Sandy Lender

Experts explain how strategic batch plant upgrades to controls, electrical systems, RAP capabilities and other components can improve production efficiency while extending an existing plant’s useful life.

New parking lot striping standards from PLSIC aim to improve consistency, workmanship and safety while establishing professional certification for striping contractors.

The Kentucky paving awards program from PAIKY enters its second year with revised categories designed to recognize quality projects and encourage stronger award submissions.

Asphalt lab automation can improve sampling, testing and reporting consistency while reducing manual handling and freeing QC/QA technicians for higher-value work.

Batch plant upgrades can extend plant life, improve efficiency, increase RAP production and add flexibility without requiring a complete plant replacement.

The Women of Asphalt Leadership Summit brought industry professionals together at Astec for leadership development and networking, with a new technical training partnership with the Asphalt Institute planned for December.

Learn how Raised On Blacktop built an asphalt-focused community by emphasizing authenticity, long-term brand identity and strategic partnerships over short-term sales.

Barnard Construction and its partners built the nation’s tallest asphalt core dam at Colorado’s Chimney Hollow Reservoir using an on-site quarry, crushing operation, aggregate processing facility and asphalt plant.

Patriot Hill Memorial reflects the values of service, family and community that helped shape Bowes Construction and its legacy in the asphalt industry.

A Kansas asphalt overlay by Shilling Construction refreshed Maple Hill’s Main Street and improved 2.4 miles of county road with smooth paving, quality compaction and efficient project coordination.

New asphalt compaction technology is helping contractors improve safety, operator training, density achievement and jobsite efficiency through intelligent roller systems and automation.

Patriotism in the asphalt industry is on display as asphalt producers and contractors across America showcase their pride while supporting infrastructure, communities and the nation’s future.

Asset tracking technology helps asphalt contractors monitor tools, equipment and fleet assets while reducing losses, downtime and operational delays.

New asphalt plant controls and monitoring technology from leading OEMs give operators better visibility, predictive maintenance tools and remote access to production data.

Silica exposure control plan online tools from CPWR help contractors streamline OSHA compliance and ensure complete, accurate safety documentation.

Colorado roadway funding accountability gains momentum as CAPA supports a ballot initiative to ensure transportation funds are used for road improvements.

Women of asphalt at Primavera Grading and Paving share how family legacy, estimating and hands-on experience support workforce development in Arizona.

An asphalt paving foreman career in Florida shows how training, mentorship and attitude can drive workforce development and long-term success.

Route 66 pavement preservation takes center stage as Haskell Lemon earns a smoothness incentive while maintaining Oklahoma’s historic Mother Road ahead of its centennial.

Asphalt workforce development takes center stage as Rogers Group’s Richard Warren reflects on retirement, institutional knowledge and mentoring the next generation.

Northern Improvement overcomes subgrade and logistic hurdles on the Badlands road paving challenge in Theodore Roosevelt National Park with coordinated paving and compaction.

Brianna Overstreet started as an asphalt plant operator and worked her way to a leadership role at Rogers Group. Learn how her journey, technical skills, and mentorship are paving the way for more women in the asphalt industry.

Learn how workforce development at CONEXPO brings together Reliable Asphalt, RGI, and AsphaltPro to recognize new hires, promotions, and retiring professionals.

Learn how Hannah Garison champions the asphalt industry through her roles with Women of Asphalt, NAWIC, and Construction Angels while fostering community and opportunity.

Explore how contractors can adapt to increasing QC/QA specifications in commercial and private asphalt projects, including density testing, mix design and collaboration with engineers.

Get essential asphalt plant pre‑checks for 2026 that include strategic tech upgrades and maintenance tips to ensure winter readiness and efficient spring startup.

Top asphalt products 2025 includes 15 innovations launched this year that can improve paving quality, efficiency, and the bottom line.

The Maryland Women of Asphalt branch engages women across the industry with “Paving & Pastries” on‑site networking events—bringing coffee, doughnuts and meaningful connections to plants and field teams.

An AI‑based load‑out control system is giving Hall Contracting’s asphalt plant operators peace of mind by eliminating hood hits, spills and manual truck alignment errors.

These crew-built paving equipment upgrades—from safety cages to custom controls—show how to improve jobsite safety, visibility, and efficiency.

The CRH Mabry Highway project shows how Preferred Materials used RAP, smart rollers, and AI to deliver award-winning, circular pavement results.

The Women of Asphalt Pennsylvania branch officially launched in 2023 and is already making strides to mentor and support women in the state’s asphalt industry.

HAPI executive director Jon Young’s retirement underscores how education, collaboration and leadership matter in the asphalt industry.

Learn how paver augment accessories can streamline the crew’s workflow, keep hand‑tools organized and improve paving precision.

AsphaltPro’s October product gallery highlights new paving equipment and work zone safety insights from contractors and industry experts.

The CIASP has released a new guidebook, “Talking About Suicide in the Construction Industry,” to provide safe messaging strategies for conversations, training, and media.

