Granite announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary International Directional Services (IDS) and Veracio, a mining technology company, have entered into a partnership aimed at transforming drill hole data analytics and elevating productivity for Granite’s clients. The collaboration between IDS and Veracio marks a significant step toward leveraging technology to enhance the mining process. By combining IDS’s drill hole geological data collection…
Read MoreDay: December 7, 2023
Luck Stone’s Atlanta Site Invests in New Sand Wash System
Luck Stone has invested in a 110-tph sand wash system to replace its sand screw equipment.
Read MorePricing: Embrace the New Technology
The Stone Age Didn’t End Because We Ran Out of Stone. By Barry Hudson In this article, Barry Hudson, co-founder of Price Bee, discusses the pitfalls of relying on spreadsheets, like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets – or even Lotus 123 (can you remember this?) to run a business in our industry, with input from Thomas Bergmans, senior vice president, Logistics…
Read MoreGreat Lakes Limestone Trade Up 22.8% in November
Shipments of limestone on the Great Lakes totaled 3.1 million tons in November, an increase of 22.8% compared to a year ago. Limestone cargos were 7.3% above the month’s five-year average. Loadings from U.S. quarries increased 23.6% from 2022 to 2.6 million tons. Shipments from Canadian quarries totaled 536,912 tons, an increase of 19.2%. Year-to-date the limestone trade stands at nearly…
Read MoreRail Traffic for Aggregate Products Down in November
The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic volumes for November 2023. U.S. railroads originated 1,128,573 carloads in November 2023, down 0.0%, or 102 carloads, from November 2022. U.S. railroads also originated 1,279,906 containers and trailers in November 2023, up 5.0%, or 60,486 units, from the same month last year. Combined U.S. carload and intermodal originations in November…
Read MoreWatch Video of the MLPA Panel Discussion
The Missouri Limestone Producers Association held an industry panel discussion at its 78th Convention in Lake of the Ozarks, Osage Beach, Mo., and I was honored to serve as moderator. Participants included Chris Schlict, Epiroc; Anne Noonan, CEO of Summit Materials; John Griesemer; Erlen Group and George Reddin, FMI Capital. Topics covered included the state of the industry; inflation; production…
Read MoreDodge Momentum Index Decreases 1% in November
The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Dodge Construction Network (DCN), decreased 1% in November to 179.2 (2000=100) from the revised October reading of 181.7. Over the month, the commercial and institutional components both fell 1%. “While both portions of the Momentum Index saw slower momentum in planning, overall levels remain steady and will support construction spending in 2024 and…
Read MoreCommercial Explosives Industry Advocates for Congress to Reform Redundant Process
The Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME) President Clark Mica released the following statement of support for the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act (H.R. 5840): “Workers in the commercial explosives industry are already required to pass background checks. By passing the Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act, Congress can eliminate duplicative background checks and fees that do nothing to increase safety…
Read MoreVulcan Materials Named One of America’s Most Responsible Companies
Vulcan Materials Co. was named as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2024 by Newsweek. The company was also included in the American Opportunity Index, which measures how well large companies invest in their human talent to drive business performance and individual employee growth. “Our company has an intentional focus on operating The Vulcan Way – doing the right thing, the…
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