2019 AGG1 Academy educational sessions

The 2019 AGG1 Academy & Expo will feature more than 60 educational sessions for producers, manufacturers and all industry employees to learn more about how to improve their operation. With topics covering labor, technology, equipment, 101 introductory sessions and more, there are a wide variety of learning opportunities for all attendees. The AGG1 Academy is hosted at Indianapolis’ JW Marriott hotel, with a full schedule of education sessions listed below.

TUES., FEB. 12

7:30 – 9:00 AM

Cyber-Security: Planning for Prevention of (and Recovery from) a Data Breach
Erik Dullea, Husch Blackwell; and Alex Gross, The Crypsis Group Room 133
In today’s world, there are two types of companies – those that have experienced a data breach, and those that experienced more than one data breach. The mining industry is a technologically-sophisticated community. It relies on computers for its day-to-day operations, including critical business and safety functions and communications, and uses computers for its mine design and planning functions. This reliance, coupled with the fact that certain mining operations are designated as part of Homeland Security’s critical infrastructure sectors, makes the mining community vulnerable to cyberattacks. One breach has the potential to bring both large and small businesses to a halt, affecting revenues, project delivery and jobs. Are your systems and data vulnerable to attack? What steps can you take to prepare and defend yourself, your data and your business?

Crushing 101
Mark Krause, McLanahan Corp. Room 231
This session provides an overview of crushing. Learn about the different types of primary and secondary crushers, pros and cons associated with the different types, what site conditions to consider when choosing crushers and how to optimize the process given a particular crusher. Topics covered include: types of crushers available, the features and benefits of each along with expected production capabilities, end products, and factors affecting their efficiency. By the end of the session the attendee should understand the effect of speed, stroke and angle for the various types of crushers.

Empowering Employees to Share Safety Concerns: What Managers Need to Know and Do
Emily Haas, NIOSH; and Joe McGuire, CRH Amercas Materials Room 132
Research has shown over 90 percent of employees are good at documenting unsafe behaviors they observe, but only 28 to 39 percent will directly intervene. What’s keeping employees from saying something when they see something? In this interactive session, we’ll explore workforce barriers to speaking up and how your current safety culture may be restricting or prohibiting worker empowerment, and discover the internal and external influences on the company’s culture which may need to be improved. You will learn how to develop educational opportunities designed to provide your front-line leaders and employees with the skills they need to effectively intervene when they observe something which is unsafe.

Waterway and Wetland Update
Phillip Bower, Husch Blackwell; and David Ruetz, GZA GeoEnvironmental Room 131
Aggregates operators need to understand which waterways and wetlands on their sites may qualify as “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) and require permits for filling or dredging activities. This session will provide updates on the status of the WOTUS rule and other significant water-related legal issues, discuss water-related permitting programs, and provide practical and technical information about how wetlands are delineated, all with a focus on mining and aggregates sites.

Move More Tons, More Profitably – Productivity Solutions for Quarries
Brandon Menke, Caterpillar Room 233
Every company has targets to hit. More tons? Lower costs? Is it possible to move and haul more material more efficiently than you already do? Hitting targets means managing sites and assets efficiently. Connected quarries give us visibility to the data needed to unlock our potential by understanding our site’s variability and inefficiencies, but the complexity of information and actioning the data can be overwhelming. How can quarries combine site know-how, data and decision-making to be more productive? This presentation will highlight what it means to have a connected quarry and how that translates into increased productivity: Move more tons, more profitably.

Aggregates, Cleaner Water and More Jobs: A Look at Two Indy Infrastructure Projects
Brian Duncan, Irving Materials; Mike Miller and Ryan Taylor, Citizens Energy Group Room 134
Learn about two local infrastructure projects in which aggregates and quarries play a pivotal role—the Citizens Reservoir and the DigIndy Deep Tunnel System.

Citizens Energy Group, the drinking water provider for over 300,000 customers in the Indianapolis area, is currently implementing a project that will significantly change the long-term supply for the region: The Citizens Reservoir. The reservoir is a soon-to-be retired limestone quarry which reaches 230 feet depths across 80 acres, and Citizens is planning to convert the quarry to a raw water storage facility—which involves moving water between Geist Reservoir and the new Citizens Reservoir using tunnel and shaft construction. Hear about the process for determining the scope, address the challenges associated with this project, and describe the current design for the Citizens Reservoir intake and pump station. Then, you’ll learn about the DigIndy Deep Tunnel System, which consists of constructing six large diameter deep rock storage tunnels. Upon completion in 2025, the system will consist of 28 miles of 18-foot finished diameter tunnel, constructed approximately 250 feet below Indianapolis, and will be capable of storing up to 270-million gallons of CSO flow per wet weather event—preventing up to a total of six billion gallons in an average year from entering local waterways. Explore the needs for the deep tunnel system, hear about major project elements, and a status update of the 13-year construction duration.

