Asphalt Contractor December 2019

DECEMBER 2019

WOLF PAVING DIFFERENTIATES

THROUGH PLANT OWNERSHIP

STATE OF THE ROAD BUILDING INDUSTRY: www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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What will 2020 Hold for Asphalt Contractors?

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TABLE OF CONTENTS |

DECEMBER 2019

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COVER STORY Wolf Paving Differentiates Through Plant Ownership Paving company relies on asphalt production to grow in two competitive markets. | 34 TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

10 Why You Should Use BIM for Road Building Projects Efficiency, effectiveness and issue avoidance are all benefits to using building information modeling for the design and construction of roadways.

14 DOTs are Starting to Require Digital Tracking By tracking everything from truck routes to mix temperature digitally, contractors can save time and money while complying with FHWA specifications.

SPECIAL REPORT: STATE OF THE ROAD BUILDING INDUSTRY

48 Technology Key 20 What will 2020 to More Efficient, hold for asphalt Reliable Subgrade producers and Preparation paving companies?

Sensors and satellites help Industry experts compaction equipment weigh in. operators get to the desired PRODUCTION NOTES

42 Production Products Plants, baghouses, mixers, dryers, automation systems & more.

JOBSITE INNOVATIONS

44 Three Ways Manufacturers Are Working to Solve Contractor Pain Points Equipment manufacturers are focusing on technolo-

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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gy and machine upgrades to provide real solutions to problems contractors face every day.

compaction level faster with less waste, driving both productivity and quality at the same time.

56 A How-to Guide for Recruiting Women to Construction Careers From a competitive salary to a rewarding career, women represent untapped potential to help fill the labor shortage.

60 Jobsite Products Pavers, rollers, MTVs & more.

PRESERVATION UPDATE

62 Historic Streets in Massachusetts Receive Fogseal Application Neighborhood near first battle site of the Revolutionary War is first in the state to undergo plant-based rejuvenating fog seal.

66 13 Tips for Construction Site Sweeping How to work safely and efficiently on sites that are constantly changing.

68 Preservation Products Milling machines, reclaimers, infrared equipment & more.

IN EVERY ISSUE 8

Editor’s Perspective

74 The Last Exit www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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DIGITAL CONNECTION www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

A Record 89% of Transportation Investment Ballot Measures Approved

[VIDEO] Senate Passes $74.3B Federal Transportation Program Despite a minibus bill with infrastructure grants, the White House says private funding should be sourced for infrastructure projects.

Voters in 19 states sent a decisive message of support for transportation investment, supporting $7.7 billion in new transportation investment revenue and $1.9 billion in continued funding through tax extensions and renewals.

Search: 21095937

Take Advantage of Your State Asphalt Pavement Association Contractors should rely on their local chapters for guidance and industry advancement

Search: 21096304

Search: 21093448

Changes to Hours of Service Rule May Benefit Construction Contractors

Get social with us! Share pictures of what you’re working with over 27,000 other asphalt contractors on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/ Asphalt.Contractor/

The latest FMCSA proposal is said to be a positive step towards increased flexibility while maintaining necessary safety standards.

Search: 21094392 WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/ASPHALT

CONTRACTOR WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/ASPHALT WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/ASPHALT

CONTRACTOR LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS

LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR FOR ASPHALT ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST

ASPHALT ASPHALT

DECEMBER 2019 Vol. 33, No. 10

CONTRACTOR CONTRACTOR LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS

LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS

Published by AC Business Media.

Asphalt

Asphalt CONTRACTOR

CONTRACTOR

201 N. Main Street, Fifth Floor Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 (800) 538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR FOR ASPHALT ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST

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Published and copyrighted 2019 by AC Business Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Asphalt Contractor (ISSN 1055-9205, USPS 0020-688): is published ten times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September, October, November, December, with an additional Buyer’s Guide issue published in August by AC Business Media, 201 N. Main Street, Fifth Floor, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538.

Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and additional entry offices.

POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to ASPHALT CONTRACTOR, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, Illinois 60065-3605.

Printed in the U.S.A. SUBSCRIPTION POLICY: Individual subscriptions are available without charge only in the USA. The Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualifying subscribers. One-year subscription to nonqualifying individuals: U.S. $45.00, Canada & Mexico $65.00, and $95.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single copies available (prepaid only) $10.00 each (U.S., Canada & Mexico), $15.00 each (International).

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available. Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.” –Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working.

Still asTHERE sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any “IT'S NICE TOpaver.

SEE ARE STILL other machine except for a LeeBoy They are strong machines.

Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.”

–Derek Heater, Black Rock AMERICAN & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate and results in a high production paving SOME COMPANIES OUT operation. No job is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in and day“Iout!"

–Dan Zuber,FROM Cunningham Paving, Cleveland, Ohio “I SWITCHED A LEEBOY switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return. ” –Robert Wadsworth, THERE MAKING EQUIPMENT THAT Sunrise Asphalt, Las Vegas, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle largest project with ease. I tell PAVER ONLY TO the RETURN." LONG WORKS WELL.” everyone LeeBoy isLAST the reason my AND family and I are fed.

Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, Wadsworth, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers––Robert from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would – Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Designed Services,with the paving professional in mind, use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines.

GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, Sunrise Asphalt, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!!

Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Orange, CA The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!” –Matt Las Vegas, NVvery fluent controls.” –Thomas Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go. Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations now! When it comes to asphalt, SMI Paving is ‘LeeBoy Proud’ always!” –Jack Smith, SMI Paving, Fort Mill, South Carolina “I’ve been running LeeBoy equipment for over 20 years. Their pavers truly are ‘designed with the paving professional in mind’. These machines hold up better than any others too!” –Kevin Piona, Mr. Blacktop, Gilroy, California “LeeBoy is the best machine I’ve ran, period, enough said!” –Warren Anderson, Cambridge, Minnesota “LeeBoy is second to none. I’m a third generation paving contractor and they’re all we use. Professional results for the professional contractor.” –Rich Cooper, Colchester, Connecticut “Love our LeeBoy paver. Wouldn’t trade it for any other brand!” –Matthew Mordis, Asp-Con Asphalt Paving, Caseyville, IL “It's nice to see that there are still some American companies out there making equipment that last long and works well. We will definitely be purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available.

Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.”

–Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working.

Still as sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any other machine except for a LeeBoy paver. They are strong machines. Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.” –Derek Heater, Black Rock & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate and results in a high production paving operation. No job is too big or too small. Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in and day out!" –Dan Zuber, Cunningham Paving, Cleveland, Ohio “I switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return.” –Robert Wadsworth, Sunrise Asphalt, Las Vegas, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle the largest project with ease. I tell everyone LeeBoy is the reason my family and I are fed. Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers – from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines. Designed with the paving professional in mind, GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!! The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!” –Matt Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, very fluent controls.” –Thomas Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go. Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations now! When it comes to asphalt, SMI Paving is ‘LeeBoy Proud’ always!” –Jack Smith, SMI Paving, Fort Mill, South Carolina “I’ve been running LeeBoy equipment for over 20 years. Their pavers truly are ‘designed with the paving professional in mind’. These machines hold up better than any others too!” –Kevin Piona, Mr. Blacktop, Gilroy, California “LeeBoy is the best machine I’ve ran, period, enough said!” –Warren Anderson, Cambridge, Minnesota “LeeBoy is second to none. I’m a third generation paving contractor and they’re all we use.

Professional results for the professional contractor.” –Rich Cooper, Colchester, Connecticut “Love our LeeBoy paver. Wouldn’t trade it for any other brand!” –Matthew Mordis, Asp-Con Asphalt Paving, Caseyville, IL “It's nice to see that there are still some American companies out there making equipment that last long and works well. We will definitely be purchasing more equipment from LeeBoy in the future.” –Scott Flores, Empire Parking Lot Services, California “I've been paving for 3 generations, the absolute best investment we’ve made as a company was buying a LeeBoy. If you’re thinking about buying one, stop thinking and make the best decision of your life. Thank you LeeBoy I will be spreading the word!” –Don Hopkins, D&H Paving, New Egypt, New Jersey “Best paver made in the USA. Parts always available. Designed with the paving professional in mind. LOVE IT. Other pavers to me are not an option.” –Alan Taylor, Connecticut “I’ve been in the paving business for 30 years and wouldn’t pave with anything but a LeeBoy!” –Jeff Jarzombek, USA Seal & Stripe LLC, Celebration, Florida “I have been laying asphalt for 32 years now. I come from a time when we used to lay asphalt with a ‘dragbox’. I used to dream of a machine like the LeeBoy paver. In my opinion there is no better or labor-friendly machine like the LeeBoy. From the 1000 to the 8515, the work output and quality is simply unparalleled.” –Frank Cidade, Cidade Blacktop, Massachusetts “Can’t beat a LeeBoy. They’re tanks. It feels wrong to use any other brand. They last forever and are very comfortable.” –Nick Stanley, California “The Legend Heavy-Duty Electric Screed on our 8520 produces an impeccable mat. The noticeable level of quality continues to bring us repeat business and new referrals.” –Shawn Lail, Carolina Paving, Hickory, North Carolina “My old 8515 laid 510 ton on a church lot in Hopkinsville, KY today. Ain’t even broke a sweat yet, might even stop and do a small drive on the way home. Suns up, “Sons” working. Still as sweet today as the day l bought it.” –Randy Bennett, Bennett & Sons Paving, Kentucky “I wouldn't use any other machine except for a LeeBoy paver. They are strong machines. Very friendly staff when you have questions. Couldn't ask for a better machine.” –Derek Heater, Black Rock & Sons Paving, Honesdale, Pennsylvania "LeeBoy’s 8520 paver is simple to operate results in a Paving, high production No job is too big or too small.

Our 8520 produces a quality mat day in andLas dayVegas, out!"

–Dan Zuber,and Cunningham Cleveland,paving Ohio “Ioperation. switched from a LeeBoy paver only to return. ” –Robert Wadsworth, Sunrise Asphalt, Nevada "I'm a mid-size paving contractor, and for me, there's no better machine made. The versatility of the sizes available is amazing. Even the small LeeBoy can tackle the largest project with ease. I tell everyone LeeBoy is the reason my family and I are fed. Have been and will continue to be a customer for life." –Noah Williams, SOS Paving LLC, Tennessee “We’ve been doing asphalt paving since 1975 and owned seven LeeBoy asphalt pavers – from the 700 all the way to the 8816, we would use no other asphalt paver, they are the best machines. Designed with the paving professional in mind, GO LEEBOY OR GO HOME!” –Robert George, The Asphalt Company, Michigan “Great machine!!! The Legend screed makes for flawless seams!!!”

–Matt Lundberg, Lundberg Paving and Excavating, Brockway, Pennsylvania “I just bought a LeeBoy 8616C. Very good machine, lays a great mat, powerful engine, very fluentWould controls. ” –Thomas Clements, C&C Asphalt, Inc, Scottsboro, Alabama “BEST pavers, best people. Factory tour shows true you like to see your quote on a LeeBoy ad? Visit facebook.com/TrustLeeBoy and leave a 5-star review. commitment to manufacturing the GOLD standard of asphalt equipment.” –Henry Welch, Valley Supply, Hagerstown, Maryland “By far the best designer paver I have ever operated. Great customer service as well.” –Noah Cardamone, Waynesboro, Virginia “LeeBoy pavers are the only way to go.

Hands down the best.” –Rocky Young, Louisiana Paving Company, Minden, Louisiana “My family business has been using LeeBoy for 3 generations

TRUST LEEBOY

TRUST LEEBOY. AS DEPENDABLE AS YOUR DAY IS LONG.

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CONTRACTOR

LATEST ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS

EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

DECEMBER 2019 • Vol. 33, No. 10

ASPHALT

Jessica Lombardo, Editor

CONTRACTOR LATEST PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALTPROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT

Published by AC Business Media

jLombardo@ACBusinessMedia.com 920.542.1247

Washington Is Not Listening Despite strong public support, politicians have yet to find the funding to fix our infrastructure

O

ur crumbling infrastructure is not a problem that is going to fix itself. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says that unless we act now to address this problem, it could cost businesses $7 trillion and destroy 2.5 million jobs by the year 2025.

