DECEMBER 2020
EXCLUSIVE REPORT:
2021
State of the Road Building Industry
ALmix Helps Oxford Construction Complete
UPGRADES
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THE LEADER IN PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY
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At Gencor®, we’ve led the industry with the most fuel-efficient, environmentally clean and lowest-maintenance design available to the hot mix industry. Gencor Industries remains focused on proactively serving and satisfying its customers from all aspects. Through improved cost-effectiveness, and quality of its products and services, Gencor’s personnel are dedicated to the principle of providing the highest quality to the industry to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage for Gencor®.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS |
DECEMBER 2020
COVER STORY
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Oxford Construction Completes Plant Upgrades The Georgia-based contractor turned to ALmix to help them regain efficiency at their Albany plant. | 28 TECHNOLOGY MATTERS
PRODUCTION NOTES
10 Electronic Tickets Deliver Savings in Materials Transport
38 Production Products
e-Ticketing reduces errors, saves time and can enhance safety during material transport.
Despite the uncertainty we saw in 2020, experts believe that there is reason to be hopeful in 2021 as Americans are making it well known that our crumbling roads and bridges are a prime concern they want the new Congress to address.
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Milling machines, reclaimers, infrared equipment & more.
PRESERVATION UPDATE
JOBSITE INNOVATIONS
40 How to Improve Delivery of HMA to the Jobsite 19 tips to help improve hauling hot mix asphalt, from plant to truck to paver hopper.
ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2020
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Pavers, rollers, MTVs & more.
60 Preservation Products
Plants, baghouses, mixers, dryers, automation systems & more to measure the quality of their asphalt.
SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE ROAD BUILDING INDUSTRY
14 Our Nation is Ready to Make Infrastructure a Priority
50 Jobsite Products
54 Fog Seals Preserve Pavement & Drive Innovation Connecticut town test drives fog seal while protecting its infrastructure investment
IN EVERY ISSUE 8
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Editor’s Perspective
66 The Last Exit
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11/18/20 3:24 PM
purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available. Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.” –Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working. Still as sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any other machine except“WHY for a LeeBoy paver. They are strongIT’S machines. Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.” LEEBOY? BECAUSE –Derek Heater, Black Rock & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate and results in a high production paving DESIGNED WITH THE operation. No job EQUIPMENT is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in and day“Iout!" –Dan Zuber,FROM Cunningham Paving, Cleveland, Ohio “I SWITCHED A LEEBOY switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return.” –Robert Wadsworth, Sunrise Asphalt, Las Vegas, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, PAVING PROFESSIONAL IN MIND.” there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle largest project with ease. I tell PAVER ONLY TO the RETURN." everyone LeeBoy is the reason my family and I arePavement fed. Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, – Bill Stanley Jr., American Wadsworth, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers––Robert from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines. GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, Specialists, Danbury, CT Designed with the paving professional in mind, Sunrise Asphalt, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!! The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!” –Matt Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Las Vegas, NVvery fluent controls.” –Thomas Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go. Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations now! When it comes to asphalt, SMI Paving is ‘LeeBoy Proud’ always!” –Jack Smith, SMI Paving, Fort Mill, South Carolina “I’ve been running LeeBoy equipment for over 20 years. Their pavers truly are ‘designed with the paving professional in mind’. These machines hold up better than any others too!” –Kevin Piona, Mr. Blacktop, Gilroy, California “LeeBoy is the best machine I’ve ran, period, enough said!” –Warren Anderson, Cambridge, Minnesota “LeeBoy is second to none. I’m a third generation paving contractor and they’re all we use. Professional results for the professional contractor.” –Rich Cooper, Colchester, Connecticut “Love our LeeBoy paver. Wouldn’t trade it for any other brand!” –Matthew Mordis, Asp-Con Asphalt Paving, Caseyville, IL “It's nice to see that there are still some American companies out there making equipment that last long and works well. We will definitely be purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available. Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.” –Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working. Still as sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any other machine except for a LeeBoy paver. They are strong machines. Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.” –Derek Heater, Black Rock & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate and results in a high production paving operation. No job is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in and day out!" –Dan Zuber, Cunningham Paving, Cleveland, Ohio “I switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return.” –Robert Wadsworth, Sunrise Asphalt, Las Vegas, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle the largest project with ease. I tell everyone LeeBoy is the reason my family and I are fed. Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers – from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines. Designed with the paving professional in mind, GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!! The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!” –Matt Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, very fluent controls.” –Thomas Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go. Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations now! When it comes to asphalt, SMI Paving is ‘LeeBoy Proud’ always!” –Jack Smith, SMI Paving, Fort Mill, South Carolina “I’ve been running LeeBoy equipment for over 20 years. Their pavers truly are ‘designed with the paving professional in mind’. These machines hold up better than any others too!” –Kevin Piona, Mr. Blacktop, Gilroy, California “LeeBoy is the best machine I’ve ran, period, enough said!” –Warren Anderson, Cambridge, Minnesota “LeeBoy is second to none. I’m a third generation paving contractor and they’re all we use. Professional results for the professional contractor.” –Rich Cooper, Colchester, Connecticut “Love our LeeBoy paver. Wouldn’t trade it for any other brand!” –Matthew Mordis, Asp-Con Asphalt Paving, Caseyville, IL “It's nice to see that there are still some American companies out there making equipment that last long and works well. We will definitely be purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available. Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.” –Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working. Still as sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any other machine except for a LeeBoy paver. They are strong machines. Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.” –Derek Heater, Black Rock & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate results in a Paving, high production No job is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in andLas dayVegas, out!" –Dan Zuber,and Cunningham Cleveland,paving Ohio “Ioperation. switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return. ” –Robert Wadsworth, Sunrise Asphalt, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle the largest project with ease. I tell everyone LeeBoy is the reason my family and I are fed. Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers – from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines. Designed with the paving professional in mind, GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!! The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!” –Matt Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, very fluentWould controls. ” –Thomas Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true you like to see your quote on a LeeBoy ad? Visit facebook.com/TrustLeeBoy and leave a 5-star review. commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go. Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations
TRUST LEEBOY
TRUST LEEBOY. AS DEPENDABLE AS YOUR DAY IS LONG.
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DIGITAL CONNECTION www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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CONTRACTOR LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
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DECEMBER 2020 Vol. 34, No. 10
CONTRACTOR CONTRACTOR LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
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Published by AC Business Media.
Asphalt
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Published and copyrighted 2020 by AC Business Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Asphalt Contractor (ISSN 1055-9205, USPS 0020-688): is published ten times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September, October, November, December, with an additional Buyer’s Guide issue published in August by AC Business Media, 201 N. Main Street, Fifth Floor, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to ASPHALT CONTRACTOR, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, Illinois 60065-3605. Printed in the U.S.A. SUBSCRIPTION POLICY: Individual subscriptions are available without charge only in the USA. The Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualifying subscribers. One-year subscription to nonqualifying individuals: U.S. $45.00, Canada & Mexico $65.00, and $95.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single copies available (prepaid only) $10.00 each (U.S., Canada & Mexico), $15.00 each (International).
ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2020
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CONTRACTOR
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
DECEMBER 2020 • Vol. 34, No. 10
Jessica Lombardo, Editor
Published by AC Business Media
A Year for the History Books
E
ach December, Asphalt Contractor magazine looks back on the year we've had and turns to industry experts to help predict what the year ahead will look like for the road building industry. When we asked experts what 2020 would look like last December, not one of them could have predicted the year we've actually had. In fact, most of our experts were optimistic that 2020 would still be strong for construction businesses. Federal funding was going to remain stable and more state and local governments were continuing to move forward with critical transportation projects and that trend was expected to continue. Then the world shut down in March of 2020 and billions of dollars worth of transportation projects were delayed or canceled across the country as state and local governments made spending cuts due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Luckily, in some states construction continued as workers were deemed essential and many projects were able to be completed in record time as traffic numbers dropped due to stay at home orders. That of course is a double-edged sword for an industry that relies on people to purchase gasoline to fund infrastructure. GAS TAX WOES EXACERBATED Since early April, states have lobbied Congress to provide billions of dollars worth of transportation aid. Stay-at-home orders across the country have caused gas sales to plummet,
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slashing gas tax revenue dedicated to maintaining and improving roads, bridges and other infrastructure. As states begin to relax their stay at home orders, many say it will be impossible for states to overcome the negative impacts COVID-19 had on gas tax revenues. And while Congress is expected to consider another Coronavirus relief package in the lame duck session, experts say that might not be enough. The steep drop in traffic volumes caused by COVID-19 is pushing the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) closer to insolvency faster than projected. Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) says that Congress cannot be complacent due to this lag in revenue and that it needs to pass AASHTO’s request for a nearly $50 billion fiscal “backstop” to buttress state DOT budgets. “When we originally requested the backstop in April, we expected it to offset an estimated 30% loss in state transportation revenues over the next 18 months,” Tymon said. “The HTF numbers are consistent with our expectation of a delayed but massive shortterm decline in transportation revenue,” he pointed out. “While we expect those numbers to improve as states move to different phases of reopening, it looks increasingly like the recovery period may last well beyond the 18-month window we initially projected.” What else can we expect in 2021? Turn to page 14 of this issue to see the full State of the Road Building Industry report and let me know what you're excited or fearful of in 2021 at jlombardo@acbusinessmedia.com
ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2020
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CONTRACTOR LATEST PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALTPROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT
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2020 is certainly a year we will all remember and the long-term impacts will be felt on the construction industry for years to come
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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS |
BY BECKY SCHULTZ, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Electronic Tickets Deliver Time and Cost Savings in Material Transport e-Ticketing reduces errors, saves time and can enhance safety during material transport
T
he paper ticketing process for managing material transport has long been rife with inefficiencies. It has spawned a trend toward use of platforms that digitize the ticketing process — a trend that has gained even more prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Chasing paper down is an age-old industry challenge that, quite frankly, should have been resolved before the coronavirus sped up digitizing data on paper tickets,” states Steve Cox, vice president of business development, Command Alkon, a company that provides software and technology
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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2020
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solutions designed to drive value across the heavy work supply chain. “Removing paper from business processes improves productivity, eliminates errors and speeds workflows.” Electronic or “e-Tickets” provide a real-time digital representation of a material’s load information. “The e-Ticket stays in sync with the load’s journey, capturing order information, batch results, delivery status updates, electronic proof of delivery, inspection/ test results and job cost/cost codes through invoice and payment processes,” Cox explains. This real-time information is made available to all participants within the supply chain. According to Cox, this means “businesses and their trading partners have greater visibility to what is going on within the project life cycle.”
