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Any time there’s an accident that results in the loss of human life, we should pause not only to remember and honor colleagues, but also to examine mechanisms for improving practices to prevent such incidents in the future. At the time I’m writing this editor’s note, social and mainstream media are discussing the doomed Titan submersible and spending an inordinate amount of time on comments made by the late CEO of OceanGate Expeditions, Stockton Rush.
It’s not kind to heap blame on those who have perished, so I won’t. What I will do is launch a discussion of the wisdom of hiring the right person for the right job at the right time.
I believe our industry is well acquainted with the adage of performing the right treatment to the right pavement at the right time. For example, if you perform merely a sealcoat on a rutted, fatigued and alligatored pavement structure with a PCI around 45, you’ll not end up with a new and fully restored pavement system.
What I want to propose here is hiring the best person into a construction company based on merit. Let’s take a page from the pavement preservation playbook and promote the idea of hiring the right people based on skill sets, rather than demographic boxes. As of June 29, I think six of nine Supreme Court justices agree with that concept.
I need to paraphrase Rush’s interview in which he stated he’d rather hire young, inspiring workers instead of 50-year-old, white, former submariners. In my opinion and experience, a mix of new ideas with veteran leaders brings strength to a project.
Look at your paving business. When it’s time to hire a project manager, you probably choose from your paving superintendents and not your first-season rakers. To replace that paving superintendent, you probably choose from your project foremen or paver operators. You see the chain of skill and responsibility here. It would be asinine to go to the local labor pool and select an 18-year-old for your project manager or estimator position.
No matter how inspiring she may be. You might think that’s rich coming from a woman who includes features on women in the asphalt industry in as many editions of her magazine as she possibly can. But let me tell you something of which you are probably aware: there are some skills in our industry for which women are fabulously suited. Look at the operation of a roller. Does that take patience and attention to detail? Yes, it does. Do women typically bring those qualities to the job? Yes, they do. Does this mean you should only hire and train women for roller operation? Of course not.
The goal is to attract to the workforce many people who can learn and grow in their knowledge of best, safest practices to build and maintain our nation’s infrastructure. If that goal brings a diverse set of humans, that’s great. We should be encouraging men and women of all ages and ethnicities to join and enjoy a fulfilling career. The concept of the melting pot works on individual industry levels as well as the national level.
On-the-job training for promotion is something a diversity hire may or may not recognize as important. When you bring in a laborer, that individual might not know all the reasons for spraying down a shovel with release agent or all the reasons for keeping the push rollers on the front of the paver clean and free-moving. That’s okay. He’s not supposed to be born with that knowledge. He’s supposed to learn it when you bring him in for training. He’s supposed to learn all the skills to move up to the next role on the paving crew. And the next. Then one day, he (or she) will be the paving superintendent. One day, he (or she) will be the project manager.
When you’re hiring, you want the person with the right attitude to learn and grow with the team. You want the right person for the right job at the right time no matter what he or she looks like on the outside.
Stay Safe, Sandy Lender
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AsphaltPro is published 11 times per year. Writers expressing views in AsphaltPro Magazine or on the AsphaltPro website are professionals with sound, professional advice. Views expressed herein are not necessarily the same as the views of AsphaltPro, thus producers/contractors are still encouraged to use best practices when implementing new advice.
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We’ve built our business and reputation through our unparalleled focus on equipment durability, attention to detail, and the ability to customize our products for each customer. We apply these foundations to our complete range of asphalt plants and asphalt plant equipment designed for producers of all sizes.
Although Pavewise was first released in early 2023, the asphalt paving project management software has been years in the making. For years, former Paving Consultant Bryce Wuori tracked data across the hundreds of paving projects he consulted on.
“I was almost obsessed with data,” Wuori said. “I was tracking details with the contractors, seeing causes and effects, and using that information to mitigate risk next time. I’d present them with the data I gathered and be able to show them why a project didn’t go like they wanted it to.”
Over the years, he honed his methods, isolated the most useful data to track, and tested his results on his consulting jobs. “I’ve been testing this with beta contractors for four years without even knowing I was building a software,” he said.
When Wuori stopped consulting, his former customers would frequently ask for access to the software, but it was previously only ever something Wuori himself used and it was not user-friendly. Then, in December 2022, Wuori decided to build out a fully fledged software solution, and Pavewise was born. “Now, it can help so many more people than what it could before,” he said.
In 2022, Pavewise was tested on two projects and in 2023 will be implemented on more than 38 projects. One of the first projects managed by Pavewise in 2022 was a $23 million job where the contractor was able to pave 82 lane miles without a single grind in tandem paving.
“The contractor made over $350,000 in density and ride incentives in three months of paving,” Wuori said. Ultimately, the contractor estimates that Pavewise assisted the company in producing more than a million dollars in improved efficiency, incentives, and enhanced project scheduling procedures. “After running the software on a handful of projects in 2022, I didn’t even have to sell it to them. They wanted to run the software on all their active 2023 projects.”
The cloud-based subscription software solution, accessible via computer or smartphone/ tablet applications, was built specifically with the asphalt contractor in mind. “There are
all kinds of great programs, but many of them aren’t concentrating on a single industry,” Wuori said—unlike Pavewise. “The primary focus of Pavewise is its ability to investigate the causes of asphalt contractors’ biggest issues—lost time, money and quality. If contractors can identify the cause and effect of paving projects this assists them in being more profitable and ultimately builds a higher quality asphalt road as well.”
The core of Pavewise is a series of decision engines Wuori has developed based on his 16 years of experience with asphalt paving.
Like most features in the app, the weather recommendations are based on an automated decision engine Wuori built based on his expertise. “A 70-degree day with 0-10 mph wind makes for perfect paving conditions,” he said. “But as you deviate from that in terms of temperature, wind, etc., that can affect your project efficiencies and the quality incentives for that project.”
“I know what a 30 mph wind or a 40-degree day will do to a project’s efficiencies,” Wuori said, estimating efficiency to drop by 10 to 20% in 30 mph winds. Pavewise feeds hyper local, 95% accurate weather data, via OpenWeatherMap, into the decision tree to show contractors how much efficiency may be lost (or gained) based on the weather.
Knowing that information can help contractors black out rain days to prevent crews waiting for bad weather to clear up and also to work longer hours on days where they an-
ticipate higher efficiency as a result of optimal weather conditions. Or, for contractors with multiple crews across several towns, this can guide them to move people and equipment as needed to optimize efficiency and minimize downtime.
When poor weather is expected, Pavewise sends out a proactive text to the user in the field two hours ahead of the inclement weather and makes recommendations based on the expected conditions. For example, in the event of high winds, Pavewise might recommend increasing plant temperatures, reminding contractors to cover trucks, tighten up the rolling pattern or add a ¼-dose of compaction aid. “It’s a proactive way to identify what’s coming and what can be done to optimize conditions to return to the highest efficiency possible,” Wuori said.
Although the user must input data such as working days completed by project, tons placed and tons remaining, daily tonnage needed to finish the job on time, and where the crew is compared to the bid and incentive goals, Pavewise tracks this data and also sends notifications when desire doesn’t match reality.
“If you bid a project at 300 tons per hour but you’re only getting 250, the system will send a text notification to that project manager and suggest they make a change,” Wuori said. “It’s a way to let them know something needs to change or else they’re going backwards and losing money.”
In the event that a supervisor or project manager doesn’t have the skill set or knowledge to solve the problems on his or her own, Wuori also offers individualized recommendations via Pavewise Elite, where users can buy credits that can be used to request one-on-one assistance.
“I’ve seen the same things happen over and over again in the field,” Wuori said. “But if you haven’t yet acquired that knowledge, or if
you want a second opinion, this can help get a contractor through that challenge.”
With Pavewise Elite, the user supplies photos, videos, mix designs, etc. and Wuori or one of his vetted paving experts will work with the customer to resolve the issue. “We can look through everything and help them navigate that issue, whether that’s setting up the paver with automation, changing the rolling pattern, or troubleshooting a new technology,” Wuori said.
“Employee health is huge,” Wuori said. “I know what it’s like to be burned out working 90-hour weeks running these crews in high-stress environments.”
That’s why he created the Health Diagnostics Center within Pavewise, scheduled for release by the end of summer 2023. The wellness tool sends a text message to every crew member during every shift, requesting them to rate how satisfied they are with their job on a scale of one to 10. The answers are logged in the system and fed through a decision tree.
If an employee selects eight or higher, Pavewise initiates no action. If an employee selects between three and seven a certain number of times within a set period of time, the system sends a notification to the project manager to take action. If an employee selects anything less than three at any time, a notification will be sent to the manager recommending immediate corrective action.
“Maybe that person needs some time off, or there’s a pressing issue that needs to be resolved, or they’re struggling with a mental health issue,” Wuori said. “Keeping employees is a big issue in this industry. The Health Diagnostics Center is all about making a change before someone quits.”
On one of the 2022 Pavewise pilot projects, Wuori estimates the Health Diagnostics Center saved five employees from quitting. “They were checked in averaging a seven to 10 and when they checked in at a zero to two, they were ready to quit that day,” Wuori said. After the employees’ responses reached the threshold to notify the project manager, the PM was able to take action. One person had some personal problems and needed some time off; another person was struggling to get along with a crew member and needed to be moved to a different position. “They were ready to quit, and now that person is in a leadership position at the company.”
Wuori said in his experience the text message system works better than asking face-to-face. “The fact that this is a digital solution helps them speak their mind without any pressure,” Wuori said. “This gives them a chance to share their feelings in a way that doesn’t make them feel like they’re showing weakness.”
The system gives the employee a chance to include additional comments with their daily ratings, and in the future, Wuori said Pavewise might also include suggestions for how to resolve common issues.
