ConExpo-Con/Agg 2011 attendees stay positive

Sources: Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Milwaukee; CP staff

Despite continued uncertainty in the U.S. construction markets and the overall economy, the mood at last week’s ConExpo-Con/Agg and IFPE 2011 in Las Vegas was, by all accounts, remarkably positive as industry professionals expressed hope for a sustained upturn in the coming months, while global sales continue to be strong for exhibitors with export capability or overseas production.

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DOT’s LaHood visits show floor to talk highway bill, pipe safety

Source: ConExpo-Con/Agg Daily News; CP staff

On one of ConExpo-Con/Agg’s final days, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood held a last-minute press conference to tout pipeline safety and to kick off National Pipeline Safety month, as well as discuss his assessment of a new highway transportation bill, which he would like to see pushed through Congress before the August recess.

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Navistar, Indiana Phoenix team for Continental Mixers front

Source: Navistar Inc., Warrenville, Ill.

Through a strategic partnership with Indiana Phoenix announced at the opening of ConExpo-Con/Agg, Continental Mixers LLC will add a new front-discharge mixer to complement its line-up of integrated rear-discharge models. The Continental front models will be available in the fall and manufactured for an interim period by Indiana Phoenix, which will remain active in the glider market.

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Mack Trucks eyes bridge formula with Medium Duty Granite

Sources: Mack Trucks Inc., Greensboro, N.C.; CP staff

To round out options for truck weight-wise mixer and dump customers, Mack has extended its construction offerings with a Medium Duty Granite in axle-forward or axle-back configurations. Announced at ConExpo-Con/Agg, the new model will be equipped with a Cummins ISL9 engine, plus Eaton manual, or Allison 3000/4000 automatic transmissions. The Allison 3000 also has been added as an option for the standard Granite series, as has a single-piece windshield.

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PVC interests’ watermainbreakclock.com jabs ductile iron

Source: PVC Pipe Association, Dallas

Emulating a national debt clock, a new website tracks a reported 800-plus water main breaks daily across North America. Watermainbreak.com sponsor, the PVC Pipe Association, contends that corrosion of old-technology pipe materials remains the leading cause of water delivery and sewage treatment systems leaks and breaks, with an annual tab exceeding $3 billion. Accompanying cost data on the site are charts showing “break rates” and repair costs per 100 miles of installed water mains: 1.17 and $11,700 for PVC versus 15.87 and $158,700 for ductile iron.

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Tennessee regents elevate flagship CIM Program to department status

Source: National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Silver Spring, Md.

The charter Middle Tennessee State University Concrete Industry Management program will become a department July 1, continuing growth from its 1996 launch as a concentration under Industrial Technology, to its designation as a stand-alone major in 2004. The four-degree CIM Program will function next to nine other departments within the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

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