Asphalt Pro - October 2025

Control Retention

• Your 2026 Plant Maintenance Overview

• Buck Brothers Pushes Tech Advantage

• WofA Academy Gives Certifications

• Feed Control = Screed Control

• Why Train with Influx of AI?

SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION

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When Everybody’s an Expert, Who Do

You Listen To?

You can’t let a sense of overwhelm or existential dread paralyze you when there’s a multi-million-dollar project looming. Maybe it’s my Type A personality talking, or the memory of my high school marching band director shouting, “No pain, no gain,” but adults like myself know we must power through the days when we feel a sense of emotional turmoil and complete the job in front of us. Especially when you’re in a small company, you don’t have the luxury of calling the foreman and saying, “Hey, I feel triggered by the evening news and need to eat a tub of ice cream in my sweats instead of coming in to run the paver tomorrow.”

Don’t get me wrong. We don’t want distracted or hurting workers trying to operate heavy equipment. It is better to reach out and offer kindness to those colleagues.

But we also want to toughen up. The mental health wellness of our co-workers and ourselves doesn’t have to be predicated on stock market performance or some other construct the mainstream media tells us is worth obsessing over today. Our mental health wellness could instead be influenced by touching grass for a few minutes more today than yesterday.

Our mental health wellness can also exist within a system where we give one another grace because we have cross-trained employees to handle tasks when someone needs to take a break from the stress of construction season. As Laura Ingalls Wilder taught us in her Little House books, you make hay while the sun shines. That means we have high expectations of workers to show up and contribute for long hours in demanding conditions for a set number of months per year.

When that grueling schedule bumps against a worker’s financial, family or other strains, forcing him to operate the milling machine could spell disaster in mistakes, accidents or both. Wouldn’t it be a boon to your company if you had multiple crew members trained to operate the mill skillfully?

When you cross-train members of the rolling train, it’s a relief to know the breakdown operator can take a day to help an ailing family member rather than sit atop this important and heavy piece of equipment while distracted with worry. In fact, the team at Hamm launched its Smart Compact technology, discussed in the “NDDOT Trials New Technologies on Hwy 14” article in our March/April edition, to take some of the

onus off the operator, and this makes it easier to bring a new person to the machine.

Someone still has to program it, of course. It’s in everyone’s best interest that all operators know their “asphalt fundamentals” and are prepared to react to changes in their surroundings. That concept is discussed in the plant maintenance wrap-up, on page 50, included in our annual training directory.

Also mentioned in the training directory, many original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offer training schools, online webinars and in-person help to teach workers how to use and maintain their equipment. You’ll have seen on social media how asphalt contractors and laborers are quick to offer guidance and opinions—sometimes in a constructive manner—for best practices. It may feel overwhelming to pick through and find the right person to lean on for information when there are so many experts to select from.

I want to suggest it’s always a good idea to reach out to your OEM or dealer for information that’s specific to your machine. Depending on the OEM/dealer, you may also find general best practices training with them.

But don’t forget to seek sources, like AsphaltPro magazine, that offer a sampling of voices with a range of experiences to help you educate your workers. The team at AsphaltPro is made up of individuals who joined the industry in 1992, 1998 and the early 2010s. This means we know where to gather the consultants and experts to speak to you in our annual training directory, regular training department, weekly Toolbox Tips and more. We do the legwork for you and present it here.

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GROUP PUBLISHER

Chris Harrison chris@ theasphaltpro.com

EDITOR

Sandy Lender sandy@theasphaltpro.com (239) 272-8613

DIGITAL EDITOR

Sarah Redohl sarah@theasphaltpro.com (573) 355-9775

MEDIA SALES

Cara Owings cara@theasphaltpro.com (660) 537-0778

ART DIRECTOR

Kristin Branscom

BUSINESS MANAGER

Susan Campbell (660) 728-5007

AsphaltPro is published 11 times per year.

Stay Safe, Sandy

Lender

Correction: In the August issue of AsphaltPro Magazine, we accidentally misspelled the name of the business for the producer profile department, featured on page 22. The company’s correct name is Myrl & Roy’s. We deeply regret this error.

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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One year subscription to non-qualifying Individuals: United States $90, Canada and Mexico $125.00. For the international digital edition, visit theasphaltpro.com/subscribe/

New Guidebook Facilitates Suicide Prevention Conversations

BY SANDY LENDER

The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) has published a guidebook to help members of the construction industry when initiating conversations about mental health wellness and suicide prevention. The 11page booklet, titled “Talking About Suicide In The Construction Industry,” is designed to offer safe messaging guidelines for presenters, trainers, members of the media and anyone trying to help members of the construction industry.

The booklet is segmented into four main parts.

• Safe Messaging Around Suicide in the Media

• Safe Messaging Around Suicide in Group Trainings & Discussions

• Safely Talking About Suicide with an Individual Who May Be at Risk, and

• Post-conversation Self-care.

The whole booklet starts off with key tips to keep in mind in any setting, including excellent information two presenters shared during a webinar Aug. 13 introducing the guidebook’s points to an audience of over 200 attendees.

Sonya Bohmann, the executive director of CIASP, and Jessica Bunting, the research to practice (r2p) director for the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), both spoke of the importance of bringing your authentic self to conversations with persons who might be struggling with mental health wellness or suicidal ideation. This message is stated clearly in the guidebook: “Bring your authentic, human self to the conversation and approach it with empathy and sincerity. Each person may need a different approach when they are struggling, so the most important thing is to be real and listen to express support.”

Bohmann shared during the first part of the presentation that “being compassionate, being yourself, showing up with empathy”

is more important than getting every vocabulary word correct. The fact that you’re showing care and compassion for a colleague, friend, employee or other person is what’s important.

Having said that, the CIASP education committee prepared the guidebook for a reason. By offering a guidebook that supports other materials, the committee offers a baseline for kind and compassionate language, reporting, training and help.

For example, the first section reminds us, “The messaging used in media and news reporting has a significant influence on the way people talk about suicide and mental health. It is important for spokespeople and members of the media to discuss the issue responsibly.” The section offers a list of action steps and reminders for media and those who may be interviewed by the media or those who may be posting on forward-facing sites.

While each of the sections offers valuable and important guidance, reminders for leaders of group training stood out during the webinar. Bunting spoke of the role both discussion leaders and “helpers” placed within an audience play. “You will be looked at as a safe person if you’re leading the discussion. Or if you’re a helper in the room.” As a safe person, you can expect people to approach you with questions or concerns. By taking these roles seriously, performing research ahead of group training, and having resources ready for any struggling persons who may approach you during or after the session, you can be an effective leader (or helper) in group training.

The final section for self-care also offers a reminder of how important it is to take your own mental health wellness seriously when reaching out to help another.

Throughout the presentation and the perusal of the guidebook, it became clear that CIASP and CPWR have assembled a resource for individuals and companies within the construction industry to share a message of hope with one another. The guidebook is available now at the link in the sidebar.

The following links will be easier to click and view with the online version of this article at www.TheAsphaltPro.com upon publication of the October issue.

Talking About Suicide in the Construction Industry, a guidebook https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/GB-Suicide_Prevention_Safe_Messaging_Guide.pdf

Video and Other Resources on the CIASP Website

https://www.preventconstructionsuicide.com/get-informed

How to Have a Tough Conversation

https://www.nami.org/relationships/how-to-talk-and-listen-to-someone-experiencing-suicidal-thoughts/

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Hard-won know-how for the next generation

Training in the Age of Technology

As automation transforms the paving industry, American Pavement is proving that smarter machines need smarter crews (not smaller crews)—and training has never mattered more.

BY BILL STANLEY

Training used to mean showing a guy how to use a rake, feed the hopper, or set up the screed. These days, it means learning GPS, understanding automation and keeping up with changing specs. Some folks in our industry worry that jobs are going to disappear as more and more of what we do gets automated. I don’t see it that way.

Look at the construction of the American railroad. It started with picks and shovels. Then came the bulldozer, and people thought, well, there go the jobs. But the guy who dropped his shovel, climbed into that dozer, and learned how to run it? He didn’t just stay employed. He made more money, worked safer and built a better future.

It’s no different today. Anyone who knows this business knows paving in 2025 looks nothing like it did 10 years ago. The real MVP on any crew is the one who knows both—the one who can run the old-school work by feel, but also knows how to make the most of what the new tech can do.

That’s what this article is about. How we train our MVPs at American Pavement—not just to know the fundamentals, but to embrace the fact that the learning never stops.

1. SMARTER CREWS, NOT JUST SMARTER MACHINES

You can spend a million dollars on the best tech out there, but if your crew doesn’t understand what it’s doing, you won’t get a quality job.

At American Pavement, we don’t just train guys to push buttons. We train them to understand what the machine is doing and why. If you don’t know how slope control works—or what the slope is supposed to be—then all the tech in the world won’t save you the second something goes wrong.

That’s why we focus on fundamentals. How to read a plan. How to think about drainage. How to understand pattern and material flow. Because once you know that, then automation becomes a tool, not a crutch.

2. YOU CAN’T AUTOMATE COMMON SENSE

Automation can guide a machine, but it can’t read a job site. It doesn’t know if a truck is late, if the sun’s moving on your compaction window, or if the site plan doesn’t match what’s in front of you. That still takes a crew that knows how to think on their feet.

We teach our team to pay attention. Watch the mix. Watch the trucks. Watch each other. Because the model might say one thing, but if the conditions change, the crew has to know how to adapt.

3. TRAIN BEYOND THE SPEC BOOK

Some jobs come with a full set of specs. Others don’t. And if your crew only knows how to follow directions, they’re going to struggle on the second kind.

At American Pavement, we break jobs into two buckets. There’s spec work—like state, county or municipal paving—where every-

thing’s written down: grades, depths, temperatures. That stuff’s actually easier to train. It’s like baking a cake from a recipe: follow it step by step and any cook who knows their way around a kitchen will get a quality result.

But for the second set of jobs you need a chef with enough experience to write their own recipes. That’s where you need a crew that knows how to think on their feet. This requires experience, instincts and attention to detail.

4. THERE’S NO GRADUATION DAY

In this line of work, graduation day never comes. There’s no final exam, no diploma that says, “You know it all.” Because the second you think you’ve got it all figured out, the job changes.

We pave in towns, counties, and states—all with their own specs, their own inspectors, and their own way of doing things. You might train a guy for weeks on one type of job, but then you move on to the next site and they’ve got to start learning all over again.

5. TECHNOLOGY WILL KEEP YOU ON YOUR TOES

Another reason why there’s no graduation day in this business is because the curriculum keeps changing. The spec books get updated. New technologies are invented. You can master what’s out there today, but tomorrow, there’ll be something new.

At American Pavement, we do our best to keep up. This is why I read AsphaltPro magazine, go to trade shows and continue to ask questions. We may not always be the first to implement new technology, but you can bet we won’t be the last!

6. RETAIN WHO YOU TRAIN

Paving’s not a trade. It’s a skill that you refine over time. It takes time in the seat. Time on the ground. Time seeing different jobs and learning what works. And that kind of experience only comes if you can keep your crew around long enough to build it.

At American Pavement, we try to offer more than just a job. We give folks a chance to build a career. We keep as many people as we can working through the winter. We invest in the employees who are invested in us.

Skill doesn’t show up on day one. It’s built with time and pressure. That’s how you make diamonds.

THE BOTTOM LINE

At the end of the day, training isn’t something you check off a list—it’s something you build one day at a time. That’s what we’ve done at American Pavement. We train the new hire and the guy with 30 years on the paver. We train for the blueprint jobs and the curveballs. We train for the job today, and we train for the one coming tomorrow.

Because the best crews—the ones that are still standing 10 years from now—will be the ones who never stopped learning.

BIGGER PLANTS GREATER SUPPORT

The sonic feed sensor, seen at the far right of the picture, must be aimed at 90 degrees to the pile of asphalt to ensure the sound wave remains perpendicular (or “square”) to the asphalt material in the auger box. You want the beam to bounce back and forth between the material and the sensor and not bounce off into outer space as it were, causing the signal to create erratic or “on-off” feeder system operation and mat texture issues. Photos courtesy of Benjamin Everett

Control the Feed to Control the Screed

BY BENJAMIN EVERETT

Constant, ongoing observation and evaluation, then timely intervention, is critical to maintain a consistent head of material. This is the bedrock of accurate, repeatable, consistent quality results when paving. To me, it seems a lot of operators aren’t sure when to intervene and make adjustments to the material feed sensors. This directly results in inconsistent outcomes, variable depths and noticeable mat texture differences. Here, we’ll get a proper understanding of what to do, when to do it and how to do it for confidence in the paving process.

ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN GOOD LEVELS

Establishing and maintaining a suitable amount of material in front of the entire screed (including the extensions) is in my view the sin-

gle most important skill set required to build high quality, smooth asphalt mats consistently. The head of material directly impacts the screed’s behavior, your ability to control it, and everything that passes beneath the screed plate.

I routinely refer to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ “Hot-Mix Asphalt Paving” handbook published in 2000, AC 150/5370-14A Appendix 1. It reinforces the importance of managing the head of material. This excellent reference states that approximately 90% of all mat defects can be traced back to both an unmanaged head of material and poor screed set up.

Frequently I observe people who either don’t appreciate the importance of this paving fundamental or don’t consider the downstream negative effects an uncontrolled head of material invariably leads to. Being that it is such an important procedure to both understand and master, I think it’s timely to have a bit of a refresher on it.

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We want to train workers not to over-adjust with the depth crank. You’ll travel forward a full length of the paver before you see changes made here, so the screed operator needs to have patience and trust the settings.

YOU CAN FIT ALL THE AUTOMATION YOU WANT TO CONTROL THE THICKNESS, SLOPE OR GRADE, BUT IT WILL NOT BE CONSISTENT IF THE FEED ISN’T CONSISTENT.

SCREED INFLUENCES

There are several forces acting upon the screed which influence its behavior and the resulting mat quality and texture. Some of these things we may not have too much control over, such as weather, trucking delays, mix temperature and the existing grade, but the head of material is absolutely within our control, and it is the screed operator’s responsibility to manage this process.

If your head of material is both erratic and variable, this directly alters one of the primary forces acting on the screed. We need to manage that. Failure to do so will lead to inconsistent mat texture and thickness, and creates a lot of avoidable quality issues.

You can fit all the automation you want to control the thickness, slope or grade, but it will not be consistent if the feed isn’t consistent.

For some reason, I often observe people uncertain about what to do on this matter, and it appears on occasion they think because the paver has sonic auger feed sensors installed it should control the feed automatically by itself. But it doesn’t work like that.

Every time you extend or retract the extender(s), increase or decrease paving speed or alter the auger height, this fundamentally alters the view the sonic feed sensors have. In other words, if you have done a great job establishing a consistent head of material

(about halfway up the auger shafts along the full length of the screed) but then something changes, you must also make adjustments to the feed sensors to accommodate those new circumstances. You must readjust the sensor.