“A lot of people don’t realize the happiness of the employee directly affects the quality of the job,” Wuori said. “When an employee is not happy or satisfied with their work this can lead to distractions and/or safety issues for them and their crew members. If they have a negative attitude or do not care about the environment they are working in we have the obligation to remove them from that opportunity or correct the opportunity.”
A recent example was a paving job at an airport in South Dakota where the contractor struggled to achieve compaction. “They’d failed four test strips before reaching out to us,” Wuori said. Once they sent over videos of their rolling pattern, he immediately knew what the issue was: all steel-drum rollers. “On a P209 aggregate base, you need a rubber tire roller to compact it from the bottom up to get 94% density.”
“I’ve been in that exact situation, where I was managing a crew paving at an airport and we didn’t have a rubber tire roller and we struggled hard to get density,” he said. With Wuori’s recommendations, the crew was able to achieve density and passed its fifth and final test strip.
Much of the interest in Pavewise Elite, Wuori said, relates to pre-paving plans. For example, requesting guidance for a particular job with a joint density spec or ride spec. “A lot of Pavewise Elite aims to fix a problem before it costs a company time or money,” he said. “That’s the whole goal behind Pavewise in general: to be proactive.”
From the very beginning, Pavewise has been built on a machine learning platform. “[My developers] said the concept was so similar to a machine learning model software with the way I’d built my decision engines from the very beginning,” Wuori said. “And that’s how we continue to build it in the future.”
By the third generation of the app, Wuori thinks the platform “is going to be running as a project manager's full time assistant,” he said, “making decisions, reviewing past projects, giving recommendations on logistics and paving, tracking production and efficiency.”
In the future, Wuori hopes to integrate truck and plant logistics solutions into the software “to make it as frictionless as possible,” he said.
“If we increased the quality of the entire asphalt industry in the U.S. by 5%, that would amount to billions of dollars and years of road longevity and quality for the traveling public,” Wuori said. “If this software can help do that for 5-10% of the industry, then it will have done what we hoped it would.”
Pavewise is available now at www.pavewise.pro.
Innovative and reliable operator friendly features such as paver hopper management system with distance to paver, storage hopper management and auto chain tensioning.
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Donnie & T.J. Reed, Madison Asphalt
In 1923, Charles Luck Jr. opened a crushed stone operation, Sunnyside Granite Company, in Richmond, Virginia. One hundred years later, Luck Companies is the nation’s largest family-owned and operated producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel.
Today, Luck operates 30 locations across Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and employs approximately 950 people across its divisions:
• Luck Stone, the nation’s largest familyowned and operated producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel;
• Luck Ecosystems, which transforms raw materials into environmental performance products;
• Luck Real Estate Ventures, which specializes in the development of industrial and commercial land.
Although Luck Companies has experienced plenty of good fortune in its 100 years in business, its success has little to do with luck. Quite frankly, it doesn’t even have to do with rock. According to Charlie Luck IV, CEO of
Luck Companies and grandson of the founder, the company focuses on the “how” rather than the “what” behind its operations. “We are in the crushed stone business,” Luck said. “This is the ‘what.’ Our values of leadership, integrity, commitment and creativity are the ‘how.’
“Our business is aggregates, but people are our purpose,” he continued. “As we mark our 100th year in business, our success has been fueled by people who embody tremendous pride, deep caring for each other, world class innovation, and a commitment to our values and beliefs.”
Luck Companies began as Sunnyside Granite Company in Richmond, in 1923. When the company began, production on a good day amounted to about 100 tons of stone—crushed by a mere seven employees with sledgehammers and loaded by hand onto mule-driven carts for transport out of the quarry to various construction projects.
Even in the early days of the company, its people were a priority for the company’s leaders.
“In the early 1900s, my great grandfather Charles S. Luck Sr.’s business, C.S. Luck & Sons, won a project to dig the foundation for the Pontiac Motor Company in Michigan,” Luck said. The Virginia-based company set out for the Midwest, transporting 100 associates to the site by locomotive. When the job was complete, the train’s cook car returned to Virginia, where Charles Luck Jr. served his employees meals from the car every day at Luck Companies’ first quarry, Sunnyside.
“The Sunnyside cook car is one of the earliest images in our company’s archives and has grown to symbolize the caring, people-focused approach to business that’s inspired our organization for 100 years,” Luck said.
This mentality has been evident in each of the company’s three generations of leadership. Charles Luck Jr. was known for saying, “If you take care of your people, they will take care of you.”
“This sentiment has served as the company’s North Star for a century,” Luck said. Charles Luck III, who led the company from 1965-1999, expressed that same belief
through the company’s slogan and promise to people: “We care.”
Charlie Luck IV broadened the scope of that belief under the company’s current mission statement, first announced in 2011: “We will ignite human potential through values-based leadership and positively impact the lives of people around the world.”
In celebration of the company’s 100-year anniversary, Luck Companies launched a “What is your Dream?” campaign where employees were asked to share their dreams: if they could do anything, what would it be? “We will always encourage associates to identify and pursue their passions, whether it’s professionally at the company or outside of work,” Luck said. “We were blown away by the responses and have learned so much about what inspires the incredible people that work at our company.”
“I think these quotes show that what we stand for hasn’t changed over time,” Luck said. “Our company has always been about people—the people who come to work each day to support what we believe in at Luck Companies, and the people who have chosen to partner with us: our customers and communities.”
Charlie Luck IV’s commitment to carry on and expand the legacy of his father’s and grandfather’s commitment to take care of people was cited as a reason for Luck being awarded the 2023 Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award by the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA). The award recognizes individuals who exhibit dedication to family, community and the aggregates industry. Charles S. Luck III, Charlie Luck’s father, received the Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award in 2004.
“[Luck’s] industry expertise and drive to help individuals succeed showcases he is an outstanding representation of the Barry K. Wendt Memorial Commitment Award,” said NSSGA President and CEO Michael Johnson.
Luck was also honored with the ROCKPAC Paul Mellott Jr. Award for Political Excellence, which recognizes industry leaders who work on behalf of the aggregates industry and promote the importance of political advocacy.
According to Luck, the company’s culture has been integral to attracting the talent it needs to run such a large operation. “Our dedication to igniting human potential through values-based leadership really differentiates us, in addition to the personal development and
technical training opportunities we provide to all associates throughout their entire career,” Luck said.
“As finding talent becomes more challenging, we rely on the strength of our culture,” Luck said. “The profitability of our business isn’t enough in attracting talent—we need to provide meaningful career paths and opportunities to contribute to the community.”
Luck Companies’ people-first mentality is also evidenced in the way the company supports and engages with the communities in which its 30 facilities operate. “At Luck Companies, we engrain ourselves in the communities where we work and live,”
and engage with the citizens so that we can work in tandem to achieve shared goals.”
As part of the company’s 100th anniversary celebration throughout 2023, Luck Companies launched a company-wide Gift of Giving campaign where every employee selects a nonprofit of their choice to receive a $1,000 donation from the Luck Foundation, for a total of $1 million in 2023. “This unique opportunity was a chance for associates to think deeply about their personal values and the causes that are closest to their hearts,” Luck said.
Luck Companies is already looking ahead at the company’s next 100 years, in terms of leadership, innovation and expansion, to name just a few.
In the company’s 100 years, there have been only three presidents. Charles Luck Jr. led the company for about 40 years; Charles Luck III led the company for about 30 years; and Charlie Luck IV has led the company for 30 years so far. Luck’s son, Richard, currently serves as the vice president of Luck Stone’s Central South Region and is the fourth-generation family leader to join the company.
“I think the most important factor for a successful transition is to be highly connected to one another and to the business,” Luck said. “Richard is highly committed to and passionate about our people-focused mission. [We’re] doing some great work together to ensure his transition to president in the next few years.”
Luck and his wife, Lisa, made it clear to their children that Luck Companies was big enough for all of them to have a role at the company, if they wanted to. They also made it clear that they would help their children pursue passions outside of the company.
Luck said. “We take great pride in supporting communities and helping our neighbors, and we’ve always operated this way. I can remember the story of how my grandfather, Pop Pop, bought the first ambulance for the local fire department when they needed us. It’s in our DNA to give back.”
The Luck Foundation, founded in 1966, partners with nonprofits to lead work that results in long-term, positive outcomes for its communities.
“We always want to be seen as a supportive force in every community where we conduct business,” Luck said. “As we join new communities, our first step is to learn from
Richard knew he wanted to be a part of the company so much so that he was ready to jump in immediately after graduating from college. However, Luck has a policy in place that family members need to spend three to five years working outside of the company before pursuing their careers with Luck. “Richard is the first to admit that he wasn’t a big fan of that rule at the time, but in hindsight it enabled him to grow and learn in valuable ways,” Luck said.
When his career path led him back to Luck Companies, Richard was put on a rotational series of assignments and his first stop was not in the field, but rather supporting human resources and InnerWill, a nonprofit leadership institute founded by Charlie Luck that works
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to bring values-based leadership to organizations outside of Luck Companies.
“My dad took a lot of heat from me and my grandpa—we both wanted me out in the field,” Richard said. “But in hindsight it was the right place to start. When I got to the quarry, I was ready. I knew what was expected and would walk the talk.”
Richard then went on a series of rotations in the plants and other roles, spending nine to 18 months in each role. His first role was at Leesburg, where he was in the foreman training program, working in every aspect of the quarry. He went on to become a plant manager at one of Luck Stone’s quarries, where he led
a team of Luck employees for the first time. He then served as a sales manager and interned with a Luck customer before serving as general manager of Luck’s Atlanta-Stephens Plant in Atlanta, as well as joining the Luck Companies’ leadership team.
Charlie Luck said his family is active in the family business community and strives to learn all they can about successful family businesses around the globe. “We’ve learned that the two biggest reasons families do not make it from one generation to the next are lack of trust and communication,” Luck said. For the last 15 or so years, these have been areas in which Luck has devoted significant attention.
