NSSGA's Blog on the Rocks is a collection of news, insights and perspectives all about the aggregates industry. From stories about sustainability and community involvement to stories about advocacy and legislation, read on to hear from NSSGA staff and members.
Content is King in St. Louis: Annual Convention Keynotes & AGG1 Academy Highlights
By Jen Dugas, NSSGA
(March/April 2025)
The content lineup at NSSGA's Annual Convention and AGG1 is full of interesting and useful topics for the aggregates industry. Annual Convention keynote speakers include Dr. Helena Boschi, a CEO roundtable and Archie Manning. The AGG1 Academy will offer sessions on operations, safety, sustainability, and leadership. Don't miss out!
By Kerry Lynch, NSSGA
(January/February 2025)
This new year is a milestone for the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association. 2025 is the 25th anniversary of its founding by the mutual agreement and merger of the boards of the National Stone Association (NSA) and the National Aggregates Association (NAA). NSSGA is proud to celebrate this anniversary throughout this next year with all our members by showcasing our past achievements which we will build on for the future.
The Strength of Our Industry Lies in the Strength of Our Workforce
By Evan Bender, NSSGA
(January/February 2025)
The aggregates industry faces a historic workforce shortage, as operators experience increasing challenges in recruiting and retaining the aggregates workforce of tomorrow. The demand for construction materials remains strong, driven by infrastructure projects and urban expansion. Yet, the industry is grappling with a skills gap exacerbated by retirement, a shrinking labor pool and changing workforce expectations.
2024 Legislative Recap: Implications for the Aggregates Industry
By Evan Bender, NSSGA
(November/December 2024)
Change is coming to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 3, 2025. The beginning of the 119th Congress will bring dozens of freshmen lawmakers into office. President Biden will leave office on Jan. 20, making way for a new administration. NSSGA is already discussing legislation that will be considered like tax reform and surface transportation reauthorization. But before we look ahead to next year, let’s take a moment to review the policies that advanced this year that have significant implications for the future of the aggregates industry.
AGG1 Academy 2025: A Look Ahead
By Catherine Whalen, NSSGA
(November/December 2024)
The 2025 AGG1 Academy & Expo, March 25-27 in St. Louis, promises to deliver an expanded educational program, reflecting the aggregates industry’s evolving needs. This year’s curriculum focuses more on classes in the Business and People Management track, leadership skills and cutting-edge technologies while continuing to offer foundational technical training.
Q&A with Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY)
by Reid Dagul
(September/October 2024)
NSSGA's Government Affairs staff is excited to present a Q&A with Representative Marc Molinaro of New York. This interview covers Rep. Molinaro's perspective on the aggregates industry, his experience as a legislator and public servant, his focus in Congress and more.
Gearing Up for LPF – Policy Positions
By Evan Bender
(September/October 2024)
The Annual NSSGA Legislative & Policy Forum (LPF) gives our members a valuable opportunity to advocate for the industry and leave a lasting impression on policymakers. While the NSSGA government affairs team frequently meets with members of Congress and their staff, nothing is more powerful than having you, as constituents and industry operators, advocate in the halls of Congress.
Aggregates in the Low-Carbon Transportation Material Market
by Hadi Rashidi
(July/August 2024)
The construction industry is increasingly focused on sustainability, and aggregate producers play a crucial role in the supply chain. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes provisions that strongly encourage and facilitate the development and use of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for essential construction materials, such as concrete, asphalt, steel and glass, indirectly affecting aggregate producers through their primary markets: asphalt and concrete.
By Libby Pritchard
(July/August 2024)
In pursuing cost efficiency and sustainability, industries increasingly turn to renewable energy sources. Among these, solar energy is an up-and-coming solution for the aggregates industry. To learn more, I caught up with Ed Rottmann, CEO of Chroma Energy Group, who founded the company after over a decade with Caterpillar, getting to know the aggregates industry and its energy needs.
Q&A with M&S Division Chair Mark Krause
By Madalynn Habron
(May/June 2024)
At the NSSGA Annual Convention, Mark Krause of McLanahan Corporation began his tenure as the Manufacturers & Services (M&S) Division Chair. Outgoing Chair Charlie Johnson of DSC Dredge LLC handed over the gavel at the M&S Members’ Dinner.
By Kerry Lynch
(May/June 2024)
Jim Nickolas was announced as the new Board Chair for NSSGA during the Annual Board and Membership Meeting at the 2024 Annual Convention in Nashville. Nickolas is the Executive Vice President and CFO of Martin Marietta, an NSSGA member and supplier of building materials with more than 450 locations spanning 28 states, Canada and the Bahamas.
MSHA’s New Powered Haulage Rule Hits July 17—Are You Ready?
By Libby Pritchard
(March/April 2024)
In Fall of 2021, MSHA proposed a new rule: Safety Program for Surface Mobile Equipment, with the goal of decreasing incidents after a rash of fatalities associated with mobile equipment in the years preceding. But in an industry as diverse as mining, where every facility does things their own unique way to fit their operation, any approach to mobile equipment safety could not be one-size-fits-all.
NSSGA’s Advocacy Agenda for the 118th Congress: Shaping the Future of Aggregates
By Reid Dagul
(March/April 2024)
As the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) gears up for the second session of the 118th Congress, our focus sharpens on critical legislative and policy initiatives that will shape the future of the aggregates industry. This year, our advocacy efforts are more robust than ever, aligning with our mission to support infrastructure development, improve transportation systems and ensure the sustainability of our industry.
By Madalynn Habron
(January/February 2024)
There's a lot of content online. These days, it seems like every business has social media accounts and there is no indication that this method of communication is slowing down. With all these people posting, how can you and your team make sure that your content ends up on the screens of your intended audience? One answer can be to focus your efforts on social media storytelling.
