USGS: Aggregates Production Flat in 2022

By Mark S. Kuhar At the start of 2022, it was highly anticipated that aggregates production would rise to about 2.80 billion metric tons (Gt) for the year. Well, final numbers are in and the estimated annual output of construction aggregates produced for consumption in 2022 was 2.44 Gt, unchanged from that of 2021, according to Jason Christopher Willett, commodity…

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MSHA: More, More, More . . . of the Same

‘More Enforcement’ Is MSHA’s Favorite Answer To Every Problem. By Brian Hendrix According to Bloomberg Law, Assistant Secretary of Labor for MSHA Chris Williamson announced in early March that MSHA will increase the number or frequency of impact inspections. MSHA will also resume its practice of posting the names of mines targeted for impact inspections to MSHA’s website.  Every month,…

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Leading an Exhausted Workforce

The Last Few Years Have Tested Leaders In Ways They Never Imagined. By Steve Schumacher It is very common that people at all levels of organizations get tired, stressed, burnt out and frustrated. These things happen during start-ups, new product rollouts, peak business times and when systems and resources are stretched thin.  Leaders understand that most of these times are…

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Digging Deep for Education

Martin Stone Quarries Gives Its Local Education Foundation Its Largest Donation Ever As It Supports STEM Programs And Workforce Development. By Therese Dunphy Earlier this year, the Foundation for Boyertown Education recently received a $75,000 donation; its single largest contribution ever. The generous donation came from long-time contributor Bechtelsville, Pa.-based Martin Stone Quarries Inc. It is but one in a…

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Brass Knuckle SmartFlex 400 Series Gloves

With long-lasting comfort comes increased compliance. That’s the thought behind the SmartFlex 400 Series hand protection from Brass Knuckle. Three gloves, each designed with a 13-gauge nylon shell offering abrasion resistance, uncoated back and wrist to encourage all-day wear, and ultra-thin polyurethane coating on the palm and finger area for an amazingly sensitive gripping surface. Every glove in the 400…

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Energy Star Cement Plants and Emissions Prevention

The 86 facilities recognized in the EPA Energy Star Industrial Program – 10 cement plants in eight states among them – are credited with saving more than 100 trillion Btu of energy and preventing 6 million-plus metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The cement and peer plants earned Energy Star certification for operating in the top 25% of energy efficiency…

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Construction Spending Up Year-Over-Year

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, construction spending during January 2023 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,825.7 billion, 0.1% (±0.7%) below the revised December estimate of $1,827.5 billion. The January figure is 5.7% (±1.2%) above the January 2022 estimate of $1,726.6 billion. In January, the estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $383.1…

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News from Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut

According to the Green Valley News, Vulcan Materials submitted an application for a conditional use permit with the Town of Sahuarita, Ariz., to operate a hot mix asphalt plant at its current sand and gravel mining operation along Old Nogales Highway, just over a half-mile from some of the northernmost homes in Quail Creek.  Residents have since raised a number…

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