Correction
One More 30th Anniversary Insight!
In Pavement’s October/November issue we inadvertently omitted 30th Anniversary insights from Jim Farrell, owner of Blastcrete Equipment Co. and its Neal Manufacturing Division. We regret and apologize for the error and here are Jim Farrell’s comments in full:
Blastcrete Equipment Co. acquired assets of Neal Manufacturing in Oct. of 2013 and the manufacturing of its pavement maintenance equipment was relocated to Blastcrete’s Anniston, Al operation. Neal’s reputation as an industry pioneer in the manufacture of seal coating equipment has led to opportunities in the past 24 months to provide larger, higher output and more robust equipment for the manufacture and placement of road maintenance materials.
Materials used for road maintenance are typically more abrasive than seal coating materials and the demand is significantly greater for more agitation in the manufacturing process. In 2015, Neal introduced hydraulic spiral mixing tanks with capacities of 3000 and 6000 gallons to compliment its storage tanks with hydraulic paddle mixers up to 10,000 gallons.
Road maintenance materials must be applied at higher rates than for parking lots and driveways. In the last 18 months, Neal has introduced a material transfer hydraulic piston pump with output of 0-310 GPM. These pumps are used for material transfer in the manufacture of the materials as well as to transfer materials for transport to and at the jobsite.
Application trucks with a capacity of up to 3000 gallons were introduced in 2015. These road maintenance material application trucks can feature the new ESSP 150 gallon per minute hydraulic piston pump, or dual ESSP 100 gallon per minute pumps. Both are available with a spray bar with solenoid open and close for each tip.
ACBM Announces New Ownership for National Pavement Expo
In October, AC Business Media announced that Emerald Expositions will be the new owner of NationalPavement Expo, the annual trade show and conference for those in the paving and pavement maintenance industry.
Emerald Expositions, a leading operator of large B2B trade shows, produces more than 80 trade shows and conference events each year. National Pavement Expo (NPE) 2017 will continue to be served by AC Business Media (ACBM) with Amy Schwandt as the Show Manager and Allan Heydorn as the Conference Manager. Emerald Expositions and ACBM have entered a long-term strategic relationship so they can continue to provide exhibitors and attendees the best experience possible.
Pavement Maintenance & Reconstruction magazine will continue to serve as the official publication for NPE in the future while remaining an AC Business Media brand. Allan Heydorn and Amy Schwandt will work closely with the Emerald team on the production of NPE following the 2017 show while remaining employees of AC Business Media. The Emerald Expo and NPE team will be on site in Nashville and will be meeting with each of you.
“It has been exciting and gratifying to see the growth that National Pavement Expo has achieved over the past several years,” commented show manager, Amy Schwandt. “The team has worked diligently to add exciting innovations and new services every year and to keep the educational conference fresh. We will continue to support our clients and attendees through the products and services offered by AC Business Media brands.”
Carl Wistreich and Anil Narang, co-owners of National Pavement Expo, stated that “National Pavement Expo has a successful track record in its long history. We are glad that it will be in the capable hands of one of the top trade show operators in the world. We believe Emerald Expositions will provide many benefits to our loyal attendees and exhibitors.”
SealMaster, Kalitta Motorsports Extend Partnership
SealMaster, Sandusky, OH, and Kalitta Motorsports have announced a contract extension for the 2017 season.
SealMaster will continue as the primary partner on J.R. Todd’s Top Fuel dragster for the 2017 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Mello Yello Drag Racing Season. SealMaster also will remain an associate partner on the Top Fuel dragster driven by Doug Kalitta and Funny Cars driven by Alexis DeJoria and Del Worsham. Associate partnership has also been extended to the Top Fuel dragster Troy Coughlin, Jr. will race.
SealMaster will also enter into its fourth year headlining the NHRA SealMaster Track Walk, which kicks off before racing begins on the final day of each Mello Yello Series event. The tradition calls fans to the dragstrip to experience its sticky, glue-like traction first-hand with drivers and other celebrities who traditionally lead the walk.
“We’ve had three great seasons with Kalitta Motorsports and the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) and we’re looking forward to another in 2017,” says Rick Simon, SealMaster franchise director. “Our brand is aligned with a talented driver on a highly regarded team, and it’s been wonderful connecting with NHRA fans. Our partnership also continues to raise awareness of SealMaster and our industry as a whole. It’s good for the brand and good for our customers.”
“It is always exciting to announce a partnership renewal, especially with SealMaster,” Todd says. “They are truly some of the greatest people to work with. It has been an awesome season representing all of the incredible SealMaster franchisees and I am thrilled to be able to do the same for the entire 2017 season as well. I have been welcomed into the SealMaster family and they always come out in huge groups to support us on track as well. We did a lot of good this season, but I am ready to see what 2017 will offer in this SealMaster Toyota Top Fuel dragster.”