“For [Richard] and I, communication and trust have been, and will continue to be, critical in leading a successful transition,” Luck said. “I want my son Richard to be the most successful he can be, so it’s about working with him to understand his biggest leadership and developmental opportunities and nurturing those areas. Through our work together, I’m continuing to listen, share the wisdom I’ve gained over the years, and ensure opportunities for him to lead alongside me and our leadership team. We want to equip him with all the tools he needs to succeed.”
Luck Companies is also looking to the future by continuing to innovate and invest in emerging technologies. According to Luck, the company has a long history of innovation. In 1930, its Boscobel quarry became the first crushed stone operation in Virginia to convert from steam to electric power. The company was also an early adopter of computerized ticketing for the sales offices, introducing the technology in 1972. The company was also at the forefront of the safety culture conversation, launching its Value Safety initiative in 2001.
“We have always been driven to innovate and pioneer new technologies that advance our business and our industry, including automating our plants back in 1977,” Luck said. In 2020, the company quickly responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by rapidly enhancing its safety protocols and introducing digital ticketing for customers. It also launched JobSight, a digital platform allowing customers 24/7 accessibility to place orders, manage accounts, track deliveries and more.
“We’re not slowing down,” Luck said. In 2022, Luck Companies announced a part-
nership with Caterpillar to introduce autonomous haulers, beginning with a pilot at Luck’s Bull Run Plant. Luck said this initiative provides opportunities to develop and cross-train the company’s workforce and will enable Luck Companies to attract more talent to the company and the industry in general.
“We’re excited about the future, specifically the hands-on learning opportunity with the innovative technologies that make autonomous hauling possible,” Luck said. “The partnership with Caterpillar represents an acceleration of autonomous technology for smaller mining operations, enabling a step change in safety and productivity for our industry.”
Luck said the company also intends to expand its use of data and technology in the decision-making process, improve communication and elevate performance.
“Additionally, we are implementing programs aimed at creating a diverse workforce and culture that prioritizes the mental, physical and financial well-being of our associates and ensures a sense of belonging for all,” Luck said. “The places that focus on the culture and creating connection for people will get the best talent.”
In addition to offering a variety of free classes designed to help improve associates’ mental, physical and financial well-being, the company recently added five Well-Being Days to each associates’ PTO benefit.
“In the next 100 years, we will continue to focus on people because Luck Companies is more than a stone company; we are a people company,” Luck said. “We will continue to prioritize the development of our associates and bring on new team members to share their talents and perspectives with us.”
According to Luck, the company’s growth strategy is also people-focused. The company intends to build out its markets across the Southeast Region from Virginia to Georgia as part of its five-year vision cycle.
“For us, growing our footprint is about spreading the reach and impact of our mission to new associates we welcome, to new customers and vendors we partner with, and to the great new communities we get to be a part of,” Luck said.
To commemorate its centennial, Luck Companies has developed a series of interactive digital experiences to share the celebration with associates, retirees, customers and communities throughout the organization’s Virginia to Georgia footprint at Luck Companies100.com.
• 1990: The company designs and constructs the industry’s first self-service stone loading system. The Louisa Plant starts production.
• 1992: Luck Stone implements one of the industry's first state-of-the-art computer monitoring systems for crushing operations.
• 1993: Luck Stone purchases its Goose Creek Plant.
• 1996: Luck Stone expands into the sand and gravel market with the purchase of the King William Sand and Gravel Plant. This plant ran until 2005.
• 2000: Luck Stone launches AdvantageAccess, a digital customer portal.
• 2001: The Value Safety initiative was launched to propel Luck associates’ dedication to safety. Luck Stone continues to grow in North Carolina with its Pittsboro Plant.
• 2002: Luck Stone completes the purchase and swap of the Burlington Plant in North Carolina for two Northern Virginia Martin Marietta sites, now its Culpeper and Spotsylvania plants. Luck Stone also acquires its Bull Run Plant.
• 1923: Charles Samuel Luck Sr., owner of C.S. Luck and Sons Construction Company, purchases the Sunnyside Quarry, first mined in the 1890s, and Sunnyside Granite Company, incorporated in February 1907, to supply crushed stone for C.S. Luck and Sons’ construction and road-building needs.
• 1926: Sunnyside Granite Company expands with the purchase of Boscobel Quarry.
• 1930: Boscobel becomes the first crushed stone operation in Virginia to convert from steam to electric power.
• 1933: Sunnyside Granite opens its Charlottesville Plant.
• 1935: Sunnyside Granite opens its Burkeville Plant.
• 1938: Sunnyside Granite opens its Fairfax Plant.
• 1950: Sunnyside Granite opens its Augusta Plant.
• 1955: Sunnyside Granite officially changes its name to Luck Quarries.
• 1957: Luck Quarries prepares its first greenfield, which eventually becomes its Augusta Plant.
• 1965: Luck Quarries purchases its Rockville Plant.
• 1967: The Burroughs punch card machine is introduced at Rockville, the company’s first move to automate the billing process.
• 1971: Luck Quarries launches a comprehensive safety program. The company also purchases its Leesburg Plant.
• 1977: Luck Companies begins automating plants to increase production.
• 1982: Luck Quarries becomes Luck Stone Corporation.
• 1984: Luck Stone purchases its Elkton Quarry, which the company eventually trades with Vulcan Materials for the South Richmond Plant and the Gilmerton Distribution Yard. Luck Stone also purchases its Greene Plant.
• 1985: Luck Stone installs a computerized truck weighing system for the company’s scale offices.
• 1985: The Powhatan Plant opens.
• 1988: Luck Stone purchases the Bealeton greenfield. Luck Stone also expands into North Carolina with the purchase of its Burlington Plant.
• 2004: The Caroline Plant opens.
• 2005: Luck Stone opens its Massaponax Plant.
• 2008: Luck Stone purchases/trades its Augusta and Elkton quarries for Vulcan's South Richmond Quarry and the Gilmerton Yard.
• 2009: Luck Stone opens the Berkley Yard in Norfolk, Virginia.
• 2010: Luck Stone acquires the Toano Yard near Williamsburg, Virginia.
• 2011: Luck Companies is established. The company also introduces iPads and apps to contract haulers.
• 2012: Luck Stone introduces the industry’s first unmanned pit loader.
• 2013: Luck Stone acquires its first Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for plant inspections.
• 2017: Luck Stone opens the Prince Edward Plant, the first greenfield site developed by the company in 10 years.
• 2018: Luck Stone acquires Stephens Industries in Atlanta, Georgia, now known as its Atlanta-Stephens Plant. This marked the largest acquisition in the company’s history. Luck Stone acquires the Rivanna and Kershaw plants, opens Oyster Point Distribution Yard, and acquires a greenfield permit in Crewe, Virginia.
• 2020: Luck responds to the COVID-19 pandemic with the introduction of digital ticketing and enhanced safety protocols. It also launches JobSight, a digital platform allowing customers 24/7 accessibility to place orders, manage accounts, track deliveries and more. The company also acquires a greenfield permit in Sanford, North Carolina.
• 2021: The company acquires a greenfield permit in Enoree, South Carolina. Luck Stone acquires its Mount Airy and Luck Stone Eden plants.
• 2022: Luck Companies partners with Caterpillar to introduce autonomous haulers, beginning with a pilot at its Bull Run plant. The company also acquires a greenfield permit in Fairfield, South Carolina.
• 2023: Luck Companies celebrates 100 years in business.
Ericka Baxter began her construction career in 2001, with Conco Companies. That contractor was acquired while she was there by CRH and she had the opportunity to branch out into other CRH companies as well. Baxter is now the operations manager for Capital Materials Quarries, Springfield, Missouri, and she took some time to share with readers her story as a Woman of Aggregates.
AsphaltPro: How have you used your bachelor of science degree in gerontology to your benefit in the aggregates/construction industry? And how would you encourage women who have non-engineering-centric degrees to dive into our industry?
Ericka Baxter: I always used to say that I never used that degree, but the truth is I have always been “sciencey.” That degree led me to my Master of Science and the position I am in now. I was always very inquisitive, and that has benefited me well in this industry. So much of what I do is finding the problem areas and solving them. That follows the same line as a scientific study, where you form a hypothesis, then test it. Women who can manage a classroom of kids, run a household, or thrive in a position that is constantly changing and moving would be very successful in our industry. For years though, we didn’t have many in the industry who looked like them. I believe we are well on the way to changing that!
AsphaltPro: What part of your continued education, specifically your master’s degree in environmental management and sustainability, relates best to the career track you’re on? (And what courses would you recommend to women who want to join a company in a sustainability role?)
Ericka Baxter: My Master in Environmental Management and Sustainability was very beneficial to me believing in myself, and knowing that I had the knowledge to succeed in the male dominated world around me. To me, it made me so much more confident that I knew what I knew. I would encourage any woman who is looking at going back to school to jump in. It really doesn’t matter what it is…business, financial, something in a science field...it’s all about preparing yourself for the next step. I completed my masters during the height of Covid, working full time and trying to school my five children from home because school was virtual. I have never regretted the decision to go back to school. So, stop hesitating, because there is no time that will be perfect.
AsphaltPro: Could you share with the readers what your first job with Conco Companies entailed and how those experiences helped you decide what you wanted to focus on for a career?
Ericka Baxter: I started working at Conco as an intern in the IT department. My dad worked for the company, and it was a good job to work with my college schedule. I worked there during college doing all things IT, from setting up and installing computers, pulling wire at the plants, and eventually became a backup for the scale houses at the quarries, when someone needed a vacation.
When I graduated with my degree I stayed until I found something in my career field and never left. I was put under the lady that
The Meeker Family
ran the environmental program just as she was also taking over safety. I spent many years working under her and doing lots of on-the-job learning. Over time I took over the environmental program from her as she reached retirement.
