1) Transfer Slat • 36in x 88ft Main Drag Slat w/ Oil Heat

RAP-14057 250 TPH PORTABLE ASTEC 6-PACK PLANT

• 7’ x 40’ Parallel Flow Drum Mixer w/ 520 StarJet Burner • Nominal 40,000 CFM Baghouse • 5-Bin Portable Cold Feed

• 30,000 Gallon Portable AC Tank w/ 1.0 mbtu Heater • SEB w/ 24 inch Drag Slat and Control House

3Qualified listings 3Complete retrofit capability 3All types of component reconditioning

RAP-13339 ADM 7228 ASPHALT DRUM MIX PLANT

• 1998 150 TPH Stationary • ADM 6’x28’ Drum Mixer (new shell in ‘10) • 4 Bin Cold Feed System • 3’x5’ Single Deck Scalping Screen • Fuller Baghouse Model 304 TA12

• 30,000 gal., Direct Fired AC Tank with unloading Pump • 7500 gal. Fuel Tank • 200 Ton Silo System • 24” x 60’ Drag Slat Conveyor • 10 x 90, 3 Section Weightron Truck Scale • Digital Load Out System

RAP-13789 6X18 DILLMAN DUO DRUM

• Single Tire Design • Fugitive Fan

RAP-14062 350 TPH PARALLEL-FLOW DRUM PLANT

• Pioneer 7’6” x 46’ Parallel-Flow Drum • Gencor AF-75 Oil/Gas Combo Burner • Smico 5’ x 14’ Double-Deck Virgin Screen • 70,000 CFM Pulse-Jet Baghouse w/ New York Fan

• (3) 20,000 Gallon Coiled Vertical AC Tanks • (1) 20,000 Gallon Fuel Tank • CEI 200 Gas-Fired Hot Oil Heater • (4) 100-ton Pioneer Storage Silos • Pioneer Drag Slat w/ Single 9856 REX Chain • Set of (9) Cold Feed Bins • One Recycle Bin

RAP-13915 ASTEC 58K CFM BAGHOUSE

• RBH-58:DB 98-007 • Horizontal Cyclone • Auger Dust Return System • Skid Mounted Arrangement

3Custom engineering 3Experience with all types of plants 3Complete plants and stand alone components VIEW ALL OUR INVENTORY ONLINE AT:

Inc.

PO Box 519, Shelbyville KY 40066 • Fax 502.647.1786

www.ReliableAsphalt.com 866.647.1782

here's how it works

Step 1 Step 2

The screen operator presses a button on the HC panel.

The system opens the clamp.

Step 3 The operator changes out the worn screen media.

Step 4 The operator presses another button to close the clamp.

Step 5 The system closes the clamp and tightens the media.

SmicoSymons’ New Clamp Rail System

I

t’s a fact of life that screen media will wear over time. Whether it’s due to wear from consistent use or improper tensioning or even a rip or tear in the media, downtime is a necessity to change out media or repair a screen to get optimum production. The idea is to keep downtime planned and to a minimum.

SmicoSymons Vibratory Screens of Oklahoma City, in collaboration with patent-owner Advanced Screening Technologies, Inc., will exhibit at CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2014 the screening industry’s first hydraulically-operated opening and closing clamp rail system for simultaneous change outs of worn or broken tensioned screen 80 MARCH 2014

media on one or more decks. Here’s how the new technology works.

The operator pushes a button on the side of a screener, such as the SMICO High Capacity Screener, to select which— or all—clamp rails to activate. The clamp rails on the selected decks—up to three— open hydraulically. This offers the operator access to screen media on all selected decks simultaneously.

The operator removes and replaces the worn screens. He then presses the buttons to close and tighten the clamp rails.

The system tightens the clamp rails to the specified distance from screen box walls until they achieve the proper ten-

sion. The screen media is expected to perform longer than previously rated due to the hydraulic clamp rail system’s consistent tensioning; it reduces the problem of breakage due to improperly manually tensioned screen media. By reducing the amount of time required for clamping and opening decks, and by achieving proper tensioning automatically, the system is designed to lessen the amount of downtime required for this maintenance.