DELIVERING FEWER ERRORS PLUS TIME SAVINGS With paper tickets, truck drivers will typically drive a load across a scale, get out of the truck, enter the scalehouse to pick up copies of a paper ticket, return to the truck and drive off. “As the truck gets to the jobsite, the driver would get out, scribble his name, the type of material, the quantity, the date; somebody would scribble their name as accepted,” says Cliff Fetner, founder and CEO of Soil Connect, a digital marketplace developed to resource and move dirt and other building materials. “At the end of the day, all of these manual, handwritten tickets would find their way into the office — or hopefully, they all find their way into the office.” Lost or misplaced tickets are a common issue. “[Paper ticketing is] just a very laborious, error-prone process,” says Pace Davis, CEO for TruckIT, a dispatching and e-Ticketing platform. “We never thought it made sense to go from essentially a digital platform, which
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is the scalehouse software, to print paper tickets that get put in a truck, travel miles and miles. It might be days before [drivers] hand them to someone in their company and then they get put back into a computer... It’s a waste of time and resources. It’s a lot of overhead for every party involved.” This inefficiency led Soil Connect to launch a new e-Ticketing service as part of its digital marketplace. The plan is to digitize the entire materials delivery process to eliminate the headaches and save time. “All of this information will be captured through GPS and the only thing that truck driver needs to do, very simply, is get to the jobsite, hop out of his or her truck, take a picture of the material with his or her phone, and the operator, project manager or owner [will] sign on his or her phone that he or she has accepted the load. That’s it. Then the truck driver will go on to the next stop,” Fetner explains. At the end of the day, all the information is uploaded and an invoice automatically generated. The time saved can add up quickly. “For example, if you have five trucks on the road and each truck makes five stops, that’s 25 tickets just in one day,” says Fetner. “When you think about the time it takes to figure out the pricing and the material and who the client is and who signed for it, create all those invoices and then upload it — [even] if you figure each ticket takes 10 minutes, for 25 tickets that’s 250 minutes.” In other words, more than a four-hour time savings. Turn times for trucks is also faster when full-featured, contactless e-Ticketing platforms are used, according to a study conducted by TruckIT. “The easy way to look at it would be when a truck is at a quarry and it’s getting weighed, [the driver] is getting out of the truck and getting that paper ticket,” says Davis. e-Ticketing eliminates the need to leave the vehicle. “We saw on average they were saving nine minutes per load. [This] doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but when you’re doing eight to 10 loads a day, it adds up. “[e-Ticketing] just makes the entire system, the supply chain, more
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efficient,” he continues. “It’s the trucks getting in and out of locations faster. You don’t have any lost tickets, in theory, and you get rid of all the paper management and reconciliation processes that the scalehouses, drivers, contractors, inspectors go through. It’s getting rid of a ton of [lost] time and making it less error prone, as well.” For Soil Connect, e-Ticketing will also serve as a launching point for even more functionality. The e-Ticketing service will soon offer live tracking of vehicles to enable the business owner, dispatcher and others to know vehicle locations. In addition, a geofencing function will be available to notify when a vehicle is approaching the site. The e-Ticketing service will even have the functionality to incorporate all of the requirements and forms mandated by state and local regulations. “We will set it up that when the truck is a quarter mile away, a half mile
away — whatever we set it to — the operator or project manager, whoever is in charge of that site, is going to get a text message that the truck is coming around the corner either to dump a load or to get a load,” Fetner explains. “What we’re now doing is we’re shortening cycle times of moving dirt off the site or bringing materials to the site.” PANDEMIC ACCELERATES UTILIZATION Safety during the pandemic became yet another compelling reason to shift to e-Ticketing platforms. A number of state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) turned to contactless models to maintain social distancing, with those already in the process of developing specs for e-Tickets accelerating the process. “e-Ticketing is a long time coming. I think everyone sees the benefits,” says Davis. “DOTs were starting to dip their toes in the water. Some had full
A study by TruckIt showed turn times for trucks is faster when full-featured, contactless e-Ticketing platforms are used.
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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS The latest version of Soil Connect with e-ticketing feature will allow the driver to take a picture of the material using a mobile device, obtain an electronic signature and move on to the next stop. Invoices are generated automatically.
specifications before COVID, and then others were working toward putting together pilot programs. “What has happened with COVID... when states started to lock down, the states that were already in the process of creating an e-Ticketing specification decided just to roll that out but seriously relax on what was needed to be compliant,” he says. Though specifications vary between states, the common denominator is no paper is handled. “That has completely changed the game on e-Ticketing uptake,” says Davis. “In the last [few] months, we have seen the industry completely change on what people need and what they’re asking for.” With fully contactless e-Ticketing solutions, there is no direct person-to-person contact. “e-Ticketing means that they drive off the scale and just keep going,” says Davis. “For COVID, that means they don’t need contact with handing the paper ticket over. The same goes for the other side of the transaction.” The driver doesn’t have to get out of the truck or hand a paper ticket out the window to a foreman or inspector to sign off on it. With TruckIT’s full-featured e-Ticketing option, an “AirTicket” is created for each load using a network printer located in the scalehouse. “That ticket information is shot up into our system [in the cloud] and we parse it and send that information to all the parties that need to be involved,” says Davis.
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Mobile apps on in-vehicle devices (e.g., an iPad) can also send geonotifications. “So an inspector or a foreman knows where the trucks are, what they’re carrying, how far out they are or their ETAs,” says Davis. During the pandemic, some state DOTs relaxed the rules — at least temporarily — and only required notification that a ticket has been created. “[Inspectors] can then add information when they’re inspecting it when the load has been dropped off,” Davis says. “In many cases with our
Full-featured e-ticketing options can offer contactless solutions, eliminating the need for the driver to even get out of the vehicle.
system, they can see the actual ticket (the PDF version of it) and then with the different specifications, they can accept or reject loads, add temperature, add notes. That’s something that they would have been writing down on a paper ticket. “It’s essentially taking our platform and providing 20% of its functionality,” he adds, “just so people can make sure
that the drivers and the inspectors and the foremen are keeping socially distanced.” FURTHER ADOPTION ENCOURAGED While COVID-19 may have accelerated use of e-Ticketing by state agencies, the trend was already moving in that direction. Now the technology has gained national recognition for its potential to advance the transportation construction sector. In September, the U.S. DOT announced the Every Day Counts program to promote “the accelerated use of tools, technologies and methods to improve road and bridge projects, reduce cost and shorten their time to completion.” e-Ticketing was cited as one of the “ready-to-deploy innovations” that could help accomplish this. According to a statement by the Federal Highway Administration: “Converting paper-based systems for project materials tickets into electronic ones, known as ‘e-Ticketing,’ improves the tracking, exchange and archiving of construction materials information. e-Ticketing also improves safety by reducing inspector and work crew interaction with traffic and construction equipment.” The statement went on to indicate that more than a dozen state DOTs, including Minnesota, Missouri and Pennsylvania, are currently using e-Ticketing for construction contracts. Other states, including Florida and Georgia, moved from pilot programs to at least limited implementation during the pandemic. Given its adoption by more state agencies during the crisis, as well as the growing acceptance among contractors seeking more efficient alternatives to paper-based systems, e-Ticketing seems destined to see further implementation in the months ahead.
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SPECIAL REPORT |
BY JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR
2021 State of the Road Building Industry
As we continue to try and put 2020 behind us, see why experts are cautiously optimistic for the year ahead
E
ach year with our State of the Road Building industry report, we seek to give contractors in the asphalt industry some idea of what the year ahead will bring. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that no one knows what the future holds but we know we are stronger for the challenges this year presented
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us. We survived project cancellations and layoffs. COVID-19 protocols and dwindling revenues. Civil unrest and a tumultuous presidential election. So where does that leave us for 2021? We talked with industry experts about what happened in 2020 and how that will shape the road building industry in the coming year. While contractors may have apprehension for the year ahead, experts say there are reasons to stay positive. “We are optimistic that the new Administration and Congress can come together to address infrastructure issues early in 2021,” Ed Mortimer, vice
president, Transportation Infrastructure, United States Chamber Of Commerce says. “As we look toward economic recovery, a major infrastructure bill would create good paying jobs, improve every citizens quality of life and ensure economic vitality for many years to come.” As we continue to try and put 2020 behind us, see why experts are cautiously optimistic for 2021.
››››› www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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Funding in the Time of a Pandemic Let’s start with some good news. In 2020, Congress did pass a one-year extension to the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. While it was not the long term authorization we were hoping for, it is a win for our industry given its current state. How will this extension impact the industry and what can we expect for 2021? AUDREY COPELAND, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NATIONAL ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION (NAPA): The asphalt pavement industry was grateful that Congress passed a one-year extension of surface transportation reauthorization programs. However, it is still imperative that a multi-year highway bill be enacted to maintain and improve highway infrastructure, avoid project delays, and provide proper investment for Highway Trust Fund solvency, which needs a sustainable revenue source. Congress still needs to clear a full year transportation appropriations bill along with additional highway funding to stimulate the economy. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on Congress to do this during the lame-duck session. The 116th Congress still has work to do for the construction industry to know what the publicly funded highway market will look like in 2021. Any issues not addressed during lame-duck will get kicked over into the 117th Congress, a scenario that the industry would like to avoid. ED MORTIMER, VICE PRESIDENT, TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: While disappointed the Administration and Congress weren’t able to come together on a long-term
surface transportation reauthorization, we were pleased that on a bipartisan basis Congress agreed on a one-year extension with an additional $13.6 billion for the Highway Trust Fund, ensuring no interruption in federal highway and transit funding. This gives the new Administration and Congress time to build upon the work done in the previous congress and enact a long-term, well-funded bill. ALISON PREMO-BLACK, CHIEF ECONOMIST, AMERICAN ROADS & TRANSPORTATION BUILDERS ASSOCIATION (ARTBA): While the one-year extension of the FAST Act provides stability for state transportation programs during a time of uncertainty, it does not provide any increase in revenue. The extension bill maintains surface transportation programs at current levels of $47.1 billion for highways and $12.3 billion for transit programs. States may see an opportunity for additional funding as Congress finalizes the FY 2021 spending bill in December. Between FY 2018 and 2020, Congress approved an additional $15 billion for transportation programs through the annual appropriations process. If they choose to do so again in FY 2021, this would provide additional revenue to help states over the next year. ARNIBAN BASU, CHIEF ECONOMIST, ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS AND OWNER OF SAGE POLICY GROUP: The one-year reprieve is simply more of the same. Congress remains both unwilling and unable to create funding mechanisms that allow for more forward-looking infrastructure planning. Instead,
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Edward L. Mortimer, executive director, transportation & infrastructure, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
America groans from one year to the next, largely placing band-aids on roads, bridges, runways and seaports rather than supporting the next generation of solutions. America’s infrastructure deficits continue to expand, and that jeopardizes U.S. supremacy in the 21st century. BOB HUITT, PRESIDENT, ASPHALT EMULSION MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION & LARRY TOMKINS, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL SLURRY SURFACING ASSOCIATION: The one year extension means that states will not be as ambitious with large, longterm infrastructure projects given the uncertainty of future funding beyond the next year. As the American public continues to drive less due to the COVID-19 pandemic, gas tax revenues that were already in trouble, are now in even worse shape. What can be done right now at the federal level to help State DOTs feel more confident in their abilities to let future work?
