THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF NATIONAL PAVEMENT EXPO
How The Lawnsmith Branched Into Sweeping
MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION MARCH/APRIL 2018
Successful Sealcoating How Sealer Drop Tanks IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY & PROFITABILITY How to PLAN, ORGANIZE, and EXECUTE Quality Work
How to Keep Your Pavers Running at PEAK FORM All Season Long
INSIDE
2018 TOP CONTRACTOR Survey Form
Using Skid Steers to
(Deadline is April 23)
SPEED NIGHTIME MARKING REMOVAL
EXCLUSIVE!
› › › www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Photos & Products from NPE 2018 in Cleveland!
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Quality work begins with quality products. At GemSeal®, our sealers deliver quality results to make your business stand out. Our passionate team will help you perform at your best so you can exceed expectations on every jobsite. Put us to the challenge and see for yourself. • The industry’s most consistent sealers • Nationally specified • Precision colloid manufacturing • Outstanding quality control • Nationwide locations and support • Delivery right when you need it
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What’s Inside March/April 2018
Page 16
2018 TOP CONTRACTOR Survey Form (Deadline is April 23)
FEATURES
24 How Drop Tanks
12
NPE Buzz: Cleveland 2018
National Pavement Expo 2018 draws more than 200 exhibitors to its first show north of the Mason-Dixon line.
18
How to Complete a Successful Sealcoating Job
40 Comprehensive
Follow these steps and insights to plan, organize and execute quality work.
Improve Production, Profitability
Here’s how to integrate drop tanks into your sealcoating operation.
46 Contractors’ Choice:
Skid-Steers for Marking Removal
Payco Specialties uses its skid steer to complete major road marking projects in Southern California.
Guide to Asphalt Paver Maintenance Failure to properly maintain your paver can result in significant downtime and profit loss.
ON THE COVER The 550-gal. Super Sealcoater is a trailer-mounted application machine outfitted with a spray bar for high-production sealcoating.
Features include 10 gauge steel tank, 6-ft. applicator wand, variable and reversible hydraulic speed control, swivel hose reel and gauged hydraulic tank reservoir. Also available in 800-gal. trailer-based model and 800-gal. skid-mounted unit. Photo courtesy Crafco Inc., Chandler, AZ.
Vol. 32, No. 3 March/April 2018
Published and copyrighted 2018 by AC Business Media Inc. 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.
PAVEMENT
Subscription policy: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. only to pavement maintenance contractors, producers and government employees involved in paving or pavement maintenance; dealers, and distributors of pavement maintenance equipment or materials; and others with similar business activities. Complete the subscription form at www. forconstructionpros.com or use your company letterhead giving all the information requested. Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualified subscribers. One year subscriptions for nonqualified individuals: $35.00 U.S.A., $60.00 Canada and Mexico, and $85.00 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). Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction (ISSN 1098-5875), is published eight times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August/ September, October/November, December by AC Business Media Inc., 201 N. Main St., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Pavement, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Printed in the USA. Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE & RECONSTRUCTION is proudly supported by these associations:
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2018 3
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What’s Inside March/April 2018
DEPARTMENTS 6
Editorial
8
Hot Mix
9 Steps to Aiding Driveway Customers 66
The Latest News in the Industry
10 Just In Select New Products and Upgrades 16 2018 Top Contractor Survey 30 Pavement Profit Center 48 Classified
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61
Ads
57 On the Job NPE 2018 Speakers Offer Insights for Getting & Completing Quality Work 58 From the Owner’s Desk How to Handle the “Dreaded” Part of Sealcoating 63
60 Your Business Matters How to Sell – and Educate –Driveway Customers 61 NAPSA Report Now You Know NAPSA! 61 WSA Update Cutting Price Isn’t the Solution 62 PCTC Dispatch Benefits of Pavement Coating: Are You Covered? 63 Technology Update From Butts to Blacktop 64 Contractor Snapshot The Lawnsmith Gets Paid for “Picking Up Rocks” in Colorado 65 Index 66 Tailgate Talk 5 More Ways to Energize Baby Boomer Workers
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Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at ForConstructionPros.com
4 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Editorial
Allan Heydorn, Editor
9
Steps to Aiding Driveway Customers
BY THE TIME this issue hits your desk you will undoubtedly have received dozens of calls for sealcoating. Property managers have had a chance to look at their snow-free parking lots and realize that at the very least the pavement needs to be sealed and striped. Homeowners have done the same, and they want their driveways looking good and they want to invest to make their driveways last longer. These homeowner customers often get short shrift in the sealcoating world and they can use your help.
Relative to commercial work, residential sealcoating jobs are smaller, the revenues are smaller, and price is often a determining factor. But the cash flow can be pretty good and contractors who work on driveways can make that a profitable part of the business provided they do good work, understand how to market to those potential clients, can handle the logistics of driveway work, and are willing to work for often persnickety people who can be demanding – it is their home, after all. So, if you work on
residential driveways, do yourself and the industry a favor and help out these homeowners: • Brand your trucks, estimates, invoices – and crew • Have a website; update it once in a while • Include your physical address on anything paper • Have a "live" person answer your phone • Provide literature about the sealer you're using • Provide a formal bid • Provide proof of insurance • Warranty your work • Educate homeowners about sealcoating – what it does
ForConstructionPros.com/10074857
6 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
and doesn't do Following these steps – essentially treating homeowners the way you would work with property managers – is reassuring to the homeowner, raises the level of professionalism in the industry, and helps protect these customers (and the industry) from the fly-by-night scammers who prey almost exclusively in the residential market.
IN
As a division of Blastcrete, we understand challenging environments. Our decades of experience in refractory fueled us to make some of the industry’s toughest, most productive sealcoating machines. Our hydraulic piston pump design and dual applicators mean you’ll complete jobs better and faster. Skip the daily cleaning. Handle more abrasive mixtures. Work less. Make more.
Seal the deal with Neal TM
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Hot Mix
G-FORCE Launches Franchise Initiative for Veterans G-FORCE, a pavement maintenance brand that awards franchises only to veterans, plans to open as many as 50 locations over the next 3-5 years, according to founder and CEO Jack Child. “We know the challenges many of our veterans face when they return to civilian life and, while there are more resources and assistance programs than ever before to help, there’s always more that can and should be done,” said Child, himself a veteran of more than 10 years in the military. “We want to do our part. We’ve created a one-of-a-kind, low-cost franchise business opportunity just for veterans.” Child said G-FORCE (www.gogforce.com) provides expert support for new layout, restriping, ADA compliance, stencils, and other striping-related services. Other pavement maintenance services G-FORCE franchisees can offer include: parking lot sign installation, sealcoating, cracksealing, hot and cold asphalt repairs, paving, and power washing. Child says the G-FORCE brand features distinctive camouflage trucks and service trailers, state-of-the-art equipment and military-influenced logo and uniforms. Child said G-FORCE has secured national corporate sponsorships for its Veteran initiative from GemSeal, Sherwin-Williams, Graco Industries and The Pavement Stencil Company offering incentives such as a free traffic paint starter package and nationwide
discount pricing for equipment and paints, over $7,000 in value, to each new G-FORCE franchisee. Child said G-FORCE is open to military veterans, including active Guard or Reserve, interested in starting a business “built on the values of integrity, reliability, respect, and precision, and one that ensures first class, military-style service.” The franchise fee starts at $5,000 and generally ranges between $7,500 and $15,000 depending upon territory size. The initial investment can start as low as $25,000.
Currently G-Force has one location serving parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts and will target its growth in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Texas. “Veterans have the best leadership training in the world. In addition to coming from an integrity-focused background, they are mission-oriented and have a call to fulfill a higher purpose – all traits needed to run a successful business,” Child said.
PavementGuru.com Kicks off at NPE A new industry forum for information exchange, PavementGuru.com was up and running in 2017 but received its first public push at the recent National Pavement Expo in Cleveland. Run by Nick Howell, T & N Asphalt Services and a new contributor to Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, PavementGuru is a free site that describes itself as “The Forum for Pavement Professionals.”
Visitors can ask and answer specific questions about any aspect of pavement maintenance including sealcoating, striping, sweeping, patching and repair, cracksealing, sports court surfaces and more. The site will also include articles and blogs. To register for access visit www.pavementguru.com.
U.S. Pavement Services Opens Florida Office U.S. Pavement Services Inc., Woburn, MA, will open a new office in Sarasota, FL, in February. The new location will be the home to the company’s National Project Management team, adding to existing locations in Denver, CO, and Vermont. Blake Kelly, director of national accounts, said having the entire project management team more centralized will result in an even higher level of service for clients and partners. “This will allow us to expand beyond the seasonality that the northern weather dictates,” Blake says. “Florida is a huge market that continues to grow rapidly, and we are eager to get involved in those efforts.” Project managers provide on-site management for all projects to ensure safety and coordination plans, material verification and above standard close-out procedures. “I see this as a natural evolution for our organization,” said Andrew Musto, U.S. Pavement Services COO. “Our National Project Management team working together in this market will result in efficiencies and better communication. Our entire National team and partners will benefit from having this added presence in my hometown.” Since the company was started in 1985, CEO and founder Mike Musto, said the main focus has been to lead the pavement industry. “Our success in New England is a huge point of pride for me.” Musto says. “What our industry-leading crews have accomplished allows us to make strides in our national business and empower our outstanding national team as they embark on this new, exciting chapter.”
8 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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America’s Most Trusted Sealcoatings, Primers Additives & Pavement Protection Products
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SOS Primer Latex based primer that adheres to, and seals, oil and grease spots on asphalt pavements. Polymeric matrix creates a tough film that will bond aggressively to the contaminated area. Allows both AE and RT sealers to adhere properly the freshly primed area.
Advantage-4 High potency sealer additive that packs the benefits of several types of products in one; fast drying, performance boosting, color enhancing and viscosity building. Delivers a combination of the most desired enhancements in one powerful product.
Max-Dri Triple action additive delivers three benefits in one potent package; fast drying, performance boosting and viscosity enhancement. Based on 100% acrylic polymers, fast evaporating chemicals and surfactants it will cut drying time significantly reducing labor costs.
Macro-Fast
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Specialty latex based additive that speeds up drying times of sealcoatings without changing mix design. Viscosity remains unchanged but dry times are cut by up to 50%. Useful in situations where conditions of temperature, humidity and dew point are unfavorable.
A water borne TT-P-1952 B compliant 100% acrylic latex based traffic paint. Provides solid hiding power. Excellent for situations where high traffic and durability are a concern. Star Brite provides the highly visible traffic markings contractors demand.
Rust-Arrest Acrylic latex specialty coating provides superior hiding characteristics to prevent rust stains from reappearing after sealcoating. Use as a primer to add protection in trouble areas prior to sealcoating. Dries fast to a jet black finish. Water based - Easy to handle.
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Genesis Primer A high performance state-of-theart primer/sealer and adhesion promoting formulation that bonds to the most difficult petro-chemical and organic contaminants. Drys fast and is ready to accept sealer in as little as 30 min. Excellent for use as a stand alone sealer on asphalt or concrete.
Star-Brite Plus 100% acrylic emulsion, a well balanced blend of pigments and co-solvents. Part of a new generation of water-borne traffic paints which combine fast-drying properties equivalent to solvent-based traffic paints but with the safety in handling of latex-based paints.
