Over 75 attendees joined together this month in Columbia for SCAPA's Fall Member Dinner. The annual networking event was hosted at the Hilton Columbia Center, in the heart of the capital city. The night was one for the books, as the Women of Asphalt celebrated the official kickoff of the SC Branch. A special thanks to our generous sponsors:

Presenting Sponsor: HotMix Equipment

Supporting Sponsors: BlanchardCAT, Hills Machinery, Ingevity, Linder Industrial Machinery, and Stay Alert Safety Services.

A special social hour was dedicated to kick off the Women of Asphalt SC Branch Wednesday, November 1st. We had a tremendous turnout with approximately 80 in attendance for the reception and SCAPA's Fall Member Dinner that followed. A celebration toast was given by Noelle Arena of Forta along with members of the SC Branch Steering Committee.

Interested in Women of Asphalt as a member or ally? Membership is free and we encourage everyone, including men, to join. 

Last month SCAPA's Technical Director Cliff Selkinghaus presented on materials, asphalt mix design, pavement design, and sustainability to a Pavement Design Course at Clemson University. The class was well attended with 42 students. Dr. Fabricio Leiva is relatively new to Clemson and has been a good asset to the asphalt industry. Prior to coming to SC and Clemson University, he worked at NCAT and Auburn University. We are excited about future opportunities to get in front on our future engineers and promote our great industry.

This month, members of SCAPA's Young Professionals Committee (PAVE) participated in the Midlands Education and Business Alliance (MEBA) Industry Showcase. The two-day event was held at the SC State Fairgrounds. Over 3400 area middle schoolers learned about the road construction industry and the various career possibilities. In addition, various SCAPA members exhibited at the showcase and brought unique equipment and #asphalt marketing swag for students. Click the link to view more pictures from the event.   

If you have not been in the SCAPA Member Portal lately, you may not have seen the new look! The Member Portal is a resource for you, and we want to add more members-only content. You can get to the Member Portal from the new website at www.scasphalt.org and click "Member Login" from the menu. Click below to learn more about why you need to be on the Member Portal.

Hard copies of the 2023 SCAPA Membership Directory & Resource Guide are still available! Copies were shipped out in March. To access the digital version, please click the "Digital Directory" button below.

Please let SCAPA Staff know if you have not received a copy or would like a complimentary one mailed or delivered to you.

Release: "In 1923, Charles Luck, Jr. opened a crushed stone operation, Sunnyside Granite Company, in Richmond, Va. One hundred years and three generations of leaders later, Luck Companies is the nation’s largest and fastest-growing family-owned and operated producers of crushed stone aggregates and environmental performance products.

The mission of Luck Companies is to ignite human potential. We believe in building leaders through our values-based curriculum and through a multitude of resources and opportunities we provide that allow our associates to follow their dreams and learn the skills they need to make these dreams come true – whether personal or professional. Our culture of putting people first is what sets Luck Companies apart.

We are an aggregates company, but people are our purpose – this has been true for the last 100 years and we believe that our people-focused culture will continue to propel the growth of our associates and our business for generations to come."
www.LuckCompanies100.com

Raymond “Buzz” Powell has joined the Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) in the newly established position of Technical Director. Buzz previously worked for the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) as Assistant Director and Test Track Manager. His extensive experience and background will be a tremendous asset to the APA and its partners. See the link below for the official press release.

Plant component providers in the industry offer valuable expertise beyond just equipment. They often have experienced salespeople and engineers who understand the challenges faced by plant managers and operators. This collective knowledge is beneficial for planning efficient seasonal downtime during the upcoming winter season. Before shutting down for winter, it's advisable to conduct a thorough inspection of your facility. Bring a temperature gun or thermal camera, a digital camera, and spray paint with you as you assess various areas highlighted in the article. Use the temperature gun to identify hot spots and check electric panels, while the cameras can document issues, and spray paint can mark items for maintenance. Despite modern software and apps for documentation and scheduling, these traditional practices can streamline information sharing and expedite repairs. The common theme among experts is to focus on identifying wear and reinforcing existing components when possible. It's essential to perform a second inspection after shutting down the plant to ensure safety and prevent unexpected issues during operations in 2024. Experienced professionals recommend this approach to optimize plant maintenance, save time and money, and ensure a smooth start-up in the spring. For more details on maintenance, refer to the provided link.