Unfortunately, inaction on infrastructure funding impacts American families who are forced to deal with the state of our failing roadways in their day-to-day commutes: • Americans lose $1,000 a year in wasted fuel costs due to congestion • Families lose an additional $600 a year due to car damage caused by poor infrastructure • The average American loses 54 hours stuck in traffic each year What makes the lack of congressional backing for infrastructure funding even more frustrating is the fact that Americans have voiced their concerns and expressed overwhelming support for funding infrastructure repair. A new poll says voters in key swing districts of 2020 battleground states overwhelmingly support a robust federal infrastructure plan.

The survey found 91% of 1,505 likely voters in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas support increasing investment over the next decade to rebuild and modernize America’s infrastructure.

The infrastructure program they want would repair roads, bridges and public transportation, expand rural access to high-speed internet, modernize K-12 school buildings, upgrade the nation's electrical grid to support more clean energy, improve our water and sewage systems to expand access to clean drinking water and create hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs.

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PROGRESS OVER POLITICS Despite public support for infrastructure funding, our leaders in Washington are refusing to listen. Our industry experts say the best way to immediately fund infrastructure is with a federal gas tax increase. However, most politicians are too worried about re-election to consider supporting this.

But why? Year after year election results show that supporting a gas tax increase is not career suicide. In fact, 93% of lawmakers that supported a gas tax increase were re-elected.

And since Congress has failed to act, states are taking it upon themselves to step up and raise their own money. Last month, voters in 19 states sent a decisive message of support for transportation investment, voting yes to $7.7 billion in new transportation investment revenue and $1.9 billion in continued funding through tax extensions and renewals.

The results reaffirm a decade-long trend of voters strongly supporting investments to maintain and improve transportation.

"It's never easy to raise money for anything," says Ed Mortimer with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "But infrastructure is the backbone of our economy and now is the time for our elected officials to do their jobs and provide a long term vision so we can have an infrastructure we can all be proud of."

See more from Mortimer and other industry experts on the current state of the road building industry and a look at what 2020 has in store starting on page 20.

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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Asphalt CONTRACTOR

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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS |

BY JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR

BIM Why You Should Use

for Road Building Projects T Efficiency, effectiveness and issue avoidance are all benefits to using building information modeling for the design and construction of roadways

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ransforming transportation project design and delivery to smart, paperless, 3D electronic delivery presents significant challenges that will take years to conquer.

Yet the urgency is clear; the need for transportation infrastructure improvements is increasing while public funding decreases, requiring states and agencies to “do more with less.�

Innovation is one potential answer.

Most construction companies have heard or Building Information

Modeling or BIM. BIM is known as intelligent 3D model-based process that gives architecture, engineering and construction professionals the insight and tools to more efficiently plan, design, construct and manage buildings and infrastructure.

While there are many success stories of using BIM for the vertical environment (think buildings, bridges, structures, etc), there are far fewer cases for using BIM in what is known as the horizontal environment for

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11/19/19 4:25 PM

Easy to Learn Autodesk

our roadways. To date (with a few exceptions around the U.S.), BIM implementations are done largely because a bid required it and not because a contractor saw value in its use. Early adopters trend toward “lonely BIM,” where processes are isolated without a supporting BIM execution plan or cohesive strategy throughout the project duration.

However, in order to advance our current way of building roads, we need to improve innovation, reduce

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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construction risks and map out the whole life cycle of the asset and BIM can help.

BIM FOR ROADWAYS CAN: • Provide a digital representation of the physical and functional characteristics of an infrastructure asset • Aid in the process of developing a precise, data rich, virtual 3D representation of existing and proposed elements belonging to programmed construction projects

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Learn more about the VÖGELE ErgoPlus 3 at wirtgen-group.com/america

DECEMBER 2019 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR

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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

• Serve as a shared knowledge resource for information about the infrastructure asset • Provide collaboration for various stakeholders at different phases of the life cycle of an infrastructure asset "Communication is even more crucial today than it's ever been but most engineers are unfortunately lousy at it," Tony Nieves, construction engineer at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) says. "All these new technologies are bringing tons of data but unfortunately at the project ownership level, it's creating cycles of data that are not speaking with each other. What BIM does is creates a seamless transition for the data by breaking down the silos between teams."

With BIM, you can look at the project virtually and construct the roadway in a 3D environment. The entire team is seeing the same model and seeing the same project you're seeing at the same time. Having a digital platform that connects different data sources securely can benefit all project members in searching for information and mapping all of their assets.

Digital platforms can be accessed using different permission levels to perform maintenance and planning activities, including in emergency situations where real time data is needed to support well-informed decisions.

"BIM provides more accurate designs with reduced risks," Nieves says. "For designers, constructors and owners to be successful with positive return on investment from BIM, they should shift from the traditional siloed approach to a more collaborative project management practice."

BIM IMPROVES PROJECT DEVELOPMENT Identifying long term goals for the use of BIM on your project is extremely important and using BIM can help plan your project from start to finish by: • Assisting in planning the project • Creating a conceptual design • Working through a detailed design • Helping with procurement • Identifying as-built assets • Assess operation & management requirements

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"Look at your project, make sure that all the practices that you have in place are there to improve efficiencies and building effectiveness by using BIM," Nieves says. "Using BIM gives your project major technological credibility for performance, transparency, planning and operations and maintenance. That means that you can better stage your projects, you can have more vision, you can actually control your fuel consumption and equipment break downs, etc."

Using BIM forces owners and practitioners to rethink the project delivery life cycle from planning through survey, design and construction into operations and maintenance. The disconnect comes when project owners don't see this as a good thing. However, appeal to their profitability and there is more of a chance they'll adopt.

BIM & PROFITABILITY Code compliance is a priority for engineer’s followed by the concern for constructability. However, misinterpretation of design documents is an old time on-site challenge. This results into delayed schedules, tons if RFIs and change orders.

Let’s say $100M is budgeted for new highway construction project with bridges and interchanges. Usually, around 7-8% percent of the finances will go into design development.

However, if you can reduce this design expenditure by 35% with a productive process like BIM, your project could

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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save $2.6M. What's more, if you reduce the construction portion by 15% by considering constructability during the design phase, it will save nearly $14M. BIM for roads and highways design works with creation of coordinated and consistent design data about the projects, thereby creating a smart 3D model. The rudiments of designs are not just linked to points, facades and placements, but also to the information and elements related to it which helps avoid such errors if the project is designed for constructability.

For instance if halfway during the course of a roadway construction project, if the design needs any adjustments to vertical curves and grades, adjusting the profile enables designers to immediately see the impact.

This is how BIM facilitates the design evaluation. Civil engineers, who form the integral part for the design process, are able to utilize the information model to enhance the design for constructability, sustainability and road safety by conducting simulations and analysis.

Apart from competence and productivity, BIM assists in roadways optimization through various aspects like visualization, mockup and analysis as an integral part of the design phase.

Other criteria such as constructability, road safety and sustainability also can be evaluated to achieve an optimal roadways design.

Given the growing recognition of the importance of BIM by the trades, a greater understanding of their activities and more collaboration with them is essential for expanding the benefits of BIM for road building projects. BIM should be just one part of your construction companies' larger technology strategy, with the goal of improving information flow among project team members and between the jobsite and the office.

For more information on BIM, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21086672

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DECEMBER 2019 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR

13 11/19/19 11:22 AM

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

DOTs are Starting to Require

DIGITAL TRACKING

By tracking everything from truck routes to mix temperature digitally, contractors can save time and money while complying with FHWA specifications 14

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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S

ince 1916, some form of federal DOT has been offering funding for states to expand highway infrastructures through the Federal Aid Road Act. Fast forward to 2019 and we have a Federal budget of over $76B to maintain and improve our highways and interstates, that’s just the Federal spend and doesn’t include State budgets.

If I were allocating over

$76,000,000,000 I’d be interested in keeping tabs on how the money is spent, wouldn’t you? Well, to get visibility that helps DOTs set budgets, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and State DOTs end up requiring each state to provide their own independent verification record, to show a “paper trail” of materials purchased and materials delivered.

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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New technology is making digital tickets, gps stamped deliveries, route tracking and more, available with just a smartphone.

that data into spreadsheets. It wasn’t until the last 5-10 years that DOTs have started taking advantage of the digital age and using technology (that’s been around for 20 years) to help utilize their staff more efficiently. This all takes the place of flagging down trucks at a jobsite, collecting towers of paper tickets and handling massive loads of manual data entry.

For nearly 100 years, DOTs have been tracking these funds by staffing some unfortunate employee to stand onsite nagging drivers and crew members to collect paper tickets every time a load is delivered to the paver.

Then that person would bring stacks of paper tickets back to the office for archiving and in more recent history would spend days manually entering

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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TECH IMPROVES PRODUCTIVITY Now mobile devices and phones have reliable and accurate GPS data, high resolution cameras and widely available cellular data. This means technology like Optical Character Recognition (OCR for short) and digital archiving from the field can be utilized to spend their employeehours in better ways. Rather than staffing someone to be in the field on the DOT’s behalf, they can put this technology in the hands of the asphalt contractors that also helps their business save costs and provides the visibility that DOTs want.

To summarize that lengthy sentence: new tech is making digital tickets, gps stamped deliveries, route tracking and more, available with just a smartphone. According to Rebecca Embacher at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), they are testing this out with a few projects currently by requiring digital ticketing. This allows them to track each load delivered and cut down on the amount of manual data entry required on their end since to archive these tickets since the tickets are automatically uploaded, organized and sorted for each job.

Embacher says she wouldn’t be surprised if DOTs are requiring this basic tech nationwide within the next five years, especially since the social world of DOTs is small and word travels fast.

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DECEMBER 2019 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR

15 11/19/19 11:28 AM

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

PlantManager Enterprise Level Production Monitoring Software PlantManager allows asphalt plant managers to gain a 30,000-foot level view of their company’s plants, all in one powerful dashboard. Managers can spot issues at a glance and drill down into critical production and job data.

PlantManager Highlights  Production rates from each of your plants, and information on whether they meet your benchmarks  View of the current mix design name in production  Mix temperature and energy efficiency monitoring from each of your plants and whether they fall within the chosen range  An extensive log of plant production, which includes a custom date/time range and is sortable by mix  All logs can be exported as spreadsheets for easy reporting to other departments  Entry point to deeper data reporting and analysis applications

TECHNOLOGY MATTERS

TECH INCREASES QUALITY While digital ticketing is a big step forward, there’s so many more data points that are important to DOTs in being able to track progress and budget usage on these projects. They’ve expressed that tracking truck routes, thermal segregation and asphalt composition/quality are all important to monitor through a DOT portal. For example, there are often cases when MnDOT will provide the contractor with dedicated routes they want trucks to use. In efforts to cut down on traffic through a specific neighborhood, easing the wear and tear on local roads, or even to cut down on fraud. There have been reported cases of a driver delivering part of a load to another “buyer” before delivering the remaining load to a jobsite while the DOT has paid for the full load.

Another and even more important example is that by using smart data-driven dispatching and route planning, thermal segregation can be significantly decreased since wait times are reduced for trucks to unload. Pavers have been using infrared technology for years to monitor thermal segregation but the trouble with this solution is that the defects are found after the asphalt has been laid.

Crews are constantly reacting to temperatures coming out of the paver and making reactive adjustments and we all know that proactive solutions are often better. Studies show that the longer HMA sits in the bed of a truck during transport, the more thermal segregation progresses. So arguably the best way to fight it is to accurately schedule the correct number of trucks for a job and stagger their start times to minimize waiting times at unloading, an easy task using digital tools made just for asphalt contractors.

Ultimately creating more reliable, longer lasting and safer roadways for motorists.

As an asphalt supplier and contractor you’re probably thinking, “Yes that all sounds great, and I’d love this technology for my business, but that costs money.”

Thankfully, DOTs know this and they’re ready to make the commitment along with you. There are many projects that DOTs are including the tracking software as a line item they’ll pay for, an item that the contractor can charge for.

There are many details that State DOTs and the FHWA want to track and monitor, like delivery verification, route tracking, thermal segregation and fraud prevention. Luckily, the right technology is here today and it’s mutually beneficial for both parties providing cost savings for asphalt companies and the visibility that DOTs want.