Remember, the sonic feed sensor needs to be pointed at a 90-degree angle to the pile of fresh asphalt being augered out. When the screed extenders are shifted in or out, it often results in a change to the sensor angle. You need to adjust it and refocus how it sees the head of material. If the original circumstances it was set up for change, its setting must change, too.

I find using something like an 18-inch-long object such as a straight edge or retractable tape measure can help to indicate that the sensor is angled correctly. Place it next to the auger sensor tube so you can see how it’s aimed.

Once you start pushing the extenders out more than about 50% of their travel (typically 19 inches with an 8-foot screed), it is important to mount both tunnel guards (or hydraulically extend them out if you have this feature) and install at least 16 inches of bolt-on auger extension to allow you to confine the head of material and to properly auger the material out to the endgates without overloading the center. You ideally want to aim for a distance of 16-18 inches from the ends of the auger shaft and tunnel guards to the endgate. Don’t have it too close to the endgate, though; it needs a bit of room to work properly and steadily. If it’s too close, it’ll be typically running on-off instead of a nice, consistent and steady speed like 20-40 revolutions per minute (rpm).

WIDTH VS SPEED

Trying to pave too wide without installing mainframe and auger extensions usually overloads the head of material in the center of the machine, and you will see it rocking the tractor side to side, behaving more like a boring machine than a paver. Don’t allow that to happen. Having

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far more material in front of the screed creates multiple problems and typically results in:

• an excessively large pile of material that puts a lot of unwanted and undesirable forces on the screed. Often too much material will tend to make the screed rise because there is a lot more resistance acting on the screed than it both requires and should have. It also creates a steep-sided pile of excess material that will segregate because it’s not confined or contained in a tunnel.

• excess mix. If you are doing a lot of short pulls like 100-foot-long runs in a car park or commercial job, you are going to have a lot of excess mix to pick up at the end of each pass.

• material segregation. If you are paving longer runs, a lot of that excess head of material will basically stagnate in front of the extenders and not be consumed, nor will it pass under the screed. That’s a bad idea and it’s not going to do anything good for your mat, quality-wise.

• stress on the components. Consider the enormous and unnecessary stress and load a larger than required head of material also directly puts on the tractor, screed and material handling system; fuel burn goes way up, as does wear and tear on the augers and the extender bushes.

• loss of traction. If you are trying to drag a lot more material than the screed actually needs to float properly on a soft or marginal base, often this can cause the tractor to spin out or lose traction; particularly on a wheel paver or when paving up a steep grade or on wet tack.

The screed is a precision tool and feeding a consistent amount of material to it is paramount to success. When the surface to be paved has dips or poorly milled areas, the screed operator has to make adjustments to the material feed. In this picture, you can see how the paver is being used to pre-level or shape-correct an area that was too far out of spec to correct in one lift. In this instance, the lefthand side of the screed is dragging to zero on the existing grade. This will harm the screed and cause problems for precision paving in the future. Dragging the screed plates on the grade is not good.

If you are not confident or familiar with how to adjust the position of your auger feed sensors on the fly, the best idea is to practice. Say you have a wet day and you’re in the yard cleaning the paver. Request from your manager if you and the crew can use it as a training day and run fine crusher material through the paver and practice. You can also use this as an opportunity to hone the entire crew’s capabilities on running the screed so you have some additional members of your team who get to understand how the screed behaves and reacts. Cross training is very beneficial.

QUICK TIP!

The material you use for “training day” should be fine crusher material such as <7mm or ¼-inch nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) dust to prevent extra wear and tear to the paver. You want to avoid running something like a 2-inch NMAS basecourse or gravel through the paver for this extra training as this leads to accelerated wear on the feeder components.

There is further excellent related training material and courses to complement and enhance this subject with AsphaltPro Magazine’s Asphalt Paving 101 resources with John Ball III, as well as Caterpillar’s Paving by the Numbers with Todd Mansell.

The reason why I consider it so important to discuss the issue of managing the head of material is because it’s arguably the primary factor in determining a consistent, quality outcome. And it’s completely within every screed operator’s ability to control.

Benjamin Everett is the owner of About Asphalt Ltd., and has worked in the asphalt industry for nearly four decades. For more information, contact him at bjeverett@aboutasphalt.co.

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PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE

Municipality Uses Sweepers In Maintenance

BY SARAH LARSON

Maplewood, Minnesota, is a suburb of St. Paul. With harsh winters and bustling changes among the seasons, street cleaning is a priority part of pavement maintenance to keep the town of about 40,000 residents looking idyllic and improve stormwater quality.

The municipality’s street cleaning program includes two rounds in the spring, cleaning after major storms in the summer, prepping for patching, cleaning up from milling prior to spot paving and cleaning through the fall beginning in mid-October and lasting as long as the weather permits.

Troy Brink is the streets and storm superintendent for Maplewood Public Works. He has been with the city for 24 years. Joe Sheeran is the communications manager for Maplewood.

The pair noted the necessity of street cleanings throughout the year with spring and fall being key timeframes.

“Sand and sediment build over the course of the winter,” Sheeran said. “Spring and early summer are key times to get that cleared before that material reaches storm sewers and goes to waterways. We’re proactive.”

To keep Maplewood’s streets clean, the city employs 10 people including eight maintenance workers and two crew chiefs. They use the Elgin Pelican, which is a three-wheel mechanical sweeper designed to provide high maneuverability and visibility.

One of Maplewood’s sweeper operators has been sweeping for more than 40 years. Doug Edge swept the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, which consistently ranks among the top in attendance, when he was a kid, and now he works for Maplewood. Edge’s grandfather is believed to have received the very first Elgin sweeper in Minnesota. Since selecting Elgin, Maplewood hasn’t ventured away in sweeper choice.

“The sweepers have come a long way as far as comfort for operators,” Brink said. “The one button that drops all the brooms is nice. The guys like the greaseless pins and the remote hoses for grease points. It makes it easier to grease.”

Now Edge’s nephews, who work at Mike McPhillips Sweeping Inc., are also helping on Maplewood’s sweepers for upkeep. As a family business serving contractors and municipalities in Minnesota and Wisconsin, Mike McPhillips Sweeping Inc. has been in the sweeping industry for 80 years. Edge’s uncle runs the business.

Despite the history and operator family connections, Brink noted that the reliability of the Elgin is what keeps them coming back.

“I would say it’s reliable,” said Brink. “I don’t see us going away from the Pelican. I don’t think there is one that compares to cleaning leaves off streets.”

Brink noted that the fall season is the busiest.

“We try to keep up with the leaves. Late leaf drops are tough because we’re not able to get as many up,” said Brink. “We use two Elgin Pelicans and have them leapfrog one another. We do a curb line pass with each sweeper, and once one is full, the other is ready.”

With more than 150 miles of streets to clean, Sheeran and Brink pointed out that street cleaning is far more than looks.

“It helps us improve stormwater quality by getting the sediment and leaves cleaned up before it can reach lakes and streams,” said Brink. “We used to use sand in the winter time and now we use straight salt, so there is not as much sediment as when sand was used.”

Mike McPhillips Sweeping Inc. is a family business that’s been serving contractors and municipalities in Minnesota and Wisconsin for 80 years.

The city of Maplewood employs 10 people including eight maintenance workers and two crew chiefs. They use the Elgin Pelican.

COMPACTION INTELLIGENT

M ANAGER

ASPHALT 2

3 Amplitude Options at the Touch of a Button

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Reduce Passes by up to 40% without losing Mat Quality

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For Truly Intelligent Compaction look to BOMAG Heavy Tandem Rollers and BOMAG advanced compaction technologies like ASPHALT MANAGER 2, TanGO and BOMAP. BOMAG technologies not only improve finish quality but also reduce the number of passes needed and increase your compaction efficiency across the board. Even a novice operator can get professional level results with BOMAG! Contact your local BOMAG Dealer today to learn more. www.bomag.com

Colorado’s WofA Branch Expands Training

BY SANDY LENDER

When the Women of Asphalt Colorado (WofA CO) branch officers wished to lead and inspire through education, they not only developed a training program for women and men in the state, they found a way to make this training available free of charge and within the women’s unique schedules. The conversation started in 2021 and by 2022, the training committee had developed its training academy with four full-day sessions for students to attend. Now, the program includes five full-day sessions that culminate in one of two certifications for students.

TRAINING PROGRAM HISTORY

Tammera Buck is an officer of the WofA CO branch and introduced the training academy as the brainchild of Nicola Upright. Upright is a founding member of the branch and a construction manager at RockSol Consulting Group, Inc., (RockSol) Loveland, Colorado. Both of these women participate in the training committee and spoke highly of the curriculum their instructor, Andrew Hieber, has assembled.

“The WofA CO Training Academy was the brainchild of Nicki,” Buck said. “Andy is our instructor and chairperson of the training committee. He has done a fantastic job of creating the curriculum for the sessions.”

“The training academy has been around for four years now, and we try to focus on knowledge that will help the ladies (and gentlemen) in their jobs or better their careers,” Upright said. “Andy is a wonderful instructor, and we are lucky to have him.”

Hieber wears a number of hats. During the paving season, he is the fulltime construction

Instructor Andrew Hieber leads a class in laboratory essentials as part of the Women of Asphalt Colorado branch’s successful training academy. Photo courtesy of WofA CO

The training academy includes topics from the ground up. Topics take students into the field as well as the classroom to learn the basics of project planning and preparing projects right down to drainage systems and structures.

manager II for RockSol, where he started in 2014. In this position, he oversees the Northern Colorado materials technicians, including training for certification, day-to-day activities, lab management and materials finals for Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Since 2021, he has served as an adjunct professor at Colorado State University. “This past spring I started full time as an instructor for the College of Construction Management, so I am now primarily a professor at CSU,” he explained.

Those hats make him uniquely qualified to serve as the training academy chair and instructor.

“Nicki Upright came to me as I was finishing my masters (2020-2021) while on a project with her and asked how I would create a way to empower and strengthen women in our industry,” Hieber explained. “And through conversations we came up with the idea of a training academy. Then she asked me to create what those topics would look like. I sat down and reviewed the classes that I had taken in construction management both undergrad and graduate, looked at what field experience would benefit, and the best workers core values. Again, through conversations with Nicki and her experience we tweaked and played around with topics and ideas. Then at the very end, she said, ‘Great, now teach it for me.’”

Not only did the committee take all the training concepts into consideration, but they also thought about timing for the particular audience they’d be teaching. Hieber shared, “We started our first year in 2022, with just four sessions trying to strategically place them during times where families weren’t on vacation and kids were still in school to try and maximize our outreach of ladies in the industry or interested in the industry.”

Those first four topics in 2022 didn’t include certification but did include quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) and quality control/owner acceptance (QC/OA) training and Colorado Asphalt Paving Association (CAPA) lab training. As future sets of sessions would do, that first year included a site visit with an asphalt plant and equipment tour. The sessions also offered information on career paths; the basics of project planning and preparing projects right down to drainage systems and structures and surface preparation; finance; project phasing and delivery; environmental management; and more.

In preparation for 2022, Hieber wanted to partner with CAPA to allow him to train and

sign off on the experience needed to certify a session in LabCAT Level A, which is laydown-specific.

“Why I chose Level A is because it is a great starting point in the asphalt world for Colorado.” It qualifies anyone with the certification for the following:

• Sampling of Aggregates

• Sampling of Asphalt

• Density of Asphalt

• Ability to get Level I or Asphalt Paving Materials Inspector Certification

The committee wanted to accomplish this with no cost to the attendees. “That year we had a golf tournament, so the majority of those proceeds go to the training academy

WOMEN OF ASPHALT

PRESENT DAY

In preparation for 2025’s training season, Hieber proposed something new again. He suggested the training academy offer Level 1—the Asphalt Pavement Materials Inspector Certification—every other year. This would allow attendees who had achieved their Level A certification one year to achieve the next level of certification the next year, thus providing continuing value for returning trainees.

“This idea turned into why not do both?” he said. “Our golf tournament and wonderful sponsors had been doing so well that we had the funds to offer both certifications with no cost to the attendees. So, we kept the idea of being more specific with our training topics and now offering both certifications.”

They expanded to a five-session format in 2025. And here’s what that looked like this year.

Topics 2025:

• Session 1, held May 17, at the CAPA offices in Centennial: Binder Selection, Mix Design Review 2.0

• Session 2, held June 21, at the CAPA offices: Quantity Takeoff & Estimating, Emerging Technologies

• Session 3, held Aug. 23, at the CAPA offices: LabCAT Level A Training

• Session 4, held Sept. 20, at the CAPA offices: Level A Certification

• Session 5, Oct. 18, at the CAPA offices:

Asphalt Paving Materials Inspector Certification

“In the past few years, we have only offered the Level A or the Inspector certification,” Upright confirmed. “This year, we are offering both. All the certifications are paid for through the Women of Asphalt Colorado organization. We hold a golf tournament every year to help pay for all the training. We do offer lunch as well on the days of training to those in attendance.”

IMPACTING ASPHALT CAREERS

for lunches, and now the cost of the certification as well,” he said.

In 2023, the training academy held four sessions again. One session focused on topics geared toward making attendees better employees or better applicants in the industry. One session took attendees out in the field. Then two sessions were focused on the

Level A certification. “We certified seven ladies that year in Level A,” Hieber shared.

“In 2024, we wanted to be more specific with our training topic to provide a better understanding and decided to focus on asphalt binder selection and mix design,” he said. “We certified seven ladies again that year in Level A.”

Currently, the training academy is reaching women and men from all areas of the asphalt industry in Colorado.

“I would say on average we have anywhere from 10-15 attendees per session sign up,” Hieber said. “Maximum we have had is 20+ during a plant tour. We can have a maximum of 25-ish right now, but I am always more than happy to take more.”

As future sets of sessions would do, the first year included a site visit with an asphalt plant and equipment tour.

Gina Fox, a resident engineer at CDOT is one of the attendees who has found the program beneficial. “The Women of Asphalt CO Training Academy offered me assistance in comprehending the construction documentation that I was required to review and approve as a newly appointed resident engineer with the state. Before attending these training sessions, I was engaging with reading materials and making inquiries; however, the trainings presented practical scenarios and facilitated direct interactions with experienced professionals. These training sessions have enhanced my confidence and expanded my knowledge in this area.”

“I have attended several training classes, not as a student but as a WofA CO officer to show support,” Buck said. “I can say that what I witnessed was great and impactful on the students. Andy is a phenomenal instructor and engages the students with his knowledge and humor. The students feel comfortable to ask questions and be interactive. I’ve had several past students tell me how valuable the training has been to them in their careers, and obtaining a certification at no cost to them or their employers is a huge bonus.”

The ability to ask questions in a comfortable environment has extended to guests. In an example that showcased the program’s flexibility for its target audience, Hieber shared one of the rewarding moments for him as an instructor. When one of the attendees for a session ran into a scheduling problem, it turned out to be a great opportunity for everyone in the room. “One attendee asked if they could bring their daughter to a session because they did not have a sitter and we said absolutely,” Hieber shared. “Some of the best questions from that session came from her daughter.”

