THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF NATIONAL PAVEMENT EXPO
Infrared Safety: Protect Your CREW! › 48
MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION MARCH/APRIL 2016 CELEBRATING
Top Contractor Deadline Nears, › 10
of Pa vin
g Main & Pavem ent tenan ce
How Asphalt Emulsions Preserve Pavement, › 30
e!
her T u o Y s Put
· Expo, Conference, NASCAR Night Photos, › 12-15 · Working Successfully with Property Managers, › 16 · Safety Meeting Suggestions, › 19 · Vehicle Checklist: Do Federal Regs Apply to You? › 64 · “Spring Training” Crew Secrets, ›70
› › › www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0315_01_Cover_AJ.indd 1
How to Outfit Your Sealcoating Crew, › 22
Solving Jobsite Logistics • Sealcoating Section-by-Section, › 26 • Using Line Drivers on Every Striping Job, › 38 • Working While the Customer Stays Open, › 40
3/2/16 1:36 PM
GET A LOAD OF THIS... You won’t be disappointed. At GemSeal®, our people, products, and process will make your business stand out. Our passionate team will help you perform at your best, with results that exceed expectations on every jobsite. Put us to the challenge and see for yourself.
• The industry’s most consistent sealers • Precision colloid manufacturing • Outstanding quality control • Nationwide locations and support • Delivery right when you need it • A trusted name for nearly 60 years
Sealers • Additives • Paints • Crack Sealants • Patching • Primers • Tools/Equipment
See us at WOA Booth 3359
Writeinin0101ononcard card key ForConstructionPros.com/10075409 Write oror key in in ForConstructionPros.com/10073088
PVM0316_02-3_TOC_J_A.indd 2
3/1/16 11:59 AM
What’s Inside March/April 2016
DEPARTMENTS 4 Were you at NPE 2016? Let us know what you learned: Facebook.com/PavementMagazine
PAVEMENT FEATURES 12
16
19
NPE 2016 Photo Coverage Highlights from National Pavement Expo, Jan. 27-30 in Charlotte, NC.
Working Successfully with Property Managers Insights for contractors on how to better market to manager customers.
How to Approach Jobsite Safety Meetings Tips and topics to help you engage your workers to keep them safe.
22 How to Outfit Your
Sealcoating Crew & Truck
Whether starting up or expanding, here’s what you need to be a successful sealcoater.
26 Sealcoating among
“Moving” Inventory
Planning, flexibility enable Paradise Asphalt Maintenance to repair and seal auto auction lot.
30 Asphalt Emulsions Key
to Preserving Low-Volume Pavements Treatment options match preservation approach to pavement problem.
34 Making the Move to
Natural Gas Sweepers NiteHawk partners with Greenkraft to bring these sweepers to market quickly.
38 When to Upgrade to a Line Driver
These attachments can be a game changer for stripers.
40 5 Tips to Working
6
Hot Mix
8
This Just In
41
Pavement Profit Center
Latest news from the pavement industry
Select new products & upgrades
48 Safety Series How to Work Safely with Infrared 50 Contractors’ Choice Pickup Truck Technology Simplifies Towing 54 Labor 2016 Series Where to FInd Quality Workers 56 Marketlink
Classified Ads
64 Your Business Matters Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Checklist 65 PCTC
Dispatch
66 NAPSA 66 WSA
Report
Update
67 Technology Update How Wearable Technology is Saving Lives
when a Business is Open
68 Contractor Snapshot Operations Background Helps Cam South
How to minimize frustration and improve productivity and safety.
69 Ad
Index
70 Tailgate Talk 5 “Spring Training” Tips to Get Your ON THE COVER The crew of Jasper, IN, Street Dept. applies SealMaster Liquid Road, a high-performance mineral-and-fiber reinforced Season Off to the Start You Want asphalt emulsion. They were trained to apply the material by the SealMaster franchise in Indianapolis. Photo courtesy SealMaster.
Vol. 31, No. 3 March/April 2016
Published and copyrighted 2016 by AC Business Media Inc. 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.
PAVEMENT
Subscription policy: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. only to pavement maintenance contractors, producers and government employees involved in paving or pavement maintenance; dealers, and distributors of pavement maintenance equipment or materials; and others with similar business activities. Complete the subscription form at www. forconstructionpros.com or use your company letterhead giving all the information requested. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers. One year subscriptions for nonqualified individuals: $35.00 U.S.A., $60.00 Canada and Mexico, and $85.00 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). Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction (ISSN 1098-5875), is published eight times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/ July, August/September, October/November, December. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Pavement, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Printed in the USA. Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION is proudly supported by these associations:
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 3
PVM0316_02-3_TOC_J_A.indd 3
3/1/16 11:59 AM
Editorial Allan Heydorn, Editor
Were You at NPE? DID YOU ATTEND the recent National Pavement Expo, Jan. 27-30, in Charlotte, NC? If not you can get a feel for what went on and uncover some of what was learned on pages 12-21, 64 and 70. What you can’t get just by reading the articles and viewing the pictures is the high-energy event that it was. From the new sold-out, daylong “Taking the Next Step in Leadership” boot camp to the more than 160 exhibitors and the packed NPE Night at the NASCAR Hall of Fame (thanks to sponsors 800
Pavement Network, Bomag, Case Construction Equipment, Crafco, LeeBoy, Neyra, and Seal-Rite) the 2016 NPE was one for the ages. The biggest-drawing session, “How to Make Quality Your Employees’ #1 Obsession,” filled a 300-person room to capacity. A number of other new sessions played to a packed house, too, notably the video-focused “Solving the Paving Puzzle,” “Introduction to the Power of Job Costing,” “Pavement Evaluation & Repair,” “Talking to Property Managers about Sealcoat,” “Small Company
Boot Camp,” and “Improve Striping Productivity Using Today’s Technology.” Fully 25 sessions drew 100 people or more, so an awful lot of people went away with an awful lot of knowledge that will help them improve their business – whether we’re talking field work or office work. If you were at NPE, let us know what you thought about it. If you attended a seminar, did it help? What did you learn? What will you apply? What would you like to see next year? If you visited the exhibit floor did you find the vendors
you were hoping to see? Who else would you like there? Did you buy anything? If so, what? Use our Facebook page www.facebook.com/ PavementMagazine to let us know what you got out of our largest, most successful NPE ever… then mark your calendar for Feb. 1-4, 2017 when when NPE returns to Nashville, TN. We’ll see you there!
Write in 02 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074003
4 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_04-5_Editor_J_A.indd 4
3/1/16 12:00 PM
Own one of these toll-free numbers in your market today! License one of these numbers in your area and grow your business today!
These 800 numbers are “the reason my company, U.S. Pavement Services, was awarded the #1 Contractor of 2016 by Pavement Magazine.
”
– Michael Musto, Founder and CEO U.S. Pavement Services
Just one call can pay for the year…
800 PAVEMENT Network
NEARLY 200 CONTRACTORS
See us at World of Asphalt Booth
2545
For complete details CALL
1-800-PAVEMENT (1-800-728-3636) or visit
www.1800pavement.com Act now before your competitors gain the edge! Write in 03 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10071771
PVM0316_04-5_Editor_J_A.indd 5
3/1/16 12:00 PM
Hot Mix W.R. Meadows celebrates 90 Years in 2016
W.R. Meadows Inc., Hampshire, IL, this year celebrates its 90th anniversary as a designer, manufacturer and marketer of building materials, including its Asphalt Expansion Joint material which was the company’s first product. The company was co-founded in 1926 by W.R. “Bob” Meadows and Edna Meadows and today produces a variety of products including joint sealants, curing and sealing products and vapor seals. For more information on W. R. Meadows call (847) 214-2100, e-mail info@ wrmeadows.com or visit www.wrmeadows. com.
Federal Signal Acquires Westech Vac Systems Vactor Manufacturing, Streator, IL, recently acquired Westech Vac Systems Ltd., a provider of vacuum truck-mounted solutions based in Canada, according to Vactor Mfg. Vactor is part of Federal Signal Corp.’s Environmental Solutions Group and the company said the acquisition will enable the Environmental Solutions Group to leverage Westech’s technology and innovation in both the U.S. and Canadian markets. As a Federal Signal subsidiary, Westech will continue to operate in Nisku, Alberta, Canada, as Westech Vac Systems. In other Federal Signal news, the Environmental Solutions Group opened an FS Solutions service center in Midland, TX. The center is the company’s 12th and is located at 11416 W. County Road 33; phone 432-563-4450. To find the nearest FS Solutions center visit www.fssolutionsgroup.com.
Industry Appointments At the American Traffic Safety Services Association, Fredericksburg, VA, Donna M. Clark is vice president of member services after serving as director of training for more than 16 years. Schulze Vohren is North American Regional President of Wacker Neuson Sales Americas LLC, Menomonee Falls, WI. Dustless Technologies, Price, UT, has named Gerstman and Associates as the exclusive manufactures representative in the New England states, covering NY, VT, ME, NH, MA, CT, RI, Metro NY and Northern NJ.
Write in 04 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074674
6 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_06-7_HotMix_J_A.indd 6
3/1/16 12:00 PM
Best Practice Rout & Seal for Pavement Longevity and Cost Savings
Rout & Seal as a stand alone treatment or as a best practice prior to surface treatments The routed reservoir protects the sealant and provides additional volume for high-performance Crafco sealant to expand and contract with the
Rout
movement of the pavement resulting in extended sealant service life Cracks routed, cleaned and sealed achieve more than twice the service life of non-routed sealed cracks, saving you money
Crafco sealants are proven superior in the most comprehensive pavement study ever conducted
Clean
Use the Best, Purchase Crafco Products
The world’s largest and only manufacturer of state-of-the-art pavement preservation sealants and application equipment
Seal
Write in 05 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10072573
Call to order your products or schedule a demonstration today! phone: (800) 528-8242 | email: sales@crafco.com | www.crafco.com PVM0316_06-7_HotMix_J_A.indd 7
3/1/16 12:00 PM
Just In 1
Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at ForConstructionPros.com 1 MRL Mini Mac Thermoplastic Striper
2
3
MRL Equipment Company Compact, productive design enables quick application of detail thermoplastic markings in urban environments or limited work zones. •• Simple controls speed operator training •• Durable material pump is integral to oil jacketed material tank •• Easily adjustable thermoplastic extrusion dies enable quick stripe width changes •• Single and double drop bead systems available •• LED night lights illuminate work area Write in 43 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/12165541
2 Bergkamp MAXX Frictional Mastic Surface Treatment Applicators Bergkamp Inc Bergkamp offers the MAXX line of truck-mounted Frictional Mastic Surface Treatment Applicators, which allow contractors and government agencies to apply premixed frictional mastic surface treatments and premixed slurry seal over highways, roads, parking lots and airport runways. •• Applies a material mix that is made to precise specification, resulting in fewer operator calculations and on-the-job adjustments, which minimizes operator training time
3 6-Ton Asphalt Dump Trailer Spaulding MFG. Inc The 6-ton asphalt drump trailer from Spaulding Mfg. offers a hydraulic fitting and hose with 5,000-psi burst rating. •• Hydraulic top doors •• Hydraulic rear door •• Fuel: 12V DC Diesel or propane •• Fuel Storage: 2-100 lb LP tank or 20 gallon other fuel source •• 200,000 BTU Write in 41 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/12136526
Write in 42 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/12164401
Write in 06 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10959369
8 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_08-9_JustIn_J_A.indd 8
3/1/16 12:00 PM
The Most Respected Name in Infrared For the Ultimate Asphalt Repair! Call Us Today! 800-450-8602 or 603-865-1893
The Patriot • • • •
A complete business on wheels Low Profile operating height LED Lighting DuraGlo burner with functioning indicator • Adjustable thermostat • Work Lights
The DuraGlo infrared burner for KASI re-claimers has a 10-year life
www.kasiinfrared.com Write in 07 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074343
PVM0316_08-9_JustIn_J_A.indd 9
3/1/16 12:00 PM
PAVEMENT 2016 Top Contractor Survey WELCOME TO THE Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction survey of paving & pavement maintenance contractors. Our hope with this survey is to develop verifiable Top Contractor listings in each of five industry segments: Paving, Sealcoating, Striping, Sweeping and Pavement Repair. To do that we need to know: • Gross Sales Volume for your fiscal year 2015 (regardless of the date that fiscal year ended) • A breakdown by percentage of the type of work that generated those 2015 sales
• Third-party verification of that sales total (see additional explanation at the end of the survey) To determine whether a company qualifies for one (or more) of our five lists we will multiply your total 2015 sales dollars by the percentage of work done in each industry segment. For example, if a contractor reports $1 million in 2015 sales and generated 40% of those sales from paving, the number used to determine qualification for the Paving Top Contractor List would be $400,000 ($1 million x 40%).
Name & Title of Person Completing This Form *First _______________________ Last_______________________________
CONTRACTOR
TOP
2016
Top Contractor Survey
2016
TOP
CONTRACTOR
Note: No sales figures will be reported or published; Sales figures will be used only internally for determining each list. Also, no contractor will be eligible for the list without third-party verification of your Fiscal Year 2015 Gross Sales Volume. There are 3 ways to complete and submit this form: • Online at https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/ TopContractor2016
• Complete a hard copy and fax (920-542-1133) or mail it to: Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, Top Contractor Survey, 201 N. Main Street Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 Attn. Jessica Stoikes. • Complete a hard copy, scan and e-mail to aheydorn@ ACBusinessMedia.com Thanks very much for your participation. We do appreciate it.
DEADLINE: April 22nd
5. * What percentage of your fiscal year 2015 Total Gross Sales is generated by working as a subcontractor for other contractors? ___________________
E-mail _______________________ _Phone _____________________________
6. * Do you self-perform more than 50% of your work?
*Company Information Company Name (as you would like it to appear on the magazine) ______________________________________________________________ Street Address _________________________________________________ City State Zip Code _____________________________________________ Phone Number with Area Code ___________________________________ Website _______________________________________________________ Years in Business _______________________________________________
7. What was your overall company-wide profit margin in FY 2015? (Not for publication; results will be presented for the industry as a whole.) ______ Less than 3% ______ 5%-10% ______ More than 15% ______ 3%-5% ______ 10%-15%
Please indicate your number of employees at peak season (If employees fulfill more than one function please include them in the category they perform most often): ______ Management ______ Field Supervisors ______ Laborers ______ Office Staff ______ Sales May we contact Your Company by e-mail? ____Yes
___No
1.* What is your company’s Total Gross Sales for your Fiscal Year 2015?
___________________________________________________________
___Yes
___No
8. How many different customers did you work for in FY 2015? ______ Fewer than 100 ______ 151-200 ______ 301-400 ______ 101-150 ______ 201-300 ______ More than 400 9. How many different jobs did your company complete in FY 2015? ______ Fewer than 100 ______ 151-200 ______ 301-400 ______ 101-150 ______ 201-300 ______ More than 400 10. What is the estimated replacement value of your equipment fleet (including trucks)? ______ Less than $250,000 ______ $1 million - $2 million ______ $250,000 - $500,000 ______ More than $2 million ______ $500,000 - $1 million Signature ______________________________________________________ Title (please print) _______________________________________________
(This figure used internally for listing purposes only; it will not be published.) Please round to whole dollar amounts. (Example: 1,548,222; note: when entering online please omit commas.)
Date: _________________________________________________________
2. * What percentage of your fiscal 2015 Total Gross Sales is represented by each of the following areas (must total 100%):
IMPORTANT! SALES VOLUME VERIFICATION
______ Paving ______ Sealcoating ______ Striping ______ Sweeping ______ Pavement Repair
______ Surface Treatments (Micro, Slurry, Chip, Fog, etc.) ______ Hot mix asphalt plant operation ______ Other (explain)
3. * What percentage of your fiscal 2015 Total Gross Sales is generated from work done on each of the following (must total 100%): ______ Highways ______ Driveways ______ Streets/roads ______ Other (explain) _____________ ______ Parking lots
To qualify to have your Top Contractor application considered, third-party verification of your FY 2015 Total Gross Sales is required from your company’s CPA, an independent CPA or your accounting firm, or a copy of the appropriate page from your tax return. Verification must be on the CPA or accounting firm letterhead (no photocopies) and must include a statement to the effect that “I have reviewed the company’s Top Contractor application, and the FY 2015 gross sales response to question Number 1 is accurate to the best of my knowledge.” The letter must be signed and dated and include the person’s name, title and telephone number. No financial information will be revealed; it will be used only internally to determine qualification for each listing. Send verification to:
aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com
or
Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction 2016 Top Contractor Application 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 Attn. Jessica Stoikes
4. * What percentage of your fiscal 2015 Total Gross Sales is generated from each of the following types of customers (answers must total 100%). ______ Commercial/Industrial Questions? Allan Heydorn, Editor; Phone: 708-531-1612; ______ Municipal (state/local agency) aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com ______ Multi-family residential (apartments/condos/HOAs) ______ Single-family residential 10 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement ______ Other (explain)______________________________________
PVM0316_10-11_TopContractorSurvey_AJ.indd 10
3/1/16 12:01 PM
Your Reputation. You put it on the line every day.
© 2015, Elgin Sweeper Company
Don’t risk it with unreliable equipment. As a contractor, you never know where the road ahead leads - millings, construction sites, permeable pavement, general municipal sweeping. One thing is for sure, you need a sweeper you can count on and a company that backs it up. Elgin Sweeper products are reliable work-horses, with nationwide factory trained dealers for service, parts and training – day in and day out.
Elgin sweepers can help boost your business and your reputation. For a demo or to learn more, call your Elgin dealer or visit elginsweeper.com. Write in 08 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10072859
PVM0316_10-11_TopContractorSurvey_AJ.indd 11
3/1/16 12:01 PM
NPE Notebook | Allan Heydorn, Editor
Charlotte Hosts
Largest NPE!