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SPECIAL REPORT PREMO-BLACK: Federal investment accounts for an average of 50 percent of state transportation program capital outlays, which includes construction work, right of way purchases and planning and design activities. A long-term, sustainable increase in federal surface transportation investment would help spur real market growth in some states and offset any potential pull-back in other programs. While some states are continuing to face significant transportation revenue shortfalls, others have reported a recovery in revenues as traffic volumes and economic activity have increased. State governments are addressing the revenue shortfall in different ways. Some plan to issue more bonds and maintain capital programs. Overall, there are at least 18 states and 25 transportation authorities that have announced project delays or cancellations of nearly $12 billion. This includes states that have delayed a handful of projects and others that have made more widespread cuts. We expect to see some states pull back on capital projects in 2021, while others will continue with their programs as planned. BASU: The federal government must engage in a multi-pronged approach, both raising the gas tax and finding new mechanisms to finance infrastructure upgrades. These can range from user fees to a federal retail tax, which would not only raise more for capital expenditures, but induce more Americans to save for retirement. COPELAND: In the short-term, Congress should address and include the funding relief the state transportation departments requested through the American Association of State Highway and Transportations Officials. This would help them deal with the impacts of suppressed gas tax revenues due to COVID-19 by growing the job market and the economy. In addition, NAPA supports temporarily making Federalaid Highway funded projects eligible for a 100 percent federal payable share in order to give states the opportunity to
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infrastructure industries to remain on the job and continue the essential work necessary to maintain and improve our critical surface transportation network. BASU: Yes, and that stimulus package will not only include infrastructure, but will be massive. As states continue to scrape by filling potholes and completing emergency work, what impacts will this have on our infrastructure with states unable to complete necessary long term projects? Alison Premo Black, senior vice president & chief economist, Deputy Director Contractors Division, American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA)
address their revenue shortfalls in 2021. In the long run, the best thing Congress could do would be to enact a multi-year surface transportation bill with increased funding for highways and include as part of the legislation a sustainable revenue source for the Highway Trust Fund. Do you foresee Congress passing another Coronavirus relief bill that includes infrastructure funding for states? MORTIMER: The Chamber is continuing to push for congressional action in a COVID relief bill that will provide emergency funding to state department of transportation’s and transit agencies who have lost revenue due to the pandemic. This is much needed investment that must be made at the federal level to ensure no disruption in state transportation programs. We also believe early action on an infrastructure bill will provide a blueprint and certainty for states to make much needed modernization investments. COPELAND: The industry will continue to urge Congress to pass another COVID-19 relief package before the end of the year (2020) that provides immediate financial relief for state departments of transportation. This will allow state DOTs and the transportation
COPELAND: According to the 2019 FHWA Conditions & Performance Report, over the next 20 years the funding that will be required to rehabilitate and reconstruct pavements and other operational conditions will average $53 billion annually. Meanwhile, projected spending is estimated at only $41 billion annually. The costs of a deficient roadway network would be severe according to the FHWA C&P Report, totaling $4.2 trillion over 20 years. This has social, economic and environmental impacts, for example travel delay costs for auto users, excess petroleum-based fuel used by autos and trucks, and direct time costs of truck delays. Major rehabilitation and replacement projects are important in that they enhance the nation’s long-term economic competitiveness. People benefit too because highway expansions and upgrades shorten travel times, enhance safety and save lives. MORTIMER: This is a prime reason why our coalition of business and labor have come together to urge prompt action early in the new year. The Chamber has launched a Build by The Fourth of July (www.letsrebuildamerica. com) campaign which will bring together diverse stakeholders urging Congress to enact a long-term sustainably funded infrastructure package by July 4. HUITT & TOMPKINS: Presumably long-term projects are meant to solve capacity issues. States need to reassess their infrastructure needs. Interstates need to be addressed
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SPECIAL REPORT Felix Mizioznikov/AdobeStock
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S P C w i f i s i b as they are used to transport goods and help drive our economy. However, inner city projects could be delayed since commuting is down and there are no longer gnawing capacity issues. BASU: America will continue to fall behind along the dimension of infrastructure. That has many ramifications, including for both multifactor and labor productivity. It is ultimately growth in productivity that translates into higher living standards. By not investing with sufficient scale, scope and foresight into infrastructure, America is dooming itself to slow household income growth, more people who need to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, and less government revenue to close sizeable budget gaps. HUITT & TOMPKINS: The impacts are that our quality of life goes down. With more bridge closures and deteriorating roads, it makes it difficult to do the things we are need and want to do on a daily basis. Such as getting food to grocery stores or getting kids to school or getting to the beach for a vacation. The pandemic has solidified the fact that solely using gas tax revenue to support the Highway Trust Fund is not an adequate solution to fund our failing infrastructure. What should the solution be to shore up the HTF for the future? What method(s) do you suggest? HUITT & TOMKINS: First of all, raise gas tax while fuel prices are way low. Second, federal and state governments
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should do a better job of managing their scarce funds and spend the money where they get the biggest bang for their buck. Not necessarily worst-first. BASU: The American Society of Civil Engineers has put forth many brilliant, workable ideas to bolster infrastructure spending. Naturally, these solutions go well beyond the gas tax. User-based fees represent a critical component to stepped up funding. Public-private partnerships, though not panaceas and accompanied by risk, are also important elements of the solution. COPELAND: The House and Senate in their respective surface reauthorization proposals include no details on how these bills will be funded. Congress has been patching the hole with General Fund revenue transfers into the highway account to cover the HTF shortfall. We expect Congress next year to pass a budget and reconciliation bill where the HTF solvency issue should be addressed. In terms of funding the future of the program, Congress must consider a combination of an increased gas tax (in the early years) indexed to inflation, and some type of user-based fee like vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in order for the HTF to be sustainable. PREMO-BLACK: Over the last decade, states have taken significant steps to diversify their revenue streams. While state gasoline and diesel fuel taxes continue to be the cornerstone of transportation revenue initiatives,
many states have included changes to other revenues sources as part of a broader package. These include motor vehicle registration and licensing fees, alternative vehicle fees,and revenues from other transactions, such as rental cars fees and occupancy taxes. There are now 22 states that have a variable gas tax rate component, which means that part of the rate changes automatically based on a published indicator, such as inflation or the wholesale price of gasoline. This helps states protect the purchasing power of their motor fuel tax revenue. MORTIMER: The Chamber believes in a need for a sustainable source of revenue for the HTF. We have maintained that we are willing to work with any party, industry, labor, local or state leaders to spur economic growth by reinvesting in America’s infrastructure, and we welcome all ideas to fund infrastructure improvements. In the short term, the Chamber has advocated for an adjustment the federal motor fuel tax of five cents per year for a five year period. That would generate $400 billion over ten years for highway, bridge and transit investment. We also need to continue to move forward on fully implementing a VMT mechanism that will maintain the user based concept and ensure all alternative fueled vehicles pay into the much needed investment. We are following VMT pilot programs in over 10 states and believe it can be ready at the federal level in 10 years.
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A New Political Landscape Starting in 2021, there will be a new Presidential Administration and a new Congress. While some in the industry are worried, many experts have hope that infrastructure funding may be one of the few bipartisan things that can gain traction in the new year. Do you believe we will we see broad federal funding legislation passed in 2021? How will this impact the road building market? COPELAND: I believe the Members of the 117th Congress and the President-elect heard loud and clear what the voters want. Voters want action to bring the pandemic under control, put people back to work, and keep our economy open while rebuilding communities and working together towards a stronger future for our country. A key part of the legislative agenda in 2021 will be enactment of a multi-year surface transportation authorization bill before the FAST Act extension expires on September 30, 2021. Lawmakers know that investments in infrastructure get people quickly back to work and strengthen the economy. I expect to see significant increases in infrastructure investments that will positively impact the road building market. BASU: If one presumes divided government, with Democrats controlling the White House and Republicans the Senate, there may end up being less stimulus than there would have been under one party control. There is, however, at least one item upon which Democrats and Republicans seem to agree, and that’s on the need for greater infrastructure outlays. Accordingly, it appears that infrastructure spending may benefit from the outcomes of this year’s elections. MORTIMER: We are optimistic that the new Administration and Congress can come together to address infrastructure issues early in 2021. As
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we look toward economic recovery, a major infrastructure bill would create good paying jobs, improve every citizens quality of life and ensure economic vitality for many years to come. PREMO-BLACK: Congress will have to address the issue of federal surface transportation investment as the extension of the FAST Act is set to expire on September 30, 2021. The good news is that there was legislation approved in Congress last year that called for a robust increase in federal spending. While these measures do not carry over into the new Congress, they do set a precedent. The Senate “America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act” was approved by the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee in July of 2019 and called for $278 billion in highway program funding, an increase of 27 percent over the FAST Act. The House INVEST in America Act, approved in July 2020, would have provided $319 billion in federal highway program funds. Transportation has traditionally been a bipartisan issue and one area where members of Congress can come together. Voters continued to show this at the ballot box where they voted on 335 state and local transportation funding measures. A record-high 94 percent of measures were approved in 18 states across the country, including Arkansas, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Washington. How would our infrastructure investment possibly change under President-elect Joe Biden? Should the industry be afraid of his approach to sustainable initiatives? MORTIMER: The Chamber is ready and willing to engage in conversations with many companies to bring innovation and technology in building 21st century infrastructure. While we may differ on some of the specific proposals, the business community
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wants to be engaged in building modern infrastructure that will improve the environment and be resilient to last for many years.
Audrey Copeland, president, National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA)
COPELAND: During the 116th Congress there has been an increased focus on carbon emissions reduction, resiliency and recyclability. A change in Administration will not shift that priority but will amplify it. The asphalt pavement industry has a long history of implementing sustainable technologies and is actively engaged in multiple efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of pavements. Transportation vehicles are one of the largest sources of carbon emissions in the U.S. With over 90% of America’s roads surfaced with asphalt, building and maintaining pavements in good condition or better plays a significant role in creating a low-carbon transportation network. When it comes to asphalt pavements, emission reductions can be achieved through expanded use of proven technologies and optimized design and construction practices. NAPA will be working with the 117th Congress to continue to further reduce the carbon footprint of pavements by providing adequate funding through the next transportation reauthorization bill to
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SPECIAL REPORT keep existing roads smooth through timely maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction projects. HUITT & TOMKINS: I think Biden has a better chance of passing infrastructure funding. The concrete paving industry should be afraid of sustainable initiatives not the asphalt paving industry. Will the road building industry suffer under Biden if he works to reinstate regulatory reforms Trump has put in place? BASU: The regulatory environment will change meaningfully under a Biden presidency, but not for all industries. Among the most impacted industries will be oil, natural gas and coal. Firms in these segments are likely to face a more expensive regulatory framework, ultimately translated into less output than there would have been under a second Trump term. That will impact related construction. However, alternative energies will receive greater support, including wind, solar and battery technologies.
COPELAND: It is important for the industry to read “Build Back Better: The Biden Plan to Build a Modern, Sustainable Infrastructure and an Equitable Clean Energy Future.” Under the plan, a Biden Administration will push for “a series of policies to build worker power to raise wages and secure stronger benefits,” including expansions in union representation and collective bargaining, maintain DavisBacon, Project Labor Agreements and expand Buy America. As with all campaign proposals, the challenge is in the details. NAPA will be working closely with a Biden Administration to provide insight on how regulatory relief has proved beneficial and ensure the potential impacts of any regulatory reform are well understood by the policymakers. What other changes can the industry expect to see under Biden? BASU: Under Biden, there will be a push toward more comprehensive health insurance coverage. All things being
Anirban Basu, chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group Inc.
equal, that should translate into more healthcare facility spending during the years ahead. HUITT & TOMKINS: I think the long-term economy will suffer some. Spending on social programs, education, health care and environmentally friendly initiatives will increase. I would expect less gasoline consumption which would lower gas tax revenues unless gas tax is increased or a better user-based fee is implemented.