Other rewarding moments of the training program for Hieber so far have included the outcomes and the opportunities. “Certifying these ladies, to watch them study and prepare for the written and practical aspects of it and to succeed and see the fire and passion in their eyes of ‘hey, I can do this,’” has been a bonus for Hieber. He also mentioned “the network we have created and continued to grow where it isn’t just women but men too. [Men] have a responsibility to make this a welcome and inviting industry and to see everyone come together is amazing to see throughout the year.”

THE FUTURE

“It has been amazing to see the progression of the training academy and all of the support from the industry here in Colorado for what we are doing,” Hieber said. While he doesn’t know yet what ideas will be stoked for future years, he said, “I just know it will be better than the year before!”

“Each year the training is a little different at the beginning of the year,” Upright said. “We are hoping to add in a day of training on the Western Slope this coming year for the ladies that can’t make it to Denver. I would also like to get some soft skills like leadership and managing into the academy as well. It is always a work in progress.”

Kenco Engineering, Inc

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International Collaboration

BY MARY LEE SHALVOY

CM Labs, Montreal, Quebec, recently hosted AEM Day at its headquarters, welcoming industry professionals and representatives from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) for an afternoon dedicated to engaging in insightful dialogue regarding innovation, strategic collaboration and future-focused initiatives.

“Bringing AEM members together at our Montreal headquarters allowed us to strengthen connections and exchange ideas that matter to our industry,” said Lisa Barbieri, CM Labs Vice President of Marketing & Strategic Partnerships. “It was a privilege to help create a space where meaningful conversations could take place around workforce development, policy and innovation.”

AEM’s Senior Advisor of Global Public Policy Alex Russ and Jean-Michel Laurin of Tactix Government Relations and Public Affairs provided a detailed look at AEM’s advocacy efforts. Their presentation addressed evolving government policy in Canada, emphasizing how trade relations and public infrastructure priorities affect member businesses.

Kody Blois, MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, also joined virtually to discuss policy priorities of the current

Canadian federal government and engage directly with attendees during a live Q&A session.

Attendees then participated in a roundtable discussion focused on key challenges and opportunities facing the industry in 2025 and beyond, including workforce recruitment, sustainability, infrastructure development, and cross-border collaboration.

After the discussions, attendees had the opportunity to visit the state-of-the-art Sim Yard, CM Labs’ hands-on proving ground, where guests explored the full suite of training simulators and witnessed firsthand how innovation is shaping the future of heavy equipment operations.

“These events are a great opportunity for members to connect with each other and connect with the resources and insights they need to make the most out of their AEM membership,” said AEM Account Success Advisor Sara Stromski. “We appreciate CM Labs for hosting one of these valuable events, as we continue to build momentum in the Canadian manufacturing space.”

Mary Lee Shalvoy is the Director of Communications & Content for CM Labs Simulations, Inc.

Both

DWELL ON HEAT EFFICIENCY

PBY SANDY LENDER

Properly heating asphalt and preparing food have more in common than you might think. Since I began reporting on the asphalt industry in 1998, I’ve embraced our penchant for using food analogies. Designing a mix is like baking a cake. Pneumatic-tire compaction action is like kneading dough. More recently, Travis Mick, vice president of CWMF Corp., Waite Park, Minnesota, used another cooking example for today’s heating discussion.

“If you cook a pizza in the oven per the instructions for 15 minutes at 425 degrees, it comes out properly cooked,” Mick said. “Alternately, if you cook the same pizza in the oven for 10 minutes at 525 degrees, the outside may get done or even burnt, but the center of the pizza could still be cold.”

This relates directly to our topic of dwell time. As Carlos O. Cardenas, the Midwest area sales manager for Ammann America Inc., Orlando, suggested, “Too much retention time can overheat your mix, increase fuel usage and age the binder unnecessarily. Too little, and the materials may exit the drum under-dried or uncoated. The real

value lies in the ability of the operator or control system to adjust and balance that time to fit each job’s demands.”

We see the analogy relates directly to the removal of internal and external moisture. Greg Renegar, the vice president of customer success for Astec Industries, Chattanooga, shared, “The primary reason to change the residence time of aggregate in a rotary dryer is to enhance heat transfer.”

Renegar included education about the entrained moisture concept in his “What An Aggregate Dryer Does” presentation, sharing that internal moisture trapped in the coated aggregate not only affects mix temperature, but also affects storability, or the absorption of binder while mix rests in the silo. Producers want to remove internal moisture before liquid binder is introduced to the process, and that may require taking a look at retention times.

“Another reason to make the aggregate spend more time in the dryer is moisture removal,” Renegar said. “External aggregate moisture is easy to remove, but internal moisture removal takes time. Time is

Hervé Riche, the business development manager for ADM/FAYAT Group, Huntertown, Indiana, shared, “Changing flight arrangement can be one of the most cost-effective and impactful upgrades for increasing dwell time and improving efficiency.”

photos courtesy of ADM/FAYAT Group

required for the heat to soak into the aggregate and drive the internal moisture out.”

Hervé Riche, the business development manager for ADM/FAYAT Group, Huntertown, Indiana, shared, “When it comes to asphalt production, increasing dwell time in the dryer drum mixer plays a crucial role in ensuring the mix is both high quality and road-ready.”

Riche listed thorough drying of aggregates, better heat transfer, improved coating efficiency, consistent mix quality and consumption control as benefits of lengthening dwell time. He explained, “Especially for high-spec pavements (like airport runways or highways), consistency is everything. Extra time allows for better homogenization of aggregates, additives and bitumen. Oddly enough, a well-optimized dwell time can actually reduce consumption, by giving the lowest exhaust gas temperature but keeping [gas temperatures] high enough to be above the dew point in the gas ductwork.”

“As the asphalt industry advances, the heat transfer and coating challenges of different mix designs and technologies make understanding the fundamentals of heat transfer and coating an important topic,” Renegar said.

Multiple sources agreed increasing the time materials spend in the dryer drum can increase efficiency—but you must do it right. Most asphalt applications depend upon time and temperature, so let’s dive into the effects of time and temperature on mix quality.

THE RIGHT RETENTION

“In asphalt production, retention time refers to how long aggregate and other materials such as recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and filler spend inside the dryer drum,” Cardenas said. “And getting that timing right is critical. While it’s common to focus on increasing retention time to improve drying or coating, there are also times when decreasing it can benefit plant performance.”

He emphasized controlled flexibility and defined that as the ability to “tune” retention time up or down depending on the material, production rate and environmental conditions.

“In my opinion, dwell time has always been critical for mix quality,” said Mike Mauzy of Reliable Asphalt Products Inc., Shelbyville, Kentucky. “I believe, like so many other areas of improvement over the years, it has been a learning process. RAP, and specifically higher RAP percentages, have highlighted the issue of poorly performing pavements. ‘Stiff mix’ has been an issue with RAP mixes.”

Mick listed additional benefits of increasing dwell time for producers, showing that increasing the dwell time, thus efficiency, offers fewer British thermal units (BTUs) per ton. “It allows the opportunity for optimal heat transfer from the burner into the materials,” Mick said. “It allows more time for virgin and RAP materials to comingle, optimizing heat transfer and potentially reducing excessive fuel energy from the burner. You get better moisture removal in the RAP with longer dwell times. Additional dwell time allows aged RAP binder to activate and blend with the new binder. And you get reduced emissions with reduced BTUs.”

Steve Elam of Stansteel Hotmix Parts & Service, Louisville, Kentucky, shared: “An effective dwell time is not simply about how long material remains in the drum, but how efficiently that time is used to transfer heat, remove moisture and achieve uniform mixing. Optimal lifter flight design creates a consistent veiling pattern for maximum heat transfer, while in counterflow drums and dryers, maintaining adequate exhaust temperatures above dew point is critical to protect the baghouse.”

Elam continued, “Dwell time should be considered in two parts: material exposure in the drying/heating zone (which includes the com-

bustion zone), where efficient and consistent veiling is key; and the mixing zone, where longer duration improves coating, blending and allows for higher recycle content. Ultimately, dryer drum performance depends on balancing residence time with flight design, temperature and exit gas control, and mixing strategies to produce high-quality, homogenous output. When we maintain focus on the quality of the final hot-mix product, we may work backwards through the existing equipment of any individual asphalt plant and determine what is required to achieve this outcome, including critical dwell times.”

HOW TO RETAIN FOR PROFIT & QUALITY

After considering the reasons for lengthening mix dwell time, producers may wonder how to effect this change at the plant. It’s not as simple as slowing down the drum’s rotation and expecting everything to magically blend more perfectly. Depending on your flight pattern, slowing the drum’s rotation may cause a failure of material to veil properly, resulting in uneven heat distribution.

Mick shared that changing the dwell time on an existing application will have an impact on load in the drum. “This could result in high amps on the drive motors, which could impact starting the drum up from a hot stop.” Mick recommended recording data before and after any changes.

“This can also affect your AC inject timing,” Mick shared. He suggested, if an additional load in the drum causes material to leak or backfill out of the inlet, you may need to make tweaks to the flighting.

A FLIGHTING DISCUSSION

“Flight design has played a large part in retaining aggregates in the drying portion of the drum,” Mauzy agreed. “Utilizing restrictor dams to hold material in longer has been a common practice. More recently, variable frequency drives have been installed on dryers as a means to control dryer rotation speed, thereby holding material in the dryer commensurate with the percentage of RAP in the mix.”

Elam elaborated on drum modifications—both inside and in alignment. “The flight configuration can be a myriad of different designs based on specific production and condition demands. Flight pattern, number and size of flights, and placement of flights inside the drum determines how aggregates are lifted and showered, which promotes even exposure to hot gases and effective energy transfer as well as impacting material throughput travel. Maintaining the correct aggregate bed depth (live load) in the drum at veiling zones is also critical; an insufficient material pool can disrupt veiling, elevate exit gas temperatures, and cause premature flight wear, especially at lower production rates.

LEARN MORE

Solve Your Retention Problem

• Do you have bottlenecks or hotspots? You may have slowed the drum without checking burner output or flight design.

• Do you have under-dried aggregate passing through to the mixing zone? You may have increased drum speed too much. Quick Tip: Monitor stack temperatures. Monitor discharge moisture content. Use these results to make small adjustments. Give the system time to respond to the adjustments before making more.

“Drum slopes and rotational speed matter,” Elam continued. “As an example, short drums with steep slopes operating at low RPM, or longer drums with shallow slopes at high RPM, may produce similar dwell times but differ in heat efficiency and wear implications.”

A spokesperson for an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the southeast, cautioned against making internal modifications to a drum without careful research and engineering, preferring a lengthened drum instead.

Mick also mentioned longer drums as an element some producers are putting into practice. “Traditional lengths are 50 feet long,” Mick said. “It is not uncommon to see 54- and 60-foot-long drums today. Changing the angle of the drum is another way to play with retention/dwell time. This is a bit easier to do on portable applications versus stationary.”

ADM/FAYAT Group’s Riche agreed the increased drum length offers more axial space for a longer material path, thus more time for drying and mixing. He shared this is best for new plant designs or major retrofits and cautions producers to watch out for the obvious cost and space constraints, but also to maintain proper heat gradients across the longer chamber.

Elam suggested, when reviewing drums for dwell times and efficiency, pay close attention to any drum shell deformations in the central combustion area. (These might be hidden by insulation.) Deformations could be mitigated by proper flame adjustment/shaping, proper combustion flight design and integrity, the use of proper materials capable of withstanding high temperatures from varying fuels, and so on. Avoid catastrophic failure in the drum by monitoring for drum shell deformation. With winter maintenance season coming on, you have the perfect opportunity to assess this vital plant component.

Ammann’s Cardenas also discussed the importance of monitoring flight patterns within the drum. “Flights control how material flows inside the drum,” he said. “Replacing or modifying worn or poorly performing flights can dramatically change retention time and heat transfer, whether you need more or less retention.”

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Particle Size vs Time

For the discussion of aggregate retention time in an asphalt plant, Greg Renegar, the vice president of customer success for Astec, Chattanooga, shared how heat transfer is influenced by the particle’s size as well as its time in the production process.

“In general, most all heat transfer depends on surface area and time,” he shared. “In the asphalt industry the aggregate surface area can vary significantly from mix to mix. The percentage of aggregate minus the No. 8 sieve (fine material) is a good indicator of relative surface area. Fine particles have much more surface area per pound than larger particles.

“Inside the dryer, the finer particles come up to a high temperature quickly by convection and radiation, and convey their extra heat to the larger particles by conduction (touching). Remove the smaller particles from the mix design and there can be significant heat transfer challenges.”

Flight design in the drying zone, or front end, of the counterflow drum will directly impact veiling. Riche stated, “Optimized veiling equals faster, more uniform drying, which allows for gentler downstream temperatures.” This is an example of the ADM EX Series Model EX10254 counterflow asphalt plant.

“Changing flight arrangement can be one of the most cost-effective and impactful upgrades for increasing dwell time and improving efficiency,” Riche agreed. “From my vantage point, the drying zone is the most advantageous section to target.”

Riche reminded producers that the drying zone, or front end, of the counterflow drum is where aggregates enter with high moisture content. “Flight design here directly impacts veiling. Optimized veiling equals faster, more uniform drying, which allows for gentler downstream temperatures. Upgrading to ‘high-lift’ or ‘shower-type’ flights here can vastly improve heat exchange, reducing required peak temps and enabling more control over residence time.”

Veiling = the cascading curtain of material that maximizes surface area for heat transfer

“Every showering flight design requires some fill level of aggregate to ‘sprinkle’ or shower the aggregate through the hot burner gases,” Astec’s Renegar said. “If the aggregate is not showered uniformly across the cross-sectional area of the drum, some of the hot gases will escape the drum without giving up enough of their heat. This energy (heat) that bypasses the aggregate becomes wasted energy as it exits the fan stack into the atmosphere. It is also possible for some of the aggregate to retain moisture if this occurs.

“Getting the right level of aggregate in the drum showering flights sometimes requires increasing or decreasing the residence time (or level) of the material in the drum,” Renegar continued. “This can be

done by adding or removing showering flights, advancing or slowing down the aggregate by other mechanical means (easy), changing the slope of the dryer (difficult), increasing the length of the drum (rarely an option), or using variable frequency drive (VFD) technology to change the rotational speed of the dryer (best).”

“Using a VFD to control drum speed gives you real-time flexibility,” Cardenas agreed. “Slow it down to increase retention time for wet materials or RAP-heavy mixes. Speed it up for drier aggregates or when running warm mix...But if you’re over-drying, you may benefit from smoother, faster-release flight designs. Combined with a variable speed drum, the right flight design can provide for the best control of material retention.”

Over-drying = adding unnecessary heat to the aggregate that does not add value to the mix

Another area where a producer might consider altering flighting is the combustion zone, and Riche offered some cautions about this. “This zone is where the burner flame directly interacts with incoming aggregates (in a counterflow setup), and it’s critical for initial moisture removal and heat transfer,” Riche said. “But it’s also where things can go very wrong if not managed properly, especially when playing with dwell time. It’s risky to tinker too much here because lots of times, the combustion zone length is minimized, but it is a critical choice. This area with a high density of energy and highest temperature spot needs to be properly designed to give enough space for a proper combustion on the whole range of burner capacity.”