As the paving season approaches its end with decreasing temperatures, Flexible Pavements of Ohio (FPO) offers insights on challenges faced during late-season paving. Maintaining quality in these conditions requires attention to various factors, including temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation. Adequate compaction is crucial for performance, and the PaveCool software helps calculate the available time for compaction as weather deteriorates. Strategies to achieve density in cold weather include raising mix temperature, increasing layer thickness, minimizing haul time, positioning rollers closely to the paver, using more rollers, and employing warm mix asphalt. Collaboration between agencies and contractors is encouraged to address these challenges, highlighting the importance of Field Quality Control Supervisors in ensuring successful paving projects. Attention to detail, software use, weather forecasting, and teamwork are key to meeting specifications and satisfying customers in late-season paving. See the link below for information on the PaveCool App.

In a recent LinkedIn video, a construction crew displayed heroic actions by rushing to help an overturned truck driver near their construction site, showcasing the industry's readiness for emergencies. The article praises Peckham Industries' safety award and highlights a life-saving incident involving PARCO Terminal employees, emphasizing the importance of regular first aid training. Additionally, it discusses Kingsway Services' focus on emotional intelligence in workforce development. The article stresses the significance of good public relations, with instances of the public applauding construction crews' dedication to their work. It also encourages teaching intangible skills to crew members, emphasizing the value of safety and emergency training for the industry's reputation and the satisfaction of helping others.

A recent article in the Colorado Public Works Journal concerns our Culture in Construction, by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). There is a labor shortage in the construction industry – and it’s not exactly breaking news. Headlines declare that “nobody wants to work anymore” – but is this explanation really at the root of what’s a longstanding, industry-wide issue? Amid the ‘Great Resignation,’ as Baby Boomers retire and Gen Z workers reject the long hours of the construction industry, it’s more important than ever to examine the causes of this unprecedented labor shortage and explore potential solutions. Numerous companies are feeling the pressure, especially in the skilled trades, and many have not yet been able to solve their workforce woes. After increasing pay and flexibility with little to no results, a lot of companies find themselves asking – is our company culture to blame? During an education session titled “Culture in Construction – Is It Really That Bad?” at CONEXPO CON/AGG 2023, speaker and construction industry advocate Wally Adamchik walked through the reasons why the answer to that question is both yes and no. The good news is that industry-wide survey results indicate the construction industry’s culture issue may not be so bad, according to the 2019 People in Construction Report, said Adamchik. In fact, 83% of people say that they would reapply for their current position, and 73% of people say that they are happy at work. However, these results are not good enough to sustain successful growth and project execution, according to Adamchik. In addition, there is a significant divide between project management in the office and field supervision on the jobsite. In the office, 81% of employees say that they havea close friend at work – in the field, only 50% of employees share that sentiment. On top of that, 75% of office workers feel that they can maintain a reasonable work-life balance, while again only 50% of field employees feel that they can maintain a reasonable work-life balance. Rather than list off more statistics about the industry’s labor shortage, many leaders want information about creating a more long-lasting and motivated labor force. There are several concrete actions that can be taken to improve company culture and keep workers happy, and companies should act now to avoid losing more of their employees. The labor shortage isn’t exclusive to the construction industry, and these actions can be implemented in any workplace. See the link below for more information.