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SPECIAL REPORT
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Finding Workers & Keeping Them Safe With many workers losing their jobs in the pandemic, the construction industry has seen far fewer layoffs. Has this positively impacted the worker shortage or are companies still desperate to hire skilled workers? BASU: Unfortunately, construction skills shortages will remain after the pandemic. While it is true that construction has lost nearly 300,000 jobs on a year-ago basis, past experience suggests that many construction workers will retire or find opportunities in other industries, including in e-commerce (e.g. drivers, fulfillment center workers). The industry continues to experience elevated retirements and too few young people entering the industry. However, with unemployment elevated and people scrambling for middle income jobs, more young people may be induced into considering the skilled trades. Emerging training platforms, including those using virtual reality, may also induce more young people to enter the trades. HUITT & TOMKINS: This industry is still desperate to find skilled workers without the pandemic. It positively affects the worker shortage issue however and companies that have robust training programs will create a long-term competitive advantage for attracting and keeping workers that create value. MORTIMER: The need for skilled workers continues and the Chamber is supporting efforts to provide the job skills that can ensure our nation has the workforce necessary to build a 21st century infrastructure. What do you suggest we do as an industry to help create a larger pool of workers for the future?
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COPELAND: We need to identify opportunities to develop programs with schools, technical colleges and universities, and then create a national support network that raises the profile of industry opportunities. Since most workforce development initiatives currently focus on the people already employed in the asphalt pavement industry, it’s crucial to target people outside the industry. A great example is when the Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana began collaborating in 2017 with the Indiana Chapter of Future Farmers of America to introduce asphalt opportunities to agriculture students. The result was the first ever Ag2Asphalt Day in 2018, where asphalt producers, paving companies, and equipment and materials suppliers, as well as colleges, participated in a career fair and offered hands-on experiences with construction simulators. We should continue to expand the philanthropy of the industry and share the success stories of those communities and individuals impacted by our support and commitment to diverse recruitment. HUITT & TOMKINS: We need to create workforce development programs and market the road construction industry to high schools and universities. BASU: To expand the pool of workers, construction must expand access to virtual training opportunities in addition to expanding the scale and scope of apprenticeship programs. Too many young people look askance at construction, deeming it to be a less satisfying industry than those that align more neatly with college degrees. In short, the industry has to appear and be cooler. This involves marketing to young people, expanding the use of cutting edge technologies both for purposes
Blue Planet Studio/AdobeStock
of training and in the delivery of construction services, and emphasizing the wages, benefits and entrepreneurial opportunities that accompany the trades. Companies that have been busy with work have also been tasked with keeping their workers safe from the virus. Has this negatively impacted productivity or are companies taking these challenges in stride and moving forward? PREMO-BLACK: Businesses across the country and all industries have had to adjust because of COVID-19. This includes enhanced measures that add necessary costs to keep workers and customers safe. Transportation is also a core business expense. To the extent that an increase in federal, state and local investment can help reduce those transportation costs in the short and long term, this will help offset the increase in other business costs and support longerrun gains in productivity. HUITT & TOMKINS: Companies have done a really good job at meeting the challenge and we have not seen a decrease in productivity. Less travel and entertainment costs due to virtual meetings has been a positive. COPELAND: Companies treat coronavirus like other hazards by first recognizing how exposure occurs and then controlling for that exposure. Initially some of the state mandates and federal guidance were unclear and that created uncertainty and confusion, especially for companies that operate in more than one state. Once proper PPE was put in-place, for example face coverings, sanitization and social distancing, productivity was
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SPECIAL REPORT not significantly impacted. However, due to media attention, some employees might have focused too much on protecting themselves from the coronavirus at the expense of paying equal attention to other daily construction hazards.
MORTIMER: We have seen companies continue to operate and even thrive while ensuring their workforce and customers remains healthy and safe. The Chamber continues to promote important things such as wearing a
mask, maintaining social distancing and washing hands until a vaccine is available in the near future.
In a time of rapid change in order to survive, have there been procedures that have changed for the better? (i.e. use of more e-ticketing and online collaboration software) How is this benefiting contractors? Has the pandemic helped or hindered contractor adoption of technology?
host meetings and webinars as well as publish technical publications, reports, articles, podcasts and more to help asphalt contractors handle the changing environment in which they work. Our on-staff subject matter experts are available to talk one-on-one with members to help them understand what is happening at FHWA and owner agencies, and to know what is coming down the road regarding specifications, funding, regulations and technology. Have a vision for the future and fortify that vision with the right people (workforce) and equipment to achieve those goals. Network and benchmark with non-competing companies that are focused on advancement of their company and the industry as a whole.
COPELAND: Time and research will tell if recycling plastics into our mixtures is smart, and the industry embraces that discovery process. Over the past year and a half, a NAPA task force has been looking into the use of plastics in asphalt mixtures. In partnership with the Asphalt Institute, this task force has commissioned the most comprehensive state-of-knowledge document written by the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) and has developed an industry position document. Additionally, NAPA has championed research problem statements that are being funded by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program to answer questions that are absolutely critical to understanding if plastics are viable in asphalt. Additives such as recycling agents continue to present opportunities to expand the industry’s impressive commitment to environmental stewardship. There also remains an emphasis on performance testing and balanced mix design, which presents several opportunities for the industry to continue to deliver the best solution at the lowest life cycle cost for our customers and the traveling public.
››››› A Look to the Future COPELAND: All change can bring challenges, but it also brings opportunities. E-ticketing use has increased significantly, and it can streamline recordation for jobs and improve the speed of communication with owner agencies. Some states have started virtual training and certification programs, which allow personnel to be certified without the time and travel cost associated with going to a severalday course usually only offered in a few locations throughout a state. BASU: I don’t quote Lenin often. It’s generally frowned upon in America. But he is quoted to have said, “During some decades, nothing happens. And during certain weeks, decades happen.” The pandemic will accelerate technology adoption. Some will be left behind in this process, while some will achieve market success beyond their wildest imaginings. HUITT & TOMKINS: Anything that can streamline paperwork or can get work done quicker than before is a good thing. How can contractors be prepared for change and what can help them adapt faster? COPELAND: Stay involved in organizations, such as NAPA, which tracks all of the industry news and provides resources for members. We
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BASU: There are certain people who are always reading; who are continuously focused on new developments and the ways the world is changing. Some of these people are young, and these are the types of people who should be encouraged to join businesses and to have a seat near the head of the table. While not everything they will say will be brilliant or workable, their presence may induce thinking beyond current circumstances. That can help businesses evolve faster, which is precisely what they will need to do in the post-pandemic world. HUITT & TOMKINS: Contractors should become more involved in their industry associations to leverage the power of many to prepare and adapt to change. What innovations (i.e. plastics in asphalt/ rejuvenators, etc.) do you think will disrupt the road building industry in 2021?
Blue Planet Studio/ AdobeStock
HUITT & TOMKINS: Yes, tire rubber, plastics and rejuvenators will continue to disrupt the industry. Our roadways will continue to be utilized as a linear landfill. Sustainability initiatives will do more to disrupt the road building industry than innovations in materials.
To stay up to date on the latest industry news, bookmark ForConstructionPros. com/Asphalt
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 3:58 PM
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PRODUCTION NOTES |
BY JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR
OXFORD CONSTRUCTION Completes Plant Upgrades Piece by Piece The Georgia-based highway contractor turned to ALmix to help them regain efficiency at their Albany plant
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ike most asphalt plants, upgrades are slowly made over the years when the existing components that
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are in place no longer serve the needs of the company. This is certainly true for Oxford Construction's plant in Albany, GA which has been upgraded little by little over the years until it underwent a major overhaul this last year. The plant has been installed at this location since 1998. Since then, they’ve added a third silo, added cold feed storage bins, upgraded the baghouse in 2007 and in 2010, they upgraded the
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controls to a modicon system. The plant averages around 135,000 tons a year but has produced upwards of 200,000 in good years. However, ten years passed since the plant had seen any additional improvements. When the plant needed another upgrade this year including new controls, a new control house and a new drum, Oxford turned to ALmix.
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PRODUCTION NOTES RELATIONSHIPS BUILD TRUST Bruce Melton, president of Oxford Construction Company, has been with the company for 40 years and for much of that time has worked with Steve O’Neal, sales manager at ALmix. “I met Steve when I came to work for Oxford in 1980 and he sold us our first portable plant in 1987,” Melton says. “A Standard Havens Low Rider.” The company, which operates four hot mix asphalt plants in Albany, Bainbridge, Blakely and Lumpkin, GA, purchased several Cedar Rapids and Terex plants over the years with help from O’Neal. So, when it came time to upgrade the Albany plant again, Melton turned to someone he trusted. “In 20 years, we had run 3.7 million tons through that plant all on the original drum,” Melton says. “We had done a lot of patching and repairs over the years and that’s a lot of tons to run through a drum so it was time for an upgrade. I’ve had a relationship with Steve for 40 years and he’s been pushing me to look at purchasing an ALmix plant for nine years.” Melton says the company would have liked to have purchased an entire new plant but
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like many companies are still recovering from the 2008 recession and decided to upgrade the plant in major component pieces. The company knew they needed to upgrade from the existing modicon system on the plant as it was no longer supported by the factory and Oxford had to rely on independent contractors to do any type of work on the old control system. “After talking with Steve and looking at several different options
Oxford needed to upgrade their outdated modicon system as it was no longer supported by the factory. They chose an Insignia control system from ALmix and put in a new control house.
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11/18/20 4:02 PM
ADM KNOWS NO LIMITS. When it comes to buying the asphalt plant that’s right for you, discover ADM. We don’t limit you to the cookie cutter solutions you find elsewhere. Instead, we get to know you and your business, so we can customize a plant for you from one of our four series of asphalt plants.
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PRODUCTION NOTES
The three 200-ton silos and drag slats have not been replaced since 1998 and are next on the list for Oxford to replace
over the course of the year, we decided to install a complete new control house, new controls, new drum, new drum frame and burner all completely new,” Melton says. MERGING OLD & NEW Many plant owners know the challenges of marrying old components to new ones and the transition at Oxford’s Albany plant was no different. "We decided to install the ALmix Insignia control system but we also had older components that we needed it to interface with including the baghouse, the cold feeds, silos, drag slats and more," Melton says. "ALmix came in and installed the new control package, mating them up to the new and existing components." Following recommendations from the team at ALmix, Oxford eliminated the Cutler Hammer controls and installed Allen Bradley controls. They also eliminated the Nordic soft starts and went to VFD drives. To help improve the plant’s proportioning accuracy alongside the new control system, ALmix installed upgrades to the plant’s cold feed, RAP, dust return and AC metering systems including new belt feeder motors, new conveyor belt scales, a new dust return system and a new AC metering skid. ALmix was also on location to help train plant operators on the new control system. “On our old plants, they all had the same controls so we could easily swap operators at different locations as we needed,” Melton says. “So far our operators are liking this system, it’s very intuitive but it’s going to take some getting used to.”
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AND WE DO THIS... DRUM REPLACEMENT A dependable mixing drum is fundamental to maintain the productivity of an asphalt plant. Replacing an older drum offers opportunities to both maintain operation and improve performance. Astec works with you to integrate a new drum into your existing operation and supports each drum replacement with service and parts.
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AND YOU KNOW WE DO THIS... Our commitment to serving our customers in the asphalt pavement industry drives us to be our best, from our full-service engineering department eager work with you to configure a plant to meet your needs, to our logistics and construction crews ready to get that plant delivered and operational. Astec plants are all backed by after the sale parts and service support. You can count on us as your single source for complete plants, component equipment, parts and service.
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All specifications subject to change with or without notice. | Products shown are representative, details may vary. | Equipment shown with options at additional cost.