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Just In
Get fast, relevant product information in the Buyers Guide at ForConstructionPros.com 1
2
1
Leadership Training Manual
3
Pinnacle Development Group, Inc. “Coaching the Emerging Leader,” a new training manual from Brad Humphrey, offers a guided, self-directed approach to leadership training for workers wanting to improve their leadership skills and for employers who want to bring their “emerging leaders” along more quickly. •• Available in print of digital versions •• Guided lessons requiring student input •• Topics include Power of Speech, Developing Your Professional Presence, Delegation, Follow-up and Follow-through, Dealing with Problem People, How to Make Tough Decisions, and more •• Available through www.pinnacledg.com ForConstructionPros.com/20992943
2 Worksaver SSGB-8B Skid Steer Grader Blade
Utility Mount Air Compressors up to 260 CFM and 150 PSI Ideal for Road Marking • 185, 210, and 260 CFM models • Meets all Tier 4-Final requirements • No maintenance on catalytic converter • Narrow footprint to reduce truck space requirements • Curbside maintenance panel for convenient and safe serviceability • Easy access, internally mounted engine diagnostic port and ECU • 210 and 260 system available with SAE A flange PTO for additional equipment • Made in the USA
Vanair’s There >> 800.526.8817 vanair.com ForConstructionPros.com/10075101
Worksaver, Inc. The SSGB-8B Skid Steer Grader Blade can turn a skid steer into a high-performance grading machine for subgrading and surface preparation. •• 8-ft. six-way hydraulically controlled moldboard with 25˚ rotation/tilt controlled with an in-cab remote •• Moldboard shear pin-protected to help prevent damage •• Proportional hydraulic valve provides precise control for maintaining grade •• Laser control system compatible for precision grading •• Features a reversible beveled cutting edge for long life and 1/2-in.connect under pressure flat-faced hydraulic couplers ForConstructionPros.com/12259990
3 Sweeper Attachments Steelwrist, Inc. Sweeper attachment, optimized for work with excavators, can be used for sweeping and cleaning sidewalks, cable trenches, ceilings and other hard-to-reach areas. •• Available in three widths (39, 59 and 79 in.) with dual direct-driven motors to ensure high torque and efficient sweeping •• Come with a traditional round brush core (BeeLine) and a cartridge brush core for quick and easy brush replacement •• Both options include an integrated parking stand and are available with mudflaps ForConstructionPros.com/20991923
10 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Proven design with engineered innovation. • • • • • •
Highway class conveyor chains, slats and bearings for extended life Screed mounted control panels provide convenient controls for screed operators 100 HP Cat C3.4 Tier 4 engine provides clean, quiet power Thermostatically controlled screed heat for optimal mat quality Durable undercarriage delivers traction, stability and long-life performance Cat® dealer sales, service and support
ForConstructionPros.com/10075409
Visit weilerproducts.com or the paving specialist at your Cat® dealer for more information.
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Engineered Innovation. 3/2/18 8:51 AM
NPE Buzz: Cleveland 2018
In addition to exhibiting its 1000G paver, which features paving widths to 13 ft., LeeBoy displayed its 8500D and 8520 pavers and its Rosco Maximizer II asphalt distributor.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, Maintenance Inc. focused its exhibit on its Rec-Tech line of sports court surfacing products.
NPE 2018
Cleveland show draws more than 200 vendors
Ditch Runner's skid-mounted spray sealcoating systems are available in tank capacities ranging from 350 gal. to 2,000 gal. Systems feature a 100 gpm piston material pump, a 2-gal. material filtering system, an hydraulic pump and agitator and a self-cleaning surge tank.
Titan Tool offers the LazyLiner, which converts walk-behind stripers to more-productive ride-on unit, and pavement marking equipment that can apply marking material ranging from paint to thermoplastic and methyl methacrylate.
In addition to its M Series of Magma melter/ applicators and its R3 router, Cimline PMG exhibited its C1 On-demand Combination crack seal and mastic patch machine, designed to heat 24,000-lbs. of mastic material in an 8-hour shift.
12 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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The 2018 Sweepers’ Best Practices Roundtable, hosted by the North American Power Sweeping Association, was again a sitting-room-only exchange of concerns and problem-solving ideas.
National Pavement Expo's first visit north of the Mason-Dixon line to Cleveland, OH, presented a strong exhibit floor – and an influx of new contractor attendees, according to Russ Turner, NPE show manager. Held Feb. 7-10 at Cleveland's downtown Huntington Convention Center, NPE 2018 featured 54 educational
Weiler's P385B commercial paver features independent control of the left- and right-side feeder system, enabling variable paving widths. The 19,500-lb. paver's heated screed is hydaulically extendable from 8 ft. to 15 ft. 8 in.
sessions, five free industry "roundtables," and exhibit hours over three days. "The 2018 event highlighted more than 200 of the best brands in the industry, roughly 50 of which were firsttime exhibitors," Turner said. "Locating in Cleveland brought in numerous firsttime attendees to our event." In addition to hosting Pavement
Maintenance & Reconstruction's annual Pavement Awards during Preview Night, NPE 2018 served as the official launch of National Pavement Expo West, which is scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 at Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas. For more information contact: Russ Turner, russ.turner@npexpo.com
Neal Manufacturing, a division of Blastcrete Equipment, featured its 750-gal. HDP sealcoating systems (also available in 550-gal. units) and its DA 350 Dual Sealcoat Applicator, which features both a squeegee applicator and 87-in. spray bar with 75-ft. hose.
The CP130 paver features the EZCSS single slide 8-ft.-15-ft. screed, combining Carlson’s extension support system and paving performance of its highway-class models into a commercial class platform.
Bomag's BW 138 AD tandem vibratory roller features a 54.3-in. working width and a 9,370-lb. operating weight. The roller is designed for use on driveways, parking lots, roads and highways. NPE 2018 attracted more than 200 exhibitors. NPE 2019 will be held Feb. 27-March 2 in Nashville.
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NPE Buzz: Cleveland 2018 Products Offset Vibratory Roller Attachment
RoadLazer RoadPak
Graco’s RoadLazer RoadPak Tow-Behind System provides more room for hauling paint and beads in the truck bed during the striping season and truck independence in the off-season
The Offset Vibe Roller Skid Steer Attachment from Road Widener attaches to any machine via SAE quick connector coupling. •• Requires only standard flow hydraulics •• Vibratory feature creates optimal compaction •• Multiple roller widths 2-ft., 3-ft. and 4-ft. •• Can roll outside slope of shoulder ForConstructionPros.com/20988103
Fusion Joint Heaters
The Ray-Tech Fusion Joint Heaters are available in manual tow and automatic tow options to keep joints hot during paving. •• 15-in. x 12-in. stainless steel heating chamber •• Mounted on a tow-behind trailer that can be registered the same as any other trailer
•• Simple, convenient set-up, operation, transportation, storing of the system •• Modular striping system offers unlimited striping possibilities •• 1 or 2 pump RoadPak for superior performance and crisp, clean stripes
ForConstructionPros.com/20992903
ForConstructionPros.com/20992898
Portable Asphalt Recycler
Tack Tank Trailers
Falcon Asphalt Repair unveiled their Falcon 150G and 250G tack tank s, available in skid- or trailer-mounted.trailers. •• Two sizes, 150G (150-gal.) and the 250G (250-gal. tank) •• Automatic thermostatically controlled heat system ForConstructionPros.com/20982709
WP50 Road Widener & Side-Paver
Tanguay Machinery’s WP50 is for trenches, sidewalks, road widening and other specialized paving projects. •• Standard paving width from 16 to 48 in., with optional 60-in. attachment •• Paving speed and blade positioning controlled with a single joystick
Bagela USA’s BA10000 Portable Recycler takes broken chunk, milled (RAP) or leftover virgin plant mix and cranks out 10+ tons of fresh hot mix per hour. •• Standard mount on oversized tailer •• Frame-mount for static installation •• Length: 266-in., Width: 91-in. •• Weight: 11,000-lbs. ForConstructionPros.com/20988335
ForConstructionPros.com/12273576
CP-100 II Asphalt Paver
Carlson Paving Products CP100 II asphalt paver delivers enhanced efficiency and torque figures over the CP 100. •• 9.5 ton hopper capacity •• Travel speeds up to 255 fpm •• Highway-class chains and slats, fully replaceable Hardox floor plates, 13-in. replaceable auger flights and sealed highway-class auger bearings •• Simplified hopper clean-out with flip up apron ForConstructionPros.com/20983741
Pro Patch 55 Melter
The Pro Patch 55 from KM International is a 55-gal. melter designed specifically to heat both mastic material and rubberized crack filling material. TThermostatically controlled •• Hydraulically driven 360-degree agitation system •• Triple wall insulation •• 4-in. flow valve •• 60,000 btu propane burner
Dynapac Introduces New CC1100/CC1200 Roller Range
Dynapac’s new CC1100/CC1200 VI rollers’ increased drum diameter ensures asphalt is not shoving in front of the drum. •• Tapered drum edges result in a smooth surface without marks •• Efficient eccentrics deliver powerful performance in vibration startup process •• High-frequency compaction with the possibility to choose between dual frequencies depending on conditions and applications •• ROPS-mounted LED working lights ForConstructionPros.com/ 20984044
ForConstructionPros.com/20989057
14 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Own the exclusive rights to one of these 800 numbers! What’s in it for you? Possession of the most powerful, memorable and effective marketing tool in the industry. ✔ ALL calls go directly to YOU! ✔ Complete rights to display your vanity number on your trucks and vehicles, and all marketing materials
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TOP
PAVEMENT 2018 Top Contractor Survey WELCOME TO THE Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction survey of paving & pavement maintenance contractors. Our hope with this survey is to develop verifiable Top Contractor listings in each of five industry segments: Paving, Sealcoating, Striping, Sweeping and Pavement Repair. To do that we need to know: • Gross Sales Volume for your fiscal year 2017 (regardless of the date that fiscal year ended) • A breakdown by percentage of the type of work that generated those 2017 sales
• Third-party verification of that sales total (see additional explanation at the end of the survey) To determine whether a company qualifies for one (or more) of our five lists we will multiply your total 2017 sales dollars by the percentage of work done in each industry segment. For example, if a contractor reports $1 million in 2017 sales and generated 40% of those sales from striping, the number used to determine qualification for the Striping Top Contractor List would be $400,000 ($1 million x 40%).
Name & Title of Person Completing This Form *First _______________________ Last_______________________________
20
TOP
2018
Top Contractor Survey
CONTRACTOR CONTRACTOR
Note: No sales figures will be reported or published; sales figures will be used only internally for determining each list. Also, no contractor will be eligible for the list without third-party verification of your Fiscal Year 2017 Gross Sales Volume. There are 3 ways to complete and submit this form: • Online at https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/ TopContractor2018
• Complete a hard copy and fax (920-542-1133) or mail it to: Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction, Top Contractor Survey, 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538; Attn. Jessica Lombardo. • Complete a hard copy, scan and e-mail to aheydorn@ ACBusinessMedia.com Thanks very much for your participation. We do appreciate it.
DEADLINE: April 23
5. * What percentage of your fiscal year 2017 Total Gross Sales is generated by working as a subcontractor for other contractors? ___________________
E-mail _______________________ _Phone _____________________________
6. * Do you self-perform more than 50% of your work?
*Company Information Company Name (as you would like it to appear on the magazine) ______________________________________________________________ Street Address _________________________________________________ City State Zip Code _____________________________________________ Phone Number with Area Code ___________________________________ Website _______________________________________________________ Years in Business _______________________________________________
7. What was your overall company-wide profit margin in FY 2017? (Not for publication; results will be presented for the industry as a whole.) ______ Less than 3% ______ 5%-10% ______ More than 15% ______ 3%-5% ______ 10%-15%
Please indicate your number of employees at peak season (If employees fulfill more than one function please include them in the category they perform most often): ______ Management ______ Field Supervisors ______ Laborers ______ Office Staff ______ Sales May we contact Your Company by e-mail? ____Yes
___No
1.* What is your company’s Total Gross Sales for your Fiscal Year 2017?
___________________________________________________________
___Yes
___No
8. How many different customers did you work for in FY 2017? ______ Fewer than 100 ______ 151-200 ______ 301-400 ______ 101-150 ______ 201-300 ______ More than 400 9. How many different jobs did your company complete in FY 2017? ______ Fewer than 100 ______ 151-200 ______ 301-400 ______ 101-150 ______ 201-300 ______ More than 400 10. What is the estimated replacement value of your equipment fleet (including trucks)? ______ Less than $250,000 ______ $1 million - $2 million ______ $250,000 - $500,000 ______ More than $2 million ______ $500,000 - $1 million Signature ______________________________________________________ Title (please print) _______________________________________________
(This figure used internally for listing purposes only; it will not be published.) Please round to whole dollar amounts. (Example: 1,548,222; note: when entering online please omit commas.)
