CEMEX/Century Asphalt Lead Tour of Quarry and Asphalt Plant for TxDOT New Hires

In June, Century Asphalt and CEMEX teamed up to give TxDOT's San Antonio District a tour of an asphalt plant and quarry in New Braunfels, Texas. The tour was organized by Chuck Fuller, Industry Relations, TXAPA and Stacy Hilbrich, Technical Director,  Century Asphalt to give TxDOT new hires, summer help, and engineers-in-training an inside look at plant and quarry operations. With the tour group for the entire were Lance Griffin, Director of Aggregate Operations, CEMEX, Texas and New Mexico, Adam Slusser, Plant Manager at CEMEX Balcones Quarry, TXAPA President Bill Thomas, Division President, Angel Brothers Enterprises, Ltd., and Mike Pruitt, Vice President, Angel Brothers Enterprises, Ltd.

The CEMEX Balcones Quarry is the top crushed stone operartion in the United States. During the tour, participants got to see a shot/blast to the quarry face. The day began with a site-specific safety meeting. All particpants were required to watch a video describing the hazards of being in and working around a quarry. CEMEX provided a safety officer who was present with the participants throughout the day, leading the tour group in a caravan and bringing them to a protective zone where they were able to be hands-on with a loader and a 100-ton capacity haul truck. The loader is one of the largest made by Caterpillar Inc. TXAPA thanks Lance Griffin and Adam Slusser for opening their quarry to the tour group and providing a safe and educational tour!

Next the tour moved to Century Asphalt's New Braunfels plant where Slate Angel, Sales Manager, Century Asphalt/Angel Brothers, and Bryan Clark, QC/QA Manager, Century Asphalt joined Lance Griffin,Adam Slusser, Bill Thomas, and Mike Pruitt and the rest of the group. As President Bill Thomas' top priority, the emphasis remained on safety while at the plant.The tour group learned the makeup of an asphalt plant and gained a much better understanding of the journey aggregate takes from the quarry to becoming asphalt pavement. 

William Locket, TxDOT Area Engineer, New Braunfels felt there was immense value in the tour and has suggested there be another specifically for area engineers and lab engineers. 

Chuck Fuller will conduct two more plant tours in the month of July with the Austin District.