What is important is that every position I had prepared me for the next one. Each gave me more knowledge and a better understanding of everything that it takes to make a quarry run.
AsphaltPro: Could you share with the readers what your job as an operations manager for Capital Materials requires of you?
Ericka Baxter: My job as an operations manager means I watch over all the things that happen in a quarry. In our company, multiple quarries. The people, the equipment, the safety, the permits, the customers and the future. While there are so many people that specialize in each of these areas, I am the one that tries to bring them all together.
I would love to tell you what I do every day, but every day is different. Some days it is looking at the sales forecast to determine what plant we need to move around where to make the rock we need. Others, it’s helping solve a staffing issue. Add in days of training, financial meetings, equipment breakdowns, and all the unknowns that go into this business and no day is the same. That’s why I love it!
The thing I truly love the most, though, is working with all the people in this industry. You won’t find another industry that works as hard as we do, and most of the time, when people get into the industry they don’t want to get out. It’s a super tight-knit group no matter where in the world you are.
AsphaltPro: Does your role ever involve bringing legislators/representatives to a plant/quarry site? Could you share with the readers what is intriguing (or stress-inducing) about preparing for a visit like that?
Ericka Baxter: In all of my roles over the years, and for sure in this role, I work extensively with our legislators. On a state level, I am the chair of the Missouri Limestone Producers Association’s environmental committee. We interact with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources all the time and have hosted many tours with them over
Baxter works extensively with legislators and policy makers, representing the positive, sustainable message of the aggregates industry. When the state of Missouri was making changes to the permit that allows industry to discharge both stormwater and process water from sites, the initial proposal would have been detrimental to quarries, concrete plants and asphalt plants alike. By working together to educate and inform, a team of industry professionals succeeded in showing members of the Department of Natural Resources how the proposed language of the permit would devastate businesses. The result was a more reasonable permit that protects natural resources while presenting something fair and manageable to industry. Baxter calls it “a huge win for everyone involved.”
the years. I also attend the National Stone Sand and Gravel’s (NSSGA) Legislative and Policy Forum every year in Washington D.C. This is a great opportunity to talk to them and their staff about the importance of our industry.
I actually love getting to have these conversations and visits, because I am so passionate about how important this industry and everything we provide is. We wrongly assume many times that these members of Congress know everything there is to know about what we do, but they oftentimes do not. Sharing our story, speaking up about who we are, is critical for us as an industry. We do so many good things for the communities around us and we have to start letting people know who we are.
AsphaltPro: What’s rewarding and what’s still challenging about the education process you mention above? How could a young lady considering a career in our industry assist with that challenge?
Ericka Baxter: When it comes to a rewarding thing about sharing with people about our industry, my favorite thing is seeing people make the connection between what we do and how important it is for their lives. They use our products every day but very rarely think about where they come from. Also, there really isn’t anything better than taking a school bus of kids into a quarry and listening to them ooh and ahh about how cool it is. Being around it all the time, sometimes you forget that it’s freakin’ awesome.
A still challenging thing in the education process I find is the true lack of knowledge on how many quarries are good neighbors and that they aren’t polluting and tearing apart the world. The construction industry is one of the most heavily regulated communities in the United States. We have to abide by all of our permits, or we will get closed down. But we don’t just want to do the bare minimum. Most quarries I know of go above and beyond.
AsphaltPro: Why did you join the Capital Materials team?
Ericka Baxter: I joined the Capital Materials teams because they asked. No really, they approached me about coming over to run their operations. They felt like I was the right fit for the job, had a strong history in this industry, and anything that I needed to learn, they could teach me. Being wanted, being sought after, is very powerful. I knew I would have an amazing opportunity to grow in this industry I love so much.
AsphaltPro: What about your job with Capital Materials is “most cool” to you?
Ericka Baxter: Oh my goodness…all of it. But if I had to choose a few, the blasts (exploding rock out of the ground) never get old. I could watch them all the time and never get bored. And I truly love getting to see it all through a kid’s eyes. Big trucks, with tires taller than you, are amazing. What we do as an industry is amazing.
AsphaltPro: What do you think is the most important skill you’ve brought to your position as an operations manager? (and how would you encourage other women entering the industry to hone a similar skill to be any kind of aggregates manager they want to become?)
Ericka Baxter: I would say by far one of the most important things I’ve brought is the ability to communicate. I can’t tell you how many times a huge problem could have been
avoided with a simple phone call instead of an assumption. I’ve just started a quarterly meeting with all of my plant managers that focuses on what’s been good, what’s been bad, and training on systems we have. Also in these meetings is relationship building. Honestly, this is a super female skill. A lot of times, in a male dominated industry, it’s “do it because I said so.” Being a female, and tending more towards relationships, I have seen the guys open up and discuss problems much more freely around me than their male counterparts. I believe it really adds to the strength of the teams and builds a healthy culture. So many times, as women, we want to fit in, but that isn’t necessarily what is best for the team.
AsphaltPro: What would you say was the most challenging “obstacle” you, as a female in the industry, had to overcome in the past 22 years, and how DID you overcome that obstacle? How do you think other women in the industry can incorporate that skill or habit into their workdays?
Ericka Baxter: I have met and worked with many fantastic men in my time in the industry. However, I’ve also run into some that did not respect or appreciate my knowledge. I’ve had many times where my ideas weren’t good unless they came up with them. No joke, I once went and got certified in industrial ventilation because I had a guy that wouldn’t listen to me about a dust collector that needed fixed. That might be a bit overboard, but I came out of that certification with the knowledge that I knew what
I was talking about. I could hold that conversation. Truthfully, if you have a woman that has worked her way up in the world, she probably is the most knowledgeable and experienced because she has had to work and prove her way anywhere she went. I’m really happy to say I have seen so much positive change in this area over the last few years, but it has for sure been a struggle. My advice is truly believe in yourself. If you feel like someone isn’t valuing your view, speak up and say so. Nothing can be changed if the behavior isn’t challenged in the first place.
AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about teamwork. What is an example of a project you were able to help your company complete successfully?
Ericka Baxter: Nothing in this industry gets done by yourself. It takes many hands to do the work, and all different skill sets. Not only within a company, but across the industry.
This last year my state was making changes to the permit that allows us to discharge both stormwater and process water from our sites. Basically, every quarry, concrete plant, and asphalt plant in the state would have been affected. The changes initially proposed would have been absolutely detrimental to all of us, possibly closing down operations. A team of us from MLPA worked very hard educating the members of the DNR about who we are, our processes, and how the proposed language of the permit would affect us. We worked months, hosted them at our sites, attended meetings at the Capital, and ended up with a permit that is protec-
tive of our valuable resources but is also fair to us as an industry. It was a huge win for everyone involved.
AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about perceptions. What do you think is an incorrect perception that we, as an industry, can re-educate young people about to encourage more women to consider a career in the aggregates business? What is something you would tell a young lady to encourage her in this industry?
Ericka Baxter: I don’t think this has anything to do with perception, but in history most women are pointed more towards support roles, such as environmental, safety, or HR. I have only met a few women in my time and travels that actually work in operations, and a good portion of them are in that role because it was a family business. There is nothing wrong with a woman in those positions, but we have so much to offer on a broader scale.
I am seeing a lot of positive change in that over the last few years, having met more younger women in roles as foremen or plant supervisors, but it’s slow. I want these young ladies to know that they belong here, too. They have a place, and this industry is better because they are in it. I was the first female chair of the NSSGA’s Young Leaders group last year and I think that was a huge step for us ladies in the industry. When you can look out and see someone like you, it gives you something to shoot for. I had a few strong women to look up to and hope I can be that for some of these younger ladies coming up.
AsphaltPro: What is the most rewarding aspect for you of being in the aggregates industry?
Ericka Baxter: We build the world. Everything we have is either grown or mined. Our roads, our houses, our schools, we have a hand in making it happen. It all starts with us, and that is so amazing to me.
AsphaltPro: Will you tell us about a person who served as a mentor for you? Is there a piece of advice from this person that you would share with other women in the industry/other operators?
Ericka Baxter: Chris Upp was a coworker and dear friend who I lost this year to cancer. I was privileged to work closely with Chris for the last seven years. We were co-workers for
the entire 22 years I was there, but didn’t work directly together until about seven years ago. Chris is the one who started telling me I knew what I was talking about. He encouraged me to attend industry events, both on the state and national level. He pulled me from the corners of the room and gave me the confidence I needed to truly believe in myself. For that, I will forever be grateful.
It’s not so much a piece of advice, but an encouragement. Ladies, find you a male ally in this industry. Someone that respects you for your knowledge and contributions. They have a different view on things, and it is so critical to understand both sides. They exist and are so valuable to help you see what you can become. They can be your biggest cheerleaders.
WWhen it comes to recycle asphalt, crushing plays a significant role in the quality of the end product and in the productivity and efficiency of asphalt operations. When crushing quality, productivity and efficiency are in sync, asphalt producers may go a long way toward improving their bottom lines.
Considerations for getting the three (quality, productivity and efficiency) to align include factors such as selecting the right asphalt crushing equipment, ensuring equipment operates at peak performance, and what to do when any of these factors are out of sync.
What are some of the most common things that may impair product quality, productivity and efficiency? Eagle Crusher Company discusses five pain points that recycle asphalt producers may experience and the ways to remediate these issues to help get and keep asphalt crushing at peak capacity.
The following pain points are not in any particular order. As an asphalt producer, you may experience some, none or all of these pain points at any time throughout your years of operation. What’s important to know is that if any of these issues occur, there are solutions.
Needless to say, foreign debris is undesirable because it can compromise the quality of your end product and make it unsellable. Beyond the inability to sell your debris-contaminated hot-mix, did you also know that foreign debris can sometimes damage equipment? This includes damage to conveyor belting, pumps, screens, and other process equipment down the line, costing your operation time and money.
