One thing that COVID-19 has by necessity pushed the aggregates industry to do is develop ways to reach out to customers and members using digital means. Early on in the pandemic that effort was a little rough, with e-mail and Zoom taking center stage. Since that time, much more sophisticated platforms have emerged to generate outreach, resulting in more effective…
Read MoreAuthor: Mark Kuhar
Gas Tax Not on Table
April 15, 2021 – The White House said that raising the federal gasoline tax is not being considered as part of President Biden’s infrastructure package. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that a gas tax increase is not being discussed when asked about reports that Biden was considering a hike to pay for his $2.25 trillion package. The president has…
Read MoreNSSGA Awards Deadline Approaching
April 15, 2021 – According to the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), there are just nine days left for members to submit applications for a Safety Excellence, Environmental Excellence and/or Community Relations Excellence Award. By applying, members have the opportunity to showcase their facilities’ 2020 activities. Operations will then be put in the running to win a Gold, Silver or Bronze award. To get started with…
Read MoreBiden Seeks 2022 Transportation Increases
April 13, 2021 – According to media reports, President Joe Biden has submitted a $1.5 trillion fiscal 2022 budget plan that includes a 14% increase in discretionary funding for transportation systems and severe weather resilience programs. The budget request proposes to “build back better America’s highway, transit and rail systems nationwide; make historic investment in safety, equity, and climate change…
Read MoreDeere Innovations Revealed at Press Event
April 6, 2021 – Developed in response to evolving customer needs and expectations, John Deere launched its Performance Tiering Strategy at a virtual press conference, delivering a range of products at different levels of capability and user experience. Available first on the wheel loader lineup, the Performance Tiering Strategy supports customers by providing machine solutions built for various applications and jobs…
Read MoreThe Biden Proposal
April 2, 2021 – President Joe Biden’s eight-year infrastructure plan is nothing if not ambitious. The proposal – part of The American Jobs Plan – would spend $621 billion on roads, bridges, public transit, rail, ports, waterways, airports and electric vehicles in the service of improving air quality, reducing congestion and limiting greenhouse gas emissions. I like roads and bridges part of…
Read MoreCat Debuts Updated 992 Wheel Loader
March 30, 2021 – Caterpillar updated its mining wheel loader range with the unveiling at a virtual press event of the new Cat 992 wheel loader – with a 32% improvement in productivity, a 10% reduction in maintenance costs and up to 48% greater payload-per-fuel efficiency than the earlier model 992K. Powered by the new Tier 4 Final/Stage V Cat C32B…
Read MoreBiden Infrastructure Plan Comes This Week
March 29, 2021 – According to Politico, President Joe Biden is set to roll out his infrastructure plan in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, laying out details for a package that is about much, much more than just transportation. Roads, bridges, rail and transit remain at the center of it, though. Early reports suggest that the first part of the possible $3 trillion…
Read MoreSandvik Top Hammer XL Launched Virtually
March 24, 2021 – At a special virtual product launch event, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions introduced the Top Hammer XL, its latest innovation in surface top hammer drilling. The new, groundbreaking drilling system, targeting large-scale quarry and surface mining customers, offers a faster, more fuel-efficient and more cost-effective way to drill holes 140 to 178 mm (5.5 to 7 in.)…
Read MoreArcosa Scores Big
March 23, 2021 – Antonio Carrillo, president and chief executive officer of Arcosa, noted in the company’s recent quarterly report, “We expect to continue to deploy capital to strengthen our current market positions and expand our geographic footprint.” The company just did that in spades with the acquisition of StonePoint Materials, one of the 25 largest aggregates companies in the United…
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