Concrete Products

JAN 2016

Concrete Products covers the issues that attract producers of ready mixed and manufactured concrete focusing on equipment and material technology, market development and management topics.

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www.concreteproducts.com JANUARY 2016 • 9 Taking stock of highway and transit pro- gram funding levels in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, Portland Cement Association Chief Economist Ed Sul- livan sees minor increases in cement and concrete demand for FY 2016–2020. "FAST represents an average addition of 835,000 metric tons annually to the cement industry," he affirms. "Smaller increases occur in the near term, 370,000 tons for 2016, and larger net increases occur in the out years, [to] 1.4 million tons for 2020." FAST is seen largely as an improvement over the previous MAP-21, which expired in September. The new federal highway program has modestly higher funding levels and, with a nearly five-year horizon, positions states to plan multi-year projects. ROAD DOLLARS SPUR EQUIPMENT ACTIVITY An Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) analysis shows the significant economic impact the recently enacted Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act or FAST Act, will have on construction equipment distributors and manufacturers. AED's state-by-state pro- jection estimates the five-year, $305 billion bill, authorizing $207.4 billion for the core federal aid highway program, will generate more than $13 billion in equipment market activity (sales, rental and product support) nationwide through 2020 and support more than 4,000 dealership jobs each year. "The new analysis clearly illustrates what AED told lawmakers for almost a decade: restoring certainty to the federal highway program will yield positive economic bene- fits for equipment distributors, manufactur- ers and their employees," says AED President Brian McGuire. "Equipment distributors were decimated during the recession and recovery has been slow due to volatility surrounding federal infrastructure programs. The FAST Act will revive the industry, create jobs, and lay the groundwork for solid economic growth." AED's analysis is based on a study in which George Mason University Professor Stephen Fuller determines each dollar spent on roads generates, on average, 6.4 cents in construc- tion equipment market activity. Restoring the Highway Trust Fund's solvency has long been AED's top legislative priority. The associa- tion strongly supported the FAST Act and will work with policymakers to identify real and sustainable revenue streams to increase and stabilize the federal Highway Trust Fund for decades to come. GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS LEGISLATION • Expands funding available for bridges off the National Highway System. • Streamlines the environmental review and permitting process to accelerate project approvals, without sacrificing environmen- tal protections. • Eliminates or consolidates at least six sepa- rate offices within the Department of Trans- portation and establishes a National Sur- face Transportation and Innovative Finance Bureau to help states, local governments, and the private sector with project delivery. • Increases transparency by requiring the Department of Transportation to provide project-level information to Congress and the public. • Promotes the deployment of transportation technologies and congestion management. • Encourages installation of vehicle-to-infra- structure equipment to improve congestion and safety. BILL BOLSTERS CEMENT SHIPMENT GROWTH ® Acti Gel 2 0 8 - is Your Solution. Acti-Gel® 208 is a low-dose rheology modifer and mix stabilizer that dramatically improves the performance of concretes. What's Your Problem? What's Your Problem? Segregation Poor Adhesion Lack of Cohesion Bleed Permeability Shape Stability Formwork Pressure Silica Fume Eforescence Hose Lock-Ups High Pump Pressure Active Minerals International 34 Loveton Circle, Suite 100, Sparks, MD 21152 U.S.A. www.acti-gel.com Eliminates Segregation Improves Mix Stability Enhances Pumpability info@activeminerals.com 410-512-4130 Visit us at Booth S12729

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