Niftylift provides training, technology, and mobile app support to improve lift safety for asphalt plant workers performing maintenance at height.

With apprentices and seasoned crew members learning differently, AsphaltPro’s 2025‑2026 Training Guide shares strategies—from VR to peer‑teaching—to help your asphalt workforce retain more and perform better.

Even with automation and AI, human operators must be trained to safely and efficiently maintain asphalt plants—ensuring uptime, safety, and production continuity.

The Women of Asphalt Colorado training academy gives free full‑day sessions and certifications to help men and women in the asphalt industry advance through education and career development.

Proper control of asphalt dwell time ensures the mix is uniformly heated, moisture is removed, and binder oxidation is minimized for higher quality HMA.

Oklahoma’s new Women of Asphalt Oklahoma branch launches to empower women in asphalt through mentorship, outreach, and workforce events.

Apex Paving of Delta Companies achieved national recognition with the Larry H. Lemon Award for its Route UU overlay in Missouri, placing over 5,000 tons with 34 percent RAP.

The ALLU asphalt bucket offers a one-step, on-site solution for RAP recycling by crushing and screening asphalt with a single attachment.

Preheating RAP before mixing improves energy efficiency, avoids safety risks, and ensures more consistent asphalt mix quality.

The VFW National Home paving project brought mill-and-fill upgrades to restore roads and prepare the community for its centennial celebration.

Myrl & Roy’s Harrisburg plant sets a new standard for asphalt production with smart planning, safety-first design and environmental efficiency.

Minebea Intec’s weighbridge system at Dubai’s incinerator plant survived a 48-hour flood intact, while its Novego weighing module offers seismic- and lateral-force resistance.

The South Carolina Women of Asphalt branch uses a novel approach to lead and inspire women in the asphalt industry through its Building Community with Biscuits program

ABC’s 2025 safety performance report shows member firms in STEP achieved incident rates 658% better and TRIR reduced by 85%—here are the 5 best practices they follow.

Balanced mix design Hwy 14 trials combine intelligent compaction, thermal/density profiling, and BMD tech to improve pavement performance and minimize human error.

Maui Paving completes sustainable Haleakalā Highway asphalt reconstruction with 100% recycling using Wirtgen mills and Vögele SUPER 2000‑3i.

ShoulderMaster paving attachments now made in the U.S. expand road repair capabilities and boost efficiency with a contractor-driven design.

StaCool and ColdVest safety vests help asphalt crews comply with NEP heat standards and prevent heatstroke on the job.

Explore WOA 2025 show highlights including equipment launches, workforce training tools, and key industry sessions.

Industrial burner technology in asphalt production is evolving fast—from IoT integration to low-emission innovations—driven by sustainability goals and retrofitting demand. This product gallery explores what’s new in 2025.

Emily Talbert’s journey from communications coordinator to quarry account manager at Reeves Construction showcases the diverse career paths available to women in the asphalt industry.

Heartland Paving expands into New Jersey with the acquisition of Garden State Pavement Solutions and opens a new corporate HQ to support continued growth.

The Women of Asphalt Executive Seminar at Astec headquarters provided education, networking, and inspiration for women in the asphalt industry, featuring career stories, leadership insights, and discussions on overcoming challenges in a male-dominated field.

Autonomous rolling, paver-mounted thermal profiling, and robotic striping streamline asphalt paving by minimizing human error, optimizing material application, and ensuring consistent quality, as demonstrated in North Dakota’s innovative Highway 14 project.

R.K. Hall has partnered with BROCK to enhance asphalt plant performance by expanding liquid asphalt storage capacity, improving efficiency, and increasing production capabilities across multiple sites.

A.J. Ronyak, recognized for his innovative odor-reducing asphalt technologies and contributions to sustainable practices, received Auburn University’s first honorary alumni status from the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering in 2024.

Hawaii’s newly launched Women of Asphalt (WofA) branch aims to empower women in the asphalt industry through mentorship, education, and networking, with initial events including a lab tour and plans for biannual meetings and sponsorship-supported growth.

Road Builders Corporation successfully completed a challenging Waikiki paving project, laying approximately 200 tons of asphalt daily with meticulous planning, safety measures, and coordination to manage heavy tourist traffic and meet municipal specifications.

Industry veterans share practical strategies for enhancing sustainability and efficiency in asphalt plants, focusing on energy savings, reducing carbon footprints, and optimizing operations to cut costs and improve productivity.

Central Specialties Inc. achieved award-winning success on the I-94 project in North Dakota through innovative technology, high-quality workmanship, and cohesive team efforts, embodying their “It’s on Us” motto while expanding operations to handle growing demands.

Training paving equipment operators on safety, proper machine maintenance, and new technologies is crucial to ensuring quality work and preventing accidents in the asphalt industry.

The SDX screed-type test in North Dakota demonstrated that innovation, including the use of patterned screeds and advanced technology, can increase asphalt density and improve ride quality, with Central Specialties Inc. achieving significant improvements in both metrics through side-by-side comparisons of the SDX and traditional screed plates.