The SealMaster franchise system first signed with Kalitta Motorsports in 2014 as an associate partner of the Top Fuel dragsters driven by Kalitta and Todd. In 2015, the relationship expanded to the primary level for two races with Todd before becoming Todd’s title partner for the entire 2016 season.
Todd has taken the fan-favorite SealMaster scheme to his career-best season, with a new high in round wins and matching his rookie year total of four final round appearances. He gave SealMaster its first win as a primary partner with a victory at the Toyota Sonoma Nationals in July. Todd clinched his third consecutive Countdown for the Championship appearance with a semi-final effort in Seattle and has ranked among the top eight drivers in the Top Fuel standings after every race this season.
“SealMaster has truly embraced this program and it has been great to see,” says Jim Oberhofer, Vice President of Operations, Kalitta Motorsports. “Each week we welcome franchisees and their guests to the track, and to see the joy on their faces is awesome. SealMaster has become a big part of the Team Kalitta family and we look forward to this relationship continuing for many years to come.”
Tier 4 Mandates Driving up Used Equipment Costs
According to a recent survey of Independent Equipment Dealers Association (IEDA) members, the EPA’s Tier 4 mandates are driving up the demand of non-Tier 4, used construction equipment and IEDA predicts this trend will continue for the next several years.
For many equipment categories, used equipment availability is outpacing demand, but for other categories, including excavators, backhoe loaders, wheel loaders, dump trucks dozers and compact equipment, IEDA members are seeing resale pricing increase by as much as 20 percent. Also, more than 50 percent of survey respondents noted that quality used equipment is getting harder to find.
Since the EPA implemented new standards more than two decades ago, the IEDA’s staff and members have kept a close eye to how used equipment availability and pricing would be affected by each new standard.
“Our members buy and sell used equipment globally, which makes them well aware of market trends,” says Drew Van Brunt, IEDA president and owner of Global Tractor Co., Colleyville, TX. “As a group, we make it a point to share trends we see in the market with each other, as well as with used equipment buyers and sellers. The current used equipment market is strong, but it will be affected by Tier 4 machines in the near future.”
In this most recent survey, most members are still unsure how Tier 4 machines will hold their value when these models hit the used equipment market. Of the members surveyed, 37 percent believe Tier 4 machines will not retain their value as well as non-Tier 4 equipment, but many others believe Tier 4 machines will have better resale value because many projects demand the use of Tier 4 compliant equipment. If more construction projects demand the use of Tier 4 machines, the residual value of non-tier 4 machines will drop significantly.
Currently, there are only a few Tier 4 machines in the used equipment market; IEDA members predict that the market is 4-8 years away from being dominated by these newer machines. At that point, non-tier 4 machines will be harder to come by, and pricing on Tier 4 machines will become steadier.
More information about the IEDA and its members, please visit www.iedagroup.com.
Showalter Joins Pavement Advisory Board
Amber Showalter, owner of Show Striping Industries (SSI), Wisconsin Dells, WI, is the newest member of the Pavement Advisory Board.
Showalter is one of only 32 contractors to have achieved U.S. Federal Contractor Women Owned Small Business/8A status – making SSI eligible for all federal woman-owned business set asides -- and the only of the 32 contractors who performs asphalt-related and bridge construction work.
Showalter and husband Michael started Show Striping in 2005 with one striping machine. After two successful years working part-time on SSI she quit her job to devote full time to marketing the business. “I’d look at a map and target a specific Wisconsin town each day,” she says. “Then I’d go there and sell and call Michael to come up and get the jobs done.”
The company gradually expanded into paving and pavement maintenance, eventually becoming a general contractor. Currently SSI work is split evenly between pavement maintenance and general contracting work from the contractor’s three main offices in Wisconsin, Arizona and Florida.
In 2013 Showalter received USWOSB status, and soon after was named to the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce, where she meets 10 times a year in Washington, D.C.
Showalter, who has spoken several times at National Pavement Expo, says she enjoys public speaking – especially motivational speaking – and she is looking forward to contributing to the industry.
“I think I have a perspective that’s a little different and I am really looking forward to bringing a new perspective to this wonderful industry,” she says. “I’m really excited.”
Showalter will be presenting a new workshop, “How to Kick-start your Season: High-energy Motivation to Strengthen your Sales Today!” on Wednesday morning, Feb. 1 at National Pavement Expo in Nashville. For a complete session description visit www.nationalpavementexpo.com.
Showalter succeeds Randy DeVries, Site Services Inc., and Mick Vinckier, Miktom Parking Lot Maintenance, who retire from the board after 23 and 16 years, respectively.