High-energy expo boasts most exhibits, largest trade show floor in show history THE 2016 NATIONAL PAVEMENT EXPO, Jan. 27-30 in Charlotte, NC, was the largest event in NPE history, with more than 160 companies on the show’s largest exhibit floor and 25 of its 54 conference sessions drawing well over 100 contractors each. The following pages (and pages 64 and 70) are just a sampling of what NPE attendees encountered and learned.
w to NPE exhibitors ne of Among the ith its array r Neuson w t. en pm was Wacke ui eq and site prep n io ct pa m co
NPE’s “Sneak Pe ak” on the exhi bit floor drew qu the two-hour ne ite a crowd to tworking even t sponsored by Maintenance & Pavement Reconstruction and Asphalt Co ntractor. da t Group, le evelopmen D ost le m ac e n n hrey, Pi enerated th Brad Hump ry. ns which g to io is ss h se PE 4 N 5 the tendance in at number of ce n re fe con
➧ 4 1 e g a p n o d e C on t i n u
12 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_12-15_NPE_A_J.indd 12
3/1/16 12:02 PM
CRACK JET II ASPHALT CRACK REPAIR HEAT LANCE
KM 55 SEALCOAT MELTING KETTLE
KM4-40 – 40 SQ. FT. HEAT-ZONE
2-TON TRUCK MOUNTED ASPHALT HOTBOX
4 TON TRAILER MOUNTED HOT BOX RECLAIMERS
Asphalt Maintenance Equipment
WWW.KMINTERNATIONAL.COM | 800-492-1757 Write in 09 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10073532
PVM0316_12-15_NPE_A_J.indd 13
3/1/16 12:02 PM
NPE Notebook
NPE 2017 Re to Nashville turns , Feb. 1-4
Contractors and manufact urers can look forward to returning to Nashville, TN, for the 2 017 National Pavement Expo. Dates of NPE 2017 are Feb. 1- 4, so mark your calendar and visit w w w. nationalpavem entexpo.com for details as they beco me available.
sold to The paver was at NPE 2016. r ve ,000 Pa 00 C $1 15 r d a pink 85 d a check fo LeeBoy unveile rrisburg, PA, an Ha , c. In t en uipm ciety. Stephenson Eq ican Cancer So d to the Amer was presente
Pitching itself as a nationwide “one-stop source” for contractors, SealMaster fronted its booth with a drag racer it sponsors.
ent including ” line of equipm er az “L its ed ur d RoadLazer. Graco Inc. feat , GrindLazer an er iv Dr ne Li r, its LineLaze
s its Magma Serie Cimline featured . nt me uip eq ng line of crackseali
Among other sessions, Jeff Stokes, Next Le hosted a first-t vel Contractor ime “Small Co System, mpany Boot Ca up contractor mp” for smal s. l or start-
14 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_12-15_NPE_A_J.indd 14
3/1/16 12:02 PM
Almost 2,000 people attended “NPE Night at the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” which was sponsored by 800 Pavement Network, Bomag, Case Construction Equipment, Crafco, LeeBoy, Neyra and Seal-Rite.
t a s o t o h p E P N C h eck o u t moo.grel/0vlBni http://
e ting, tackled th , Grow Consul rg age be an en M ru to G s Guy hnologie g topic of “Tec sessions. r he ot g ever-changin on am ing Business” Your Contract
go
Keystone Engi neering intro duced contra drum systems ctors to afterm for asphalt an arket d concrete gr line of skid stee inding and a co r attachments mplete for pavement maintenance .
New exhibitor Euro Implements SL manufactures a broad variety of attachments including brooms, vibratory rollers, planers, graders and asphalt floats.
ors, tack distribut its pavers and cles hi ve er sf In addition to an tr turers rollers, ac uf an s. m er r en le Wei road wid elevators and and windrow
Schwarze Indu stries’ enhanc ed SuperVac G sweeper is av ale Force ailable in a dies el 132-in. whe configuration elbase and a gasolin e 109-in. whe elbase. www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 15
PVM0316_12-15_NPE_A_J.indd 15
3/1/16 12:02 PM
NPE 2016
Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor
Working Successfully with Property
Managers
NPE panel provides insights for contractors on how to better market to manager customers HAVING A STEADY stream of work is important to your business. This is why paving and pavement maintenance contractors love to get in good with property management firms. These companies can range from homeowners associations to huge retail management firms whose properties can span all across the country depending on how large the company is. This means a lot of work and if you’re lucky, repeat business. However, getting in good with these companies can be difficult. “Some firms enjoy lifetime relationships with contractors, they are just easier,” says Larry Thomas, chapter executive director with the Community Associations Institute (CAI), New Jersey. It’s not impossible to get your foot in
the door though, and a panel of industry experts helped prove that to contractors. “Working Successfully with Property Managers” was an interactive session held at National Pavement Expo 2016. Hosted by the North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA) and cosponsored by Tymco, the panelists
Stay in Touch If you really want to stand out from the competition, it’s important for you to stay top of mind for these decision makers once you establish the relationship. Here are some ways to contact them without becoming a nuisance: • Follow up on previous jobs that you noticed were done for their properties. Make suggestions on what you think could have been done differently and/or better • Bring them innovative ideas about how to get the work done • Let the business owner know what projects you are working on • Let them know what new equipment or new products you have, what’s something new you are trying that’s working well • Invite them to come see what’s new and tell them you think it could work for their application and properties
16 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_16-18_PropertyManagers_J_A.indd 16
Larry Thomas with CAI speaks to NPE attendees about working successfully with property managers. Also participating on the panel (from L to R): Giselle Chapman (Chapman Business Solutions), Bryan Tarlton (City of Charlotte), David Brunk (Westin Charlotte), Lynne Worth ( York Properties, Inc.), Scott Allen (North Carolina DOT), Randall Thomas (Simon Property Group), Hebrew Dixon (Mid-South Atlantic Small Business Transportation Resource Center).
Continued on page 17
3/1/16 12:03 PM
It’s Time to Sealcoat.
Are You Ready? SR-300 Pickup
HA 550 Skid
Voted Best Unit at NPE!
SR-1,250 Skid
SR-700 Trailer with Options
SR-850 Trailer
SR-1,500 Skid
6,000 Gallon Bulk Tank
Call for a FREE Catalog! 573-387-4491 Visit: www.Seal-Rite.com E-Mail: sales@seal-rite.com Write in 10 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074574
PVM0316_16-18_PropertyManagers_J_A.indd 17
3/1/16 12:03 PM
NPE 2016 provided insight about how to market to various types of customers.
Establish the Relationship First things first. You have to get the decision makers to take a meeting with you. If you’re a contractor just trying to get in to the business, this can be the hardest part about trying to obtain work from property management companies. Most of the time, they hire one contractor and if they’re happy, they are not going to be out searching for other companies to work with. However, that’s not to say it’s impossible if you’re good at networking. “Network within the organizations, make contact with the engineers, be visible, meet people to get your foot in the door,” Thomas says. Joining CAI or other local business associations, local chambers and attending networking, community or educational events are other good ways to be visible in the community for these property managers. “The best way to get your business in front of me would be to have a mutual acquaintance introduce you,” Thomas says. “Or if not, approach me and introduce yourself at community or networking events. Try to arrange an introduction from one of my colleagues. LinkedIn is a great resource for this.” Thomas says it’s a good idea to try and see who is attending any function and pre-plan who you’d like to meet, then follow up with an email.
Do Your Homework Once you get a meeting, it is crucial to be prepared when you get in front of the decision makers. You know they’ve checked on you, make sure you’re ready for their questions. “Before anyone talks to contractors, we check references, they check you out. Be ready for that,” Thomas says. Thomas says any contractor they hire would need to be large enough and have the proper equipment and manpower to do the job. Have your proposal as complete as possible with insurance certificates, references, etc. “A new trend I’ve seen is to increase the warranty,” Thomas says. “It was always a one year, now some contractors
are giving a two-year warranty. Make a big deal out of this in the proposal.” Thomas also recommends bringing in references from jobs that are similar to the one you’re bidding. “I want to see references of similar communities that I can relate to,” Thomas says. “If I’m a 2,000 unit HOA and you give me references for a 40 unit apartment, I take that lightly. On the other hand, if you have similar size jobs, I would consider that valuable also.
Property Manager Pet Peeves It’s very difficult to get in the good graces of these firms and very easy for them to wave your company off for good. The panelists listed these as some of the things they disliked the most about dealing with new contractors: • Showing up unprepared • Not knowing who you’re there to meet • Cold calls • Messy job sites • Being late • Being demanding • Having a pessimistic attitude about getting the work done • Poor communication
“Show them projects you’ve done in the community, have your insurance ready and send in a personality that is able to interact with the board well,” Thomas says. Thomas says that knowing the community or area you’re trying to get in to will also make you stand out from other proposals. “Visit the site before the meeting and discuss problems and areas that you see need work,” Thomas says. “Mention streets, tell them you already looked at it, mention where you’ll be setting up cones and directing traffic. “It’s not always about price,” Thomas says. “Sure that’s a consideration, but in the 55-and-over communities, they are financially sound. They want more than a low bid. In the end, they are going to
choose who impressed the board the most.” Bringing in cookies or doughnuts for the meeting doesn’t hurt either, he adds.
Have a Plan Thomas says the easiest way for contractors to lose business is not having a plan to get the work done when it needs to be. “Poor workmanship and planning will lose anyone a job,” Thomas says. “It’s vital that careful planning be done to minimize traffic delays. Discuss your plan and schedule with the manager and board and lay out a schedule and time frame for the work.” Most communities have a mass notification system (email, robocall, webpage), where they will alert the residents of the schedule and accommodations for the project. Be sure to discuss this with the manager and provide him with frequent updates and project information that he can pass on to the residents. “There is always a small tolerance for delays, but when you show up with half a crew or insufficient equipment, you’ve probably done your last job for that association or management company,” Thomas says. “Bad news travels fast.” Thomas recommends to always be sure to mention “weather permitting” when scheduling a job. “This is acceptable, but if you get three days of rain, the association would expect you to be there on the fourth day,” Thomas says. “You might have to push back other jobs you had scheduled for that time to a later date to get things done for the association.” Gaining new business is never easy and there are additional hurdles to jump through when dealing with these companies. Winning the work however can be huge for your business, so don’t be discouraged if you get a few “nos.” Don’t be afraid to call property managers and ask them why you did not get the bid. They can tell you where you missed the boat so you can be better prepared for the next time you get the opportunity to bid a job. This may even make you stand out from the competition so they call you for the next job. Persistence can pay off.
18 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_16-18_PropertyManagers_J_A.indd 18
3/1/16 12:03 PM
John J. Meola, CSP, ARM
Safety
How to Approach Jobsite Safety Meetings Tips and topics to help you engage your workers to keep them safe AMONG THE MOST common complaints from field staff are 1) they need to hold a safety meeting every day or at least weekly, and 2) they don’t have much to talk about that’s new under the sun. Same old, same old, and you really can’t fault these guys ‒ their job is constructing and maintaining pavement, not creating safety stories. It’s a proven fact that holding a safety meeting daily will keep your guys focused on working safe. In fact, you should be allowing for at least a half-hour per day, per person in your bid, to show you’re not going to try and skate on holding the meetings, at least you show some time for it. If the owner is serious about their project and safety, they will respect your position. Here are some general suggestions for topics and approaches to safety meetings. You need to first figure out how to add the “local color and commentary” to make these topics applicable to your job site. Always discuss the job, what’s going on and how to do it safely. Always ask for everyone’s input, feedback, thoughts, and ideas on how to improve.
Focus on the Job! Divide it into small steps and talk about the safety factors of each step: Machines running around, dump trucks, defensive backing, use of a spotter, stay well away from anything that moves, i.e. no sidewalk superintendents. Try the Internal Work Zone Traffic Control Plan. Google that term and see what OSHA & NIOSH have to say about it. Also, talk about the use of tools, noise, PPE, etc. All this stuff qualifies. You can get an app to turn your phone into a noise meter. You’d be surprised how noisy things can get.
Insist on High Visibility This applies to people, but also to the rigs. Make sure they see you! Use buggy whips on your rigs if they can be obscured by dirt piles, geography, other machines, etc. Use LED strobes and daytime running lights on everything. • All persons must have high-visibility apparel, clean and properly worn. • Apply DOT red & white conspicuity tape to rearfacing surfaces. • Paint any obstructions on the site in high visibility
Basic Safety Meeting References • Use the Internet, mother of all information. There are no rules on the Internet so you can use anything you find (almost). But rule Number 2 is: Don’t believe everything you read on the internet. You’ll get the point eventually. • The Operators Manual from the cab of each machine. This is normally permanently attached on a cable so it does not get lost. You can go online and download a copy, ask the dealer for a copy, or cut the cable and steal the book and use it for show & tell at your meeting (reattach it when you’re done). A lot of machines offer their manuals online. All you are looking for is the safety information, most of which is clearly spelled out with warning decals, pictorials and other easy-to-decipher symbols. • Bring in a vendor for an “expert witness” presentation. The guys who are selling you gloves, shovels, hard hats, glasses etc. need to step up and show up (bearing a tub of Coke and donuts) and host a meeting for you on PPE. • Every tool can have an “ergonomic lesson” associated with it. Most of the important stuff will be in the manual, so review it with a highlighter and use that as your lesson plan. • There is no safety manual for a shovel. But a lot of soft tissue injuries occur from improper shoveling. There is an ergonomically correct way to do this and a lot more incorrect ways. The denser the material, the more attention you need to pay to this. Asphalt is pretty dense stuff, so do some research. Ask the more experienced guys to watch over the new guys to reinforce this message. • HazComm. There are a surprising amount of chemicals on the average site and you should have a Material Safety Data Sheet (paper or electronic) on hand for each of them. Admittedly, it is a rare occurrence that a chemical causes a problem on the typical job, but at least you’re making the effort. Diesel fuel, hydraulic fluid, anti-freeze, motor oil etc. If someone gets a face full of something, you will probably be looking for a data sheet to figure out what to use to flush it out of their eyes or mouth.
marking paint. This paint will wash off with a pressure washer if it conflicts with the landscape décor, but your focus right now is safety, get it?
Plan for First Aid & Emergency Response For example, a lot of the 911 communication in rural or remote areas is pretty much a toss-up. They can’t always find you based on you saying
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 19
PVM0316_19-21_Meola_J_A.indd 19
3/2/16 10:29 AM
Safety in the larger sizes, but when you need it, they are in fact priceless.
Safety Meeting “Dos” • Bring stuff to show & tell: Safety hardware, tools, seasonal gear, etc. • Buy the crew a coffee and donut • Keep it brief, moving right along ‒ not a sermon • Whenever possible, the boss should show up; he doesn’t even have to talk, just show up • Use a sign-in sheet – they’re a free cell phone app now, so you’ve got no excuse • Leave time for questions. Not a philosophical debate, but honest questions • ALWAYS try to stimulate discussion and thinking about safety by asking for input, comment, discussion, “What are you thinking?” etc. • Turn off the cell phones; bad news will find you, with or without the phone
“I’m on a big construction site.” Really? Talk about sending someone out to meet & greet the EMS so they know exactly where to find you.
EMS, who knows first aid, who calls the office, etc.) are all fair game to review.
Talk About Your SSIP
This is a safety meeting all by itself. These blankets or pouched sheets are used to cool and antiseptically passivate a burn on a person. But they can also double as a fire extinguisher or escape device depending on the situation, such as trying to get people out of a burning car at a gas pump. They’re a little pricey
Explain Water Gel Burn Blankets
Pick any section and walk through it. You will already have talked about the Safety Schemes in Procurement in your pre-work mobilization meetings, but there are always sections that can bear repeating. For example, your emergency response plan (who will go to meet the
QuikJoint
Peel
™
Do this at the start of the shift and after lunch. Yes, you heard right, twice a day. This takes all of about four minutes but can save you a lot in soft tissue (sprain & strains) injury avoidance. Great for building safety awareness. Better still if the Boss leads the exercises.
Encourage Defensive Driving We all drive at some point. In fact over 40% of the 4,700 occupational fatalities last year were transportation related. Does this number tell you something? Here’s a tip: call your safety supplier and tell them you want a dozen high-visibility seat belt sleeves. Make these standard issue for your company vehicles. Yes, we understand that you have a seat belt policy. Yes, your drivers religiously wear their belts. This sleeve sends a
- Roll Out Pavement Joint Seal Strip
Stick
Proven - Productive - User Friendly
Require Daily Pre-Work Stretching
Speeds Installation & Less Labor Non Tracking & No Overspill
Heat Widths
Done Best Job Application Chart
1 in.
Infill of Shallow Cracks Prior to Seal Coating - Over Banding
2 in.
Driveway Joints - Concrete Aprons - Curbs
No Waste & Less Propane
4 in.
Commercial Lots & Compliance with State Specifications
No Wait Time & No Delays
8 in.
Vertical Cold Joints - Full Depth Water Tight & Denser Pavement
No Tar Kettles or Pour Pots
Sq.
4 & 12 in. Pads to Fasten Reflectors - Bumpers - Traffic Markers
Improves Safety & Appearance
QuikJoint is the Best Top Finish on Your Job - Rolls are 50 feet long and Easily Trimmed On Site to Meet Your Application Contact Us: For Orders - Information - Location of Local Stocking Distributor 7968 Wesselman Road Cleves, OH 45002
sales@quikpave.com fax 513.353.4454
toll free 888.825.1917 www.quikpave.com
Write in 11 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10112275
20 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_19-21_Meola_J_A.indd 20
3/2/16 10:29 AM
Safety Meeting “Don’ts”
message that you are serious about it. Not to mention it might save them a speeding ticket if the cops figure the guy is part of your safety program. Remember, this is not a beauty contest.
Discuss and Provide PPE Personal Protective Equipment in all its wondrous forms: eye and face protection, hard hats, different types and properly fitted gloves (a tight glove will decrease hand fatigue and improve dexterity and grip) and more.
Watch the Weather Yes, you heard right: Talk about the weather. OSHA is obsessive during the warmer months because of the growing number of heat exhaustion cases. Do the research and preach it. In the winter, talk about dressing in layers to stay warm and comfortable. This is a wide open topic, but trust us, all of your peeps are going to have their own religion on their dress code.
• Reading from the page is a guaranteed snoozer; make it at least sound current and fresh and real • Saying “They told me I had to do this” is a guaranteed turn off; show some Team Spirit, even when it hurts • Accepting lame excuses for nonattendance • Acting like you don’t care by trying to “hurry it up” • Screwing around with your smart phone; making or taking a call
Make sure they understand that hydration is important all year round, and how eating junk food for lunch will take its toll during the hot afternoons. Also make clear how our blood will thicken in cold weather and thin in hot weather, and how by staying properly hydrated this can make a big difference in alertness levels, onset of fatigue and a few other human cognition factors. We hope this information is helpful to you. Honestly, we have seen some very high energy safety meetings take place in the rain, on a muddy site, in the cold, because the guy running the meeting
connected with his crew and they knew he cared about them. Very often, it’s not so much what you say, as how you say it. Another lesson we should pass on is this: Just because you’re the boss doesn’t automatically make you the best person to handle the meeting. If you have someone on staff who is a better speaker and presenter, well, delegate, and let them deliver the message. All you need to do is show up. You presence alone sends the message of importance. The speaker is just the mouthpiece. Remember, this is not a personality cult, it’s about the crew safety and not getting hurt. So leave the egos at the door and get your meeting going! John J. Meola, CSP, ARM is safety director at Pillar Engineers and he can be reached at 804-751-0600, ext. 4314 and jmeola@pillarens.com. He hosted “How to Set Up and Run an Effective Safety Program” at National Pavement Expo, Jan. 27-30 in Charlotte, NC.
