April 30, 2019 – Martin Marietta Materials just released its first quarter report, with record results. How do they see things going for the remainder of this year? Glad you asked. In its report, it states: “Infrastructure construction, particularly for aggregates-intensive highways and streets, should benefit from recent accelerations in state lettings and contract awards in key Martin Marietta states, continued…
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Used Tires a Canadian Concern
April 26, 2019 – In Canada, it is time to “re-tire.” The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) reports that a recently implemented law in Canada’s province of Ontario tasks companies with following through on significant obligations associated with the disposal of used tires throughout the product lifecycle. Companies that sell, distribute or manufacture tires, or products using tires in Ontario, are…
Read MoreHarbor Freight Supports the Trades
April 24, 2019 – If you do not get the Harbor Freight tool catalog in the mail, you are probably a minority. Heck, 10 million people get it each month, with many using the always available 20% off coupon, and free gift coupons. I know I have about a dozen of those little flashlights they give away all over the house.…
Read MoreIt’s Electric
April 22, 2019 – Caterpillar said its electrification strategy will match the right product to the application, and a press release distributed at bauma outlined the ways the company will do this. Fully electric products. Featuring single or multiple non-engine electric power sources, these products are best suited for environments where eliminating emissions is key. These will be best suited for…
Read MoreTurning the Corner
April 18, 2019 – Maybe we have turned the corner in 2019. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, highway and bridge construction starts in March grew 4%, showing improvement after declines in January (down 5%) and February (down 6%). According to Robert A. Murray, the organization’s chief economist, the passage of federal appropriations for fiscal year 2019 in mid-February seems to be helping the public works sector. The…
Read MoreTelsmith Welcomes Vereb Back
April 16, 2019 – Telsmith Inc. recently welcomed back one of its Southeastern field service technicians, Matthew Vereb, from a year-long mission in Germany. Vereb started at Telsmith in 2016 as a field service technician for the Southeast territory including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi. Vereb joined the military in 2008 as a private first class, then became a staff…
Read MoreExtinguishing the Fire
April 15, 2019 – Reports of progress on infrastructure funding last week may have been, shall we say, premature. Instead of stoking the fire, hopes are now extinguishing. In the House, leadership reportedly wants to move forward with a big infrastructure bill, hyping up the idea at a Democratic retreat last week, but details are scarce, according to Politico’s Morning Transportation…
Read MoreInfrastructure Talks Rumored
April 12, 2019 – Democratic leaders in Congress said they would seek President Donald Trump’s support in coming weeks for legislation to invest up to $2 trillion to rebuild U.S. infrastructure, including roads, bridges and schools. This episode of one-upmanship follows Trump’s long-standing line about $1 trillion in spending. Anyone want to propose $3 trillion? The problem is, everybody wants to…
Read Morebauma is Big: Really Big
April 11, 2019 – The world’s largest trade fair has opened its doors in Munich, Germany. On Monday, April 8, German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier, Bavarian Minister President Dr. Markus Söder and Messe München CEO Klaus Dittrich opened bauma 2019. Rock Products and Semco Publishing have boots on the ground, and are covering the show event by event. “bauma is…
Read MoreInfrastructure Rumblings
April 10, 2019 – Senate committee leaders have their sights set on an ambitious timeline for the surface transportation reauthorization, which is due by next September, Politico reports. Environment and Public Works Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) is hoping to pass a bill through the committee before the August recess, and ranking member Tom Carper (D-Del.) is on board. “In the past we’ve sometimes waited till…
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