June 4, 2019 – Exiting Graniterock’s A.R. Wilson Quarry won’t be such a bumpy ride now that the company fixed its own road. The road leading out of the quarry, with more than a few potholes, underwent a rehabilitation project coordinated by several Graniterock teams in addition to the quarry: CIR, RTS, Construction Division and Road Materials. The One Company project…
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We Mayor May Not Get a Bill
June 3, 2019 – More than half of mayors (57%) discussed infrastructure at length during their annual State of the City addresses this year, according to a new report by the National League of Cities. That made it the second-most popular topic for the second year in a row, trailing only economic development. Mayors gathered in Washington, D.C., recently to discuss…
Read MoreFly Like an Eagle
May 31, 2019 – Just in time for the weekend, Eagle Materials announced that its long-rumored strategic re-evaluation was over. The envelope, please. The company’s board of directors has approved a plan to separate its Heavy Materials and Light Materials businesses into two independent, publicly traded corporations by means of a tax-free spin-off to Eagle shareholders. The separation is expected to…
Read MoreBring Congress to Your Quarry This Summer
May 28, 2019 – Want to do your part to advance infrastructure funding? The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association says bring Congress to your quarry this summer. Not only do quarry tours offer your representatives media exposure and quality time with their constituents, but you gain the opportunity to discuss important issues one-on-one with your representatives. Any operation willing to plan…
Read MoreMDU Resources Thinks Sustainable
May 24, 2019 – The Board of Directors of MDU Resources Group Inc. approved the formation of an Environmental and Sustainability Committee at the board level. “More focused oversight by the board over MDU Resources’ environmental and sustainability commitments emphasizes how important these efforts are to the overall company strategy and success,” said Dennis W. Johnson, chair of the board. MDU…
Read MoreNo Political Football
May 23, 2019 – I have a message for President Trump and Congress: Do not turn infrastructure funding into a political football! President Trump abruptly canceled an infrastructure meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer at the White House yesterday and declared that bipartisan cooperation was impossible while House committees are investigating him. He also demanded that Congress pass a…
Read MoreBlumenauer Seeks Five-Cent Gas Tax Increase
May 22, 2019 – Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Subcommittee on Trade, introduced a bill which would, according to Politico, raise the federal user fee on gasoline by five cents a year over five years. Blumenauer, a featured speaker at the Highway Materials Group’s recent Infrastructure Week press conference, introduced the legislation one day…
Read MoreWe Welcome Pierre Villere
May 17, 2019 – This month, Rock Products is proud to announce a new monthly column, The Strategist, written by long-time industry veteran Pierre Villere. It will appear in the print edition of the magazine, in our e-newsletter and on our website. Pierre G. Villere is president and senior managing partner of Allen-Villere Partners – an investment-banking firm with a national practice in…
Read MoreInfrastructure Week, Day Four
May 16, 2019 – The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and its member companies led the charge during a very busy week of infrastructure advocacy in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday morning, AEM President Dennis Slater moderated a panel as part of the 2019 American Road & Transportation Builder Association (ARTBA) Federal Issues Program. The discussion focused on the industry’s infrastructure priorities and featured…
Read MoreInfrastructure Week, Day Three
March 15, 2019 – Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donahue has stated his concerns about the state of our infrastructure. “The need for Congress and the administration to come together on a bipartisan plan to revitalize the physical platform of our economy is more urgent today than ever before,” he said. “That’s because our nation’s infrastructure, although once the envy…
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