Try Brewer Cote and discover the difference
www.asphaltstore.com 800-397-1984 Write in 12 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074857
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 21
PVM0316_19-21_Meola_J_A.indd 21
3/2/16 10:29 AM
Sealcoating
Rod Dickens
How to Outfit Your Sealcoating Crew and Truck Flat Bed Truck Setup
Whether start-up or expansion, here’s what you need to be a successful sealcoater SEALCOATING MAY NOT be rocket science, but if you’re not equipped properly, the business launch will likely have a rough start. You can get the basics from observing other sealcoat professionals in action, and even YouTube has some very informative videos. Yet the best information comes from industry experts, those who’ve either been running a sealcoating business for years or equipping customers to do the same.
Be Hands-on “I highly recommend a personal visit to an equipment dealer before making any buying decision to outfit a sealcoating truck and crew,” says Mike Tarvin, SealMaster sales manager, serving Eastern PA, NJ, and Southeastern NY. “This is beneficial for many reasons. The dealer will help clarify exactly what type of equipment would suit your needs and there is no substitute for seeing a machine in person.” The visit will also help newcomers evaluate a dealer’s capability to provide service after the sale, he added. “Do they offer hands-on
Propane/Torches
Steve Young demonstrates efficient use of space with this line drawing. Sealcoating Machine Setup
Weed Trimmers Hand-held blower
Brush Tank Hose reel
Hand Tools
Primer Sprayers Materials
training? Do they have the mechanical capability to do warranty work? Do they stock parts? Can they help troubleshoot field problems? “We will typically recommend that new operators start with a trailer-style machine rather than a skid unit that would have to be mounted on a truck. Most new sealcoating contractors don’t sealcoat every day, and the trailer can be unhitched to allow the truck to be used for other jobs. A truckmounted unit is more of a commitment. It is something I would normally recommend to people who know they can keep it working long enough to justify the additional expenses of a truck mount, both initial and ongoing.”
Truck ‘n’ Trailer Steve Young, Pavement Advisory Board member and owner of Young Sealcoating in Lynchburg, VA , called the decision to purchase a skid-mount or trailer sealcoating machine a “give and
Fuel Tanks Extra Brush Head
Deck for Blowers Water pump
take” choice. Agreeing with Tarvin, he noted the biggest reason for a trailer is freeing up the truck for other jobs, but there could be other ones, too. “A trailer unit, opposed to something that sits in your truck bed, frees up a lot of truck bed space,” he emphasized. “If you purchase a trailer unit that has deck, there’s even more storage space for wheel and hand-held blowers, along with other tools.”
Seal-Rite SR-850 Extreme Trailer-mounted Unit Young, who presented “Becoming a Sealcoating Pro: Professional Sealcoating from A to Z” at the January National Pavement Expo in Charlotte, NC, attaches a bracket on his trailer unit to hold a walk-behind crack repair machine. It easily
Walk-behind crack machine
straps down, he noted, and since the machine is only 18 inches off the ground, it’s readily accessed, which reduces the chance of injury. “If you’re just starting out in the business, you will likely tow the trailer with a pickup,” Young says. “But as business develops, replacing the pickup with a flatbed truck may be ideal. One with a 10- or 12-ft. bed has plenty of space and removable sides make for easy access. The combination trailer and flatbed has helped me keep everything in place and become a more efficient operator. “Look for a truck with a short turning radius, something that is very useful when towing a trailer.” For pickups, Jeff Luzar, division manager for California-based Guardtop, indicated that a full-size model like a Ford F-150 could easily handle a small tow-behind trailer unit with a 250-gallon or 300-gallon tank. “Tank sizes go up from there, along with the price.
22 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_22-25_SealcoatingCrew_AJ.indd 22
3/1/16 12:03 PM
Expect to pay anything from a couple of thousand dollars for a trailer unit to upwards of nearly $20,000. It just depends on how big the tank is and how many options you want,” Luzar says. “When it comes to the truck itself, it’s important to size the vehicle to the tank weight when fully loaded,” added Tarvin. “It is also critical that the trailer and truck both be equipped with electric braking capabilities. Sealer is heavier than most beginners realize, and the weight and ‘slosh’ of a full tank can be dangerous. “I frequently say, ‘it’s not just about the towing, it’s also about the stopping’. Make sure you are familiar with the vehicle GVW and towing
capacities, along with your state and local DOT regulations. The regulations vary greatly from state-to-state. Keep in mind that it will not always be you, the owner, driving the vehicle, which makes safety and compliance even more important.”
The Staples “Equipment needs to cover the two primary facets of sealcoating,” related Tony Heffernan, regional sales manager for Neyra Industries. There’s equipment to clean the surface, e.g., broom and blowers, and equipment to apply the sealer, e.g., a spray wand or squeegee. “If you have that covered, you’re good to go. “In reality the cost to get into the business is not that
high,” Heffernan continues, who with Neyra’s Jeff Cayton, presented NPE’s “Basic Sealcoating Principles” seminar. “A beginner can start with a 300-gallon tank and a hand-crank agitator, and then add a hydraulic motor to turn the agitator.” These are the bare minimums for getting into the business, a truck and trailer, broom and blowers, and a squeegee. But as the above industry veterans pointed out, a list of equipment and tool staples grows as companies begin growing their operation. “Use blowers appropriate for the job,” Heffernan says. “On large jobs, bigger is better. Keep in mind that crews should wear hearing and eye protection; blowers can
Optimax Little Wonder Blower throw debris such as large stones into windows, vehicle, and people.” Young equips his crews with two blowers, an 8-hp wheel blower and a handheld blower. The wheel blower has plenty of power for the open areas and the hand-held unit easily cleans difficult-to-reach areas. He also includes a string-line trimmer to help tidy up areas prior to applying the sealer. His list of staples also includes a water tank to
License one of these numbers in your area and grow your business today! 800 numbers are the reason “These my company, U.S. Pavement Services, was awarded the #1 Contractor of 2016 by Pavement Magazine.
”
– Michael Musto, Founder and CEO U.S. Pavement Services
800 PAVEMENT Network
NEARLY 200 CONTRACTORS
See Us
at World of Asphalt Booth
2545
For details CALL
1-800-PAVEMENT
(1-800-728-3636) or visit
www.1800pavement.com Act now before your competitors gain the edge! Write in 13 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10071771
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 23
PVM0316_22-25_SealcoatingCrew_AJ.indd 23
3/1/16 12:03 PM
Sealcoating clean off equipment. “A 20or 30-gallon tank will suffice,” Young added. “I like an air-diaphragm pump for spraying water more than an electric one because it’s more durable.” He also prefers an airoperated sealcoating pump over a hydraulic one, as it is easier to maintain and has been more cost effective than previous hydraulic units he has owned. “The one drawback,” he emphasized, “is power. Hydraulic pumps operate at higher pressures, and they may become a necessity if you plan on using sand loads of 4 to 5 lbs per gallon of concentrate sealer. “A sealcoating unit with full-sweep agitation, with paddles that touch the edge of the tank, make for a more thorough cleaning, too.”
More Staples Luzar rounds out the staples’ list. “Startup crews will need delineators and cones as well as tape to keep away vehicle and foot traffic for at least 24 hours. Plywood or cardboard works well for keeping sealer away from curbs and turf areas, and a tool kit comprised of wrenches, screwdrivers, hammers and so forth will come in handy to handle minor field repairs like a blown hydraulic hose.
Nealco 300-gal. Skid-mount “Your crew will also want a five-gallon can to fuel gaspowered equipment and possibly a five-gallon propane
tank to accomGrowing a business and modate cracktaking on different jobs sealing equipcan quickly turn ment comprised a previous luxury of a melter, torch, into a necessity. squeegee and a wire Heffernan broom for cleaning Billy Goat Grazor explained: “Use cracks. Beginners rental equipment for may want to start out with things you don’t need every cold versus hot pour to elimiday, e.g. mechanical brooms nate the cost of a melter.” and sweepers for cleaning Other miscellaneous items large or excessively dirty include five-gallon pails for areas or a ride-on applicator applicators and cleanup, an for sealing long stretches assortment of rags, and if without having to skirt many you’re using a wand, make obstacles.” sure to have extra tips, Luzar “Spray bars help make advised. quick work of larger jobs,” “Don’t forget the proper added Young. clothing,” added Young. “Consider wearing long pants Tips and More that have a protective coatHaving a material storage ing. Blue or black pants work tank implies having adequate best because they hide stains. water supply. “If you don’t Allow them to dry instead have a 2-in. water line, buy a of washing them to prevent sufficient sized plastic water sealer bleeding into the intetank (500 to 2,000 gallons) rior; otherwise the sealer and install a toilet bowl float can absorb into your skin type shutoff valve in the when perspiring. Lycra long supply line. In several hours, sleeve shirts allow sweat to you will have the water you evaporate.” need,” advised Heffernan. “By securing the water tank Options higher than your mixing “Several equipment options tank, you can gravity feed are available,” noted Tarvin. up to 400 gallons per minute “Some can be thought of as through a 2-in. line. near necessities while others “For barricades, use those are luxuries. In my experithat can be left on a job, e.g., ence, the one option that plastic tape, string, wood every sealing machine should stakes, signs, and so forth. have is a brush water box. Place the tape/string barriThe box allows for storage cades low to prevent neck or of trim brushes and prevents face injury when people walk them from drying out.” or run into them.” Young agreed. “A 36-in. Hefferman, who spent metal box can be bolted to more than two decades as a the fender of the trailer. Fill sealcoating contractor, offers it just above the brushes, no three additional tips for more than an inch. This keeps startup companies: the water from splashing out. • Use proper monitoring If it does, the fender location equipment (meters, will keep the water away from measuring sticks, tank equipment. Include a filter or charts, etc.) to document screen in the bottom of the the amount of material tank to separate the dirt.” being applied.
• Mini-bulk systems (totes) for primers and additives will minimize the disposal of drums and pails. • Include in your spare parts list hoses, clamps, and diaphragms in case of break downs. Young leveraged his 25 years in the business for two additional tips: “Consider replacing the soft pink hoses that come with a sealcoating unit with shiney, red rubber hoses. They last twice as long and are not as heavy or as bulky. If you use a spray wand, replace the ¾-in. ball valve with a 1-in. ball valve to ensure full flow through the wand.”
SealMaster Truck Mount “If you are just starting out on your own, don’t think just about the machine that works for you now,” Tarvin offers. “Consider where your business might possibly be within a few short years. “I have found that most first-time buyers plan on doing residential work to get started. It’s less intimidating than a commercial job. The reality is, however, that most new contractors start landing small commercial jobs within a few months. Hence, it is important to have a machine (and other equipment) that allows beginning contractors to scale up or down based upon the job at hand.” Based in Madison, WI, Rod Dickens is a freelance writer specializing in the construction industry.
24 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_22-25_SealcoatingCrew_AJ.indd 24
3/1/16 12:03 PM
For Distresses/Repairs Caused by Winter Weather
TechCrete Flexible Concrete Repair
HP Concrete Cold Patch
TECHCRETETM FLEXIBLE CONCRETE
HP CONCRETE COLD PATCHTM
REPAIR
• Gray colored, cold applied, single component
• Resists cracking, delamination and spalling • Flexible
material • Repair cracks, spalls, potholes and other
• Supports heavy loads
confined voids greater than 1” wide and 1/2”
• Long lasting repair with proven service
deep
greater than 10 years
• No primer or special equipment required
• Improves ride quality
• Fast and easy application, immediately open
• Provides a high friction surface to ensure driver safety
to traffic • Year round, all season quality repair
• Easily installed and generally is opened to traffic within an hour • Waterproofs PCC pavement and resists commonly used chemicals that destroy pavement
The world’s largest and only manufacturer of state-of-the-art pavement preservation packaged sealants and specialized application equipment
Write in 35 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10072573
Call to order your products or schedule a demonstration today! phone: (800) 528-8242 | email: sales@crafco.com | www.crafco.com
PVM0316_22-25_SealcoatingCrew_AJ.indd 25
3/1/16 12:03 PM
Sealcoating
Allan Heydorn, Editor
Sealcoating among “Moving” Inventory Planning and flexibility enable Paradise Asphalt Maintenance to repair and seal auto auction lot SEALCOATING CONTRACTORS ARE often involved in projects that require a multi-day schedule and constant communication with the client, but the job Paradise Asphalt Maintenance, Kansas City, MO, tackled for nearby Adesa Auto Auction, took that complexity to a whole other level. To start with, the job was big – 400,000 sq. yds., that required milling, patching, paving, cracksealing, sealcoating and striping. Factor in that no work could be done on Tuesdays or Thursdays when Adesa auctioned 1,000 cars each day, that each parking space was actually an inventory stall requiring stenciled numbers, that each car was matched to a number, and that cars had to be moved (and numbers had to be changed each time the car was moved) so the contractor could work, and you have the components of a complex job with a lot of built-in risk. “It was one of those jobs where you could lose your shirt if you don’t bid, plan, schedule and produce the right way,” says Rob Paskiewicz, Paradise Asphalt operations manager. “So I measured it, double checked it again with the wheel, and double checked it again on Google Earth because on that big a job you have to be accurate. The potential to lose a lot of money was there, but we worked closely with the client – and they worked with us – and it turned out great.”
Scheduling…and Adapting Paskiewicz says the work was scheduled to accommodate both the needs of Adesa and Paradise Asphalt Maintenance. The
contractor didn’t want to ignore its other shopping center and apartment complex customers or tie its crews to only one job, and Adesa needed to stay open for business. “We had to come up with a plan that would enable them to stay open, that would enable people to still drop off cars to be auctioned, where they could still hold their auction and still move cars as we needed and keep track of them,” he says. “It required quite a bit of coordination.” So well in advance of the job Paskiewicz and John Acton, project
manager, presented Adesa with a phasing plan. “We tweaked it with their input, with what works best for them, but that wouldn’t hurt our production,” Paskiewicz says. They then created a color-coded map of the parking lot outlining work and the schedule. “As the job progressed, the schedule changed, but that’s because some unexpected issues came up and we both adapted to the changes we needed to make,” Paskiewicz says. One change was a parking lot Adesa used for dealerships bringing in cars. “One day they learned they were going to
26 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_26-29_Paradise_AJ.indd 26
3/1/16 12:04 PM
Paradise Asphalt Maintenance crews followed four days of milling with paving, then crews cleaned and cracksealed areas a day in advance to ready them for sealcoating. Striping was generally started the day after sealcoating an area, and as soon as it was halfway done and dried, Adesa Auto began moving cars back into the newly sealed and striped area.
Often Paradise Asphalt Maintenance sealcoated in several smaller areas rather than a large area to accommodate Adesa’s business needs.
“They moved the cars out, we’d crackseal and sealcoat it, and the next day start striping a big chunk of stalls to get them ready. Adesa moved cars back once an area was completed, and we’d start right away on another area that they’d emptied of cars,” says Rob Paskiewicz.
get 300 cars in so we changed the schedule on the fly to get that dealer lot done before they got all those cars in.” Paradise Asphalt Maintenance, through Acton, who was on the job throughout and the primary contact with Adesa, let Adesa know well in advance which areas needed to be cleared of cars. Complicating the shuffling of cars is that each car is parked in a specific location and there’s a “tag number” on each car keyed to its parking space. Each time a car was moved, its tag number changed. Paskiewicz says cars were moved out of an area (one tag change) so crews could
pave, then back into that area (second change) once paving was completed so another could be paved. The same process was followed for sealcoating (two more tag changes), and striping (two more tag changes). “When they said they would clear an area for us, they did,” Paskiewicz says. “It was a huge help from the client, especially Kim Cook, who signed off all work and Craig Waldroup, who managed all the moving of cars to keep us on our schedule and their schedule.”
400,000 sq. yds. of Sealcoating The complexity and duration of the job – crews worked 12 days over three weeks from start to finish – called for a staging area, which Paradise Asphalt set up in a lower parking lot outside the secure Adesa property. The area contained drop tanks for sealer and storage for cones, barriers and some equipment. Because it was outside Adesa’s secured property, Paradise Asphalt Maintenance had
Milling and Paving First Before Paradise Asphalt Maintenance could even get to its 400,000 sq. yd. of sealcoating, subcontractor Harris Milling Co., Kansas City, MO, milled roughly 60 damaged areas totaling 70,000 sq. ft. throughout the property over four days. In a number of areas pavement was severely damaged and needed to be completely replaced. Most areas were milled 4 ft. wide, but some were 8 ft. wide (the largest area was 8 ft. x 200 ft.). Most areas were milled 4 in. deep, some areas required full-depth milling and some needed only 2 in. deep. Then Paradise Asphalt paved the milled areas. “If we saw that an area was going to be a problem in the future, we just went ahead and fixed it for them too since we were right there,” Paskiewicz says.
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 27
PVM0316_26-29_Paradise_AJ.indd 27
3/1/16 12:04 PM
Sealcoating
access to it throughout the project. The Adesa job involved 400,000 sq. yds. of sealcoating using a refined tar sealer, and Paradise Asphalt started in the 100,000-sq.-yd. auction area, sealcoating 50,000 sq. yd. a day. “That’s where they wanted us to start, just to get it out of the way,” Paskiewicz says. To clean an area for sealcoating, two prep crews walked the pavement blowing debris and two workers on skid steers swept it all up. Two three-person sealcoating crews then squeegee-applied the first coat then sprayed the second coat. Using two Ditch Runner ride-on units, Paradise Asphalt crews would start early in the morning putting down the first coat by squeegee while other crews were out doing other jobs. When those crews were done with those jobs, usually by 3:00 p.m., they’d come to Adesa. By that time, the sealer was dry and crews would apply the second coat by spray. Striping and stall number stenciling by subcontractor Morgan Contractors, Lee’s Summit, MO, followed soon after. Overall, Paradise Asphalt Maintenance applied roughly 100,000 gal. of premixed sealer, supplied on site by Vance Brothers in 25 tanks of 4,000 gal. each. Vance Brothers dropped two tankers most days and as many as five on the weekends “because we were at it nonstop on the weekends.” Crews went through up to three tanks a day depending on the size of that day’s job. “We don’t mix our own material,” Paskiewicz says. “We want our product to always be correct and every time Vance Brothers make a batch they send it to a chemist to get it tested. With that size job, we wanted to make sure we could guarantee the product consistency from the start of the job to the finish of the job and premixed sealer gives us that guarantee. “We have a great reputation here in town and there’s no sense risking that trying to save a penny, if you will, by buying sealer concentrate where we have to mix it ourselves.”
Flexibility Aids Productivity Paskiewicz says one key to the success of the job was maintaining the level of productivity, and he says Adesa was
Near the end of the project, most areas are repaired, sealcoated and striped. The top right area will be cleared of cars and finished next.
Numbered blue areas identify patches that will be milled 2 in. deep.