Incorporating family and career offers a satisfying work-life balance for this paving contractor woman of asphalt.

How to get equipment and operators working in optimal condition for full-pay projects

Amanda Harrington began her career transition from truck driving to asphalt construction in 2019, joining Triple A Milling in 2021.

A workforce development primer: Bring down the barriers to learning to bring women into the construction workforce

Use the HMA storage silo strategically to bring all the customers to your new plant

Learn from Tasha Johnson, Assistant Director at Durham’s Department of Public Works, as she shares insights on implementing a robust pavement maintenance program within budget constraints, achieving a commendable 76.5 PCI.

Missouri contractor NB West wins by spray paving BMD over concrete pavement

Wendy Lou Bloedow started her construction career as a laborer in the Operating Engineers Local 139’s operating engineer program and worked her way up to join the asphalt industry in 2009. Now she’s a paving foreman for Rock Road and took some time from those responsibilities to share her story as a woman of asphalt.

Long and winding road leads to rejuvenating RAP, great densities for Pennsylvania pilot project

Securing Sealing at Pennsylvania Avenue: Veteran owned company seals White House drive with custom blend

Chelsea A. Ellis is the President/CEO at Jim Reynolds Asphalt Contractor Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as a motivator, marketer and author. Since joining the company in 2014 as an estimator, Chelsea has gained extensive experience in operating every piece of equipment and has actively taken on all company roles.

Make the lowboy driver the QC for protecting equipment during loading, transporting next season

Compact slush UAB layer for resilient inverted asphalt pavement design success

Asphalt facility experts share commonly overlooked tips for seasonal plant maintenance

Mindy King leads health and safety for R.K. Hall with a 20-year career in construction

From highways to raceways, Preferred Materials Inc. uses best practices and planning to achieve best densities and ride

All County Paving of Delray Beach, Florida, performed mill-and-fill projects on a tennis and basketball court for Polo Park Middle School.

This month’s WofA Brynn Zipp, saw instant growth of her sealcoating startup, Zipp’s Asphalt & Sealcoating, and expanded the company into asphalt paving, too.

Women of Asphalt series highlights one of our sisters in aggregates for annual rock edition, Ericka Baxter with Capital Materials.

How to Build Efficient Capacity During Long Lead Times

Beth Brusveen Conley, sales manager for Superior Asphalt Materials in Aurora, Illinois, shares her story and encourages others as a woman of asphalt.

Building leaders within the company starts with identifying positive traits

ConstructionRel8 prioritizes contractors’ mental health with online environment

Melissa (Missy) Paulus is the asphalt paving and equipment pool manager, Maintenance Operations Division for the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), but she didn’t start out as the boss. Recently, she took some time to share with AsphaltPro readers her story as a Woman of Asphalt.

As of the Feb. 9 kickoff call, the 2023 Women of Asphalt (WofA) mentorship program was set to officially launch. Executive Director Arpine Baghdasarian shared that the program has 165 participants this year with over 80 matches.

The truck delivering to a project that demands a skid steer carry material to multiple locations throughout the day should have a special tailgate that allows the skid steer operator to fill the bucket without performing gymnastics.

Cross-training will save the day when workers go missing mid-shift

New Astec plant in Sumter County includes RAP capability, nearby rail infrastructure to lighten footprint, increase production for CWR Contracting

CPWR workshop in DC offers four topic area work groups for suicide prevention

Here’s What to do When Half the Trucks Cancel: A trio of paving consultants help you manage a mini trucking crisis

Proven digital content series offers production tips in January for best stack testing success

Use IIJA’s IRA and Buy Clean programs to update your plant, someday get a rebate

Special holiday section shares worker satisfaction good new

The IRA’s Advanced Facilities Deployment Program gives producers opportunity to innovate GHG reduction

After graduating from Georgia Tech in 2002 with a degree in Civil Engineering, Mandy Neese joined the asphalt industry as an estimator for APAC. Neese joined Atlanta Paving in 2009 and now serves as the company’s vice president.

Lindy Paving trials a fibreless SMA with WMA temperatures for PennDOT

Management at Peckham Industries Inc. (PII), headquartered in Brewster, New York, has given the asphalt industry a blueprint on how to showcase an environmentally friendly pavement maintenance method to multiple state agencies. Upon winning the bid for a cold in-place recycling (CIR) project for the Town of Kingsbury to rehabilitate Mattison Road, PII teamed up with industry partners and vendors to put on more than a demonstration. They wanted to educate and inform with two days of classroom sessions and field demos on the intricacies of CIR.

Your average asphalt company owner or CFO may be hesitant to go through the effort of learning how to write a grant, but the skill could take on great importance in the next few months for the for-profit entities in the industrial sector.

Let’s train workers to prevent pavement shoving and other problems before the 2023 construction season

Listing for 2023 Construction Season

Team in Hawaii collects, tests derelict fishing gear for use in asphalt mix design

Maria Bennett joined the asphalt industry and Lehman-Roberts Company, Memphis, Tennessee, in 2018 and works for the company as its contract administrator.