Q&A with Rogers Group Inc.—Reostone Quarry—2023 Platinum Community Relations Award Winner
By Allison Boshears
(January/February 2024)
What is the most memorable community relations project that Reostone Quarry has taken on?
In 2010, Nashville experienced a historic flood causing incredible damage across the city. This extensive damage included the failure of a natural barrier separating Richland Creek from RGI’s Reostone Quarry. In just five hours, the failure turned the quarry pit into a 42-acre lake, washing away the creek bottom, the rock barrier and fissures, two truck sewer lines, and the quarry wall supporting the road in its wake.
ESG: Capitalism Refocused or Run Amok? Depends Who You Ask
By Elizabeth Boucher Dawson and Felicia Isaac
(November/December 2023)
When the acronym "ESG" was coined two decades ago, the drafters may not have anticipated just how much their linking together three seemingly-disparate risk factors—environmental, social and governance—and asserting they should be incorporated into investment decision-making, would capture the corporate domain. Reflecting the heightened attention to stakeholder capitalism, ESG has provoked an acute debate in Congress, state governments and abroad.
Improving Reclamation Efforts Through Nature-Based Solutions
By Joey Mendolia
(November/December 2023)
There is a growing need for sustainable practices that balance the aggregates industry’s operational requirements with ecological conservation. Enter Nature-based Solutions—a transformative approach that not only improves reclamation efforts but also benefits local communities and biodiversity for future generations.
The Continuing Impact of the Opioid Crisis on the Construction and Aggregates Industry
By Cal Beyer and Brand Newland
(September/October 2023)
NSSGA has provided resources to help companies understand the opioid crisis plaguing the nation since the late 1990s. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the number of overdose deaths have more than doubled in the past five years. Seventy percent of these deaths are attributed to opioids, with 75 percent of all opioid deaths due to synthetics, especially fentanyl.
ROCKPAC is Integral to Our Success
By Laura Henry
(September/October 2023)
Over the past few years, many of you have seen the huge policy victories we have achieved on behalf of the aggregates industry. These victories include: passage of IIJA that included the ROCKS Act and aggregates exclusion to Buy America requirements for construction materials; continuously having our industry represented in front of Congress and the administration as we worked to achieve a more favorable outcome to the WOTUS rule; preventing federal land withdrawals that impact aggregates development; extensive appropriations wins that promote usage of our materials; reforms to environmental laws that speed up permitting for the first time in 40 years; and fought back against mass-timber-industry-driven federal mandates that would give them market advantages.
Q&A with Rep. Garret Graves (LA-6)
By Reid Dagul
(July/August 2023)
In our continued exploration of the individuals shaping our nation’s policies, we are excited to present an in-depth Q&A with Representative Garret Graves of Louisiana. An influential force in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Graves has devoted his career to public service and the betterment of his home state.
By Martin Willoughby
(July/August 2023)
There's a misconception that leaders must have all the answers. There have been many times where I’ve observed other individuals in executive and managerial roles assume that people look to them for answers, so they make bold assertions to build confidence in their competence. I’ll let you in on a little secret—it’s okay to not have the answers. Part of being a leader is asking powerful, inspiring questions, and soliciting other’s help—whether that is your team, those you manage, or those you serve—to find answers. Being "question-animals" and thinking together can put you on the path to solving intractable problems and sparking innovative thinking.
NSSGA’s 2023 Chair Seth Hankowski is Ready to Lead
By Kerry Lynch
(May/June 2023)
In March, at the NSSGA Annual Membership Meeting and Board of Directors Meeting, Seth Hankowski of All States Materials Group took the reins of the NSSGA Leadership as the 2023 Board Chair. Based in western Massachusetts, All States Materials Group is a building materials and construction company, focusing on aggregates, HMA, concrete and liquid asphalt.
Young Leaders’ Perspectives on Safety
By Libby Pritchard
(May/June 2023)
Current Young Leaders Chair Ericka Baxter and incoming chair Clay Albright share how they engage in safety, the role of young leaders and their best advice to stay healthy and safe on the job. Thanks so much for sharing your insights, Ericka and Clay!
Wait For It… A Quarry Community 150 Years in the Making
By Libby Pritchard
(March/April 2023)
On it surface, Quarry Lake at Greenspring is the model of a modern, vibrant, mixed-use development. The main road into the 270-acre community is flanked on one side by boutique shops, restaurants and offices; on the other side is a park, a lake with a walking trail and homes atop a ridge. However, when you dig a little deeper into the development’s past, you will find it has a unique story to tell and is far more than just another modern development.
Cheap Media, Expensive Problems
By Lars Bräunling
(March/April 2023)
With proposed infrastructure programs being discussed to offset the economic impacts of COVID-19, aggregate materials could see a spike in demand. This progression can lead to increased profits for mineral processing operations. However, maximizing efficiency to capitalize on this opportunity requires the right equipment. It is critical that operations evaluate their process flow and equipment selection routinely to ensure they are using the best tools for the job. Screen media selection, for example, is an often-overlooked factor that can have a significant impact on overall efficiency.
Connecting With Your Workforce Online
By Madalynn Habron
(January/February 2023)
There are 4.7 billion social media users around the world, and that number is only growing. These users are not just individuals, but also corporations and organizations that are trying to expand their digital presence. With more people connecting online, businesses are using social media channels to reach existing and new audiences.
Putting in the Work for Workforce
By Libby Pritchard and Catherine Whalen
(January/February 2023)
The current workforce challenges facing the aggregates industry can be summed up with three Rs: recruitment, retention and retirement.