Ensuring clean material is important, if not mandatory. One way to keep ferrous material out of the asphalt mix is by using a magnet. Frequently, magnets used in asphalt operations are of the permanent variety without a means of self-cleaning. While they may be cheaper to install and maintain, they come with multiple disadvantages.
Investing in an electromagnet with self-cleaning ability can help ensure that the magnet is able to remove ferrous items like asphalt milling teeth or other road debris not removed prior to milling.
Electromagnets use an electrical current to produce a strong, deep reaching magnetic field, allowing for peak capture performance. Typically suspended over a conveyor belt in either a cross-belt or inline configuration, electromagnets pull metal through the conveyed material and remove it from the process, ensuring a contaminant-free product. Other advantages electromagnets have over permanent ones, is that electromagnets can reach out in greater distances to remove ferrous material. Unlike permanent magnets, electromagnets can also be turned off, if necessary, by stopping the electrical current. Electromagnets also have the benefit of holding or releasing on demand to provide greater control with the crushing process.
The name of the game in asphalt crushing is actually screening. Most asphalt arrives onsite from milling at near-spec. This means that the crusher won’t have much work to do, as the screens will need to process through almost all of the material. If the screen is not properly sized, or if there is not adequate screening capacity, as with a pre- or reliever-deck, material can overflow.
It is important to plan your plant layout appropriately to prevent overflow of material, as well as to make considerations for future growth of your operation. This can be accomplished by multiple means. You can install grizzly bars on RAP feed hoppers to keep out the largest chunks
of asphalt, you can install a pre-screen ahead of the main screen, or you can use a reliever deck on the main screen to help spread out screening across multiple decks.
Keeping screens operating at their maximum capabilities means keeping them clean. When near-spec materials are screened, there is a greater risk of plugging or binding the screen media. First, it is important to train your operators in best practices to keep material from plugging screens during production.
If the screen cloth is plugged, the operator will likely have to tap all the plugged material out of the openings, assuming the screen media can handle it. Some lighter screen media cannot handle the force of a hammer against it. Check with the screen media manufacturer for exact recommendations.
Keeping screens clean is complicated when crushing RAP, as asphalt, by its nature, is sticky. One means to prevent asphalt from binding or sticking to the screen is to ensure the media you are using is made for screening RAP.
Another way to help keep screens clear is to alter how the screen itself operates. By adjusting the amplitude or speed of the screen you may see material flow better through the screen because increasing the stroke can help reduce plugging. Of course, it is important to check the operating manual of the screen, or consult the manufacturer to ensure when limits may exist based upon the exact application.
It is also beneficial to check with the manufacturer of your screen media, as some manufacturers produce self-cleaning media to reduce or prevent plugging from occurring in the first place.
Asphalt can be a very dusty material to work with. Coupled with the fact that asphalt can be very sticky, especially when heated, it is important to keep motors, engines, and other air-breathing components away from constant exposure to asphalt dust. This means keeping motors and engines away from screens and crushers to reduce contamination and damage from asphalt infiltration. If it is not possible to keep equipment away from the asphalt dust, it is important to keep filtration on any air inlets to reduce asphalt intake. It is also important to check on the filters frequently. Motors and engines aren’t known for their ability to work well when they are filled with hot, sticky asphalt.
No matter the type of crushing equipment your recycle asphalt operation has, if your crushing equipment is down for any reason, your operation is losing money. Regular maintenance is key to keeping crushing equipment operating at peak capacity. When issues happen to take your crushing equipment down, getting back up as quickly as possible is key.
The most important tip to avoid unexpected breakdowns is to plan and schedule regular maintenance. It can be tempting to maximize production time and thus increase revenue, but longer running time means an increased chance for unexpected breakdowns. Although diverting
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your labor toward maintenance might only seem like a cost with no upside, it is actually a relatively inexpensive investment toward increased production. If you don’t plan ahead by keeping critical spares on hand and devoting time toward maintenance, you can be waiting for parts, paying for expedited shipping, and paying overtime or more to make repairs when you could have just devoted a few hours a week or so toward maintenance.
In summary, having remediations for some of asphalt producers’ common pain points in your back pocket, can help your operation avoid lost productivity and poor quality end product. What is just as important, is selecting the right asphalt plant, overall, for your crushing needs. The right plants can go a long way toward meeting the quality, productivity and efficiency that will help your operation meet its profitability goals.
Look for plants designed to produce clean, highly uniform, cubicle spec product with a minimum of white rock and a minimum of fines to ensure product quality and consistency. Consider plants that in addition to superior crushing capabilities, also have precise screening capabilities, utilizing pre-screen feeders or reliever decks, to increase productivity, while reducing equipment wear.
DDuring CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023, Neil Hise, Ted Powell and Travis Vliem shared with an audience of aggregates producers and other interested contractors how to perform predictive maintenance at the crushing operation. Hise pointed out this is not only a wonderful industry, but it’s also a dangerous industry if you aren’t staying aware of your surroundings and your equipment. “You can't afford to make very many mistakes,” Hise told the attendees of the Predictive Maintenance: Plan the Work and Work the Plan education session.
Hise shared that while crushing and processing rock may not have changed over the past 100 years or so, issues with the supply chain have changed recently. He spoke not only of measuring and tracking your parts and components for uptime and efficiency, but also of planning ahead on maintenance for uptime and efficiency.
“And the word of the day is ‘measure,’” Hise said. You measure what your conveyor belt has on it. “What does your screen have on it? You measure what your VSI is doing and what your wash plant has done.”
He stressed the importance of measuring and knowing your production numbers. Armed with actual measurements and numbers, the savvy groundman or quarry manager can track belt and component wear and react to a situation before it creates a hazard for a Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) inspector to notice or for a surprise downtime occurrence.
“We measure everything in our production and our manufacturing process,” Hise shared. “But for our production plants... if you don’t communicate effectively and specifically,” the measuring won’t help you prevent mistakes. You want to communicate what’s going on around your production process in order to prevent problems. In other words, effective communication goes hand in hand with measuring to get predictive maintenance up and running in your operation.
Consider a crushing plant that has fines and material buildup under a conveyor transfer point. If the buildup is starting to look like a mini stockpile is growing to reach the conveyor belt, you have a problem that should have been noticed by a groundman, communicated to the maintenance personnel, and resolved before a safety hazard developed. As Hise said, sometimes these maintenance issues develop because someone in the production chain wasn’t paying attention.
“Because of lack of communication, lack of awareness and lack of [caring].” He suggested looking at maintenance as a continuing job and not something that can be a one-and-done.
Powell led the audience through a real-life scenario of how The Rogers Group put in place a program that took the company’s fixed plant production facilities from 75% availability to 92% availability “in a few short years.” He started with Hise’s word of the day: measuring.
“Number one: Identify pieces of equipment and components that have moving or maintainable parts by assigning them asset numbers,” Powell said. “Assign them modes of operation that will track the hours the component worked. The plant manager then reports the total up- and down-hours of production by hours of operation for that particular day of operation. After this information is placed into a database, the hours for each component will be tracked and service will be performed per manufacturer’s specifications.”
Tracking actual operation leads to automating maintenance. Powell shared that he used a simple Excel spreadsheet and common software used in the industry to model every single plant component, assigning existing or new asset numbers to the parts. Then he, or the companies’ IT departments, developed a program to track the usage of the assets in the flow of their processing plants.
“Every aggregate company requires a daily report of productive and downtime hours and records them on daily and weekly basis. In our plan, this information is used to populate—by the hours worked—each asset’s usage in real time, which can be automated with the proper hardware and software.” He recommended using the equipment manufacturers’ recommended hours for service sampling and maintenance for the components of each of these assets, such as gearboxes, bearings, screens and crushers.
“Develop preventive maintenance sheets for every asset from the manufacturer’s recommendation,” Powell advised. “Crushers, screens, conveyors, screws, pumps, dryers, drums. I know this seems like a lot of maintenance sheets. But a conveyor is a conveyor. One sheet covers them all.”
Powell pointed out that with all this new information you’ll be able to gather by tracking equipment usage, you’ll be able to employ a multitude of new technologies that you can use to measure how these pieces of equipment are performing.
Hise shared another way to gather this information: physical inspection. “Take your camera and walk through your plant,” Hise told the audience. “You document and you measure. And if you’re the manager of the plant, you assign a fix to someone. And if you’re not the manager of the plant, you go to the manager of the plant and say, ‘I walked through my plant, here’s what I've documented, and this needs to be fixed.’ And if your manager doesn't appreciate your efforts then shame on him. But let me tell you, the safety of each one of you in the plant is paramount.
What does that mean? It means that we are determined to support you in your journey towards greater profitability, safety and environmental stewardship. It means that we will help you forge new paths, shape key trends and offer new solutions to support you on that journey. And it means we will be with you for every step of that journey through application consultancy, personalized trainings; across numerous geographic territories and around the clock.
Tell us where you’re going and we will help you get there.
Production is what makes the money...but the safety is something that we just can’t let slide.”
By walking the plant and performing visual inspection with your camera or your clipboard or what have you, you can predict fixed plant maintenance. Powell shared a real-world example of predicting when a vital component was nearing failure.
“Approximately four years ago, I met with a well-known manufacturer of gear boxes, pillow block bearings and electric motors... They wanted to know, for me, what would help the customer better predict when a bearing, gearbox or motor would fail.
“With the current technology of transducers, I suggested that if we could build a device that would attach directly into a bearing gearbox or lower, it could send a signal that measured vibration and temperature and send it to you through the cloud or database.”
Powell wanted the plant manager or maintenance manager to receive a signal in real time—preferably via a cell phone app— if the vibration or temperature should go out of spec. After six months of implementation and discussions, Powell explained, the company developed some of the devices, as well as the app. They installed the first sensor in a gearbox along with a Gateway Bluetooth router and ethernet.