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Variables

The team at Ammann shared, “Controlling the rotational speed of the drum in a drum mix asphalt plant is a critical feature that offers significant value in terms of mix quality, efficiency, fuel economy and operational flexibility.” Because a slower drum speed increases the residence time of materials inside the drum, it allows better coating of aggregates. Conversely, a faster drum speed reduces the residence time of materials inside the drum, offering higher production rates and production of lighter mixes. The result, according to Ammann’s Carlos A. Cardenas, is precise speed control ensuring optimum mixing. This helps the producer get a more uniform and consistent asphalt mix.

When the mix design calls for a variable, the producer must also vary the rotational speed of the drum. Cardenas shared:

• When Using RAP: A longer retention time is typically needed to allow proper heating of RAP without direct flame contact. But too much retention can lead to blue smoke and binder oxidation.

• For Warm Mix: Reduced retention time often works better, especially when chemical or foamed additives reduce binder viscosity and required coating temperatures.

• Fine Aggregates: These heat faster than coarse material. Consider reducing retention time when running mixes with a higher fines content.

He suggested if the combustion chamber design is too small for the burner size, equipment could be damaged, emissions could be heightened or other problems with efficiency could arise quickly. But he offered some smart ways to optimize the combustion zone without overexposure:

• Tune burner settings, adjusting flame shape, length and position to avoid direct flame impingement on aggregates while delivering high radiant heat;

• Refine flight design in the combustion zone; and

• Segregate mixing from combustion and if you’re increasing dwell time elsewhere, ensure the liquid AC is introduced far downstream from the combustion zone.

“While the combustion zone isn’t the primary level for extending dwell time, optimizing it ensures that any downstream gains aren’t undone by scorching material too soon,” Riche said.

Stack temperatures and emissions are early indicators of combustion zone misbehavior. A sudden rise in either could indicate over-drying or incomplete combustion.

An area where a producer can often slow the forward progress slightly, giving binder more time to coat without increasing exposure to flame or oxidation, is the coating/mixing zone downstream. “While not the best target for increasing dwell time per se, the coating zone is still worth attention,” Riche said. “Installing paddle-style or scoop-type flights helps with thorough mixing of bitumen and additives, preventing segregation.”

CRAFT A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

Riche suggested the plant operator is engaged in the fine art of mix craftsmanship. While dwell time is important, the temperature is vital to monitor.

“Longer dwell time only benefits the mix if temperature is properly controlled,” Riche shared. “Avoid the overheating conditions trap: overheat will cause binder oxidation.”

Renegar spoke to this craftsmanship in detail. “Every asphalt plant has a section or external device that coats the hot, dry aggregate with liquid asphalt. If the time of passage is too short, insufficient coating of the aggregate can occur. On the other hand, excessive time can theoretically oxidize the mix. The optimum situation is to make adjustments that provide sufficient coating in the minimal amount of time.

“A little-known fact is that the ‘quality’ of mix improves with time in a storage silo,” Renegar continued. “While in the silo in contact with each other, the aggregate particles, large and small, come to the same internal and external temperature, and the film of asphalt equalizes on all particles. Yes, some oxidation occurs with the air in the voids, but that will happen regardless. The most important thing to remember when storing mix is to make the mix at as low a temperature as possible.

“Oxidation of HMA is linear with time, but exponential with temperature, so if one is concerned about oxidation, managing the mix temperature will have a much greater effect than changing the mixing time by a few seconds. That is one reason warm mix is so advantageous; the oxidation reaction slows down significantly. This is good whether the WMA goes from the plant straight to the road, or if it is stored in a silo.”

Oxidation = hardening of the binder in HMA

As discussed in the August issue’s “Avoid Explosions and Oxidation when Preheating RAP,” adding RAP adds complexity. Cardenas said: “Imagine you’re running a high-RAP mix. You might need more residence time to ensure proper blending and to bring the RAP up to temperature. Reducing the drum speed helps accomplish this without needing to oversize the burner or intensely overheat the virgin materials.

“The optimal drum speed is a balance that ensures enough time to dry and mix materials thoroughly, efficient use of fuel and burner energy, allows for proper handling of recycled materials (like RAP), and has minimal wear and environmental impact,” Cardenas continued. “Having too little or too much drum speed can have different effects on production. Finding the right speed is crucial for the best performance.”

Cardenas reminded producers, “The most common mistake is making drum speed changes without adjusting the rest of the system. For example, slowing the drum without considering burner output or flight action can create bottlenecks or hotspots. Speeding it up too much can allow under-dried aggregate to pass through to the mixing zone.” You guard against this by monitoring stack temperatures and the discharge moisture content. “Make small adjustments and give the system time to respond.”

Reliable Asphalt Products’ Mauzy said, “Even more recently, I believe the industry is understanding the benefit of longer dwell time for mixing the RAP and virgin aggregates prior to injecting liquid asphalt. In most conventional counterflow drum mixers, there is very little time between the RAP inlet to liquid injection. Two issues regularly surface. One, the RAP is not completely dry prior to coating the mix with liquid AC, which traps moisture in the mix. Two, the RAP AC and virgin liquid AC are less likely to mix at the differing viscosity. Several producers have figured out that increasing aggregate dwell time by utilizing flight modification, aggregate dams and dryer VFDs has resulted in better quality.”

One of the challenges Mauzy has seen and wanted to warn against is neglecting to achieve proper mix quality with dry enough or hot enough RAP when favoring a higher production rate.

CWMF’s Mick reminded producers that location affects the timing and temperature, too. “Efficiency equals profitability,” Mick said. “Your baghouse exhaust stack temperature is the measuring stick of efficiency. The closer you can keep this temperature to 212 degrees, the better. Given the multitude of mix designs, specifically at stationary plants, a VFD is a fantastic way to adjust dwell times and temperatures to achieve optimal efficiency. Plant results vary from one geographical location to the next. Achieving optimal efficiency takes some trial and error.” He recommended producers take the time to experiment to bring all the elements together.

“In the real hot-mix world, no asphalt plant operates at a single production rate (TPH), fixed moisture content, constant recycle usage percentage and single mix design,” Elam said. “Production demands fluctuate, materials vary and production requirements change daily. That’s why designing for flexibility and performance is not just preferred—it’s essential.”

Ultimately, you’re mixing a specific measure of time, heat, motion and material inputs. The best plant operators treat that process like a MICHELIN-star restaurant recipe with each ingredient (flights, valves, burner, controls, slope and speed of the drum) blending in harmony.

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Blast From the Past to Today’s Times

Last century, getting retention time dialed in was prescriptive. The team at Stansteel Hotmix Parts & Service, Louisville, Kentucky shared this lesson.

“Looking at a throwback on batch plants, which were 100% of the plant population in the United States for a while, it was much easier. Either the contractor or the specifying agency said that the batch cycle time would be split into mixing the dry batch in the pugmill and then mixing the wet batch. They might have a short few seconds of dry mix time and then maybe a total batch mix in the pugmill of 60 seconds...That principle was that it took time and rotations of the pugmill mixer to thoroughly coat all of the different aggregate particle sizes, sand, mineral filler, etc., in order to have a good mix before being dumped in the truck going to the job site.”

Fast forward to today. With the variety of continuous drum mix plants available in 2025, it’s difficult to put a rubber stamp on what optimum retention or mix time should be.

“Also, there’s been a movement in many states to go to end result specifications and, in that, [the producer] can basically do anything with the aggregate, solid materials and liquid asphalt as long as it is mixed properly and has in-place compaction density on the road.

“When it comes to continuous mixers, since the designs vary so widely, there’s no question that there is more dwell time required to get all the materials heated, dried, coated and mixed thoroughly.”

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Resources for More Information

The original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who responded to questions for this article took time to share their expertise with the readers of AsphaltPro and provided excellent information. To address additional questions you might have, reach out to them, or your specific OEM, directly.

ADM/FAYAT

Hervé Riche • h.riche@mixingplants.fayat.com

Ammann Americas

Carlos O. Cardenas • Carlos.Cardenas@ammann.com

Astec Industries

Greg Renegar • Grenegar@astecindustries.com

CWMF Corp.

Travis Mick • Travis@cwmfcorp.com

Reliable Asphalt Products

Mike Mauzy • M.Mauzy@ReliableAsphalt.com

Stansteel Hotmix Parts & Service

Steve Elam • SElam@hotmixparts.com

RAISING THE STANDARD

Since its introduction, the Weiler P385 has set the standard for commercial pavers. The P385C raises that standard.

Increase to 120 hp with the Cat® C3.6 Tier 4F/Stage V engine.

Variable speed and reversible conveyors and augers and a 25% increase in tunnel height provide optimal material output.

Modular conveyor drive and sealed chain case increase feeder system reliability and life.

Enhanced heat system performance with direct-drive hydraulic generator and elimination of GFCI breakers.

FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE

Make Plans for Plant Maintenance this Winter

BY MICHAEL PETRIE

Editor’s Note: The Focus on Performance series from AsphaltPro Magazine allows OEMs and service providers to highlight professionals in the industry who have improved efficiencies and the bottom line through best practices and performance. This month’s installment from Motion Engineering, Inc., focuses on plant maintenance strategies during the off season.

WWhen the last ton of mix goes out the gate for the paving season, it’s tempting to close shop and call it a season well done. But for the forward-thinking asphalt producer, winter isn’t downtime. It’s go-time for planning, inspecting and maintaining the critical equipment that keeps production rolling the other nine months of the year. Asphalt plants are complex systems of mechanical, electrical and combustion equipment—each with their own wear patterns, failure points and maintenance needs.

Many of the failures we see in peak season—burner malfunctions, seized valves, worn-out drag slats, failed sensors—are entirely preventable. The culprit is often deferred maintenance and a lack of thorough winter inspections.

When you fail to inspect and maintain during the off-season, you’re rolling the dice on everything from your drum bearings and flighting to your silo gates and burner systems. In most cases, early detection means a simple repair; ignored, it becomes a catastrophic failure.

Winter is the perfect storm for hidden damage as moisture intrusion causes rust and electrical issues. Also, thermal cycling can cause stress cracks and reduce the strength of welds. As with all mechanical equipment, periods of inactivity can result in seizing, corrosion or undetected mechanical failure.

At Motion Engineering, Inc., we’ve been in the guts of hundreds of plants, and we’ve seen what works, what breaks and what costs producers serious money. If you’re wondering what you should inspect this winter, here’s your prioritized guide, system by system, with insider tips on what to look for and how to address potential issues before they turn into operational nightmares.

DRUM/DRYER SYSTEM

I have personally seen entire drum sections separate from excessive wear and lack of proper inspection. With a new drum costing upwards of $1 million, it is critical to extend the life of your current drum by properly inspecting it and completing the necessary repairs. Here are the key areas that you should be evaluating once production stops for the season.

• Drum shell and tire wear: Look for excessive scarring, pitting or ovality. Uneven wear on tires or trunnion surfaces often indicates misalignment. It’s also important to inspect the thickness of the drum shell looking for cracks and separation.

• Flighting: Check for broken or severely worn flights that affect aggregate veil and drying efficiency. Check for worn out hardware.

• Trunnion rollers and bearings: Look for flat spots, vibration, excessive noise and leaking seals.

• Gearboxes: Check all gearboxes for oil leaks or unusual noises that may indicate failure.

• Thrust rollers: Inspect for proper positioning and contact pressure.

What to Do:

• Realign the drum if there’s abnormal wear.

• Install replacement liners if thickness testing comes back at a level reaching anything less than ¾ of the manufacturer’s original thickness.

• Replace broken or worn flighting to maintain proper drying.

• Grease and test roller bearings. If they’re noisy or have play, replace them before failure occurs.

BURNER SYSTEM

As a distributor for multiple combustion manufacturers, I have witnessed the catastrophic failures and the impact they have on producers when these systems fail at the most crucial of times. Particularly when spring hits and the first batch of mix is on the schedule, the last thing you need is a burner malfunction.

Just this past spring, I had a customer that waited until their first job to fire up their burner only to realize the control system was having intermittent failure that would not allow them to run. This cost them unprecedented downtime and hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to diagnose and correct the problem. A simple test run earlier in the season could have prevented this from occurring.

Here are things to inspect on your test run.

• Combustion zone and flame shape: Look for evidence of soot, poor combustion or flame impingement.

• Blower motors and controls: Check the amperage draw, noise and contactor condition.

• Fuel lines and filters: Inspect for leaks, clogs or degradation.

• Ignition systems: Check spark plug condition, transformer performance and timing controls.

What to Do:

• Clean and calibrate the burner. A proper tune-up can significantly improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

• Replace any aging or cracked fuel hoses.

• Make sure all safety components are working properly: Pressure switches, safety shut-off valves, flame supervision and limit switches.

• Schedule an inspection for the fuel filtration system.

• Make sure your burner management system is functioning properly. It’s not enough just to turn it on. You need to make a test batch and ensure your burner ramps up and down properly.

“WHAT I CONTINUE TO SEE OUT IN THE FIELD IS THAT WE ARE NEARING A TIME WHEN A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PLANT OPERATORS WHO HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE ARE RETIRING.”—

MICHAEL PETRIE

ELECTRICAL AND CONTROL SYSTEMS

Any electrical or control failure at your plant is a sure guarantee of downtime at your facility. It is critical to ensure the functionality of all the equipment prior to your first scheduled job for the season. I have witnessed countless occurrences where producers have encountered electrical issues due to corrosion or water intrusion and simple weather proofing during the downtime could have prevented those issues.

Here is what I recommend inspecting and preparing for in the off season.

• Wiring and junction boxes: Look for water intrusion, corrosion and loose connections.

• Sensors and thermocouples: Test signal consistency and placement accuracy.

• Control panels and PLCs: Update software, test relays and backup settings.

What to Do:

• Replace compromised wiring and weatherproof enclosures.

• Calibrate all critical sensors.

• Perform a full system simulation before startup season.

• Have a backup CPU with your burner control program loaded.

BAGHOUSE & DUST COLLECTION

Lack of proper maintenance on dust collection systems can lead to decreased efficiency, increased operating costs as well as safety hazards for your employees. The last thing you need is for a fire to start because of lack of inspecting your baghouse bags. Clogged or damaged filters are a primary cause of environmental issues and higher energy costs.

Here is what I recommend inspecting once your team winds down production for the season.

• Filter bags: Check for holes, abrasion or oil contamination.

• Dampers and ductwork: Ensure smooth operation and check for buildup or corrosion.

• Pulse valves: Listen for consistent operation and monitor differential pressure.

What to Do:

• Replace damaged or blinded bags. Dust carryover leads to environmental issues and reduced efficiency.

• Clean ducting and realign dampers.

• Replace worn diaphragm valves for consistent pulse cleaning.

not sound. I’ve seen the silo tub wall settle or “beer can” on numerous plants over the years due to neglect.

