May 24, 2023 – According to the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association, last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued broad proposals to expedite permitting for infrastructure projects. The package of reforms include an executive order and 11 legislative changes. The executive order, which takes effect immediately, creates an Infrastructure Strike Team for projects with significant challenges; a Task Force to assist with…
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Justin Bateman, Pebble Artist
By Mark S. Kuhar British artist Justin Bateman creates impermanent artwork from found pebbles and stones. The artist, who now lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand, leaves detailed pebble portraits on beaches, in forests, by railways, and up mountains. Each natural-colored stone acts as an individual paint stroke or mark that’s integral to the overall image. There are portraits of renowned…
Read MoreAggregate Wash Plants
Four Tips For A Successful Spring Startup. By Mark S. Kuhar It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting warmer, birds are heading back north for the season (or south, depending on your location) and aggregate processing plants across the globe that shut down for the winter months are gearing up to start production again. Before you start…
Read MoreRock Products Sponsors Mark S. Walsh Award
May 1, 2023 – The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s Young Leaders Annual Meeting was held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., April 23-26. At the event, the Mark S. Walsh Award – sponsored by Rock Products – was presented to Danette Swank of Philippi-Hagenbuch by Josephine Patterson, Rock Products’ managing editor. This award is given to an aggregates industry member who embodies the qualities of professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment…
Read MoreCalPortland-Martin Marietta Deal is Off
April 28, 2023 – Taiheiyo Cement Corp., headquartered in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, announced that its consolidated subsidiary, CalPortland Co., headquartered in California, and Martin Marietta Materials Inc., headquartered in North Carolina, have terminated their previously announced agreement dated Aug. 9, 2022, regarding the sale of Martin Marietta’s Tehachapi, Calif., cement plant and related distribution terminals, as the parties have been unable to timely obtain the…
Read MoreHere Comes the Cement Pig
April 14, 2023 – Dragon Products, a dealer for Utah trailer specialist Ranco by Western, arrived at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023 in Las Vegas with a customized SP 55-4100 Guppy Bottom Dump, splashed with some unusual horizontal cement storage nomenclature. The 23,500-lb. trailer is equipped with a 20-in. aluminum cast pressure cover, six hopper bottoms, plus one 5-in. discharge and two 4-in. blow…
Read MoreAutonomous Tech
Teleo Retrofits Existing Heavy Construction Equipment To Create Remote-Operated And Autonomous Robots. By Mark S. Kuhar Construction and mining work is skilled, physically demanding and often dangerous. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, 91% of construction firms are having a hard time finding workers to hire, driving up costs and project delays. To address this issue, Teleo is…
Read MoreDigital Dreaming
How Digital Mines Are Unearthing New Revenue Streams And Sustainable Goals. By Mark S. Kuhar The years of downsizing and cost-cutting have come to an end for the mining industry – global demand has soared, and mining companies and their ecosystem of suppliers have a ripe opportunity to seize the moment. The key is unlocking this opportunity as quickly as…
Read MoreAlternative Energy Awakening
I just returned from Las Vegas, and my 10th ConExpo-Con/Agg show. More than 139,000 people attended the show, the most since more than 144,600 attended the 2008 show. With a gleaming new West Hall and a vast, fully stuffed Festival Lot, I can say without hesitation it was the busiest and most spread out show I have ever attended. If…
Read MoreLast Day to Apply for NSSGA Awards of Excellence
April 3, 2023 – Today is the deadline to submit your applications for a National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) Community Relations, Environmental or Safety Excellence Award! If you have not done so already, please complete and submit your application today. You can directly select the application from below:
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