“We selected one of our toughest applications that employed a 1,200-foot by 48-inch conveyor from the pit to the secondary plant,” Powell explained. “This conveyor was driven by two $50,000 gearboxes, which failed twice in the previous two years. This plant produces 1,500 tons per hour. Downtime is not an option. After mostly success, we ended up installing 30 transducer sensors along with routers to assist in carrying the signal to the database.”
Then one week, “We received a vibration alert, and the conveyor was immediately shut down and catastrophic failure was aborted. On inspection, we discovered that a tooth had broken off in one of the gears. The gear was replaced, but most importantly, it forced us to take a look at the design of these boxes.” They figured out the boxes were “grossly undersized.”
While saving a $50,000 component is a benefit, averting accidents and downtime through organization and efficiency is a big selling point of predictive maintenance as well. Powell reminded the audience of this in his discussion of implementing successful programs at The Rogers Group. One of those is the 5S program, and he described it as “one that every production plant needs to implement.”
“The 5S is sort, straighten, shine, standardize and then sustain,” Powell said. “As managers, when you visit your operation, do you visit the maintenance shop? Is there a place for everything and everything in its place? Do you inspect your service trucks? Are there greasy rags on the floorboard, empty soda cans on the seat or floor? Are the seats torn or ripped? Are the tools clean, sorted and in their proper places? If you sit there and honestly say all the things that I just mentioned sound like your maintenance, you can pretty much count on the rest of the operation being in the same condition.”
Powell gave the example of the plant operator contacting the maintenance department to say three belts on driving convey-
or #3 just broke. This spurs a series of questions. “Is there a correct amount of V belts the correct size with the labeling stating that these belts fit conveyor #3? Does the maintenance personnel have all their PPE media in its proper place so we’ll walk right to it and put it on? Is the switch gear and control house marked indicating which disconnect powers conveyor #3? Does the service truck or job box have the necessary tools to quickly and efficiently remove the old belts and install the new? When you put a 5S program in place at your facilities, the answer to all these questions can be yes. And your downtime is drastically minimized. Sort, straighten, shine, standardize, then sustain.”
The second program Powell outlined was the equipment maintenance review (EMR), which he tethered to safety. “It’s extremely important that as you walk about your operation, that you are looking for safety issues not only to protect your employees, but also to prevent the dreaded safety violation and fines.”
He recommended taking one of your knowledgeable maintenance staff and tasking this person with walking the plant a few days a week. Have this person take pictures of anything he sees that is unsafe while documenting maintenance issues and take those pictures to the appropriate safety director or plant manager.
“It has been measured and I have confirmed that conveyors create the largest amount of downtime in all operations. Take extra care when inspecting pressure.”
From crushers, screens, conveyors, gearboxes, and so on, Powell recommended taking pictures as real evidence as you walk through the entire processing operation from beginning to end. Then, he said, go back to those iPhone pictures and transfer them to a Word document that you can share with the area or plant manager. Discuss these issues with these managers and with those who’ll schedule their resolution.
“At this point, you’re not done with this operation. Schedule a time within one month to return to this operation and follow up on the repairs that have been made or are being made.” The key is leveraging the person that understands the mechanics of how these components work and what it takes to keep them in operation. Use that person’s knowledge and expertise.
Hise summarized that with all the technologies available to the aggregate producer today, there’s no reason why an operation can’t predict failures before they occur. Aggregates managers can employ the measuring techniques, new technologies, safety protocols and more discussed at CONEXPO-CON/AGG to stay ahead of downtime occurrences.
Neil R. Hise is the chairman of the board for CEMCO, Inc., Belen, New Mexico. Ted Powell is a retired operational improvement manager of the Rogers Group Corporation of Companies. Travis Vliem is with Flexco. They presented this information at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2023 in Las Vegas.
“THE 5S IS SORT, STRAIGHTEN, SHINE, STANDARDIZE AND THEN SUSTAIN.”—TED POWELL
When Peckham Industries’ Wingdale Quarry returned its quarrying operations to the surface, the company kept its crushing operations underground for improved safety and community relations.
BY SARAH REDOHLPPeckham Industries, Brewster, New York, has been operating its quarry in Wingdale, New York, for 27 of the company’s 99 years in business. According to Peckham Director of Technical Services Jason Kappel, the quarry is not only an important operation for the company but also for the regional economy.
“[Our Wingdale quarry] is one of the only sources of non-carbon, high-friction aggregates on the east side of the Hudson River,” Kappel said. The Wingdale quarry supplies Peckham’s five hot-mix asphalt plants serving the New York City suburbs and Westchester County.
In 1994-95, the quarry underwent a significant change when its operations went underground. Doing so not only resulted in improved material quality, but also helped mitigate issues with limited water supply during some parts of the year, as the former surface
quarry could be used as a reservoir for process water to support underground operations.
However, Kappel said, the primary reasons for moving quarrying operations underground were to minimize environmental concerns, mitigate potential complaints from the community, and expedite the permitting process.
Over the next two decades, Peckham developed two of the four 188acre levels it was permitted for, converted from flat roofs to arched roofs, and developed a series of stopes to allow for material transfer from level two to level one.
“In 2006, we brought the primary and secondary crushers underground, which was a key development [for our later plans], though we didn’t know it at the time,” Kappel said. “We’re always looking to reduce the cost of production at this facility, and continuing to crush underground is a very efficient process for us and enables us to eliminate trucking and other development costs.”
But, as Peckham’s underground blasting moved south of a fault line running through the facility, the company began to receive complaints from neighbors. “When we were on the other side of the fault, we’d have people feeling it from 1.7 miles away,” Kappel said. “I sat at a residential property 1.7 miles away on a concrete front stoop to feel what people were feeling and it was really unbelievable. It just happens to be the way the faults are in our area.”
That’s when the company decided to move its quarrying operations back to the surface. Peckham hired both Kappel and Kevin DeSilva as consultants to help them do so, and later, hired them both full-time.
In addition to moving the quarry operations to the surface, DeSilva and Kappel brought an innovative solution to the table. “We thought, ‘If we can stope between level one and level two, why can’t we stope from the surface down?’” Kappel said. The company created a 230-foot stope, into which it feeds aggregate from the surface to its primary and secondary crushers underground and then conveys it back to the existing surface processing plant.
“To our knowledge, this is the only stope of its kind in the country,” DeSilva said. “Many underground facilities have stopes, but the connection to the surface and that the stope is 230 feet deep made this quite a project.”
In the fall of 2022, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Mining Program, in conjunction with the Essential Minerals Association, the National Mining Association, and the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, recognized Peckham Industries with a NIOSH Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovations Award in the stone, sand, and gravel category for its implementation of the stope. “It is a benefit to the entire mining industry to have such innovative approaches tackle both new and persistent challenges,” said NIOSH Associate Director for Mining Jessica Kogel, Ph.D.
Ultimately, the new process is estimated to save the company significant production cost and offers a number of benefits. Among them, a significant increase in tonnage, up to 70,000 tons a day from as low as 1,100 tons a day during underground quarrying (since much of the material had to remain underground for safety reasons).
As a result of the increased efficiency, the crew works shorter hours and has a better employee work/life balance. Furthermore, Peckham has been able to reduce the underground crew size from 12 to four, improving both safety and morale. There are also fewer ground control and stability issues to manage as a result of the smaller underground operation.
“Moving the quarrying above ground helped get more employees out from underground, which is a challenging situation with more risks compared to the surface,” said Steve Benton, corporate safety director for Peckham. Crushing the materials below ground is also for improved safety, he said. “It’s been good from a community relations standpoint. We’ve been able to reduce the burden on our neighbors to the point that they don’t even know we’re there. It’s made our operations quieter and less dusty.”
According to DeSilva, now Peckham’s Environmental Compliance Manager, the quarry hasn’t received any complaints since its return to the surface with continuation of underground crushing. Ultimately, the company has been able to eliminate community concerns over noise and dust, improving its relationship with nearby residents.
These changes also made it possible for Peckham to eliminate six pieces of equipment, resulting in less fuel use and reduced emissions. This included two double boom horizontal JH Fletcher drills, two Cat 2900 load haul dump rubber tire loaders, one Cat 980 rubber tire loader and one Ackerman rubber tire excavator. Now, the only equipment underground are the primary and secondary crushers and a frontend loader used to feed the primary.
These changes have also resulted in improved air quality underground and reduced electrical consumption due to reduced ventila-
tion fan use. “We were able to reduce the footprint of our underground mine and really focus our ventilation efforts around our processing area here,” DeSilva said.
Despite its many benefits, these changes were not without their challenges. The creation of the stope to the surface changed the pressure underground and the company began to see freezing occur underground that it had not previously seen.
“We knew the ventilation was going to change, but it was hard to predict how it would change,” DeSilva said. Peckham hired Appalachian Mining & Engineering, Inc. to perform a ventilation study with the stope completely open, which resulted in changing the orientation of the fans and placing curtains to isolate the crushing areas. Once aggregate reached the collar of the stope, Peckham performed a second ventilation study that showed when the stope is full of stone, ventilation conditions return to pre-stope conditions.
“With those two ventilation studies, we have bookends from which we can optimize ventilation,” DeSilva said, which includes fan orientation and direction of flow as well as placement of brattice cloth to help direct clean air to work areas. “We also try to balance what we draw from the bottom with what we feed from the top, because it helps with ventilation challenges.”
When Peckham began investigating how best to return its quarry to the surface, it had considered locating the processing area west of the current location and making a key cut through a ridge that runs across the property. Ultimately, the company decided to maintain the ridge
and instead improve its whole haul road to get its equipment up to the surface quarry.
“We were able to eliminate any concerns from the community by hiding our operations behind the ridge,” DeSilva said, adding that the preservation of the ridge also reduced noise.