We investigate upstream scope 3 emissions reductions ideas for aggregates sourcing

Karen Hubacz, president and CEO of Bond Construction, Spencer, Massachusetts, is the first chairwoman of the NSSGA, accepting the gavel during the association’s annual membership meeting at the 2022 annual convention in Nashville in March.

New app uses algorithm to show a liquid AC cost up to 18 months in future

CWMF, Motion Engineering, JM Fahey combine to install new plant in KC, Kansas

Cargill’s Anova facilitates effective contributing binder for more RAP in BMD

Back in the late 1990s, Jodi Loud had the opportunity to work at CMA, her brother’s construction company, in a variety of roles. She has carried the experience into her new role as president of Tri-State Emulsions Corp.

Here are a few tips to keep your workers cool, safe and your company in compliance with OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on heat illness prevention

Stora Enso offers biomaterial lignin for Scope 3 Emissions consideration in partial binder replacement

As the quality control technician for Aggregate Industries Northeast Region Inc., Tracy Richard’s career in the asphalt industry began in her early thirties and she has encouragement for other women considering a similar career change.

Contractor meets island community’s need for rejuvenation with plant-based fogseal

With recycling growing in importance, processing your own material is one piece of the puzzle

CFO Danielle Sands shares her story, tips for women entering the asphalt, construction workforce 

More workers are needed in the industry to help build and maintain the roads and bridges that connect our communities and move our commerce. Rather than bemoan the problem, let’s look at some ways to solve it.

N.B. West adds Elastiko ground tire rubber to stone mastic asphalt mix design for balanced results

Electric off-highway vehicles work to prove their value to asphalt industry.

Tracy Moore started in the asphalt industry in 1988 with Sloan Construction. Over the years, she’s gained experience with quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) as well as equipment operation, and she’s learned not to take any guff from negative types.

Northern Improvement Co. shows us how to exceed long joint density specs with GPR for QC/QA and bonus-worthy results

A discussion of safely putting plastic waste products into asphalt mix designs with least carbon footprint, optimum performance

Rena Deihl is now a plant operator for Duval Asphalt working among all three asphalt plants in Jacksonville and learning new aspects of the job that endears the industry to her more each day.

Train your crew when to raise the endgate, get quality against the curb

The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) reported in September that its Construction Backlog Indicator fell sharply in August 2021 to 7.7 months, according to an ABC member survey conducted Aug. […]

Vickie Brown joined the asphalt industry in 2005 working as a general laborer and all-around team player for South East Alaska Construction (SECON), a member of the Colas USA family, […]

Ajax Paving Industries of Florida LLC Project Manager Jessica S. Kiesel joined the asphalt industry in 2020 after working in the construction field since 2005. AsphaltPro shares some of her career insights as a woman of asphalt.

Astec Industries and D-Squared install new hybrid plant in Ottawa for local HMA production

How to use existing construction equipment for commercial snow removal applications

Superior Asphalt reminds aggregates managers of permitting nuances with 2015 success

Pike Industries set the standard for quality paving in the Northeast from 1872 forward

Gemma Forsythe began helping at her father’s asphalt paving company at age 9. Still in the asphalt industry, Forsythe shares how she’s seen the role of women in the industry change over time.

With the formation in 2021 of a new U.S. subsidiary—Colas Construction USA Inc. (CCUSA)—Colas USA is now comprised of 37 companies throughout the United States

Here’s how the City of Los Angeles inserted dust and mist collection to garner an Envision® award for 2021

Ajax Paving’s Women of Asphalt Talk About Quality Control and Industry Perceptions

Prevent cybercrime at HMA operations with tips from plant controls experts

Luck Stone, headquartered in Virginia, is proud to highlight two of their women of asphalt who are on the team to handle accounts.

Dawn McGee shares her path to being a tack-truck-driving Woman of Asphalt

Jody Lawrence shares her path to being a Woman of Asphalt with experience in the rock quarry and quality control

Gabriel Contractors handles a big water surprise to complete parking lot maintenance for AGT Services Inc.

Kristi Vertucci grew up in the family-owned business of Gabriel Contractors, Amsterdam, New York. Here’s how the former fashion model found her way to the career in the asphalt industry, where she always belonged.

Pike Industries’ Teri Wells shares her career path to being a Woman of Asphalt and expert roller operator.

Multiple OEMs work with Gerken Materials to get new HMA plant in place for variety of mix designs, environmental satisfaction

Angel Griffith began working with Pittman Construction, Atlanta, June 28, 2017, and has already moved to the position of traffic control zone supervisor. She shared her story with AsphaltPro to encourage more women to join the asphalt industry.

Transportation Research Board (TRB) releases document 288 titled “Standard Definitions for Common Types of Pavement Cracking” to make cracking data collection easier to navigate no matter where you’re located in North America.

Highlighting Texas DOT’s District Maintenance Engineer Brenda Guerra

N.B. West leverages its Astec portable asphalt plant purchase to win bids on multiple I-44 corridor projects.

