The Wisconsin Asphalt Industry Insider is a platform for WAPA members to share what's new and exciting at their companies with pavement owners, operators, and contractors across our state. We hope you find this information useful!
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Flint Hills Resources (FHS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries and one of the largest producers of asphalt for paving and roofing in the United States, has announced a new partnership with Asphalt & Fuel Supply (AFS).
The technical support and supply agreement will allow AFS to expand into the Oklahoma City market, producing polymer modified asphalt concrete at a new facility scheduled to open later this year.
‘We are excited about this new venture in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area," said AFS Vice President Jeremy Alexander. "The support agreement with Flint Hills allows us the unique ability to offer customers a consistent source of high-quality asphalt and accelerates our ability to produce PMAC at our Oklahoma City facility."
“We look forward to working with AFS to supply paving asphalt into the Oklahoma City market," said Charles Boan, general manager of FHS' asphalt business. "This is a great opportunity for the paving contractors in Oklahoma.”
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Walbec Launches a Mentorship Program
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Building strong relationships with fellow team members is at the core of the Walbec Group culture. To continue to strengthen their team, Walbec recently launched a pilot mentorship program for women across the organization. Mentorship is a mutually beneficial relationship where the mentor and mentee work together to develop knowledge and skills. This can be through sharing resources, expertise, and values focused on development.
Mentors are dependable and active resources for their mentees, helping them reach their goals and grow personally and professionally. They serve as advisers, resources, and advocates over the course of the relationship, but success is ultimately up to the mentee. Mentees can have any level of experience and be looking to build a strong relationship with a fellow Walbec woman. Together, they will make the most of their new relationship, learn from one another, and work to develop a supportive and valued professional partnership.
Walbec is thrilled about the initial positive feedback from this pilot program and looks forward to expanding it throughout the organization. If you don’t have a mentorship program within your organization, starting one is a great way to build morale while giving mentees a resource for development.
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RAP Weathers the Cold: MnROAD Test Shows Strong Performance |
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In one of the coldest climates in the United States, Cargill and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) forged a partnership in 2018 to conduct a long-term field test on the durability of Cargill’s bio-based Anova® Rejuvenator and the effects of increasing recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) in pavements overall.
The test section is located on I-94, one of Minnesota’s most high-traffic roads, connecting commuters from North Dakota to the Twin Cities, through Wisconsin and down to Chicago. The MnROAD test section has provided an in-depth look at how using 45% RAP with Anova® has held up year-round, especially in the Midwest's famously harsh winters.
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One of the key findings shows the pavement sections with Anova® not only demonstrated significant improvement in consistent and desirable densities during construction, but also have performed very well during service, showing no adverse impact with the use of a significantly higher recycled content.
“It is more what we are not seeing,” said MnDOT Research Project Engineer Michael Vrtis, Ph.D., P.E. “These mixes [Anova® and control] were placed in problematic areas for us at MnROAD, and it is noteworthy that we are not seeing significant distress.”
The partnership behind this level of testing is allowing the entire industry to rethink RAP and its role in meeting pavement sustainability and performance goals.
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Keep Workers Safe: NAPA Tools for Promoting Work Zone Safety Awareness
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April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, with National Work Zone Awareness Week right around the corner from April 26-30. NAPA has developed all the tools you need to spread awareness to your employees and community about the dangers of distracted driving, reiterate your company’s commitment to safe workplaces, and provide effective, efficient hazard awareness and mitigation.
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WatchForUs Events and Resources
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Work Zone Safety Training Day. Monday, April 26 will lay the groundwork for safety through personnel training. Companies are encouraged to pause during the workday for safety demonstrations, discussions about safety policies and other prevention steps. Scott Seamon, Vice Chair of NAPA's Health & Safety Committee, created a video to raise awareness and encourage participation on April 26.
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National Work Zone Awareness informational online event: Preventing Struck-By Incidents. At 3 p.m. on April 26 a panel of safety experts will discuss their own experiences facing stuck-by incidents and identify improvements and strategies to better avoid them.
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Go Orange Day. Wear orange on Wednesday, April 28 to proudly show your support of work zone safety.
Campaign Resources
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WatchForUs Toolkit. Here you'll find sample social media posts and corresponding text, a Facebook profile frame, a template for writing letters to the editor, and more.
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Work Zone Safety Training Day Toolkit – Demonstrate your company's commitment with leadership talking points, toolbox talks, and a blind spot activity.
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Register Now for a Live, Online Offering of Our Most Popular Training Course
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Engineers and technicians from all sectors of the asphalt industry need to be knowledgeable about asphalt materials and construction practices in order to successfully build, preserve, and maintain a sustainable highway system.
NCAT's Virtual Asphalt Training Course provides a basic understanding of all phases of asphalt technology. Upon completion, the participant will be able to make knowledgeable decisions related to asphalt pavements and communicate effectively with asphalt specialists when the need arises.
The course includes six three-hour live web sessions, to be held from April 19 to 30. Registration costs $550 and is limited to 30 participants. Reserve your spot today!
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Register Today for TDA's Virtual Fly-in |
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The Biden Administration recently announced its broadly defined infrastructure plan. This emphasis on infrastructure will provide an excellent opportunity for Wisconsin to make progress on the documented backlog of transportation projects and needs.
Please join us for this year’s TDA Fly-in on Friday, April 16, from 10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
The event will center around a panel discussion with representatives from three organizations deeply involved in federal transportation policy and moving an infrastructure package forward in the next several months.
The TDA Fly-in’s distinguished panel includes:
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TDA Executive Director Debby Jackson will also moderate a discussion of Wisconsin priorities. We will end the event with a call to action to our delegation.
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Our Road School is anticipated to bring together more than 500 participants, including Highway Commissioners, Highway Committee Officials, Engineers, Associate Members, WisDOT Officials, and spouses/guests representing all areas of the state.
For corporate vendors, learn more about how you can participate. Note that the conference pre-registration participation deadline is May 7, 2021. Exhibit areas, meals, breaks, hospitality rooms will be on a first-come basis.
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Thanks as always to all WAPA members who participated in this newsletter. I would like to pass along a few quick reminders in closing.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if there is ever any way we may be of assistance. Thanks again, and have a safe summer.
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