Every time I go to ConExpo-Con/Agg – and this is now my ninth show – the song “Karn Evil 9 (1st Impression Part 2)” by Emerson, Lake & Palmer starts playing in my head, with those distinctive lyrics: “Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends, I’m so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside.”
One of the key indicators of an expanding construction-materials market is merger and acquisition activity. We are starting to see a little bit of that right now.
Donald Trump has said repeatedly that he is going to invest $1 trillion to upgrade America’s roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, and water and sewer systems. That certainly is music to the aggregates’ industry’s ears.
The aggregates industry sits at a crossroads right now. From where we are to where we want to go looks like it is going to be a long, complicated road. So where are we? Let’s take a look at the data.
According to the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), mining deaths dropped to historic lows in FY 2016. From Oct. 1, 2015, to Sept. 30, 2016, 24 deaths – a record low – occurred at the more than 13,000 mines nationwide, the lowest total since 34 in FY 2013. By contrast, in FY 2015, there were 38 mining deaths.
