Year in Review: 2017 CEMEX Aggregates Activities - Year in Review: 2017 CEMEX Aggregates Activities - CEMEX USA
It’s been a busy and productive year for our aggregates team, with our 50 quarries across our CEMEX USA operations. As we look forward to continued success and exciting projects in the new year, we want to highlight some of our favorite achievements and photos from 2017.
This year, CEMEX USA announced an expansion of its Southern California network with plans for a state-of-the-art rail-served distribution terminal in Los Angeles and a new aggregate loading system at its quarry in Victorville, Calif. to bring high-quality aggregates to metro Los Angeles and surrounding communities. Construction at the Victorville Quarry is wrapping up and the rail line and distribution terminal is expected to be operational next year.
The CEMEX USA Lytle Creek Quarry near Rialto, Calif. received the 2017 California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA) Excellence in Safety Award in the large aggregates category for the Quarry’s focus to safety. CalCIMA also honored Gary Clay, fleet maintenance manager – west region, with the “Spirit of the Industry” award for demonstrating professional core values of integrity, leadership and commitment.
From left to right: Matthew Branstetter, director of aggregates operations – west region aggregates; Rick Vasquez, Lytle Creek aggregates plant manager; Augustus Gonzalez, health & safety manager – west region; and Darin Janikowski, Southern California area aggregates manager; Photo credit: CEMEX
CEMEX’s Balcones Quarry continued funding of a series of hands-on educator workshops that promote protection and conservation of the Edwards Aquifer near San Antonio, Texas, via a $45,000 donation. This was the second of three-annual donations supporting the Edwards Aquifer Conservancy (EAC)-led CEMEX Educator Excursion Series program. EAC supports and benefits the Edwards Aquifer and its surrounding habitat located in Bexar and Comal Counties.
Photo credit: Edwards Aquifer Conservancy
The U.S. Geological Survey included three CEMEX quarries in its list of top 25 crushed stone operations in its latest rankings, with the Balcones Quarry in New Braunfels, Tex., ranking number one in the U.S. for production volume. FEC Quarry in Miami ranked fourth, and Krome Quarry in Florida ranked 21st. The Balcones Quarry is a leader in providing crushed stone for aggregates projects in the growing state, producing approximately 10-12 million tons of limestone materials each year. FEC Quarry in Florida supplies crushed stone across Florida for new buildings and critical roads. Earlier this year, the National Stone Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) named FEC Quarry as a Bronze Community Relations Award winner.
Balcones Quarry; Photo credit: CEMEX
FEC Quarry in Miami; Photo credit: CEMEX
Representatives from CEMEX USA hosted dozens of aggregates industry experts at the Balcones Quarry in New Braunfels, Texas, as part of the annual Quarry Academy® educational seminar presented by Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology and Dyno Nobel. The more than 130 Academy participants received an up-close look at the new fully automated and highly efficient aggregates wash plant at Balcones Quarry along with the facility’s new high-performance water recycle and fines recovery plant, which has decreased the company’s reliance on water from local aquifer sources by 90 percent.
Photo credit: CEMEX
The Lytle Creek Quarry hosted the 4th annual Run Around the Rocks Event, drawing nearly 300 participants from Rialto, Calif., and surrounding communities. The 5k walk/run event benefited the Rialto Unified School District’s STEM program.
Photo credit: CEMEX
CEMEX USA continued to foster its 15-year partnership with Belen Jesuit’s Rowing Team for the 2017-2018 athletic year. The CEMEX SCL Quarry has provided an ideal practice location for the award-winning team, storage for equipment, onsite electricity in shared facilities and initiation of repairs in support of Belen Jesuit Athletics since 2002.
Photo credit: CEMEX