Bringing (Gender) Balance to the (Work) Force
Tom Kenley, Rogers Group Room 130
In 2013, women made up more than half of the American workforce; however, they comprised only 12% of the total workforce in construction. For business owners or managers seeking to grow their existing construction workforces, especially given the current workforce shortage, women should be considered as a source for potential new employees. But having a full pool of available, qualified candidates is just the beginning of the benefits of a gender-balanced company. Come hear why Rosie the Riveter should be more than a novelty and what mining companies can do right now to move toward a balance in the force.

Sales Metrics: Are Your Measurements Driving the Right Behavior?
Joel Galassini, Cemex Room 135
By using the right metrics, both quantitative and qualitative, a company can systematically build a solid customer base that minimizes its risk while maximizing its overall profit. This session will discuss a variety of metrics that can be used to measure sales as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each. You’ll learn how these metrics support the sales process and lead to overall profitability. Some of the metrics will include: Average sales price (ASP), volume, revenue, margin, customer contacts, and win percentage.

9:30 – 11:00 AM

Late Bloomers
Rich Karlgaard, Forbes Room 134
We hear constantly about the challenge of attracting young employees to the workforce. But what about older employees? Join Forbes publisher and futurist Rich Karlgaard as he shares facts, trends, and insights from his forthcoming book, Bloom! The Power of Late Bloomers (In a World Obsessed with Early Achievement). He will share his recommendations for workforce development and explore how employers can identify potential late bloomers, why we overrate early bloomers, unique late bloomer strengths and why late bloomers represent value in the competition for employees.

Screening 101
Joe Schlabach, Deister Machine Co. Room 231
Screening is the critical “cashbox” of an aggregates operation. This course, intended for novice plant design personnel, will present the basic concepts necessary to understand screening operations. Learn about essential items like stratification, separation, bed depth, and the effects of stroke, screen media and their application, amplitude and speed. Attendees will gain tips to help existing screening operations while gaining an understanding for future plant expansions.

Methods of Underwater Mining – Dredges and Other Equipment
Troy Banks, Dolese Bros. Co.; Charles Johnson and William Wetta, DSC Dredge Room 130
Explore past, current, and future methods of extracting and transporting aggregate materials below the surface of bodies of water. The suitability, capital cost and operating cost of mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic dredging equipment shall be investigated for deposits of varying depth, compaction, gradation, and transportation distance. Both deepening existing deposits and green field sites shall be explored. After attending this presentation, attendees should be able to: 1) Choose the types of dredges and techniques that can achieve the desired production rate; 2) Provide equipment manufacturers or sellers the necessary production, deposit, climate, etc. information for a valid quotation; and 3) Optimally evaluate dredge equipment choices based on initial cost and cost per ton operation. This presentation is suitable for all audiences (operator to owner) with little or no dredging knowledge (beginner).

Taking Safety to the Bank: Manager Your Equipment for Safety and Profits
Mark Kenyon, Applied Industrial Technologies Room 131
Safety is traditionally thought of as hard hats, gloves, safety vests, etc. to make maintenance risks safer, but if you can identify areas to improve plant efficiency, safety factors, and abrasion calculation it makes your plants last longer – eliminating opportunity for risk. This session identifies some of the most common areas where products quickly become under designed after production changes, CEMA rated products that tend to run at a lower safety factor, and where you can significantly increase your return on investment by changing the spec of MRO items. We also discuss some new products in the industry that increase reliability, require less maintenance, and how they can reduce the opportunity for the most common and dangerous types of injuries at aggregate facilities.

Should my site be regulated by MSHA?
Arthur Wolfson, Jackson Kelly Room 132
The line of demarcation between MSHA and OSHA jurisdiction has never been clear. Historically, MSHA’s assertions of jurisdiction over a site have been difficult to challenge. A wave of recent cases, however, have indicated that there might be avenues for challenging MSHA jurisdiction over a facility, both based on the location of the facility and the processes that occur there. In this session, attendees will learn the bounds of MSHA’s jurisdiction and how jurisdictional determinations are made, and discover how to evaluate if their sites are properly regulated by MSHA or OSHA and how to raise challenges if they believe a particular agency’s jurisdiction is inappropriate.

Water Clarification 101
Brett Casanova, Kolberg-Pioneer Room 135
This session will provide a general overview of the equipment used to reduce or eliminate waste in pond systems. It will also outline the importance of and the steps to completing a waste water system analysis. Attendees will learn the most cost-effective ways to manage ponds and be introduced to a full waste water recycling process. Other topics include: basic pond design, fines recovery systems, flocculent systems, types and rates, clarifier types and sludge system management. Upon completion, attendees will have a general understanding of waste water stream analyzation as well as a better understanding of appropriate equipment selection.