Despite the gains in efficiency, improvements to employee safety and wellbeing, and the preservation of the ridge, it still took the state of New York almost five years to permit Peckham’s surface quarry.
One of the DEC’s concerns was the forest habitat near the quarry, which it claimed to be a habitat for bats. However, U.S. Fish and Wildlife agreed with Peckham’s biologists that the company’s presence wouldn’t impact the bat habitat as bats don’t live above an elevation of 1,000 feet and the lowest elevation in question is 930 feet. “But, the DEC had an analyst who didn’t agree,” DeSilva said.
Ultimately, Peckham converted a piece of land elsewhere on the property at a lower elevation into an ideal bat habitat. The company also worked with the Army Corp of Engineers to develop a three-acre wetland to mitigate the loss of one acre of wetland for the quarry. “That alone was almost a million-dollar project,” DeSilva said.
“Most of the property remains wooded, and we’ve committed to only clear five acres of trees annually to maintain that forested area,” DeSilva said. “The development of the property in a very slow, methodical manner helped mitigate their concerns about habitat loss.”
Peckham also agreed to reclaim the majority of the surface quarry as a lake (±85.5 acres) and above water table benches as forest (±26.7 acres).
“We were very thoughtful [with this solution],” DeSilva said. “I’m not saying it’s a model everyone can use, but it certainly solved a lot of our problems. We’re very proud of it.”
The Minera Mexicana “La Ciénega” has replaced nuclear gauge monitoring with slurry density meter (SDM) technology to monitor and improve tailings thickener efficiency. The Rhosonics SDM has taken up the task of improving the operational efficiency of Minera Mexicana “La Ciénega,” which is a Fresnillo PLC mine located in Durango, Mexico. The mine, which has been operating since 1992, engages in exploration, mining, and processing of gold, silver, and other minerals.
How does this affect mining for asphalt-centric aggregates? Let’s apply the technology.
The purpose of testing the SDM at “La Ciénega” was to evaluate an alternative to the existing nuclear density meter for monitoring density in the tailings thickener underflow. This measuring point is crucial because they need to track how much slurry is being transferred to tailings at all times. Additionally, the company wished to optimize the thickener underflow to improve operational efficiency.
The Rhosonics’ SDM was selected due to its reliable and real-time measurement results, according to the manufacturer. A 30-day trial was conducted to evaluate the use of a nuclear density gauge and the Rhosonics density meter. The SDM proved to be a better option than the existing radiation-based technology as it coped well with the measuring task and process challenges, according to the manufacturer.
The SDM uses ultrasonic technology, which eliminates the need for government licenses and the cost of employing and training specialist employees for maintenance and calibration tasks.
According to the client, the SDM was able to successfully measure density, which enabled them to efficiently monitor and control the slurry transfer process from the thickener underflow.
Minera Mexicana “La Ciénega” has a production capacity of 4,000 tons per day. With the Rhosonics SDM, the mine now operates with increased efficiency and productivity. The successful implementation of the Rhosonics SDM at Minera Mexicana “La Ciénega” sets a precedent for other mining companies to follow, improving operational efficiency using an eco-friendly technology and driving the mining industry forward.
The SDM plays a valuable role in sand processing operations as well. Sand processing involves the treatment and separation of sand particles from the mixture to meet specific quality and size requirements. The SDM is used to measure the density of the sand-water slurry, providing essential information about the concentration and consistency of the mixture.
Deviations in density can cause issues such as pump blockages; therefore, must be monitored. Also, it indicates improper mixing, or variations in feed materials. By promptly identifying these issues, operators can take corrective actions to prevent downtime, optimize production, and improve overall process efficiency.
There’s always something new at Eagle Crusher. Eagle Crusher consistently leads the industry in new product innovations, and 2023 is no exception. Our newest equipment includes the UltraMax®1600X-OC Portable Impactor Plant and the 8x20 Screen Plant with Integrated Feed Conveyor and Blending Gates.
Learn about the many plant options for asphalt producers. Outstanding plant options include onsite RAP systems for crushing and precise screening, allowing product consistency with a minimum of white rock and a minimum of fines. Also available are highly portable plant options for larger-sized jobs with high volumes of material at- or near-spec, allowing most to be removed before crushing to increase overall production and reduce wear.
The ultrathin bonded wearing course (UTBWC) treatment is a gap-graded surface layer that incorporates an asphalt emulsion tack coat immediately followed by a 3/8- to 3/4-inch polymer-modified asphalt pavement. To achieve this, contractors are advised to use a paver equipped with a spray bar in front of the screed.
During a presentation to industry May 30, 2023, representatives of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) and MnRoad shared data from a variety of test sections and trafficked roadways where open-graded friction course (OGFC) and UTBWC surfaces had provided information for researchers and departments of transportation (DOTs). Amid the presentations, the use of spray pavers to get best results was discussed.
One participant shared the Alabama DOT requires micro-milling and the use of a spray paver on UTBWC projects. Another participant spoke of the need to either purchase or rent a spray paver to bid on these projects in the state of Minnesota. Share your experiences with getting a UTBWC executed perfectly on our facebook page when this article goes live. In the meantime, check out the spray pavers that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have taken the time to bring to your attention with AsphaltPro.
Astec Industries of Chattanooga offers the Astec SP-200 Spray Paver with a Tier 4F, Cummins® QSB 6.7 230-horsepower engine. Its spray system comprises:
• A spray bar containing three rows of spray nozzles that are controlled automatically by a microprocessor
• The spray bar can extend with the screed extensions
Visit https://www.astecindustries.com/ road-construction for more information.
Dynapac North America of Fort Mill, South Carolina, offers the SD2500CD PROTAC spray paver. Its spray system features:
• 25 independent nozzles that are automatically activated by moving the spray bar or extending the screed.
Visit https://dynapac.com/en/products/ paving?tab=products for more information.
Vogele of Antioch, Tennessee, offers the SUPER 1800-3i SprayJet paver with a Cummins B6.7 - C173 173-horsepower engine. Its SprayJet module comprises:
• 24 spray nozzles with a spray pressure up to 43.6 psi on five spray bars that pivot two ways.
• Spray width of 8 feet, 4 inches to 19 feet, 8 inches.
Visit https://www.wirtgen-group.com/ ocs/en-us/voegele/voegele-products-94-c/ for more information.
Additional paving and pavement maintenance equipment for all paving methods and treatments are found in the product galleries of this publication. Check out the next few pages for those the industry was ready to share with you this month.
Astec Industries, Chattanooga, debuted its RX-405 cold planer at CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2023 in the spring. The asphalt mill is designed for contractors who need a smaller cold planer.
Kyle Neisen, product director for Astec, said, “We're excited to offer the RX-405 so that all contractors can benefit from the Astec lineup. Contractors of all sizes now have a machine that they can take to size-restrictive job sites like trenches, utility work and parking lots.”
The RX-405 features all new control stations that focus on user comfort and intuitive use. “The button layout and joysticks offer allday comfort for long jobs,” Neisen said. With the new control station design, operators can
protect the controls from tree limbs and other obstacles by adjusting the tilt on-the-fly. The same tilt mechanism can turn the controls all the way over for safe storage and protection when the machine is not in use.
The compact mill is designed to make changing drums fast and easy. “The RX-405 has a hinged door on the side of the cutter housing that provides quick access to all the necessary parts,” Neisen said. “The side-door is part of a single cutter housing that can transition from 2 feet to 5 feet wide so that no matter what job site you're headed to, the base machine is ready to go.”
The RX-405 is designed to make drum maintenance better as well. The machine features a belt lifter that takes the belt off of the main engine sheave, disabling the engine’s ability to turn the drum during tool changes. The mill also includes a drum indexer, which remotely turns the drum, making it easy to get the drum to a good spot. Neisen added, “You're no longer pulling hard on the drum, nor are you worried about the engine engaging it.”
The new cold planer can also be equipped with a rear object detection system, which uses a camera system to spot objects that might end up behind the mill. The system includes buttons at the back to temporarily lock-out the machine from reversing. Neisen said, “If you plan to walk behind the machine, you can simply press the button on one side and stop the machine—tap either side button again when no longer behind the machine. When any of those buttons are engaged, the machine will not allow the operator to go in reverse.”
For more information, visit www.astecindustries.com.
Bomag Americas, Ridgeway, South Carolina, featured two of its new generation milling machine designs at CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2023 in Las Vegas.
Offering a maximum 42.7-inch milling width, the BM 1200/35-2 features an enhanced swiveling mechanism for selective milling of road and ground surfaces, making it ideal for county road, urban and roundabout applications.
The BOMAG BM 2200/65 large planer boasts a 58-inch milling radius to increase efficiency in tight-radius applications like small cul-de-sacs. The BM 2200/65 mill displayed at CONEXPO-CON/AGG was equipped with the Bomag exclusive Ion Dust Shield. With this unique system that protects machine workers, fine dust extracted from the milling chamber passes through the Ion Dust Shield box before being blown onto the conveyor belt. Read more about that at TheAsphaltPro.com.
Both of these new Bomag milling machines are designed with vibration-isolated operator stations with height-adjustable seats that swivel 45 degrees in either direction to improve visibility. Enhanced forward visibility offers operators a view of the cutting edge, milling track and the front danger zone around the conveyor.
To simplify milling control, Bomag offers Easy Level that clearly displays grade and slope settings on the large 7-inch display. Mill settings can be quickly changed with minimal navigation and limited submenus on the monitor. Variable milling speeds between three application-specific presets on the control panel allow the operator to tailor drum speed to the material to increase milling efficiency.