Sealing 80,000 ft. of Cracks The Adesa Auto Auction job included more than 80,000 linear feet of cracksealing, including many cracks filled with grass. Two Paradise Asphalt crews cleaned cracks, followed cleaning with a Grazor, then used Crafco equipment and banders to finish cracksealing. Many of the cracks were at old paving joints and a lot were actually fixed with asphalt instead of crack sealer. Some joints were milled 2 in. wide in lengths ranging from 4 ft. to 600 ft., depending on each crack. Once they were milled they were paved. “Both cracksealing crews would start other jobs and then when they were done preparing those jobs, they would go to Adesa and start there,” Paskiewicz says. “All the while they were at other jobs Adesa was moving cars for us.”
helpful with that when changes prevented Paradise Asphalt from working in a scheduled area. He says Adesa recognized that work had to proceed along the Paradise plan and schedule to make the job worthwhile for the contractor. “So when a change in plans was required, they helped us find smaller areas we could still work and still be productive and that was a big key to our success on the job,” Paskiewicz says. He says there were a number of open areas such as drive lanes on the property so Paradise Asphalt always had something crews could work on while they were waiting for an area to dry or while Adesa was moving cars. “We did change on the fly as need be for their business, but we had factored those kinds of things into our plan and bid. As long as we were working, we were fine and Adesa did a great job of finding us places to work so we could be productive when we had to accommodate a change for them. We just worked with their schedule and they were very accommodating working with us,” Paskiewicz says. He says Paradise Asphalt planned a flexible job so the contractor would be successful and profitable as long as they were able to keep working. “It was a team effort all the way down to the crew,” Paskiewicz says. “The crew knew the importance of the job – it was a big job and a high-profile job – and when we started a section, they knew we had to commit to it and get it done. It can’t be done in a profitable and quality way if everyone isn’t committed to taking care of the customer.”
28 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_26-29_Paradise_AJ.indd 28
3/1/16 12:04 PM
EQUIPMENT DESIGNED WITH THE PAVING PROFESSIONAL IN MIND
1000G TILT PAVER
MAX 2 DISTRIBUTOR
endless
5300 ASPHALT PAVER
Strong worldwide dealer network and industry-leading parts availability. All major components from industry leading suppliers to support reliability in the field.
solutions.
Over 50 years industry experience and US market-leader for four decades. VT LeeBoy equipment built in the USA.
Write in 14 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10075155
www.LeeBoy.com | 500 Lincoln County Parkway Ext, Lincolnton, NC 28092 | 704.966.3300 PVM0316_26-29_Paradise_AJ.indd 29
3/1/16 12:04 PM
Preservation
Tom Kuennen
Emulsions Key to Preserving Low-Volume Pavements Numerous treatment options match preservation approach to the pavement problem PAVEMENT PRESERVATION TREATMENTS extend pavement life, avoiding high future costs of reconstruction or rehabilitation through the expenditure of lesser amounts of money at critical points in a pavement’s life. Such methods include surface treatments such as chip seals and slurry surfacings including micro surfacing, all of which utilize asphalt emulsions to preserve pavements. For years, application of pavement preservation treatments has focused on low-volume streets and roads in both urban and rural applications, and the pavement maintenance contractor has been a prime driver in this work. But in the last two years, as the discipline of pavement preservation has matured, the “hot button” emphasis of preservation research has migrated from low-volume rural lanes and urban streets, to higher-volume four-lane and interstate highways. In 2016, lessons learned from longstanding preservation of low-volume
roads are being applied to extension of service life of higher-traffic volume highways. Buttressed by active research from a SHRP2 project, R26: Preservation of High-Traffic-Volume Roadways, the FHWA is publicizing the benefits of select pavement preservation treatments for these critical highways. Emphasis on preservation of highvolume pavements is accelerating with ongoing research at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), where preservations treatments were placed last summer on four-lane, divided highway U.S. 280 in Alabama. This year, similar treatments will be placed on I-94 at the MnROAD Road Research Facility of the Minnesota DOT.
Lower Volume Leads Mileage With all this interest in high-volume pavement preservation, it’s time to go back to the basics of preservation of low-volume pavements. That’s because although highvolume roads carry most traffic, lowvolume roads – generally defined as roads with less than 1,000 average annual daily traffic (ADT) – account for 82 percent of total U.S. lane mileage. Experience shows that spending one dollar on pavement preservation can
The chemistry of asphalt emulsions enable excellent coating and adhesion of the residual asphalt cement to aggregate surfaces in both dense and open-graded mixes, base stabilization, and stockpiled patching mixes.
eliminate or delay spending $6 to $10 on future rehabilitation or reconstruction costs. Because approximately two-thirds of these low-volume roads are paved, considerable savings can be realized locally, statewide and nationwide when preservation is undertaken. The savings can lead to success. For example, Oregon’s Low Volume Road Preservation Program maintains state highways with an ADT of less than 5,000 vehicles and 20-year equivalent singleaxle truck loads (ESALs) of less than 3 million. This program was launched in 1999 with only regional and district level highways with an ADT of less than 1,000 vehicles, but following successes, was expanded to roads with 2,500 ADT in 2005, and to 5,000 ADT in 2009. Texas DOT’s pavement preservation program started earlier, having been launched in 1987 with the TxDOT Preventive Maintenance Program, funded at $145 million annually for preventive maintenance projects. Today, TxDOT requires each district to produce an
30 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_30-33_AsphaltEmulsions_AJ.indd 30
3/1/16 12:04 PM
annual Four-Year Pavement Management Plan that includes all aspects of pavement-related work. These are project-specific and financially constrained plans which map out the pavement work needed, along with expected changes in pavement condition. There is money in preservation of roads, and maintenance contractors are part of it. In its 2015-2019 Strategic Plan, TxDOT reported that 40 percent of the TxDOT biennial budget ($8.6 billion) was dedicated to system preservation. TxDOT accomplishes its maintenance mission by supplementing its work force with private maintenance and preventive maintenance contracts. The state processes approximately 1,400 maintenance contracts a year, with an average contract approximately $90,000, and several contracts exceeding $1 million. The average duration is 1 year with variation from 45 days to 2 years. Contracts estimated at under $300,000 account for about 75 percent of the contracts.
attributed to the oxidation of oils in the asphalt binder and water penetration,” said Tammy Sims, P. E., area engineer, Paris District of TxDOT. “Water, through chemical reaction and the freeze-thaw cycle, is asphalt pavement’s greatest enemy, causing the breakdown of the pavement structure. These problems can be virtually eliminated with a conscientious and timely program of carefully selected surface treatments utilizing asphalt emulsions.” An asphalt emulsion for surface treatments is a homogeneous mixture of two insoluble substances, oil and water. In it, particles of liquid asphalt (the dispersed phase) are surrounded by molecules of water (the continuous phase). Asphalt emulsions are produced by dispersing tiny globules of asphalt cement into water treated with a small quantity of emulsifying agent. The dispersion takes place in a powerful blender, called a colloid mill, where spinning blades break or shear the liquid asphalt into suspended microscopic particles. The water, or soap
Surface treatments using asphalt emulsions can solve a variety of pavement problems that result from oxidation of oils in the binder and water penetration.
Spending one dollar on pavement preservation can eliminate or delay spending $6 to $10 on future rehab or reconstruction. solution, is immediately introduced to form the emulsion. These globules are either anionic (negatively charged) or cationic (positively charged). The emulsifier – an engineered surfactant (detergent) or surface-active agent – maintains the microscopic asphalt droplets in a stable suspension, keeping them from recombining. The amount and type of surfactant used, along with other variables, controls properties of the emulsion critical to performance in the field application. Generally speaking, an emulsion will be constituted of 57 to 70 percent typical range of asphalt binder content per ASTM specifications, with the rest water and a very small amount of emulsifier, sometimes as low as one quarter of a percent by weight. The emulsifier also partially controls the “break” time following placement on a road, in which the water evaporates, leaving the residual asphalt behind.
Emulsions for Preservation Texas shows that in light of limited budgets, preservation of pavements is a powerful tool for governments to use to prolong system life, and contracted services are one way they can expand preservation programs. Fortunately, governments and contractors can choose from a variety of practical pavement preservation treatments which utilize asphalt emulsions for bituminous-surfaced roads “Seventy percent of all problems that develop with asphalt pavements can be
70 perfect of all problems that develop with aspahlt pavemenets can be attributed to the oxidation of oils in the asphalt binder and water penetration.
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 31
PVM0316_30-33_AsphaltEmulsions_AJ.indd 31
3/1/16 12:04 PM
Preservation Residual asphalt is what’s remaining after an emulsion has cured, typically 57 to 70 percent. The bond or tack coat break is the moment when water separates enough from the asphalt emulsion showing a color change from brown to black. The chemistry of asphalt emulsions enable excellent coating and adhesion of
the residual asphalt cement to aggregate surfaces in both dense and open-graded mixes, base stabilization, and stockpiled patching mixes. They’re also economical where small quantities of mix need to be produced at locations remote from asphalt plants, or when environmental issues make use of HMA difficult.
WHAT IF THERE WAS A BUSINESS SOLUTION FOR YOUR COMPANY THAT PROVIDED YOU WITH THE FOLLOWING:
1
Customer Relationship Management system with 3x tracking ability - Site, Property Manager and Company.
2
Provides estimating/proposal building while tracking historical data and potential for auto-bidding. ‘
3
Gives custom client insight to every job proposed or performed, for current and future projects.
4
Programmed to send auto reminders for proposals giving you automatic follow-up to increase closing %.
5
Allows you to manage your scheduling and increase productivity while providing clients with unmatched communication and auto reminders for when work is to be performed.
6
Provide direct costing tools and interfaces with I-pads and I-phones for time keeping, labor/ equipment/material costing.
7
Provides you with a unique dashboard for each employees work needs and clearance.
8
Gives you a time keeping piece app for your phones for tracking labor times and locations.
9
Allows you to know your sales and gross profit for every job performed from the prior days’ work.
10
Provides management reports that allows you to know and control your business and grow top line and bottom line.
We are pleased to inform you that there is just such a business solution that gives your business all the above – It is PROCRU – a business management system that will provide you new insights to your business and give you a dash board for further success.
WHAT IS BEHIND YOUR DASHBOARD? C O N TA C T 1 0 2 8 5
8 9 T H
AV E N U E
T R O Y
N O R T H
W W W . P R O C R U . C O M
L U D G AT E -
M A P L E
T R O Y @ P R O C R U . C O M G R O V E ,
M N
5 5 3 6 9
-
6 1 2 - 7 5 1 - 9 3 9 3
Write in 15 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/12160643
Variety of Treatments A variety of treatments using asphalt emulsions is available for just about every pavement preservation application. The chip seal is an economical surface treatment in which the pavement is sprayed with emulsified asphalt and then immediately covered with aggregate and rolled. On low-volume roads, chip seals are used primarily to seal the surface of a pavement with non load-associated cracks, and to improve surface friction. Long-term pavement performance studies show that chip seals are one of the most cost-effective means of pavement preservation, especially for low-volume pavements. A modified chip seal is a variation in which the asphalt emulsion is modified with polymer modifiers – or fibers or a blend of ground tire or latex rubber – to enhance the elasticity and adhesion. Sand seals describe a light application of asphalt emulsion binder, which is covered with a fine aggregate. This is followed by a tractor pulling a broom sled which works the material into cracks. Sand seals improve skid resistance and seal against air and water intrusion. With value-added scrub seals, application procedure of the emulsion is paramount. Scrub seals involve application of a polymer modified asphalt emulsion to the pavement surface, followed by a broom trailer which forces the emulsion into cracks and voids. After brooming, an even coat of sand or small aggregate is placed, and a second brooming of the aggregate and asphalt mixture follows. This seal is then rolled with a pneumatic tire roller. Both sand and scrub seals are swept before opening to traffic. An emulsion preservation treatment need not have aggregate applied at all. A fog seal is a light application of slowsetting asphalt emulsion diluted with water, but without aggregate applied to the surface. Fog seals are used to renew aged asphalt surfaces, seal small cracks and surface voids, or adjust the quality of binder in newly applied chip seals. Fog seals are an inexpensive way of covering large surface areas. They can be applied using conventional distributors and should be spread as evenly as possible to achieve optimum coverage and
32 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_30-33_AsphaltEmulsions_AJ.indd 32
3/1/16 12:04 PM
penetration of surface cracks. The application rate ranges from 0.1 to 0.15 gal./ s.y. of diluted emulsion, typically diluted with water by 25 to 75 percent. A double chip seal is a preservation treatment that consists of application of asphalt emulsion and a large aggregate, followed by a second application of asphalt emulsion that is, in turn, covered with smaller aggregate and compacted. Sandwich seals are used to seal the surface and improve skid resistance, especially on asphalt pavement surfaces that are bleeding or flushing. A slurry is a mixture of a liquid and fine solid particles that together are denser than water. A slurry seal is a mixture of slow-setting emulsified asphalt, well-graded fine aggregate, mineral filler, and water. The treatment seals and waterproofs the surface, fills minor cracks, restores skid resistance and restores aesthetic appeal with a black surface, all at a relatively low cost. Slurry seals extend pavement life by protecting the undersurface from the effects of aging and the environment. Slurry seals are available in three types, depending upon the average size of the aggregate. Generally, Type I is used to seal surface cracks on lowvolume roads; Type II is used to correct raveling and oxidation on roads with moderate-to-heavy traffic; and Type III is used to fill minor surface irregularities and restore surface friction. Slurry seals are not appropriate for pavements with rutting (more than ¼ in.) or high severity surface distresses. Slurry seals should not be placed in thicker lifts than recommended and traffic should not be reintroduced until the seal has thoroughly cured two to eight hours. Micro surfacing is for rutted pavements and high-performance surfaces on heavily traveled pavements. A micro surfacing is a laboratory-specified mixture of polymer modified asphalt emulsion, mineral aggregate, mineral filler, water, and other additives, properly proportioned, mixed, and spread on a paved surface using specialized equipment. Micro surfacing differs from slurry seal in that it can be used on high volume roadways to correct wheel-path rutting and provide a skid-resistant surface.
A cape seal is a surface treatment in which a slurry seal or micro surfacing is applied to a newly constructed surface treatment or chip seal. Cape seals provide a dense, waterproof surface with improved skid resistance and ride quality.
Tom Kuennen is a freelance writer in the surface transportation industry and can be reached at www.expresswaysonline. com. For more information about asphalt emulsions and pavement preservation for low volume roads, visit the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association at www.aema.org.
Write in 16 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10076673
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 33
PVM0316_30-33_AsphaltEmulsions_AJ.indd 33
3/1/16 12:04 PM
Sweeping
Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor
Making the Move to Natural Gas Sweepers Natural gas sweepers are gaining popularity in the industry and NiteHawk has partnered with Greenkraft to bring these machines to contractors even faster
Natural gas vehicles reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other smog-producing emissions when compared with gasoline and diesel vehicles.
SINCE DIESEL AND oil are finite resources, they are only going to get more expensive as supply continues to dwindle. This is why there has been a huge shift in the industry to find alternative ways to fuel the equipment contractors and municipalities depend on every day to get the job done. Add to that the ever-growing need to address environmental concerns and to meet federal, state and municipal air quality requirements, and there has also been an increasing demand for fleets to add more low emission alternative-fuel vehicles (AFVs). Fleet owners and operators across America are turning to a wide variety of vehicles that rely on domestically produced natural gas that is both
economical and clean-burning. Natural gas vehicles (NGV) use proven, reliable technology to take advantage of our country’s abundant natural gas reserves. The low cost of natural gas, combined with unprecedented public and private investment, has led to significant market growth and more vehicle and fueling options than ever before. These natural gas systems generally comes in two forms for sweeper manufactures: CNG and LPG. The economic and environmental benefits of using natural gas are realized when using either form, but each has unique advantages for specific applications. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is made by compressing natural gas to 3,600 psi, which is then stored in high-pressure cylinders.
For many applications, especially shorthaul and return-to-base operations, using CNG is the preferred fuel choice. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is produced as part of natural gas processing and crude oil refining and its use can result in lower vehicle maintenance costs, lower emissions, and fuel costs savings when compared to conventional gasoline and diesel. Recently, NiteHawk began offering a line of NGV’s to their customers that can be either LPG or CNG. Customers can design their sweeper and choose the natural gas option that would best fit their needs. These systems are built, tuned and customized to run with the sweeper system the customer chooses. NiteHawk offers natural gas systems to their
34 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_34-37_GasSweepers_AJ.indd 34
3/1/16 12:05 PM
customers without a special order. The sweeper manufacturer partnered with Greenkraft, a manufacturer of alternative fuel systems, to provide their natural gas system for heavy duty sweeper trucks to run on this natural gas. The trucks are designed by NiteHawk and Greenkraft manufactures the alternative fuel systems to be installed on the vehicle.
Why Natural Gas for Sweepers? Natural gas is the cleanest burning commercially available alternative fuel today, and its use as a transportation fuel is improving the air quality and the health of communities across the country. NGVs significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other smog-producing emissions when compared with gasoline and diesel vehicles. NGVs also enjoy significant economic advantages over comparable diesel and gasoline vehicles. NGVs have a higher incremental cost due to the expense of specialized fuel systems and fuel tanks,
but the low cost of natural gas fuel relative to diesel and gasoline means there is a short payback period before realizing significant savings over the life cycle of the vehicle. And these positive economics of NGVs are here to stay. Independent studies now show NGVs capturing significant market share of both the light and heavy duty vehicle markets. The National Petroleum Council, under an “aggressive” scenario, predicts NGVs will capture 50% of the light duty market, upwards of 35% of the Class 3 to 6 truck market, and almost 50% of the Class 7 to 8 truck market by 2050. And why not, switching to natural gas vehicles can save fleets up to 20% on their fuel costs. “We tend to see most people using the natural gas vehicles on the municipality side,” says Jake Hoerman with NiteHawk. “Cities, governments,
Natural gas vehicles are expected to capture 50% of the light duty market, 35% of the Class 3 market and 50% of the Class 7 and 8 truck market by 2050.
airports, those kind of people are driving the natural gas trend. “There is an overall push in the industry to have cleaner fuels from an environmental standpoint, but from a financial standpoint, a lot of times the natural gas or propane is much cheaper than gasoline or diesel fuel,” Hoerman continues. “For a contractor that can mean a lot to their bottom line.”
One man. One machine. One tool. Remove all types of pavement markings, plunge cut for snow plow markers and groove for inlaid line markings with the versatile Transformer, the new quick change tooling attachment for your high flow skid steer machine. Get all the details and watch the amazing Transformer removing at 4 plus miles per hour at www.skidtools.com or www.roadproonline.com
Dickson Industries
serving the pavement marking industry since 1981
tel. 405-598-6494
Transformer quick change tooling from Skid Tools Write in 17 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10072731
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 35
PVM0316_34-37_GasSweepers_AJ.indd 35
3/1/16 12:05 PM
PVM0316_34-37_GasSweepers_AJ.indd 36
3/1/16 12:05 PM
Write in 18 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10072761
PVM0316_34-37_GasSweepers_AJ.indd 37
3/1/16 12:05 PM
Striping
Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor While the cost of these conversion units may range from $4,000-$10,000, possibly equal to the cost of your striping unit, manufacturers say they are well worth the price tag, just based on the fatigue factor alone.