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No other NorthENGINEERING AmericanCONSTRUCTION manufacturer more options than Astec. SERVICEoffers & PARTS TRAINING
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PRODUCTION NOTES
Preventing Catastrophe Oxford purchased their new components from ALmix in January with a target ship date of May. The company was hoping to have the new plant erected in July. While the drum for the Albany plant was being fabricated by ALmix, Oxford’s Bainbridge location experienced a catastrophic drum failure during the month of March, prime time for spring paving. “Something like this had never happened before but we had a failure around the RAP collar of the drum,” Melton says. “We only had about a million tons through this drum but apparently the welds weren’t fully developed when this drum was fabricated and over time they failed one by one until this drum was basically broken in half.” The company was told the repair would be too expensive and were at a loss on how to get back up and running. ALmix came to the rescue, fabricating a new drum in the month of April and installing it by June. “The price from ALmix was competitive and they were able to deliver in an acceptable timeframe,” Melton says. “We were still down three months but ALmix put a rush on fabrication for this drum for us.”
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EFFICIENCY GAINS COMPETITIVE EDGE Melton hopes these new upgrades help Oxford Construction stay competitive in their market. The company, which has been in business for almost 75 years, is one of the largest highway/heavy contractors in South Georgia. While Oxford’s biggest client is the Georgia DOT, the company serves a diverse client base for private, commercial, industrial and governmental projects throughout Southwest Georgia. To increase production efficiency and overall mix quality, Oxford opted to upgrade the plant with a new 100-in. diameter UF Series drum from ALmix. “The drum at this plant was very tired,” Melton says. “The new drum is already making a good homogeneous mixture for our projects. We know it’s going to be an upgrade for the mix quality and for our productivity and we’re confident it’s going to be a big improvement.” Melton says that going forward, the company plans to continue to work with ALmix to replace the drag slats and silos. The three 200ton silos and drag slats have not been replaced since 1998. Cold feed replacements and a new baghouse will eventually be on the upgrade list over the next four or five years.
For more information on upgrading your asphalt plant, visit ForConstructionPros.com/21122894
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 4:04 PM
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PRODUCTION NOTES Stansteel Recycle and Shingle Bin Retrofits
WEM Plant Automation Systems The WEM4000 Pro Series batch control combines accuracy, flexibility and the ease of use needed to maximize productivity and profitably. • Multiple range freefall insures exacting accuracy across multiple load sizes, optimizing efficiency • Multiple ticket formats, customizable reports, user configurable graphics and many other features provide the flexibility needed in an ever changing industry • Communications to a central business management system is a breeze with built-in data transfer utilities included with every system ForConstructionPros. com/10085629
Libra Systems Web Services Libra Systems' Web Services platform provides real-time information with web alerts and web reports. • Alerts allow authorized user to configure alerts that are received via text or email • Alert types exist to meet the needs of endusers, salesmen, job foreman, plant superintendents, and general management • Web reports provides authorized users mobile access to companywide or filtered reports • Administrators may grant selected customers (“end-user customers”) the right to subscribe to alerts or access reports ForConstructionPros. com/12286417
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Stansteel has developed a line of recycle and shingle and other material feed bins that can be retrofitted to any brand or type of plant. • Non-plugging bottom feed and strategically placed components such as air cannons, powerful magnets, recycle RAP Gator and other methods to promote RAP and shingle usage and handle it in a manner for continuous and trouble-free feeding
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Astec SEB SelfErecting Bin Astec's Self-Erecting Bin (SEB) meets NTEP Handbook 44 specifications. • Portable unit combines five major plant functions into a single load • Drag conveyor transports mix to the bin where it's batched, weighed and loaded onto trucks • Also includes plant's control center • Entire system self-erects in less than 15 minutes
MAXAMizer Heat Recovery System The MAXAMizer Heat Recovery System from MAXAM provides an increase in production and a decrease in fuel costs. • Stack temperature automatically maintained at target set point • Excess heat that normally escapes the stack goes right into the material, eliminating waste • Reduces maintenance and operating costs • Protects baghouse from low temperatures during the production of warm mix asphalt
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MINDS, Inc. DrumTronic Asphalt Plant Automation & Controls DrumTronic is a dependable, accurate, reliable and customizable system that is ideal for a simple bitumen and aggregates blending only application, or comprehensive total plant control. • The human interface has been thoroughly designed to represent the actual plant being controlled. The layout of information and task workflows allow for a quick understanding of the overall workings • The operator remains in control, and the process can be stopped and resumed anytime, while direct control of motors is always possible ForConstructionPros.com/21117830
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Heatec RECON Monitor Heatec RECON is designed to keep operators informed about the status of asphalt storage tanks and hot oil heaters at their HMA plant. • Web-based system that uses a smart phone, tablet computer or PC • Display screen shows real-time status of the hot oil heater that heats asphalt tanks as well as the status of asphalt stored in tanks • One version shows status of the plant heater and up to three tanks; another version shows status of two plant heaters and up to six tanks • Other screens show trend data, which can be printed, that enables operators to better manage usage ForConstructionPros. com/12164473
Rock Systems Portable RAP Bin & Weigh Conveyor Rock Systems Portable RAP Bin & Weigh Conveyor contains a complete two-bin RAP feeder & a portable 24-in. x 65-ft. portable weigh conveyor. • 2 bin RAP feeder is complete with 7-ft-8-in. x 12-ft. long hopper openings • 30-in. wide belt feeders with 7.5 h.p. electric motor drives ForConstructionPros.com/20866689
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DECEMBER 2020 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS |
BY ALLAN HEYDORN, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
O T W E O H ROV P IM 19 tips to help improve the hauling process, from plant to truck to paver hopper
T
he hot mix asphalt that is loaded into a truck at the plant, delivered to the jobsite, then transferred from the truck to the paver is probably the most-important element in a successful paving job. Most paving contractors rely on end-dump trucks to get that part of the job done, but the process can be fraught with challenges, which can affect the quality and even profitability of the finished paving job. After arriving at the jobsite, trucks usually have to wait in line to deliver mix to the paver. Once it’s their turn, they unload the mix by raising the
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truck bed and the mix empties into the hopper. It’s this process that can result in pavement defects, stops and starts, and uneven mix distribution if not properly handled. “Unfortunately, the guy dumping the truck is often the brand-new guy on the crew,” says John Ball, Top Quality Paving. “For some reason crews think that the guy dumping doesn’t have to know a lot about paving, that all they have to do is raise the bed up and take it down. This couldn’t be further from the truth. “We need to make sure we move the material as a mass, and that means the truck driver needs to be trained in the paving operation,” Ball says. “The driver needs to know how to raise the bed, but not raise it too high or too quickly. The driver has to know how to handle the brakes, how to keep the hopper full without running out, how to keep
y r e v i l e D MA of H e h t o t e t i s Job the tires in contact with the front of the paver, and how to make sure the tires aren’t dragging – especially when paving on top of gravel where dragging tires will create a windrow that results in a bump in the paving.”
Challenges encountered with mix delivery can affect the quality and even profitability of the finished paving job.
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS
Here are 19 tips to help make sure the hot mix you’re getting delivered makes it onto the ground so you can construct the best mat possible.
release agent should be applied evenly on the bottom and inside sides of the truck bed; avoid puddles of the release agent on the floor of the bed.
BEFORE THE JOB Apply a Release Agent. Ball says most contractors know that a release agent prevents the mix from sticking to the truck bed, but many still use diesel fuel instead of any of a number of products designed specifically to be used as a release agent. Not only has use of diesel fuel as a release agent been banned under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, it’s environmentally unacceptable, and its use will compromise the hot mix asphalt, causing it to break down and resulting in a poor-quality mat. Ball says the
Load the truck correctly. Ball says that improper loading of material at the asphalt plant can result in segregation of the mix and difficulty in dumping the mix into the hopper. Drivers should avoid singledrop loading from the plant, which sets the stage for segregation. He says the best way to prevent segregation and assure an easier transfer of material into the paver hopper is to use multiple-drop loading at the plant. To do this the driver of the truck pulls forward as a pile of mix is dropped into the truck bed. Small trucks might only use two piles where large dump trucks might contain three piles.
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Tarp the truck bed. Even when travelling short distances from plant to jobsite, it’s important to tarp the load. The tarp should cover the bed and overlap the end and sides and it should be tied down tight. Tarping helps the mix retain heat and protects it from the elements – cool wind or rain. It also helps keep the mix warm if the truck has to sit in line waiting its turn at the site. Tarping the mix also prevents a very thin crust from developing on the mix surface. This “crusting” can lead to segregation.
Using a material transfer vehicle helps prevent single drop loading from the dump truck which can cause segregation.
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS
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Before paving, make sure there are no overhead obstacles around the paving area that would prevent the truck bed from being raised as needed.
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Review the plant ticket. When drivers pick up the ticket at the plant, make sure to check the time and load order so they know what order they need to line up in at the site. Also check tonnage which tells both their load and provides a running total.
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Line up in order – and stay in order. Trucks need to stay in order in line because that way the timing and temperature is consistent for the paver. “If the trucks are out of order, if truck four goes before truck two, the temperature of the mix in
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truck two will be significantly cooler by the time it’s placed, meaning it won’t go through the paver as uniformly and it will be more difficult to compact properly,” Ball says.
paving starts. Make sure there are no wires or tree branches overhead and along the upcoming paving pass that would prevent the truck bed from being raised as needed.
BEFORE PAVING STARTS Designate responsibility. Ball says a “truck dumper” person should be responsible for the interaction of the haul trucks and the paver. This person needs to make themselves visible at all times to the driver of the dump truck, so wearing a safety vest is a must. This is obvious for safety reasons but also makes it easier for the driver to see them.
Know each truck that’s dumping the mix. Does the tailgate have a chute or not? Is it a manual, air or hydraulic gate? The hooks on each are different so make sure you know how to open them.
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Check for obstacles. This can be the job of the truck dumper or the foreman, but this must be done before the
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BACKING UP THE HAUL TRUCK Maintain eye contact with the driver. Ball says the truck dumper always needs to be able to see the eyes of the truck driver. “They need constant eye contact with the driver not only so they can direct the driver when to stop and
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11/18/20 8:34 PM
MATH
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4003 Tiffin Ave., Sandusky, OH 44870 419-625-8953 • 888-608-1997 www.pegasustrailers.com ACON1220_40-49_Jobsite_J.indd 45
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS
start but also so that if the truck suddenly accelerates, the truck dumper can move out of the way,” Ball says. “Eye contact is a safety protection, too.”
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Don’t bump the paver. Ball says the dump truck should stop about 1 ft. from the paver, then the paver operator should start the machine moving forward, picking up the stopped truck. The key to this process is that the paver picks up the truck instead of the truck backing into and bumping the paver. This approach will reduce mat roughness and screed marks.
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Center the truck. The truck dumper should step back behind the paver to make sure the truck is centered in the middle of the paver so the mix dumps in evenly across the hopper. “You will only get even distribution on the screed if the material is dumped evenly across the hopper,” Ball says. “If the truck is in the middle of the paver, you’ll have a better chance of getting mix spread evenly across the hopper. It also helps if the screed is evenly spaced, which will help draw the mix back evenly.”
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Examine the position of mix in the truck bed. Ball says the truck dumper should look to see how the load is positioned in the truck. He says where the mix is positioned determines how it’s going to flow into the paver and how quickly to raise the truck bed. If the mix is loaded properly – if it’s in two or three piles, centered between the sides -- it’s been loaded properly and it will flow smoothly as the bed is raised slowly (assuming it’s at the correct temperature). But if the mix is all at the end of the truck bed, it will rush out too quickly if the bed is raised too fast. RAISING THE TRUCK BED “Break” the mix. The hot mix asphalt has been sitting in piles for the trip from the plant to the site
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– even longer if the truck had to wait in line once arriving at the site. The driver should raise the truck bed just enough so the mix “breaks” and slides against the tailgate. This helps keep the mix together and prevents segregation. Make sure the tailgate is closed!