Tarun Nimmagadda is chief executive officer at Ruckit

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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11/19/19 11:28 AM

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BY JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR

Asphalt Contractor’s State of the Road Building Industry for

20

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

11/19/19 11:32 AM

Contractors don’t have 20/20 vision for the year ahead and there are some legitimate reasons for that

I

t appears as if uncertainty will once again reign in 2020 for the road building industry. Lack of funding certainty, the skilled worker shortage, tariff impacts and more are all weighing heavily on the minds of construction business owners.

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What we can’t give you to help ease the struggle is crystal ball. Instead, each December we talk to industry experts about what they see coming down the road for the year ahead in hopes that it helps you better prepare for what to expect.

While contractors may have apprehension for the year ahead, experts say there’s reason to stay positive.

“We believe that 2020 will be another strong year for asphalt producers and highway contractors,” Ed Mortimer, vice president, transportation infrastructure for the United States Chamber of Commerce says. “Federal funding remains stable and more state and local governments continue to move forward

with critical transportation projects. We believe this trend will continue.”

Over the next few pages, read about what else contractors can expect in 2020 from experts that represent all facets of the road building industry.

›››››››

DECEMBER 2019 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR

21 11/19/19 11:33 AM

SPECIAL REPORT

››››

Federal Funding Not Secured, but There’s Hope 2019 has provided some guaranteed dollars and states are starting to pick up the tab as well, helping to keep work going, even without a federal infrastructure package.

What remains in question however is if Congress will put policy before politics and enact long-term legislation for infrastructure funding and secure the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act before it runs out.

AUDREY COPELAND, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ASPHALT PAVEMENT ASSOCIATION (NAPA): We are looking toward reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs in the middle of what is certain to be a high-stakes election cycle. Congress still has time to enact a surface transportation reauthorization bill before the FAST Act expires on September 30, 2020, which is just weeks before Election Day. Passage of a multiyear surface transportation bill would provide certainty for highway agencies to plan and budget for projects, but for that to happen lawmakers will need to come together and agree to move forward with a plan.

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee has approved a bipartisan five-year reauthorization bill, America’s Transportation Infrastructure Act (ATIA) of 2019, that boosts highway spending by more than 27% above the FAST Act funding levels. The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) has been urging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the legislation to the Senate floor for a vote as well as for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to start drafting its own legislation.

Without strong signals from Washington that federal funding will not be disrupted or diminished, we are likely to see states adopt a conservative approach to new project starts, which could take

some larger projects off the table for 2020. At the same time, many states and localities are doing what they can to raise additional local funds for transportation. This helps them maintain their infrastructure networks, but it is no substitute for federal action.

ALISON PREMO BLACK, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, POLICY & CHIEF ECONOMIST AT ARTBA: Congress has also acted to increase federal transportation investment through the annual appropriations process, providing over $10 billion in supplemental funding for the federal-aid highway, transit and airport improvement programs in FY 2018 and 2019. Additional funding is also expected in FY 2020. This increase is in addition to what states receive under the FAST Act and the Airport Improvement Program and has helped support significant transportation construction market growth in 2019.

The fact that the EPW Committee is proactively moving forward with a reauthorization of the federal highway program more than a year before it expires is noteworthy.

MORTIMER: While the Trump infrastructure plan has stalled in congress, we continue to see solid federal funding and legislative action on surface transportation reauthorization. As stated above, the Senate EPW Committee approved on a 21-0 vote the ATIA (S. 2302). While the bill includes a 27% increase in federal highway investment over the next five years, it also creates, for the first time, a national bridge program and incentives state DOT’s to build infrastructure that is resilient to changing climate conditions.

To move the bill to the full Senate, the Banking, Commerce and Finance

Edward L. Mortimer, executive director, transportation & infrastructure, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Committees must move their parts of the bill. The key will be the Finance Committee, who has to identify $110 billion in new funding over five years to pay for the ATIA. We continue to push Senate leaders to come together with a package that can be approved by the Senate by the end of 2019 or early 2020.

With 2020 being a Presidential election year, we believe there should be a sense of urgency to finish work on the bill and have a bill sent to President Trump early 2020. Any later, and the possibility of extending the FAST Act becomes greater. It took 32 extensions to complete the last surface transportation bill so to prevent a repeat, we will be launching an all-out advocacy and grassroots effort to remind members of congress of the urgent need for action.

ARNIBAN BASU, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF SAGE POLICY GROUP: Americans don’t seem to agree on much these days, but one thing they manage to agree upon is the need to step up

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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infrastructure investment. Accordingly, infrastructure is especially fertile ground for bipartisanship. The Senate $287 billion EPW funding reauthorization bill would pick up where 2015’s FAST Act left off, providing funding for the next five years. The Highway Trust Fund is set for insolvency in 2021, so this is likely one of the very few things that gets done next year.

ERIC BAKER, PRESIDENT, ASPHALT RECYCLING & RECLAIMING ASSOCIATION: Obviously there is some uncertainty because of the federal government and

whether they’re going to be able to get anything done, especially in an election year. However, there is appetite on both sides of the aisle to get something done to fund infrastructure even with the election year. We still feel like there’s a chance an infrastructure bill will pass and there’s people working hard at it.

The biggest question is if they’re going to put politics aside or not and be able to come to a consensus. The biggest concern is that whether one side is going to feel like the other side is going to get a win out of it. If one side can claim a win, then it probably won’t happen, unfortunately.

There’s also been a lot of movement at the state local level to increase funding level. We expect that to really offset a lot of uncertainty at the federal level.

You’ve got states that have passed gas tax increases and we’ve seen the benefits of those increases in business activity in those states and that seems to be a trend across the United States. That’s a very positive sign.

››››› States Continuing to Step Up mixtures. In 2018 alone, the use of RAP saved about $2.8 billion nationwide compared to the use of all new materials.

Speaking of funding at the state and local level, to counteract rising construction costs and the lack of Federal funding, since 2012 36 states have taken infrastructure funding increases into their own hands. How has this helped the road building industry sustain work and what else can they do to remain competitive?

PREMO BLACK: On November 5th, voters in 19 states sent a decisive message of support for transportation investment, approving 89% of 305 state and local transportation ballot measures. In total, the 270 approved initiatives are expected to generate over $9.6 billion in one-time and recurring revenue. Since 2010, voters have approved 81% of nearly 2,000 transportation investment ballot measures.

COPELAND: At the state level, we have seen funding increases. In cases, this has raised significant revenue for projects; in California, for example, Senate Bill 1, which voters reaffirmed in 2018, will raise an estimated $182.6 for transportation projects over its first decade. Contractors continue to enter new infrastructure markets and win jobs in the commercial

24

BAKER: States are always looking for new opportunities to stay competitive.

Producers are looking at new markets to get into and are being progressive in that way. Contractors are also extending in to new applications like cold recycling and other pavement maintenance areas that will always need to occur at the state level, regardless of Federal funding.

Alison Premo Black, senior vice president & chief economist, Deputy Director Contractors Division, American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA)

and private market sectors. They’ve also looked at other services they can add to their portfolio, such as disaster response and winter maintenance contracts with counties and cities.

Finally, contractors continue to be smart, innovative and efficient. Increasing the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) makes sense for environmental reasons, but when used properly it also helps mitigate the cost of producing

BASU: State and local government finances have improved dramatically over the course of the current decade. More people are working, which triggers higher income tax collections. Rising incomes help fuel retail sales and retail sales tax collections.

Property values have rebounded and there are more properties to assess and tax.

Accordingly, property tax revenues are up, too. The result is that state and local governments have been filling in much of the void left by the federal government.

It also means that state and local governments have been at the vanguard of dealing with rising construction costs.

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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11/19/19 11:33 AM

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Uncertainty Will Cause Contractors to Wait & See

››››

With so much financial and political uncertainty, many contractors say they will take a “wait and see” approach to purchasing new equipment and hiring. How will this impact the market in 2020?

MORTIMER: While there may be some political uncertainly, we believe the market fundamentals remain strong. We are hopeful that a positive resolution to the tariff issue and steady federal state and local funding will ensure the 2020 transportation market remains strong.

COPELAND: This uncertainty does create major challenges for contractors across the highway industry, especially for retention and hiring. Without providing financial stability for public highways, contractors’ labor market will seek jobs in other industries, and we may never see those workers again. A weakened labor pool causes challenges in terms of costs for human resources and recurrent training.

This is a challenge not just for getting work done in 2020, but well into the future.

The 2020 construction season will be shaped by the highway funding levels provided in the FY2020 transportation appropriations, state and local spending on highways and roads, and residential and commercial construction markets, and contractors will plan accordingly.

Naturally, securing a long-term highway bill would remove uncertainty, which would allow contractors to take a longerterm approach to their equipment purchasing and hiring plans.

BASU: Many economic actors are embracing a wait-and-see attitude in 2020. It’s one of the reasons that next year will be a soft one for the U.S. economy.

HOW CAN WE COMBAT UNCERTAINTY? Providing immediate, sustainable funding is the best way to give contractors the certainty they need to move forward with letting projects. How can this be done?

PREMO BLACK: Congress needs to act to reauthorize the federal aid highway program. When the reauthorization process is delayed and the federal program operates under a series of continuing resolutions, states tend to delay projects. This uncertainty would be a significant headwind for the market growth we are expecting to see in 2020.

Audrey Copeland, president, National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA)

COPELAND: The gas tax is still the best option for raising revenue for the Highway Trust Fund. It’s relatively simple to manage and collect; moving to vehicle- or driver-based taxation would increase the complexity of tracking and collecting taxes significantly. That said, Congress might consider — and NAPA would support — supplementing fuel taxes with heavy truck fees and electric vehicle user fees for better cost allocation.

Contractors should be aware that funding issues are complex. Overall funding levels do not tell the full story

and what happens in D.C. can impact the asphalt pavement market. Congress can, and has, limited who can spend the funds and what projects the funds can be spent on in highway reauthorization bills like the FAST Act. As more funds are shifted away from state transportation agencies to be spent by counties and cities, the mix of projects changes. Also, if Congress or a state legislature decides to direct spending towards certain types of projects (for example, bridges or transit), that too impacts the market. These are the sort of details and opportunities for contractors, which are only uncovered through careful, thorough reading of the legislation, which NAPA highlights in its legislative briefings to members BAKER: I think any tax increase will have to be a phased approach. I think the immediate funding mechanism, the one that is the simplest, is a gas tax increase. Howebver that’s not going to be future proof. In talking to elected officials, it seems like infrastructure funding will have to be a few different things.

A gas tax increase, which is necessary and logical and actually has some bipartisan support, will be the quick solution and then either some sort of vehicle mile tax or taxes on batteries or electric vehicles will be the more longer term solutions.

CON

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MORTIMER: In the short-term, an adjustment of the gasoline tax is the most efficient, transparent way to fund highways. No other mechanism meets that standard.

We do believe federal and state governments must continue to study and test a vehicle miles traveled system. With alternative fueled vehicles continuing to come online over the next 15 years, we do see a mileage-based fee program as the next step after one final adjustment

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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to the federal fuel tax. We also believe any mileage-based fee program should be used by all highway users and not single out any industry or user as a first step.

We will work with the transportation industry, organized labor and other stakeholders to ensure we at least maintain steady, predictable federal funding. We also expect Congress to reauthorize the Water Resources Development Act which will authorize new Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works projects.

BASU: There should be a more aggressive push toward user fees. Mileage-based fees

››››

make considerable sense, since a roadway subject to deterioration isn’t much concerned about whether it is being impacted by electric- or gas-powered vehicles. This means more electronic tolls on our nation’s highways. Most states have raised gas taxes this decade, which also helps.

We also believe single-family housing and residential subdivision construction will make a massive comeback during the next decade as Millennials come of age and begin to forge larger households.

That should represent a massive opportunity for asphalt contractors.

• • • • • • • •

Lack of Skilled Workers Impeding on Growth BAKER: The lack of skilled workers in the industry is definitely is going to impact contractor competitiveness and their profit. Finding skilled workers is a huge focus point because it’s somewhat twofold. You have to find those skilled workers that you can train up but then also invest in training and your existing workforce.

BASU: Subcontractors of all types are scrambling to put together teams of workers that can do the work, don’t generate legal liability and stick around long enough to learn their craft. Many contractors have turned to steep overtime payments to get the work done, which of course translates into higher costs and lower margins all things being equal.