AsphaltPro highlights asphalt industry social media influencer Valerie Echter in our latest Women of Asphalt feature.

Contractors can take advantage of the process known as cryogenic hardening for any number of tools. Let’s take a look at why a pavement maintenance contractor would do such a thing and what value it offers.

Award-winning asphalt producer, contractor celebrates 100th anniversary with new Dillman counterflow plant in Orlando

Meet Mary Wescott, quality manager in Maine for All States Materials Group and our September issue Woman of Asphalt!

Contractors can take advantage of the process known as cryogenic hardening for any number of tools. But let’s take a look at why a pavement maintenance contractor would do such a thing and what value it offers.

O&G Industries builds a solar panel farm to go green while powering its quarry and asphalt operations.

H&B’s Karen Thompson kicks off a series of Women of Asphalt stories to inspire the women entering the asphalt industry.

For Madden Contracting Company, crews must pave back what they’ve milled up by the end of the shift in Texas and Louisiana.

Arkansas contractor saves costs with QC/QA moisture measurement at the plant.

With paver-mounted thermal profiling scanning (PMTPS), a thermal “camera” is affixed to the back of the paver to assist the paving crew in monitoring temperature segregation in the mat.

N.B. West won a national quality award with a thermal mapping, mill and fill project in front of its new Astec plant.

Rabine Paving trialed a pavement quality indicator (PQI) Model 380 from TransTech Systems Inc. They soon ordered three of the non-nuclear density measuring devices.

Granite Construction uses Stansteel’s Tank Manager™ System to monitor, control multiple tanks in six sites.

Riverside Asphalt provides tack coat services for the larger paving contractors in Eastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, using a fleet of distributor tanks from E.D. Etnyre, Oregon, Illinois.

Central Asphalt Inc. performed six recycled plastic modified asphalt projects in 2019. The team used AC binder with ELVALOY™ RET technology from Dow Inc.

Road Builders & Maymead Inc. empower Women of Asphalt  and bring skills to build up and industry.

Braen Stone leverages Libra Systems’ integrated GPS and plant management technology for a high level management of everything from weighing to ticketing to tracking to safety and beyond.

Tom Amon of Elkhorn, Wisconsin, wants to pioneer a movement to design joints in the surface course of asphalt mats for the purpose of directing and controlling future low-temperature cracking.

The team at TransPremier agreed to share tips with us to help others in their safe and best milling practices.

Use this year’s AsphaltPro Training Directory to gather a few more ideas for bringing new workers up to speed.

Interstate Asphalt collaborates with Meeker Equipment Inc. on a five-year plan to update the older plant and how the whole team at Interstate brings a positive atmosphere to the operations.

Maintenance work on the roads belonging to NASA fixed up avenues to the Kennedy Space Center prior to the Apollo Mission’s 50th anniversary celebrations and paved the way for a fancy entrance. V.A. Paving Inc. of Cocoa, Florida, and some innovative demo with FORTA fiber reinforcement.

Some of the benefits of warm mix asphalt (WMA) are experiencing roadblocks.

Des Moines tries out emulsion and rejuvenation with winter recycling

RRT Hauling got its start customizing cars before getting into hauling. After 20 years in business, the company has expanded to offer asphalt paving.

MoDOT and NB West Contracting solve weather-related safety issues on a problem section of pavement using Cargill’s WinterPave additive.

As an environmentally responsible industry, the asphalt community is a tough act to follow. The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) has stated in its Annual Warm-Mix and Recycled Asphalt Survey […]

Mississippi Department of Transportation has taken another step forward in their study of pavement preservation and maintenance methods in concert with the National Center for Asphalt Technology.

Schroeder Asphalt Services Inc. is proud to be a veteran-owned, family company in Marengo, Illinois.

If the RAS pile has settled, moistened and agglomerated, what’s a producer to do? Here’s the solution.

Not every project a contractor takes on involves a paving crew on a highway or rural route. Sometimes a multi-month project moving equipment, earth, mix and materials happens right at […]

Sandy Lender uncovers the best practices of how to place an ultra thin lift pavement treatment.

During a national industry meeting in 2018, an anonymous source spoke to a small group of the difficulty his company currently has finding skilled laborers. It’s a challenge many in […]

Way back in the May 2016 issue of AsphaltPro, we discussed what was an emerging use of drone technology to document projects and gather valuable data. That technology has expanded […]

Editor’s Note: In this training column, AsphaltPro helps asphalt companies teach new workers back-to-basics techniques for best success in the field, at the plant and in the lab. Even veteran […]

How does a 110-year-old company in Fort Wayne, Indiana, keep itself innovative and garner a national safety award from the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) in 2018? It’s […]

One way to make sure your pavement maintenance and preservation protocol is on the right track is to submit your projects for judging. It might be a scary proposition to […]

Opportunities, in-person and online classes for asphalt production and paving training

PennDOT partners with contractors to recycle more asphalt.

Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT) is an asphalt cracking test developed at the Illinois Center of Transportation. Here’s how to perform I-FIT.