I recommend inspecting these critical areas on the Drag Conveyor/Silo System.

• Slat chains and sprockets: Check for elongation, cracked links and worn teeth.

• Floor liners and troughs: Inspect for excessive wear, warping or holes.

• Discharge gates and cylinders: Look for leaks, delayed action or bent rods.

• Batcher Gates: Make sure batcher gates are operating properly. A batcher stuck open can allow a hole to wear right through the tub wall.

• Silo Thickness: Check the thickness of the cone and tub wall to ensure structural integrity.

What to Do:

DRAG CONVEYOR & SILO SYSTEM

One of the primary areas of expertise for Motion Engineering, Inc., is the installation of silo liners. Whether they are ceramic or steel liners, proper installation of these liners will extend the life of the equipment for many years. Also, there are safety concerns if structural integrity is

• Measure chain stretch and replace if beyond spec (usually 2–3% elongation).

• Weld or replace worn liners—holes become heat loss zones and safety risks.

• Rebuild or replace gate actuators that fail under load.

• Use a thickness tester to properly map the cone and up the tub walls to ensure structural integrity as well as identify if liners are needed.

• Properly install ceramic or steel liners on any silo cones/tub walls that have a thickness of < ¾ of the original manufacturer’s thickness.

ASPHALT TANK & PUMP SYSTEMS

When it comes to annual maintenance, it’s important not to overlook your tank farm system. Just this year at three different asphalt plants, our service team removed and replaced liquid asphalt cement (AC) pipes due to restricted flow. After inspection, we identified that the pipes were clogged due to buildup that had been overlooked. This caused supply and return issues as well as offload issues. Here are a few key areas to be focused on when it comes to inspection and repair for your tank farm system.

• Circulating pumps: Check for seal leaks, bearing play and pump performance.

• Heaters and lines: Inspect lines for coking and buildup. The most vulnerable lines are the AC lines that oil sits in for long periods of time. Make sure you understand what the max flow of your pump is. When you know that, you will know when your lines are starting to clog.

• Valves: Ensure valves are operating correctly and identify any valve stem leaks or seal leaks.

What to Do:

• Rebuild pumps if bearings or seals are suspect.

• Flush lines and test heater operation at full temperature. Repair and replace any pipes where flow is restricted.

• Repair and replace any valve leaks.

• Insulate exposed lines to prevent cold-weather failures. What I continue to see out in the field is that we are nearing a time when a significant number of plant operators who have extensive experience are retiring. Less experienced plant operators are taking over those roles and they lack the proper knowledge of what to look for. This is causing problems for producers. Your team might be capable, but winter inspections are the time for precision, not assumptions. Hiring experienced maintenance professionals to assist ensures your plant is not only inspected thoroughly, but also that small issues are corrected before they snowball.

Michael Petrie is the president of Motion Engineering, Inc.

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AsphaltPro magazine joined forces with hall-of-fame paving consultant John S. Ball III of Top Quality Paving & Training to bring you the newest online training resource for your crew: Asphalt Paving 101.

The course is available on any device, anytime, anywhere to train your entire crew. Your single subscription to the best curriculum of all time gives you access to train all of your employees, each time you bring in a new hire.

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In this course, your crew will learn:

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TRAININGDIRECTORY

Find the educational guidance you need to produce, pave and maintain the nation’s infrastructure from parking lots to interstates. In this year’s guide, read up on plant maintenance (and safety) as well as paving, delivery and knowledge-retention basics.

Cover photo courtesy of J. J. Keller & Associates

MAKE TRAINING STICK BEYOND 2026

Multiple sources provide education for all sectors of your asphalt business. Select the ones that best meet your teams’ learning levels and needs.

BY SANDY LENDER

JJust as no two workers are alike, no two workers will learn or retain information in the same way. This makes the process of training employees to design, produce, place and test asphalt mixes more complex than it appears on the surface.

TRAIN THE WAY YOUR WORKERS LEARN BEST

A host of college prep sites and psychology studies show there are some common denominators for retaining what you learn. First, they suggest students talk about what they’re learning right away, and for the AsphaltPro 2026 Training Directory, those students are the members of the asphalt workforce.

Ameritech College of Healthcare has a list of methods that help college students retain knowledge, and No.1 on the list is teaching the new information to another person. To explain a concept to someone else, you must truly understand it yourself. PsychoTactics.com stated “learners” retain about 90% of what they learn when they immediately turn around and teach it to someone else.

You would probably like to have your breakdown roller operator retain 90% of what she learns about the new AI-enhanced system and how it will increase your chances for earning a few bonuses in 2026. That means you should encourage the roller operators to talk about what they’re learning when the dealer or technology consultant is on site helping get everyone up to speed on the new tech. Don’t be afraid to have the supervisor engage them in conversation about what they heard in a session at the state asphalt pavement association (SAPA) conference, during an online webinar or what have you.

This is why the team members of AsphaltPro Magazine encourage companies to use the Asphalt Paving 101 online course in a group setting. Get everyone to talking. Whatever program you use for your crew training, make sure there’s time for everyone to discuss it. Give workers time to teach one another some aspect of what they’re learning. Of course, the training director will want to monitor that to be sure everyone understands their material correctly, but this is a great way to build the team in more than concepts and techniques.

Another point the Ameritech College of Healthcare suggested is to focus on one topic at a time. This is exactly how one Midwest contractor uses the Asphalt Paving 101 online course. He shared that on

rainy days, the crew goes to the training room, opens the program and selects which of the eight modules they want to review. That gives them time to focus their attention on one set of lessons, which is another point Ameritech College of Healthcare likes. “Take time to learn bits and pieces, rather than rushing through reams of material,” the advice listed.

However your crew members learn best is the way to go. By setting them up to retain what they learn regarding the best practices of our industry, you’re setting them up to bring your company its best construction season on record in 2026. That also depends on finding the right training for them. It’s not as simple as typing “asphalt training” in a search engine and hoping for the best; that’s why we compile a listing of information from our partners, as well as training articles, in our annual directory. You’ll find all of that in the next few pages.

PROVE TRAINING WORKED

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), SAPAs, entities like the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), national organizations and industry consultants host events geared toward training all levels of employees. When a company owner, human resources (HR) officer or training director sends workers to an event for education, that manager expects a return on the investment, but that isn’t an easy

A study conducted in 2024 by the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights found that 67% of managers surveyed would consider using VR training. Photo courtesy of J. J. Keller

metric to measure. Some schools offer a certificate, proving the student was in attendance. Some offer a certificate proving the student passed an exam or met a specific standard of understanding.

For example, the Hydraulic Institute offers a course titled “On-Demand Pump and System Components Training,” during which students take periodic short quizzes to confirm their understanding of the product-neutral instruction. The Institute also offers a course titled “Variable Frequency Drives Training” that provides the student with 1 professional development hour (PDH) credit at the end.

Another example is the paving certification that attendees of the Rocky Mountain Asphalt Conference and Equipment Show (RMACES) can attain if they attend a specific track of classes during the event. When I took that track several years ago, it required students to score well on simple review quizzes after each class.

Various OEMs offer challenges for equipment operators to prove their mettle and most trade association conferences, like the Association of Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP), offer education tracks or sessions that allow attendees to register to receive PDH credits as part of their application process. There are ways to prove employees have taken in knowledge at different events if you don’t already have a process in place for workers to return and share their newfound skills or information.

FIND BEST TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUR WORKERS

Keep in mind, this training directory acknowledges more than the plethora of online-based education, in-person schools and conferences, and bringing product and technical experts to the company headquarters or a job site for group training. In the past few years, contractors have had the opportunity to purchase or rent equipment simulators and virtual reality training systems for use at their own locations. These options speak to the contractor who considers not just the way an employee learns, but also the company’s budget for training.

For example, J. J. Keller & Associates Inc., Neenah, Wisconsin, released virtual reality (VR) training as part of its J. J. Keller® Training online solution earlier this year. Accessible with a compatible VR headset, the new training format allows learners to navigate realistic simulations of safety and compliance situations they may encounter in their jobs. Another simulator-based training program comes from CM Labs Simulations, Montreal, Quebec, with the launch in March 2025 of its Intellia Single Drum Roller Simulator Training Pack. The roller training integrates with CM Labs’ Intellia training platform and joins a catalog that includes training packs for motor grader, dozer and excavator.

Now let’s look at a few of the educational opportunities from OEMs who have partnered with AsphaltPro Magazine, thus making it possible for us to bring this directory to you. Make sure you let them know you appreciate them supporting AsphaltPro, thus your business, when you reach out for more information or to register your team members.

ASTEC INDUSTRIES offers a number of schools, including its new Astec Digital Customer School, which focuses on an exclusive, hands-on experience in either advanced Drumtronic sessions or the PM3 sessions. See the ad on page 47. Get more information at https://www.astecdigital.com/en/resources/customer-school.html and check out the full list of customer schools in burners, paving, materials solutions, online training and more available at https:// www.astecindustries.com/service/training.

Near the end of 2024, Caterpillar Safety Services announced a fivesession “MindShift for Leaders” training program that introduces participants to the principles of human and organizational performance (HOP) and helps implement the principles to enhance workplace safety. The virtual sessions are structured to encourage participants to begin thinking and acting differently about how they lead and manage safety. Photo courtesy of Caterpillar

BLAW-KNOX offers The Blaw-Knox University to provide training for paver operators and foremen on proper paver operation and maintenance. The classes are held in January and early February each year, but seats fill quickly the previous autumn. See the ad on page 51. Details and registration can be found at www. blawknox.com/training.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG offers hundreds of panels and seminars in its education sessions portion of the industry’s largest tradeshow and convention. The event takes place March 3-7, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding facilities. During the tradeshow, AsphaltPro Magazine will have a robust “Ask the Expert” schedule at booth GL30901 in the grand lobby of the convention center where anyone—regardless of their badge status—can stop by and ask their paving, production and lab questions of our industry experts. Watch our editorial pages for that schedule! See the ad on page 60. Details and registration can be found at https://www.conexpoconagg. com/show-experience/education. Use code SAVE20 to get 20% off your registration fee.

GENCOR INDUSTRIES offers the Gencor Training School for plant personnel. The classes are held in January and early February each year, but seats fill quickly the previous autumn. See the ad on page 49. Registration is open until Dec. 15, 2025, at www.gencor. com/training.

TOP QUALITY PAVING & TRAINING (TQP),

Manchester, New Hampshire, is owned by John Ball III, who has partnered with AsphaltPro Magazine staff to create an online course of back-to-basics employee, maintenance, paving and compaction training modules, advertised on page 40. Aside from this course, Ball offers in-person training at association meetings and alongside crews for contractor companies. See his ad on page 62. Get online course information and

TRAININGDIRECTORY

view a sample of free videos at https://training.theasphaltpro.com/. Get information about Ball’s TQP consulting services at tqpaving@ yahoo.com.

THE WIRTGEN GROUP offers a variety of courses geared to customers and to dealers at its Wirtgen America Center for Training and Technology (CTT) at the company’s Antioch, Tennessee, campus. See the ad on page 53 and check out a listing of courses and seating availability at https://www.wirtgen-group.com/en-us/partsand-service/training/.

Not all OEMs and service providers offer financial support to an industry publication’s training resource, but they still offer information that could be of use to professionals in the asphalt production and paving industry.

For example, in the crushing and aggregate-processing space, Martin Engineering, Neponset, Illinois, has hosted free webinars monthly for the past few years in its Foundations™ series. Those reside on its website on demand, offering similar instructional topics as those you’ll see listed for Superior Industries’ OptimizeU new learning platform, launched in May 2025. An aggregates manager doesn’t have to operate Martin or Superior equipment to access, view and apply the knowledge to his operation.

In the “office” space, Deltek hosts a six-part series of online, on-demand classes designed to guide contractors through the transformation from standard accounting methods to construction-specific accounting methods, using its own programs.

In the heavy building materials space, Command Alkon and Trimble are among those who offer training for their customers each year. Command Alkon’s Fall TRAININGdays event takes place Nov. 3-6, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia. The experience is designed specifically for system users and administrators, offering hands-on learning, access to product experts, and the chance to engage with peers from across the industry. Trimble’s Dimensions User Conference takes place Nov. 10-12, 2025, in Las Vegas, offering Trimble leaders, customers and supply partners a chance to explore together key technologies and ideas that impact the construction, engineering, architecture and geospatial sectors.

In the earth-moving space, John Deere now offers its customers learning experiences that provide focused training on John Deere earth-moving equipment, led by John Deere product training experts. The three-day in-person training courses taking place in December 2025 provide operators with hands-on operations time on the equipment.

The OEMs and service providers mentioned in the three paragraphs above require the attendee to be a user of their products to learn the nuances; and that makes sense. But there are other educational opportunities, sometimes close to home, that offer best practices and general knowledge of systems “similar” to those discussed at an OEM’s training facility. I’m talking about SAPA conferences, regional contractor meetings and state department of transportation (DOT) seminars.

We can point to three among the many SAPAs for examples. The Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa (APAI) hosts a variety of educational opportunities for its membership, including its Design Lunch and Learn “Pavement Rehabilitation Solutions” that took place May 21, 2025. The session was hosted both in-person and virtually and

PDHs were available to attendees. Another SAPA that hosts virtual meetings is the Hawaii Asphalt Paving Industry (HAPI). Outgoing HAPI Executive Director Jon Young shared, “HAPI Shorts lunch time lessons launched in July 2020 to satisfy people’s appetite for asphalt knowledge.” Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association (CAPA) partners with the Rocky Mountain Asphalt Education Center (RMAEC) and has, since 2022, worked with the Women of Asphalt Colorado branch to provide an annual training academy for women, and men, in the state. Check out that article on page 20. It’s as easy as making a phone call or sending an email to discover what monthly or quarterly education offerings your SAPA might have available in addition to annual meeting education.

When you check in with your DOT, you may find a surprising list of free education opportunities for your workforce. It behooves the DOT to work with contractors to ensure everyone is using best practices. In the state of Florida, FDOT offers free webinars on Build America, Buy America (BABA) compliance, FHWA’s Manufactured Products Waiver, Design for FDOT and Consultant Designers, and

Training the Future

The Associated Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF) announced in July that Warrick Pathways and Career Center in Booneville, Indiana, had become the 115th Recognized High School Program under its national workforce development initiative— Vision. The Vision campaign was launched in 2020 to address the skilled technician shortage facing the equipment industry.

“The future of our industry—and our country—depends on today’s youth,” said Bob Brucken, CEO of Diamond Equipment Inc. and AED member. “With AI rapidly evolving, we need bright, driven students to help build our industrial and commercial landscape—and that path doesn’t always require a college degree. Warrick Pathways and centers like it are shaping the future, and Diamond Equipment is proud to support their mission. Skilled trades offer rewarding careers, and we rely on that talent to drive our success. We encourage more schools to partner with the AED Foundation to grow the industry.”

Since Vision’s inception, the AED Foundation has delivered 5,600+ technicians through accredited programs and certified nearly 5,000 more through industry-aligned testing while raising over $8 million.