But there’s hope!

Anirban Basu, chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group Inc.

COPELAND: The lack of skilled workers is a primary concern for asphalt contractors, so much that NAPA members raised workforce development to one of NAPA’s six industry-wide strategic goals. A skilled work force is an input for asphalt mixture production just like the material inputs, such as binder and aggregate, we use to manufacture asphalt mixtures. We

PREMO BLACK: Finding skilled labor continues to be a challenge in some areas, largely depending on the regional market dynamics. Still, over the last five years employment by highway and bridge contractors has grown at a rate of 3% a year as the amount of construction work has increased. In some states with growing state and local highway and bridge programs, employment has grown at an average rate of 10% a year.

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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have heard some anecdotal stories about NAPA members choosing not to bid on projects due to workforce supply concerns, but it is not widespread. This is not a problem unique to our industry, so NAPA is working to fill the gaps specific to asphalt contractors and in partnership with government agencies and other associations to address it for our industry.

78% of construction firms report that they are having a difficult time finding qualified workers. The industry needs help to attract workers to these careers.

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Eric Baker, president, Asphalt Recycling & Reclaiming Association’s (ARRA)

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SPECIAL REPORT

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How Do We Improve Workforce Development?

relif/ iStock / Getty Images Plus

PREMO BLACK: Many contractors are making sustained efforts to attract young workers through construction career days and events aimed at recruiting high school students to the industry. There are also a number of programs to train new workers, recruit veterans and reach other potential employees. Some states have embarked on state-wide campaigns to promote jobs in the transportation construction industry.

BASU: There is a growing movement toward bulking up apprenticeship programs, placing training facilities in challenging neighborhoods (e.g. Baltimore), and reemphasizing vocational instruction in high schools (e.g. Maryland). It will take years for these initiatives to have a major impact, and contractors will continue to see many of their workers head for retirement. However, the nation is waking up to the idea that college preparedness is not the only path to success and stability.

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BAKER: There’s a lot of work being done at the equipment manufacturer level to simplify equipment and automate more functions. If we put more technology in the machines, they don’t require as skilled of a worker to operate right out of the gate.

While we’ve seen success working with the Future Farmers of America to extend the labor pool, if we’re like most industries, we’re going to have to do what we do now with fewer people.

We have to figure out ways to be more efficient. If there are things that used to be done with two people, can we find ways that we can do it with one? It’s not that we’re trying to reduce headcount to save costs, it’s that the headcount isn’t there anymore.

MORTIMER: We continue to see challenges in the asphalt and other industries in attracting high skilled workers. We continue to support apprenticeship programs and outreach to high schools and colleges.

We also believe that federal leaders must come together to enact a comprehensive immigration bill that protects our nation’s borders but ensures we can bring in the men and women needed to modernize America’s infrastructure COPELAND: NAPA has called out workforce development as a specific area for focus and action in our strategic plan. We now have a dedicated Workforce Development committee comprised of NAPA members and State Asphalt Pavement Association (SAPA) representatives. So far, we’ve spent a lot of time on market research to understand how our industry is perceived by potential workers

and by those that influence them, such as teachers and guidance counselors.

We are finishing up a one-of-a-kind labor market report that will provide this insight for our members. We are also working with contractors and the SAPAs to build effective partnerships to help introduce people to the wide range of opportunities and possibilities that come with a job in the asphalt industry. And, we’re also focused on the workforce retention aspect of the equation and how to help companies keep and develop workers once they’ve been hired, essentially looking towards the work environment of the future.

To find a larger labor pool, contractors must do two things: One: Utilize current employees to attract workers and look outside the traditional labor pool. From some of the survey data we’ve seen, many people in the industry got their first job in asphalt because a family member, friend, or neighbor clued them in to the opportunities. Consider investing the time in your current staff to train and inform them as advocates for opportunities at your company and in our industry. In many cases, young workers have no idea of the long-term opportunities available when joining our industry and properly informed employees can help others understand those opportunities and benefits.

Two: Advocate. We have seen that, in general, most people don’t know much about road construction as a profession — and that includes teachers and guidance counselors. We need to get a broader group of people aware of, and informed about, the asphalt pavement industry and part of that is getting into schools — elementary and middle schools, as well as high schools.

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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SPECIAL REPORT

Innovation Both Helping & Hindering Growth

›››

While we know technology can help contractors complete their jobs more efficiently, the lack of implementation is seriously hindering growth in the industry.

How can we change this?

BASU: Without question, construction has lagged manufacturing, retail, logistics, healthcare and many other industries in terms of embracing new technologies. This has of course hindered profitability as construction firms continue to compete on a “lowest bid wins” basis. In other industries, there is much more competition along the dimension of new product introductions (e.g., communications, medicine). That’s where the greatest profitability exists.

Materials science is where the revolution will be. Communities are looking for materials that will last longer, limiting travel disruptions while will also reduce the number of times governments have to

turn to the marketplace for work.

In order to advance in this space, contractors need to read and attend industry events – this is the best way to keep up. Contractors should pay special attention to matters involving the evolution of materials used for roadwork and other purposes.

COPELAND: Overall, asphalt producers are interested in innovations and new technologies, especially when they improve operational efficiency, worker safety and product quality. The challenge is that we predominately work in a low-bid environment and the specifications system is recipe-based rather than performance based. A move away from traditional “recipe based” specification systems towards performance specifications will allow contractors and agencies to both benefit from opportunities to innovate and adapt to new technologies.

I think technologies that allow the equipment (plants, pavers and rollers) throughout the production and construction chain to automatically communicate and provide realtime feedback will continue to be implemented. With advancements in technology, the asphalt pavement industry will continue to become more data-driven rather than depending on subjective decisions. The knowledge that will bring for targeting gains in operational efficiency are key.

MORTIMER: Contractors are using innovation and technology to maximize the use of limited investment dollars. More states are using design/build and other innovate delivery methods to share more risk with public sector clients and providing cost savings while continuing to deliver safe and efficient projects.

Work Zones Not Getting Safer In the last year alone, 54% of contractors reported that a vehicle had crashed into their work zone. The industry needs to make changes in order to keep workers away from distracted driving.

BAKER: I think there is a significant amount of training that would improve worker safety, jobsite safety and safety in general. One thing that we’ve done is implemented a near miss reporting culture. We went from maybe a handful of near misses being reported a month to hundreds of near misses been reported.

As a result, we’ve seen our safety rating go from a few recordable incidents a month going on 520 days without a recordable incident, so it’s made a huge impact for us. It’s all about creating a

32

safety culture, being proactive and fixing things before they become a real issue where you need to react to the situation.

The other thing that I think we’ll see is more technology and features on equipment geared towards safety. In the past, performance has probably been the design principle from a manufacturer standpoint, but safety is going to be paramount now. We’re filing patents and coming out with new features and new technology that is purely geared towards operators and crew safety and that’s a bit of a cultural shift as well.

COPELAND: We hear from NAPA member employees that the biggest, uncontrollable threats lie outside of the work zone. It’s distracted, drowsy, drunk or drugged drivers. The

industry is working on early warning systems to help move people out of the way of harm when a work zone intrusion happens, but the biggest changes will come from public awareness efforts and police enforcement to ensure people pay attention, slow down and drive responsibly.

NAPA’s WatchForUs campaign has been successful in building partnerships with other organizations to get out messages about the importance of slowing down in work zones, but we all benefit from even more people pushing and reiterating the message.

To stay up to date on the latest industry news, bookmark ForConstructionPros.com/ Asphalt

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS |

BY JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR

WOLF PAVING Differentiates Through Plant Ownership Paving company relies on asphalt production to grow in two competitive markets

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sk many asphalt paving companies what they struggle with and we bet more than a few will say consistent product quality. The potential for this is low, but a risk that contractors take when they rely on other companies to produce mix for their paving operations. This is why Wolf Paving chose to invest in not one, but two asphalt plants for their business.

“Unlike most paving contractors, we know all our materials and have control

34

over our asphalt production facilities in Oconomowoc and Sun Prairie, Wisconsin,” Jacob Mrugacz, president at Wolf Paving says. “This allows us to offer better products, better services and ultimately a better value to all our clients, large and small.”

Wolf Paving produces their own sand at the Oconomowoc location but purchase all other materials from outside material producers. They maintain a continuous inventory of washed and screened sand, crushed gravel, crushed limestone, fill material and even salt for winter services in addition to their hot and cold asphalt mixes.

Mrugacz says this not only provides immediate cost savings for their

In the Madison, WI market, growth has been huge for the company. The location features a 350 tph Gencor plant with two 200-ton silos and two 300-ton silos and that capacity is still not enough to serve the needs of the area.

business, but also ensures they are able to deliver the best quality mix possible to their customers which gives them the ability to guarantee their work.

“We have more than 20 custom mixes of asphalt blends, with plenty of specialty mixes to ensure we have the right kind of asphalt for every application,” he says. “And because we

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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know every element that goes into the asphalt pavement we produce, we can offer a full one-year warranty on all our asphalt work. Few other paving contractors are willing to offer such guarantees, especially when they're using asphalt made by somebody else.”

Not only is Wolf Paving able to control the quality of the mix they produce for their paving jobs, they also get to control the schedule, which is important in two thriving markets.

CONTINUOUS GROWTH BRINGS OPPORTUNITY In the Madison market, the growth has been huge for the company. The location features a 300+ tph Gencor plant with two 200-ton silos and two 300ton silos and that capacity is still not enough to serve the needs of the area.

“We rebuilt our control house last winter and we’ve replaced some motors and wear parts but we need more upgrades,” Mrugacz says. “Over the next few years we’ll look to add new AC tanks, more silos and a higher capacity drum.”

The company installed a Systems Inc. control panel due to their familiarity with the brand and service they’ve experienced.

As most companies grow in this industry, Wolf Paving is experiencing a high amount of challenges with employee turnover and retention.

Luckily, the company has found a few solutions to their labor problem.

“When I first took over as president, we had a very high turnover rate,” Mrugacz says. “Now we’re focusing on retaining the workers we have with higher pay and employee appreciation.

Those things go a long way.”

Mrugacz was named president of Wolf Paving in January 2019 after the “We produce a large percentage of RAP at this location from the RAP we process at our facility each year,” Wolf Paving president Jacob Mrugacz says.

“We also incorporate the recycled asphalt shingles we receive from other contractors back into the mix as well.”

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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stepped into a successful situation,” Mrugacz says. “Sure we’re refining some things, but they did a good job here. People felt loyal to the previous owners but building that culture is important no matter what company you have and what last name is on the president’s door. That family atmosphere is really feeling like your company cares about you, your fellow employee cares about you and that you have some sort of purpose in what you do.”

As part of the company’s commitment to advancing eco-friendly asphalt, 100% of the leftover asphalt and concrete Wolf Paving hauls away from job sites is recycled into new paving materials. They also accept recycled materials from other contractors in the area as well.

business was acquired by William J. Kennedy Holding Co, an affiliate of Janesville-based Rock Road Co. Inc. “Wolf Paving was a successful family-owned company and so I

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INCREASED RECYCLING PRODUCTION As part of the company’s commitment to advancing eco-friendly asphalt, 100% of the leftover asphalt and concrete Wolf Paving hauls away from job sites is recycled into new paving materials.

They also accept recycled materials from other contractors in the area as well. This too, Mrugacz says, is only possible because they own their asphalt plants.

“At our plants we recycle old concrete, asphalt shingles, old asphalt and more,” he adds. “We also accept materials from other contractors and job sites to be recycled as well.”

Wolf Paving owns and operates several sand and gravel pits as well as two limestone quarries and maintains a continuous inventory of washed and screened sand, crushed gravel, crushed limestone, fill material and even salt for winter services in addition to their hot and cold asphalt mixes.

Beyond the environmental benefits, this means further cost savings to their customers, as well as allowing the company to operate as recycling contractor, expanding their business services.

“We produce a large percentage of RAP at this location from the RAP we process at our facility each year,” Mrugacz says. “We also incorporate the recycled asphalt shingles we receive from other contractors back into the mix.”

With over 75 years of experience in the industry, the company has positioned themselves as a leader in their markets through product differentiation and quality service. This strategy has positioned the company for continued success and growth for years to come.

