Argentina

ALLU Group, headquartered in Finland, has announced its newest distributor is Igarreta Maquinas in Argentina. The company will supply the comprehensive range of ALLU Transformer and Soil Stabilization equipment, and will provide full aftermarket care, parts and customer service.

Germany

• Leica Geosystems was recently awarded the first-place prize in the Wichmann Innovations Award programme held during the INTERGEO 2017 conference and trade fair in Berlin.
• BOMAG Americas, Ridgeway, South Carolina, hosted nearly 1,200 guests representing approximately 60 countries during its third Innovation Days Sept. 18 through 23 in Boppard, Germany. During the workshops and presentations, customers experienced the company’s products in action, learned about new technologies and saw manufacturing first-hand.

South Africa

The economic comeback of Sub-Sahara and positive market opportunities in South Africa are reflected in the number of companies that have already signed up for 2018’s bauma CONEXPO AFRICA. The third international trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines and construction vehicles will be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in South Africa from March 13 to 16, with an exhibition area of 68,000 square meters. Source: Association of Equipment Manufacturers

United Arab Emirates

The 2nd Argus Middle East Petroleum Coke Conference will take place in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE, Jan. 24 and 25, 2018. They anticipate over 150 participants. Get registration information from me.events@argusmedia.com.

United States

December is the final month to take advantage of the PATH Act of 2015. If you acquired an eligible piece of equipment—such as an asphalt paver, roller, haul truck, etc.—and put it in service during 2017, you are eligible to depreciate 50 percent of its cost. That’s a tax savings right there, but only until the end of 2017.

California

BuildItSites.com, Burbank, California, launched by tech-savvy veterans of the construction industry, is offering to set up new websites for general contractors for free. You pay a monthly service fee after that, but BuildItSites.com is taking some of the marketing hassle off the general contractor’s plate and showing contractors how to maintain and update their sites.

Illinois

KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens hosted North American dealers at its annual National Dealer Conference Sept. 11 through 13 at Astec Mobile Screens in Sterling, Illinois. The domestic dealer principals got together for educational sessions, product reviews, factory tours, and recognition of sales and service excellence. This year, the company also featured two live demos of the GT104 scalper and GT205 multi-frequency track screens from Astec Mobile Screens.

Iowa

Continental’s Mount Pleasant, Iowa, plant celebrated its 40th anniversary this fall. More than 260 employees work in the 200,000-square-foot facility, which manufactures industrial and automotive hose products. It began production with two spiral hose lines in 1977. Continental acquired the plant in January 2015 and integrated it into its ContiTech division.

Maryland

Governor Larry Hogan announced Aug. 30 a $22.8 million project to add a fourth lane to the eastbound side of the Severn River Bridge in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Construction has begun and is expected to be completed before Memorial Day in 2018. The governor also announced the start of construction for the 2.5-mile, $37.5 million MD 32 widening project in Howard County. Gov. Hogan also awarded $38,390.961 in grants for local roads in municipalities and counties, based on the state’s formula for the distribution of Highway User Revenues and above and beyond Maryland’s current $8 billion six-year investment in state roads and bridges. Source: Maryland Asphalt Association.

Missouri

Your AsphaltPro staff, Fayette, Missouri, has teamed up with hall-of-famer industry consultant John S. Ball III of Top Quality Paving & Training, Manchester, New Hampshire, to bring you an online training course for each member of your asphalt paving crew. Check out free previews of lessons or get started by clicking the green “enroll” button at http://training.theasphaltpro.com/p/asphalt-paving-101.

New Jersey

ALLU Inc. has opened a new facility in East Brunswick, New Jersey, which will create additional warehouse capacity for aftermarket parts and factory space to increase product inventory by local assembly. The move will allow ALLU’s North American subsidiary to offer remanufacture and recertification of pre-owned buckets.

Oregon

Cummins Inc., Columbus, Indiana, announced that it is acquiring the assets of Brammo Inc., which designs and develops battery packs for mobile and stationary applications. Operations from the acquisition will report under Cummins recently formed Electrification Business, led by Julie Furber, and based in Talent, Oregon.

Tennessee

Plan ahead for recycling! The Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) invites you to attend the silver anniversary of C&D World Feb. 10 through 13 at the Hilton Nashville. The event will also host the annual meeting of the CDRA. Get info at www.cdrecycling.org.

Virginia

Christopher Payne, PE, CCM, executive vice president and chief operating officer of MBP, became chair of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), McLean, Virginia, at the Association’s National Conference and Trade Show in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has prepared a guide to help highway construction and material firm owners comply with the new rule from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regarding crystalline silica exposure. The publication contains background materials and guidance on the four basic steps for compliance, and is available for purchase at www.artbastore.org.