Rock Products reached out to aggregates industry executives for their take on the $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
Tom Hill, chairman and chief executive officer of Vulcan Materials, said, “The bipartisan infrastructure bill has been a long time in the making. We are excited that it includes a five-year reauthorization of federal-aid highway programs, as well as one-time additional funding for large road and bridge projects. The long-term highway reauthorization, combined with the substantial additional investment in other transportation modes, water, energy and broadband, gives the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act the potential to be as significant to our nation’s security, competitiveness and quality of life in the future as the passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 has been to our lives. Our Vulcan family is ready to provide the crushed stone, sand and gravel, asphalt and concrete that will make our infrastructure safer, and more sustainable and resilient, for generations to come. It’s a great time to build a career here. We’re excited to be hiring people to fill a wide variety of roles in locations across the country that will be part of the rebuilding America legacy.”
Ward Nye, chairman and CEO of Martin Marietta Materials, said, “As the most significant infrastructure action since the introduction of the Interstate Highway System, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is historic and transformational legislation. In addition to improving and modernizing the nation’s surface transportation systems, this generational investment will drive years of economic growth and job creation. Martin Marietta is grateful to the members of Congress who voted for final passage of this bipartisan legislation.”
Anne Noonan, president and CEO of Summit Materials, said, “On the public infrastructure side, we are starting to see stimulus dollars flow through to states and remain hopeful that federal spending from the newly signed infrastructure bill will have the potential to positively impact both volume and price.”
Steve Snodgrass, CFO of Graniterock, said, “As we’re all aware, California has some of the worst roads in the country. In particular, this bill will go a long way in fixing the roads of the Central Coast. A bill of this nature guarantees California will have good paying blue-collar jobs for the foreseeable future. We know the construction industry is boom or bust, and this bill gives us the longevity that comes with a boom cycle. In general, this ensures we have consistent employment in construction with the guaranteed source of funding. This is a positive bill for California and the materials and construction industries.”
Darin Matson, president and chief executive officer at Rogers Group Inc., said, “It has been decades in the making and a priority for a number of administrations, so being present for the historic signing of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) on November 15 was both a pleasure and an honor. Securing the Highway Trust Fund with increased funding for roads and bridges over the next five years is at the core of this bill and critical to keeping our nation on a sustainable path for economic growth on par with competing nations. As chairman of NSSGA and on behalf of Rogers Group and all the families represented by our industry, I wish to thank the politicians on both sides of the aisle for seeing the value in investing in America’s infrastructure. The next step is putting more boots on the ground and operators in seats to safely provide the materials and services necessary to execute on what we have all worked so hard to deliver.”
Dave Goodin, president and CEO of MDU, said, “This is a welcome and much-needed investment in our country’s infrastructure. Our construction materials and services businesses are ready to take on the projects this funding will support, particularly the traditional infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, as well as electric vehicle facilities, broadband buildout, and electric transmission and distribution infrastructure. We will continue building a strong America.”
Joel Galassini, executive vice president, Cement Commercial, for CEMEX USA, said, “The infrastructure deal is a positive step forward for communities across the United States, for CEMEX as well as the entire building materials industry. Throughout history, CEMEX and our operations have supported some of the largest infrastructure projects across the country, and we are excited about the possibilities from this deal. CEMEX is evolving to meet the needs of the present and the future, developing low-carbon and sustainable products while working to reduce emissions throughout our value chain, as we stand well positioned to support the multitude of upcoming projects that will enhance our roads, bridges, airports and other critical infrastructure. We are proud to deliver our high-quality materials and contribute to improvements that will support our communities now and into the future.”