For more information on Wolf Paving, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21015153

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS Astec M-Pack Relocatable Facility The M-Pack plant is engineered as a set of modules, which are transported by truck and bolted-up at the site.

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SYSTEMS WINLC3000 Silo Loadout System Engineered by SYSTEMS Equipment Corp., the Windows-based WIN-LC3000 Silo Loadout System is designed to accurately control truck loading, print delivery tickets, store delivery data, and print operational reports.

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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Ammann ACP 300 ContiHRT Asphalt Plant The Ammann ACP 300 ContiHRT AsphaltMixing Plant is capable of producing mix consisting of more than 60% RAP. • The continuous plant features Ammann’s recycling technology which maximizes RAP utilization and meets the world’s most stringent emissions guidelines • Gentle pre-heating of the RAP, compared to traditional cold feed to superheated virgin aggregates, prevents thermal stress on the asphalt concrete (AC) content and ensures a highly homogenous final mix • Plant incorporates a RAP dryer for the addition of recycled materials and a separate cold recycling feed • Can incorporate shingles, liquid additives, fiber granulate and foam ForConstructionPros. com/21091313

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS |

BY JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR

Cat COMMAND for Soil Compaction is an operator-assisted technology that automates the soil compaction process and helps contractors achieve compaction quality.

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Equipment manufacturers are focusing on technology and machine upgrades to provide real solutions to problems contractors face every day

G

etting ahead in the construction industry is not an easy task these days. From a lack of funding to a dwindling pool of skilled workers, contractors are struggling most days just to break even. While we have no control over what happens in Washington, business owners can lean on the experts to help provide them with solutions to their growing daily demands and headaches.

Equipment manufacturers listen to contractors and design their equipment

with the operator in mind. Believe it or not, machines today can help keep workers safe, be more productive and increase their happiness on the job.

1. LABOR & RETENTION It may seem like a stretch but the equipment you use can actually help you recruit and retain workers. And since it's estimated that there will be a shortage of 31 million skilled tradespeople by next year, construction companies need all the help they can get in both finding and keeping good workers.

Most of the labor shortage is attributed to the workforce aging out, but some of it is that the construction industry just isn’t appealing enough

for the younger generation. In fact, construction only employs 6% of the millennial workforce in the U.S. The industry’s failure to engage young, hardworking and diverse talent on a broad scale has been a big part of the problems it faces today. However, there could be hope with the integration of just a little bit of technology and maybe a few pieces of upgraded equipment.

Manufacturers have recognized this shift and are designing their equipment to better suit the younger generation.

Joystick controls and touchscreen displays that mimic video games and smartphones are just two ways to make a younger worker immediately feel more comfortable in the cab of a machine. The younger generation also

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS

wants instant gratification from what they are doing and equipment today is able to provide data that proves their work. If one employee happened to move more dirt in a day than their co-worker, they can show that and end the day with bragging rights.

However, you need to get workers in to the machines and operating them first. The lack of “skill” in the construction industry’s skilled labor shortage is driving market change, favoring skills-reducing and efficiency-improving innovations. This is presenting manufactures with an opportunity to create technologies that can maximize efficiencies for both skilled and unskilled laborers on-site, not eliminate a role.

This includes increasing equipment automation which allows workers to pick up skills easier and get to work faster. Caterpillar Inc. has worked diligently to make their machines easier to use and recently unveiled COMMAND for Soil Compaction. This operatorassisted technology automates the soil compaction process and helps contractors achieve compaction quality.

The operator uses the machine to map the boundaries of the area to be compacted and enters the compaction parameters. Once the operator places the machine in “auto,” the system will control the propulsion, steering and vibration of the machine. This not only allows newer operators to easily learn

a machine, it also helps ensure more consistent results which can be a challenge with a new operator.

Volvo Construction Equipment, BOMAG & HAMM have also unveiled autonomous machinery with the intent to make the jobs of construction workers safer and more efficient, but never eliminate a job as you can't replace human intuition and learned tricks of the trade. There will also be a need to keep these high-tech machines in peak operating condition.

2. SAFETY While futuristic options like automation will keep workers safe well in to the future, equipment innovations are helping to make them safer now.

Many construction jobsites involve heavy equipment operating in close proximity with people on the ground.

Many new machines will start featuring standard rearview cameras since many tasks involve the operator moving in reverse the majority of the day.

Machines are also starting to feature integrated object detection to let operators know of an issue so they can decide if they need to stop moving immediately.

Machines are also being designed so

that visibility and maneuverability are improved.

Significantly shorter machines with tapered hoods can help contractors better see their surroundings from the cab which improves the safety of those who may be on the ground around them.

Manufacturers also listen to specific customer concerns and make changes. An older model of the PM620 Caterpillar Cold Planer featured standard handrails that did not allow operators to move them as needed. The latest model features updated handrails to increase operator comfort and ease-of-use in flush cutting applications.

The new pivoting handrails stow and redeploy easily on the right-hand side when an obstacle comes close to the machine.

Obstacle jump is easier to execute from the operator platform as well with new visual indicators located on the top edge of the side plates indicating where the rotor is positioned and then correlate with the markings on the side plate.

Finally, thermal cameras are starting to be installed on asphalt pavers to help improve mat quality. The camera detects cold spots in the mix or stops to the paver so contractors are aware of any issues associated with those events. This also increases safety as there will be less need for core sampling of the asphalt when they already have the data.

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3. PRODUCTIVITY When operators are comfortable with how to best use a machine and also comfortable while operating, they are going to be the most productive.

Manufacturers have realized this and are designing operator stations with comfort and ergonomics in mind.

Simplified controls, operator stations that can be configured for the user and comfort enhancements help operators concentrate on producing a quality product.

As mentioned above, operator stations are being designed to position the operator so that he has a clear line of sight outside of the machine without having to lean to the outside, eliminating strain and also increasing safety.

Also increasing productivity is the abundance of data operators have at their fingertips. Data enables troubleshooting and diagnostics in real time, increasing efficiency and productivity exponentially. Operators and those at the office or other locations share the same data at the same time and modifications can be made in real time to prevent machine issues, maintain productivity, reduce in-person service calls and downtime, and lower overtime and labor costs.

Comfort is also enhanced when machines are designed to reduce stress on the operator. Isolating platforms to reduce vibration improves the experience for the operator.

Customization of controls allow operators to be as comfortable as possible while operating equipment for long days. Joystick controls tend to promote operator comfort and ergonomics since operators can use the joystick with their hands resting at their sides. The joystick does a very good job of holding a straight line.

Operators can have confidence in letting go of the joystick when traveling straight and using their right hand for other machine controls.

Finally, enclosed operator cabins that feature heat/air conditioning can go a long way in keeping your operators

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comfortable. Heated seats, bluetooth, cup holders and more options help operators feel at home in their work "office."

If you're looking to attract, and more importantly keep, your good workers, invest in the tools they use every day to complete their jobs. When employers and manufacturers make investments

that contribute to operator stations that are ergonomic, easy to use and safe, they demonstrate a commitment to their employees and to the industry,.

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS |

BY GREGG WARTGOW

TECHNOLOGY Key to More Efficient, Reliable Subgrade Preparation

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Sensors and satellites help compaction equipment operators get to the desired compaction level faster with less waste, driving both productivity and quality at the same time

R

egardless of how much experience an equipment operator has, it is difficult to achieve uniform compaction over a sizable area without the help of technology. Without technology, equipment operators are rolling blindly, so to speak. They make pass after pass, hoping that the desired density level is achieved throughout the area. Operators rely on their own intuition, as well as guidance from a QC (quality control) technician on site. This opens the door to quality issues, not to mention a fair amount of inefficiency.

“The main challenges road construction crews face relate to working with outdated equipment and methods,” says Vijay Palanisamy, senior product marketing manager for Dynapac North America. “Modern machines add sensory power and artificial intelligence, automating most of the functions and eliminating guesswork. A modern machine also delivers compaction results more efficiently without wasting fuel.”

That’s not to say that traditional, barebones soil compaction equipment has fallen short. The equipment itself does the job it is intended to do: compact soil.

Without the help of technology, however, solving the inherent challenges with soil compaction is out of reach for both the equipment and the operator.

“The material is often inconsistent,” says Tim Kowalski, application support manager for Hamm Compaction at Wirtgen America. “Sometimes the contractor is moving soil around the site, or maybe even borrowing it from a different site. The consistency of that

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BOMAG’s BOMAP app works with all types and brands of soil compactors. The free version runs off of a mobile device’s GPS to provide mapping and pass count control.

material is much different than when using a manufactured material. As a result, equipment operators often don’t know enough about the material they are tasked with compacting.”

Getting a uniform amount of moisture into the soil is a challenge. “This is simply due to the volume of material being used on a job, as well as the variability Mother Nature has put before us,” says Todd Mansell, product applications specialist for Caterpillar Paving Products.

Additionally, larger jobsites often have three or four different types of material.

“Variable moisture content on a jobsite makes it difficult for equipment operators to get to the density they need,” Mansell says. “Even if 90-95% compaction is needed across a site, the operator may not know enough about the material’s sensitivity and moisture to know how many passes they will have to make. More experienced operators have a ‘feel’ for moisture content, but it is still difficult to pinpoint.”

Another big challenge operators face is identifying problem areas in the subgrade. “A roller operator may complete the prescribed number of passes, but it’s no guarantee that all areas are compacted full-depth to density,” says Bert Erdmann, heavy compaction product manager for BOMAG Americas Inc. “Several factors can cause variations in subgrade density such as base material changes, moisture content changes or a collapsed pipe.”

Regardless of the cause, soft spots must be identified and corrected prior to paving with asphalt. Again, this is difficult to do efficiently without the help of technology.

“Load-bearing tests performed on the subgrade only give a contractor an indication of compaction density for that specific location tested,” Erdmann

points out. “Assumptions are made that the entire area is homogeneously compacted similar to the tested area, but in many instances, this is not the case.”

OPERATORS MUST UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS Technology is helping operators compact soil more efficiently—even when little is known about the material they are compacting. The challenge today, Kowalski says, is operator training.

Many operators don’t understand the various settings on a compactor that can provide advantages in different scenarios. Examples include high/low amplitude and variable frequency.

Oscillation is another option that can improve the soil compaction process.

Kowalski says oscillating rollers have been around a while, but are not commonly available on soil compactors.

Hamm, however, does offer oscillation by way of a unique three-in-one drum.

Hamm’s VIO drum is a static, vibration and oscillation roller all in one.

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Caterpillar’s IC solution, Cat Compaction Control, is available on its soil compactors such as the CP56B (pictured).

“Oscillation mode is useful in sensitive areas where you can’t have vibration,” Kowalski says. “In oscillation mode, the drum never leaves the ground; it’s a constant forward/backward motion. So you don’t get that seismic activity like you would with vibration.”

With Hamm’s VIO drum, switching modes is as easy as flipping a switch. But as pointed out earlier, the challenge is making sure operators understand how to take advantage of that option. Some amount of pre-compaction in either static or vibration mode will be needed first. Oscillation can be used toward the end of the compaction process to finish achieving the desired level of stiffness.

“Oscillation really works well when you have a heavier moisture content in the soil,” Kowalski points out. That is because oscillation reduces the amount of moisture that comes to the surface during compaction. “You get better compaction a lot faster,” Kowalski says.

TECHNOLOGY MAKING COMPACTION MORE INTELLIGENT Intelligent Compaction (IC) has been around for a long time. But like with any technology, not all contractors have been eager to adopt it.

“Some contractors don’t see the value in IC unless it’s mandated by the state they are operating in,” Kowalski says.

“But I’ve always said that contractor’s shouldn’t just use it when it’s required.

Contractors should use IC all of the time so they get used to it. They can make IC a quality control tool for every job they do.”

Generally speaking, IC uses accelerometers to measure drum movement and provide an indication of soil stiffness. IC alerts operators when a section of subgrade is compacted to desired density. This helps boost efficiency and avoid over-compaction.

“More importantly, this technology will allow the operator to identify soft spots in the soil and compact those areas to meet density specs,” Erdmann says.

Mansell points to another reason why more contractors haven’t invested in IC technology. A contractor ultimately needs to know the moisture content and meet a density specification of 90-95% Proctor Density. Technology such as an accelerometer does not measure density. “IC doesn’t completely close the loop,” Mansell says.