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Transfer the mix. Once the mix has gathered against the tailgate, open the gate and raise the bed as needed to transfer hot mix asphalt to the hopper. Make sure the gate is unlocked before the driver begins
raising the bed. “If the gate isn’t open and the driver lifts the bed, the mix will dump out too fast and spill into a pile in front of the paver,” Ball says. “The weight of the mix will push the truck and paver apart -- and you’ll have a big pile of mix on the ground. Then what usually happens is the paver runs over the pile, creating a bump in the mat.”
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Make sure the paver stays at the same speed. “The paver needs to maintain a certain speed,” Ball says. “You can’t be going from 25 fpm,
Blaw
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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 8:35 PM
GENCOR WELCOMES BLAW-KNOX! Gencor Industries welcomes its newest member of the family - Blaw-Knox. With over a century of innovation to its credit, Blaw-Knox pavers have earned a reputation for quality, durability and performance unmatched in the industry. Today, with its new and improved highway-class designs, Blaw-Knox continues to deliver on its promise with all the performance features you’ve come to expect from an industry leader.
The Legacy Lives On.
Blaw-Knox Corporation 1280 Superior Avenue Chambersburg, PA 1720 Tel. 717-400-7900 www.blawknox.com
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11/18/20 8:35 PM
JOBSITE INNOVATIONS
Ball to Offer 4 Sessions at NPE* John Ball, Top Quality Paving, will present four paving-focused sessions at the 2021 National Pavement Expo. Paving “Best Practices.” Relying on his video-focused approach, this session will take contractors step-by-step through the paving operation. You’ll learn how to get the most out of your crew and your equipment and how to complete high-quality paving jobs as efficiently as possible. Putting the Puzzle Together. This session will cover each phase of the paving operation, showing how they all need to fit together for an efficient, safe, successful job. You’ll learn about job planning (including determining tonnage, delivery pace and production speed), crew meetings, paving layout, paving, and rolling. Plus, video will reveal “best practices” for each element of the job. How to Get High-quality Paving at Night. This session will cover the “ins and outs” of working at night with an eye toward maintaining the same high level of job quality your crews attain during the day. You’ll learn how to set up proper signage for traffic control, how to make sure your crew works as safely as possible, and how to coordinate the construction process. Improving Asphalt Mat Quality. In this session you’ll learn what segregation is, the different ways it can occur, which mixes are more susceptible to segregation, what problems segregation can cause, how to identify segregation before it reaches your paver, and how to identify segregation in the mat. You’ll learn the steps you can take along the way – from the plant through delivery and installation – to reduce mix segregation. *At press time, NPE 2021 was planning to proceed as scheduled in Nashville, TN.
to 15 to 40 fpm. The driver of the truck can’t adjust his brakes that quickly so a paver changing speeds means the truck loses contact with the paver. If the paver speeds up the driver has to release the brakes at the right time to prevent mat issues; if the paver slows down it will
separate from the truck, resulting in uneven flow of mix, inability to keep the hopper full, or if he slows too much too quickly a pile of asphalt on the ground in front of the paver.”
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Don’t allow the paver to “carry” the truck. The raised truck bed “should not come into contact with the hopper and should not be carried by or ride on any portion of the paver.” If the truck is in contact with any portion of the paver, it can essentially transfer some of the truck weight to the paver, and when that happens, the screed tow-points of the paver can be altered, which can affect the smoothness of the finished pavement.
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Monitor flow of hot mix. Material self-levels as it flows from the truck. Once it’s level – once there’s no more pressure on it – that’s when you raise the truck bed. The truck dumper should stand back from the paver so they can see into the truck bed as the driver raises it and mix is released. The driver, directed by the truck dumper and paver operator, needs to get the bed up at the right angle so the mix is flowing. If the hot mix is flowing smoothly and comes out as a line of material across the truck bed, then it’s flowing properly.
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Raise the bed gradually – and at the right time. If the material is not flowing smoothly, the truck dumper or paver operator needs to have the driver make adjustments. If the mix
is bunched at the end of the truck bed, don’t raise the bed too high because the mix will just rush out. If the material won’t flow from the truck bed, it’s because the mix is waiting for the pressure to build up and push it out. Raising the bed creates that pressure. When the mix stops flowing, that’s when you raise the bed another 3-4 ft. When it again stops flowing, raise it another 3-4 ft. Continue this process until almost all the mix has come to the end of the truck, as many as four or five times. Ball says it should take 4-4-1/2 minutes to empty a typical truck and pave 100 ft.
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Clean-out the Truck Bed. After mix empties out of the truck, the driver puts the body down, closes the tailgate, drives away from the paver and drives to a dumping area to clean out the rest of the truck bed. Ball says that there’s usually less than a 1/2 ton of material left in the truck bed, but that material needs to be removed before picking up another load. “Slam the tailgate, clean off the chute, then dump that extra mix off to a designated area where it can later be picked up and thrown away,” Ball says. “Then make sure the driver lowers the bed, and send the truck back to the plant, completely empty and cleaned of mix.” Information for this article was obtained from The Asphalt Handbook, MS-4, Asphalt Institute, and Hot-Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook 2000, Army Corps. Of Engineers.
For more information on hauling, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21076389
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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 8:35 PM
& Safety & Electro-Mechanical On-Line Classroom Mid-January to Mid-March Zoom in and join industry leader Clarence Richard.
*Classes fill on first come basis.
Improve . . . • • • •
*Classes fill Monday forward. *The 3 Wkshp Days in any order. *When you can't make it that day, come back another available day. *Recorded classes, available. *Private Workshops considered.
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Safety Mix Quality Production Operating Costs
Private Workshops Available Register online www.clarencerichard.com under Training or contact Carrie. Phone: 952.939.6000 Email: carrie@clarencerichard.com 11/18/20 8:35 PM
JOBSITE INNOVATIONS VT LeeBoy 8515E Asphalt Paver The 8515E asphalt paver has a height of 68-in. for improved operator visibility to the front of the machine. • 74-hp Kubota Tier 4 final engine • Enhance hydraulic system optimizes system performance
Vögele Dash 3 Paver Super 2100-3i Paver The Super 2100-3i paver in the new ”Dash 3“ generation from Vögele is equipped with an AB 600 extending screed in the TP2 Plus version for high compaction. • EcoPlus low-emissions package combines a number of individual measures distinctly reducing fuel consumption and noise • PaveDock Assistant facilitates communication between the paver operator and the driver of the feed truck and ensures that the material is supplied to the paver safely and without jolts • AutoSet Plus offers an automatic repositioning function and an automatic function for paving programs ForConstructionPros.com/11328712
Carlson LED Blade Light • Paving width: 8-ft.to 15-ft. • Legend 815 or Legend 815 heavyduty electric screed • Poly pad tracks or continuous rubber tracks • Under auger material cut-off gates ForConstructionPros. com/12313462
Carlson's LED Blade Light has the ability to mount on a wide range of equipment including rollers, pavers, milling machines and more. • An all-in-one lighting platform able to be powered by 110/220v AC and 12/24v DC for a greater range of versatility • Produces equivalent light output of a 2,000-watt halogen while offering a lifespan of 50,000 hours ForConstructionPros.com/12041607
Sakai SW994 Vibratory Double-Drum Roller Sakai America launches a cabbed version of its 84-in. Sakai SW994 vibratory double-drum roller. • Designed with operators in extreme climates in mind where temperatures and weather conditions range from one extreme to another • Sightlines and wide windows offer the operator excellent visibility • Seat offers five positions to choose from ranging from front facing to plus or minus 45 degrees and plus or minus 90 degrees ForConstructionPros.com/12312819
Ray-Tech Fusion Joint Heaters The Ray-Tech Fusion Joint heaters are available in manual tow and automatic tow options and are ideal for any size paving job from parking lots to airports and highways to keep joints hot during paving. • Featuring a 15-in. x 12-in. stainless steel heating chamber • Mounted on a tow behind trailer that can be registered the same as any other trailer ForConstructionPros. com/20992903
Sany SSR120C-8 Roller Compactor The 26,455-lb. SSR120C-8 roller compactor provides 62,947/40,015 lbs.-ft. of excitation force, 32/36-Hz vibration frequency and .07/.035-in. nominal amplitude. • Features an 84-in. drum width and 59-in. diameter and offers 55% gradeability • 160-hp Cummins QSB4.5 Tier 4 Final diesel engine ForConstructionPros. com/12316658
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Dynapac MF2500CS Material Transfer Vehicle The MF2500CS and MF2500CS with SwingApp boast a capacity of up to 4,000 tph and are able to handle a variety of material applications, including asphalt, concrete, sand and base material. • Conveyor belt system can empty a standard 35-ton truckload in as little as 35 seconds • SwingApp functionality can transform the unit to an offset feeder by swinging the conveyor belt up to 55° in either direction. This provides the capability to handle a variety of feeding applications, including feeding two pavers in a side-by-side configuration, feeding one paver from a different lane or filling medians • Units are fully automated through the integration of distance control and feeding sensors
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“N
ForConstructionPros. com/20995073
F ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2020
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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 8:38 PM
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1946-2016 >> EagerBeaverTrailers.com
11/18/20 8:39 PM
JOBSITE INNOVATIONS Weiler P265 Asphalt Paver The Weiler P265 commercial paver provides heavy-duty components in a compact paver • Mechanical controls provide simple and reliable operation while cable-operated ground drive controls allow operation from either side of the machine • 3,000-lb. screed with a paving range of 7 ft. 8 in. to 14 ft. 4 in. with electric heat • Screed-mounted upper and lower augers, flow gate-style cut-off doors and independent control of each side of the delivery system provide precise material control • Highway-class chains, conveyor and auger bearings provide long-term reliability and extended wear life • Durable undercarriage with 70-in. track length, 53 in. of ground contact and 125 mm track chain pitch provide smooth ride ForConstructionPros.com/21018774
MultiFit LLC Compaction Optimizer I The intuitive Compaction Optimizer I display utilizes LED lights to indicate the progress of the compaction project. • At the beginning of the project, only a few lights might illuminate but as the project progresses and higher levels of compaction are achieved, more LED lights are lit indicating the increase in material stiffness
Volvo CR30B and CR35B Combination Rollers The CR30B and CR35B combination rollers include a highfrequency front drum and four pneumatic rear tires. • Feature 47.2- and 52-in. drum widths, 4,100 and 4,140 vpm and 7,460 and 8,050 lbs. of centrifugal force • Auto-vibration feature automatically engages vibration when machine reaches 1.5 mph and disengages when speed drops below 1.2 mph ForConstructionPros.com/20995716
HAMM VIO Compaction Meter With the new VIO compaction meter, HAMM compactors will be able to measure compaction even in oscillation mode in the future. • Using the HAMM Compaction Meter VIO, the benefits of comprehensive compaction control (CCC) are now available in applications with oscillation and the passes can be documented in a traceable manner • The system is already available for the compactors H 7i VIO (H CompactLine) and H 13i VIO (H series)
ForConstructionPros. com/20864448
Topcon Thermal Mapping System for Asphalt Paving
Roadtec SB-3000 Material Transfer Vehicle The SB-3000 Shuttle Buggy Material Transfer Vehicle (MTV) offers 25 tons of storage in the main hopper and can hold more than 30 tons of material to maintain nonstop paving. • Main operator positioned closer to paving action while maintaining optimal sight lines, with the ground operator protected inside the structure of the machine • 310-hp Cummins, QSB6.7, Stage 5 engine with ground-level access • Four-wheel steer ForConstructionPros. com/21108856
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The Thermal Mapper for asphalt paving is designed to monitor temperature segregation and easily provide accurate compliance reporting, all with real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning accuracy. • Provides visualization in real time of whether the mix falls within predefined temperature range
ForConstructionPros. com/21122271
ForConstructionPros. com/21121074
Mauldin 1350-C Commercial Asphalt Paver The 1350-C Commercial Paver has a small footprint and low clearance that makes it suited for applications ranging from road shoulder to utility trenches to small paths. • Standard working width of 4 to 8 ft. • 2,000-lb. screed comes standard with thermostatically controlled electric heat and sonic sensors to control the flow of material ForConstructionPros.com/21004129
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 8:41 PM
Carlson CP75 II Commercial Paver The CP75 II asphalt paver provides higher material transfer with its 36-in.-wide independent conveyors, while ergonomic controls and low visibility provide an operator-focused platform for residential and commercial paving applications. • Electrically heated EZC815 screed features a standard paving width of 8 to 15 ft., coupled with highway class features for leading mat quality in a commercial package • Operator-focused platform includes screed-mounted controls, intuitive electric switch functions, direct connect lever steering and the ability to run the platform from either side • Unit provides the option of high-efficiency chain/slat conveyors or the patented High Flow Material Conveyor
I would recommend T armac for any Asphalt or Industrial D rying proj ect. T heir talented and nowledgeable staff provides swift e ceptional service rom quipment ales, arts, and ngineering epartment, T armac gets the j ob done.