When to Upgrade to a
Line Driver Some contractors may still prefer their walk-behind striping units, but line driver attachments can be a game changer for your business
ALTHOUGH YOU AND your crew may be comfortable with a walk behind unit, the time may come when you have too much work for that piece of equipment to keep up with. Manufacturers then recommend a conversion unit that turns your walk-behind striper into a piece of equipment you can ride on to complete the same work, only faster. These “driver” add-ons might take a little getting used to, but manufacturers say once you and your crew use them, you’ll wonder how you survived so long without them. So whichever approach you select, select one of them because contractors and manufacturers alike say motorizing your walk-behind striping machine is the single biggest impact you can make on your striping productivity. “A walk-behind with a pusher unit is needed when the contractor has a limited amount of time to complete the work he has to do,” says Denny Tooker,
EZ-Liner. “You can use the same walkbehind unit and cover a lot more area in less time with a conversion unit. Plus efficiencies increase dramatically once the contractor becomes mobile.” “When you start striping big jobs like airports, highways/interstates, large parking lots or anywhere ‘a lot’ of linestriping needs to be done, a contractor should buy a ride on unit,” says Tom Heine, specialty business sales manager at Titan Tool. Still, they say over 70% of all striping contractors out there are still walking. “It’s a control issue,” says Tim Wehner, Graco global product marketing manager. “Contractor’s don’t believe you can drive as fast as you can walk and still get that line quality. They don’t believe you can stay as straight, but actually with a rideon you have five wheels contacting the ground instead of three. “Most operators who stripe have never had the opportunity to use a line driver so there’s lack of understanding about what it can do for them and how it can help their business,” Wehner says. “These units aren’t just for the big jobs, you can get twice as much work done in the same amount of time and you’re not putting stress on your workers.”
Your Workers Will Thank You That worker fatigue can be a huge reason to switch to a ride-on striper. “Fatigue is the biggest drawback to a walk-behind unit,” Wehner says. “You’re walking all day long, pushing and pulling the unit. Plus, if there’s any kind of incline, you have to push up or hold back all the weight that’s on the unit.” That can really add up when you consider the weight of the unit, plus the materials inside the striper. “When you’re tired, you’re less productive,” Heine says. “Plus you’re putting unnecessary wear and tear on your body when you’re walking all day.” While the cost of these conversion units may range from $4,000 ‒ $10,000, possibly equal to the cost of your striping unit, manufacturers say they are well worth the price tag, just based on the fatigue factor alone.
More Work, Faster Some manufacturers say that upgrading your walk-behind unit can more than double your productivity as jobs get done faster and contractors will be able to more accurately bid even more work. “If a contractor wakes up in the morning and his job is to put down lines
38 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_38-39_LineDriver_AJ.indd 38
3/1/16 12:05 PM
three to five days a week, then he needs a ride-on driver and striper combo,” Heine says. “The ride-on portion detaches, which is great for going back and forth between the two applications if need be.” “If a guy is striping one job per day for two-three hours, he’s not a very big striping contractor and would get by just fine with a walk-behind unit,” Wehner says. “However if he’s striping from midnight until 6 a.m., I don’t think he’s going to want to walk for six hours straight.” Wehner says it’s really a business proposition. If a striper wants to go twice as fast because he can gain more jobs, that’s when it’s time to upgrade. “Even if you love your walk-behind, if you run out of paint and have to walk your unit to the truck to fill it up, you’re wasting time,” Wehner says. “If you can drive 10 miles an hour to fill up, it’s an absolute time saver.”
Try Before You Buy However, there is still some push-back from contractors when they think about making the upgrade to a ride-on. Some of it is cost, some is the comfort level with new equipment and some is the fact that contractors think the units will be too big for what they need. “There’s no job too big or too small for a ride-on unit,” Wehner says. “Many line striping contractors say that they use their Lazy Liner ride-on driver/line-striper system for one line or 1,000 lines,” Heine says. “It’s just as easy to back the driver/striper out of the trailer and start striping as it is with a walk-behind unit.” Still hesitant? Many manufacturers will hold events for contractors where they can get on this new equipment and gain experience with these units before making the purchase. “Ride-on units just make so much sense to have,” Wehner says. “We hold
these events so guys can get on the units, get comfortable and hopefully open their eyes to a different way for them to do their job and make more money.” “A walk-behind also holds less supplies than the larger equipment, meaning they need to be refilled more often,” Tooker adds. Before looking into a conversion unit, speak with your walk-behind manufacturer. “Some smaller units are not compatible with a pusher unit,” Wehner says. “The small walk-behind units are optimized to be lighter for the contractor to push, therefore they are just too light for a conversion unit.”
Clean and Seal for Pavement Longevity & Cost Savings Rout & Seal as a stand alone treatment or as a best practice prior to surface treatments Cracks routed, cleaned and sealed achieve more than twice the service life of non-routed sealed cracks, saving you money Use Deery sealants to extend pavement life and reduce costs Don’t waste time and money resealing the same crack Do it right the first time - Do it with Deery!
Order your products or schedule a demonstration today!
Deery SUPER-STRETCH® is the world’s #1 selling direct-fired pavement sealant phone: ( 800) 227- 4059 | em ai l : i n fo @ D e e r y A m e ri c a n . c o m | www. D e e r y A m e ri c a n . c o m Write in 19 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10072674
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 39
PVM0316_38-39_LineDriver_AJ.indd 39
3/1/16 12:05 PM
Paving
Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor
5 TIPS
f or Working when a Business is Open
If your work needs to be completed during business hours, keep these things in mind to help minimize frustration for both you and your customer
1
Avoid. Whether we want to accept it or not, people do not like change. When you bring a crew in to a place of business during the day, it disrupts the business and the customer. If at all possible, avoid work during hours of open operation. It is often possible to schedule work for times when a business is closed or receives minimal traffic. As a contractor, be willing to handle jobs at night or on weekends or holidays. This will minimize headaches for you and your customer.
AVOID
2
Plan ahead. Whether you are paving, sealcoating or striping, there will be times traffic will need to be either turned off or re-routed during the process. Take an in-depth look at the jobsite and make a plan of attack well in advance for how you want to proceed. Depending on the size of the parking lot, the amount of traffic and the number of entrances and exits, it might be possible to perform the work in sections. As a rule, the larger the lot, the better the chances of dividing the work area and completing one (or more) sections before moving to the next. This keeps at least part of your lot open to traffic. Also, the your crew will need access to all areas that are to be paved or sealcoated, so if part of the lot is behind a locked gate or fence, the company you’re working with might need to have a representative available to unlock those areas. Finally, be sure all sprinkler systems are turned off in advance of any work, for the entire curing time needed for paving, sealcoating and striping.
PLAN AHEAD
THINK SAFETY
40 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_40-41_5Tips_AJ.indd 40
3/1/16 12:05 PM
3
Communicate. As a contractor, you are accustomed to working with customers to establish a plan that will keep the disruption of traffic to a minimum. The specifics of the plan vary by parking lot, weather and customer needs, but be sure your customer is on board with the plan. It might even be a good idea to have someone from the business work with your crew while paving to direct customers where they need to go when the route is being changed over the course of the day.
COMMUNICATE
4
Think Safety. When your crew is sealcoating, hot crack sealing and striping a shopping mall parking lot, moving along and completing one section after another, they need to think safety. Both for themselves and the traveling public. If a driver is in an area they shouldn’t be, your workers could be in danger of a collision. Keep areas you’re working on clearly marked with cones and barricades so customers stay out.
BE PATIENT
5
Be patient. When having a parking lot sealcoated, you can normally open the area to pedestrians within a few hours, depending on the weather conditions and the type of sealant used. Vehicles, however, should not be allowed to drive on the freshly sealed asphalt until the next day. For freshly paved areas, the typical curing time is 24 hours for both vehicles and pedestrians, but the time can vary with the weather or with the type of traffic that the lot must bear. It could be that cars can be allowed on immediately to finish compaction if the job requires it. Write in 20 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10073961
PVM0316_40-41_5Tips_AJ.indd 41
3/1/16 12:05 PM
Pavement Profit Center
Write in 21 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/11446842
Write in 22 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10076412
Visit Copperstatehose.com
VISIT US AT BOOTH #4003
helping you better serve your customers
Did you know we offer wands,swivels, and heated hose accessories.
Phone- 623-463-7900
wrtequipment.com Write in 23 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/12097981
5306 W Missouri Ave Glendale Az, 85301
Write in 24 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10450133
42 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_42-47_ProfitCenter.indd 42
3/1/16 12:06 PM
Write in 25 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10075055
PVM0316_42-47_ProfitCenter.indd 43
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 43
3/1/16 12:06 PM
Pavement Profit Center
PAVEMENT MARKING EQUIPMENT DIVISION Quality You Can See People You Can Trust™
®
M-B Companies, Inc.
Thermoplastic MB8007T
Paint Airless Tote MB507P
Premelter Truck
M-B Companies, Inc. Pavement Marking Equipment Division specializes in designing and manufacturing equipment for all types of road marking materials.
Epoxy MB330
M’B’s equipment line-up offers specialized designs engineered to meet the performance demands of private contractors as well as custom equipment configurations to meet the specification requirements of state and county road marking departments
Paint Pressure Tank MB500
Premelter Trailer
Thermoplastic Handliner
888-323-2900 www.m-bco.com
Write in 26 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10075674
44 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_42-47_ProfitCenter.indd 44
Write in 27 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10148154
3/1/16 12:06 PM
Write in 28 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/12031375
PVM0316_42-47_ProfitCenter.indd 45
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 45
3/1/16 12:06 PM
Pavement Profit Center
Write in 29 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10073961
Write in 30 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10185550
®
Industrial Solvents & Cleaners Environmentally Safe Industrial Solvent Asphalt Release Agent and Cleaner
Made from 100% soybean oil, SOYSolv® is tested and proven to be a safe, effective and powerful product for use in many applications.
www.soysolv.com
877-769-7658
Write in 31 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/12067423
Write in 32 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10075453
46 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_42-47_ProfitCenter.indd 46
3/1/16 12:06 PM
INCREASE SALES BY STARTING YOUR SEALCOATING SEASON EARLY
COOL WEATHER FORMULAS PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL CURING IN COOLER TEMPERATURES DOWN TO 40°F
• PROVEN DESIGN & COLOR • PROTECT & BEAUTIFY • TOUGH & DURABLE
“The cool weather product definitely extended our season. It allowed us to contract an additional one million square feet.” -Curt Bittner, All-County Pavement Maintenance
YOUR PREMIUM ALTERNATIVE Neyra Force is a high performance alternative to both coal tar and asphalt emulsion sealers providing exceptional coverage, durability and color stability. CONTACT NEYRA TO LEARN MORE! 800.543.7077
Write in 33 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074021
PVM0316_42-47_ProfitCenter.indd 47
WWW.NEYRA.COM
CUSTOMERSERVICE@NEYRA.COM
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 47
3/1/16 12:06 PM
Infrared
Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor
Working Safely
with
Infrared
While this repair equipment is considered safer than cutand-replace methods, there are still precautions you and your crew should take when working with infrared CONTRACTORS ARE FACED with risks to their safety on every jobsite, every day. From traffic control to the equipment they operate, workers need to be fully aware of their environment at all times. When working with infrared asphalt heating equipment, contractors may think safety is a no brainer compared to other jobs, but there are still things they need to consider in order to complete the safest job possible. “Infrared is not intrinsically more dangerous than cracksealing, sealcoating or spray patching,” says Rob Holden with Heat Design Equipment. “Most IR equipment tends to be fueled by propane so there is a certain awareness operators should have when working around any
combustible fuel or material. There are hot surfaces involved as well, again not dissimilar to other practices, so crews should be aware of this and exercise good judgement and wear the appropriate clothing, eye protection and other PPE. Obviously when workers fail to follow health and safety regulations, operating instructions or choose to behave inappropriately, accidents will happen.” “The biggest thing to remember is that equipment does not have a brain,” says Cliff Cameron with KM International. “If operators understand their equipment and keep safety in the forefront of everything they do, then they minimize the potential for any adverse conditions. Ninety-nine percent of all accidents and incidents are related to human error and can be avoided if people slow down and evaluate what they are doing.”
Experience is Key Giving operators the tools they need to succeed with this equipment is the first step. Infrared machines heat asphalt to upwards of 350°F. These extreme
It’s essential to keep the traveling public out of the repair area. Set up cones and barricades well in advance of moving in your equipment to do the work. Also be sure workers wear their PPE on every job,
temperatures can pose potential dangers to inexperienced operators. “One of the biggest dangers of infrared is turning someone who just bought equipment out into the repair market without training,” Cameron says. “A dangerous situation exists when a newer owner takes on more than his experience allows for. KM International always recommends receiving training when anyone buys one of our machines. During our training, we go over all safety precautions on the machine and make sure the user has a full understanding on how to operate the machine in a safe manner. If no on-site training is received, we always talk to the customer over the phone or via email to ensure they understand the equipment fully and can keep themselves and their crew safe.” Training will help you to get to know your machine and what areas you need to watch out for so always abide by the warning labels on the machine. Manufacturers design their infrared units a little different so the areas that get hot can vary depending on the machine, but those areas always have the proper warning labels.
48 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_48-49_SafetyInfrared_AJ.indd 48
3/1/16 12:06 PM
“Any equipment or process that is not operated responsibly or within the regulations and manufacturers guidelines represents a hazard,” Holden says. “Safety starts with the individual. All manufacturers of equipment and the AED strive to inform operators and users of the best practices to reduce the possibility of accidents.” “Worksite dangers are pretty minimal if you take a common sense approach to everything you do,” Cameron says. “The machine is heating the asphalt to a temperature of 350°F, so of course some areas of the machine will be hot. Be sure to allow proper cool down time before touching the hot points on the machine.”
Creating a Safe Repair Another safety consideration is the condition of the pavement to be repaired. Not all failures can be repaired safely using infrared and the repairs must be done properly to ensure a lasting and safe patch.
the infrared process will get a good name. However, if it is done wrong and the crew chooses not to follow the process to the letter, then repairs fail and the infrared process is ‘no good’. It is the responsibility of every owner to ensure people are trained to maximize their potential as in any process. If we all make it our mission to train and do the best job every time, then together we can perpetuate the infrared industry and give a great end product to all the customers around the world.”
Keeping Traffic Out Not only is an infrared repair safer than saw cut-and-replace repairs using fresh asphalt, but they also take about a third of the time and can be opened to the public much sooner. However, it’s still important for the safety of your crew and the initial patch to keep cars away from where you’re working. “Keeping large, moving objects away
Proper PPE Make sure you have the proper personal protection equipment (PPE) on hand when working with infrared: • Leather gloves • Safety eye protection • Steel-toed boots • Long sleeves • Long pants
“The infrared units out there are only great machines when the crews operating them have good skills in raking, luting and rolling,” Cameron says. “These same crews must have common sense when it comes to identifying repairs to be made with the infrared asphalt recyclers. Cutting corners and not rejuvenating the repair can result in compromised asphalt repairs. “The process is either a good process or a bad process based on the crew performing the work. If the job is done right and the repair is long lasting, then
from workers and working area is always a must,” says Krystal Strassman with Asphalt Reheat Systems. “Set up the work area with proper notice before unloading equipment and starting the work is key to keep your workers safe from the traveling public. “Use proper barricades and set up warning signs to divert traffic well in advance with cones and directional lights. Be extra cautious on a hill where you are not as easily visible.” “Depending upon the jobsite, traffic control measures will vary,” Holden
Infrared repairs require simpler traffic control because fewer pieces of equipment are involved, and they take one-third as long as other repairs.
says.”You’re in the business of repairing and maintaining pavement, so traffic is an ever-present hazard. Most jurisdictions have well-defined traffic control regulations and recommendations and the crew and management needs to be aware of these and comply with them. On nonpublic areas, the principles of the on-road regulations should be applied as best as possible in the circumstance while workers are present.” Infrared also does not involve a lot of equipment so the traffic control plan for these repairs is also much easier. “Saw cutting, removal and replacement processes take saws, big trucks coming in and hauling asphalt away and bring new asphalt in,” Cameron says. “Those jobs use big rollers and 4-6 man crews while infrared takes one-third the time and two guys. “Traffic for these jobs can be redirected for approximately 20-30 minutes per repair. On straightaway repairs, the traffic can resume immediately after the area is cleaned up. On turns, you will want to give the repair about 30-45 minutes to avoid rutting.” Holden says another thing to consider is pedestrian traffic. “Pedestrian traffic, though a reduced hazard for workers, is another ever-present responsibility when working in a public space,” Holden says. “Just as you wouldn’t allow a passerby to stroll across a factory floor, this is a work place and restrictions need to be put into place to protect everyone that is likely to interact with it.” Keeping these things in mind can help ensure the safety of your crew, the traveling public and also the finished repair. “Infrared repair is not rocket science, but it is an art,” Cameron says. “The proper training will help the user perfect that art and ensure they are performing both safe and proper infrared repairs.”
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 49
PVM0316_48-49_SafetyInfrared_AJ.indd 49
3/1/16 12:06 PM
Contractors ’ Choice TOWING
Curt Bennink, Contributing Editor
Pickup Truck Technology Advances Simplify Towing The most recent pickups feature high-tech towing aids to improve confidence and safety THE 2016/2017 PICKUPS usher in advanced technology to supplement the tow/haul modes and integrated trailer brakes that have already become commonplace. Many of the advancements are due to electronic steering and the growing proliferation of camera technology. While the technology is being adopted on both full-size light-duty and heavyduty pickups, most users will benefit from the larger towing capacities of heavy-duty vehicles. “An interesting piece of data as it relates to the 1/2ton segment: Most customers tow less than 5,000 lbs., if they tow at all,” says Nick Cappa, Ram Truck. “In fact, towing capability does not rank in the top reasons for a purchase. Fuel economy, design and features rank much higher.” The dynamics of the full-size lightduty pickup market have been evolving. “The 1/2-ton pickup truck segment has evolved from brute capability and acceptable efficiency, to an engineering and execution that combine desirable size, configurations, capability, refinement, technology and quality — and now, most importantly, outstanding fuel efficiency,” says Cappa. The emphasis on towing capability steps up dramatically in significance as pickups increase in size. “Moving into the heavy-duty segments, the demand curve for capability goes straight up,” says Cappa. “Customers rank capability as No. 1 by a landslide. More than 20% of ‘why buys’ are related to towing or hauling in the 3/4- and 1-ton segments.”