Superior Asphalt takes 2017 Ecological Award with planning, environmental commitment

To achieve a proper milled surface prior to opening a roadway to traffic, or prior to performing maintenance or preservation treatment(s), the milling machine operator must remain cognizant of tooth wear or damage.

Having lab equipment in proper calibration gives you a better chance at proper measurements and testing results. Dan Ridolfi of Lastrada Partners, El Dorado Hills, California, stated the calibration and […]

Teach personnel best practices to keep screens from plugging with material during production. The new operator needs to know what a plugged screen means for production and how to fix it.

The integration of portable crushing and screening equipment to existing facilities can increase productivity and profitability by reducing cycle times for loading equipment. But mobile crushing equipment needs expert pre-planning for proper implementation, which will save time and money in the long run.

In 2016, RAP Management LLC, Columbus, Ohio, partnered with Ammann Group, headquartered in Langenthal, Switzerland, to build the first new site developed for an asphalt plant in the Columbus area in 35 years, and the first Ammann plant in the United States.

According to NAPA’s 7th Annual Asphalt Pavement Industry Survey IS 138, the use of warm-mix asphalt (WMA) is expected to increase. Here’s how to use your warm mix system most efficiently.

Starting Jan. 1, 2020, sulphur fuel regulations will be changing, and will likely increase binder prices. The maximum sulphur content allowed in fuel oil of any ship or vessel operating anywhere in the world will be 0.5 percent m/m. Here’s how things will change, and what the asphalt industry will do about it.

Air ages liquid asphalt cement (AC) just as surely as ultraviolet light does. This is why material stored in the asphalt silo requires as much forethought and care as the material traveling to the jobsite. Here’s how you can solve oxidation in the silo.

On June 23, 2018, the second phase of the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) regulations go into effect for general industry and maritime. Here’s what you need to do if you’re an asphalt plant owner to safeguard the health of your workers from silica dust.

How will new aluminum and steel tariffs impact the asphalt industry–and how will the industry react?

To set an adequate paving speed, the foreman on the job and the paver operator need to have confidence in a host of factors. Here’s what you need to consider.

Were you planning to offer face masks to workers who may enter dusty areas during the work day? While that sounds like an excellent way to protect workers from inhaling respirable silica dust, it’s a solution that opens up another set of requirements.

Switching from nighttime to daytime paving, working long hours in one cab or any number of off-the-job factors can result in worker fatigue during the job. When project activities require […]

Retain What You Pay for During Training At this year’s World of Asphalt/AGG1 conference and expo at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, attendees have three days of […]

When the 320-degree material gets placed at night, ambient temperature can start to play with your workability. For P&S Paving, Daytona Beach, Florida, knocking the production temperature down to the […]

Is your ground man stuck at the top of a nonfunctioning scissor lift? There are safety protocols to get him back to earth and some common maintenance practices to prevent […]

Finding the right materials for statewide use is a monumental task when you have an area as big as Texas. State materials engineers for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) […]

At press time, both houses of Congress had passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (H.R. 1). Given the level of emotion that can be stirred when discussing tax reform, […]

In the January 2018 issue, Courtney Jones and Mike Heitzman from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn, shared “Michigan Tests Friction Aggregates” from their contribution to the […]

For the asphalt industry, bringing new workers on board could be as simple as encouraging the women of the construction world to stand up and get noticed. Of course, asking […]

For the 10-Year Anniversary of AsphaltPro magazine, we will help asphalt companies teach new workers some back-to-basics techniques for best success in the field, at the plant and in the […]

Is your roller running out of water too often during the paving shift? When a spray nozzle is plugged or when the scraper bar is not held against the drum […]

If the lights in the control house dim when your plant manager presses the button to start production, you can bet you’re pulling a full load of amps. Whether he […]

Contractors performing winter pavement maintenance should be clamoring for the jobs that service porous asphalt pavements. It would be irresponsible to say merely “you get to leave it alone,” but […]

Results of an industry-wide survey of 1,600 respondents conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and Autodesk this summer showed 70 percent of construction firms reporting difficulty in […]

Let me begin this exposition on the asphalt industry’s use of asphalt cement (AC) and additives in environmentally positive configurations with a diversion. This diversion is toward the fantastic. Picture, […]

If misalignment of the screed sections leaves a line in the mat, the roller operator is called on to smooth it out. Mat imperfections, divots, cool spots, anything that isn’t […]

In 2016, the Russellville School District in Arkansas awarded a large contract to reroof its middle school facility. As part of the project, the general contractor took 120 tons of […]

Since 2003, Carolina Sunrock LLC, a family-owned construction and materials supplier and highway contractor, with headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been accumulating Diamond Achievement Commendations for Excellence in Asphalt […]

For this year’s training directory, we must address the elephant in the room. Asphalt companies, just like construction companies overall, are losing long-time, skilled employees to retirement. These workers have […]

For the 2017 paving season, we dive into an essential area of project management for asphalt professionals: safe and timely delivery of hot-mix or warm-mix asphalt (HMA/WMA) to the paving […]

