Around the Globe: March
BY AsphaltPro Staff
Africa
South Africa bitumen rack prices dipped 15 percent in January, according to Petrosil’s Bitumart Bitumen Newsletter Jan. 21.
Canada
The 2015 International Scrap Recycling Industry Exposition will be held in Vancouver April 21 through 25, 2015. Check the site at http://travel.state.gov for travel info and http://www.isriconvention.org/ for convention info.
Germany
An 11-month antitrust approval process finished Jan. 29 and Continental, Hanover, Germany, concluded its acquisition of Veyance Technologies, Inc., of Fairlawn, Ohio, the next day. The Brazilian antitrust authority Council for Economic Defence (CADE) cleared the transaction with certain conditions, thus providing the approvals necessary for international automotive supplier, tire manufacturer and industrial partner Continental to boost its worldwide industrial business. The transaction is valued at 1.4 billion euros. Veyance operates globally in the field of rubber and plastics technology and in 2013 recorded sales of around 1.5 billion euros. Veyance Technologies generates around half of its sales in the United States. Other important markets include Latin America, Africa, China and other countries in Asia.
Japan
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that Japan is the world’s largest importer of liquefied natural gas and the second-largest importer of coal.
Singapore
Bulk bitumen prices in Singapore had decreased by 24 percent in January compared to the previous month. Petrosil reported the country’s bitumen exports had been down by 3 percent in November as compared to October’s exports.
United Arab Emirates
Attend the Fourth Middle East Base Oil and Lubricants Conference, along with the 23rd Annual Middle East Petroleum & Gas Conference this April 22 through 24 in Abu Dhabi. Get all the info at http://www.baseoillubes.com/.
United States
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The state asphalt pavement associations of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin have stepped up to the plate and given their time and monetary support to the 2015 Pavement Economics Committee (PEC) of the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA). The PEC funds project requests that support asphalt-related scientific research.
Colorado
Asphalt producers in Colorado are embracing the value of proactive, positive messaging as environmental extremists petition to get a measure on the next ballot preventing the city of Colorado Springs from purchasing asphalt mix from any facility that is within a certain distance of a school, hospital, etc.
Florida
Make sure you’re registered to support the Construction Angels and to have a good time with wings, country and rock & roll at the Bergeron Rodeo Grounds in Davie, Fla., this Saturday, April 18. The Construction Angels host Alligator Ron’s Wingfest 2015 to raise funds for the non-profit entity to turn over to families of construction workers killed while building our nation’s roadways and bridges. Contact sdressler@mail.thebluebok.com or Kathy.macaluso@constructionangels.us for more information.
It’s not too late to register for the 8th annual Argus Americas Asphalt Summit taking place March 24 through 26 in Miami at the Trump International Beach Resort. The three-day summit will provide key insights to the changing market with speakers such as 2015 NAPA Chairman Michael Cote, Former Director of Government Affairs House Transportation Committee Peter Loughlin, Jim Musselman of the Florida DOT, Bill Lee of Century Asphalt and many others. Visit http://www.argusmedia.com/Events to register.
Georgia
Lehigh Technologies, Atlanta, has named Glenn Denstaedt its technical director for tire and industrial rubber. Denstaedt brings more than 20 years of experience in rubber compounding and materials development to support Lehigh’s rapid expansion of micronized rubber powder into the national and international tire and rubber markets.
Hawaii
Congratulations goes out to the Hawaii Asphalt Paving Industry (HAPI). Members of HAPI repaved 305 lane miles of roads in the city and county of Honolulu in 2014. That brings the total lane miles repaired with asphalt to 703 during the past two years. Source: HAPI
Illinois
Do you have a white paper or presentation that brings new light to asphalt shingle recycling? The 7th Shingle Recycling Forum takes place Oct. 29 through 30, 2015, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel just outside Chicago’s O’Hare airport. The CDRA has issued a call for papers to anyone who has an innovative and exciting idea for the use of recycled shingles, including beyond use in hot mix. Submit your abstract to CDRA headquarters via email at info@cdrecycling.org.