Light-duty Towing Aides Instill Confidence While towing may not be the main focus of the full-size light-duty pickups, it doesn’t mean manufacturers have ignored towing capability. In fact, the growing suite of electronic towing aides instills confidence in both inexperienced and experienced drivers. Consider the 2016 Ford F-150. It offers a Pro Trailer Backup Assist that helps make backing up a trailer as easy as turning a knob. “Pro Trailer Backup Assist came from us having electronic steering on the F-150,” says Brad Hochrein, chassis control supervisor, Ford Motor Company. “It is a great feature for both novice and experienced customers. We wanted to help them back up trailers, take over some of the steering and help them move a trailer in a parking lot.” The knob on the Pro Trailer Backup Assist controls steering and limits vehicle speed. “By using the reverse camera to watch the trailer, the driver takes their hands off the steering wheel and simply turns the knob left or right,” Hochrein explains. “The truck steers itself, placing the trailer where you want to go. The
Ram Trucks rise to the occasion with air suspension options on both the 2500 and 3500 pickups. A benefit to the air suspension design is the loadleveling capability, which automatically detects load on the rear suspension from a trailer or payload.
result is less time to back up a trailer with improved confidence. It even helps experienced trailer towers to back a trailer faster.” This technology is combined with: • 360°camera with split view that is helpful when maneuvering in tight spaces; • Smart trailer towing connector that informs you of trailer connectivity issues (such as burned out trailer marker or brake lamps); • Dynamic Hitch Assist that provides a line-of-sight to help direct you to the trailer hitch ball; and • AdvanceTrac electronic stability control with Trailer Sway Control. Similar to other competitors, Ford also offers tow/haul mode and an integrated trailer brake controller on its light-duty pickups. General Motors’ Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 are introducing electric variable-assist power
50 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_50-53_ContractorChoice_AJ.indd 50
3/1/16 12:07 PM
steering as standard on all models. It reduces steering effort at low speeds. Because there is no engine-driven pump, electric steering also saves fuel and eliminates the maintenance associated with hydraulic power steering. The light-duty Chevrolet and GMC models also offer a suite of features to simplify towing. They include StabiliTrak electronic stability control, trailer sway control, an integrated trailer brake and hill start assist. StabiliTrak is standard on all Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 models. It works in concert with the four-wheel disc brake system and fourchannel ABS to provide more precise and controlled ABS stops, greater traction and cornering stability. It also incorporates rollover mitigation technology, which anticipates tip-up conditions, such as fishtailing on a flat road surface and rapidly applies brake pressure to help reduce the likelihood of a rollover. Trailer sway control is standard and works with StabiliTrak to provide an added measure of confidence when towing a trailer. It senses conditions of trailer sway and, without input from the driver, intervenes with braking and/or reduces engine power to bring the trailer under control and keep it on its intended path. The system will use electric trailer brakes when a trailer is plugged into the standard wiring harness. Ram 1500 light-duty pickups feature an air suspension system to increase towing capability. The Active-Level FourCorner Air Suspension offers automatic load leveling and five ride height settings to improve capability and efficiency. Two selectable positions allow the driver maximum clearance control from the dashboard. This smart suspension also automatically lowers the truck at highway speeds to reduce drag. A customizable multi-view dial cluster with a 7-in. color display gauge allows you to view vital vehicle data such as temperature settings, fuel economy, trip info, cruise control, trailer braking, vehicle status and engine performance. A “roller menu” provides access via a toggle on the steering wheel. The display allows you to customize vehicle information to your needs.
To operate Pro Trailer Backup Assist, the customer rotates a knob to indicate how much the system should turn the trailer. The technology automatically steers the truck to turn the trailer the desired amount. The system debuts on the 2016 Ford F-150.
Ram trucks also utilize the latest camera technology. A rear camera off the tailgate allows for easy TAG connection. The available ParkView Rear Back-Up Camera provides a clear view out back in the rearview mirror. When equipped with the 5- or 8.4-in. Uconnect multi-media center, the image is displayed on the touchscreen and provides dynamic grid lines to help steer you safely into position. The integrated trailer brake on Ram 1500s simplifies towing by storing multiple trailers in its memory. This includes brake settings and the miles on the trailer for maintenance tracking. Standard on every Ram 1500, electronic stability control (ESC) reduces engine power and applies individual brakes as needed when it senses a loss of traction or control. ESC works with multiple advanced technologies including Ready Alert Braking, All-Speed Traction Control, Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control.
Heavy-duty Technology With the majority of heavy-duty trucks used for towing, manufacturers have stepped to the plate with technical innovations. Many of them focus on visibility, which is key to safe towing. Ford’s larger 2017 Super Duty pickups include new features and up to seven cameras to enhance towing performance. Advanced coaching and camera technology makes conventional and gooseneck/ fifth-wheel towing easier and more efficient. The cameras help customers see more angles and monitor conditions around the truck to aide towing.
A center high-mounted stop lamp camera provides visibility into the cargo box, allowing for easier hook-up of gooseneck/fifth-wheel trailers. A 360° camera system uses four digital, high-definition cameras to give the driver a bird’s-eye view around the truck. Trailer reverse guidance provides visual cues and tips to help with backing a trailer. A factory available camera can be attached to a trailer to improve visibility while backing. But increased visibility extends beyond camera technology. A Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with trailer tow is optimized for the Super Duty to include the length of the trailer. BLIS uses radar sensors in the tail lamps to monitor areas that may not be visible to the driver.
The 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty offers classexclusive trailer reverse guidance, which provides visual cues and coaching tips to help ease backing up a trailer with the use of cameras. The displayed camera image automatically shifts with trailer angle to provide the best view possible of the trailer.
To keep an eye on trailer tire pressures, the Super Duty pickups offer an in-cab trailer tire pressure monitoring system. In addition, adaptive steering reduces the amount of steering input needed to change direction at low speed, while reducing sensitivity to steering input at higher speeds. This helps make towing the heaviest loads easier and brings greater ease when navigating jobsites and parking lots — with or without a trailer. Steering effort was also a focus at General Motors. For 2016, some Chevrolet and GMC HD trucks feature Digital Steering Assist to complement the existing integrated cruise control, powertrain grade braking and diesel exhaust braking. Digital Steering Assist power steering on
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 51
PVM0316_50-53_ContractorChoice_AJ.indd 51
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Contractors ’ Choice TOWING some double cab and crew cab models offers electronic controls that enhance road holding and stability on the highway (particularly on crowned roads) regardless of whether the truck is loaded. It promises greater responsiveness and an improved steering feel, as well. Ram Truck rises to the occasion with air suspension options on the 2500 and 3500 pickups. A benefit to the air suspension design is the load-leveling capability, which automatically detects load on the rear suspension from a trailer or payload. The air pressure increases until the vehicle reaches normal ride height, leveling the truck and improving stability and loaded ride. On the 2500, an air bag replaces the coil spring, while the 3500 offers a supplemental air bag suspension option. A Configurable Electronic Vehicle Information Center with an available 7-in. multi-view cluster display provides a selection of trailer towing focused
Digital Steering Assist power steering on some Chevrolet Silverado HD and GMC Sierra HD double cab and crew cab models helps make hauling and trailering more confident, with electronic controls that enhance road holding and stability on the highway – particularly on crowned roads – regardless of whether the truck is loaded. It also promises greater responsiveness and an improved steering feel.
gauges, including trailer brake gain, transmission temperatures and diesel exhaust braking. The main display can also display oil life, fuel filter life, turbocharger boost pressure, tire pressures, engine hours, trailer hours and a range of powertrain data. The available ParkView Rear Back Up Camera is mounted within the tailgate handle to provide the driver with a clear view of what’s behind the vehicle. The
color dashboard display helps simplify parking and trailer hookups. A cargoview camera, mounted in the center high-mounted stop lamp, provides a view of the bed for easier fifth-wheel or gooseneck trailer hookup, as well as for monitoring bed loads. The 2016 Ram Heavy Duty pickup allows users to switch the view of the Uconnect 8.4-in. screen from backup camera to cargo view with the touch of the screen. A new bed lighting system uses bright LEDs mounted in the rear corners of the bed for better visibility when working late hours; using the cargo-view camera; or connecting/ disconnecting trailers.
The 2017 Ford F-Series Super Duty’s customerplaced trailer camera can be custom-mounted on a trailer to improve visibility while backing up. The technology shows the camera image in the center stack display.
Write in 34 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074781
The available dashboard-mounted trailer brake controller on the center console allows the user to automatically or manually operate the electronic brakes on properly equipped trailers. The Uconnect system can store different trailers in memory, including settings for brake controller, miles for maintenance and more.
52 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_50-53_ContractorChoice_AJ.indd 52
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Seal the deal on Site Provide Project quotes before you leave the jobsite. the free bidGuru app, developed by Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, creates immediate, custom quotes for: Sealcoating Asphalt overlays Cracksealing Other pavement maintenance it’s fast. easy. free. Visit forconstructionPros.com/bidguru for details and download link.
Brought to you By:
PVM0316_50-53_ContractorChoice_AJ.indd 53
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Labor
Allan Heydorn, Editor
Where – and How – to Find the Workers You Need Where to look and what to look for as you staff your company Just a few short years ago the unemployment rate was in the double digits and construction workers were there for the picking. But the economy has picked up, and most contractors (and manufacturers) can attest to 2014 and certainly 2015 as being darnn good years, with the outlook for 2016 just as solid. Work is more plentiful, there is less competition, margins are higher – and it’s all there for the taking if you can find the workers to get the job done. But that’s the problem: People willing to work construction just aren’t as plentiful as they used to be. So what’s going on? Why can’t you find the workers you want – need – and, more importantly, what can you do about it? In our 3-part “Labor 2016 Series” we take a close look at the labor issue for paving and pavement maintenance contractors. Our goal is to provide a snapshot (though in deference to the Millennials maybe we should say “selfie”) of the industry and where it stands as far is its current and future labor force is concerned, and we hope to provide some insights into what contractors can do to strengthen their company’s workforce – which will strengthen the industry overall. First, there’s little argument that there’s a labor shortage in the construction industry, which includes the paving and pavement maintenance industry. In addition to aging workers retiring, low- and mid-level construction workers left the construction workforce when they were laid off during the recession – and instead of waiting for the industry to rebound, they found work outside the construction industry. Then they didn’t come back so the pool from which contractors are drawing workers has become smaller. So where should contractors look and what steps should they take to find the workers they need? What mistakes are common and how can they be avoided? And once you’ve made a hire, how can you meld your workers into a team and retain the people you want? Pavement’s Labor 2016 Series hopes to provide some answers.
THE FIRST THING to remember in hiring is that you often probably are hiring at least two different types of people: those who want to work in the field and those who are looking for a management or at least a supervisory role. Those groups require different skill sets and different personalities so they need to be approached differently from one another. “When hiring laborers, I want to hire people who will show up to work, who will do what they’re asked to do and who are interested in learning,” says Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group and National Pavement Expo (NPE) presenter. “That’s the basic outline for your field workers.” NPE speaker Jeff Stokes, president of Next Level Contractor System, agrees. “If you’re looking for a laborer on a sealcoating crew, you probably want a guy who shows up and can be trained quickly,” Stokes says. “Then if he shows he can do it, you can try to keep him and move him up to operator and even crew supervisor -- if you’re lucky.”
Finding Management Employees Humphrey says that managementlevel jobs require more brain power than a laborer, so he recommends looking for prospects at junior colleges, technical schools and other organizations that focus on trades. He says engaging with any educational facility is a good avenue if you’re looking for an estimator, manager or salesperson. “But probably not a superintendent or
foreman because for those people you’re looking for someone who is familiar with the work and with the job,” Humphrey says. And he suggests thinking at least a little outside-the-box thinking when pursuing those prospects. “Even people involved in computer-assisted design (CAD) might be valuable because some of those CAD folks are very numbers oriented. They’re adept with technology and at the very least they might become good estimators,” Humphrey says. Humphrey says other places to look include military bases, big box stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot or other hardware stores where people might be working that have managerial skills and leadership skills and might be interested in a change. Another option for management employees is via hiring websites. There are numerous constructionrelated websites (such as workable. com, indeed.com, constructionjobs. com, ihireconstruction.com, www.snagajob.com, www. constructionjobforce.com, and ziprecruiter.com) that accept postings from contractors and many of whom also accept resumes from job seekers. “People are using them much more and should be using them,” Stokes says. “A contractor using day labor or needing an extra body is not going to use them because they’re
54 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_54-55_Labor_AJ.indd 54
3/1/16 12:07 PM
using Craigslist or local man power organizations. The people you find on those websites are generally more employable because you already know they are savvy enough to know to look for work through these websites.” Stokes adds that as Baby Boomers near retirement age and even retire, they form a pool of experienced workers who might be willing to work 20-30 hours a week as they wind down or even in retirement “and contractors should take advantage of them,” Stokes says. “Those older guys probably aren’t going to want to be sealcoating with a squeegee or even on a rig, but they could be great project managers, supervisors or even salespeople.” Stokes adds that it’s important to keep in mind that well over half the available jobs are never advertised. “That means companies are hiring from other places and using other non-advertising means,” Stokes says. “So people looking for work are looking using other means as well.” For that reason alone he says it’s important to always be on the lookout for new hires. “Put feelers out there all the time,” he says. “Use Craigslist, ads, use your own website, use word of mouth. It’s important to always be looking.”
Hiring Laborers and Field Workers Humphrey says that timing – when you hire field workers – can be especially important to your success. “If you wait until the middle of the season and you need a body, you’re going to take the first body you can,” Humphrey says. “That might work out and it might not. But you know you’re not getting the best you can because the better workers have already got a job – probably working for your competition. So timing is crucial to hiring the best people you can.” Humphrey says that given those job requirements – in which labor is essentially untrained -- contractors should be putting their company name out in public to generate as much attention as possible.
He says job fairs, career days and even organizations that work to promote trades in general provide a perfect opportunity to get your business and the industry in front of employable people who probably don’t know about paving or pavement maintenance. “Many of these kids aren’t going to college and they’re going to be looking for work. By letting them know you’re out there, you increase the chances you’ll be able to bring in a young and hardworking kid you can train,” he says. Humphrey cited one client who regularly connects with high school football and wrestling coaches, asking about responsible kids who might want work and who are reliable.
Stokes says that hiring equipment operators and others at the same crew level are probably going to come from a source people don’t like to admit: Your competition. “You’re probably going to end up stealing equipment operators and people of that skill level from somebody else. Nobody likes to hear it, but everyone knows that’s the case,” Stokes says. “It’s not that you necessarily actively pursue them, but if you have a good company and word gets out about it and you are in need of a good operator and word gets out about that, then you’re going to get some calls from people working for your competition.”
Bonus $ for Referrals Can Work Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System, says one approach that has been successful for many contractors is offering employees a significant bonus when they refer a prospect who is hired and an additional bonus after that person has remained with the company for six months. Some contractors even offer a bonus to the new hire once he or she completes six months. “The people who use this approach figure that if you’re a good worker and you like your job you’re not going to recommend your buddy if you don’t want to vouch for him,” Stokes says.
“We’re all busy, but if you want to start finding those people who are responsible and show up and work hard and who might be developed into a foreman or estimator, then you need to take the time to do it,” he says. “Go seek out opportunities and not just at high schools but at job fairs and career days. “The best thing a contractor probably can do is establish in house a physical, technical training program,” Humphrey says. “If you’re going to bring in people that might have the right attributes you’re looking for in an employee, you need to train them to keep them. Of course the argument is then they might leave and take what they learned somewhere else. But what’s the alternative? Having a bunch of employees who can kind of handle the work but aren’t really good at it and who aren’t promotable to supervisory levels?”
Impact of Company Culture That’s why, Stokes says, the company culture that a contractor develops is so important to the hiring process. “Contractors that have a good culture and have processes and systems in place are not having a labor problem,” Stokes says. “The culture is important because then you can rely on referrals from existing employees who talk up your company because they like working there. And other people will want to join your company because they heard it’s a good place to work. “If you can create a really good culture and are able to provide people enough hours, you’re going to get all the help you want.” Next Issue: 16 Hiring Mistakes Contractors Make...and How to Avoid Them
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 55
PVM0316_54-55_Labor_AJ.indd 55
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds
Classifieds
MarketLink
Steel Spray Tips
Contact Denise Singsime Toll-Free: 800.538-5544, ext. 1245 E-mail: dsingsime@acbusinessmedia.com
Heat Treated, Hardened for Longer Tip Life ¼, ³⁄ 8 and ½ Inch Threads Price Break On Quantities
IT PAYS
DRIVEWAY CARE BOOKLETS
800-433-9840 Visa or Mastercard Accepted
Maintenance Systems
TO ADVERTISE
Call 610-489-PAVE www.asphaltpress.com
BIG FOOT LAYOUT TOOLS THESE ARE THE BASIC TOOLS THAT BIG FOOT HAS FOR MOST PARKING LAYOUT SITUATIONS.
1. Big Foot Weight 2. Pre-Marked Layout Tape 3. Chalk Box 4. Radius Tool 5. Directions
Contact Denise for info: 1-800-538-5544 x 1245 dsingsime@acbusinessmedia.com
Spray Tips
Factory Direct Pricing
1/4", 3/8" & 1/2" NPT 80/10, 80/20, 80/30, 80/40, 80/50, 80/70, 80/100
SAVE 10%
ABC LEASING & FINANCING EZ-FINANCING EQUIPMENT, TRUCKS, & TRAILERS www.abclease.net
Liberty Mfg. & Supply
970-482-0049 • www.bigfootlayouttools.com bigfootlayouttools@comcast.net
Call: Gerry Oestreich
(800) 397-9907
518-857-5206
High Tensile Strength Steel Bristle Broom
START YOUR SEASON WITH US
WET TRACK ABRASION TESTER Complete to ISSA TB 100
LOADED WHEEL TESTER Complete to ISSA TB 109 & 147A
COHESION TESTER Complete to ISSA TB 139
• • • •
Preps the area for sealcoating or striping. Crack cleaning option now included! Cleans tight places where sweepers can’t. Helps to prep crank case oil spills.
Making The Hard Parts Easier!
2 Models Available Let us Build One for You!
Benedict Slurry Seal 1100 S. Smithville Rd. Dayton, OH 45403 • sales@benedictslurry.com • Ph: 937-298-6647 • Fax: 937-254-2991
www.benedictslurry.com
www.bensinkrotarybroom.com
503-580-0183 Check out our online video!
Dealer Inquiries Welcome
56 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 56
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds Innovation In Asphalt Preservation w w w. g u a r d t o p . c o m
PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE SUPPLY Serving Colorado and Wyoming
▲ Walgreens, Spartanburg, SC.
Sales, Service, Parts and Rental
Denver Industrial Sales and Service Co.
850 S Lipan St, Denver CO 80223 303-935-2485 Since 1949 www.dissco.net
▲ Commercial and Residential Projects
Southern California 14388 Santa Ana Ave. Fontana, CA 92337
Suppliers of high quality asphalt based sealcoat
Southeast US 480 S. Marble St. Rockmart, GA 30153
1-877-948-2738 Billings, Montana (406) 248-2463 New & used performance engineered pavement marking, removal & saw cutting equipment - truck mounted & palletized.