James Keene Fred Weber, Inc. General Manager Asphalt Operations has been a valued customer for over
years)
ForConstructionPros.com/21041395
Case DV36D, DV45D and DV45CD Vibratory Rollers
BOMAG BF 300 Commercial Class Paver The BF 300 offers hydraulically variable paving widths from 5.6 ft to 11.2 ft with screed extensions available in 13.8 and 19.7 in. widths. • Power and traction to pave up to 10-in. thick mats • MAGMALIFE technology heats the screed plates to paving temperatures in approximately 20 minutes • Load Control System (LCS) enables the operator to securely lock the screed into position for a set duration after paver restart to eliminate bumps in the mat • Equipped with the SIDEVIEW system, which allows the entire operator’s platform to shift to the left and right and the seat to be swiveled to offer up to a 23.6-in. overhang for an unobstructed sightline to the hopper, side of the paver and screed. ForConstructionPros. com/21047106
The DV36D and DV45D doubledrum rollers and the DV45CD combination vibratory roller are designed with high curb clearance and no overhangs for small- to mid-size compaction applications. • Drums can be offset to further improve accessibility and performance during turns • Powered by a 43.5-hp Tier 4 Final engine • Feature 8,290- to 10,340-lb. operating weights, selectable dual frequencies (2,700/3,420 vpm) and automatic or manual vibration engagement • ISO-mounted operator platform with standard lateral-sliding seat • Standard 50-gal. water tank with pressurized water system • Compatible with the Case ACE Force Intelligent compaction system
ASPHALT PLANTS, COMPONENTS & PARTS CALL: 816-220-0700 OR email: INFO@TARMACINC.COM
ForConstructionPros. com/21061353
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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www.tarmacinc.com
DECEMBER 2020 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR
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PRESERVATION UPDATE
FOG SEALS Preserve Pavement & Drive Innovation
Connecticut town test drives fog seal while protecting its infrastructure investment
I
n Vernon, CT., the department of public works (DPW) enjoys strong community support and relies on its arsenal of pavement preservation techniques to ensure its roads remain in good condition. Twice over the last two decades, the small town has approved bond issues for roads, first in 2005 and
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then again in 2014. The most recent ballot initiative allowed the DPW to invest $27 million into the community’s 125 miles of roads over a six-year period; a significant investment for this community of about 28,000. “It was a big chunk of money and a big undertaking,” says Jeff Schambach, lead road foreman at DPW. Schambach is a 32-year veteran of the department and also serves on the board of directors of the Connecticut Association of Street and Highway Repair Officials (CASHO). He notes that the multiyear program allowed the community to address much-needed maintenance
Delta Mist penetrates pavement to soften the asphalt binder and bind it to aggregates.
while spreading out both the cost and the work itself. From 2014 to 2019, the DPW performed some sort of road maintenance on nearly 280 roads. It employed techniques including fulldepth reclamation, mill and pave, and cold-in-place recycling, as well as surface treatments. “That puts us with around 80 percent of our roads having been
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 8:45 PM
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11/18/20 8:46 PM
PRESERVATION UPDATE
The plant-based rejuvenator is white when sprayed, but turns clear as it dries. In this application, dry time was approximately an hour.
touched in the last six years for some sort of road treatment,” Schambach notes. LOOKING FOR INNOVATIVE OPTIONS After completing the overhaul of so many of its roads, the DPW’s focus turned toward protecting that investment. “Now, we need to start looking at some of the roads we did early on to make sure we are maintaining them and prolonging their life,” Schambach says. While some DPWs entrench themselves with the use of known commodities, the Vernon DPW takes
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a more forward-looking viewpoint. “I know there’s a lot of the old school mindset out there about new technologies, but you don’t know until you try it. We’re always trying to be innovative and try new products,” he says. “We are always looking for another product that we can use to prolong the life of the roads we’ve just worked so hard on.” The Vernon DPW uses a variety of surface treatment options including crack sealing, chip seal, NovaChip and Cape sealing. Recently, however, the department put another new technology to the test: the Delta Mist fog seal. Based on the Delta S technology developed by Dr. John Warner and the staff at the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, Delta Mist is a plant-based, penetrating asphalt spray rejuvenator. It is sprayed onto road surfaces, entering up to 3/8-in. deep to soften the asphalt binder and renew the bond between the asphalt binder and the aggregate, while also slowing the development of cracks on the pavement’s surface. The DPW worked with Delta Mist’s manufacturer, Lowell, MA.-based
Collaborative Aggregates LLC, to identify an appropriate road for its pilot application. The project size, which covered approximately 5,000 square yards, allowed the DPW to work directly with a contractor knowledgeable with the product — Riverside Asphalt Services, of Boston, MA. Schambach says the street selected was one of the first to undergo rehabilitation in 2014, and it adjoins other roads maintained at the same time. “We have two other roads that were completed the same year and in the same condition as this road,” Schambach explains. “It will give us a good side-by-side comparison.” PUTTING INNOVATION INTO PRACTICE In preparation for the fog seal application, the street sweeper was sent out the day before to ensure a clean roadway. On the day of application, DPW employees with backpack blowers cleared any remaining debris. One lane was closed to traffic while the other was treated, then the process was reversed. Cars were allowed to exit their driveways throughout the application process. The road and curbs were both treated with an application rate of 0.10 gallons per square yard. Dry time before traffic could resume was approximately 60 minutes. Riverside Asphalt Services treated both curbs and the street with the fog seal.
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
11/18/20 8:47 PM
Stay connected! @pavementexpo
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All attendee registration fees for expo and conference passes are fully refundable if cancelled by December 20th. Book your hotel room through our trusted partner, Eventsphere, with no deposit due. Reservations can be cancelled up to 14 days before your arrival date without penalties. Over 200 exhibiting brands will be showing their newest products and services! Attend our educational sessions and workshops that keep you and your business competitive and inspired. Use link below to receive a promo code for $50 off a conference session. www.nationalpavementexpo.com/attendee/pavement-maintenance/
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PRESERVATION UPDATE
The organic, plant-based product offered a number of advantages in terms of both the application itself and community feedback, Schambach says. For example, as the curbs were treated, the DPW didn’t have to worry about blocking or covering catch basins. Overspray on grass or plants was also not a concern. “Afterwards, there was no cleanup; there was no going back and sweeping the road to remove loose chips; there were no people complaining that they’ve got stones in their driveway or on their grass or anything like that,” Schambach says. “With it being a 100% green product, it puts people a little bit more at ease. Everybody’s worried now about the use of pesticides, fertilizers and things like that. With this being a green product, it may be something we can utilize in treating our school parking lots as well to prolong their life.” EVALUATING THE IMPACT During the project, the DPW documented road conditions and took
photographs of certain areas so it can review how the road holds up compared to the adjacent untreated roads. Road conditions will be monitored and documented at six months and one year. The DPW will also review how the fog seal holds up to the rigors of salt treatment and plowing during the winter. If all goes well, use of the fog seal could be expanded to other streets throughout Vernon. The department has already identified seven other streets where fog seal could be used without the need for any other pavement preservation techniques. “We’re probably looking at about a three-year timeframe, and possibly doing another application at year three because the cost is low enough that it would probably bring us to the same cost if we had done a chip seal,” Schambach says. While it will continue to monitor the fog seal treatment over time, its early reviews are quite positive. “I think the process is pretty
Because the fog seal is organic, the DPW did not have to worry about blocking catch basins or worry about overspray on grass and plants.
straightforward. There’s not a lot of prep work or cleanup work afterward, and it went off very well with minimal effort,” Schambach concludes. “We’re excited to see what this product does to help us prolong road life for the cost. We’re really hopeful.”
For more information on fog seals, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21034462 Therese Dunphy has covered the construction materials industry for 30 years. As owner of Stone Age Communications, she provides communications consulting services to help operators build strong relationships within the communities they serve. She can be reached at therese@ stoneagecommunications.com.
