SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM VISITS MAULDIN PAVING PRODUCTS

By Eric Olson

CEG CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham visited the Mauldin Paving Products manufacturing facility in Greenville, S.C., on May 17 to discuss President Biden’s proposed $2.1 infrastructure bill designed to, among other things, build better, safer roads and bridges nationwide.

After discussing the issue with company owners and other South Carolina members of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), Graham was given a tour of the plant before making brief remarks on the factory floor to Mauldin Paving employees and members of the media.

“I have met with some Democratic colleagues, and I don’t think we can pass a $2 billion bill, but an $800 million to $900 million package that is tailored toward construction,” he said. “I am all for building up our high-speed internet capabilities, but construction has to be the meat and potatoes of any infrastructure bill.”

Graham added that he was “hopeful” Congress would pass the infrastructure bill in the next 60 to 90 days. His belief is that it would generate a lot of economic activity for the United States and help the country continue to recover from COVID-19.

“If it does pass, it will be done on a bipartisan basis and if it does not, it would be a great missed opportunity,” he remarked. “There are enough Republicans willing to work with Democrats to get this done if President Biden will sit down and work through the details.

He elicited cheers from the Mauldin Paving factory workers, many of whom are machine assemblers and welders, when he said, “if we can pass an infrastructure bill, get ready for overtime.”

Graham, AEM Ready for Economic Jump-Start

AEM Members Discuss Issues With Graham

average,” Calder responded. “A trained welder, for instance, we were prior to when the 2008 recession hit, when we laid will make $23 to $25 an hour and we offer a full host of off about half our workforce. But we still need to find people health and retirement benefits. Our top hourly pay is $28 per to hire. I could hire about five welders and five assemblers hour.” right now.” The senator was impressed in hearing that, saying, “Those He added that several of his workers attended a machine are good jobs.” trade school and have become invaluable to the manufacturWhen Graham inquired about how existing U.S. steel tar- er. iffs have affected Mauldin and other AEM-member compa- “So, are we including all the paths to success, not just colnies, Calder answered by saying, “My steel pricing has gone lege, when they get out of high school?” he said to Graham. from 33 cents a pound to over 90 cents a pound. We are “Are we encouraging them along a path to become machinunderstanding that this latest price increase has more to do ists and welders? I find, in our experience, that they get lost with the uncertainties over whether the current tariffs will for several years before they wake up one day and decide continue or not. The steel producers are unwilling to load up what they want to do. Mauldin has sent welders to the high on inventory that could be on the wrong side of the tariff if it schools for their career days. We also have a standing policy goes away. that if a kid wants to try welding or machining, they can spend a day here to learn a bit about those professions.” Later, in his public remarks in the Mauldin factory, Graham said that in discussing the infrastructure bill with the asphalt equipment maker and the AEM he better understands the ramifications of passing a legislation that is properly funded to overhaul the American road, bridge, port and rail systems. “The AEM and its members have told me that if Congress can pass an infrastructure bill it would do more to jump-start this part of the economy than any other single thing,” he remarked. “That is what we are trying to push for the country. It would be a big benefit to the employees in this business.” Graham said the demand will go up for all of Mauldin Paving’s equipment to fix and repave, not only South Carolina’s roads South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham visited the Mauldin Paving Products manufacturing facility in Greenville, S.C., on May 17 to discuss President Biden’s proand bridges, which are badly in need of repair, but also those across the country.

The AEM has been working with posed $2.1 trillion infrastructure bill designed to, among other things, build better, In answer to a reporter’s question about Graham to put construction at the heart of safer roads and bridges nationwide. bolstering the country’s cyber security in President Biden’s infrastructure bill. the wake of the Colonial Pipeline ran-

Graham was invited to discuss the proposed legislation Calder also said that the equipment manufacturing busi- somware attack earlier in May, which caused long lines and with executives at Calder Brothers Corp., the owner of ness was robust before the pandemic hit in early 2020. shutdowns for consumers at the gas pumps, Graham Mauldin Paving, prior to his talk on the factory floor. The “It was very steady and solid and increasing every year acknowledged that the attack exposed the need to diversify long-time U.S. senator from South Carolina, one of the most until COVID-19,” he told the senator. “An infrastructure bill the pipelines and strengthen their protections. powerful politicians in Congress, also asked questions dur- would help our industry directly and all manufacturers in Such measures could possibly be accomplished within the ing the meeting and listened to Calder’s concerns. The com- general for us to be more competitive globally. To pay the infrastructure bill. pany has been a member of AEM for 30 years. wages that we pay, a world-class infrastructure should “Clearly, a single source is not good. It proves a cyber–

Glen Calder, vice president of operations of Mauldin accompany those wages to compete against countries with Pearl Harbor could happen, a massive attack on multiple Paving, explained to Graham that Mauldin Paving produces much lower wages.” fronts that could shut us down as a nation,” the senator said. a range of asphalt pavers, road maintainers, asphalt rollers, “The best way to prevent that is to be strong and to let other motor graders, truck mounted tank products and trailer Finding Workers — an Industry Headache countries know, like Russia, who allow these criminals to mounted liquid asphalt/emulsion tanks from its expansive The AEM also hoped that provisions for job training for operate with impunity, that we will hold them accountable new facility in Greenville. people wanting to work in its industries would be included for the next cyber-attack coming from Russian soil. Without

“We start with raw steel, then cut, bend, weld, paint and in the comprehensive infrastructure bill. that, these attacks will keep continuing.” then assemble and sell these products,” Calder noted. “Most If that were to happen, Calder believed it would help solve In closing, Graham remarked, “So, my hope is that someof our equipment is designed for the small commercial work a daily worry about the shortage of qualified factory work- time this year, Republicans and Democrats can do somethat is done all over the U.S. and Canada. Ninety percent of ers, such as machinists and welders. thing other than yell at each other and find a way to help the asphalt manufactured is used to build roads and bridges.” “We currently recruit from all over [Upstate South economy grow. Now is not the time to raise taxes, people

“Your company is in the high-end of the food chain as far Carolina] and from the technical schools,” he noted. “We are have been hurting for the last year or so, so let’s get folks as skilled labor, then,” Graham asked. partnering with them on welder training to get more employ- back to work again and show the world that the best place to

“Yes, our industry pays 35 percent above the national ees. Mauldin Paving has 75 employees now, back to where do business is still in America.”  CEG