Competitive pricing
Paint & epoxy stripers in stock & ready to stripe!
Parts, service & retrofits
www.arrowstriping.com
With time & money on the liline – A Arrow ddelivers. li www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 57
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 57
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds
Classifieds
Call us for any Used Striping Equipment needs:
770-331-2550
Check out our website at www.usedstripingequipment.com
2007 Chevy W5500 JCL Paint Truck
1993 International Thermo Melter Truck
$92,500
$29,500
Fully optioned including heat, diesel, automatic. With diesel compressor. Under CDL weight.
2002 GMC T7500 New Mark Longline Thermo Striper
92,000 miles, Double Drop Bead System, Ribbon Guns. Very nice condition and ready to work.
Liftgate for Handliner, Stencil Racks, Ready to Work.
1997 Volvo TMT Longline Thermo Striper
1999 LDI Twin Thermo Melters
Excellent condition, barely used.
$26,750, or $32,750 with two handliners.
2000 UD TMT RPM Bitumen Truck
Only 55,000 miles. 868 hours on Compressor. Ready to Stripe.
Only 55,000 miles and Ready to Work.
2001 Volvo MRL Epoxy Truck
2012 MB 750 LB Thermo Melter on 2002 Trailer
$42,750
$97,500
$167,500
1997 Ford LDI Paint Truck
Only 7,050 miles and 761 hours on ompressor. Ready to stripe.
Very good condition. Ready to stripe.
1996 Volvo Paint Truck
1998 Volvo Tandem Airless Paint Truck
2006 Autocar MRL Thermo Longliner
$69,500
$49,500
$245,000
$62,750
Excellent Condition, only 30,400 miles.
$175,000
Only 72,000 miles. Very Nice Condition.
Excellent Condition.
$21,500
Excellent Working Condition
We buy used equipment and will take trade-ins.
Please call for used parts for most striping equipment and save! 58 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 58
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds
FOR SALE ➤ 2007 MRL MODEL 4 –8000 THERMO TRUCK ➤ ISUZU TURBO DIESEL W/ ALLISON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ➤ 148,791 MILES
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 2002 FL-70 with attached hot box $16,000.00
SOLD
Asphalt patch truck w/ km international 4 ton hot box (propane) mounted on a 2002 Freight liner (CDL) with a tool rack and under mounted tool boxes (3) and a small equipment winch
2002 FL-70 w/ 1600 gallon seal coat truck $$28,000.00 Kohler air compressor 2 hose reels and spray bar mounted on a FL-70 Freight liner Great condition
FL-70 w/ 200 gallon tank $21,000.00 2000 gallon sealcoat spray tank mounted on a 2002 Freight liner. Is unfinished .. call for details
CONTACT MARK AT
478-987-2125
BOX 10475 NH 03110 603- 472-4002 POBEDFORD, BEDFORDSEALCOATING.COM
Reid Manufacturing, LLC. 155 Evelyn S. Wade Blvd. Buchanan, GA 30113 770-832-1192
Made to put your Money in your bank! See all our other machines at www.ditchrunner.net
• 500 Gallon Round Tank with agitator • Kubota Turbo Power 40+ HP • Large Manway with Sandbag Split, 24x30 • All Hydraulic Controls • 30 Gallon Fog & Wash Down System • Three Sizes to Meet Your Needs: DR200 Leader, DR350 General, DR500 Turbo Pro 500 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 59
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 59
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds
Classifieds
®
SAVE WITH PALLET PRICING ON CRACK FILLER, TACK COAT, COLD PATCH & ADDITIVES
CALL TOLL FREE
877-767-4NAC (4622) SHOP ONLINE
WWW.NACSUPPLY.COM ut our Ask abo bber ru recycled Parking s for solution Traffic Safety & l Contro
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
60 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 60
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds
Using Your Grinder or a
Call Now!
800-653-9311 RemoveFASTER.com
✓ PREP REMOVE FASTER ✓ERASE ✓groove
FOR SALE
NEW AND USED EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
Eliminate the time, energy, and money-wasting task of manual tamping by using
THE MINI PLATE COMPACTOR ✔ Designed by Specialty Asphalt Product, Inc, the gasoline engine compactor is small enough to be used where others simply cannot. ✔ The ingenious piece of equipment is easily operated by one person and has a variety of uses.
✔ It can be used to compact everything from rock and asphalt, to dirt and other materials too. ✔ Also great for all ground installation work including piping and electrical jobs. ✔ Yours for the low price of $889.00! CALL TODAY!
MMA 2000 Push Cart Applicator
CALL TODAY!
TPM2100 Tab Machine
Specialty Asphalt Products Inc 10221 51st St NW, Gig Harbor WA 98335 Larry Raymond • 253-312-4229 • rlaraymo@gmail.com www.doubleimpact2.com/index.htm
SS3000 VAC
CALL EPIC SOLUTIONS AT
Used SS3000 Vac and Groover
701-277-9017
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 61
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 61
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds
Classifieds
HELP WANTED
ASPHALT PAVING FOREMAN
➧ Ohio Paving & Construction Co., Inc., a
leading commercial paving company in Cleveland, OH, is seeking an experienced asphalt paving foreman. Responsibilities include: Coordination of labor, brokers, material and equipment resources, ability to pave according to DOT and commercial specifications, read plans, strong communication and leadership skills, training, safety and a working knowledge of asphalt pavers, compaction equipment etc. Candidate must have valid drivers license (CDL preferred).
• 2013 Low Hour Cimline Rental Units Available for Purchase • NEW 2015 Marathon Mastic Melters and 2014 & 2015 Low Hour Marathon Mastic Rental Units Available for Purchase • Good selection of used routers on hand • Midstates offers a large parts department and a full time service technician. Right Pointe & Maxwell Products Dealer for Crack Sealing Material for the 5 State Area Minnesota • Wisconsin • Iowa • North Dakota • South Dakota
Ohio Paving offers a competitive salary, medical, vision and dental coverage, 401k with company matching, and profit incentive plan. Please apply at www.ohiopaving.com/employment/
62 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 62
3/1/16 12:07 PM
Classifieds
Road & Pavement maRking stencils t i ng Ra
★
35
rs
a
ye
★
Rs aR y
c ele B
MakE YOUR MaRkING PaINT PERfECT
annive
StencilS are made with poly-vinyl form-flex • 1/8” poly vinyl material
• • • • •
Get Your Old Equipment to Move Fast Are you looking to sell used equipment? Sell it fast with an ad in the Pavement CLASSIFIEDS.
Easy to Transport Lighter Than Wood Doesn't Warp Out of Shape Fast-Easy Clean-up Paint Breaks & Falls Away by Flexing & Tapping a Hard Surface
saves time, money, clean uP NUMBERS • LETTERS • SYMBOLS • 1 PIECE LEGENDS CUSTOM ORDERS • SIZE 4" TO 8 fT
ameRican sten cyl Manufacturers of the Original Poly-Vinyl Stencil
Clas
Clas
sifie
479 S. Broad Street Glen Rock, NJ 07452
ds
ray Tips
rdened ated, Ha Heat Tre ger Tip Life s for Lon Thread
½ Inch ies ¼, ³⁄ 8 and On Quantit
ak Price Bre 9840 d 433Accepte 800tercard stems or Mas
ct 1245 44, ext. ia.com 538-55 essmed ee: 800. e@acbusin Toll-Fr im dsings E-mail:
Conta
Visa
enance
Maint
AY SE IT PVE RTIS
Sy
TO ADDenise for info5:
RE AY CA DRIVEW LETS BOOK
Call -PAVE om 610-489 press.c asphalt www.
Contact -5544 x 124 538 1-800- essmedia.com usin e@acb
ASING ABC LE NCING & FINA CING
dsingsim
Sprays Tip
ry Facto t Direc g Pricin
YOUT TOOLS BIG FOOT LAC TOOLS THAT BIG FOOTNS. SITUATIO THE BASI THESE ARE T PARKING LAYOUT HAS FOR MOS
AN
EZ-FIN UCKS, ENT, TR EQUIPM AILERS & TR e.net
NPT " & 1/2" 1/4", 3/810, 80/20, 100
ht 1. Big Foot Weig Layout Tape 2. Pre-Marked 3. Chalk Box 4. Radius Tool 5. Directions
bcleas
www.a
80/ 80/70, 80/ 40, 80/50, 80/30, 80/
ich ry Oestre Call: Ger 5206
7-
518-85
ly & Supp y Mfg.
Libert
07 397-99 (800)
% youttools.com SAVE 10• www .bigfootla st.net mca 970-482-0049 outtools@co bigfootlay
Pavement’s classified ad pages are a cost-effective and efficient way to sell the equipment you no longer need for your operation. For more information, call Denise Singsime at 800-5385544 extension 1245 or via e-mail at dsingsime@acbusinessmedia.com
Phone: 201-251-6460 fax: 201-251-6463
ds
k etLin me Mark Denise Singsi
Pavement is the right place for your ad
sifie
Steel Sp
sile High Ten th StrengBristle Steel Broom
UR START YO
WITH US SEASON
ER
WET
TEST SION
K ABRA
TRAC
e to ISSA
Complet
g. or stripin lcoating a for sea luded! the are now inc ’t. • Preps g option epers can cleanin ere swe • Crack ces wh spills. tight pla oil e ans • Cle crank cas to prep • Helps
ER TEST HEEL 147A & ED W LOAD to ISSA TB 109 e
Complet
dels
2 Mo
ER TEST SION COHE to ISSA TB 139 plete
Let us
Com
able Availr You!
Build
One fo
183 -580-0
503
45403 Seal t Slurry Rd. Dayton, OH Benedic lle Smithvi com 4-2991 tslurry. 1100 S. benedic • Fax: 937-25 • sales@ .com -298-6647 tslurry • Ph: 937
dic w.bene
ww
March
VEM 6 • PA /April 201
ENT •
ww w.F
tru orCons
Check
ctionPr
/Pa os.com
out our
online
video!
Dealer
Inquiries
FOR SALE
400 Gallon Flameless Crack Seal Kettle
OTHER EQUIPMENT FOR SALE:
2003 International 4300 Service Truck (Pictured above) 1995 GMC Topkick Asphalt Distributor (Pictured above) 1985 White Asphalt Distributor 2004 Ingersoll Rand 185 CFM Compressor Other Misc. Crack Seal Equipment
FLAMELESS 400WT If interested please call 614-279-2544 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 63
PVM0316_56-63_Classifieds.indd 63
e
Welcom
vement
Classifieds Deliver
www.ameRicanstencil.com
.com
ybroom
nkrotar
ensi www.b
56
Making The Hard Parts Easier!
TB 100
3/1/16 12:08 PM
Your Business Matters |
John Cheruka
Are You Required to Comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations? Checklist tells how to determine if FMCS regs apply to your company and drivers SOME ISSUES EFFECTING the pavement maintenance and construction industries are the result of a driver operating a “commercial motor vehicle.” The following are some common violations: ❑ Do all drivers that operate a commercial motor vehicle 10,001 lbs. or greater have a valid medical card in their possession issued by a “Certified Medical Examiner”? ❑ Are all drivers who are operating a
❑
❑
commercial motor vehicle 10,001 lbs. or more GVWR or GCWR across a state line at least 21 years of age? Do the drivers of commercial motor vehicles 10,001 lbs. or more in interstate commerce or intrastate commerce comply with the Hours of Service Regulations 49CFR Part 395? Do your drivers of vehicles 10,001 lbs. or greater GVWR or GCWR meet the Driver Qualification Standards 49CFR 391.11?
Rely on Reelcraft Photo courtesy of Neal Asphalt Sealcoating Equipment
Most complete line of reels for:
Made
ü Release agent hose ü Sealcoating machines ü Emulsion spray hose p ü Tack coat sprayers Air/water hose reels Built better to
in USA
CA33112 L
perform better!
ü High quality ü Durable performance ü Longest service life
Pavement reels For short lengths of release agent hose p F4525 OLPBW
www.reelcraft.com
800-444-3134
Write in 36 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074385
❑ Does your maintenance program comply with FMCSA Vehicle Maintenance Standards 49CFR Parts 393 and 396 for vehicles 10,001 lbs. or more? ❑ Do you have a U.S. DOT number and have you filed an MCS-150 form (Carrier Registration)? ❑ Do you have an MC number if you haul other people’s property? ❑ Do drivers who transport hazardous materials of any quantity that requires placards possess a CDL, an “H” endorsement (Hazardous Materials) and an “N” (Tanker) endorsement (if applicable) or “X” (Haz Mat tanker endorsement combination depending on you state)? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you can fall under FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) jurisdiction. You are under FMCSA and PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) jurisdictions if your drivers are transporting hazardous materials requiring placards. If your company has at least one CDL driver and one commercial motor vehicle 26,001 lbs. or more, you not only fall under FMCSA Regulations, but you must have a U.S. DOT number and MC number if you haul property owned by others. You are also under the CSA (Compliance Safety and Accountability) Program. This program has the most dramatic impact on the industry in the history of the U.S. DOT. John C. Cheruka, CSM, SAC has 25 years’ experience as a commercial vehicle and accident specialist. He presented “Complying with Federal Motor Vehicle Regs: They Affect More than You Think” at National Pavement Expo. P.O. Box 378, Gilbert, PA 18331; (888) 546-5289 or visit www.cvsas.com.
64 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_64_YBM_AJ.indd 64
3/1/16 12:08 PM
PCTC
Expectations, 2016 Count members of the Pavement Coatings Technology Council (PCTC) among the large number of Americans who are frustrated – angry even – by the glacial pace of the federal government. PCTC first filed its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in 2010, but the paperwork and the fees weren’t good enough for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) until March 2011. The principal reason for the request, followed by a lawsuit, was to obtain the data underlying the USGS studies of refined coal tar-based sealant (RTS). Access to that data is one of the few avenues PCTC has to defend RTS. Five years later, the USGS continues to withhold data but we expect a judge’s decision on the FOIA lawsuit in 2016. In 2013, PCTC challenged the USGS to correct information it has published in print and online. The USGS responses in 2014 were wholly inadequate, essentially claiming that because the USGS studies were published, they must be of high quality. PCTC appealed. After two years, USGS is leading PCTC to believe a response will be received in 2016. In a recent article in the Huffington Post, retired UC Berkeley biology professor Corey Goodman described how the USGS and the Bureau of Reclamation covered up scientific misconduct in two disputes. He looked into the process used by the Department of the Interior to investigate the complaints, concluding that it “provides no transparency, timeliness and truly independent review. Second, it fails to deal with agency conflicts of interest. Third, it has no requirement to correct egregious errors. And fourth, it provides no accountability ‒ no way to appeal decisions either administratively or in the courts.”
The USGS is also involved in a controversy about its claims about polar bears. With these precedents, there is no reason to believe that the USGS will fairly assess PCTC’s complaints, so PCTC has been educating Congressional staff about the problems with the USGS. This work will continue in 2016. In 2014, PCTC challenged the EPA to correct information it has published on its website that is based on USGS studies that have been demonstrated to be problematic. EPA finally responded in a completely inadequate way in January. Even though the process suffers from problems similar to those described by Goodman at the Department of the Interior, PCTC plans to appeal EPA’s response. It is now routine every year that proposals to ban RTS are introduced at the town or county or state level in different parts of the country. When PCTC knows about proposed bans ahead of time, it has always supported local efforts to defeat the bans. In 2016, PCTC again asks sealcoaters to keep an eye out for proposed bans in your area and let us know. As was predicted years ago, pro-ban activists are no longer content to just ban RTS. PCTC is aware of at least one community that has passed an ordinance that may impact asphalt-based sealants as well. Help PCTC help your business by watching and listening in your part of the world.
For more about PCTC visit www. pavementcouncil.org.
Kut-Rite removal tools and equipment provide the lowest price per foot in the industry. Contact us today, we’ll show you how.
Write in 37 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10073600
RIGHT POINTE delivers the RIGHT product, at the RIGHT price, at the RIGHT time.
Before
After
Before
After
Pave Patch Gray is a hot applied,
Pave Patch Black is specially
✔ Product supplied in granular form ✔ Highly workable for less handling ✔ Remains flexible and highly durable
✔ Superior bond to existing pavement ✔ Load bearing and impact resistant
For use on wide pavement cracks, spalled concrete joints, slab corner breaks, leveling and pothole repair.
For use on wide pavement cracks, joint separations, spalled concrete joints, utility cuts, and ride leveling.
Available in 60# Carton Split 2-30# Bags
Available in 60# Carton Split 2-30# Bags
single package, ready to melt patching compound used for the partial depth repair of concrete pavements.
formulated with a highly modified asphalt binder and aggregates that conform to, or exceed the physical requirements of aggregates used in hot mix paving.
Pave Patch is also available in Right Pointe Technology! Delivering innovative quality products since 1996. Call us at 888-755-5700 and ask about our new generation of products. 234 Harvestore Dr. Dekalb, IL 60115 toll free: 888.755.5700 fax: 815.754.5702 www.rightpointe.com Write in 38 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10846286
PVM0316_65_PCTC_AJ.indd 65
3/1/16 12:08 PM
NAPSA
WSA
How to Advertise for New Employees
MASCO Honored at NPE
Attendance at the North American Power Sweeping Association’s (NAPSA) “Best Practices” workshop at the National Pavement Expo 2016 couldn’t have been better. Topics included: • Advertising for New Employees • Airport Sweeping • Integrating Green Practices • Quality Control Measures • Government Contracts • Preventative Maintenance • How to Establish Core Values At each of these roundtables, the facilitators presented great information and the attendees shared what has worked for them and didn’t work as well. According to Payscale, employee turnover will cost anywhere between 60 – 136% of the salary for one position to be filled so when looking for an employee it is imperative to “choose wisely grasshopper.” NAPSA’s founding member and current Board Secretary, Mark Carter of StreetSweeper. com LLC in Orange, CA, shared that, “business owners need to have the ability to change their thinking about the hiring process. This is now a sales process.” In developing a market for employees, broadcasting a wide net would garner more notice. Not everyone who is qualified will find that single Craigslist ad. Place that ad in two or three locations. You may want to put one ad under “skilled labor” while putting another one under ”transportation,” for example. Think Guerrilla Marketing. Have you ever tried a bonus bounty? This is an incentive that pays immediately upon hire but also after an extended period of time so that there is an incentive
At the 2016 National Pavement Expo the World Sweeping Association presented its 2016 Award of Excellence in Power Sweeping to Larry Dyck, founder of MASCO Sweepers, originally Mr. Air Sweepers. Around 1975 Dyck met Leonard Vella, co-owner of a sweeping company that relied on ride-on sweepers to sweep parking lots. Vella, who needed a trailer, sweeper and tow vehicle on each job, told Dyck he needed a small parking lot sweeper they could mount onto a truck. Dyck, who was manufacturing trailers for flat-bottomed boats, accepted the challenge and made a sweeper that fit onto the small Ford Courier pickup. In 1976 Dyck, Jim Mills and Frank Dorsa incorporated the Mr. Air Company, which offered one model in two styles: pickup truck mounted and skid mounted In 1980, Larry’s brother, Mike, joined the company as marketing director. The most significant Mr. Air innovation was moving the sweeping head to the rear of the sweeper. Flat tires were virtually eliminated, dust generated by the pickup head no longer filtered up through the chassis into the cab, the rear-mounted head could be lifted higher (so it wasn’t as prone to scraping over uneven areas) and access was easier for head adjustments and repairs. WSA also credits MASCO with founding the first power sweeping association, National Contract Sweepers Institute, through discussions with the American Public Works Association. “We founded a sweeper association to teach contractors about their
to stay. Unconventional marketing doesn’t have to cost money but it does need to be relevant. Which of these will be noticed? Version 1: Night shift job with good benefits. Contact Sam at: Version 2: Need to be home to get the kids on and off the bus? You can do that with this third shift job that offers the security of good benefits. Contact Sam at: Both of these ads are for the same job but version 2 is written to make it relevant to the typical prospective employee. Some of the best employees come from other trades. An idea for an ad is to appeal to someone who hasn’t been in the sweeping business by calling out for a change in career. Finally, be prepared. We all know turnover happens. Have your plan written and in place so that when a change happens, all you need to do is push the button for the process to begin. If you like this tip, wait until you read about the other topics covered at the NAPSA “Best Practices” session. Or better yet, contact NAPSA to find out more about this dynamic business trade organization.