Using Conveyors to Lower Cost Per Ton and Resolve Operational Inefficiencies
Scott Gulan, Superior Industries Room 233
If you’ve ever had to reprocess an out of spec stockpile, you can understand how important it is to ensure material quality is guaranteed at loadout. This seminar will compare methods of conveying and stockpiling to ensure your material maintains gradation. When should you truck product instead of convey it? We’ll learn how to analyze material type, transport distance, elevation, environment and labor requirements when determining the best approach for your operation. We will review how two operations reduced their cost per ton and environmental impact when they reduced the number of times they handled product with conveying installations.

How to Implement an Enterprise Drone Solutions Program
Lauren Elmore, Firmatek; and Jared Nix, Rogers Group Room 133
Rogers Group and Firmatek have partnered to successfully implement an enterprise drone solutions program, and attendees will hear first-hand about how they worked together to build a drone program, successful ways of implementing new technology across the organization as a whole, and the benefits of an enterprise-wide inventory measurement and mapping solution provider. Discover the characteristics that have facilitated the successful implementation of this program, including how they got buy-in and adoption across various functional groups within Rogers Group, how the program took a proactive approach to risk management, and adjustments that have been made along the way to improve the program and the technology being used. Attendees will learn about the details of the program and why the program makes sense from an enterprise perspective.

2:00 – 3:30 PM

Driving Value Through Connectedness in a Quarry
Tony Gianni, Trimble Room 134
Everyone wants to help optimize parts of your operation and improve productivity. But optimizing one part of the process often does not help overall productivity. There is no point tuning the primary crusher to perfection, if the pit trucks cannot deliver feed fast enough. This presentation looks at how every part of a quarry operation is connected. And although it may seem complex, thinking about your operation as a complete ‘system’ can lead to surprising production gains or cost reductions. We will focus on tools to ‘make it easy’ and how your operation can benefit.

Knowing your VSI
Jennifer Hise, Cemco Room 131
Learn about the physics and function of vertical shaft impact (VSI) crushing. This interactive presentation will cover types of applications, mechanics, different configurations, automation, maintenance and basic best practices regarding the operation of and hazards to your VSI. Through photos, videos and animations we’ll discuss ways to optimize your VSI and troubleshoot common issues. Take advantage of nearly 60 years of experience with VSI crushers—bring your questions to this session and get solutions!

Maximizing Screening Efficiency
Craig Burke, Tod Eberle and Mike Garrison, Polydeck Screen Corp. Room 231
Although screening circuits are typically a relatively small part of an entire aggregate plant operation, they can present a huge bottleneck to overall plant production if not operating efficiently. So how can operators ensure their screen machines are maximizing throughput to produce the greatest return on investment? Many factors are involved, from screen set-up and proper feed arrangement to screening efficiency factors such as particle shape, feed rate, screen angle, open area of the media and moisture content. This session will not only answer all those questions but will also look at the performance of the screen machines themselves to educate attendees on operational issues that can negatively affect screen performance.

Digital Storytelling: A Success Story in Marketing & Recruiting
Ami Gignac and Kelly Hambly, Q4 Impact Group; Keaton Turner, Turner Mining Group Room 133
“HELP WANTED” ads are out. In one month, Turner Mining Group recruited nearly 50 young employees across the United States using one platform – Instagram. Instagram has over 600 million active users and the platform is an easy and effective way to share a glimpse into your company’s culture. Keaton Turner will also share that the majority of his sales leads come from his online network of over 1,000 professionals on LinkedIn.

Sharing your company’s story in the context of helping your customers solve problems, engaging current and future employees, and connecting with your community across multiple channels is key to tapping into and earning loyalty. Using digital content marketing helps you break through the static and rise to the surface of the many producers and manufacturers that are all clamoring for attention. Developing creative digital content harnesses the power of a website, blogs, e-newsletters, and social media channels to help your brand develop a voice of authority in your marketplace. That content becomes the library about your business and industry that customers and community leaders will go to not only today but also into the future. By shaping the content in a way that offers solutions to customers’ most pressing problems while incorporating powerful storytelling you create an organic, shareable way to promote your company and your products.

The ABCs of UAVs – Key Steps to Get Your Drone Program Off the Ground Legally
Erik Dullea, Husch Blackwell Room 135
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are becoming more common for construction, mining and paving operations. However, commercial operation of UAS are regulated by the FAA, and in September 2018 Congress passed a new FAA Reauthorization Law that focuses heavily on UAS operations. This session will provide all the background and tips you need to get your UAS program in the air, safely, legally and hopefully without annoying your neighbors.

Structural (Inspection/Assurance) Program
Room 132
As pits grow and tons flow, plant integrity tends to go. In this industry, plants have to handle a lot of abuse and to help mitigate risks, a sound inspection process is suggested. This seminar will cover best practices in plant structural inspection and safety techniques. Specific topics will include common structural issues throughout the industry, tools and resources to help develop an inspection program, and information learned firsthand through industry experiences.

Wear Monitoring and Strategy – New Technologies to Go from Reactive to Proactive Maintenance
Brad Cobabe and Bill Donohue, SSAB Room 130
Discover how to easily implement a monitoring program for wear in the plant and mobile equipment, so your maintenance program can become proactive, rather than reactive. We’ll walk through the tools and techniques you need to implement such a plan, how to calculate and evaluate the plan’s savings, and explain the mechanisms of wear and how it can be predicted.

Inverted Pavement Basics
Kevin Vaughan, Vulcan Materials Room 233
Learn the basics of the Inverted Pavement concept and how it can benefit the aggregates industry. Inverted Pavement is a pavement design system developed in South Africa in the 1960s and 1970s, which uses thick lifts of cement treated aggregate base as well as unbound aggregate base to create a strong foundation for a thin lift of asphalt. This presentation will cover the inverted pavement concept, how the pavement works, and examples of inverted pavement test sections that have been built in the U.S.

WEDS, FEB. 13

7:30 – 9:00 AM

Improving the Environmental Impact of Your Aggregates Operation
Room 132
This session provides a comprehensive list of what to look for in your aggregates washing equipment to offer a positive environmental impact. Topics include reviewing key aspects of washing equipment to evaluate, such as footprint, energy and water usage; water recycling capabilities; features and benefits that address these environmental issues.

Don’t Make it Worse! Strategies for Investigating Near-Misses and Accidents Without Creating Huge Liability
Avi Meyerstein, Husch Blackwell Room 133
A good safety program aims not only to prevent injuries, but also to learn from them. You surely investigate near-misses and accidents not only to comply with regulations but especially to try to prevent future incidents. But, in doing what seems right for safety, are you creating long-term liability? Might your investigation unnecessarily create more problems than it prevents? Are there smarter approaches to investigations that enhance safety while also minimizing other liability? This session will explore the different major aspects of near-miss and accident investigations, how these important safety efforts can nonetheless create liability risks, and strategies to consider for managing those risks.

Fines Recovery Roundtable
Wes Edevane and Mark Krause, McLanahan Corp; and John Bennington, Superior Industries Room 130
Hear from several experts, including producers and manufacturers, on the stages of fines recovery and the different systems available for fines recovery applications. Learn which system is most appropriate for your unique application and deposit. Using real-world examples, we’ll walk through fines recovery system implementation and discuss when it does—and does NOT—make sense. This is your opportunity to bring your problems and get solutions!

Conveyors 101
Jeff Jurasits, ASGCO; Rod Martin, Martin Stone Quarries Room 231
Conveyors are the lifeline to any aggregate plant’s productivity. This presentation will review the “Conveyor 101” program that has proven successful at facilities across the country. Attendees will gain an understanding of conveyor systems, conveyor belts, their components and how they affect your plant’s performance. Get safety guidelines for working on or around conveyors, tips on reducing fugitive material and dust (and solutions to control it), and ideas on how to implement a conveyor inspection and maintenance service program that works for your plant.

I Wish Someone Would Communicate Around Here
Brian Gareau, Brian Guraeu Inc. Room 233
Ineffective communication costs businesses big bucks. Research estimates a company with 100 people spends nearly $500K/year clarifying what was already communicated. Too often, fundamental communication techniques are forgotten by individuals and organizations. The results can be devastating. Inconsistent, mixed messages create inefficiency. New technology increases speed and accessibility but not necessarily understanding. How well does your organization proactively address common communication issues in the workplace? In this session, you’ll learn to minimize the impact of some major barriers that make effective communication difficult, expand your understanding of why effective communication requires three key steps and how to effectively use each, and improve your own communications immediately by applying powerful, practical communication techniques gained.

Selective Crushing: Optimizing the Yield of the Most Desired Gradation
Niko Lamminaki and Brad Tuckett, Metso Minerals Room 131
Having the right technology for each crushing process is crucial to maximize the profitability of your plant. Depending on the market need specific size fractions are differently valued. Careful planning of the right crusher configuration for applications is important part of minimizing financial risks, maximizing smooth material flow and getting good quality end products. Attendees will learn about how the production mass balance and yield of certain size fractions can be affected by configuring crushing process the most optimal way. The presentation discusses the possibilities to control, measure, monitor and adjust the performance of the crushing process and what benefits can an advanced automation system offer.

Industry 4.0 – Digital Solutions in Aggregates
Kyle Davis, ABB Motors Room 134
It is expensive to run a quarry or sand and gravel production facility. Equipment is costly to install, maintain, repair and replace; often does not reaching its useful service life. Wireless and inexpensive digital monitoring solutions are now available that facilitate the monitoring of electric motors, mounted bearings and pumps. These technologies significantly reduce the chance of catastrophic equipment failure and costly unplanned downtime. This session will present case studies, based on actual producer usage of this technology, that quantify the benefits of wireless sensor technology and show how it helps improve plant profitability by complementing maintenance and reliability staff.

Building Organizational Effectiveness – Just Add Water
Erica Flukinger, Lehigh Hanson Room 135
Learn how an aggregates producer tackled building solutions across a dispersed workforce in people processes like onboarding, developing, motivating, and retaining people. Leave with simple and practical tools you can try at your location by just adding your leadership, ingenuity, and creativity (e.g., water) to it. Let’s work together to build better workplaces where our people rarely dread a Sunday night that leads to a miserable Monday morning. Attendees will discover:

1. Ideas and “one-page” recipes to try at your location
2. Methods to navigate and manage complex change
3. How to “own less” and get team involved in solving stuff

9:30 – 11:00 AM

Buy America and Hire America on Federally-Funded Construction Projects
Hal Perloff and Brian Waagner, Husch Blackwell Room 133
With everything changing in Washington, D.C., and the new “America First” emphasis, it’s important to understand the latest information on the Buy American Act, Buy American requirements for road construction and other publicly-funded infrastructure projects, and the impact of the Trade Agreements Act. In addition to lessons learned, we will discuss how the rules apply to public-private partnerships (P3s) and other future infrastructure projects. Policy changes already been initiated by President Trump and the 115th Congress also will be discussed.

How Do We Recruit a Younger Workforce into the Aggregates Industry?
Christopher Hopkins, River Landing Solutions Room 134
The aggregates industry is experiencing a growing difficulty in attracting the next generation of skilled and unskilled workers into our labor force. This roundtable discussion will discuss ideas and methods to attract the younger worker to the aggregates industry. Representatives with hiring and recruiting experience and authority from large and small aggregates companies will share lessons learned and best practices they’ve discovered, and attendees will be encouraged to share their ideas and experiences regarding this issue.

Drones: Realizing Real Value While Insuring Accuracy & Consistency
Michael Singer, DroneView Technologies Room 135
Over the past several years, drones have experienced broad interest and adoption in the aggregates and mining industries for facilitating stockpile volume measurements, topography mapping, equipment inspection and more. Hear from a leading drone service company with years of experience collecting, processing and extracting real value out of drone derived data as they share insights and perspectives on what works, what doesn’t and how to ensure accuracy, consistency and safety while scaling a drone program.

Washing & Classifying 101
John Bennington, Superior Industries Room 231
As quarries progress into their reserves, operations are processing material with a higher level of clay and silt. While some materials may require only rinsing, others require scrubbing to remove clay and other deleterious materials. Attend this session to gain a comprehensive overview of topics including aggregate washing techniques, maintenance routines, classifying tanks, screws versus screens, troubleshooting common washing problems and the consequences of wrong-sized equipment.

Maximizing Conveyor Belt Performance: Industry Standards vs. Real World Applications
Michael Cremeens, Shaw Almex; and Dick McConnell, Flexco Room 233
There’s a big difference between seeing an issue with conveyor performance and truly understanding the issue. Part of gaining that understanding is knowing the specifications of conveyor belt construction, operational forces, transition distances, load zone requirements, and tracking cause and effect. And when you understand and implement industry standards on belt selection, take-up requirements and structural standards, you can maximize performance, reduce the number of trips to the conveyor and avoid costly and potentially hazardous repairs. This interactive class demonstrates how the best of standards are often violated, and how to avoid doing so in order to more accurately identify and rectify belt performance issues.

Drill and Blast Improvement Project Using Photogrammetry, GPS and Drill Navigation Systems
Tamara Wiseman, Ram Explosive Technical Services; and David Stewart, Midsouth Aggregates Room 130
Discover how a drill and blast optimization program can improve primary throughput, reduction in secondary breakage, reduction in fines and improved efficiencies with loading and hauling of shot rock. This session presents a case study of the Warren County Quarry in Camak, Georgia, where initial blasting generated high percentages of oversize, back break, poor floor control and poor fragmentation. Through implementing a proactive drill and blast design and technology like automated borehole logs, 3-D photogrammetry, blast design software, angle borehole drilling, unmanned aerial system (UAS), and geological analysis, the quarry realized significant, measurable improvement.

Build Your Sandcastle! How Manufactured Sand Meets Modern Construction Needs
Scott Dickson, Lehigh Hanson; and Vincent Schmitt, Metso Minerals Room 131
Rapid development, population growth, and urbanization are driving an ever-growing need for new buildings and infrastructure, making sand a high-demand commodity. At the same time, environmental concerns and dwindling natural resources mean that contractors are under pressure to improve their energy and raw material efficiency. As a result, manufactured sand is becoming a viable material alternative for new construction. In this session, we will discuss how you can make manufactured sand the business of building the future and how you can produce sand according to your customer specification while making both your process and your raw material usage more efficient. With the help of the latest-developed, reliable and robust technology, you can produce a high-quality sand, in a consistent availability, with a regular specification and with added value, all while improving sustainability across the entire value chain.

Revisions to the Endangered Species Act: What Aggregates Operators Need to Know
Joseph Mion, Golder Associates Corp. Room 132
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is the primary federal legislation addressing conservation of threatened and endangered plant and animal species and their habitats. Federal agencies are required to consider the ESA in actions they authorize through permits and/or funding, which also requires consultation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Aggregates producers typically must address ESA‐related issues when seeking permits for operations, expansion of existing facilities, and development of new facilities, and the ESA element is often one of the greatest sources of uncertainty for aggregates producers in permitting efforts. The FWS and NMFS have recently proposed changes to the ESA addressing how species and habitats are listed, how protections are extended to listing classifications, and the interagency consultation process. This session will discuss the ESA in terms of real‐world challenges to aggregates producers and approaches for addressing them. Hear about proposed changes to the ESA and their implications and potential benefits for the industry.

2:00 – 3:30 PM

Stand Out in the Crowd – Creating Workplace Differentiation to Address Talent Shortages
Brian Gareau, Brian Gareau Inc. Room 134
Every day organizations strive to find new ways to attract, retain and grow customer loyalty and market share. One key strategy used is product/service differentiation. The concept of differentiation is simple but also challenging to sustain – make your organization stand out from otherwise similar competitors in the marketplace. This same strategy of differentiation will also be even more critical in the future in finding, hiring, engaging and keeping a talented workforce. Does your organization distinguish itself from other employers and if so, is the differentiation sustainable? This session will help you gain a clearer understanding of a key missing ingredient in many Talent Management strategies, better understand the critical importance of workplace culture as a competitive differentiator and evaluate traditional versus new workplace differentiators in your organization.

Screening 201
Patrick Reaver, KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens Room 233
Producing the high-quality aggregates required for today’s construction needs can be a challenge. Understanding how screens and crushers work together in a system can help maximize performance and improve profitability. This session will provide a more thorough look into screening technology and the different types of screens offered. Attendees will review the interaction between screens and crushers and how that affects production and gradation. They will also walk away with a better understanding of the types of screens offered and how to choose the right one for their application.

Blasting 101
Joe Nawrocki, Dyno Nobel Room 231
Drilling and blasting are integral parts of the total mining process and affect many down-stream costs. This session will outline the basics of shot measurements, blast design, layout and hole loading required for a safe and efficient blast. An understanding of these steps will increase the chances for a successful blast. Methods for measuring success are also discussed.

Hybrid Power Solutions for Mobile (Track) Plants
Stephen Whyte, KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens Room 130
This course will discuss the benefits that utilizing hybrid power sources can provide, specifically as they relate to mobile crushing and screening plants. Several topics of discussion will be environmental factors—like noise levels and engine emissions—as well as operating costs and performance in harsh environments.

How to Build a Diverse, Multi-Generational Workforce Without the Headache
Ami Gignac and Katie Woodhall, Q4 Impact Group; and Keaton Turner, Turner Mining Group Room 131
Our industry workforce is changing rapidly and diversity and inclusion are now frequent topics of conversation. The “my way or the highway” Baby Boomer culture built the industry but it is now often managed under the direction of Gen-X and Millennial workers. How companies react to this shift will determine their success in the next ten years. Attracting and retaining a diverse, multi-generational workforce means breaking through the old ways of communicating and reinventing the work cultures at our operations. Our own multi-generational team of industry professionals (a Baby Boomer, a Gen-Xer, and a Millennial) will explore the best ways to communicate and collaborate across generations so that every member of your team contributes to a productive and positive work environment. The team will also talk about what it’s like on the frontline and in management roles for young and inexperienced employees, women, and minorities. A frank and candid discussion will explore the best ways to attract and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce while developing a deep bench of committed workers.

How to Kill Safety Culture Excellence
Todd Efird, Caterpillar; and Mark Helm, Dolese Bros. Co. Room 132
Aggregate industry professionals face unique obstacles that can lead to failed safety programs and processes. If left unidentified or allowed to linger by management such challenges will undoubtedly prevent an organization from attaining and sustaining safety and health excellence. This presentation will identify potential obstacles to zero-incident performance, outline strategies for developing corrective action to safety issues and explain effective ways to navigate them.

Reducing Fugitive Dust Without Collection or Suppression
Jerad Heitzler, Martin Engineering Room 135
Any facility that mines, processes, or handles aggregates will have dust, which is important to mitigate. Much of a facility’s dust is created at a belt conveyor transfer point because material is in a free fall and fines are exposed to air flows. Many facilities try to combat this dust with suppression systems that are costly or make the fines more difficult to handle. Collection and suppression efforts are greatly enhanced at a transfer point when design techniques are used to reduce material free fall, seal transfer points from air escaping, and slowing air velocities to a speed that lets dust fall out of suspension before it has a chance to exit a skirted area. This presentation will teach conveyor users how simple mechanical techniques can make a significant impact on dust at a belt conveyor transfer point. Attendees will learn how they can design, repair or maintain new or existing transfer points in a manner that seals air in the skirted area until that air can be slowed to a velocity that no longer can carry dust. Examples and successes of the techniques used will be discussed.

How to Institute a Cost-Effective Community Relations Program
David Thomey, Martin Marietta Room 133
Quarry neighbors and the surrounding community are subject to vibrations from blasting, dust and truck traffic. Despite these legitimate concerns, aggregates operations are a net positive to the communities in which they operate. Learn how to reach out to your neighbors – in a cost-effective way – to help improve the perception of your business.

WEDS, FEB. 13

7:30 – 9:00 AM

Keeping your Conveyor Belts Running
Jeff Ciminera and Laura Hoggan, Rema Tip Top Room 130
Hear best practices to keep your conveyor belt operating, repair techniques and choosing the right belt for your application. These three items combined ensure that your operation stays running and greatly reduces downtime.

Executive-Level Reporting and the Role of Data in the Aggregates Industry
Michael Southon, Trimble Room 134
Technology is beginning to replace more traditional ways of reporting and sharing information, but does that necessarily make for a better way to do business? This presentation uses case studies to demonstrate how digital information and reporting systems are changing how work gets done in the aggregates industry. Significant pushes that are changing operations today will be examined, from how paper forms and data entry are being replaced with digital reporting systems, to the rise of equipment monitoring systems and shared information platforms. We will discuss both how these new ways of handling information can affect operations in the day-to-day, through reduced data entry, improved information accuracy and real-time notifications, to how that same information can be used to improve visibility at the executive level to drive more effective decision making.

Next Generation Highway Construction: Get Ready, It’ll Be Here Before You Know It
Brian Moore, FMI Corp. Room 133
The highway construction industry is changing rapidly. Over the next five to seven years, demographics, innovation, and business fundamentals will collide to create significant disruption. The response to today’s trends will determine the winners and losers of tomorrow. Hear a synopsis of the current and emerging trends the highway sector is facing. This presentation will provide insights into some of the industry’s complex business challenges and will highlight what contractors of the future should be doing.

Risk Management in Blasting Operations
Jeff Taylor, Sauls Seismic Room 132
Blasting is considered an “ultra-hazardous” activity from a legal perspective, and is often the most misunderstood, intrusive and troubling aspect of mining to local communities. Risk management for blasting is primarily reduced to two factors, namely miner safety and liability protection issues. This session addresses recent serious injuries and fatalities from a mining safety perspective; and also reviews procedural errors that commonly lead to lost or settled frivolous damage lawsuits from alleged vibration damages. You’ll hear recommendations for proactive measures that companies with blasting operations should incorporate into standard operating procedures, which have proven to improve miner safety and reduce liability in the mining and explosives industry.

Optimizing Plant Uptime and OPEX
Jamie Gauger and Tero Onnela, Metso Minerals Room 135
Learn how crushing plant uptime and OPEX elements affect operations profitability and cost per ton in an aggregates operation. Attendees will gain an understanding how plant setup and equipment selection affect uptime, overall utilization rate and plant performance. You will also be introduced to single process equipment, focusing on crushers and screens, and learn about technology features reducing their operational costs.

The Four Keys to Shifting Safety Culture Within Multi-Generational Teams
Ami Gignac and Katie Woodhall, Q4 Impact Group Room 231
Statistics prove that companies that shift from a conditions-based safety culture to a behavior-based safety culture have lower accident rates, improved morale, and improved profitability. This session will explore the four keys to shifting culture developed from our experiences working with numerous heavy industry leaders. Effective communication is the foundation to making this shift, and every generation has different communication preferences. We will discuss how to most effectively reach workers from all generations to promote commitment, engagement, and safety leadership.

Screen Media Roundtable
Jeff Beck, Hoyt Wire Cloth; Dave Ciszczon, Polydeck Screen Corp.; and Patrick Reaver, KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens Room 131
Learn about the pros and cons of different types of screen media and how to choose the right type of screen for your material and application. Our panel of experts represents a wide array of screen types and decades of experience—bring your screen media challenges and get solutions!

9:30 – 11:00 AM

Integrated Mine Planning Solutions for the Aggregate Industry – Surface & Underground
Nathan Hoffman and Robert Yarkowsky, Golder Associates Room 131
Integrated mine planning for surface or underground aggregate operations is integral in achieving goals for product quantity and quality, ensuring operating revenues and costs are met. Whether evaluating new projects or existing mines, the time is always now for developing effective mine plans, as challenges and opportunities are always present. Challenges come in many forms, including relocating mining activity to access remaining reserves, transitioning from surface to underground, maximizing resource recovery based on quality limits, changing geotechnical conditions, optimizing an underground ventilation system, and meeting regulated limits of air quality. Aggregates operations can benefit from renewed mine planning efforts, as opportunities to improve workers’ health and safety, production, lower operating costs and meet customer product demands are abundant. Integrated mine planning considers geological, geotechnical, and hydrogeological issues; mine layout, design, and production sequencing; equipment selection and haulage productivity analyses; ventilation; material processing; facility needs; and, reclamation. We will use actual examples to discuss the importance and interconnected relationships between these factors and their impact on mine planning and operating performance, concluding with technical solutions and current best practices. These actual examples will offer significant insight into the importance of integrated mine planning and offer solutions for mine operators.

NIOSH Advanced Exposure Monitoring Approaches: Field-Based Respirable Crystalline Silica Analysis and Helmet-CAM
Emanuele Cauda and Andy Cecala, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Room 133
Two research efforts will be discussed to address lowering respirable crystalline silica exposures in the aggregates industry. First: a field-based respirable crystalline silica (RCS) monitoring approach that uses a portable instrument to analyze respirable dust samples. The approach allows the generation of RCS exposure data at the end of the shift by using a NIOSH developed software, FAST, empowering operators to more effectively implement methods to reduce overexposures. Second: a video-enhanced monitoring tool called Helmet-CAM to assess workers’ respirable dust exposure throughout the workday is used with a NIOSH-developed software (EVADE). This provides an easy-to-use interface for synchronizing video and exposure data and the accurate and efficient identification of key work behaviors, work areas, and processes that significantly impact workers’ dust exposures. By using both of these technologies during field studies, solutions were implemented and numerous examples were documented by NIOSH showing the lowering of workers’ RCS exposures.

Aggregate Testing 101
James Cox, Cemex Room 134
Gain a solid knowledge of rudimentary aggregate quality control testing procedures. We’ll discuss gradation, -#200, Finus Modulus, specific gravity, absorption and LA Abrasion. This session will also provide a demonstration of how best to store your data and evaluate performance using Process Behavior Measurement (SPC), monitor variability, predict future results and/or the need for change in the production process.

Aggregates Financials: Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask
Joel Galassini, Cemex Room 135
The financial statements are for accountants, right? Yet, many times we think that we have had a good month only to be disappointed by the final numbers. What happened? This class will provide the participants with a working understanding of the financial statements in actual terms that you can understand. From sales to production and inventory, the basic concepts will be covered and you will walk away with an understanding of how the money flows and how the bottom line is calculated.

Overcoming Safety Cop Culture: Practices to Move You from Enforcer to Ally
Justin Ganschow, Caterpillar Room 132
There is a spectrum of how safety is managed within organizations, from authoritarian to democratic, and all leaders play a role in shaping that culture. Whether we wear the title of “safety” or not, how we interact with others in situations regarding establishing safety expectations, performing audits or assessments of work practices, or responding after an incident forms perceptions about our character. It starts with understanding the biological reflexes of reacting to stressful or challenging safety situations and then adopting cerebral, intellectual habits that are more effective solutions. This presentation will share how to overcome a “safety cop” persona, balancing leadership with collaboration to help participants become trusted safety advisors and create a more engaged safety culture.

Maximizing Cone Crusher Performance
Mike Schultz, Superior Industries Room 130
Every producer wants peak crushing performance, but not every producer knows how to achieve it. Getting there may require just a few tweaks– or even a total rebuild. To remain at peak levels requires proactive maintenance practices, combined with expert consultation and continuing education. When operations truly maximize cone crusher performance, the perennial paybacks include lower cost per ton, greater plant uptime, increased production capacities of highly saleable material and reduced maintenance and wear costs.