Date: _________________________________________________________
2. * What percentage of your fiscal 2017 Total Gross Sales is represented by each of the following areas (must total 100%):
IMPORTANT! SALES VOLUME VERIFICATION
______ Paving ______ Sealcoating ______ Striping ______ Sweeping ______ Other (explain) ____________________________
______ Pavement Repair ______ Concrete ______ Surface Treatments (Micro, Slurry, Chip, Fog, etc.) ______ Hot mix asphalt plant operation
3. * What percentage of your fiscal 2017 Total Gross Sales is generated from work done on each of the following (must total 100%): ______ Highways ______ Driveways ______ Streets/roads ______ Other (explain) _____________ ______ Parking lots 4. * What percentage of your fiscal 2017 Total Gross Sales is generated from each of the following types of customers (answers must total 100%). ______ Commercial/Industrial ______ Municipal (state/local agency) ______ Multi-family residential (apartments/condos/HOAs) ______ Single-family residential ______ Other (explain)______________________________________
To qualify to have your Top Contractor application considered, third-party verification of your FY 2017 Total Gross Sales is required from your company’s CPA, an independent CPA or your accounting firm, or a copy of the appropriate page from your tax return. Verification must be on the CPA or accounting firm letterhead (no photocopies) and must include a statement to the effect that “I have reviewed the company’s Top Contractor application, and the FY 2017 gross sales response to question Number 1 is accurate to the best of my knowledge.” The letter must be signed and dated and include the person’s name, title and telephone number. No financial information will be revealed; it will be used only internally to determine qualification for each listing. Send verification to:
aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com
or
Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction 2017 Top Contractor Application 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 Attn. Jessica Lombardo Questions? Allan Heydorn, Editor; Phone: 708-531-1612; aheydorn@ACBusinessMedia.com
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Sealcoating
Girish C. Dubey
How to Complete a Sealcoating Job Follow these steps and insights to plan, organize and execute quality work ALTHOUGH SEALCOATINGS have been an indispensable part of asphalt pavement maintenance programs for the past six decades, it is imperative to recognize that sealcoatings are engineered products that must be used with a thorough understanding of their performance properties which, in turn, are accomplished through proper steps encompassing project planning, execution and management of sealcoating projects.
The Basics Sealcoating acts as a true “barrier coat” between asphalt surfaces and destructive elements such as ultraviolet rays, gasoline, oils, salts, fat etc. The very term “sealcoating” means keeping the redeeming properties of asphalt (such as waterproofing and flexibility) sealed in to prolong the pavement life and preserve its functional properties. After all, pavement is a sizable investment. It has been technically acknowledged that sealcoating extends the life of a sound pavement by more than 300%, at one-third the cost of pavement replacement. Sealcoatings are thick semi-fluid (like house paints) dark-chocolate brown colored, water-based coatings.
They are essentially fine dispersions of binders (commonly refined tar, specialty resins, and asphalt), clays, fillers, and specialty chemicals in a medium of water. The four major components in sealcoatings are: 1 BINDER is the backbone of sealcoating compositions, the component that is responsible for imparting protection, preservation and beauty, while bonding tenaciously to the asphalt pavement. 2 CLAY AND FILLERS impart tensile strength, hardness and abrasion resistance. It is imperative to maintain the proper balance between the toughness and flexibility of the sealcoating for its proper functioning.
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destructive elements of weather, the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UV), salts, gasoline, oils, fats and other petrochemicals. RTS has been the workhorse of the industry for several decades and its properties and compositions are fully delineated in many specifications. 2 SPECIALTY RESINS, which have the performance properties of RTS, including resistance to weathering, UV, salts, gasoline, oils, fats and other petrochemicals. The technology of specialty resins is confidential to each producer. 3 ASPHALT EMULSION-BASED SEALCOATINGS (AE) are petroleum-based and are formulated using either hot asphalt (AC) or pre-emulsified asphalt. Although the AE-based sealcoatings generally lack resistance to petrochemicals (gasoline, oils, fats, etc.), they work very well in maintaining the surface integrity of asphalt pavements and keep cracks from appearing. Over the years, the performance of AE coatings has been fortified with chemicals and specialty rubber polymers. Now returning to the purpose of this article. It is aimed to bring all major aspects, step by step, into focus for convergence to successful sealcoating jobs.
Planning Without priming, sealcoatings can wear off from the entrances, exits and the driving lanes of commercial parking lots or other heavily trafficked pavements.
3 WATER is the dispersion medium in which all the ingredients stay stably dispersed. It offers the ease in handling, application and storage. 4 SPECIALTY CHEMICALS perform specific functions (such as water repellency, flexibility, specific resistance to salts and petrochemicals) while maintaining the physical stability of the sealcoating. There are three major types of sealcoatings: 1 REFINED TAR-BASED SEALCOATINGS (RTS) are based on RT-12, a highly refined grade of coal tar, which, in turn is generated during the conversion of coal into coke for steel metallurgy. RT-12 is composed of numerous very stable chemicals that are not affected by the
The very first step is the job evaluation and competitive bidding. PAVEMENT ASSESSMENT: Conduct a thorough assessment of the general condition and age. • Was it previously sealed or never sealed? If sealed, what was it sealed with? It is important because major manufactures caution sealcoating over surfaces coated with Gilsonite-based products. • Cracks – their extent, size and depth, all of which is relevant for choosing crack fillers (cold or hot applied). • Condition of the base and subbase. Are there any signs of water pumping through the cracks such as unexplainable water puddles or clay streaks along the cracks? If so that’s a sure indication of poor drainage. Sealcoatings are bound to fail in such areas regardless of how many times you go back and attempt to fix the problem. • Assess for surface contamination.
Check for oil and rust spots, also if the pavement is heavily wooded or tree lined, which may require treatment with a specialty primer. • Polished aggregates, especially at entrances, exits and heavy traffic areas. These areas, too, should be primed for good bonding of the sealer to the pavement. Sealcoatings prematurely wear off if such areas are not primed. • Automatic sprinkler systems have been known to damage the sealcoating films during the early stages of drying and cure. Systems should be turned off during application and for a minimum of 24 hours after application of the final sealer coat. As a practice, make sure that sprinklers are angled so they don’t drench the sealcoated surface. The water runoffs leave unsightly white streaks on beautifully sealcoated
Why (and How) to Be Cautious Sealcoating in Spring (and Fall) • Sealcoatings should never be applied unless pavement temperatures are at least 50° F and the air temperature is 50° F and rising. When the sealcoating is applied below 50° F, the binder particles (refined tar or asphalt) do not soften and fuse to from a continuous sealer film. It is more like Swiss cheese – full of holes and totally ineffective as a protective coating. • In addition, the sealcoating cured under such conditions usually turns out gray and blotchy in appearance and never attains its characteristic slate/black color. • During the curing stages, sealcoating should never be subjected to ambient conditions where temperatures may fall below 32° F – the freezing point of water. If the temperature drops to 32° F or below during the curing stage the sealer film will simply disbond and/or shatter. • Plan sealcoating application as early in the day as possible. Avoid application in late afternoon because you may not have sufficient daylight for proper drying – and there is the danger of the temperature dipping into the freezing zone in late evening or overnight.
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Sealcoating Culture
How Sealer Dries and Cures – and What that Means to Your Success Sealcoatings, being water-borne coatings, start releasing water into the ambient atmosphere as soon as applied. The surrounding air acts as a blotting paper to soak up the released water; the capacity of the air to absorb the water released from the sealcoating depends on the relative humidity of the atmosphere. As the water leaves the sealcoat, the volume of the wet film shrinks in direct proportion to its water content (by volume) in the mix design. For example, if the mix design has 70% water by volume, the wet film will shrink by 70% (so it will be 30% of its original volume). The evaporation of water from the wet film produces a steady turbulence in the film and forces the suspended particles into closer proximity. As this happens the film becomes progressively denser, thus forcing the binder particles to touch each other and fuse into a continuous film, encapsulating the filler particles in the process. Simultaneously, the excess binder in the matrix allows the film to effectively bond to the pavement surface. To better understand the drying and curing process, visualize the wet film not as one solid entity but as a composite of numerous layers of extremely thin films. Like most water-based coatings, sealcoating dries, in successive layers, from top to bottom; the top layer dries first, then the layer immediately beneath the top layer, and so on. As each layer dries, it shrinks in volume, becomes tight and relatively impervious, and impedes the evaporation of water from the bottom layers. It has been established that the cumulative water loss happens rapidly in the early stages of film drying – the first 80-90% of the film dries relatively quickly, but the release of the last 15-20% of water takes much longer, requiring the right set of ambient and pavement conditions. For optimum performance, all water must leave the film; 80-90% is not good enough because the uncured bottom layers of the sealcoating will be torn or dislodged if traffic is allowed on it too soon. The percentages noted above are strictly to explain the phenomenon of the cure stages. The final cure will depend on many factors including mix design, coverage rate and the ambient conditions of temperature, humidity and the wind velocity. The drying and final cure of sealcoatings depends upon temperature and relative humidity. Higher temperatures and lower relative humidity are favorable cure conditions where the converse is true for lower temperatures and high humidity.
surfaces due to the deposition of insoluble salts, magnesium and calcium chloride that cause hardness in water. MEASUREMENT: Online tools, which are good for a quick estimation of the area, should be supplemented with the physical inspection and accurate assessment of the pavement. JOB COSTING should include: • Selection of sealcoating material • Crack filling, patching, base or subbase replacement • Primers • Traffic markings, signage, etc. • Logistical management costs • Labor and management costs
Sealcoating and Materials Selection • Standard or premium grade? Would the sealer generally require the addition of performance boosters? Also include the cost of sand/ aggregate and other components for recommended mix designs. • One coat, two coats – or additional coats per project specification? You do not want to build too many coats because that could result in surface crazing (spider-webbing). • Sealcoatings should meet all applicable specs: ASTM, Federal, FAA, GSA, commercial, special projects. • The sealer must have a proven track record. Seek references and talk to your friends in the industry. Get comparative studies. • Obtain certification from the supplier and the assurance that any complaints will be addressed and resolved promptly. • Does the sealer comply with all
applicable regulations? Special attention should be paid in regions where RTS are banned. Also make sure that the sealer is compliant to recently imposed restrictions of PAH’s (polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons) levels in the sealer. Pleading ignorance is not an option. • Is the price competitive for sealers with similar properties? Again, ask your supplier. Is sealer supplied as a concentrate or “ready to use” (RTU)? You may want to weigh both options. You may find the RTU option suitable for your operational controls, but be aware that with RTU you may have to readjust the mix design for the amount of water, additives and possibly sand/aggregate. Seek your supplier’s help.
Application Planning • The supervisor and the crew must read the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and manufactures’ brochures/ instructions on sealcoating and all the products prior to application. Safety in handling, application, clean up and discharge of the washing should be strictly followed for worker and environmental safety. • Select equipment and tools for the job at hand. All should be in good working condition; spare parts should be handy for on-site repairs. • Time management is important and can make all the difference in the bottom line profits. Determine the correct crew size, delineate task order, and minimize chances for delays such as multiple runs to the factory for sealer.
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• Follow good sealcoating practices with special attention to Storm Water Management Best Practices (BMP’s). Contractors should plan, minimize and mitigate to protect the environment from potential discharge and pollution possibilities. For BMPs: ›› First identify important natural resources and environmentally sensitive areas; then set protection priorities. Do not sealcoat within 100 feet of a wetland. ›› Minimize environmental impacts by reducing potential runoffs/pollutant loads (not just the sealer). Block during sealer application. Do not apply if thunderstorms are forecast. ›› Pavement and ambient temperatures must be a minimum of 50° F. Do not apply sealer too late or too early in the season. • Furnish the crew with all personal protection equipment. Explain and enforce other safety requirements.
Pavement Preparation As with all surface coatings the pavement should be clean and free of surface contamination and defects. • Brush and blow, scrape high dirt-built areas and pressure wash if necessary. Remove all vegetation from cracks. • Crack fill, patch, in-depth base repair. • Prime oil spots and special problematic areas, especially under tree lines. ›› Oil Spot Priming. This essential step is frequently overlooked. It may not be significant for most home driveways but must be considered for commercial applications where you see the extent of oil dripping on parking lots. Sealcoatings will not bond to oil spots if they have not been properly cleaned and primed. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations. If oil drippings have soaked into the pavement and damaged the asphalt, it may require patching. ›› Aggregates in the pavement become polished (smooth, slick to touch) over years of use. The extent of “polishing” is directly proportional to the amount of traffic and the traffic pattern. For sealcoatings to be effective it is essential the surface have
some roughness. Without priming, sealcoatings commonly wear off from the entrances, exits and the driving lanes of commercial parking lots. Prime those areas with a thin coat of a specialty primer that is designed to penetrate into the “polished” aggregate and provide a bonding surface for the sealer.
Material Preparation for Sealcoating
• Follow mix design recommendations from the manufacturer and/or project engineer. Mix design simply means adding and mixing water, sand/aggregate and additives (optional) to the concentrated sealer in recommended proportions for specific job requirements. Water must be potable,
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Sealcoating Culture sand/aggregate clean, angular within specific mesh sizes. • Make sure that the components are thoroughly mixed in your equipment. Equipment with mechanical agitation should be kept running for the most part during sealcoating application.