For the 2017 paving season, we dive into an essential area of project management for asphalt professionals: safe and timely delivery of hot-mix or warm-mix asphalt (HMA/WMA) to the paving […]

Typically, standards voted on within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) don’t impact the asphalt industry directly, according to Ray Brown, Ph.D., director emeritus at the National Center for Asphalt […]

If the screed leaves a line in the mat, the roller operator is called on to smooth it out. Mat imperfections, divots, cool spots, anything that isn’t perfect gets left […]

With specs for polymer-modified liquid asphalt cement (PMA) more exacting today than they were a dozen or so years ago, you want to confirm material specifications. You want to be […]

Editor’s Note: A few of the ideas in this article involve adding lighting and other elements to the haul truck. Make sure any aftermarket safety equipment is installed in accordance […]

For the 2017 paving season, we dive into an essential area of project management for asphalt professionals: safe and timely delivery of hot-mix or warm-mix asphalt (HMA/WMA) to the paving […]

When the clock struck midnight, ushering in 2017 and the Tier 4 Final (T4F) mandates for engines, not all coaches immediately turned into squat orange pumpkins. While many projects that […]

I type this headline with tongue in cheek because of course asphalt contractors look back at their pavements. We look back with pride, and double-check densities and smoothness. One of […]

Asphalt professionals in the southeast remain alert for more than just rain delays at this time of year. It’s hurricane season as well as paving season for states along the […]

For the 2017 paving season, we dive into an essential area of project management for asphalt professionals: safe and timely delivery of hot-mix or warm-mix asphalt (HMA/WMA) to the paving […]

American Asphalt Co., headquartered in West Collingswood Heights, New Jersey, runs two plants side by side on its Burlington Township property. One is a 5-ton Stansteel batch plant. The other […]

Save on Costs with Your Professional Guide to Asphalt Mix Delivery Part 2—Put in an Eye to Safety For the 2017 paving season, we dive into an essential area of […]

Save on Costs with Your Professional Guide to Asphalt Mix Delivery Part 1—Take a New Look at Haul Truck Maintenance For the 2017 paving season, we dive into an essential […]

In the past, technology hadn’t paved the way for the successful use of ground tire rubber (GTR) in asphalt mix designs the way it has today. Now we have the […]

Daily commuters and tourists traveling north on state highway 145 to festivals in Telluride brought the heaviest traffic past the SH145 resurfacing project for Elam Construction of Grand Junction, Colorado. […]

While they tackled placing large Tier 4 engines, after-treatment systems and diesel exhaust fluid tanks in machines for the January 2017 deadline, asphalt industry OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) saw problems with […]

What started in the ’80s as a father and son sealing team has adapted to age, growth and regional demand for Earnest (Earnie) R. Beckner, Jr. He and his father, […]

  Producers need to take advantage of winter downtime to get asphalt plants in optimum condition for season startup—that’s a given. Let’s dive right into modern ideas. The manufacturers who […]

At E.T. Simonds Materials’ Campbell Hill, Illinois, location, the company had been operating a 1967 model Stansteel batch plant for over 30 years. Beck Simonds, president, shared why it was […]

When considering how highway projects are let, you may leave it to the state to decide whether the materials involved will be asphaltic or something else. You may let the […]

C.R. Jackson Inc. began in 1972 as a small landscaping company working primarily in Columbia, South Carolina. Over the past 44 years the company has grown in scope, capacity and […]

  UPDATE: At the November 15 meeting of the Carcinogen Identification Committee in Sacramento, the panel’s health experts agreed that the further study of paving asphalt is a “low priority.” […]

When its plant at Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, had reached the ripe old age of five years, management at Highway Materials Inc. (HMI) a division of The DePaul Group, Blue Bell, […]

At the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) mid-year meeting in Seattle in July, the association gave a 2015 Asphalt Operations Safety Innovation Award to Superior Paving Corp. of Gainesville, Virginia, […]

IMP Technologies (IMPTEC) of Adelaide, Australia, has developed a super fine crusher that is designed to reduce comminution costs and the energy associated with producing material for ordinary Portland cement […]

Make training part of your professional culture for safe, quality asphalt jobs How many times have you heard a veteran paver operator say something along the lines of “back in […]

During the midyear meeting in Seattle, the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) announced that Oldcastle Materials—Montana Companies, based in Helena, Montana, had garnered a 2015 Asphalt Operations Safety Innovation Award […]

  AsphaltPro sets the standard for equipment and service information by focusing on what’s new in the industry. There are manufacturers and service providers in the asphalt industry with R&D […]

Two aspects of the chip sealing project keep it profitable for the company performing the work. Consider the management of the materials and the management of the process. For this […]

To deliver mix with minimal material segregation, drivers—and plant operators—are instructed to load haul trucks in a three-drop method under the silos. You’ve see this illustrated in AsphaltPro before. The […]

Equipment fleet owners who deliver asphalt mix will be interested in the final ruling from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration […]

