TOP NEWS
Granite
Granite has received approval from the Utah Department of Air Quality (UDAQ) to begin the public comment period as part of Granite’s Parleys I-80 South Quarry small mine air permit application. During this rigorous application process, the application undergoes a comprehensive 30-day comment period, allowing the public to provide valuable input.
U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered its Washington State counterpart to resume a case where plaintiff CalPortland Co., through its Seattle-based Glacier Northwest Inc. business, seeks damages stemming from a Teamsters Local 174-initiated work stoppage that resulted in the loss of 16 loads of ready mixed concrete.
Peckham Industries Inc.
Peckham Industries Inc. acquired E. Tetz & Sons Inc. and its subsidiary, Tetz Asphalt LLC. Located in Middletown, N.Y., Tetz is a leading aggregate, ready-mix concrete, and hot-mix asphalt producer in Orange County.
MSHA WATCH
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported that on May 22, a miner died at RiverStone Group’s Ralls County, Mo., operation when the haul truck he was operating overturned, when the edge of the bank at a dump point gave way. The haul truck landed on the roof of the cab. This is the 20th fatality reported in 2023, and the fifth classified as “Powered Haulage.”
USGS STATS
The estimated U.S. output of construction aggregates produced and shipped for consumption in the first quarter of 2023 was 459 million metric tons (Mt,) a slight decrease compared with that of the same period of 2023, according to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Commodity Specialist Jason Christopher Willett. The estimated production-for-consumption of construction aggregates in the first quarter of 2023 decreased in four of the nine geographic divisions compared with that sold or used in the first quarter of 2022.
WOMEN IN AGGREGATES
Women in Aggregates is a new group dedicated to supporting women working in the aggregates industry. The Mission Statement of the group is: “To create a supportive space for women that fosters leadership growth, networking opportunities and advocacy of the aggregate industry.” Membership in Women in Aggregates is open to any woman working in, or working in support of, the aggregates industry, including producers, manufacturers and distributors; and marketing, advertising or public relations professionals. Interested parties can go to www.womeninaggregates.com to join the mailing list and to stay apprised of future developments, meetings, events and other communications from the group. There is also a LinkedIn discussion page, at www.linkedin.com/groups/12717856/.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
The AVP Pulse Index for June – brought to you by Rock Products and Allen-Villere Partners – increased 0.9%, moving the Index up 1.9% year-over-year.
Total construction starts rose 8% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.11 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Highway and bridge starts were up 16% for the month.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, construction spending during April 2023 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,908.4 billion, 1.2% (±0.7%) above the revised March estimate of $1,885.0 billion.
ENERGY
WTI CRUDE OIL FUTURES
6/20/2023: $70.50/barrel, up $1.08 from week earlier; down $39.06 from year earlier.
NATURAL GAS
6/20/2023: $2.492/MMBtu, up $0.152 from week earlier; down $4.452 from year earlier.
RETAIL DIESEL
6/19/2023: $3.815/gal., up $0.021 from week earlier; down $1.995 from year ago.
ELECTRICITY
3/20/23: Average price to industrial customers 7.91 cents/kilowatt hour; up from 7.50 cents/kilowatt hour a year earlier.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration