Rock Products

SEP 2015

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4 • ROCK products • September 2015 www.rockproducts.com Shortly after I completed my August issue editorial, the Senate passed its version of the highway bill. As we wait for the House to finalize its version of the bill, then contemplate the mysteries of the universe while they try to reconcile the two bills, here are a few interesting con- struction-economy items. • An estimated 607 million metric tons of total construction aggre- gates was produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the second quarter of 2015, an increase of 3 percent com- pared with that of the second quarter of 2014, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. • Construction employment in July climbed to the highest level since February 2009, while the number of unemployed workers with con- struction experience shrank to a 14-year low, according to an anal- ysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned that the diminishing pool of available qualified labor may be having an impact on the industry's ability to meet grow- ing demand. • Led by a strong jump in single-family production, nationwide hous- ing starts inched up 0.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.206 million units in July, according to data from the U.S. Depart- ment of Housing and Urban Development and the Commerce Depart- ment. This is the highest level since October 2007. Both Vulcan Materials and Martin Marietta Materials released encour- aging second-quarter reports, but what is most telling is the conditions they anticipate in the second half of the year. Regarding the company's outlook for 2015, Vulcan President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Hill, stated, "We expect a higher rate of pricing growth in the second half. With respect to second half shipments, a key factor will be the ability of our customers to recover weather-delayed volume from the first half." Ward Nye, chairman, president and CEO of Martin Marietta, said, "As we look at the remainder of 2015 and into 2016, contractor backlogs and other macro-economic indicators underscore the pent-up demand for our products. Job growth on a national level continues to be a strong catalyst for construction activity." These are all positive and encouraging signals. Editorial Office 11655 Central Parkway, Suite 306 Jacksonville, Florida 32224 U.S.A. Phone: +1.904.721.2925 • Fax: +1.904.721.2930 Mining Media International Corporate Office 8751 East Hampden Avenue, Suite B1 Denver, Colorado 80231 U.S.A. Phone: +1.303.283.0640 • Fax: +1.303.283.0641 Editor, Mark S. Kuhar, mkuhar@mining-media.com Associate Editor, Josephine Smith, jsmith@mining-media.com Graphic Designer, Michael Florman, mflorman@mining-media.com Vice President/Editorial Director, Steve Fiscor, sfiscor@mining-media.com President/Publisher, Peter Johnson, pjohnson@mining-media.com Vice President/Sales & Marketing, John Bold, jbold@mining-media.com U.S. & Canada, Sales, Sean Carr, scarr@mining-media.com Kyle Nichol, knichol@mining-media.com Scandinavia, UK and European Sales Manager, Colm Barry, colm.barry@telia.com German Sales Manager, Gerd Strasmann, StrasmannMedia@t-online.de Latin America, Sales, Paulina Downey, paulina@downeyassociates.cl/ Sylvia Palma, sylvia@downeyassociates.cl Classified Adver tising: Christin Doran, (317) 802-7118, cdoran@mining-media.com Project Manager, Tanna Holzer, tholzer@mining-media.com Production Manager, Dan Fitts, dfitts@mining-media.com Rock Products, Volume 118 Issue 9, (ISSN 0035-7464) is published monthly by Mining Media, Inc., 10 Sedgwick Drive, Englewood, Colorado 80113 (mining-media. com). Periodicals Postage paid at Englewood, CO, and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40845540. Canada return address: Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor ON N9A 6J5, Email: circulation@mining-media.com. Current and back issues and additional resources, including subscription request forms and an editorial calendar, are available at www.rockproducts.com. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Free and controlled circulation to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified persons may subscribe at the following rates: USA and Canada, 1 year, $82.00; 2 year, $139.00. Outside the USA and Canada, 1 year, $134.00; 2 year, $249.00 surface mail (1 year, $191.00; 2 year, $352.00 airmail delivery). For subscriber services or to order single copies, write to Rock Products, 8751 East Hampden Avenue, Suite B1, Denver, CO 80231 USA; call +1 303-283-0640 (USA) or visit www.mining-media.com. SUBSCRIPTIONS: To update or cancel a subscription, email circulation@mining-media.com. ARCHIVES AND MICROFORM: This magazine is available for research and retrieval of selected archived articles from leading electronic databases and online search services, including Factiva, LexisNexis, and Proquest. For microform availability, contact ProQuest at 800-521-0600 or +1 734-761-4700, or search the Serials in Microform listings at www.proquest.com. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Rock Products, P.O. Box 1337, Skokie, IL 60076 USA. REPRINTS: Mining Media Inc, 8751 East Hampden Avenue, Suite B1, Denver, CO 80231 USA. Phone: +1 303-283-0640, Fax: +1 303-283-0641, www.mining-media.com. PHOTOCOPIES: Authorization to photocopy articles for internal corporate, personal, or instructional use may be obtained from the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) at +1 978-750-8400. Obtain further information at copyright.com. EXECUTIVE OFFICE: Mining Media, Inc., 8751 East Hampden Avenue, Suite B1, Denver, CO 80231 USA Phone: +1 303-283-0640, Fax: +1 303-283-0641, www. mining-media.com. COPYRIGHT 2015: Rock Products ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Mark S. Kuhar, editor mkuhar@mining-media.com (330) 722-4081 Positive Signals for the Future

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