“Do not use additives other than those recommended by the sealer supplier.” • Do not alter the mix design without the prior approval of the manufacturer and/or the project engineer. Obtain a mix design recommendation from the supplier if using a ready-to-use mix. The quantities of the commonly added components (water, sand, additives)
to the sealer have a profound effect on the overall performance and longevity of the sealcoating. For example; ›› Too much water will reduce the dried film thickness and result in premature failure. ›› A low amount of sand may affect the surface traction and the finished surface may not have a uniform textured appearance. ›› Do not use additives other than those recommended by the sealer supplier. Additives are specialty chemical blends, which are designed to work with specific sealcoatings. They may not be compatible with the sealer, if not supplied by the same manufacturer.
The Finer Points of Sealcoating Application: • Apply sealcoatings according to specifications and manufacturer’s instructions for the number of coats
and coverage rates. The sealer supplier should approve any deviation. • Drying time between the coats and the final cure should be strictly followed.
Conclusion In order to accomplish a successful sealcoating job, it is essential that all sealcoating phases in planning, material selection, and the final clean-up be meticulously planned with due consideration to the personnel and environmental safety. I have purposely elaborated upon some major and very important aspects, which may not be commonly available in the supplier’s literature. A job well planned and executed is very likely to be successful.
Girish C. Dubey is president of STAR Inc., Columbus, OH (www.starseal.com). Star has affiliate sealer producing operations throughout the United States.
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Sealer Drop Tanks
Allan Heydorn, Editor
How Drop Tanks
IMPROVE Production, Profitability Here’s how to integrate drop tanks into your sealcoating operation THE ECONOMICS OF sealcoating dictate that the more sealer that can be put down in the shortest amount of time and for the least-expensive per-gallon price results in the biggest impact to a contractor’s bottom line. So it stands to reason that contractors should do what they can to reduce the cost of the sealer they buy and shorten the length of time their crew is working on a project. One relatively easy way to combine both efforts is to use a drop tank on appropriate jobs. Drop tanks, also called spot tanks, are 5,000-gal. tanks in which the sealer manufacturer can deliver up to about 4,000 gal. of pre-mixed or concentrated sealer right to the jobsite. Tanks are hauled to the jobsite on a semi-trailer, placed where the contractor wants them, refilled by the supplier if needed, and
taken away by the supplier once the job is complete. Cost per gallon of sealer is reduced because of the volume of sealer bought and the time to and from the supplier to fill your truck is eliminated. Drop tanks virtually eliminate downtime for crews while they’re waiting for someone to drive to the supplier or yard to pick up a load of sealer. There is additional freight cost of hauling the tank in and removing it, but that additional cost is outweighed by the lower cost of the sealer and the labor hours saved on the job. “You can’t beat it for the convenience factor,” says Jeff Luzar, vice president of sales at GuardTop. “The convenience is second to none if the job is big enough.” But big enough isn’t the only consideration. Yes, a job needs to be large enough to warrant a sealer
manufacturer to provide and deliver a tank with material, and per-gallon material costs don’t start declining until you reach a certain threshold (different for each supplier). But the distance from the job to the supplier also is an important factor that many contractors don’t take into consideration. Even a 3,000-gal. job might warrant a drop tank if the distance from the job to the sealer supplier is too far.
TANKER TIP #1 Put the tank in the right spot. “Keep it away from everything, on solid ground, where it’s easy to refill and near a water source if needed,” says Tony Heffernan, Neyra Industries. “But make sure to keep it out of the way of service and delivery vehicles that might be on the property while you’re there.”
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Follow the supplier’s instructions for unloading so you can empty all of the material. Lee Lowis, GemSeal, says cone-bottom tankers in particular, if not emptied in the proper way, will leave several hundred gallons of sealer in the tank that the contractor won't be able to access but will have to pay for.
TANKER TIP #2 If you are working at night, make sure that the tanker is placed in an area that is well lit.
Sealer producers estimate that using ready-to-use sealer and a drop tank can save a contractor between 25% and 50% of their time on a job.
“It doesn’t pay for labor to go back and forth picking up material if you can get a drop tank on the site,” Luzar says. “Even though you’re paying the freight it’s still saving you money. The breakeven point is how far you have to go back and forth to get sealer.” A contractor using 10,000 gal. of sealer a year and driving two hours round trip to fill his distributor probably doesn’t need a drop tank. But if that same contractor lands a job that requires 4,000 gal., a drop tank will enable him to complete that job more easily, more quickly, and the sealer will cost him less. “If you need 6,000 gal. to do a project it’s more efficient to put a drop tank on the site,” says Bob Krebs, owner of SealMaster South Carolina and SealMaster North Carolina franchises. “Drop tanks allow you to put more material down faster, without having to chase after supply. And, the efficiency drops right down to your bottom line.” Tony Heffernan, regional vice president at Neyra Industries, says
contractors usually start thinking about using a drop tank at the stage in their growth where they’re doing large jobs and want to bid even larger work. “That’s when you should start considering a drop tank because then you can be competitive,” he says. “The guy who picks up sealer is not going to be competitive with the guy who buys in bulk, whether storage yard or drop tank. “Drop tankers make you the most competitive because you’ll pay less per gallon for a drop tank and end up paying less for labor over the job,” Heffernan says. “It comes down to logistics. Guys aren’t going to want to travel to pick up sealer and they shouldn’t. So, what’s the best thing for my company and for the job?” “If having a tanker on the jobsite reduces their cost in any way the contractor should consider it,” says Lee Lowis, vice president at GemSeal.
Plan for Drop Tank Use Most tanks are able to hold 5,000 gal. of material, but to avoid weight regulations during transport tanks are typically delivered with no more than 4,200 gal. of material. Fees for using a tank vary, often depending on the amount a sealer a customer buys. Some manufacturers
provide the tanks for free, some charge a small lease fee, others only charge the cost of delivering the tank and material to the site and picking up the empty tank from the site. Manufacturers across the board say contractors can be more productive and more profitable by planning out any sealcoating job, regardless of size. But contractors who plan their projects can determine, first of all, if a drop tank will help them. Considerations include how big the job is, how many gallons a crew can put down in a day, logistics of the site and how the job will be phased. “If you’re going through 10,000 gallons on a job and you have only two days, you don’t want to be going back and forth to get all that sealer,” Luzar says. “On the other hand if the job is scheduled in a number of phases where the crew is going back to the yard each night then you probably won’t need to take on a drop tank.” He says including suppliers in the planning process can benefit both parties. “Let the supplier know the size of the job, for example,” Luzar says. “That way he can offer some guidance on
TANKER TIP #3 Follow all of the supplier’s instructions and call if you have a question. “Don’t guess, be sure,” says Lee Lowis, GemSeal.
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Sealer Drop Tanks
When determining tank location on the jobsite consider the weight of the tank, access to the tank for delivery and for filling application equipment, and safety of the public.
whether a drop tank might be beneficial. It also gives the supplier a heads up when a drop tank will be needed.” Most producers have a limited number of tanks so contractors should reserve a tank as far in advance as they can. Then they should finish with them so the supplier can pick them up and turn them around quickly. Luzar says that GuardTop, like most sealer producers, would like a notice of a week or two when a contractor will need a drop tank, but even a few days can help them out. “This is especially
important in the summer when those tanks are going out at a fast and furious pace,” Luzar says. “As fast as we’re getting those tanks in we’re sending them out again.” Bill Maclean, The Brewer Co., says holiday weekends are a busy time for drop tankers. “That’s something to think about because more people are competing for a limited number of tanks during those periods,” Maclean says. “You usually schedule those jobs well ahead -it's easy to reserve a drop tanker at the same time."
Agitation in Tanks is Essential Bill Maclean, The Brewer Co., says tanks are available with and without full-sweep, automatic agitation, but regardless which tank you use material needs to be agitated daily. Bob Krebs, SealMaster, says material should be agitated for 10-20 minutes before off-loading begins. “That should be enough to mix the material and get him going on the job, then agitate again briefly right before each fill. But avoid agitating too much.”Too much agitation and the material becomes too thin and then the sand won’t stay in suspension,” he says. And material needs to be agitated on off days as well. “If it starts raining and the contractor doesn’t work on the site for three or four days all those solids settle to the bottom. So even if it’s raining send someone out to agitate the material,” Krebs says. Maclean says there are two ways to agitate material in tanks that don’t have automatic agitation. The first is to open one valve and close another. “Those tanks are piped in such a way that by closing one valve and opening another the material will circulate within the tank, agitating the sealer,” he says. A more common way is to take the hose that’s connected on the bottom of the tank and insert it into the open manway on the top, then start pumping. “That circulates the material from the bottom to the top, providing effective agitation,” he says.
Just as it’s important to reserve a tank, it’s equally important to let the supplier know in advance when you’re going to need a refill. Luzar says that the more advance notice a contractor can give, then easier and more smoothly the resupply is going to go for both parties. “If they know in advance they’re going to need a boost, let us know that when you place the order and let us know which day you’ll need it. We’ll have it there for you,” Luzar says. “Also let the supplier know as soon as the tank can be picked up,” Luzar says. “If the job is done in one day or two days just let us know and we’ll come and get it. Those tanks are always in demand, so anytime we can get one back that’s a big help.” “Plan, plan, plan,” Krebs says. “One of our biggest challenges is to get the contractors to estimate well in advance. When will they need it? When will they need a refill? When can we pick it up? “If they don’t plan ahead it’s possible we won’t have a tank when they need it and, if we do, it’s possible the contractor’s crew will be sitting idle waiting for a refill delivery that wasn’t scheduled. We don’t want to see that happen.”
Accepting Drop Tank Delivery Most manufacturers prefer the contractor be on site to accept delivery, though in some cases contractors can send a
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TANKER TIP #4 Make sure the tank is vented and know how to use the vents. “I have seen more than one tanker sucked in and crushed because it was not properly vented,” says GemSeal’s Lee Lowis.
property map with an X marking the tank location. “The contractor decides where the unit is spotted.” Lowis says. “They should always meet the delivery driver because occasionally the tankers cannot be left where the contractor would like it to be.” “Having the contractor there can help prevent some issues that might not have been considered when the X was put on the map,” Luzar says. Heffernan says that Neyra will ask for a map of the property as well ask for the contractor’s plan to sealcoat it. “That helps use determine how long the tank
will be needed and if and when we’ll have to bring more sealer,” he says. Maclean says The Brewer Co. prefers the contractor to be on site when the drop tank is delivered. “We don’t want to have to come back to move the tanker,” Maclean says. Another reason to be on site when the tank is delivered is in case the property owner or manager wants to change where you plan to locate the tank. Manufacturers say contractors should let the property manager know where the tank will be placed, and if they balk just explain why it needs to be where you want it. “Inform the property owner of the realities of equipment limitations,” Maclean says. “They don’t understand that it can take a nose dive and spill sealer all across their lot or lawn if it’s not placed properly.” “A lot of time it’s a negotiation between the property owner and the
contractor, but we need to get in there with an 18-wheeler, we need to be able to get in there to maneuver the tank, and depending on the job we might need to get back in there to refill it,” Krebs says.
