Vulcan maps eight divisions into four regions, sees $30M in savings

Sources: Vulcan Materials Co., Birmingham, Ala.; CP staff

The Vulcan board has approved a new structure for its aggregate, concrete, cement and asphalt operations, eliminating approximately 200 administrative positions and leaving plant staff largely unaffected. Management streamlining was in the works prior to the stock-for-stock merger Martin Marietta Materials proposed December 12 to Vulcan Materials shareholders, an action their directors continue to review.

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QC director faces home detention, $131K fine for false claims on FHWA jobs

Sources: U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Maryland, Baltimore; CP staff

By Don Marsh

A former director of Quality Control and Quality Assurance at Frederick Precast Concrete Inc. was sentenced to one year of home detention and ordered to pay $131,410 in restitution, settling pre-trial motions with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. An Associated Press report detailed terms of the December 19 court action.

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ASTM raises bar to generous threshold for C595’s ground limestone content

Sources: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association; CP staff

In a move that will provide the opportunity for the cement and concrete industries to reduce products’ carbon footprint, a proposal was approved to permit up to 15 percent ground limestone in blended cements under ASTM C595 (Blended Hydraulic Cements), with the resulting product characterized as limestone blended cements. Similar revisions are being made to the equivalent AASHTO standard by the AASHTO Subcommittee on Materials. Under C595, there was previously no specifically stated limit on ground limestone content.

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In-cab antennae tracks drivers’ cell phone activity

Sources: inthinc Technology Solutions Inc., Salt Lake City; CP staff

A new antennae detects cell phone wave frequencies emitted from a truck driver’s seat, verbally warns the user to terminate the call or text, and sends real-time alerts to a web portal or directly to a fleet manager.

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2012 ARTBA transportation construction market outlook mixed, uncertain

Source: American Road & Transportation Builders Association, Washington, D.C.

No matter how you look at it, the outlook for 2012 transportation construction market depends on the transportation mode one is analyzing, ARTBA Senior Economist Alison Premo Black said recently in releasing her annual economic forecast during a 90-minute webinar for Wall Street analysts and construction industry executives.

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