However, IC helps contractors get much closer to closing that loop—and significant quality improvements and cost savings can be realized along the way. With recent advances in IC

Dynapac’s Seismic technology considers that the soil and drum work together as one system. Seismic detects soil characteristics and automatically applies the correct amount of vibration energy when required.

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS

technology, the cost-benefit analysis is becoming easier for contractors to understand. Aside from being a quality control tool, IC also helps crews improve production since operators tend to make fewer passes. Fewer passes also results in reduced fuel usage.

IC can also assist with operator training. “When operators can see what they are doing on the tablet (display), they can start to feel what they are doing a lot better,” Kowalski says. This helps operators develop their skills much faster.

HOW IC HELPS SOLVE SOIL COMPACTION CHALLENGES IC technology presents itself in different forms. On one end of the spectrum, it’s a system that alerts the operator when desired compaction has been achieved.

At the other end it’s a system that actually alters drum operation.

In the case of BOMAG, ECONOMIZER technology uses a single accelerometer to measure soil stiffness. An intuitive indicator light scale communicates those measurements on a display at the operator station.

As compaction increases, more lights illuminate. Once all 10 lights are illuminated, operators know they can

move onto the next area.

BOMAG’s TERRAMETER technology uses two accelerometers to show the operator an Evib value on the display, which directly correlates to soil stiffness. “This indicates when no further compaction is possible, and locates and documents soft spots and nonuniform areas,” Erdmann says.

Hamm’s IC solution, Hamm Compaction Quality (HCQ), has two main modules: Hamm Compaction Meter (HCM) and HCQ Navigator. With HCM, an accelerometer is mounted to the side of the drum and inside rubber buffers. Kowalski says this allows the accelerometer to capture the full movement of the drum. The further the drum moves, the softer the material is. As the drum begins to move less but faster, operators know the material is getting stiffer.

Caterpillar’s Cat Compaction Control system expands upon its existing CMV (Compaction Meter Value) technology. CMV is an accelerometer-based system that measures the rebound of the vibratory drum off the surface. Caterpillar’s proprietary MDP (Machine Drive Power) technology, on the other hand, measures rolling resistance.

“MDP helps fill some of the void left

by traditional CMV technology,” Mansell says. “CMV is great for more granular materials, but doesn’t work well in cohesive soils where a dampening effect exists due to the plasticity of cohesive soils. Because MDP measures rolling resistance, it works well with a padfoot drum in more cohesive materials such as clay and clay-like materials.”

With Cat MDP, sensors are installed on both the drum and rear tires. “At the start of a project, the operator will typically have a QC technician perform a compaction test with a nuclear density gauge after each pass,” Mansell explains.

“This helps determine how many passes are needed to meet the density requirement. Then a correlation can be established between density, the number of passes and the MDP value.”

Some asphalt contractors might see this lingering need for manual density tests as a deterrent to investing in IC technology. But as Mansell points out, the benefits are still there to provide a great return on investment.

“By establishing a correlation between MDP (or CMV) and the number of roller passes, crews can reduce the number of testing locations,” Mansell points out. “A big advantage is that the operator has an increased level of confidence in meeting the density specification. The operator can finish an area. Rather than wait for the QC technician to come and perform the acceptance test, the operator can move onto the next area.” That alone increases jobsite productivity.

VARIOCONTROL is an IC technology from BOMAG that actually alters equipment performance. It measures soil stiffness multiple times per second. As stiffness increases, the direction of the vibrating drum is automatically adjusted.

“Compaction energy is adjusted by a specially designed excitor system, which changes the direction of the vibrating drum from true vertical for maximum depth penetration to purely horizontal as stiffness increases,” Erdmann explains.

Hamm’s VIO drum is a static, vibration and oscillation roller all in one.

Pictured is the Hamm H 13i VIO.

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS

Hamm’s HCQ Navigator technology uses a GPS receiver mounted to the roof of the compactor, enabling the HCQ software to track the machine’s movements and correlate soil stiffness.

A color-coded map is then displayed on a tablet at the operator station.

Dynapac’s Seismic technology, which will make its North American debut at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, considers that the soil and drum work together as one system. Seismic detects soil characteristics and automatically applies the correct amount of vibration energy when required. “This innovation leads to faster compaction results, as well as reduced power and energy consumption up to 30%,” Palanisamy says.

With the introduction of Seismic technology, Dynapac is upgrading its advanced technology package to Dynapac Active Bouncing Control (ABC) and Compaction Meter as standard on CA1500-6500 soil rollers. Speaking of Dynapac’s ABC, this technology also helps prevent over-compaction. “ABC detects double-jumping of the drum and disables the vibration function, saving both the surface and machine,” Palanisamy says.

HELPING MAP COMPACTION DENSITY Asphalt contractors who see the benefits in IC technology can take it to an even higher level with mapping technology.

Leveraging accelerometer and/or rollingresistance data—in combination with satellite mapping—operators can see their progress in real-time.

In the case of Cat Compaction

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Control, a satellite (GNSS) receiver is placed on the roof of the compactor, enabling the compactor’s movements to be tracked. At the same time, the accelerometer and/or rolling-resistance sensors are measuring material stiffness.

As the compactor works an area, a colorcoded map is created showing each pass the machine makes, along with the correlating stiffness level (denoted by a certain color). That map is shown on a display at the operator station. Thus, operators have a real-time visual cue when a certain area has reached desired density.

This type of information is very valuable on the jobsite. It can also be helpful for contractors managing multiple sites at once. “Wireless data transfer allows all of this data to be uploaded to the cloud and accessed anytime on a mobile device,” Mansell says. “If a problem is ever found on a jobsite, a QC technician at another jobsite could pull up the map and start troubleshooting from there.”

Dynapac’s Dyn@lyzer solution includes the same components from Seismic technology with the addition of GPS and larger displays for tracking the position of the roller and pass counts.

“Dyn@lyzer transfers required jobsite data back to the office in real-time for faster decision-making and quality control,” Palanisamy says.

Hamm’s HCQ Navigator technology also has a satellite (GPS) receiver mounted on the roof of the compactor, enabling software to create a map of the machine’s movements and correlate soil stiffness. Hamm refers to that stiffness measurement as the HMV. Operators view this map and HMV data in realtime on a tablet at the operator station.

Operators are then alerted when the HMV has been achieved.

With IC mapping technology in general, there are different setups and methods of installation. Kowalski says Hamm’s HCQ Navigator offers a “plug and play” receiver called OmniStar.

With OmniStar, contractors do not need a land base in the field to provide the corrective signal.

“The corrective signal comes from a satellite,” Kowalski explains. “That’s why this system is subscription-based.

The benefit is that you can move the receiver from job to job without having to worry about setting up a land base at each job and checking it with a rover.

Not all asphalt contractors have people who know how to do this.”

New from BOMAG is BOMAP, a free downloadable app for Android phones. BOMAP can be used with all types of soil and asphalt compactors, regardless of brand. The free base level offers mapping and pass count control and runs off the mobile device’s GPS. Other levels with additional functionality are also available, such as Bluetooth GPS for increased accuracy and incorporation of compaction results.

More states are beginning to require IC technology for on-highway jobs.

As a result, Erdmann says more rollers will continue to be built with some sort of compaction measurement system as standard equipment. This will help asphalt contractors build better subgrades and prevent future failures in the asphalt mat.

Going forward, the future of soil compaction could very well be autonomous compactors. Satellite-based tracking systems are already in place.

IC technology that measures pass count and material stiffness is already in place.

Next up is machine guidance—and eventually full autonomy. Whether that happens over the next 5 years or maybe even sooner, who knows. But make no mistake, that is the technological path manufacturers are on.

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For more information on soil compaction, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21013583

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A How-to Guide for Recruiting Women to Construction Careers From a competitive salary to a rewarding career, women represent untapped potential to help fill the labor shortage

T 56

he share of women working in construction trades in 2018 was the highest in twenty

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years, but women remain strongly underrepresented in the trades: fewer than one in twenty (3.4%) of construction trades workers in 2018 were women.

Female careers in the construction industry have remained shockingly low for decades, due in large part to the discrimination that blocks women from entering and staying in the field. Sexual harassment and hostility, lack of mentors and stereotyped assumptions about

women’s capabilities all contribute to the problem.

So what’s the solution? Women represent a huge segment of workers that are largely untapped for careers in construction. Since 84% of construction companies report not being able to find enough laborers for the work they have in their pipeline, we need to work together to encourage women to try these careers, not deter them with the usual stigmas.

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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS

1. FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS Construction trades provide well-paid jobs that do not require a college degree.

In 2018, women working full-time in construction and extraction occupations made $785 per week at the median, compared with $834 for men. The gender wage gap in construction is more narrow than for women in the general workplace. While women overall earn 81 cents for every dollar earned by a man, women in construction make 94 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Careers in construction can also offer women job security, competitive benefits, paid vacation and the satisfaction of building something that really matters to the communities in which they live. We should focus on the benefits of these careers instead of the potential hardships.

2. CHANGE THE PERCEPTION There is a long-standing perception that all jobs in the industry require extensive physical labor in frequently challenging and/or dangerous conditions. And while there are individuals, including women, who are open to this type of work, today’s workforce is less enamored with these types of roles. However, the growing presence of technology creates many new job opportunities that women may excel at, plus there are managerial positions available such as project managers, crew foremen, safety managers and more. Construction is no longer all about manual labor and the idea that women are not physically strong enough to work in it.

3. PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING There is unfortunately a psychological barrier for women to enter a job that they feel is a man’s job. But, women need to know that careers in construction are not just reserved for men. Jobs

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MaxRiesgo/ iStock / Getty Images Plus

are for people and companies just need to train the right ones, regardless of gender.

What many workers, including women, don’t realize is that construction careers are accessible through apprenticeships, which provide paid on-the-job learning combined with post-secondary classroom instruction. Women-focused preapprenticeship programs have been successful in increasing women’s access and success in construction careers.

Companies can also lower the mental barrier of the job and consider creating an all-women’s crew. This can help new hires feel more comfortable learning a sometimes-challenging new skill. Women can learn from each other and not feel the pressure of needing to be perfect in front of their maybe moreexperienced male colleagues.

These jobs take work ethic, commitment and determination. If your potential candidate has those things, you can teach them the rest.

4. ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE In order to effectively create change, you need to start young. Children are being exposed to potential careers as young as kindergarten and the industry needs to start tailoring their message to young girls, not just the boys. We need to change the lingering outdated perceptions that exist of what it means to work in construction, not just amongst women, but amongst young people in general as those that influence them and their career choices are their parents and teachers.

The industry also needs to advocate for equality. When women do enter these careers, company leadership needs to make sure they are being respected.

Ensure that there are female Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) options in your catalogue which includes work clothing that fits properly and enables women to do their jobs comfortably, well and safely. Although this might

P

•

•

• seem basic, there are too many companies in the industry which don’t offer this.

The industry culture must not accept sexism, discrimination or bullying and we must challenge every instance and form of harassment. Women working in construction should be treated equally to their male colleagues, who should not have to face discrimination, sexism or bullying either.

•

5. SUPPORT CAREER ADVANCEMENT Companies need to focus on rewarding and promoting individuals based on results, rather than perpetuating a gender bias which may exist in terms of deciding which individuals to promote.

This can change by creating a mentoring culture where senior staff members are encouraged to invest time in women within the company so they can be brought through to the top ranks.

Ultimately, those companies that demonstrate a genuine commitment to a diverse workforce will attract the most talented and forward-looking employees. It’s not just important for women to champion this cause, it’s important for everyone in this growing industry to bring in all the talent we can. Without skilled workers, the opportunity for construction to thrive will be stifled.

For more information on workforce development, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21050145

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

11/19/19 11:52 AM

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11/19/19 11:52 AM

JOBSITE INNOVATIONS

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Hamm GRW 280 Pneumatic Roller

Carlson CP100 II Commercial Paver The next generation of CP100, the Carlson CP100 II features the new, single-slide EZCSS electrically heated screed.