Determining Drop Tank Location As a general rule, place the tank in a corner of the parking lot, away from everything. When sealcoating in a homeowner’s association, keep the tank away
TANKER TIP #5 Handle hoses properly. Make sure someone holds the hose when filling an applicator tank. Clean the hoses as you use them; if end caps are provided, use them or material can dry in the hose. Properly secure all hoses or place them beneath the tank when not in use to prevent tripping accidents and to keep them from being run over.
new
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Sealer Drop Tanks
TANKER TIP #6 Clean out the strainer basket frequently. “At the end of each day it’s a good idea because that way you can start fresh the next morning,” says Bob Krebs, SealMaster. “The more material that’s collected in the strainer basket, the slower the load into the spray rigs is going to be.” He says a good approach is to have a second strainer basket so you can have one soaking in water while the other one is working.
from any main thoroughfares, don’t put it in front of anyone’s house, and keep it away from where children will play. “Always consider safety first,” Lowis says. Then think about normal traffic flow through the jobsite, including access to deliveries. “Make sure that you consider all of the time that the tanker is on site, not just the hours and days that the job is performed,” Lowis says. He says don’t block access to deliveries, and don’t place the tank in an area that might block the supplier from picking it up when you’re done. “For example, can someone park too close to the tanker after the contractor removes their barricades?” “Most of the time it’s placed where we least inconvenience their customers or, in the case of a homeowner’s association, the people who live there,” Krebs says. “Some properties have a very tight ingress and egress. Contractors should be aware that flower beds and grass could be damaged by the 80,000 pound 18-wheelers trying to position the drop tank into your desired location. In this case, it may be better to identify a spot for the drop tank away from the property you are sealing.” “You want it out of the way so if something happens – a line blows or there’s a sealer spill – it’s not a problem
TANKER TIP #7 Keep track of the material used to make sure you will have enough and to give your supplier enough notice to make additional deliveries.
for anyone but the contractor,” Heffernan says. But there’s more to determining location than that. Factors include: • Easy supplier access to drop off and pick up the tanker • Easy supplier access to refill with additional loads of sealer if needed • Public traffic • Service and delivery vehicles • Ease of off-loading into sealer application equipment • Tank controls should be open to the parking lot • Never place the tank on dirt or grass “First, the site needs to be accessible by a semi-truck,” Maclean says. “It might be easy for a car or pickup to get in there but you’re dealing with a semi to deliver it and deliver additional sealer if the job requires it.” Maclean says the tank has to be parked in an area strong enough to support the weight of the tank and material, otherwise the landing gear will punch through the pavement. He estimated tractor, trailer and material weigh roughly 80,000 lbs. (50,000-60,000 lbs. empty). Some manufacturers modify the tankers, placing a steel plate beneath the landing gear to spread the weight out. If your supplier doesn’t provide that you can place additional blocks beneath the
TANKER TIP #8 Let the supplier know if you have any sealer left and what you want them to do with it; deliver it to your storage tank? Get a credit? Understand the supplier’s policy before you start the work.
trolley wheels to disperse the weight. He says the best location is a concrete pad because not only will the concrete support the tank weight, you won’t have to move the tank to seal beneath it. “If you have to place it on asphalt that needs to be sealed then consider sealing it in advance of the tank,” Maclean says. “But if you do place it on concrete be especially careful of spills.” Manufacturers all say to locate the tank so it won’t have to be moved as you progress through the sealcoating job. If it has to be on asphalt that needs sealing, either seal the area before the tank is placed or seal it after the tank is removed. “Think ahead because you don’t want to have it situated where we can’t get to it to move it because you’ve started striping the parking lot,” Luzar says. “You want to move it only once if possible,” Krebs says. “That’s when we take it out.”
Ready-to-use or Concentrate? Sealer producers say they’ll provide contractors with whatever material they want in their drop tank. GuardTop, for example, usually delivers virgin material in concentrate form, leaving contractors to mix it on site per the manufacturer’s specifications. “We do that so if there’s any material left over we will take it back,” GuardTop’s Jeff Luzar says. “Once it’s been mixed we can’t do anything with it but as long as it’s virgin material we will take it back and credit the contractor.” Bill Maclean says most of The Brewer Co.’s drop tank customers used to order concentrate, but then they’d have to find a water source on each jobsite, then add the sand and additive. “Then each time he was empty he’d have to do the same thing all over again,” Maclean says. “There’s considerable time tied up in doing that. A more efficient way is to have us deliver the material that is ready to use.” But Tony Heffernan, Neyra Industries, says sometimes concentrate is beneficial. “You have to plan out how much sealer you’re going to need and when you’ll need it,” Heffernan says. “If a job calls for 5,000 gallons we can still only deliver 4,000 gallons. So instead of having us deliver another 1,000 gallons they might be better off ordering concentrate. That way you can mix the sealer on site and with one drop tank they can get all the sealer they need.”
28 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Paver Maintenance
Jessica Lombardo, Contributing Editor
Comprehensive Guide to Asphalt Paver
Maintenance Failure to properly maintain your paver can result in significant downtime and profit loss
ASPHALT PAVERS ARE a big investment for your company and their performance helps determine the entire success of a job. “The paver is the most critical part of an asphalt paving jobsite,” Brodie Hutchins, vice president dealer development at Wirtgen Americas says. “Everything revolves around that paver. If it goes down, the plant goes down, the rollers go down, the trucks and mills go down, you have fines that can happen, etc. You need to do everything you can to make sure that paver does not break down.” Machine downtime is not only bad for the life of the roadway, it’s extremely bad for your bottom line. “A lot is on the line every day you go out to pave and down time is extremely expensive,” Pete Fredrickson, asphalt
product application specialist at Dynapac says. “Consider the in place cost of asphalt far exceeds $100.00 per ton. The average truck holds 20 tons and a contractor will have on average, two to 30 trucks on the road. You can’t afford to let a lack of maintenance shut your project down.” This is why paver manufacturers agree that the best way to ensure you get your money’s worth out of your paver while helping to keep it working properly for its full service life, is to be committed to preventive maintenance. “Performing simple maintenance on any machine can prevent major issues and save major dollars in the longterm,” Kyle Neisen, product manager at Roadtec adds. “Beyond the cost of preventable breaks, the downtime that can come from poor upkeep can be a significant cost driver. If a paver goes down when five trucks full of mix are already lined up in front of it, the costs for wasted time and material are into the thousands before your mechanic even starts working.”
It’s important to take the time to make sure your paver is in prime operating condition and your paver operators are the key to this. They know how the machine performs each day and will be paramount to understanding when something isn’t right. This is why they should be the ones to perform the daily maintenance checks on the machine.
An Ounce of Prevention It’s important to take the time to make sure your paver is in prime operating condition and your paver operators are the key to this. They know how the machine performs each day and will be paramount to understanding when something isn’t right. This is why they should be the ones to perform the daily maintenance checks on the machine. “Operators have a direct impact on paver condition by relaying information to service personnel about the performance of the machine,” Steve Goutermont, training consultant at Caterpillar Inc. says. “Is it running rough, steering erratically, making unsuspected noise?” And while full daily equipment walkarounds used to take an operator over
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an hour to complete, pavers today can basically tell you if something is wrong instead of the operator having to guess. “Daily checks can basically all be done from the dashboard now when you start up the machine,” Hutchins says. “The paver will provide fault codes and let the operator know if coolant, engine oil, hydraulic oil and fuel system levels are low.” Even still, operators should complete a visual of the inspection of the machine before it leaves the shop for the day. “A machine walk around should be conducted, looking for loose fasteners, damaged components, oil leaks to name a few things,” Goutermont says. “The machine is in an environment where the components are in high heat, working with highly abrasive material and will wear out.” Operators should also do a visual check of the screed to make sure it’s level prior to paving. “Operators need to make sure the screed is flat and complete extension leveling per manufacturer specifications prior to paving,” Tom Travers, sales manager at Carlson Paving says. “If the screed is not level, it’s going to impact the quality of the mat you’re laying.
Make sure you grease the machine at the end of the day. The lube will flow more easily – and get to the right spots – when everything is still warm.
Making sure the main screed is flat and the extensions are level will help you avoid poor joint quality or an invert or crown in the mat.” Keeping the screed clean is also important. “You don’t want to wait for today’s HMA to heat up yesterday’s mess you walked away from,” Fredrickson says. “With the screed up and supported, run the end gate jacks down and scrape any loose asphalt that might harden and bind them from free floating the next day. Then crank them back up. Power tunnels and screed extensions have been known to not move in the morning if proper steps aren’t taken at the end of a day to clean them out. Taking care of them can be as easy as fully extending the extensions all the way in and out a couple of times.”
Clean Machine Cleaning your paver at the end of each day is also imperative in order to maintain a reliable and long lasting piece of equipment. Failure to remove all excess asphalt from your paver will result in premature failure and excessive wear of vital components of your machine’s operation and will eventually lead to downtime. “If the old asphalt is not removed from the machine at the end of the day, it can cause big problems when you start the machine up the next day,” Mike Neil, paver technical support specialist at Volvo says. “If you don’t clean the old asphalt out, the heat of the new asphalt the next day will loosen up cold chunks causing conveyor chains to jump or even worse break. Once that happens, you could be down for hours.”
Complete Each Week
Complete Each Month
Each paver and manufacturer have different guidelines on the maintenance schedule and contractors should always defer to that schedule when completing maintenance tasks. “50 hours can be a very important interval, especially if it’s the first 50 hours on a paver,” Fredrickson at Dynapac says. “If that’s the case make sure to follow the manufacturers recommendations. This can be a critical first time gear oil change interval. After the first change it might be another 1000 hours before changing it again, making the first change very important.” Weekly checks beyond those first 50 hours and every additional 50 hours are also important. “As a generalization I would recommend changing the engine oil and filter, fuel filter and separator and also the hydraulic filter to remove manufacturing debris that has been flushed through the system at the end of each week,” Ken Graham at VT LeeBoy says. “All of the machines we manufacture go through an extensive quality control inspection including filtering the hydraulic oil to a purity specification of ISO code of 18/16/13 but is still a good idea to replace the filter. Check all chain adjustments for initial stretch and adjust as needed. Lubricate and inspect per chart in operators manual.” “On wheeled pavers, Caterpillar recommends you lubricate your bogie wheel assemblies, check the tire inflation per the type of tire you have each week,” Steve Goutermont says. “On the track machine, the track roller frames need to be lubricated. On both types, lubricate the hopper cylinder bearings.” During this service, Goutermont says contractors need to also be on the lookout for other issues and attend to them as necessary.
Each month, Kevin Neisen with Roadtec says contractors should change engine oil and check all fluids on the machine and also inspect the material feed system and adjust chains if needed. “Inspect/adjust/replace all belts each month,” Goutermont adds. “Also check conveyor and auger drive chains and adjust as necessary. Complete oil level checks for the conveyor, auger and final drive planetaries. Clean the radiator, adjust drag conveyor, take an engine oil sample, lubricate idler bearings and check the tracks and track tension.” It is also up to the operators or those who are responsible for the machine to keep the paver greased at the proper intervals. “The auger and conveyors need to be lubricated twice daily, mid-shift and at the end of the shift while the machine is hot to purge out any contaminants out of the bearings,” Goutermont says.
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Paver Maintenance
Don’t Neglect the Screed
You need to make sure the machine is clean at the end of each day. If you don’t clean the old asphalt out, the heat of the new asphalt the next day will loosen up cold chunks causing conveyor chains to jump or even worse break.
That’s why the number one thing a crew can do at the end of every day is clean the machine. “Following a strict cleaning routine at the end of every day should be part of the paving job you are completing and added to the time and cost allowed,” Ken Graham, product support technician with VT LeeBoy adds. “If the asphalt is not removed you can expect a very high labor charge from your dealer to remove it manually without even starting the necessary repairs or service you brought it in for.” “A clean machine makes it much more likely to spot issues while they are still small and easily corrected,” Neisen adds. “You should also grease the machine at the end of the day. The lube will flow more easily – and get to the right spots – when everything is still warm.” Don’t forget about safety: check the seat belts, make sure the screed is level, check any decals that may need to be replaced and walkways that need to be cleaned. Check the backup alarm, switch functions and nights for light paving. It’s these things which make the crew and the job successful and it all starts with daily maintenance. “Abuse and neglect of a machine will always cost you something,” Hutchins says. “If all this is done the night before the paver goes out to work, it’s going to make that walk-around a lot easier the next day and help ensure that paver isn’t going to break down on the job.”