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Education Online On Demand
STAY ON TOP OF CURRENT ISSUES AND EARN PDH CREDIT WITH NAPA’S UPCOMING WEBINARS Upcoming Webinars:
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Visit our online store for archived webinars https://member.asphaltpavement.org/Shop/Product-Catalog
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PRESERVATION UPDATE Superior Tire & Rubber Cushotrac Track Pads Cushotrac rubber and polyurethane track pads are designed for all types of crawler equipment, including cranes, dozers, excavators, grinders, milling machines, pavers, planers and trenchers. • Designed to eliminate grouser wear and surface damage, reduce noise and increase traction • Clamp On, bolt to link, bolt to plate, mold-on and bolt to grouser mounting designs available • Cushotrac SOLID rubber outrigger pads also available for backhoe-loaders ForConstructionPros.com/10181950
Wirtgen WR Series Wheeled Cold Recyclers Wirtgen offers three wheeled recyclers: the WR 200i, WR 200 XLi, WR 240i and WR 250 models. • Equipped with a powerful milling and mixing rotor as well as cuttingedge injection systems, they mill and granulate asphalt pavements, inject binding agents and water in precisely metered quantities and mix it all in a single in-place operation. ForConstructionPros. com/12315450
Bergkamp FP5 AllIn-One Pothole Patcher The FP5 flameless pothole patcher comes with InPave Technology, which monitors material usage, performance and location of each pothole, patcher and crew through multiple datareporting sensors strategically engineered into each unit. • Insulated 5.1-cu.-yd. electric-heated hopper ForConstructionPros. com/12055457
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Etnyre Hydrostatic Drive Self-Propelled Chip Spreaders Self-propelled Chipspreaders are used by both contractors and municipalities to uniformly distribute cover aggregate into the hot liquid asphalt sprayed by an asphalt distributor truck. • Hydrostatic drive system and a variable width spread hopper apply multiple aggregate sizes and application rates thru a full range of travel speeds and spreading widths • Higher horsepower • Reduced noise level • Soft start conveyors • Side mounted radiator • Operator controlled auger and conveyor speed • Larger receiving hopper with variable height
ForConstructionPros.com/12254684
Caterpillar RM400 Rotary Mixer The 51,809-lb. RM400 rotary mixer features an 8-ft. cutting width and is powered by a 417-hp C9.3 Tier 4 Final engine. • Standard all-wheel drive utilizes four independent drive pumps for maximum torque, traction and speed • Three different rotor speeds help deliver the desired material gradation and the electronic controller keeps the rotor at the proper depth and machine at a consistent speed to ensure optimal blending performance • Four rotor options are available for a variety of applications ForConstructionPros.com/21086837
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RePlay Agricultural Oil Seal and Preservation Agent RePlay Agricultural Oil Seal and Preservation Agent is a patented solution that extends the life of paved asphalt surfaces when applied every 3-5 years. • The 88% biobased solution is easily applied and cures within 15 to 30 minutes, saving the hassle of extended lane drop time and expensive labor • By reducing moisture penetration and sealing hairline cracks, RePlay reverses the oxidation process and protects asphalt from potholing, edge rutting and cracking
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Invigorate Asphalt Rejuvenator Invigorate Asphalt Rejuvenator from Colorbiotics is a new soybean oil-derived additive that triggers chemical reactions inside recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and stiff binders to break down asphaltene aggregation and reverse the effects of oxidation in the final mix. • Improves the chemical properties of lower-quality binders, addressing aged elements within RAP • This new technology, developed at Iowa State University, improves recyclability of asphalt while still meeting PG and performance-testing specifications ForConstructionPros. com/21201105
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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Roadtec RX-405 Cold Planer he RX-405 is designed to cut variable widths of 2 to 5 ft. and cuts up to 13-in. deep. It is perfectly balanced for smooth elevation changes while cutting. • Center mounted, belt driven cutter drum provides a high level of productivity with exceptional balance • Intuitive controls and full time camera displays allow a single operator to run the machine from the seated or standing position
Weiler S200 Soil Stabilizer The S200 soil stabilizer features either a soil or combination rearmounted rotor powered by dual planetary drive motors with a 150-rpm maximum drum speed. • 78-in.-wide drum has a 14-in. maximum working depth • Automatic depth set point feature allows the operator to set the desired rotor depth and return to it with the push of a button on the joystick ForConstructionPros.com/21108644
P l a n t W i s e Asphalt Drum Mix Automation
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• Variable Cutter System (VCS) makes quick work of drum changes. Since the drum is center mounted and belt driven, crews change drums quickly and safely • Drum Index Device rotates the drum independent of the cutter belt drive. This ability to rotate the drum while the drive belt is disengaged allows for safe access and maintenance ForConstructionPros. com/21121078
Caterpillar Diamond Cutting Bits Cat Diamond Bits can save operating costs and fuel efficiency by 15%. • Proprietary technology uses high pressure(1 million pounds per square inch) and high temperature (3000° F) to interlock the diamond grains into the stinger tip, which is set on the carbide body • By remaining sharp for hundreds of hours, Cat Diamond Bits dramatically reduce your costs and grow your bottom line • Last up to 80x longer than carbide tips, keeping crews more productive, month after month • Virtually eliminate labor costs for pick changes; eliminate unplanned, unproductive interruptions ForConstructionPros. com/12186884
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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Leveraging 50+ years of experience, the PlantWise Drum Mix
Control System offers producers unparalleled technology, ease-ofuse, and configurability. ✓ retrofit or total plant control ✓ easy calibration ✓ configurable screens “
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librasystems.com
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DECEMBER 2020 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR
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CLASSIFIEDS Contact Tadashi Soma Print and Digital Advertising
920-542-1267
tsoma@ACBusinessMedia.com
PUMP PACKING Stop your pumps from leaking!
Pre-cut packing sets proven within the Asphalt Industry. VikingÂŽ, Roper, Rotan, etc. Call Scott at 1-800-231-4209 www.rainsflo.com
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The asphalt batching can be controlled and monitored using the touchscreen on the enclosure, desktop, laptop, iPhone and iPad.
Silos Call Rodney at 603-566-4330 or Mark 603-860-8317 or refer to
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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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CLASSIFIEDS THE RELIABLE WORLD OF ASPHALT PLANT PRODUCTS
www.ReliableAsphalt.com
Reliable Asphalt Products provides parts and components for every type of asphalt production plant!
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Call Jim Watson. Over 30 years experience!
New, Used and Refurbished Asphalt Plant Equipment 521 Old 7 Mile Pike • Shelbyville, KY 40065 • Office Toll Free (866) 647.1782
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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CLASSIFIEDS ASPHALT PLANTS · Gencor 300 TPH counterflow drum mix plant · CMI 350 tph portable counterflow drum mix plant · Astec 350 tph Relo Double Barrel plant w/4 silos · Barber Greene 350 tph portable drum mix plant · Gencor 7’X40’ counterflow plant · Adm 100 tph stationary plant with silo & RAP · ADM 110 tph portable drum plant · Cedarapids 350 tph counterflow drum and baghouse · 150 TPH Stationary drum mix plant · Barber Greene 10,000# Asphalt Batch Plant · Astec 6000# tower and elevator · Astec 12,000# tower and elevator
· Astec 36” x 105’ slat conveyor · Gencor 70,000 CFM baghouse · 80,000 CFM Stationary Baghouse · Astec 400 tph Double Barrel only · Astec 75 ton self-erect silo · ADM 42,000 CFM portable baghouse · Bituma 100 ton silo & slat conveyor · ADM six bin cold feed system · Dillman mixing drum · Coneco 10 yard portable concrete plant · 15,000 gallon asphalt tank with hot oil heater
Please Call For Complete Inventory
Plant for sale? Call Clancy! Serving the Asphalt Industry for 50 years
E.T. CLANCY COMPANY 219-879-8231 • 800-348-8553 Email: sales@etclancy.com • www.etclancy.com
DRUM PROBLEMS? BREAKING THRUST IDLERS AND BEARINGS ■ TRUNNION BEARING FAILURE ■ TIRE WEAR AND FLAKING
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HIGH AND UNEVEN AMPERAGE ■ TRUNNION SLIDING ■ VIBRATION AND WASHBOARD
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WE CAN HELP!
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TIRE / TRUNNION RESURFACING AND ALIGNMENT SPECIALISTS
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570-779-1982 www.evansanddaniels.com
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OIL DISTRIBUTORS 2020 ETNYRE RENTAL RETURNS
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CLASSIFIEDS
Index Advertiser Index
PAGE
Advertiser Index
PAGE
ALmix
9
Roadtec
68
Asphalt Drum Mixers Inc. (ADM)
31
SealMaster
2
Astec Inc.
21, 25, 29, 33, 34-35
Systems Equipment
13, 55
Carlson Paving Products Inc.
67
Tarmac International, Inc.
53
Clarence Richard Company
49
TransTech Systems, Inc.
7
Eager Beaver General Engines
51
Weiler Products
17
Gencor Industries Inc.
3, 47
Wirtgen America Inc.
26-27, 41
Hog Technologies
39
Hotmix Equipment
23
LeeBoy, Inc.
5
Libra Systems Corp.
61
Meeker Equipment Co. Inc.
37
Minds, Inc.
43
NAPA
59
National Pavement Expo
57
Pegasus Vans & Trailers, Inc.
45
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at
ForConstructionPros.com DECEMBER 2020 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR
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THE LAST EXIT
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Five Common Causes of Construction's Most Expensive Errors
onstruction errors have a way of building off one another. A recent survey from McKinsey reported that an overwhelming majority of large scale construction projects miss deadlines by 40%. The five frequently made errors below do not account for all mistakes, but most of the expense. Consider some ways to avoid them.
➊ Incorrect Estimates While estimating is less glamorous and more behind the scenes than other parts of the construction process, it is one of the most critical. Providing the wrong numbers can directly affect the financial success of a project. If repeated too often, it can break the business. According to QuickBooks, this error is frequent as a third of construction companies are making less than projected. Because estimating impacts business prosperity, project leads need to take the time to ensure that the math adds up before the project begins. Even if the pressure is on, and stakeholders are anxious to start construction, it pays to assess costs. Examine fees for labor, materials, and potential risks and comb through the data to make sure there is room for error. Flawed timelines, equipment failures, or bad weather could all cause project upsets and affect the overall budget. Failing to build in a cushion could set the project on a crash course towards shutdowns or profit cuts from day one.
with cross-team communication or optimized processes. Taking advantage of the construction tools available today during preconstruction helps to avoid this. Verifying the site with a laser scanner removes human error from the measurement process and guarantees that drafters have the correct information. Digitizing the plans created from those measurements with Building Information Modeling (BIM) ensures that project stakeholders have a central model they can use to strategize the build. Taking both steps during preconstruction pays off in big dividends and can prevent timedraining project mistakes and conflicts. Ineffective Management Construction projects require a large amount of organization and operational oversite. With the complexity and coordination required it is unsurprising that in a study by PwC, only 2.5% of the 10,640 projects surveyed finished in the estimated timeline. Having a dedicated team of coordination specialists would help to prevent this common scenario. With a central unit to facilitate communication and collaboration between trades and across the project teams, there is accountability to keep the big picture in mind. This provides muchneeded insight and can give a thirdparty perspective that is sometimes necessary when resolving conflicts.
➍ Labor Challenges Bad Design If a construction project is designed poorly, project conflicts and onsite errors are inevitable. When designs are rushed it causes early hiccups and work-order changes that could have been prevented
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The skilled labor gap has been a topic of discussion for some time in construction. Many still feel the recruitment challenges caused by the Great Recession that lost 1.5 million skilled workers. Finding qualified skilled tradesmen to
fill the gap continues to be difficult. For some, it is harder than ever. Using emergent technologies to assist with menial or repetitive jobs helps ease labor challenges by empowering skilled labor to perform the jobs they specialize in and allowing for less qualified workers to enter the field. As construction technology continues to advance, it will help to train and resolve this challenge felt by many.
➎ Hiring the Wrong Team In construction, price is typically the determining factor for obtaining new business. When choosing a provider of services, it is crucial to not just look at the cost, but also the company’s reputation, area of expertise, level of experience and applied technologies. Choosing a provider that looks like more upfront but has advanced operational capabilities could reduce the overall project costs. While significant strides have been made over the past decade, rework still ads up to as much as $4.2 billion in the U.S. alone. Correcting these common errors with technologies and additional process can ultimately boosts the project’s bottom line. As construction continues to be elevated by connectivity and new capabilities, there will be real financial benefits to working smarter not harder. Lori Moes is co-founder and CFO of DJM CAD & Coordination, a BIM coordination firm in Schwenksville, PA. Lori got her start in construction early, estimating for her father's HVAC company. As she continued to work in the industry, she added project and financial management to her skills.
For more on improving operations visit ForConstructionPros. com/21194696
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
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A NEW KIND OF POWER TOOL
THE IDEAL MATERIAL TRANSFER SOLUTION The SB-3000 Shuttle Buggy® MTV is a powerful and efficient Material Transfer Vehicle. Ground level maintenance access, agile four-wheel steer, bright lighting, and a 35-ton storage capacity make the SB-3000 the best choice for your material transfer needs.
See the full range of products at roadtec.com
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