Ask anyone in the asphalt industry what the drawback of using crumb rubber additive for a recycling project is and they’ll tell you the temperature creates a “scent” issue. While […]

During the midyear meeting in Seattle, the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) announced that Valley Asphalt Corp., Cincinnati, Ohio, had garnered a 2015 Asphalt Operations Safety Innovation Award for developing […]

Whether or not the use of high percentages of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) or recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) in mixes can correlate to premature pavement cracking, is the catalyst for […]

In the June 2013 edition of AsphaltPro, we shared the inner workings of the Guardian telematics from Roadtec, Chattanooga. Since then, we’ve shared updates to that system and innovations in […]

  To pave a smooth mat, a number of variables must be managed, including the condition of the paver. Paving Consultant John Ball, the proprietor of Top Quality Paving and […]

Problem: State and local agencies have been dealing with limited budgets for such a long time that some pavements in their jurisdictions have passed the point where a pothole patching […]

Norris Asphalt Paving Co shares how it won the top industry award with Iowa’s US34 project—over hill and dale Merrill G. Norris founded what is now Norris Asphalt Paving Company […]

Gone are the days when you would drive the paver from one section of a paving project to another section two or three miles down the road. Instead, the supervisor […]

It feels as though this year’s World of Asphalt and AGG1 conferences and trade shows in Nashville were a lifetime ago, when in fact they were March 22 through 24. […]

As mentioned earlier in this issue, it feels as though World of Asphalt 2016 (WOA) took place ages ago. Yet we have continued uses, of course, for the innovations that […]

WOA, AGG1 delivered record numbers and tired feet for the asphalt paving industry. Let’s take a look at what all the hoopla delivered to industry members. The 2016 World of […]

At this time, states don’t expect a contractor to submit a separate mix design for warm-mix asphalt (WMA) pavements that are part of a project. Instead, the contractor will submit […]

AsphaltPro sets the standard for equipment and service information by focusing on what’s new in the industry. As components require tweaking—or complete overhaul—to meet new codes or standards, these pages […]

As members of the asphalt industry wrapped up the largest trade show event of the year March 24, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued its final rule on […]

If you learn that eating sandwiches made with white bread on a daily basis could lead to intestinal problems, would you continue to eat white bread every day? Some consumers […]

Know your legal limits, as well as your untapped potential, for sUAS in your asphalt business When the use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS)—drones, in layman’s terms—first cropped up […]

AsphaltPro sets the standard for equipment and service information by focusing on what’s new in the industry. To that end, we bring you a fresh way to look at what […]

AsphaltPro sets the standard for equipment and service information by focusing on what’s new in the industry. There are companies in the asphalt industry with R&D departments that have crafted […]

No recycling issue would be complete without discussing the management of materials. Let’s get back to basics with the concept of proper stockpiling of virgin and recycle materials. This may […]

When a liquid binder has a high degree of ductility, the mix designer is able to mold and shape it more easily than when the bitumen has a low degree […]

As we discussed in the Vol.9, No.3 issue of AsphaltPro, liquid asphalt cement (AC) prices have seen a most welcome decline as petroleum prices have decreased during 2015. The article […]

New technologies for tracking equipment seem to hit the market place each week. From RFID tags to GPS locators, contractors have myriad intelligent options to keep an eye on each […]

Whether you lay down tack prior to paving or you spread a pretty sealcoat to lengthen the life of a community’s roadways, the spraying equipment you use requires routine maintenance […]

With the cost of virgin asphalt cement (AC) on an overall decline throughout 2014 and 2015, asphalt producers have had an almost reprieve when it comes to at least one […]

You may know that Charlie Blalock and his sons formed a company called Charles Blalock & Sons, Inc., in 1963 in Sevier County, Tennessee. This past year, the company purchased […]

Learning to use blending and loadout controls at the asphalt plant is only one portion of today’s plant operator’s job. AsphaltPro asked a number of controls and plant OEMs to […]

Author’s Note: Many articles discussing intelligent compaction systems have taken up page-space in trade publications during the past few years. This article will delve into exactly how the systems can […]

An Aug. 11, 2015, notice from the U.S. Department of Labor explained why three Illinois construction companies face $1,939,000 in fines from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Here we […]

There’s more to telematics than increasing fuel savings. While installing a tracking device in fleet vehicles gives managers the opportunity to more efficiently monitor maintenance intervals based on actual hours […]

As stewards of the land we work on, members of the asphalt industry take seriously our responsibility to protect resources. We also take seriously the opportunities to conduct business in […]

When the members of the crew are invested in the success of the company, the owner and managers typically have fewer worries about lost time or missing parts stacking up […]

OEMs hope new IC technology can replace assurance testing in the construction of asphalt pavements More than mere lines on a touchscreen, intelligent compaction (IC) systems have evolved during the […]

Innovation and performance optimization lead the topics of discussion at this year’s World of Asphalt Show & Conference and AGG1 Aggregates Academy & Expo at the Baltimore Convention Center in […]