Relationships Help Ensure Success If you let them, your dealer can play a big part in making sure your machines
The slide track is what the extension runs in and out of and if it’s loose, tighten or replace the bushings so your extensions run properly all season.
will keep running smoothly all year. Most manufacturers will provide dealers with a maintenance and inspection program that can be deployed during the off season. “We give our dealers and customers the incentive to have our paving specialists come out during the off season and help customers’ complete thorough inspections,” Hutchins says. “They help find potential problems they might not know to look for but that we see every day because we designed and built the equipment.” Once these specialists identify problems, many manufacturers offer discounts and incentives for having the parts replaced before the season begins. Volvo’s Mike Neil says they recommended their Winter Rebuild program to contractors to help them ensure everything is running smoothly. “We go over all their wear parts for material handling like conveyor chains, conveyor floor plates, auger flights, screed plates, etc., and measure them to see how much life is left in them,” he says. They then use these measurements to verify the condition with their wear
When the machine is in the shop for the winter, you will want to take the time to not only measure screed wear, but make sure that the screed is in prime condition for the season. “The good thing about the screed is that when it’s out running, it will talk to you and tell you something is wrong,” Tom Travers, sales manager at Carlson Paving says. “If you look behind the machine and see imperfections in the mat, something is out of alignment and needs to be addressed.” Downtime like that during the season can be avoided with proper screed maintenance now. Travers says now is a good time to do a measurement of the plate thickness and the best way is to conduct an ultrasound test. The machine is put up against the screed plate and it tells you how thick the steel is. If it’s too thin based off manufacturer specifications, it should be replaced. “You will also want to check the slide track performance,” Travers says. “The slide track is what the extension runs in and out of and if it’s loose, tighten or replace the bushings so your extensions run properly all season.” It’s also important to check the screed heating elements to make sure they are applying consistent heat to the mat. “This is done with and ohm test (ohmmeter),” Travers says. “Manufacturers provide you with a plus or minus on what temperature you should expect to see coming off that elements. Anything more or less than that spec would give you a strong hint that you’re element is not functioning to its maximum potential and you may be in the process of losing it.” In addition to checking the thickness of the end gate runner wear parts and replacing if necessary, Travers also recommends you check the depth cranks for wear as a loose depth crank will cause a screed to rock forward and backward on its pivot, creating poor mat quality. Finally, pull off the screed cover and remove any debris that might have gotten stuck throughout the season. “You’d be shocked at what we’ve found underneath the screed cover,” Travers says. “We’ve seen cups, bottles, cans, spray paint and more in there. These are fire hazards and could even explode if not properly removed.” Travers adds that now is the time you will want to make any adjustments that will both prolong the life of the screed and help build a quality pavement.
42 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Paver Maintenance
check manual. “If their floor plates get down to 1/8-in. we will require that the contractors change them because they won’t last another season.” Paver specialists can also be deployed at the beginning of each season for a crew refresher course on paving and machine maintenance best practices. Check with your dealer to see what your paver manufacturer provides as many of these services are complimentary. “If you’re ever in doubt about anything on your machine, get a hold of your dealer,” Hutchins says. “They can help you make sure everything is 100% before that equipment goes back out to pave again.” And don’t forget the main resources that were provided to you with your paver, the manuals. “One of the most useful tool on a paver is the operators manual but unfortunately it is too often ignored and placed on a shelf or in a desk drawer,”
Here, the screed is being checked for a flat tail and lead crown using a string line method.
Graham says. “There is so much useful information vital to a successful paver operator or service technician and different operation features you may not be aware of. This manual should be read thoroughly prior to operating the paver and left on the machine for future reference. After all, your paver is the backbone of your business and requires the care your customer deserves.” Jessica Lombardo is editor of Asphalt Contractor magazine.
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Hydraulically Speaking The hydraulic system powered by your engine provides all your material delivery and movement of your paver. If the hydraulic systems is poorly maintained it can cause serious damage to pumps. “Hydraulic oil is the life blood of a paver,” Fredrickson at Dynapac says. “Just like in the human body where arteries can get clogged, a hydraulic system lives and dies based on how we maintain it.” It can’t be stressed enough that any time a system is opened up and exposed to outside elements, measures must be taken to not introduce contamination into the oil. This includes when performing routine maintenance like replacing filters at recommended intervals, changing oil or any other repair that opens the system to the environment. Technicians need to know the system they are working on and how to avoid cavitation when changing the oil. If the proper steps are taken you can 100% eliminate any cavitation on startup. “The cleanliness is the most important factor for keeping the system running smoothly,” Mike Neil at Volvo says. “If debris gets in the system, or filters are not kept fresh, tiny particles can do big harm to the pumps.” You also want to make sure there is enough oil in the machine before it starts every day – low oil can cause overheating. “We recommend a complete hydraulic oil change at 1,000 hours,” Graham at LeeBoy says. “The hydraulic oil not only provides the power the cylinders and motors need to operate but also lubricates the system and like all oils will break down of time and use.” Failure to properly maintain hydraulic oil levels and service intervals will significantly decrease the life of your hydraulic systems and will result in high repair costs and poor performance slowing down your operation which can cause a profit loss on the job.
ForConstructionPros.com/10074385
44 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Stripe Removal
Nighttime motorists driving along the I-5 highway may spot a skid steer at work removing reflective pavement markers from the pavement.
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Pavement Marking Projects Payco Specialties uses its skid steer to complete major road marking projects in Southern California LOCATED IN THE San Diego suburb of Chula Vista, Payco Specialties has established itself as a key player in the California infrastructure industry, with some 40 years’ experience. The private, family-owned company has around 20 employees, and its primary focus is on permanent and temporary stripe application and removal, reflective pavement markings, cutting custom stencils, parking lots and airport striping. Payco expects a lot from its equipment and isn’t afraid to adapt it to meet it needs. “In the late 1970s, no one built custom road striper trucks,” says Jeff Llewellyn, Payco’s vice president. “Even
today, there are only a few companies committed to building these machines.” To meet specific application requirements, the company began fabricating and customizing equipment in-house. “We were the first company to install video guidance cameras on our paint trucks to ensure straighter lines,” says Llewellyn. “We even added operator seats 4 in. from the ground, giving reflective pavement marker operators greater access to their work.” Payco also developed a short, narrowbodied long line thermoplastic striper truck. The machine is suited to the confines of city streets and had the capacity
The MC115C skid steer includes standard lighting to aid visibility during nighttime operations.
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for high-paced freeway work, paving the way for more job opportunities.
The Need for Speed With roads busy during the day, 95% of local paving and associated resurfacing work for the California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) occurs at night to avoid causing traffic congestion. Any delay in production is subject to severe penalties. “On most major CalTrans jobs, in the first minute you are late, they can fine you up to $10,000 and $1,000 for every minute after that,” says Llewellyn. “Being just five minutes late can mean giving up the entire job.” Consequently, when the need for a skid steer arose, Llewellyn carefully compared the specs from different manufacturers looking for the one with the strongest hydraulic flow and greatest visibility from the cab. “Volvo skid steers have a very high
rate of flow and head speed,” Llewellyn states. “For example, in second gear, we reach around 13 to 14 mph. Compared to the competition, the MC115C has the ability to cut the time taken to remove reflectors from a four-mile freeway closure by half. Plus, we benefit from a fully enclosed cab with air conditioning and heated seats for less than the closest competitor.” Powered by a 74-hp Volvo Tier 4 Final engine, the MC115C has a hydraulic flow rate of 33 gpm and a 2,600-lb. lifting capacity, making it suitable for multiple applications. For example, it is used with an auger attachment for digging holes for roadside signs, and with forks to load 2,000-lb. pallets of thermoplastic powder, a job previously performed by a compact wheel loader.
Adapted for Marker Removal Nighttime motorists snaking along the I-5 highway may also spot the skid steer
at work. Clipping along the center double line, the machine is used to remove the reflective pavement markers from the asphalt and pop them into the 60-in. bucket. To enhance performance, Payco’s industrialist team developed a proprietary modification that uses a specially fitted plate welded to the front bucket edge, enabling the machine to remove the reflectors more efficiently at high speeds. In addition to providing added visibility and easy side-door access, the skid steer’s single arm design is built with high-tensile steel that has proven capable of withstanding the shock load of repeatedly popping reflective markers from the pavement. Over the past three years, it has racked up almost 2,000 hours. Payco has since added a second MC115C to the fleet to grind off thermoplastic striping from roadways during relining projects.
ForConstructionPros.com/10074674
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48 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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50 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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56 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Allan Heydorn, Editor
On The Job
“How to” Tips to Start Your Season
NPE 2018 speakers offer insights for getting, completing quality work THE CONFERENCE PROGRAM at the recent National Pavement Expo, Feb. 7-10 in Cleveland, offered 54 sessions on technical and management topics. Here’s a sampling of some of what contractors learned. Dust Sheen. Nick Howell, T & N Asphalt Services, tackled the issue of “dust sheen” prior to sealcoating. “Despite your best efforts you might find an unremovable dust sheen on the pavement. A tack coat will usually solve the problem but even wetting the surface with water will solve the issue.” Crew Efficiency. Guy Gruenberg, Grow Consulting, recommended contractors consider using a Crew Activity Plan, which combines a two-week schedule with a list of manpower, material, equipment and information needed to meet that schedule. Forcing thinking ahead, the Crew Activity Plan allows the foremen and project manager to reduce work delays by identifying questions and obtaining answers and client decisions in advance. It also provides the information needed to make sure all the components of each job are available. If everything doesn’t come together the two-week schedule provides plenty of time to adjust the job schedule. Want to avoid segregation in your paving work? Wayne Jones (above), Asphalt Institute, recommended making sure haul trucks are loaded with hot mix in multiple drops, with the loading sequence being front, back and middle of the truck.
Sealcoating Spray Angle. Bill Maclean, The Brewer Co., said that when spraying sealer with a hand wand, try to keep the angle of the spray at 90° to the ground and walk slowly across the pavement. “It doesn’t have to be perfect but try to think about where the spray pattern makes contact with the pavement,” he said. “He said walking too fast and deviating from a 90° angle contributes to uneven coverage. Spray Tip Wear. Maclean cautioned to watch for clogs in the spray and wear at the tip. He said that if you can see a line at the bottom of the spray pattern that line will become even more obvious after the job is done and as the sealer wears Selling National/Regional Accounts. Bryan Hess, Asphalt
Associates, and Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System, explained that to be successful with regional and national accounts contractors need to: • Understand how those accounts do business, including learning their key components and revenue drivers, any growth plans and how their stock is performing • Be able to scale your staff to service the large account (which can overwhelm as small staff) • Make sure your staff is technology driven – essential to both understand and service the customer • Have a sales staff that can prospect and generate sales from these accounts but also support and service them.
Improve Parking Lot Sweeping.
Costas Cordonis, Schwarze Industries, offered these tips to optimize performance of parking lot sweepers: • Reduce the thickness of front sweeping head skirts • Increase the tension of the front head springs • Lift the front of the sweeping head while leaving the rear on the ground
• Exhaust the fan housing air flow • Reduce fan RPMs on sweepers powered with an auxiliary engine
How to Get Work in a Mobile Age.
Brandon Stanton, 405 Media Group, teamed with NPE stalwart Jeff Stokes, Next Level Contractor System, to help contractors improve their marketing. Among their suggestions was to conduct a “self-audit” in which contractors walk through the shopping process as if they were a buyer unfamiliar with their company. Among the steps to take are: • See if you are “visible” to someone who would need your service • Develop search terms to help your site rank higher; to see where your site ranks visit www.405mediagroup.com/ rank-checker • See if your site is responsive by going to https://search.google.com/test/ mobile-friendly • Make sure you have a “brand” to market; make a promise to your customers • Make sure your website displays your brand, a main image work you perform, text on the photo to guide customer’s thinking, and clearly states your value
Employee vs. Independent Contractor. Attorney Martin Heller, Fisher
& Phillips LLP, addressed the misclassification of independent contractors vs. employees, which he said gets confused because different organizations (IRS, state, workers comp boards, for example) apply different tests. But he said whether a person is an independent contractor or an employee boils down to one factor: control. Heller said that in June 2017 the Trump administration directed the U.S. Dept. of Labor to focus fewer resources on the issue. He said he expects to see new legislation to provide additional clarification of the distinction, and increased use of independent contractors.
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From the Owner’s Desk
Nick Howell
How to Handle the “Dreaded” Part of Sealcoating WHAT’S THE MOST dreaded – or should I say most misunderstood -- part of sealcoating? Job Costing. What…? Yes, job costing is usually the most dreaded and misunderstood element of the sealcoating business. As an owner, you need to know your numbers. At the recent National Pavement Expo there was a lot of discussion as to “what should I charge?” That’s a question I’ve never liked because each contractor should know their numbers. If they did, they would know what to charge and wouldn't need to
rely on others. So I thought I would offer a crash course on basic costing in this column. I hope it will help some contractors – and open the eyes of some others. What’s the problem? Well, all too often a contractor will score a $10,000 job, but after doing the work let’s say they lost $1,000. The problem is, they don’t realize they lost $1,000 because they collect the check and feel $10,000 richer. Let’s fast forward a few days or a week, and the contractor duplicates the same scenario, again losing $1,000 on
a $10,000 job. Now they are in the red $2,000, but feel rich because they have $20,000 in the bank. This happens all over the country, and to just about every business owner. It happened to me before I learned to properly cost and estimate our jobs. It’s very possible contractors will float this way for years or decades. The problem is, they aren’t building a business; what they are building is a house of cards that could collapse at any time... Not to mention that if you don't know your costs, you aren’t accurately estimating.