• 100-hp Cummins QSF3.8 Tier IV Final engine • Service and accessibility with a one piece forwarding tilting hood, large side doors and access panel in the 9 ton, heavy-duty hopper • Heavy-duty, highway-class wear components, including fully replaceable floor plates, strongest chains and slats in their class, fully sealed auger bearings and exclusive horizontal sliding damper doors • Fully customizable to the needs of the contractor, including 2- and 3-person configurations, high output LED light package, power crown and power slope • Single slide EZCSS 8-ft. -15-ft. electrically heated screed with adjustable slide blocks ForConstructionPros. com/12305555

Caterpillar B Series Tandem Vibratory Rollers The CB44B and CD44B offer 4-ft. 9-in. drums and fit in the 7.7- to 11-ton size class, while the CB54B and CD54B have 5-ft. 5-in. drums and fall in the 8.8- to 12.5-ton class.

• Choice of solid- or split-drum designs • 100-hp Cat C3.4B (CB44B) and 131hp C4.4 (CB54B) diesel engines • Center-articulating hitch allows 6° of oscillation • Offset option of up to 6 in.

• Versa Vibe provides four amplitudes and two frequencies • Hand wheel steering technology • Standard Eco mode and automatic speed control for added fuel savings ForConstructionPros. com/10700882

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The GRW 280 pneumatic roller is designed to improve the operators' view to the work with channels in the frame structure that reveal the outer wheels.

• Front hydraulic-cylinder suspension replaced by a pair of swing arms between the front pairs of wheels for an uninterrupted view to the front • Hydrostatic rear-axle drive • Can be ballasted for operating weights from 10 and 30 short tons • Intelligent ballasting system maintains weight distribution to front and rear axles • Single driver’s seat and console can be moved and pivoted toward the outer edge ForConstructionPros.com/10250895

Sakai SW990 Asphalt Roller

Case DV209 & DV210 Tier 4 Interim Asphalt Compactors The 21,030-lb. DV209 and 22,730-lb.

DV210 high-frequency, double-drum compactors ohave Tier 4i engines with automatic idle control systems that improve fuel efficiency as much as 10%.

• Just over 66-in. standard drum width • Centrifugal force can be dialed in to match the thickness of the lift and desired depth of compaction

The SW990 double-drum, highfrequency vibratory asphalt roller offers a drum width of 84 in. and 4,000 vpm to allow for 10 to 12 impacts per foot at 4.55 mph.

• 166-hp Deutz TCD2012L06-2V watercooled diesel engine • Dual-drum drive system eliminates bow wave buildup • Standard ExactCompact system measures impact spacing and determines speed roller should travel

ForConstructionPros. com/11321625

ForConstructionPros. com/10080223

Volvo I-Shift Safety and Performance Features Additional safety and performance features have been incorporated into the I-Shift, I-Shift for Severe Duty and I-Shift with Crawler Gears automated manual transmissions.

• Auto Neutral feature helps reduce the possibility of the truck moving as a result of inadvertent throttle application • Paver Assist for VHD model dump trucks helps eliminate bumps and disturbances ForConstructionPros.com/12317808

Weiler E1250B Remixing Transfer Vehicle The Weiler E1250B Remixing Transfer Vehicle features a true remix of material for proven reduction of segregation.

• Patented, twin-interlaced auger system provides a true remix with superior reduction of particulate and thermal segregation while processing up to 600 tph • Variable speed elevator and conveyor allow chain speed to match production, minimizing wear and material segregation.

• One elevator and one conveyor reduces the number of wear items and cost, delivering higher margins ForConstructionPros.com/21018791

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

11/19/19 11:54 AM

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LOOKING FORWARD WITH

t

20/20 VISION Tackling Today’s Issues:

el

e

2020 NAPA ANNUAL MEETING February 2–5, 2020 GRAND WAILEA • MAUI, HAWAI’I

QUALITY INNOVATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

www.AsphaltPavement.org/AnnualMeeting

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11/20/19 12:08 PM

PRESERVATION UPDATE

Historic Streets in Massachusett Receive Fogseal Application to Preserve Pavement

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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s setts Indus Pavement Preservation used a 2000-gallon Etnyre distributor to spray Delta Mist penetrating asphalt rejuvenator on a local street in historic Lexington, MA.

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Neighborhood near first battle site of the Revolutionary War is first in the state to undergo plant-based, benign chemistry, asphalt rejuvenating fog seal contracted by a municipal government

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istoric Lexington, MA, has become the state’s first municipal government to commercially contract an organic plant-based product, rather than an asphalt-based product, for preserving asphalt pavements.

Contractor, Indus Pavement Preservation of Braintree, MA, recently treated seven streets in a neighborhood less than a mile from the Lexington Battle Green where the first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired on April 19, 1775.

Indus applied two different rejuvenating fog seals to the local streets – three were treated with a petroleumbased asphalt rejuvenator and four with Delta Mist, an unregulated chemistry utilized as a penetrating asphalt spray rejuvenator.

According to the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), a fog seal is a type of pavement preservation treatment applied to an existing asphalt pavement surface to preserve its functional and structural integrity and delay a more costly rehabilitation treatment in the near future. Typically, a fog seal consists of applying a slow-setting asphalt emulsion on an existing pavement surface without a cover aggregate.

It is intended to penetrate into the surface pores of the pavement to seal very small cracks and surface voids as well as coat surface aggregate particles.

A rejuvenating fog seal contains petroleum or bio-based rejuvenators that restore properties of the aged asphalt binder in the surface layer, reducing the likelihood of cohesive failure within the asphalt binder film and slowing the rate of aging caused by oxidation.

In areas not accessible to a truck spray bar, Indus crew members used a hand-held hose to apply the organicplant-based rejuvenating product.

UNIQUE APPLICATION Launched in February 2019 after three years of research and development, Delta Mist penetrating asphalt rejuvenator is a liquid, organic plant-based asphalt rejuvenator product based on Delta S rejuvenator technology developed by Dr. John Warner and a staff of research scientists at the Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry (WBI).

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PRESERVATION UPDATE

Delta Mist goes down white when first applied, but dries clear and usually allows for a return to traffic in 60 to 90 minutes.

Delta Mist does not require heat or agitation to apply and no cover aggregates are required on the treated pavement. It is manufactured, marketed and sold by Collaborative Aggregates LLC of Wilmington, MA, as an emulsified version of Delta S, allowing it to be spray-applied as a topical rejuvenating seal at ambient temperatures. Reported to penetrate the pavement surface up to a depth of 3/8 in., the new product is designed to soften asphalt binder to restore oxidized asphalt and reduce the loss of fines and aggregates, thus increasing pavement service life. It also aims to improve cohesion while retarding crack propagation of the pavement surface.

The manufacturer notes that with proper pavement surface preparation and application rate, the new rejuvenator slows the asphalt oxidation process for up to three years with each application.

According to Lexington town engineer John Livsey, P.E., the neighborhood they chose to fog seal was ideal for comparing the two products.

“The pavements were in good condition and ready for fog seals, and they were all paved five years ago by the same contractor,” Livsey said. “Indus has been applying the petroleum-based seal for several years on our streets and we’ve been happy with its performance. However, we are constantly looking for new products for use in our pavement management program, especially with pavement preservation strategies.”

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Livsey heads up the Engineering Division of the Lexington Department of Public Works. The engineering staff oversee water and sewer systems renewal and expansion and the resurfacing of approximately 260 lane miles of streets.

They administer the capital budget for the town's infrastructure and prepare and review plans, specifications and bids for DPW capital construction projects.

The Division also provides engineering support for other town departments, boards and committees.

RIGHT TREATMENT, RIGHT TIME Michael Sprague, senior civil engineer for Lexington, is responsible for coordinating with The Beta Group, providing data on the conditions of town streets which the consultants use to inform the DPW’s pavement management program. This program helps engineering determine what streets need work, choose the kind of treatment and prioritize them for project scheduling.

Specifically, the program incorporates a town-wide inventory of all roadways, providing a description of each including length, width, surface type and estimated average daily traffic.

It also provides condition attributes such as the type, severity and extent of distress in terms of percentage of roadway affected. This distress may be manifested by alligator cracking, linear cracking, potholes, patching and rutting. Based on this evaluation, the roadway receives a roadway surface rating and is recommended for a specific repair treatment at an estimated cost.

Preservation treatments employed by engineering, depending on the condition of the pavements, are crack sealing, fog sealing, microsurfacing and Cape Seal. In addition, the town has utilized mill & fill, reclamation and last year for the first time tried cold-in-place recycling.

Livsey and the Lexington engineering staff will carefully monitor the performance of the non-toxic, organic rejuvenating fog seal as a potential addition to the town’s growing list of pavement preservation treatments.

The contractor actually shares this goal for their own expanding list of preservation services.

Indus (formerly Sealcoating Inc. of Hingham, MA) has applied Lexington’s pavement preservation treatments for several years and consulted with Collaborative Aggregates as the new product was being developed. The contractor received permission to try out the new product for the Lexington fog seal applications. The company has pursued the development and application of pavement preservation techniques for communities over many years. These efforts are spearheaded by the company’s sales and marketing manager, Dan Patenaude, P.E. Patenaude spent 11 years in construction management and commercial real estate development, and ten years as Public Works Director for the Town of Wallkill in New York, before joining Sealcoating Inc. in 2012. He and his colleagues promote pavement preservation treatments throughout New England and downstate New York.

According to Patenaude, there are two options in improving pavement conditions and longevity: preventive care or reactive care. Traditionally many agencies’ approach is performing reactive road construction, which has a serious negative impact on taxpayers’ bottom line. In contrast, putting the focus on preservation does the opposite.

He indicates that performing more frequent, less invasive treatments helps roads last longer and are less costly to maintain. Preservation doesn’t just extend the service life of the road being repaired, it raises the overall average quality of an entire network.

For more information on pavement preservation, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21014840

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

11/19/19 12:02 PM

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11/20/19 11:32 AM

PRESERVATION UPDATE |

13

BY ALLAN HEYDORN, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Tips for Construction Site Sweeping

How to work safely and efficiently on sites that are constantly changing

“T

he work on construction sites is very different from sweeping parking lots,” says Scott Duscher, whose company Agua Trucks generates 80% of its revenue from construction sweeping. “The goal is different and the process is different.

A guy who normally sweeps HOAs would have a huge challenge trying to clean to that level of detail and that degree of clean on a construction site.

On the other hand, take a guy who is used to sweeping construction sites and send him out to sweep an HOA and he

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would kill himself trying to clean that HOA site. The expectations and needs are very different.”

In addition, unlike parking lot sweeping, the jobsite often changes.

“A construction site is not static, it’s alive. It’s changing constantly and could change within the hour,” Duscher says.

“You could go around a corner and run into a ditch or a pile of dirt that wasn’t there a few hours before, so you have to be constantly aware. Never assume the site is the same as it was.”

Duscher offers this insight to make construction sweeping easier, safer, more productive and more profitable.

1. Start with a broom sweeper: “We do use both broom and vacuum sweepers, but we started with a

mid-size broom,” Duscher says.

“Brooms pick up heavier material better and vacuums pick up lighter material better.” He says air sweepers don’t leave a trail but that’s less important in construction sweeping where picking up heavier debris is what’s needed.

2. Make sure to own at least two sweepers: “Equipment does break down and you can’t be half done and leave the site with a job not done,” Duscher says.

3. Additional equipment isn’t needed: “For the type of work we do – heavy construction site sweeping as opposed to milling – you can pretty well do it with just the sweeper. You don’t need additional

ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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11/19/19 1:08 PM

Construction sites are often cramped and tight with many workers and different pieces of equipment moving on them.

equipment. Our water trucks dovetail into it and keep the dust down but that’s not required.”

4. Plan for more maintenance – and more-regular maintenance: “They’re bigger pieces of equipment, they have more moving parts and the sites they work on are tougher and create wear and tear.”

5. Track your maintenance: Duscher’s company tracks for maintenance by the hour, especially for hydraulics. “Guys back East service their big machines in the winter months but in the West, we don’t have that luxury. We have to perform nonstop maintenance on them, so we need to track and schedule it.”

6. Consider hiring an in-house mechanic: “You almost have to have an in-house mechanic because you can’t just pull a machine out of the field and drop it off for six days to get it fixed,” Duscher says. “We might even have to go the jobsite to fix it because these machines

are not easy to tow and they’re very expensive to tow. So, if it’s something we can fix in the field we have a service truck that goes out and takes care of it.”

