Category: Top Story
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What Is VRAM? Void-Reducing Asphalt Membranes for Joint Longevity
In the past three years I’ve visited a fair number of jobsites to see how blacktop crews do a lot of what they do on a day-to-day basis. However, I haven’t undergone a lot of what I think of as “formal” training. Thankfully, last year I connected with Shelly & Sands, a large road work…
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Caterpillar Unveils Next Generation Cat 140 Lever Motor Grader at PWX 2025
At this year’s Public Works Expo, Caterpillar introduced its new Cat 140 Lever Motor Grader (140 LVR), giving attendees a first look at a machine designed to merge traditional operator preferences with cutting-edge technology. “This machine is an all-new ground up design for us,” said Eric Kohout, product application specialist for motor graders at Caterpillar,…
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No Shortcuts: Why Safety Is the Main Route in Road Construction
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August marks the final push of the summer, when, if you’re not on holiday, you’re gearing up for those last few weeks of long hours finishing those projects that need to get done before the fall freeze. For roadbuilders, it can be an especially hectic time as projects are kicked into overdrive to meet seasonal…
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From Precast to Printed: A Guide to Modern Residential Concrete Construction
Concrete is no longer just a niche material in residential construction. As natural disasters become more frequent and severe, the shortcomings of traditional wood-framed homes are being laid bare. The facts are clear: from 2020 to 2024, the U.S. saw 115 different weather events where the damage exceeded a billion dollars. That is up from…
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What Your City Wants Paving Contractors To Know About Public Works
If you work in the blacktop industry long enough, you may eventually find yourself exploring some money making opportunities beyond the confines of the private commercial properties market. The good news is that there are usually a lot of different types of jobs that you can bid on in the public sector. While it is…
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U.S. Army Awards Five-Year Contract for Mack Defense M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks
The U.S. Army has awarded Mack Defense a five-year contract worth up to $221.8 million for continued production of the M917A3 Heavy Dump Truck (HDT). The agreement, announced June 24, 2025, covers up to 450 vehicles and follows the completion of the initial 2018 contract. The M917A3 HDT supports the Army, Army Reserve, and National…
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AI, Asset Management, And ROI Dominate At PWX 2025
Last week in downtown Chicago, public works professionals from across the country converged at the McCormick Convention Center for the 2025 Public Works Expo (PWX). Every year this show houses products, equipment, and education for people who’s job it is to manage the local infrastructure you use every day. Whether that’s in a large metro…
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Covering Tariffs in Concrete: State of the Concrete Industry
Peter Bigwood, general manager at Mecalac North America, shares his insight into the state of the concrete industry and the challenges contractors are managing daily. Concrete Contractor connected with Bigwood over email in June 2025. Q. What have been the biggest challenges for concrete contractor suppliers so far in 2025? Peter BigwoodMecalac North AmericaThe usual…
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Growth & Contracting: State of the Concrete Industry
In 2025, not all concrete work is created equal; some segments are booming, others are pulling back. Segments in concrete construction seeing growth are in infrastructure and civil projects; data centers and advanced manufacturing; and tilt-up and precast. Public funding, digital infrastructure needs, and long-term demographic shifts are fueling growth. Meanwhile, high interest rates, evolving…
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We’re Busy, Just not as we Were: State of the Concrete Industry
Dirk Tharpe, territory sales manager at Oldcastle APG — makers of Sakrete and Amerimix, shares his insight into the state of the concrete industry and the challenges contractors are managing daily. Concrete Contractor connected with Tharpe over email in June 2025. Q. What have been the biggest challenges for concrete contractors so far in 2025?…