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So, figuring your costs... How do we do that? Well, first you need to look at your overhead, and this has to be an honest assessment. You need to include and determine the cost of everything that keeps your business in operation. Examples might include rent for your office, lease payments on equipment, utilities, insurance, repair and replacement of your equipment etc. The more detailed you can get the more accurate your costs will be. Then you will want to add in labor and materials for each job. Let’s walk through an example on a 10,000-sq.-ft. job: That’s it! Very simple: .25 per sq. ft. is what you need to charge in this example. Sure you could do it for less profit, but why? And when you know your costs you can alter the profit margin on a job and know in advance what you will earn. As long as you don’t go below cost, you are almost guaranteed
success. It’s when you don't account for all of your costs of doing business that you begin to jeopardize your operation and could end up working for less than your cost. People might account for costs in different categories, but at the end of the day, just making sure you have accounted for the costs that keep your business in operation is more than half the battle.
Nick Howell, president of T & N Asphalt Services, Salt Lake City, UT, has been a regular presenter at National Pavement Expo since 2008 and a member of the Pavement Advisory Board since 2007. Let him know your thoughts on “From the Owner’s Desk,” and if you have a question or topic you’d like covered – let him know that too! You can reach Nick at nick@ tnasphaltservices.com.
10,000 sq. ft. ÷ 35 sq. ft./gal. (an average material yield) = 285.7 gal. needed (rounded to 286) Deduct about 20% for water (about 57 gal.) = 228 gal. and
228 gal. Total Material x $2.50/gal. = $570 Material
you’re looking at
Cost
Let’s assume for this example overhead is $500/day, labor is $850 per day, and let’s add in 30% profit.
$570 Material + $500 Overhead + $850 Labor per day
$1,920 Subtotal x 30% Profit = $576 Profit
= $1,920 Subtotal
$1,920 + $576 = $2,496 Total ÷ 10,000 sq. ft.
= .25 per sq. ft.
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Your Business Matters
Bea Bonte
How to Sell – and Educate – Driveway Customers Rely on these insights to help your residential customers get the most for their driveway dollars AS A PROFESSIONAL in the paving and pavement maintenance industry, it’s your duty to ease client concerns with simple explanations of complicated driveway problems. While this may seem like simple stuff to you, your customers won’t know the difference between alligator cracking and expansion cracking and as a result they may fail to see the importance of the services you provide. Education is the key to helping your customers achieve the best possible outcome. Helping your clients determine the right approach and best long-term solution can help you stand out as a trusted partner in their process. It’s an estimator’s job to provide customers with an accurate assessment of their driveway, explaining the repair options available, or recommending that replacing the driveway may be the wiser, more costeffective answer. This reference tool can help you address the customer’s driveway needs and present solutions. We give a version of this checklist to our customers (you can download it at http://bit. ly/2FeUZk1). It will remind them of what they learned during your appointment, allow them to make an educated purchase decision, and ultimately to choose your company for their project.
Asphalt Maintenance Proper maintenance will help prolong the life of an asphalt and prevent premature replacement. The most common types of driveway maintenance are: »» Crack Filling. When analyzing cracks in a driveway, it is important to determine if they are superficial or if they have widened enough to put the base in peril. It is primarily these deeper cracks that need attention. Expansion cracks are caused by the ground shifting due to temperature and moisture
changes. They should be cleaned or routed, sealed and filled with a hot rubber crack sealant which will keep moisture – the enemy of driveways everywhere – from seeping under the asphalt and damaging its base. »» Sealcoating. This liquid coating is applied to asphalt pavement to help shield it from water, weather and UV rays. Sealcoating also improves the appearance of a driveway by returning the asphalt to its original rich, black color. Sealcoating is an affordable way to extend the life of your asphalt.
Asphalt Repair Repairs are needed when the asphalt pavement or parts of it have begun to deteriorate to the point where normal maintenance will not be cost-effective. »» Alligator Cracks or Fatigue Cracking. These cracks resemble the skin of an alligator and are generally a sign that the base under the asphalt pavement is failing. The damaged asphalt pavement and any damaged base should be removed, the base compacted, and a new asphalt patch installed. If the area(s) are large or plentiful, a full replacement may be best. »» Settling. Settling can happen anywhere within a driveway and the suggested repairs really depend on the location and severity of the settling. You may notice that the asphalt has settled along your garage apron, sidewalk, pavers or street approach. These are two different material surfaces which shift independently of each other and a trip hazard could result. »» Low Areas. If your driveway has low areas that tend to puddle and collect water. Salt can be used to prevent icy spots in the winter and surface (also called “skin”) patching can fix them if they are deep enough. »» Rutting. These channel-like
depressions are caused by lateral movement of the asphalt, base and sub-base layers when under the weight and pressure of a vehicle. If the ruts are deep enough, surface patching will help to smooth out the area, but not address the underlying issue. If the rutting is severe, either the affected section or the entire driveway should be excavated – both the asphalt and base layers – so that a geotextile fabric can be installed to stabilize the subbase. »» Sinkholes. Sinkholes are usually caused by an improper or weak foundation, a broken water line or other unusual occurrence underground. The asphalt surrounding the sinkhole should be removed so that the hole, no matter how bottomless it may seem, can be filled and the base compacted. »» Apron Repair. If the holes are along the garage floor, it indicates that the garage’s foundation blocks are “open.” This surprisingly common repair involves removing the asphalt (or concrete garage apron) as well as the base so that the blocks can be accessed, filled and capped off prior to patching.
Asphalt Replacement If the driveway has more than one of repair issues discussed above, or if the damage covers more than 30% of the total area, a full replacement is the likely recommendation. While this costs more initially for the homeowner, you can help them by explaining that other repairs won’t significantly extend the life of the driveway and that a new driveway is the most cost-effective approach in their situation. Bea Bonte is a marketing associate for Alpine Asphalt, a commercial and residential asphalt company in Minneapolis, MN. She can be reached at 612-706-8018 or 612-827-7702 or via email at office@alpineasphalt.com.
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NAPSA
WSA
Cutting Price Isn’t the Solution
Now You Know NAPSA!
by Ranger Kidwell-Ross
Each year we all make goals for what we want to see happen in the upcoming year. For NAPSA that planning process begins with the Board of Directors during NPE. The NAPSA board is working hard to bring members what they need to be successful and as you probably have heard, we have some great programs coming online in 2018. It is important to know who is creating the momentum for the power sweeping community, so we would like to share our 2018 NAPSA Board of Directors:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: PRESIDENT: Pete Phillips, Clean Sweep, TN VICE PRESIDENT: Scott Duscher, Agua Trucks, AZ PAST PRESIDENT: Sylvia Richards, Asphalt Enterprises, NC SECRETARY: Mark Carter, Peloton Sweeping Service, CA TREASURER: Bryan Young, TYMCO, TX DIRECTORS: Jay Presutti, East Coast Industrial Service, NY Chris Dick, Katsam, MO Gabriel Vitale, C & L Sweeper, NJ Latasha Crenshaw, AC Sweepers, GA Brad Ross, Ross Industries, PA Rich Katz, TKG Sweeping & Service, IL David McCaskill, Accusweep, SC Greg Heyer, Schwarze Industries, AL Jeff Old, Visual App, TX Doug Seto, Nite-Hawk Sweepers, WA The amount of work being put into the Certified Sweeper Operator Training program and the Power Sweeping Legislative Standard alone is phenomenal. NAPSA is blazing new trails for the power sweeping community. Please feel free to contact any of these folks or your NAPSA Headquarters at info@PowerSweeping.org.
Especially when people first get into a business the question becomes “how do I get customers?” Unfortunately, many take the route of undercutting whatever the current contractor is charging. That’s why, at the World Sweeping Association’s website (www.worldsweepingpros.org) we offer a pamphlet entitled “Introduction to Parking Lot Sweeping.” The contents provide a number of best practices designed to help newbies avoid this pitfall. As a contractor, you need to realize that if your prospect needs your product but isn’t buying — and continues to focus on the money — they have other concerns. It’s up to you, through your questioning and listening, to find out what those are. You will find that when all of their other questions have been answered the price will become much less of an issue. One way you might accomplish this is to discuss more expensive options you can offer. In the case of parking area sweeping, this might include trash bag change-out, day porter services or an increased frequency of sweeping. The relatively higher investment needed for those will serve to make a lesser amount of services seem more reasonable to them.
In any event, always keep in mind that, with parking Lot sweeping especially, they will also need to buy into trusting you and/or your employees to be on their property at night, when they will not be there. This means you must establish a level of trust in order to get the account in the first place. Then, your job #1 will be to work to maintain that trust over the course of time. Instead of being cheaper, it’s much better to key in on what you can do for your future customer that is not being done by their current contractor. If you try to get accounts by proposing unrealistically low pricing, chances are your credibility will be damaged before you ever have an opportunity to prove your outstanding level of performance.
WSA contributor Ranger Kidwell-Ross has been providing information to the power sweeping industry since 1988. He is editor of WorldSweeper.com, an information resource for power sweeping, as well as founder and executive director of the World Sweeping Association. For more information about WSA visit www.WorldSweepingPros.org or contact Kidwell-Ross at director@ worldsweepingpros.org.
The North American Power Sweeping Association (NAPSA) is a nonprofit association made up of 200+ contract sweepers, service providers and sweeping equipment dealers, manufacturers and suppliers. NAPSA is dedicated to providing beneficial support to the membership and enhancing services to the sweeping industry. NAPSA is committed to promoting and educating the power sweeping community while enhancing the environment. For more information on NAPSA membership, please visit www.powersweeping.org or call (888) 757-0130.
www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement • PAVEMENT • March/April 2018 61
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PCTC
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COST SAVINGS • Applying sealcoating as part of a maintenance program lowers expenses over time. • When unsealed asphalt begins to ravel or deteriorate, the aggregate within the asphalt dislodges, which can cause problems such as dinged vehicle panels. Once the pavement gets to this point, the only fixes are overlaying with fresh asphalt or completely repaving, which can be costly. WEATHER PROTECTION • Sealers slow the effects of natural wear from oxidation, harmful UV rays, sunlight, freeze-thaw, water and debris. • In the winter, sealcoating tends to accelerate the melting process of snow and ice on asphalt. This helps to protect against water penetration, rain, frost and snow damage. It also protects the pavement against road salts. CHEMICAL PROTECTION • Sealcoating, particularly refined coal tar-based sealers (RTS),
protects the underlying asphalt pavement from leaking oil, gas spills and other petroleum products, which are chemically and physically similar to the petroleum from which the asphalt itself is derived. IMPROVED APPEARANCE • Visually, sealcoat makes asphalt look cleaner since the smooth, non-porous surface is easier to clean. • It preserves the resilience of the asphalt surfaces and helps hide small cracks, rough patches and makes painted lines more visible. It also prevents color fading with its superior sunblocking properties. An added benefit is that sealcoating adds to the “curb appeal” of a paved surface, giving it a clean, uniform look.
For more about PCTC visit www.pavementcouncil.org.
62 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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Jessica Lombardo, Contributing Editor
Technology Update
From Butts to Blacktop Cigarette butts are the latest waste product to be recycled into asphalt pavements
SOON, THE ASPHALT we drive on could be paved with cigarette butts instead of littered with them. That’s at least the hope of researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. And that’s good because cigarette butts are a bigger environmental problem than you might realize. Nearly 6 trillion cigarettes are produced every year, creating 1.2 million tons of garbage. What’s worse is that these figures are expected to increase by more than 50% by 2025, mainly due to an increase in world population. And due to the chemicals and heavy metals in the filters, that garbage is technically toxic waste. But there’s hope. Last year, a team at RMIT University led by Abbas Mohajerani found that using cigarette butts in the production of clay-fired bricks trapped the pollutants inside, preventing things like arsenic, cadmium, chromium and nickel from leaching into the environment. “This research shows that if just 2.5 percent of the world’s annual brick production incorporated 1 percent
cigarette butts, we could completely offset annual worldwide cigarette production,” Mohajerani says. The research team also concluded that bricks made with cigarette butts can actually have superior properties than those without.
waste problem but also up the sustainability factor of asphalt pavements. Mohajerani, a senior lecturer in RMIT’s School of Engineering, said he was keen to find solutions to mounting cigarette butt waste.
“...asphalt mixed with cigarette butts can handle heavy traffic and also reduce thermal conductivity.” According to the team, the energy used to fire bricks is reduced by more than half when butts are added, and the final product makes for better insulation.