Beyond education, Vision is building a comprehensive support network that includes nearly $10 million in public funding secured to expand Registered Apprenticeships and over $500,000 returned to industry partners through grants.

To learn more, visit www.aedfoundation.org.

many other topics of concern to contractors. In Colorado, CDOT offers free webinars on Construction Bond Assistance Online Training, Traffic Control Supervisor (TCS) Certification, Small Business Certifications: From Application to Opportunity, and many other topics, again, of concern to contractors.

MAKE TRAINING STICK

Whether you find your perfect set of seminars in your backyard or online, finding continuing education for your crews is vital in today’s ever-changing workforce. Many of the concepts and technologies introduced to workers at different industry events, at an OEM training school, at the SAPA annual conference and so on can stay with your team members after the training sessions when you bring the knowledge back to the rest of the team through continued training back at headquarters.

Think of it as building a “train the trainer” program if you wish. Turning freshly educated workers into trainers in the lab, control house, mechanic’s shop or field could pay dividends in the upcoming season.

If you spent thousands of dollars sending employees to various industry conferences in 2025, you may be trying to justify additional training to bring new workers up to speed in 2026. The teachers and trainers will help your workers the best they can and will offer tips and tricks for retaining information. Put those new skills to use right away and let the newly educated share their knowledge as teachers and trainers, too. You may be surprised at how well the best practices and new technology use “sticks” when you let workers teach one another what they’ve learned.

A quick refresher on basic skills could mean the difference between a bonus and a deduct. Make sure you sign up for AsphaltPro’s Toolbox Tips before your next tailgate talk. Photo courtesy of Caterpillar

Tips Are Always Available

Don’t forget the pre-shift tailgate talk is an awesome way to impart quick-n-easy back-to-basics skills or reminders to workers. AsphaltPro Magazine has been emailing a weekly Toolbox Tip to our audience for years and has compiled all those tips into a library at https://theasphaltpro.com/category/tips-and-tools/. To sign up for the tips each week, visit: https://theasphaltpro. com/upgrade-daily-toolbox-talks/

TRAININGDIRECTORY

I MASTEC ENHANCES SAFETY, EFFICIENCY WITH ZONAR COACH TECHNOLOGY

Imagine you’re driving between job sites and approaching a construction zone, where a three-lane highway narrows into a single lane in a matter of yards. Traffic slows ahead. Suddenly, a car swerves between lanes, darts onto the shoulder and cuts in front of you. The inevitable happens—metal meets metal in a jarring, violent crunch. Later, that car’s driver tells the police you were the one driving erratically.

That was the scenario faced by one driver for MasTec, Coral Gables, Florida.

MasTec specializes in hardscapes and other infrastructure for a variety of industries. The company employs nearly 22,000 skilled professionals and has been involved in some of the largest and most complex infrastructure construction projects across the country, but even industry giants face challenges protecting drivers from fraudulent insurance claims.

Fortunately for MasTec drivers, this scenario no longer means automatic blame or costly settlements. Over the last year, the company partnered with Zonar, Seattle, Washington, to implement Zonar Coach, a dual-facing dashcam solution that uses AI to detect and capture specific safety events inside and outside the cab.

ANOTHER SET OF EYES ON THE ROAD

“We were able to back [the video] up from when that driver first left his shop to when the collision happened,” said Tony Cruz,

To successfully implement Zonar Coach, MasTec focused on reinforcing how much the company values drivers, making it clear that the technology is designed to support them. Management explained that tracking driving patterns wasn’t for chastising drivers; it was about correcting risky behaviors before “bad actors” outside of the company could take advantage of them.

desert southwest regional fleet manager at MasTec Communications Group, during a joint webinar featuring MasTec and Zonar. This lets them avoid legal expenses and false insurance claims with the power of video exoneration. The cameras provide multiple viewpoints out the front of the windshield and one inside the cab. The system also provides a “panic button” for the driver to utilize if they need to capture a specific incident instantly. “I’ll be able to see what the driver was experiencing when they felt they needed to push the panic button,” Cruz said.

The implementation of Zonar Coach had already helped MasTec keep drivers safe, clear multiple claims and avoid countless legal expenses as of December 2024.

During the webinar, Cruz also stated the industry faces an insurance fraud phenomenon called the swoop-and-squat. This tactic involves individuals targeting company vehicles, intending to provoke accidents by suddenly merging in front of them and then braking sharply.

“We’ve observed significant benefits from using dashcams in these situations,” he said.

In addition to safety benefits, Zonar Coach also offers custom reporting using Microsoft Power BI, providing added situational insight through data visualization that supplements recorded video. This can be set up to automatically deliver a report to the fleet’s back office for management to review and have a record of the incident.

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PROTECTION OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE CAB

The Zonar Coach cameras help to prevent incidents before they happen with real-time, in-cab alerts. MasTec uses the in-cab video footage to train and retain drivers, develop safety scorecards and streamline coaching workflows. Through this system, supervisors can see different events—labeled as low, medium, high or catastrophic—such as where they’re coming from or the intended destination. Zonar helped them identify what were low, medium and high-risk metrics in the driver behaviors and what needed to be high priority versus lower priority for coaching.

Zonar’s solution helps MasTec supervisors pinpoint poor driver behaviors and patterns of hard cornering, hard acceleration, hard braking, lane drift, drowsy driving, rollover detection, tailgating or speed infractions, providing personalized feedback for future trips.

“Everybody’s human,” Cruz said. “What I may consider tailgating, someone else may not consider tailgating. The camera’s reading speed [and] distance of the vehicle in front of me and determining collision potential.”

Something as simple as checking your phone at a red light may seem like a low priority item but should be prohibited for all drivers. In many states, having your phone in your hand while driving can lead to a ticketed offense. As of September 2024, 29 states, including the District of Columbia, prohibit all drivers from using handheld cell phones while driving.

The AI-detected safety event features help MasTec with training drivers for new laws. By monitoring what’s happening inside and outside the cab, MasTec has been able to coach and correct such behaviors.

DRIVER BUY-IN

Not every employee was initially excited to have recording devices monitoring their driving behaviors, but Cruz shared how MasTec supervisors introduced the program.

“For driver buy-in, we explained we were testing it for safety,” Cruz said. “We had some drivers who felt like we were putting it in to keep tabs on them. We have to abide by the federal government and federal laws on that. But no one’s going to be tapping

MASTEC

USES THE IN-CAB VIDEO FOOTAGE TO TRAIN AND RETAIN DRIVERS, DEVELOP SAFETY SCORECARDS AND STREAMLINE COACHING WORKFLOWS.

into a camera to see what you’re doing or listen in on your conversations. This is here to catch if something else happens to you.”

To successfully implement Zonar Coach, MasTec focused on reinforcing how much the company values them as drivers and employees, making it clear that the technology is designed to support their driving and day-to-day activities. As Cruz explained, tracking driving patterns isn’t about chastising drivers; it’s about correcting risky behaviors before “bad actors” outside of your company can take advantage of them.

“There are people out there who will try to take advantage of you or your company,” he said, so self-correcting and coaching suboptimal driver behavior can make it more difficult for the bad actors to take advantage of your company.

This not only helps reduce risks and prevent accidents, but as drivers became more familiar with this system, they recognized its benefits—particularly the value of having video evidence to clarify situations where hard driving resulted from external factors beyond drivers’ control.

“A lot of my big-rig drivers would tell me they couldn’t say how many times they’ve had someone cut them off and then slow down and they have to slam on their brakes,” Cruz said. Now that MasTec drivers have dashcams recording non-employee driver behavior, they have proof of reality.

TURNING LIABILITY INTO RELIABILITY

Insurance scams and individuals attempting to cover up mistakes often leave company drivers at an unfair disadvantage. As Cruz put it, “You’re either [in] an at-fault collision or a not-at-fault collision. It’s awesome that we’re able to pull up that on-demand video clip.”

Since implementing Zonar Coach technology, MasTec has not only seen improvements in driver safety, but also significant savings in claims costs. This data-centric approach to fleet management has enhanced both efficiency and safety. For MasTec drivers, Zonar Coach has transformed uncertainty into irrefutable evidence— proving that sometimes, the best defense is simply the truth.

The driver scorecard report leverages Zonar TCU and video data to create an overall company safety score, breaking down to individual driver behavior and safety events.

2026 GENCOR TRAINING SCHOOL

2026 DATES

• Week 1: January 12 - 15

• Week 2: January 19 - 22

• Week 3: January 26 - 29

• Week 4: February 2 - 5

DETAILS

Details can be found at www. gencor.com/training or call us at 407-290-6000 ext. 342.

REGISTRATION

CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED!

To secure your seat, please register before December 15, 2025

Improving overall plant production and efficiency are all common concerns for plant owners and operators. Having a well-trained technical crew is vital to maintaining plant performance and efficiency.

Gencor and its training staff represent the biggest concentration of knowledge and expertise in all the sciences and technologies involved in the production of asphalt plants. Customers who attend these seminars benefit by having the support and focused attention of the best specialists in the asphalt industry.

Using Gencor’s state-of-the-art control simulators and actual equipment, our experts take you step-by-step through a comprehensive & intensive concentrated hands-on training program providing the latest techniques on optimizing production efficiency.

TRAIN HUMANS FOR PLANT MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION

BY SANDY LENDER

TThroughout 2025, AsphaltPro Magazine has included a set of how-to plant maintenance articles from Stansteel Hotmix Parts & Service, Louisville, Kentucky, in the February, March/April, June and August issues. These checklist-heavy pieces are designed to help your plant personnel plan for optimum uptime during the paving season by performing routine and intentional maintenance on plant componentry on a schedule.

While a number of plant-related original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) mention their training opportunities in this year’s Training Directory, let’s focus on the Hotmix University (HU) offered by Stansteel as a wrapup to those plant maintenance training pieces. Specifically, let’s dive into the philosophy behind offering training to your plant operators when so many automated systems are available in the marketplace.

First, the HU sessions offered in Louisville every January and February are split into two. One is for asphalt plant managers and superintendents. Two identical sessions are for plant operators.

The instructors boast decades of experience working on multiple plant brands and types, and the company offered brief bios on a few of them. Gregg Gilpin, the director of electronic controls, has 37 years in the industry. Rick Rees, who authored the articles included this year, is a product developer who has visited, consulted on and upgraded 1,000 plants and has 40-plus years in the industry. Randy Ficklin is a market development manager for the Mountain West region with 40-plus years in the industry after flying C-130s in the United States Air Force. Steve Elam is the director of Hotmix Parts & Service and started running asphalt plants during college 43 years ago. Rick Bloodworth is a project engineer, a CMI Triple Drum specialist and a key developer of the

company’s RAP Eater, with 45 years in the industry. Bill Winkers is a service manager, former plant operator/foreman and has 45 years in the industry. These men, and others, offer real-world experience to the students attending the sessions.

As mentioned above, many companies, including Stansteel Hotmix Parts & Service, offer automation and controls systems to help producers augment the less-skilled workforce plaguing the industry today. With these new systems available, a producer may be tempted to forego training, leaving a warm body in the control house while the intelligent systems do all the work. Lennie Loesch, owner of Stansteel Hotmix Parts & Service, shared the growing philosophy among OEMs, whether or not they offer robust controls packages to “fool-proof” maintenance schedules, blending and loadout.

“Regarding the question of whether A.I. technology has advanced to the capability of safely running an asphalt plant entirely on its own, let’s first consider commercial airplane pilots,” Loesch began. “While some phases of airplane flight are controlled via autopilot, there are still several strong reasons why human pilots are essential. For example, humans are still better at making complex, real-time decisions in unpredictable situations such as sudden weather changes, irrational passenger behavior or system malfunctions.”

Anyone who’s operated an asphalt plant for a day can see the parallel he’s drawing here.

“Plus, human pilots provide an additional layer of redundancy to ensure passenger safety, especially for when electronic systems fail or become exposed to software bugs or cyberattacks,” he continued. “In other words, it’s not just about flying the plane—it’s about everything else that human pilots do through intuition, which AI cannot reliably replace.”

Now let’s apply this to asphalt plant operation.

“Specifically for asphalt plant operations, placing a human operator in the lead is still the wise and essential choice. While AI systems

can control mix production, monitor temperatures and even adjust ingredient flow, asphalt plants are not pristine, fully standard, precisely controlled environments. There are unexpected equipment issues, material inconsistencies and other human factors on the ground (truck drivers, loaders) that can introduce safety threats. A human operator can adapt in real-time, troubleshoot and quickly ‘save the day,’ while AI systems could only report an error message under similar circumstances.

“Furthermore, human plant operators do not just ‘run machines by pushing buttons.’ They manage dynamic plant systems with moving parts, volatile materials and human factors. Humans watch for unsafe conditions, respond to alerts, coordinate with ground crews and keep an eye on everything using their sight, hearing, smell and their irreplicable human intuition.

“So, while we can consider AI-based systems to be super assistants, they cannot fully replace human operators; they can help a good operator become an excellent one. While AI can help, it cannot care, adapt or intervene like a human. It is still the human operator and superintendent who should make the final calls toward asphalt plant operation.”

With human beings still essential for safe plant operation, human beings need to understand the ins and outs of safe plant operation and maintenance.

“That’s why it is vital for hot mix producers/plant owners to send their plant operations and management personnel (both new and experienced) to training courses and peer networking events—to better hone their craft with input and direction from trusted specialists, industry veterans, and their peers,” Loesch concluded.

No matter which training program you find most convenient for your set of plant personnel to attend, the fact remains that training is vital for safe and efficient operation and for optimum uptime next construction season.

2 0 2 6

PAVER OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE TRAINING BLAW-KNOX UNIVERSITY

For over a half a decade Blaw-Knox has earned its reputation as the go to source of training and instruction on hot mix paving.

The Blaw-Knox University, is dedicated to training paver operators and foreman on proper Paver Operation and Maintenance and applied Best Paving Practices through classroom-style and handson application courses.

Blaw-Knox provides improved technical and problem-solving skills on a variety of paver operations and maintenance topics. Course instructors share decades of field and teaching experience with attendees, including training on the latest DOT requirements.

DETAILS

• January 12 - January 15

• January 19 - January 22

• January 26 - January 29

• February 2 - February 5 2026 DATES

REGISTRATION

All details can be found at www.blawknox.com/training or contact at (407) 290-6000 ext. 342 or training@blawknox.com

TRAIN FOR SAFE PLANT HEIGHTS

BY SANDY LENDER

MMany of the articles discussing plant maintenance remark on the importance of lockout/tagout protocol. Without minimizing the need to train workers on that vital step in plant maintenance, let’s also talk to workers about lift safety and fall-arrest protection. The team at Niftylift Ltd., headquartered in Europe, prepared a document to address the risks associated with uneven terrain when using a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP), and that discussion is relevant today.

The team explained “that many accidents are entirely avoidable if proper training has been given.” This extends to how and where an operator uses a MEWP in addition to the safety training he employs while using the equipment.