Philippi-Hagenbuch, Inc., of Peoria, Ill., undertook a unique philanthropic campaign to increase support for breast cancer prevention and research through a partnership with the Susan G. Komen Memorial. The company offered three “pink” color combinations of the Autogate® Tailgate through its Pink Tailgate Initiative between August and December 2014. With three clients and three dealers taking part in the program, they raised awareness in the communities where the tailgates will “reside” and raised $5,000 for breast cancer research. A big thank-you goes out to clients Hanson, Luck Stone and OMYA, and to dealers Carter Cat, Cleveland Brothers Cat and Johnson Cat for making yellow iron just a little more pink.
Indiana
Seven organizations won recognition from the Asphalt Pavement Association of Indiana (APAI) for superior asphalt pavement construction during the association’s annual conference. A professional engineer visited and rated each project submitted for an award. Engineers considered workmanship, smoothness, joint construction, degree of difficulty and use of green technologies, among other criteria. Walsh & Kelly, Inc., of Griffith received the award for reconstruction—cities. Brooks Construction Co., Fort Wayne, received the award for reconstruction—counties. E&B Paving, Inc., Anderson, received the award for non-government—new construction. Milestone Contractors, LP, Indianapolis, received the awards for non-government—reconstruction and government. Phend & Brown, Inc., Goshen, received the award for new construction greater than 2,000 tons. J.H. Rudolph & Co., Inc., Evansville, received the award for airports.
Maryland
The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) announced Jan. 28 the winners of its 2014 Quality in Construction Award for excellence in construction of an asphalt pavement. For 2014, 205 projects completed by 80 companies were honored with a Quality in Construction Award. Ninety of the projects were singled out for their use of sustainable construction practices, such as incorporating reclaimed and recycled materials and using warm-mix asphalt (WMA). “Quality pavements are something every road builder strives to construct,” NAPA 2014 Chairman William C. Ensor III said. “We want to build pavements that deliver on the promise of high performance and drivability for the public. Projects that earn a Quality in Construction Award have been measured against industry best practices designed to live up to that promise.”
North Carolina
Congratulations to S.T. Wooten Corp. of Wilson, N.C., for winning the 2014 Ray Brown Airport Pavement Award for excellence in construction of an asphalt airport pavement. The company received its award Jan. 28 at a ceremony during the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s 60th annual meeting on Marco Island, Fla. S.T. Wooten Corp. won the award for its work on Wilmington International Airport’s Runway 17-35 in Wilmington, N.C. The project involved profile milling the existing pavement to a depth of 3 inches. Next, the crew installed a 24-inch wide high-density stress-relief interlayer fabric over reflective cracks that occurred at roughly 12- to 13-foot intervals. Then the team had to meet the FAA P401 spec for airport pavements. Project specs required the use of a PG70-22 binder in the mix for the first lift; a PG70-28 for the surface lift. This order of pavement structure was a first for S.T. Wooten, and part of the requirement to help prevent reflective cracking. The project resulted in a smooth runway that conformed to the mix and density specs while being completed on time. Source: NAPA
Oregon
KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens has promoted Nick Alden to product manager at Johnson Crushers International, Eugene, Ore. Alden has worked as a design engineer for mobile and portable equipment and has a degree in mechanical engineering from Oregon State University. You can reach Alden at nalden@jcieug.com.
Texas
Would you like to compare your company’s expansion plans to the plans of similar companies in your state? Maybe you want to know how many contractors typically bid specific projects in a market you’re looking into. These stats and plenty more have been compiled in the 2015 Heavy Civil/Infrastructure Estimating Survey Report from HCSS Innovative Software company of Sugarland, Texas. The report is free and you can download it at http://bit.ly/1DCKfBp.
Washington, D.C.
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2015. Check out the association’s new logo at www.asphaltroofing.org.
Wisconsin
Northeast Asphalt Inc. of Green Bay, Wis., has won the 2014 Sheldon G. Hayes Award for excellence in construction of an asphalt pavement. The award, bestowed annually since 1971, recognizes the country’s highest quality highway pavement. Northeast received the award Jan. 28 at the award ceremony of the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) 60th annual meeting on Marco Island, Fla. Northeast Asphalt Inc. and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation accepted the award for Northeast Asphalt’s work on State Trunk Highway (STH) 22 from Gillet to Oconto Falls, Wis. See related story on page xx.