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee held a hearing examining the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) on Oct. 18. The hearing, titled "Running on Empty: the Highway Trust Fund," focused on HTF insolvency, possible new user-fee programs, including Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMTs), and how best to ensure the HTF can operate independently. The HTF will need $150B to maintain the current baseline funding levels, absent any new user-fee revenue generation. Therefore, a new highway bill will need to resolve the financial gap before discussions on increasing federal investment for highways and roads can begin. The hearing's witnesses included Jeff Davis from the transportation think-tank Eno Center for Transportation and representatives from Oregon and Washington’s DOT who have explored and implemented pilot VMT programs. VMTs have long been explored as a possible supplement to the federal gas tax, which hasn’t been raised since 1993 and cannot keep with HTF outlays. The DOT received $50M from IIJA to explore VMTs and convene a formal advisory council with transportation stakeholders and experts. The hearing also explored capturing electric vehicles, which don’t pay into the HTF, excise taxes, and the possible challenges ahead. NAPA has long advocated for exploring any and all options to bolster the HTF account, including raising the gas tax or VMTs. NAPA helped lead a coalition letter with several industry organizations that emphasized the importance of finding a long term funding solution to the HTF. The Chairman of the Subcommittee, Rep. Crawford (AR-1), submitted the letter to the record on behalf of the Chairman and recognized the 24 stakeholders supporting this issue. NAPA will continue to advocate for robust federal investments in our nation’s surface transportation network. For more information, contact Nile Elam.

The State Transportation Infrastructure Bank (STIB) Board met recently to approve requests related to the Mark Clark Extension, evaluate pending applications, and clarify standards for the rural county application process. The actions taken by the Board regarding pending applications and the rural program were recommendations of the Evaluation Committee, which met prior to the Board meeting.

See the link below for more information...

NAPA is reopening the data collection for its EPD benchmarking initiative on Nov. 6, 2023 through Jan. 8, 2024. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, government agencies including the FHWA and others are starting to ramp up their low embodied carbon purchasing programs for asphalt mixtures. If you were unable to submit benchmarking data earlier this year, we strongly encourage you to do so now. If you previously submitted data, this is an opportunity to add data for additional plants. There is no cost to participate in this initiative. Mix producers can prepare for the benchmarking initiative by watching this webinar. Start compiling your benchmark data by using the Data Gathering Spreadsheet.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is releasing three new educational videos as part of "The Mountain Rules" truck driver education series. These videos are designed to educate and prepare truck drivers, particularly those from out of state, for the unique challenges they encounter on Colorado's mountain highways. The videos cover safe winter driving, navigating construction work zones, and handling hot brakes. CDOT aims to equip truck drivers with the knowledge needed to safely navigate Colorado's highways, especially in the high country with its steep terrain and unpredictable weather conditions. The series was developed in partnership with the Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Motor Carriers Association in 2019. The videos emphasize the importance of preparedness for obstacles like winter conditions, chain and traction laws, hot brakes, and Colorado's Move Over law. Truck drivers are encouraged to watch these videos, available on CDOT's YouTube channel and freight.COtrip.org, to enhance safety and reduce delays and closures on mountainous corridors like I-70. The videos are also distributed to truck driving schools, trucking companies, and related entities to reach a broader audience.

The 2024 SCDOT certification course schedule has been released. Online registration is available on TCTC's website at www.tctc.edu/scdot.

Note that the site will have only one of each course type available for registration at a time, so not all of the sections will show as available. 

Asphalt emulsions are classified into three categories; anionic, cationic, or nonionic. The anionic and cationic classes refer to the electrical charges surrounding the asphalt particles. The absence of the letter “C” denotes anionic emulsions. Asphalt emulsions are further classified on the basis of how quickly they coalesce; i.e., revert to asphalt cement. The terms RS (Rapid Set), MS (Medium Set), SS (Slow Set), and QS (Quick Set) have been adopted to simplify and standardize this classification. Additionally, trailing numbers are used to delineate the relative viscosity if the emulsion and the letters “H” and “S” indicate whether a hard or soft base asphalt is used to make the asphalt emulsions. Thus, a CSS-1h is a cationic slow set emulsion with a relatively low asphalt emulsion viscosity made with a hard base asphalt.