For example, the engineers at Niftylift have devised what they call the ToughCage platform. It comprises an impact-resistant, composite base and a large cross-section steel cage designed to protect the operator. In the event of an impact, the ToughCage is designed to absorb much of the force; damage to the boom is minimised as well.

Along with protecting the worker, the team at Niftylift have addressed educating the worker. The company provides its inclination sensing technology to address the risks associated with uneven terrain and its load sensing system to actively monitor a MEWP’s platform weight. These are only two of the technologies in place to help the operator with performance and safe operation, and the company provides training videos that address these risks and more.

The company shared that mistakes surrounding the use of personal fall protection equipment (PFPE), most notably harness and/or lanyard, are also an issue. So, the company offers its ClipOn system, which features red and green LED indicators and an audible alarm, as an intuitive means of ensuring operators correctly attach their harnesses before beginning operations.

Niftylift advances mobile equipment work platform (MEWP) safety with multiple technologies, which spells a safer work environment for the hot-mix asphalt (HMA) plant maintenance professional working at heights.

A press release from Niftylift stated, “The fact remains, however, that many accidents are entirely avoidable if proper training has been given. Niftylift has therefore created the NiftyPRO mobile app to deliver accessible training and support for operators, fleet managers and technicians. With well over 100 video tutorials, covering Quick Start Guides, machine operation and recovery procedures, the app helps to bridge the gap between theoretical training and practical application. Accessible anywhere, anytime, this immediate access enhances on-site efficiency and safety, making learning and troubleshooting more convenient than ever.”

“Niftylift is synonymous with innovations in operator safety, introducing technologies over the years that have redefined safety standards, addressing critical risks in working at height, including entrapment, overloading, harness misuse and unsafe tilting,” concluded Tom Hadden, technical sales manager, Niftylift. “Together, they enhance operational efficiency and provide operators with the confi-

The ToughCage from Niftylift is designed to absorb much of the force in the event of an impact.

dence they need to work safely at height. We are committed to continuing to lead the industry in promoting safer working practices worldwide.”

GET SMOOTHNESS WITH A PUSH

BY JOHN BALL

WWhen charging the hopper, our main objective is to get the mix out of the truck, uniformly, without segregation. This takes communication with the haul truck driver, which we discuss in several articles you can find on TheAsphaltPro.com website, including “Prevent Fatalities with Better Truck Driver Training, Best Practices.” By communicating with the haul truck driver, you can prevent him from bumping the paver when he stops in front of it.

The next thing to worry about is whether he’s stopping in front of a paver that’s ready to receive him.

When the paver operator brings the tractor forward and brings the push rollers to rest against the truck tires, they’ve got to be clean. If the push rollers up front are caked with material and unable to roll freely, that’s the first indication the paver’s not going to go smoothly down the road. The wheels will be hopping, and the paver will rise up and fall down going down the road until the wheel breaks free and moves freely.

The bar that holds the push rollers on has a pin in the middle that oscillates. It has a 3-inch radius to help turn the push roller. It’s not a straight solid bar; it turns with the truck. It doesn’t cause restriction on the tires of the truck or on the tires or on the paver. It can smoothly turn. It’s oscillating in the middle, but only if it’s clean of asphalt material buildup.

Maintenance on the paver is always important, but especially at the reception of the truck. Once we start to go forward, we want the pace to be smooth and not hiccupping down the lane.

In the field, no one thinks cleanup is a high priority, but it really is. Asphalt builds up on this front area and can affect the tow arm. It can cause the tow arm to pump up and down if you’re hiccupping down the lane. The tow arm is hooked to the tractor and could cause restriction. Or, if you’re using automation or sonics, it could cause something not to work properly if the push rollers are hitching and hiccupping.

A 3-pound hammer can hack this material loose; you can fracture it and break it off. Sometimes you need a torch but if you whack it with a hammer, being careful to avoid the bearings that allow it to roll, you can fracture and knock the caked material loose.

What’s better is to use a shovel or rag to scrape or wipe the material off when it’s still warm immediately after the paving shift. If you can wipe the material easily in a few minutes at the end of the paving day, that’s so much easier and better than banging at hardened material before startup the next day.

However your crew has to do it, you want to have push rollers that turn smoothly to smoothly push the haul truck forward and to pave a smooth mat.

In this picture, you can see the asphalt has built up on the push rollers and the bar. Not only are the rollers gummed up to cause problems, mix will leak out through the holes in the rubber dams.

In this picture, you can see the crew has been maintaining the push rollers in between paving shifts.

John Ball is the proprietor of Top Quality Paving & Training, Manchester, New Hampshire. For more information, contact him at (603) 493-1458 or tqpaving@yahoo.com.

Paving Products for Best Results

FROM ASPHALTPRO STAFF

The October product gallery delves into paving and pavement maintenance equipment and services. To ensure best practices and explore safe ideas with the equipment and services to follow, we begin with a look at a new product from a contractor in the field and then go to an article from AWP Safety’s Senior Vice President of Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS), Michelle Marsh, looking at work zone safety specifically.

POINT THE WAY FOR PRECISE PAVING

BY SANDY LENDER

Frank Foore, the proprietor of PaverLaser.com, formerly Asphalt Pokers, headquartered in Akron, Ohio, developed the asphalt paver laser for his own use in paving a consistent, straight line a few seasons ago. The device is just what it sounds like—a laser you attach to the asphalt paver to “point” at a straight line for the operator to follow.

“I made this for the paver to follow or else you’re painting lines all day,” Foore said. “We’ve had them for a couple years now.”

After encouragement from fellow contractors, he developed additional units and released the technology in June of 2025. Now he can’t keep the units in stock. To produce them in larger quantities, he’s working on a plan, talking with factories to make that next step a reality.

Each paver laser comes in a waterproof briefcase with a 12-volt plug and a DC plug so it can be run off a generator. The case also includes a magnetic mounting bracket for the laser, but Foore will be offering a clamp-style mount by press time. He explained the mag-

netic bracket is perfect for the Vogele paver his crew runs and other brands; the clamp style will be ideal for the Cat paver other customers have discussed with him.

The asphalt paver laser itself is a guide designed to offer accuracy and ease of use for a consistent line for the paver operator to follow. From roads to parking lots to driveways, the laser guide provides a stable, unwavering reference without the risk of losing line of sight. It also helps to reduce trip hazards, contributing to a safer jobsite. The laser is equipped with a built-in cooling fan so it can handle the intense heat of paving operations.

For more information, visit https://paverlaser.com/products/paver-laser

FLAGGING WORK ZONE SAFETY FOR PAVING

BY MICHELLE MARSH

There’s a shift happening on the shoulders of our nation’s roads, and it’s not just new asphalt. It’s a change in how we manage traffic in active work zones. Imagine a sunbaked paving job and the familiar sight of a traffic flagger waving vehicles through the work zone. In the worker’s place is an automated flagger assistance device (AFAD).

AFADs are out there right now, helping paving crews stay safer, work faster, and face less risk from motorist inattention.

Flaggers are essential. They’re some of the most situationally aware, quick-thinking professionals on a job site. But they’re also highly vulnerable, often stationed just feet away from live traffic, exposed to speeding vehicles, distracted drivers and even incidents of motorist aggression.

We’ve all heard the stories, from workers being cursed out, to being clipped by mirrors, injured, or worse. In a work zone, even a split-second delay in reaction time can mean disaster. That’s why in some cases, removing flaggers from the danger zone altogether is the bold (and smart) move AFADs make possible.

These units are portable, remotely operated traffic control devices used in temporary, single-lane closures on two-lane roads. They typically feature red/amber signal lights or gate arms and are operated by a trained crew member from a safe location via remote control.

At AWP Safety, our AFADs are deployed with trained operators who stay in full visual contact with both ends of the closure zone— just like traditional flaggers—but with the added protection of being stationed well off the active roadway. They can respond instantly to changing conditions, communicate with the crew and activate emergency signals if a vehicle blows the stop, for instance.

The devices themselves are designed to be rugged, dependable and compliant with both the Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and state-specific standards. And because they’re machines, they don’t get fatigued or distracted.

Breaking it down, AFADs are typically mounted on towable trailers and designed for temporary, single-lane closures, typical of what you’d find during shoulder work, rural resurfacing or bridge maintenance. The MUTCD approves two main types:

• Type 1: STOP/SLOW AFADs use a mechanical arm with a standard STOP/SLOW sign that rotates to display the correct message.

The asphalt paver laser is affixed to this paver with the magnetic mounting bracket.

Operated remotely, automated flagger assistance devices (AFADs) keep workers out of harm’s way while maintaining compliance with MUTCD standards.

• Type 2: Red/Amber Lens AFADs operate more like a traditional traffic light, using red and amber signals with a gate arm to control flow.

At AWP Safety, we primarily deploy the Type 2 (signal head + gate arm) version for paving operations, being highly visible units that are compliant with both national and state department of transportation (DOT) standards.

Here’s how AFADs are typically used in the field:

Setup: The AFAD unit is towed into position, stabilized on level ground and powered up. Most units operate off rechargeable battery packs, solar panels or portable generator support, depending on duration and conditions.

Wireless Connection: Each AFAD is operated via a remote-control console by a certified traffic technician located safely away from the traffic flow. This operator has full visibility of the lane closure area, often using spotters, mirrors or supplemental cameras when line-of-sight is compromised.

Communication Between Devices: For setups requiring two AFADs (one at each end of the single-lane closure), the units are digitally synced, meaning they communicate wirelessly to ensure both sides never show conflicting signals. When one end is set to STOP, the other cannot be switched to GO until clearance is confirmed.

Built-in Safety Locks: Most AFADs are designed with fail-safes. If the communication link drops, or if a system error is detected, the devices immediately default to STOP mode. And if a vehicle runs the gate, the operator can trigger a manual alert or engage emergency protocols.

Gate Arm: The presence of a physical gate arm adds a key psychological element: drivers are more likely to comply with a mechanical barrier than a human holding a paddle.

Mobility and Speed: The portability of AFADs means they can be deployed quickly (typically within 10–15 minutes) and moved as the work zone shifts throughout the day.

At AWP Safety, we’ve taken it a step further by integrating our AFADs into broader Smart Work Zone packages. That includes sensor-based alerting, vehicle tracking and digital signage as part of a digital approach to elevating safety.

Not every job needs an AFAD unit. There’s still a place for traditional flaggers, especially in dynamic work zones that test even the most experienced protectors. But the moment the site allows for a machine to take the risk, why wouldn’t you use it?

The world is moving toward automation with a human touch. That’s what AFADs bring to paving: the reliability of tech, guided by experienced operators, with zero compromise on safety or compliance.

For more information, contact AWP.

BLUE DIAMOND

The Blue Diamond Parts and Accessories division, Knoxville, Tennessee, announced in August an expanded line of replacement work tool wear parts solutions for the snow removal industry. Most replacement parts and accessories are in stock and ready to ship; they can be ordered 24 hours a day from the company’s website. Parts specifically available in the snow removal space include:

• 100% Poly Broom Wafers

• Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMW) Cutting Edges

• Boron Steel Cutting Edges

• Rubber Tracks (CTL and mini skid)

• Skid Shoes for Snow Blowers and Pushers

Most of the Blue Diamond offerings are universal and work across multiple manufacturer attachments.

“Snow removal can be very hard on an attachment, especially when the surface is rough or not visible to the operator,” said Darren Barnes, director of products at Blue Diamond Attachments. “When something breaks, downtime is not an option. We stock the critical parts contractors need—and most ship same day—getting that customer back up and moving snow, so they can get on to the next job.”

Blue Diamond parts and accessories come with the Blue Diamond Satisfaction Guarantee and a standard 1-year warranty (some exceptions may apply).

For more information, visit the BDA website.

CAT

Caterpillar, Irving, Texas, announced in July its Cat® Fleet Bucket Program, which allows customers to benefit from Cat ground engaging tools (GET) on third-party buckets sourced from local bucket manufacturers. A new or rebuilt bucket, whether a Cat bucket or other brand, can now be equipped with Cat GET, available in multiple designs to meet the needs of specific applications.

The program is available to meet a range of machine bucket needs, including those for compact, wheeled and backhoe loaders, excavators, hydraulic mining shovels and rope shovels. Caterpillar and the Cat dealer work with hundreds of local bucket manufacturers globally to offer GET options to fit their customized bucket designs. This enables customers with mixed fleets to standardize on Cat GET to help increase wear life,

decrease downtime and even increase productivity.

Cat dealers can also set up customer fleets with the Bucket Pro App, which allows dealers to monitor GET wear to help plan maintenance, manage inventory and identify the best GET solutions for the work at hand.

For more information, visit your local Cat dealer.

DYNAPAC

Dynapac, headquartered in Fort Mill, South Carolina, launched the CP28 pneumatic tired roller to the North American market this spring. The roller offers an operating mass of 21,200 pounds with a new frame design to enhance operator visibility. According to the manufacturer, it represents the heaviest ballastable pneumatic tire roller on the market.

The CP28’s flexible rubber tires and adjustable air pressure system allow operators to achieve consistent density while minimizing surface damage. It’s designed for various applications, including finishing asphalt layers to create a smooth, even surface with optimum tire overlap.

The CP28 offers a choice between symmetric and asymmetric cab configurations. The newly designed right-foot brake pedal enhances responsiveness for improved maneuverability, according to the manufacturer.

One of the CP28’s time-saving features is the Air on the Run system, which inflates all tires from 0 to 120 psi KPa in 12 minutes. The CP28 features front and rear suspension systems designed to optimize tire-to-surface contact. The front suspension allows for a 4.5-degree lateral oscillation and 1.5-degree tilt to both the right and left, while the new rear suspension enables a 2.0-degree tilt in both directions, ensuring constant ground contact.

The CP28 is equipped with a watertight frame, allowing for a flexible ballast system. Using a forklift, operators can adjust the weight by adding or removing steel plates in the front and rear ballast compartments. For greater flexibility, the machine can be ballasted with wet sand, water, steel shot or scrap metal.

Near the end of August, Dynapac announced its new dealer partner, Ascendum Machinery. This partnership strengthens Dynapac’s presence in the Southeast, expanding sales and support in North Carolina, South Carolina and East Tennessee.

For more information, contact your local Dynapac dealer.

ELGIN

Elgin Sweeper Company, headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, introduced its advanced digital control panel for its Pelican series street sweepers in July. The new touchscreen interface is designed to deliver intuitive operation, real-time diagnostics and smarter system integration to users seeking greater efficiency and ease of use in street sweeping programs.

The advanced digital control panel replaces the traditional analog gauge displays with a durable, high-visibility touchscreen that centralizes key vehicle functions. The system offers intuitive graphics, simplified controls and multilanguage support.

According to the manufacturer, the key benefits include: intelligent diagnostics; simplified training and operation; operational efficiency; data logging; and ruggedness.

For more information, visit the Elgin website.