7. Monitor – and max out – brooms: “We max the use out of our brooms,” Duscher says. “Because of the heavy material, we might get only 50-60 hours out of the gutter brooms and maybe 100 hours or so out of the main broom. So, we’ll adjust them to use every bit.”

8. DOTs stop bigger units: Mechanical sweepers are often larger and heavier machines than vacuum sweepers, so operators are more likely to be stopped on the road.

Be prepared with all appropriate licensing and documentation and prepare your drivers so they know how they should respond.

9. Emphasize driver training: “The driver has to make sure he can see what’s in the road in front of him because there will be electrical cords, twine, caution tape and all sorts of other things that a parking lot sweeper will never see,” Duscher says. “They’ll get tangled up in the mechanics of the machine so the driver has to be very aware and the operator might actually have to get out of the truck and move things in the way that the sweeper won’t pick up.”

10. Train drivers to maintain eye contact: “The most important thing for drivers is to maintain eye contact with any other piece of equipment moving around in their path.

If you can’t see their eyes, don’t keep sweeping. Don’t assume the other guy is going to get out of your way whether it’s a water truck or a Bobcat.

They’re all in their own little world out there doing their own job.” He adds that because many operators wear sunglasses and hard hats, operators should consider using hand signals to communicate on the site.

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11. Backing up is your enemy: “On a construction site, you’re usually working in close quarters and people do not necessarily stay away from your machine,” Duscher says.

“You might see a guy standing there, waiting for you to go by and as soon as you do, he steps behind you to go to his truck to get a tool. If you have to stop because another piece of equipment is crossing in front of you, you might think to back up to give that equipment more room.

But, if you back up before checking what’s behind you, that guy who went to get his tool could be dead.

If you don’t have clear vision over 100% of the direction your machine is moving, don’t go there.”

12. Don’t rely on rear view cameras: “They’re an aid but they’re not a be-all, end-all and you can’t rely on them 100%,” Duscher says.

“They might be pointed or angled slightly off from where you’re going, or they might be pointed behind the broom. You just can’t rely on them.”

13. Walk around the vehicle after it’s been stopped for any length of time, such as when filling with water: Duscher recalls one instance where a sweeper was parked to fill with water and four workers took their break in the shade provided by the machine.

Had he not walked around the sweeper before driving off he could have hit those four men.

These and additional insights and training for construction sweeping are available through the North American Power Sweeping Association’s training course, Certified Sweeper Operator – Construction. The course was introduced earlier this year and an updated version 2.0 will be launched in January. For more information visit www.powersweeping.org.

For more information on construction sweeping, visit ForConstructionPros. com/10295978

DECEMBER 2019 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR

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PRESERVATION UPDATE Bergkamp SP Series Spray Injection Pothole Patchers

Caterpillar RM300 Rotary Mixer The RM-300 is capable of both full depth reclamation and soil stabilization.

• Cat C11 engine with ACERT Technology • Optional attachments, such as a sliding operator's station, pressurized cab, automatic depth control, four mode steering, rear wheel-assist and two redesigned rotors with increased cutting depth capacity that provide better gradation and versatility • Rear wheel-assist allows the rear wheels to be driven by a separate hydraulic pump to provide increased tractive effort ForConstructionPros. com/10077583

Wirtgen W 35 Ri Milling Machine The 10,141-lb. W 35 Ri milling machine is designed for tight or restricted areas for the partial rehabilitation of pavement, milling around manhole covers, placing and removing road markings, or interior applications.

• 14-in. cutting width, expandable to 20 in., with a maximum 4-in. cutting depth, as well as an 82-fpm top operating speed • Three variably selectable milling drum speeds suit a wide range of applications • Standardized operating concept permits operators to save up to three milling depths using the standard ergonomic multifunctional armrests • WIDRIVE machine management system centrally manages engine control, travel drive, milling drum drive, water system and Level Pro Plus • Powered by a 60-hp four-cylinder Deutz TCD 2.9 L4 Tier 4 Final engine.

ForConstructionPros. com/12228882

The SP5, SP8 and SPT Spray Injection Patchers from Bergkamp come with an exclusive dual-chamber aggregate hopper that allows users to apply two grades of aggregate for more efficient repair of deeper potholes.

A version with automatic operations from the truck cab is available in addition to manual operations from the ground in front of the truck. The trailer-mounted SPT patcher is manually controlled.

• Two-piece folding boom (front mounted) provides a working radius of up to 13 ft.

• Truck-mounted patchers available as a complete package with a truck chassis of the customer’s choice ForConstructionPros.com/11131584

Crafco Pavement Patcher The diesel Crafco Patcher is a double boiler that is digitally controlled to assure that material temperatures are held within specification ranges at all times.

• A swivel material delivery chute makes placing material fast and easy • To clean out, load the machine with dry aggregate - run agitator and empty • All machines are equipped with a safety shutoff on the lid to prevent injury during operation • Available in a two ton configuration • These machine are specifically designed to heat and apply TechCrete patching material ForConstructionPros.com/11487582

Stepp SMMT Trailer-mounted Asphalt Recycler

Neal High-Volume Road Maintenance Vehicle

The SMMT Trailermounted Asphalt Recycler is a great solution for instant pothole repairs. The SMMT will produce 500 lbs. of hot mix at 300-350° in minutes.

• Permanent pothole repair in minutes • With the master mixer your repair is a one-time repair no more cold patch • Produce hot mix asphalt 24-7/365 days a year at any temperature

The High-Volume Road Maintenance Vehicle allows for fast, precise sealcoat application, even with larger aggregate mixes.

• Cover up to 13 ft. in one pass • Generation IV pump delivers infinitely variable outputs from 0 to 150 gpm • Truck-mounted 3,000gal. tank • In-cab controls for on-the-go spray bar height adjustment

ForConstructionPros. com/20979926

ForConstructionPros. com/21093044

Roadtec SX-8e/ex Soil Stabilizer-Reclaimer The 82,000-lb. SX-8e/ex is capable of cutting up to 20 in. deep and 100 in. wide and is designed for road rehabilitation, cold recycling, or soil stabilization.

• Rotor designed for milling and mixing the most resistant soils completely and homogeneously • Variable geometry cutter housing enables the unit to achieve material gradation with each pass • 755-hp Caterpillar C18 Tier 4 Interim (SX-8e) or 700-hp Caterpillar C18 Tier 3 (SX-8ex) engine ForConstructionPros.com/20973546

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11/19/19 1:13 PM

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Don’t miss the perfect opportunity to check out the latest products and make valuable connections through fun events and networking opportunities at National Pavement Expo. NPE is hosting 55+ sessions this year, 30 new sessions that are specifically tailored to the pavement maintenance industry.

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019 www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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Hydraulic Generators

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         

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

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         

DRUM PROBLEMS? BREAKING THRUST IDLERS AND BEARINGS ■ TRUNNION BEARING FAILURE ■ TIRE WEAR AND FLAKING

HIGH AND UNEVEN AMPERAGE TRUNNION SLIDING ■ VIBRATION AND WASHBOARD

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                      

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                               

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CLASSIFIEDS

       

TIRE / TRUNNION RESURFACING AND ALIGNMENT SPECIALISTS

570-779-1982 www.evansanddaniels.com www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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DECEMBER 2019 ASPHALT CONTRACTOR

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CLASSIFIEDS

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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR DECEMBER 2019

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CLASSIFIEDS

Index Advertiser Index

PAGE

Advertiser Index

PAGE

The Ace Group

73

Roadtec an Astec Industries Co.

76

Almix

9

SealMaster

53

Asphalt Drum Mixers

18 – 19

Stansteel

57

Astec Inc.

23, 27, 31, 35, 38 – 39

Systems Equipment Corp.

25, 65

Tarmac International Inc.

12

Transtech Systems Inc.

33

Weiler

41

WEM Automation

2

Willow Designs

70

A Wirtgen Group Company

11, 13, 15, 17

BITCO Insurance Companies

51

Carlson an Astec Industries Company

75

Dynapac Fayat Group

5

Eager Beaver Trailers

29

Eagle Crusher

37

E. D. Etnyre & Co.

43

E. T. Clancy Company

70

Evans & Daniels Inc.

71

EZ Road Inc.

70

Fast Measure By KTP Enterprises

71

Gencor Industries Inc.

3

Harrison Hydra-Gen

71

Heatec Inc.

45

Lee Boy

7

Libra Systems

47

Minds

16, 55

NAPA

61

National Pavement Expo 2020

69

Pegasus

59

Reliable Asphalt Products Inc.

72

www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt

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Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at

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THE LAST EXIT

Social media is a great recruitment tool for construction companies.

Getty Images

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How Contractors Can Capitalize on Social Media to Attract Workers

iring skilled workers is increasingly difficult in an era of ultra-low unemployment and the construction industry is no exception.

The national jobless rate dropped to 3.5% in September, a 50-year low, according the U.S. Labor Department.

At the same time, building activity is robust. The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) said its Backlog Index expanded 5% in August to nine months.

Contractors are “experiencing significant demand” for their services, said Anirban Basu, ABC’s chief economist.

Against that backdrop, contractors across the country are struggling to keep jobsites fully staffed. “The primary issue” for contractors is “an ongoing and worsening shortage of skilled workers available to meet contractual requirements.”

Aaron Witt, who consults with contractors, agrees. “Workforce development is a big problem,” he said.

Employers once competed within their industries for talent; now, Witt said, they are competing across all sectors, with construction companies recruiting in the same pools as Amazon, Home Depot and UPS, among many more.

IS SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE SOLUTION? But Witt has a solution: social media.

Witt, president of Buildwitt Media Group, has helped numerous construction companies do what they were challenged to do on their own — attract new employees. His firm does this by sharing companies’ unique stories and featuring their strengths via platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube — media that attract eyeballs across younger generations. His clients include Carolina

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Bridge Co., RAWSO Constructors and Thompson Pipe Group.

A measure of his firm’s success: Witt’s plate is full, and his firm is not taking on any new clients.

But Witt, who at just 24 years old is attune to the interests of younger workers, said contractors can conquer social media on their own — and at little cost.

Employers simply need to identify those stories and someone within the company who is savvy with social media to share them. From there, it is really just a matter of getting— and staying — active while keeping target audiences top of mind. That is, craft posts that will interest potential workers — and that will impress them enough to inquire about job openings.

“This is the way the world has gone; we need to go with it,” said Witt, who studied construction engineering in college. He started his career in the industry, but during his first year he recognized the opportunity in social media and seized it, starting his media company.

WHAT SHOULD YOU SHARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA? “There are brilliant stories on every single jobsite every single day,” Witt said. “Contractors can’t control the depths of hiring pools. But what we do have control over is our story and how we share it.”

The social media posts he creates for clients feature stories about unique projects and the people working those projects. Witt said construction workers take pride in their jobs, and when projects are completed they have tangible evidence of their work. Sharing stories about not just interesting sites but also the satisfaction construction workers get on the job

drives an abundance of social media traffic and helps attract new hires, he said.

“It all comes down to people,” he said. Social media also helps with retention, he added. When employers share the stories of talented workers with the world, those workers embrace the recognition. “If people are appreciated where they are, they aren’t going to leave.”

Of course, pictures and videos of eyepopping new equipment and vehicles, as well as impressive infrastructure work, do not hurt the cause either, he said.

But he cautioned against random posts.

Make sure, for example, that pictures on Facebook are not just visually appealing but also relevant and of value to your target audience.

“I don’t want to waste people’s time,” Witt said.

And that should not be a problem for contractors, he said, because “society could not function without us.” The world relies upon the vital infrastructure that contractors build. Witt said they should tout that more, and in doing so, their stories will attract the attention of skilled workers.

“There are so many stories to be told,” he said. “And it doesn’t require anything special. Don’t hire me. You can do it yourself.”

That said, now is the time to get rolling on social media since the tight job market shows few signs of loosening.

For more information on social media for your construction business, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21086001

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WE ARE DEDICATED TO YOUR SUCCESS IN EVERYTHING WE DO. IT’S WHO WE ARE. We know that getting the job done safely, correctly, and profitably is a priority. That is why we offer unrivaled service, technology, and knowledge to drive your success. It is why Roadtec provides you with a level of expertise and training not found anywhere else because that is what you need.

Dedicated to Success.

© 2018 ROADTEC, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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