Specs of the BOMAG BM 1200/35-2 include:
• 350 hp (260 kW), Tier 4 Final/Stage V engine
• milling at depths reaching 13 inches
• maximum operating weight is 56,000 pounds
• discharge conveyor swivels 45 degrees; maximum discharge height of 15.7 feet
Specs of the BM 2200/65 half-lane include:
• 630 hp (470 kW) engine
• milling to depths reaching 13.8 inches
• weight is 60,296 pounds
• discharge conveyor has 130˚ conveyor slewing angle – 65˚ to the left/right of center; 16-foot discharge height
For more information, visit your local Bomag dealer through www.bomag.com.
Ditch Witch® of South Louisiana (DWSLA), located in Geismar, announced in May it will carry the full line of Takeuchi excavators, compact track loaders and wheel loaders. They will also provide equipment rentals, replacement parts and serve as authorized Takeuchi equipment repair centers for customers throughout a multi-county area in Southern Louisiana. DWSLA also offers mobile solutions for Takeuchi sales, parts and service with a traveling sales team and equipment technicians. Steve Jester founded DWSLA in 2002, and with his family, he continues to own and operate the dealership’s locations in Geismar and Lafayette. Because almost all Ditch Witch customers also own excavators or track loaders, the addition of the Takeuchi equipment line compliments the Ditch Witch equipment line.
Dynapac North America, Fort Mill, South Carolina, in collaboration with sister company Secmair, is launching a new spray paver labeled the SD2500CD PROTAC. It is designed to apply the emulsion and asphalt pavement mix in a single operation. The manufacturer states it is primarily designed for two application areas. The first is for the application of thin asphalt surface layers using “thin layer in hot paving on sealant.” The second is for road repair, as well as for new road construction and everyday asphalting tasks.
The spray paver has a basic width of 8.4 feet and its maximum spray width is 6.5 meters. The 25 independent nozzles are automatically activated by moving the spray bar or extending the screed. The Dynapac spray paver can hold up to 555 gallons (2,100 liters) of emulsion and is equipped with a fill-
ing neck and level display on each side. The combination of heating mats and a heating rod with a total heating capacity of 18 kW ensure gentle, yet rapid heating, according to the manufacturer. The heating mats are designed to prevent separation of the emulsion. Even smaller amounts of 26 gallons in the tank can be warmed up, according to the manufacturer. Both the heating rods and the heating mats are controlled automatically. For more information, contact dormie.roberts@dynapac.com
Ergodyne, St. Paul, Minnesota, makers of Tenacious Work Gear®, has announced the launch of three new hi-vis vests. Leading the lineup of new hi-vis vests is the GloWear® 8251HDZ-BK Two-Tone Hi-Vis Safety Vest—Type R, Class 2, boasting a range of advanced features to ensure optimum safety and efficiency job site. The GloWear® 8315BA Hi-Vis Breakaway Safety Vest— Type R, Class 3 Vest features a breakaway design for immediate disconnection when entangled, minimizing the risk of accidents and injuries around machinery and moving parts. Rounding out the new trio is the GloWear® 8210Z-BK Mesh Hi-Vis Safety Vest—Type R, Class 2.
Beyond the new vests, Ergodyne provides a responsive, full-scale program designed to assist safety professionals in navigating the complexities of compliance. This holistic approach ensures that Ergodyne's product offering goes beyond gear, empowering safety professionals to make informed decisions and prioritize worker safety.
For more information, call (651) 642-9889.
EverLine Coatings, San Antonio, a line striping and pavement maintenance service business, announced in May that it had signed 51 new U.S. franchise agreements in 2022. As an emerging full-service pavement maintenance solution, EverLine Coatings continues to grow rapidly across North America by offering business owners and property managers a preventive solution with proprietary products designed to last 2-4 times longer than standard traffic paint, plus a full suite of pavement maintenance services, such as asphalt repair, sealcoating, crack filling and line striping.
To continue its growth momentum, the company was expecting to open an additional 65 locations in the United States and 22 in Canada by the end of Q2 2023. Its system-wide sales increased 51% in 2022 over 2021 and increased 76% in 2023 over 2022. The company grew from 17 locations to 71 in 2022.
FleetWatcher, Indianapolis, introduces its Dynamic Yield Calculator (DYC), which
automatically determines mat thickness and project yield. This new functionality accounts for materials on hand and enroute, paver speed, and more, and integrates it with data from the scale tickets, KPIs, and other project information to determine when the project will be completed, and how much material is needed to do so. Variables such as material density, width, and length can be adjusted to reflect actual project parameters. Users can quickly see tons laid, linear feet paved, square yards paved, and mat thickness. The program also shows tons enroute, projected linear feet, projected square yards, and projected mat thickness of inbound materials.
“Customers who have tried Dynamic Yield Calculator found it easy to use and were pleased with the immediate reduction in wasted tonnage and plant time,” FleetWatcher Founder Larry Baker said. “We’re unlocking the value within the data to eliminate guesswork and allow contractor to better plan their projects.”
For more information, call (800) 553-0027.
Wirtgen Group’s telematics solution, WITOS, is designed to be an uncomplicated and efficient telematics solution assisting in the areas of fleet management, process management and documentation. WITOS FleetView supports proactive maintenance planning and a rapid response in the event of faults.
WITOS FleetView reduces workload by optimizing scheduling and planning processes to avoid unnecessary transport movements. It makes maintenance easier through a detailed analysis of machine operation and use patterns. It also shortens response times in the event of faults or malfunctions and minimizes machine downtime through optimized scheduling of service appointments. Asphalt professionals can view information about the operational status of any of their machines at any time and from anywhere. Its intuitive user interface is designed to allow a clear and precise machine overview, helping to keep your fleet in perfect condition.
For more information, visit https://www. wirtgen-group.com/en-us/ or call (615) 5010600.
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The global commercial vehicle market is undergoing a period of significant change, as it moves over the next 15-20 years toward a majority of annual registrations comprising electric, hydrogen or bio-fuel vehicles. By 2030, 7% of trucks on the road are expected to be battery electric vehicles (BEVs), growing from a negligible amount today to around 1% by 2025 and increasing sharply toward the end of the decade.
This will have an impact throughout the whole value chain and market intelligence experts at Interact Analysis have produced a free report into the impact of the move toward alternative fuel powertrains and electrification on the fuel and lubricant industry.
As total cost of ownership (TCO) comes down, sales of commercial electric vehicles are due to go up. Interact Analysis found TCO is the leading factor in commercial vehicle purchases, with a number of other factors affecting adoption of BEVs, including higher upfront
costs, resistance to change, lower range for electric vehicles, lack of charging infrastructure and unfamiliarity.
Analysis of historical data shows BEVs only start to win significant market share when the overall TCO advantage is in the range of 20%50%, with 20% seeing the majority of purchasers stick with internal combustion engines (ICEs) and 50% seeing most make the switch to battery vehicles.
As TCO for commercial electric vehicles falls, demand for diesel will decline slowly at first, but the pace of decline will accelerate out to 2030 as electric buses and trucks become more popular. TCO is not as strong for hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) and hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2 ICE) vehicles and so they have a much lower share of the commercial vehicle market.
In its executive report Global Truck, Bus and Off-highway Vehicle Electrification and Alternative Fuel, Interact Analysis shares some of its findings about electrification and alternative fuels in the commercial vehicle market, looking at how the market for fuel and lubricants will develop out to 2030 and beyond.
The report anticipates a fall in demand for diesel fuel that will accelerate towards 2030. However, it also highlights the potential opportunities, particularly within the lubricants market, for reformulation and development of new products designed specifically for electric, hydrogen and hybrid powertrains, which have different parts moving at different speeds. Although electric vehicles are simpler and tend to need less lubricant than internal combustion engines, there is potential to improve performance and energy efficiency and reduce power demand for BEVs.
Within commercial vehicles, the truck market represents the greatest opportunities for innovation, as it is the largest market and products have very similar design and components. Most truck units sold are in the utility and light-duty segments. However, larger vehicles tend to consume far more fuel and lubricants and so represent a strong market for companies in the sector.
Interact Analysis’ research demonstrates that toward the end of the decade, unit shipments for BEVs will close in on those of ICE and other powertrains. Although the graph with this article demonstrates steady progress for BEVs overall, there will be surges in different vehicle types in certain countries over this period. For example, strong growth in 2023 in buses in Germany, while long-haul trucks will see rapid growth toward the end of the analysis period.
The expectation is that this growth trend will continue and accelerate so that BEV shipments overtake other powertrains in the early 2030s. By 2040 penetration of electric vehicles is predicted to reach 90%+ in China, Europe and North America, and 70%+ in Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and India.
The off-highway market is transitioning to alternative fuels more slowly, with some areas such as smaller forklifts moving more rapidly toward electrification than areas such as large agricultural or port machinery. Hydraulics look here to stay in the off-highway sector throughout the current decade and will continue to require hydraulic fluid and lubricant.
Material handling solutions, such as forklifts and AWPs are electrifying fastest, as they are low intensity and easy to charge, followed by compact construction equipment such as smaller excavators and skid steers. However, electrification still has a long way to go in most off-highway applications, with electrification of machines deployed at remote locations and large equipment lagging behind.
Commenting on the report, Alastair Hayfield, director at Interact Analysis, said, “The fuel and lubricants market is on course to get smaller over time, but with the growing trend toward biofuels and hydrogen fueled vehicles, opportunities still remain. For lubricants, electric vehicles have different demands, so there will need to be reformulation of products to meet these changing requirements and applications.
“Businesses in the fuel and lubricants sector should make sure they keep an eye on the electrification and alternative fuel trend, as there is no doubt it will affect your business, with changes to the market taking place now and set to accelerate within the current decade. However, don’t panic. There is time to transition; to train, develop and build up your supply chain.”
Introducing the nimble and powerful Roadtec RX-405 cold planer. A hinged cutter housing door makes for easy drum changes, while maintenance mode, with the drum indexer and belt lifter, simplifies regular tooling changes. Bring the same level of productivity you expect from Astec mills to compact spaces with ease.
See the new RX-405.