No Smoke Show Recently, the team moved on from bricks to blacktop, demonstrating that asphalt mixed with cigarette butts can handle heavy traffic and also reduce thermal conductivity. This means the product could not only solve a huge
“I have been trying for many years to find sustainable and practical methods for solving the problem of cigarette butt pollution,” Mohajerani says. “In this research, we encapsulated the cigarette butts with bitumen and paraffin wax to lock in the chemicals and prevent any leaching from the asphalt concrete. The encapsulated cigarettes butts were mixed with hot asphalt mix for making samples.
“Encapsulated cigarette butts developed in this research will be a new construction material which can be used in different applications and lightweight composite products. This research shows that you can create a new construction material while ridding the environment of a huge waste problem.” The idea behind encapsulation involves restricting the interaction of cigarette butts with fluids which prevents chemical translocation. The research showed that by testing samples of the butt-enhanced asphalt, not only could the material handle heavy traffic, it also tended to trap less heat from the sun. Asphalt that holds heat for a shorter time is said to help reduce the urban heat island effect. The project, a result of five years of research, has been published in full in the journal Construction and Building Materials.
Jessica Lombardo is editor of Asphalt Contractor magazine.
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Contractor Snapshot
Allan Heydorn, Editor
Getting Paid for “Picking up the Rocks” Attention to detail enables The Lawnsmith to branch into sweeping ATTENTION TO DETAIL is what The Lawnsmith thrives on, and ever since the company added parking lot sweeping in 2003, attention to detail is what’s been getting them work. In fact, it’s attention to detail that got The Lawnsmith, Colorado Springs, CO, its first sweeping job. “It was a cold call on Walmart,” says Keith Bellingham, president. He says the Walmart parking lot had numerous islands throughout, and the islands contain decorative river rock – smooth, round pebbles that every day end up outside the islands on the pavement. “The property manager asked me if I’d return the rocks to the islands because apparently the current sweeper wasn’t doing that. I said ‘Yes I would’ and he said ‘Can you start tonight?’ and I said ‘Yes I can’. We’ve been doing that Walmart ever since,” Bellingham says. He says operators pick the rock up with shovels, adding about 25% to the time spent on the property. “But we get paid for picking up the rocks, we don’t do it for free,” he says. “So our first job had to do with attention to detail and I realized right away that was something we could provide to set us apart from other sweepers.” Today The Lawnsmith provides lawn maintenance, parking lot sweeping and snow and ice management to Colorado Springs and surrounding towns. Work is split almost evenly among the three services, and
the company employs up to 12 people based on the season. For sweeping the company runs three Tymco 210s, and for snow and ice management it runs two skid steers, a front-end loader and eight plow trucks to handle its 28 snow accounts (which include three Walmarts). Snow removal includes four services, each charged separately based on time and materials: plowing, shoveling, ice melt on sidewalks and ice melt on parking lots.
Lawn Care to Sweeping Initially The Lawnsmith was a lawn maintenance company offering maintenance and irrigation. Bellingham says he’s been in the business “since fourth grade” and the business was doing fine...until 2002. “In 2002 the region went through a nasty drought and watering restrictions were in place,” he says. “Customers were calling to skip lawn service and that negatively affected us in a really big way. It didn’t take us long to figure out we had to do something different.” He says they decided on parking lot sweeping because of their familiarity with commercial customers and because property managers needed a sweeping service. “At that time property managers were using a sand/salt mixture to control snow and ice and their parking lots were always a mess. So they were in need of sweeping,” he says.
He said over the winter of 20022003 he tried selling sweeping services to his lawn “ M a rc h 3 maintenance , 20 s we e p in g 0 3 wa s my fi rs t n ig customers – th a t ht s ay s Ke it fi rs t Wa lm a rt ,” with little result. h B e ll in g h am. But that didn’t dissuade him. They bought a $63,000 Tymco 210 – Agriculture with one $80/month sweeping for weed control on turf and account to support it – but he industrial right of ways “and says he wasn’t concerned. none of our competitors are “I knew I could make it licensed for that. work. I would just sell jobs,” he “We’re capable of full-service says. “I began cold calling and grounds maintenance – irrigaknocking on doors and meettion, lawn care, sweeping and ing with property managers and snow and ice management. No that’s how I grew the business. other company in this market Growth began to happen pretty can offer that,” he says. quickly, within a year.” He says The Lawnsmith doesn’t pursue any business by Selling Quality, cutting prices. “We’re always not Price priced higher than our competiHe says the accounts he called tion; we can’t get around it,” on all were using other sweephe says. “Our competitors don’t ers, but customers weren’t charge enough and, frankly, satisfied with the job quality. I don’t think they know what “That’s when I knew we it costs to do the work, either were going to make it because lawn care or sweeping.” we pride ourselves on the qualHe says that makes it difficult ity of the work we do,” Bellingto sell sweeping to customham says. “Quality means more ers who don’t already have a handwork on large commercial sweeping service because they jobs. We get out of the truck are more likely to just get three with our backpack blowers and bids and pick the least-expenjust get more detail than the sive one. other contractors. The quality of “But hopefully the properties the work is what we’re focused that have a sweeping service are on and we learned that from dissatisfied with the contractor that very first job that we got.” they have,” he says. “If they’re He says that in addition to dissatisfied with the quality providing more detail-orientthey’re getting they’re likely to ed work, The Lawnsmith is be willing to pay a little more to licensed by Colorado Dept. of get what they want.”
64 March/April 2018 • PAVEMENT • www.ForConstructionPros.com/Pavement
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PAVEMENT Published by AC Business Media Inc.
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Index Advertiser Index
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1-800-Pavement
15
Boyd Equipment
36
The Brewer Company
6
Carlson Paving Products Inc.
67
Cimline Pavement Maintenance Group
22
Crafco Inc.
17, 45
Crum & Forster A Fairfax Company
62
Deery
59
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EZ-Liner
36
EZ Oil Drain
38
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Gem-Seal Pavement Products
2
G0-I-Pave
27
Gorman-Rump Pumps
21
Graco
43
GuardTop
31
Johnston North America
32
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Keystone Engineering
36
Keystone Plastics Inc.
32
K-M International
23
FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM WEBSITE: Digital Operations Manager: Nick Raether Digital Sales Manager: Monique Terrazas Editor: Larry Stewart Managing Editor: Kimberly Hegeman
LaserLine Manufacturing Inc.
38
LaserPoint
34
LeeBoy
29
M-B Companies Inc.
34
Mesabi
34
MRL Equipment Company Inc.
33
CHANGE OF ADDRESS & SUBSCRIPTIONS PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257, Phone: (877) 201-3915 Fax: 847-291-4816 • circ.pavement@omeda.com REPRINTS Denise Singsime at (800) 538-5544 ext. 1245 dsingsime@ACBusinessMedia.com. LIST RENTAL Jeff Moriarty, SVP, Business & Media Solutions, Infogroup Phone: (518) 339-4511 • Email: jeff.moriarty@infogroup.com
Neal a division of Blastcrete Equip.
7
Neyra
30
PMSI
Outsert
Quik Pave Products Inc.
58
Reelcraft
44
Road Science
35
SealMaster Sealrite
68 Outsert
AC BUSINESS MEDIA INC.: Chairman: Anil Narang President and CEO: Carl Wistreich CFO: JoAnn Breuchel Editorial Director: Greg Udelhofen
Southern Emulsions Inc.
47
Spaulding Mfg. Inc.
38
ADVISORY BOARD: ACI Asphalt Contractors Inc., Maple Grove, MN: Jim Bebo Asphalt Contractors Inc., Union Grove, WI: Robert Kordus Asphalt Restoration Technology Systems, Orlando, FL: Connie Lorenz Brahney Paving, Hillsborough, NJ: Steven Brahney Clean Sweep Inc., Chattanooga, TN, Pete Phillips Custom Maintenance Services, Shippensburg, PA: Michael Nawa Eosso Brothers Paving; Hazlet, NJ: Tom Eosso Pacific Sweeping, San Marcos, CA: Lee Miller Parking Lot Maintenance, Lake St. Louis, MO: Todd Bruening Petra Paving, Hampstead, NH: Chris Tammany Pioneer Paving, Albuquerque, NM: Don Rooney Robert Liles Parking Lot Service, Tyler, TX: Robert Liles Roberts Traffic, Hollywood, FL: Lisa Birchfield Roccie’s Asphalt Paving, Stamford, CT: Vincent Engongoro Show Striping Inc. (SSI), Wisconsin Dells, WI: Amber Showalter T&N Asphalt Services, Salt Lake City, UT: Nick Howell The Rabine Group, Schaumburg, IL: Gary Rabine Young Sealcoating Inc, Lynchburg, VA: Steve Young ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES: Pavement Coatings Technology Council: Anne LeHuray, Executive Director
Star-Seal
9
Unique Paving Materials Corp.
37
Vanair Mobile Power Solutions
10
Waterblasting Technologies
39
Weiler
11
Wirtgen America Inc.
5
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3/2/18 9:21 AM
Tailgate Talk | Brad Humphrey
5
More Ways to Engage, Energize Baby Boomer Workers
LAST ISSUE I wrote that many of the stereotypes of Millennials and Baby Boomers are “fake news” and suggested there are more than a handful of way to keep those Boomers (like me) energized and contributing to your organization. After all, there is a lot of knowledge and expertise stored in the minds of those who, eventually, will be retiring. But they’re not retired yet! Here are five more tips to help keep those Baby Boomers working hard for your company. 1 Engage Your Boomers to Identify the High Potential Workers Those Boomers on your projects, leading that crew, running their department, etc., they know who the real “players” are for your company. Let them contribute by sharing their thoughts and perspectives on tomorrow’s leaders, craftsman, and loyal employees for your company. They know who the real jewels are so let them share with you their choices. 2 Match Your High Potential Trainers with High Potential Employees One of the tendencies developing among our Millennial workers is their quick assessment of whether they are being trained early in their employment. A client of mine discovered, to both of our dismay, that the new employee averaged less than 60 days in their employment.
The primary reason? They felt that they have not been trained on anything of value. We immediately began a matching of older, more experienced, worker with a new hire. We didn’t keep all the new hires but we witnessed the longevity of the new employees increase more than 300%, some even staying longer. It can be done but you must engage your willing Boomers. 3 Ask Your Boomers for Their Assistance Go to your Boomers and sincerely ask for their assistance in teaching, mentoring, coaching, or befriending a new hire, especially a Millennial. Explain to your Boomers what you are doing, what they can do to assist you, and why it is important that they transfer their knowledge and experience to the new hire. You may be surprised to find how many Boomers will help you and may surprise you with all that they can do to assist your new hires. 4 Keep Training & Educating Your Boomers I may have seen this slip up as much as or more than anything else contractors will do. Many construction owners and leaders are so focused on getting the “young’uns” trained that they forgot to keep training the Boomers. This is mistake can cause many Boomers to think, “Well, I guess they don’t care about me anymore.” Trust me, it happens more than
you think and you don’t have to do this! Even if it’s the third or fourth time your older Foreman have been through leadership training in twenty years, they could use the refresher.
5 Never Slow Down Encouraging Your Boomers This may sound too easy but this point might be the second mistake I witness many contractors making. Again, we are so focused on encouraging our new workers that we often forget to say, “Thank you for a great effort,” to our older workers. I’ve never yet witnessed a Boomer telling their senior leader, “Really, Bob, quit telling me thanks and how great I am…you’re killing me boss. Really, you’re causing head to swell.” Most of time I hear complaints from the older worker about all the cheerleading and “love” the newer and younger workers are getting. My whole motivation over these last two issues of Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction was simply
to impress upon you to not keep your appreciation for your Boomers a secret. And an ancillary benefit is that executing some of the suggestions covered over the last two Tailgate Talk columns may actually lift the morale of your Millennial workers as they see that good workers aren’t forgotten or put out to pasture just because they have some gray hair and a few more wrinkles about the face. Reenergizing your Boomers may do wonders for your company and help improve the performance and profitable results driven by your Boomers. Just remember: There’s a whole lot more you can gain from your Boomers, so be careful that you don’t send signal that their time has come and gone. Some of their best contributions for you and your company may be yet to come. May the “fountain of youth” satisfy the thirst for the Boomers in your company who still have much to do and contribute! Brad Humphrey is President of Pinnacle Development Group, a consulting firm specializing in the construction industry. He has just published his new interactive book, “Coaching the Emerging Leader: Guided Teaching to Get You to the Next Level...Today!” which is available in digital or print format from his website, www.pinnacledg.com.
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