FAYAT

FAYAT Group has announced the completion of its 100% stake in LeeBoy, based in Lincolnton, North Carolina, USA. For more than 60 years, LeeBoy has made asphalt pavers, distributors, brooms, chip spreaders and related equipment. LeeBoy is now part of the FAYAT Road Equipment Division, a world leader in road-building equipment, bringing the FAYAT Group Division’s total production facilities to 30 sites across Europe, Asia and the Americas. The LeeBoy acquisition will expand the Road Equipment Division’s asphalt and road building equipment offerings, especially in the commercial and municipal paving and road maintenance market segments.

The North American market is a strategic priority for the FAYAT Group, and this tactical acquisition broadens the company’s product offering in the United States and Canada. LeeBoy enables FAYAT to

PRODUCT GALLERY

reinforce its position in North America through leveraging synergies of asphalt brands currently a part of the Road Equipment Division, including BOMAG, Dynapac, Asphalt Drum Mixers (ADM), Ravo, Scarab, Dulevo, Charlatte and, most recently, Mecalac.

LeeBoy will maintain its brand identity and operational autonomy. FAYAT plans to support LeeBoy’s management team with both short- and long-term investments to strengthen its market position and reinforce its customer support.

Speaking on completing the acquisition, FAYAT Group President Jean-Claude Fayat said, “Adding LeeBoy’s highly respected equipment offering will enable FAYAT to better serve road-building customers with a more comprehensive range of solutions. The acquisition presents many opportunities for collaboration with other brands within our Road Equipment Division in the areas of research and development, manufacturing, technology, purchasing, sales and exploring select international markets. We are dedicated to investing in the LeeBoy team and the local workforce, and to building on LeeBoy’s strong culture to deliver even greater value and innovation in the years ahead for LeeBoy customers.”

JOHN DEERE

John Deere, Moline, Illinois, announced at the end of July the launch and availability of a new digital tool for fleet management. The Operations Center PRO Service is designed to deliver new support capabilities for both connected and non-connected machines across John Deere’s agriculture, turf, construction and forestry equipment portfolio.

New and enhanced features include the ability to install software when replacing electronic components or controllers, also known as reprogramming. The increased functionality of Operations Center PRO Service also replaces John Deere Customer Service ADVISOR™, which will be phased out over the next year.

In addition to equipment owners, a local service provider can also use Operations Center PRO Service. With a John Deere equipment owner’s permission, independent providers can gain access to diagnostic and repair information to support the equipment owner’s needs.

The new Operations Center PRO Service delivers digital repair content filtered by year and model number, providing users with additional relevant machine information to help troubleshoot, diagnose and repair their equipment. It’s designed to be intuitive and deliver actionable support in real-time.

Specific features now brought together in a single customer interface include:

• Machine health insights and diagnostic trouble codes

• PIN-specific machine content, including manuals

• Software reprogramming for John Deere controllers

• Diagnostic Readings

• Diagnostic Recordings

• Interactive diagnostic tests

• Calibrations

For more information, visit your local John Deere dealer.

SAW KING

Saw King, headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida, announced in July the release of its Black Stallion™ Asphalt Blade, which is a diamond blade engineered for use on abrasive asphalt surfaces. It was

PRODUCT GALLERY

developed with direct input from road crews and utility contractors. Its optimized segment geometry and laser-welded construction deliver both performance and longevity in the most demanding cutting conditions, according to the manufacturer.

Black Stallion blade features include:

• Fast, aggressive cutting through asphalt and other abrasive materials

• Laser-welded segments for high-temperature durability

• Carbide insert undercut protection

• Multiple sizes and compatible with most hand-held and walk-behind saws, such as Core Cut, Stihl and Husqvarna.

• A distinctive all-black finish

For more information, visit the Saw King website.

TAKEUCHI

The Takeuchi dealer network, headquartered in Atlanta, expanded in July with the addition of eight central power systems locations. Central Power Systems & Services, headquartered in Kansas City, will now sell, rent and service Takeuchi compact excavators and track loaders at its location in Woodward, Oklahoma; four locations in Kansas (Wichita, Salina, Colby and Garden City); and three locations in Texas (Hutto, San Antonio and Corpus Christi).

Central Power has been a provider of power generation, distribution and heavy equipment solutions since 1954. With 20 locations and 700 employees across Kansas, Western Missouri, Northern Oklahoma and Texas, the company delivers sales, service and rental support for industries ranging from construction and transportation to critical infrastructure. Central Power offers custom-engineered systems, a robust rental fleet, certified technical expertise and 24/7 emergency service to meet the evolving needs of its customers. The company continues to grow its capabilities, most recently with the addition of a 750,000-square-foot power generation facility in Platte City, Missouri.

TRAFFIX

TrafFix Devices, San Clemente, California, reminds readers of its Water Wall adaptable safety device, which is a temporary, positive separation solution for roadways. As a MASH-eligible TL-2 Longitudinal Channelizing Device, the Water Wall provides critical protection in work zones by clearly delineating spaces while maintaining optimal visibility for drivers, according to the manufacturer. It has a profile of 32 inches in height and 72 inches in length.

It is manufactured from low-density polyethylene plastic. Its double-wall knuckle design reinforces hinge points. With a hinge that allows up to 30 degrees of pivoting, the positive separation system can be adjusted to fit various layouts, while a newly introduced corner piece enables 90-degree turns.

The Water Wall includes an 8-inch fill hole with a twist-lock plastic cap and a tamper-resistant offset drain plug that secures or releases in just two and a half turns. It includes a steel connection and keeper pin system for secure interlocking between sections, and molded-in forklift and pallet jack slots for transport and positioning.

The Water Wall has been NCHRP-350 tested and passed to MASH TL-1 Barrier Wall, TL-2 Longitudinal Channelizing Device, and TL-3 Barricade, according to the manufacturer.

—Source:

AsphaltPro’s

Buck Brothers Pushes Tech Advantage

BY KEVIN GARCIA

The Buck family has been involved in asphalt and concrete paving services for the Toledo, Ohio, metropolitan area since 1947. As 5th generation owners of Buck Brothers Asphalt Paving & Concrete, Chad (founder), Jacob and Zach Buck have a solid foundation in asphalt paving and milling tools and techniques as well as a clear understanding about the importance of continuous improvement.

Recently, the company sought to resolve some inefficiencies that had begun to emerge in the firm’s paving practices. For many years, crews relied on manual lasers and an old asphalt paver to achieve grade. However, a diminishing workforce created some real challenges when performing fine grading in the company’s conventional way.

Jacob explained, “We didn’t have graders or dozers at the time, so we would run stone through an old asphalt paver to achieve grade. While it worked, it was difficult to achieve a perfect grade. It became a ‘guess

and check’ process that requires considerable skill.”

He knew the company needed to find a better way to fine grade, particularly on larger projects.

“It was either learn machine control or learn to manually operate a grader/dozer. It made more sense to go the machine control route,” he said.

TECHNICAL TRANSITION

In 2023, Jacob reached out to the SITECH® Ohio team, his local Cat® dealer, to get started.

He said, “They initially suggested a laser system, because, at the time, I had no AutoCAD® or 3D experience. I didn’t even know what a data collector was or how to use a total station. But I wanted the full experience.”

After some discussion, Jacob opted for a Trimble® SPS930 Universal Total Station (UTS) because it’s both a survey and machine control instrument, providing precision measurements (in the 3-mm range). The robotic and reflectorless solution is

ideal for capturing field conditions like parking lots with speed and accuracy.

After a quick training session, he immediately put the instrument to work on a job. Jacob surveyed an entire project and then sent the data back to Trimble Business Center, where he modeled it.

“Remember, I went from no 3D experience to creating a full survey and grade model, plus learning machine control,” he said. “The instrument was easy to use but I needed to think more carefully about model development.”

His next step was to connect with Trimble and SITECH specialists as well as Alan Sharp from Rockpile Solutions, an authorized software development and consulting partner for Trimble. Jacob added, “With help from all of them, I was able to get a model built in one day and begin establishing a good surveying and modeling workflow.”

He would spend the next year perfecting that workflow and is now teaching other team members.

This crew for Buck Brothers Asphalt Paving & Concrete, Toledo, Ohio, uses a Cat PM820 cold planer equipped with Trimble 3D Roadworks to mill precisely. All photos courtesy of Keeton PR

EFFICIENT FLOW, PAVED TO SPEC

For new construction, Jacob will set up the UTS and survey existing curbs and surrounding surfaces and structures. He explained, “I shoot everything including curbs, drainage, flush surfaces, utility lids, etc. I send that data to Trimble Business Center to be cleaned and modeled. Then, I can establish a grade off of that model.”

That model is then sent to a compact grading machine equipped with the SPS930 UTS for blade control. “The finished surface is always accurate because I’m working directly from as-built conditions, so our drainage, flushes and transitions are all going to be exactly right.”

For a reconstruction, like a mill and overlay, the process is somewhat similar.

Jacob continued, “Before we mill it, I’ll survey the existing lot and then model it in Trimble Business Center, again paying particular attention to drainage.”

Subsequently, the crew mills with Trimble 3D Roadworks on a Cat PM820 and then paves to depth with Trimble 2D Roadworks on a Weiler P385B asphalt paver with sonics.

Not every job is modeled. Jacob said, “If it’s a sizable job, 25,000 square feet or more, or a more complex job with drainage issues, then I’ll model. There are many times I’ll model seemingly simple driveways, because drainage was not considered in the initial design. We can fix those problems with re-grading.”

In the two short months before the season closed in 2023, Buck Brothers was able to fine grade over 300,000 square feet of stone base before paving. Jacob said, “We literally cut our prep time in half and delivered effective drainage in every situation.”

Those benefits continued in 2024. For instance, Cornerstone Church in Maumee, Ohio, had a 20-year-old parking lot that deteriorated quickly and a number of drainage issues that led to potholes and unsafe conditions. When complete, the Buck Brothers crew had regraded the 100,000-square-foot area to 1/16-inch precision. The curbs and islands were optimized for drainage, and they had created 24foot drive lanes for improved access and safety.

Another project was a 50,000-square-foot freight yard, which was a unique effort because instead of asphalt, the surface was all stone, and well above grade. Conventional methods would have required the crew mill and pave multiple times to achieve the desired thickness. Jacob recalled, “I knew we need-

ed to come down about 4 inches—but what would that do to the drainage?”

Instead, he surveyed the existing conditions with the Trimble SPS930 UTS and modeled the final surface, drainage included.

A Cat PM820 cold planer equipped with the Trimble Roadworks 3D Paving Control Platform was then used to mill the parking lot to the specified grade.

He added, “Since we are able to mill 3D, it is considerably easier to pave to depth than using traditional paving methods such as checking depth with a dipstick or using sonics. We completed the work on time and to exact specifications, all while working around the client’s ongoing operations.”

SUSTAINABLE, PRECISE, EFFICIENT

When asked about measuring the success of the company’s technology enabled workflows, Jacob noted he hasn’t run any official numbers. “For me, it’s more of a reality that I can’t do things the way we did before anymore; I needed a different solution. That said, I see value every day in this current workflow.”

He pointed to greater efficiency of materials. “With this modeling workflow, I know

we’re not going to be over on asphalt. The cost savings on materials alone likely pays for the technology investment.”

Arguably, the greater benefit is confidence in the results. He continued, “Our old methods were inefficient, and sometimes inaccurate, which required rework. Now I know that everything we pave is at the right thickness and is going to drain correctly—and that’s big in the asphalt world. I can’t picture us ever going back to the way we did it before.”

The satisfaction and comfort of using the 3D-modeling workflow has prompted Jacob to begin training others in the organization in how to build the models. He’s also looking to invest in other machines including a dozer and excavator.

Customer satisfaction is at an all-time high. Jacob concluded, “My customers, both owners and general contractors, are kind of in awe of what they’re seeing. Many people assume this technology is only for large scale construction sites and workflows, but we’re finding it has huge benefits for smaller sites where precision and material yields are equally important.”

Kevin Garcia is the general manager of civil specialty construction for Trimble.

LEFT: The Buck Brothers crew paves with a Weiler P385B asphalt paver with sonics equipped with Trimble 2D Roadworks. RIGHT: After perfecting the workflow, Jacob Buck trained team members to survey a project and send the data back to Trimble Business Center, where it can be modeled for action.

Luck Stone Puts First Fully Autonomous Drill Rig in the U.S. Aggregate Field

FROM EPIROC

Marking a historic milestone, Epiroc, Stockholm, Sweden, has partnered with Luck Stone, a division of Luck Companies, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, to deploy the first fully autonomous SmartROC D65 drill rig in the United States. The SmartROC D65 MKII is equipped with Epiroc’s advanced automation technology and is capable of executing complete drill patterns without an operator in the cab, according to the manufacturer.

Compliant with the Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) Level 4 standard for full autonomy, the rig operates under remote supervision via Epiroc’s Common Automation Panel (CAP) and Link Open Autonomy (LinkOA) platform, to enable seamless data integration and fleet management.

“Luck Stone’s leadership and commitment demonstrate that autonomy in quarries isn’t future vision—it’s current reality,” said Ron Hankins, business line manager at Epiroc USA. “Our partnership is not about a proof-of-concept, it’s about meaningful operational gains that the next generation of drilling will bring in the U.S.”

Luck Stone, which is known for over 100 years of innovations including its early adoption of autonomous plants and autonomous haulage systems (AHS), continues to set the pace for innovation in the industry, and the company views automation as a strategic investment in safety, operational excellence and talent attraction.

“Our philosophy has always been about doing the work in the best possible way,” said Chuck Stilson, senior director of engineering at Luck Stone. “Partnering with Epiroc on autonomous drilling aligns perfectly with that vision. We’re not only improving productivity and safety, we’re providing new opportunities for our associates and rethinking what’s possible in aggregates.”

James River Equipment, an Epiroc dealer, played a key role in facilitating delivery of the SmartROC D65 MKII and will be instrumental in providing the ongoing local service, training and technical support that are essential to ensuring the project’s long-term success.

The U.S. aggregate market is the largest globally and presents significant growth potential for autonomous technologies. Utilizing the same automation platform proven in mining, the SmartROC D65 MKII makes it easy for any operation to

scale toward full autonomy, according to the manufacturer. By enhancing operational safety, optimizing machine fleet size, and addressing skilled labor shortages, this deployment represents a transformative shift in how quarries can operate.

Both Epiroc and Luck Stone have committed to sharing performance data following the implementation period, offering valuable insights for the broader industry and paving the way for future advancements in automation.

Through four generations of family leadership, Luck Stone has been building strong communities for over 100 years. Luck Stone, a division of Luck Companies, is the nation’s largest family-owned and operated producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel. Here, the company launches the fully autonomous SmartROC D65 MK11 in the U.S. aggregate market. Photo courtesy of Epiroc

Roadtec Shuttle Buggy ® SB-3000

Astec revolutionized the paving industry with the introduction of the Shuttle Buggy, and now the SB-3000 sets a new standard in material transfer vehicles. Effortless maintenance, unmatched performance, and four steering modes for ultimate agility keep paving seamless. Experience groundbreaking innovation with the patented Ground Crew Control Station for the ultimate user experience and protection. The SB-3000 isn’t a machine, it’s a revolution in material transfer, built on Astec’s legacy of industry firsts.