The North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA) is a nonprofit association made up of 200+ contract sweepers, service providers and sweeping equipment dealers, manufacturers and suppliers. NAPSA is dedicated to providing beneficial support to the membership and enhancing services to the sweeping industry. NAPSA is committed to promoting and educating the power sweeping community while enhancing the environment. For more information on NAPSA membership, please visit www.powersweeping.org or call (888) 757-0130.
costs and that they have to stay up with all of those expenses so they know they’re making money,” Larry Dyck says. “Unfortunately, the people who enter the business often don’t know their costs and go to existing clients with the promise of doing the same job for less money. That simply isn’t possible.” Mike Dyck retired from MASCO after more than 30 years in 2015 and today Larry’s son, David, manages operations and his daughter, Lisa, runs the marketing department. Larry Dyck says the company’s “bread-and-butter” continues to be their model 1600 air sweeper, which is available in a variety of configurations including engines ranging from 16-hp to 60-hp and fans ranging from 19-in. to 30-in. diameter. For complete award details and history of MASCO visit http://www.worldsweeper.com/ SweepingExcellence/2016/index. html.
WSA contributor Ranger Kidwell-Ross has been providing information to the power sweeping industry since 1988. He is editor of WorldSweeper.com, an information resource for power sweeping, as well as founder and executive director of the World Sweeping Association. For more information about WSA visit www.WorldSweepingPros.org or contact Kidwell-Ross at director@ worldsweepingpros.org.
66 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_66_NAPSA_J_A.indd 66
3/1/16 12:09 PM
Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor
Technology
Investing in Worker Safety Through Wearable Technology Insurance companies are investigating how wearable technology can help reduce risk and increase efficiencies among contractors KEEPING UP TO DATE with the latest trends in wearable technology can be overwhelming. There are new products every week that can help workers stay safe while on the jobsite, and for good reason. Around the world, workplace accidents kill one person and injure another 153 others every 15 seconds. “It’s not acceptable that we can push a button and have anything in the world delivered to our doorstep but that people can still get hurt and even die needlessly when they go to work,” says Peter E. Raymond, CEO of Human Condition Safety (HCS) In response to that, HCS is creating a suite of tools that helps workers and their managers prevent injuries before they happen. HCS is conducting pilot projects to identify leading indicators of potential injuries, and to demonstrate how HCS’s technology creates measurable improvements to reduce the frequency and severity of work-related injuries. AIG recently announced it has made a strategic investment in HCS, and as one of the world’s largest workers’ compensation insurers, the partnership just makes sense. Wearables are typically miniature electronic devices that are worn under or on top
of clothing or are somehow attached to the body; they can even be part of clothing. They capture data and provide feedback about the wearer. HCS creates a comprehensive solution to workplace risk, with a platform that enables workers to reduce injuries and employers to improve operational efficiency. The technology can detect when a worker carries too much weight, makes a “bad bend,” or enters an area that puts them at risk for injury because of environmental conditions or getting too close to dangerous equipment.
Wearables Already Working Some companies are already pushing wearable technologies that make on-the-ground construction workers safer. Many companies looking to bring more wearable tech to the jobsite are focusing on getting their innovations into workers’ existing gear to boost adoption. As a result, construction workers may find that common assets, such as hard hats, safety vests and even the tools they carry, are being infused with new capabilities. “Smart” hard hats offer a clear visor that can display 3D visual overlays in the wearer’s field of view. They also feature a 360° wireless
The InZoneAlert vest uses GPS tracking and shortrange communication — something that many cars will have in the future. It sends an alert to the worker and driver the moment danger is detected. The vest currently also features LED lights, speakers and vibrations to determine which mode of communication is most effective.
camera, allowing a full view of the worker’s surroundings. Safer safety vests are also becoming more common as many vests will now be equipped with GPS systems to monitor worker location. These vests along with new proximity warning systems are real game changers when it comes to jobsite safety. SiteZone Proximity Warning System (PWS), is an audible and visual warning system designed to reduce the risk of vehicle personnel collisions and can be used anywhere the proximity of people and vehicles working together is of concern. Since OSHA data indicates that over 10% of all construction fatalities are related to workers being struck by an object, this technology makes sense. The devices use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to transport data. Workers wear a small RFID transponder on their hard hat
or sleeve, and a small unit is fitted to the vehicle. SiteZone PWS then produces a detection zone, or bubble, around a vehicle, machine or even a restricted area. When the detection zone is breached, the personnel wearing the transponder has “burst the bubble.” The machine operator is immediately alerted to their presence to take the appropriate action. When this occurs, both the driver and the operator receive warnings. This two-way alarm is important since it is the responsibility of both parties to avoid a collision.
The Future of Safety HCS is not the only company developing wearables and AIG is not the only insurer interested. A survey by Accenture said that nearly two-thirds of insurers expect wearable technologies to have a significant impact on the industry within two years.
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 67
PVM0316_67_TechUpdate_J_A.indd 67
3/1/16 12:09 PM
CONTRACTOR SNAPSHOT
|
Jessica Stoikes, Associate Editor
Operations Background Helps Alabama Sweeping Company Standout Knowing the parking lot business, owner Andy Coolidge diversified when he purchased CAM South ANDY COOLIDGE HAS been managing parking lot assets for over 15 years in the Birmingham, AL, area. His experience with parking facilities (decks, surface lots, valet, shuttle etc.) led him to purchase Cam South in 2014. “I had a mentor talk about ‘stick to your knitting’ or stay focused on what you know and do it better than everyone else,” Coolidge says. “Since my background is operations based and with my experience in parking operations, it was a great fit to diversify my interest via a service that complements parking lot sweeping and full service property maintenance.” Through this background, Coolidge was able to expand the sweeping company into a full service property maintenance contractor that even offers day porter services with onsite parking lot attendants.
Standing Out One visit to their website, www. camsouth.com, and it feels different than other sweeping contractors. “The website definitely stands out compared to our competitors,” Coolidge says. For good reason. CAM South aims to be a full service provider for property managers throughout the greater Birmingham metro area. Along with sweeping, CAM offers construction services such as full service
tenant build out, landlord’s work, tenant upgrades and annual maintenance contracts along with vacancy cleanup and vendor management for property managers. “If you own commercial property, there’s always room for improvement,” Coolidge says. “Improvements in how your buildings are maintained. In making sure minor repairs are done correctly. And in making sure that your tenants are happy. CAM South makes the property owner’s life much easier, giving them a host of services with a single phone call ‒ with professionalism and integrity.”
Fleet Focus With the growth of the company, Coolidge experienced growing pains like any other business, but the challenges came with fleet management and not necessarily employees. “Vehicle maintenance costs and fleet service were our biggest challenges,” Coolidge says. “We overcame it by acknowledging it was one of our weaknesses and focusing on improvement.” To better manage their fleet, the company installed fleet management software and GPS units on each vehicle. “The fleet management tool has allowed us to gather data and develop benchmarks.” Coolidge says. “The data collects
Cam South shifted their focus to fleet management in order to improve operating efficiencies and increase profits.
average time on location, travel time, estimated schedule, and has served as an invaluable tool to show when we’ve been onsite (vehicle tracking & history). I originally used a startup company that did a great job, but when I wanted to add the GPS units they weren’t ready to deploy that feature. I demoed several products and chose Actsoft,” The company also started to more properly manage vehicle maintenance using a variety of tools and inspections. “We’ve implemented preand post-trip inspections by the drivers,” Coolidge says. “Our shop manager has daily, weekly, and monthly service checks to conduct as well. We log all service work and now have a solid understanding of the routine maintenance items. We completed a cost analysis on the fleet and identified the most expensive, time consuming and repetitive issues, and developed a program to effectively manage them. “Gathering information
on both topics ‒ vehicle maintenance and fleet management ‒ has been extremely beneficial to really understanding one of our largest costs. However, collecting data is only one part of improving operations,” Coolidge continues. “While we’re always collecting new data, the real benefit is analysis and implementation. “As an example, we knew that our tire expense was high, but that didn’t change our program. It did tell us to focus on reducing that cost. We now buy top quality tires, have standardized our wheels, buy in bulk and use a preferred vendor.” Coolidge recognizes that CAM South is in a good place these days and doesn’t have any real plans for growth...yet. “Although I entertain other business concepts and am always interested in opportunity, I want the CAM service to keep existing customers satisfied and continue growth organically,” he says.
68 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_68_ContSnapshot_J_A.indd 68
3/1/16 12:10 PM
Index
PAVEMENT Published by AC Business Media Inc.
Advertiser Index
PAGE
1-800-Pavement
5, 23
B & E Seal Coat Products Inc.
42
The Brewer Co.
21
Buffalo Turbine
46
Carlson Paving Products Inc.
71
Copperstate Hose
42
Crafco Inc.
7, 25
Editorial Office: Allan Heydorn, 2339 Stratford, Westchester, IL 60154 (708) 531-1612 | Fax: (708) 531-1613 | aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com
Deery
39
Dickson Industries
35
PUBLICATION STAFF: Publisher: Amy Schwandt Editor/Conference Manager: Allan Heydorn Associate Editor: Jessica Stoikes Art Director: April Van Etten Ad Production Manager: Patti Brown Sr. Audience Development Manager: Wendy Chady Audience Development Manager: Angela Kelty
Elgin
11
E-Z Liner
44
Fairmont Specialty
8
Gem Seal Pavement Products
2
Kasi Infrared
9
K-M International
13
Kutrite Mfg.
65
ADVERTISING SALES: (800) 538-5544 Tom Lutzke, Jill Draeger, Eric Servais, Sean Dunphy, Amy Schwandt, Erica Finger, Denise Singsime
LaserPoint
42
LeeBoy
29
M-B Companies Inc.
44
FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM WEBSITE: Digital Operations Manager: Nick Raether Digital Sales Manager: Monique Terrazas Editor: Larry Stewart Managing Editor: Kimberly Hegeman
MRL Equipment Co., Inc.
41, 46
Nealco Equipment LLC
4
Neyra
47
N. I. Wilson Mfg. Co., Inc.
46
Pavement Recyclers LLC
33
PROcru
32
Quik Pave Products Inc.
20
Ram Commercial Trucks
36-37
Reelcraft
64
Right Pointe
65
Road Science
45
SealMaster
72
Seal-Rite
17
Southern Emulsions Inc.
6
SOYsolv
46
Superior Tire & Rubber Corp.
52
Unique Paving Materials Corp.
43
WRT
42
201 N. Main Street | Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 800.538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
CHANGE OF ADDRESS & SUBSCRIPTIONS PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257, Phone: (877) 201-3915 Fax: (800) 543-5055 • circ.pavement@omeda.com REPRINTS Denise Singsime at (800) 538-5544 ext. 1245 dsingsime@ACBusinessMedia.com. LIST RENTAL Elizabeth Jackson, Account Executive, Merit Direct LLC, Phone: (847) 492-1350 ext. 18 • Fax: (847) 492-0085 • ejackson@meritdirect.com AC BUSINESS MEDIA INC.: Chairman: Anil Narang President and CEO: Carl Wistreich Executive Vice President: Kris Flitcroft VP Content: Greg Udelhofen VP Marketing: Debbie George ADVISORY BOARD: ACI Asphalt Contractors Inc., Maple Grove, MN: Jim Bebo Asphalt Contractors Inc., Union Grove, WI: Robert Kordus Asphalt Enterprises, Raleigh, NC, Sylvia Richards Asphalt Restoration Technology Systems, Orlando, FL: Connie Lorenz Capitol Sweeping Service, South Windsor, CT: Thomas Kuhns Custom Maintenance Services, Shippensburg, PA: Michael Nawa Eosso Brothers Paving; Hazlet, NJ: Tom Eosso Miktom Parking Lot Maintenance, Papillion, NE: Mick Vinckier Parking Lot Maintenance, Lake St. Louis, MO, Todd Bruening Petra Paving, Hampstead, NH: Chris Tammany Pioneer Paving, Albuquerque, NM: Don Rooney Robert Liles Parking Lot Service, Tyler, TX: Robert Liles Roberts Traffic, Hollywood, FL: Lisa Birchfield Roccie’s Asphalt Paving, Stamford, CT: Vincent Engongoro Rose Paving Co., Bridgeview, IL: Alan J. Rose Site Services Inc., Highland, IN: Randy DeVries T&N Asphalt Services, Salt Lake City, UT: Nick Howell The Rabine Group, Schaumburg, IL: Gary Rabine Young Sealcoating Inc, Lynchburg, VA: Steve Young ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES: Asphalt Sealcoat Manufacturers Association: Keith Ryan, Quality Emulsions Pavement Coatings Technology Council: Anne LeHuray, Executive Director
Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at
ForConstructionPros.com
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2016 69
PVM0316_69_index.indd 69
3/1/16 12:10 PM
Tailgate Talk
|
Brad Humphrey
5 “Spring Training” Tips to Get Your Season Off to the Start You Want FOR THE SEASONAL pavement maintenance contractor, getting equipment ready and employees prepared has most likely already begun. For the yeararound contractor, there is still something extra special about “spring training.” Maybe it’s our love for sports but most contractors admit that getting prepared for the season is something that must be done. Having recently completed the National Pavement Expo in Charlotte, I certainly met many owners and leaders primed and prepped to get the season started – or to re-calibrate their current effort with a renewed commitment to planning, organization and quality execution. So, if “spring training” is in the air at your company, here are some pre-season tips that might assist your efforts to be better this season than you were last. Determine What Your “Brand” Is…Then Educate Your Workforce. What does your company represent to existing clients and what do you want to represent to new customers? Determining your brand means making sure that the attitude you want held, how you want to treat customers, and your commitment to excellence is defined, communicated and monitored.
1
2
Engage Workers to Inventory Equipment, Tools & Supplies. If you are a seasonal contractor, bring in all or some of your hired folks and have them actually go through inspecting, counting, maintaining, cleaning up, greasing etc. anything that is in the yard or shop. This provides a nice excuse for a team building experience and it educates your workers to the inventory you have and the status for each item. Many contractors will maintain a skeleton crew to perform this work, but bringing in your other workers, just prior to starting your season, gives everyone a chance to see what you have in inventory. Organize, Identify, Label and Prioritize Your Vehicles, Equipment & Tools. As you acquire the equipment, tools and materials for your season, making your yard and shop look like a Home Depot or Lowes, take a tip from those big box stores and organize your operation. Labeling holding areas or where to park trailers, sealcoating buggies, tanks etc. is the first step toward an organized start. Additionally, start using some signage in your yards that clearly identifies what is to be parked or stored where.
3
You might even try to incorporate a “one-way” traffic flow in your yard to reduce the possible wrecks and fender benders that can happen when traffic is going in both directions. Your insurance carrier will love you for this last idea. Provide Hands-on Training for Technique & Skill Improvement. Don’t wait until the season actually starts to train or retrain those workers who need some extra learning at using a spray wand, how to properly squeegee, or how to clean out spray tips without getting material all over the place. Every process you expect your crews to execute, requires at the very least a “walk through” to show them how it’s done. Even better is to actually put some real tools and equipment in their hands for them to relearn how to perform their work in a quality fashion. Educate on Teamwork, Safety & Work Processes. What do you expect from your workers in how they go about fulfilling the work you will be selling? Do you want your crews to practice good teamwork? Do you want your workers to be safe in their work habits and process efforts? Do you want your workers to practice your work processes…not the processes they learned at other companies?
4
Of course the answer to each of the questions just raised is “Yes”! However, as many contractors are discovering, assuming your workforce already possesses the skills and knowledge they will need this season is assuming too much. It’s up to you as the business owner to provide some education for your workers, teaching them what you want to see practiced and then engaging them to discuss their ideas, challenges and doubts. You want it? You must preach it, teach it and coach it! Hey, have some fun this spring. Set out formally what you want to accomplish this year and document a plan to execute all that is most important to you. If you don’t, you are sure to encourage your workers to do whatever they want to do!
5
Brad Humphrey is president of Pinnacle Development Group, a consulting firm that specializes in the construction industry. He recently introduced “PDG’s Two-Minute Drill,” a video series for construction owners, leaders, sales professionals and employees. For more information visit www.pinnacledg.com.
70 March/April 2016 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
PVM0316_70-72_Tailgate_AJ.indd 70
3/1/16 12:10 PM
Write in 39 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10072346
PVM0316_70-72_Tailgate_AJ.indd 71
3/1/16 12:10 PM
THE ONE-STOP SOURCE FOR
PAVEMENT
PRODUCTS& EQUIPMENT
Pavement Sealers
Additives
SealMaster® has all the pavement maintenance products, equipment and tools you need – under one roof – to help you get the job done fast and right. And we’ve got the best trained professionals in the business to provide unmatched service and guidance to help your business grow and succeed. Contact us today and find out why more pavement professionals turn to SealMaster than any other brand.
Crack Fillers
Traffic Paints
Equipment & Tools
SPORT SURFACING PRODUCTS AND MORE LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE
See us at Booth #2632
CALL TODAY!
(800) 395-7325
www.sealmaster.net Write in 40 on card or key in ForConstructionPros.com/10074572
PVM0316_70-72_Tailgate_AJ.indd 72
3/1/16 12:10 PM