For more information, contact SmicoSymons Vibratory Screens, Valley Brook, Okla., at (405) 946-1461 or smico@smico.com. Let them know you saw it in AsphaltPro magazine.

resource directory Ace Group…....................... ..35,75 Contact: Carl McKenzie Tel: 888-878-0898 sales.enquiries@ asphaltacesales.com www.asphaltace.com Advant-Edge Equipment….....74 Tel:814-422-3343 Sales@advantedgepaving.com www.advantedgepaving.com Almix……………..........................….25 Tel: 260-672-3004 sales@almix.com www.almix.com Asphalt Drum Mixers….….49, 64 Contact: Steve Shawd or Jeff Dunne Tel: 260-637-5729 sales@admasphaltplants.com www.admasphaltplants.com Astec, Inc............... ….25, 44, 49 Contact: Tom Baugh Tel: 423-867-4210 tbaugh@astecinc.com www.astecinc.com

CAT Pavingg...................... …………..15 www.cat.com/paving CEI....................................................... 4 Tel: 800-545-4034 info@ceienterprises.com www.ceienterprises.com Clarence Richard Co….................59 Contact: Clarence Richard Tel: 952-939-6000 Carrie@clarencerichard.com www.clarencerichard.com D & H Equipment…...................….39 Tel: 830-833-5366 info@dhequip.com www.dhequip.com Dillman Equipment….................. ..22 Tel: 608-326-4820 www.dillmanequipment.com E.D. Etnyre…….........................…….48 Contact: sales@etnyre.com Tel: 800-995-2116 www.etnyre.com

B & S Light Industries............ 60 Contact: Mike Young Tel: 918-342-1181 Sales@bslight.com www.bslight.com

Fast-Measure……......................……71 Tel: 888-876-6050 www.Fast-measure.com

BOCA Construction..................71 Tel: 419-668-5575 www.bocaconstructioninc.com

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

BOMAG Industries…................ 28 Tel: 800-782-6624 or 309-853-3571 www.bomag.com Butler-Justice..........................insert

Homestead Valve…….....................73 Tel: 610-770-1100 Sales@homesteadvalve.com www.homesteadvalve.com

KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens…............................51 Contact: Michelle Cwach Tel: 605-668-2425 Michellecwach@ kolbergpioneeri.com www.kpijci.com Libra Systems.......................... 50 Contact: Ken Cardy Tel: 225-256-1700 Sales@librasystems.com www.librasystems.com Meadwestvaco….......................41 Tel: 800-458-4034 www.evotherm.com www.mvw.com Reliable Asphalt Products............... 79,Back Cover Contact: Charles Grote Tel: 502-647-1782 cgrote@reliableasphalt.com www.reliableasphalt.com Roadtec…................................ .7, 9 Contact: Sales Tel: 423-265-0600 Sales@roadtec.com www.roadtec.com Rotochopper, Inc.................... Inside Back Cover Tel: 320-548-3586 Info@rotochopper.com www.rotochopper.com Stansteel AsphaltPlant Products…......... 21 Contact: Dave Payne Tel: 800-826-0223 dpayne@stansteel.com www.stansteel.com

Stansteel…................................ 69 Contact: Dawn Kochert Tel: 800-826-0223 dkochert@hotmixparts.com www.hotmixparts.com Systems Equipment................47 Contact: Dave Enyart, Sr. Tel: 563-568-6387 Dlenyart@ systemsequipment.com www.systemsequipment.com Tarmac International, Inc........37 Contact: Ron Heap Tel 816-220-0700 info@tarmacinc.com www.tarmacinc.com Top Quality Paving................... 71 Contact: John Ball Tel 603-624-8300 Tqpaving@yahoo.com www.tqpaving Transtech Systems................. 43 Tel: 800-724-6306 Sales@transtechsys.com www.transtechsys.com Willow Designs..........................71 Contact: Jerod Willow Tel: 717-919-9828 Eowillow@aol.com www.willowdesignsllc.com Wirtgen America..................... .19 Tel: 615-501-0600 Info@wirtgenamerica.com www.wirtgenamerica.com WRT Equipmen........................74 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.

WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM 81

the last cut

Does LNG Influence Your Tier IV Fleet?

Liquid Asphalt Cement Prices—average per ton

Company, State

Sept ’13

Oct’13

Nov ’13

Dec ’13

ConocoPhillips, Tenn.

$550.00

$550.00

$540.00

$540.00

NuStar Energy, Ga.

550.00

550.00

550.00

550.00

NuStar Energy, N.C.

567.50

567.50

567.50

562.50

NuStar Energy, Va.

570.00

570.00

570.00

565.00

Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, N.C.

590.00

590.00

590.00

580.00

Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, S.C.

590.00

590.00

590.00

580.00

Assoc’d Asphalt Inman, Va.

590.00

595.00

595.00

575.00

Marathon Petroleum, Tenn.

550.00

550.00

540.00

540.00

Marathon Petroleum, N.C.

565.00

550.00

540.00

540.00

Valero Petroleum, N.C.

605.00

595.00

570.00

550.00

California Average

596.00

552.40

523.90

538.30

Delaware Average

575.00

573.33

563.33

553.33

Kentucky Average

548.75

543.75

536.88

534.38

Massachusetts Average

610.00

610.00

610.00

610.00

Missouri Average

547.50

547.50

540.00

540.00

BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF

W

ith the 2015 Tier IV engine emissions regulation deadline looming, asphalt professionals who have waited to make new equipment purchases might look into fueling choices as well. We shared in the December 2013 Last Cut department the news that Lubrication Technologies had helped a couple of asphalt producers reduce energy bills by switching their plants to liquid natural gas (LNG) fuels rather than petroleum-based fuels. That concept will come into play with on-road vehicles in the professional’s fleet.

Does your typical haul truck with its interim Tier IV engine not run hot enough to cycle through its cleaning process? Rather than expecting haul truck drivers to remember when it’s time to rev up the engine, press buttons, drive onto the highway for 30 or so minutes to get the engine warmed up sufficiently, and then come back to the work zone to deliver their perishable product, why not invest in a haul truck with an engine that burns CNG?

THE SWITCH-TO-LNG CONCEPT WILL COME INTO PLAY WITH ON-ROAD VEHICLES IN THE PROFESSIONAL’S FLEET. Shale formations in the United States have offered some confidence to energy companies that will supply the fuel. The Energy Information Administration stated in its weekly report that working gas in storage was near 2,193 billion cubic feet (Bcf ) Jan. 24. That was a slight decline from the week before and stocks are actually down from last year and down below the five-year average, which is 2,630 Bcf, according to EIA. Considering the frigid temperatures, working gas has been “at work” with net withdrawals of 124 Bfc in the East Region; net withdrawals of 84 Bfc in the Producing Region; and net drawdown of 22 Bfc in the West Region.

Watch for the Annual Energy Outlook 2014 from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

While an “early release” of the report hit the cyberwaves Dec. 16, 2013, the full report will be released this spring with projections to 2040.

*ConocoPhillips is Phillips 66 as of Dec. 1, 2013, reporting.

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; Data for Colorado, Source: CDOT and Cenovus

Crude Oil Activity (U.S. Crude) futures spot data

stocks

Nov 1

$94.61

385.4 m bbl

Nov 8

$94.60

388.1 m bbl

Nov 15

$93.84

388.5 m bbl

Nov 22

$94.84

391.4 m bbl

Nov 29

$92.72

385.8 m bbl

Dec 6

$97.65

Dec 13 Dec 20

Nov 4

3.857

Nov 11

3.832

Nov 18

3.822

Nov 25

3.844

Dec 2

3.883

375.2 m bbl

Dec 9

3.879

$96.60

372.2 m bbl

Dec 16

3.871

$99.32

367.6 m bbl

Dec 23

3.873

Sources: Energy Information Administration

82 MARCH 2014

Diesel Fuel Retail Price (dollars per gallon)

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