August 2, 2023

Higbie and Jenkins Join the 2023-2024 LEAP Class 

Asphalt Material’s Sales Representative Nate Jenkins and Heritage Research Group’s Senior Asphalt Research Chemist Campbell Higbie have joined the 2023-2024 LEAP Class. Nate Jenkins is a member of the Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI) sales team and has worked with the company since January 2014. Campbell began his career at The Heritage Group (THG) when he joined the Heritage Research Group (HRG) in March 2016 as a lab technician for the asphalt emulsion lab. In 2018, Higbie moved into a research and innovation role with HRG. This has allowed him to help AMI develop novel approaches in asphalt applications, specifically with emulsions.  

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Zoe BuhlCompany News, Our People
July 27, 2023

Happy National Intern Day!

Naarah Holloway contributed to this story.

Happy National Intern Day! Today we celebrate all our interns and the challenging work they do at The Heritage Group. We believe that the interns of today are the leaders of tomorrow! That said, we value our interns and want to ensure they gain the best experience by learning, growing, and fostering new relationships.  

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Zoe BuhlCommunity, Our People
July 24, 2023

AMI supplies high-quality materials for CCAP® in Morgan County, Indiana

Agencies are seeking cost-effective and sustainable solutions to make roads last longer. This is why the Heritage Research Group (HRG), Asphalt Materials Inc. (AMI), Milestone Contractors, and US Aggregates are all working together in a One HC+M project to figure out how to make the strongest, most sustainable, and cost-efficient asphalt mix in the Midwest region. One solution the team has found that is not only cost efficient, but sustainable and durable, is Cold-Construction Asphalt Pavement (CCAP®).  

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Zoe BuhlSustainability
July 19, 2023

Facility Spotlight: Serving the Road Industry in Wisconsin for more than 85 Years

Since 1935, H.G. Meigs has been involved in the Wisconsin road-building industry with products ranging from asphalt cement to asphalt emulsions. There are three locations Abbotsford, Eau Claire, and Portage. 

Meigs Transport has a dedicated truck fleet of over 40 vehicles which also includes several distributor trucks that are also available. The company strives to exceed customer expectations by providing high-quality products along with incomparable service.  

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Zoe BuhlCommunity, Our People
July 17, 2023

AMIGUARD™ RPE Helping Create Longer Lasting, Safer Roads in Monroe County

What is RPE?

It is important to plan ahead when considering pavement protection and preservation techniques. Proactive pavement protection is an infrastructure investment, but it can also help ensure safety for drivers. One important aspect of pavement preservation is to reduce air voids. When air voids are high, permeability is high, which adversely affects pavement life. This is why using a Rapid Penetrating Emulsion (RPE) soon after pavement construction can be a wise investment.

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Zoe BuhlSustainability
July 11, 2023

Happy National Air Traffic Control Day

National Air Traffic Control Day, July 6, is a day to recognize and appreciate the men and women who work hard to keep us safe in the skies! Air traffic controllers are responsible for ensuring safe flights by navigating, monitoring, and guiding aircrafts around airports throughout the United States. The next time you are on a flight, thank your flight attendant and pilot for all they do to keep us safe while travelling.

On this day, we highlight the work it takes to keep all aspects of air travel safe, including runway construction and maintenance. One such project recently took place at Coles County Memorial Airport (MTO). Just like many roads, airport runaways may experience longitudinal joint failure. When runways are poorly paved with insufficient materials, cracks can form over time. This is why it is important to apply a Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane (VRAM), such as J-Band®, to ensure a long-lasting, safe runway.

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Zoe BuhlIndustry News
June 26, 2023

18-Month Project Review Shows VRAM Significantly Reduces Permeability

After beginning in the Midwest in 2002, VRAM has now been used in 23 states and The District of Columbia. VRAM stands for Void-Reducing Asphalt Membrane. Pavement maintenance due to longitudinal joint cracking has long been a problem for not only road construction engineers and applicators but also drivers. VRAM fills air voids and significantly reduces permeability at the longitudinal joint and the area on each side of the joint.

Recently, West Virginia’s Division of Highways (WVDOH) has encountered the issue of high permeability at the longitudinal joint and subsequent failure of their asphalt pavements. Longitudinal joint issues can arise when hot and cold lanes fail to adequately bond with one another. WVDOH is responsible for constructing, reconstructing, and maintaining more than 35,000 miles of state roads. So, it is evident that the issue of high permeability can create big, expensive problems for their division of highways and taxpayers.

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Zoe BuhlIndustry News
June 14, 2023

Sara Pieroni Emphasizes the Importance of Blood Drives 

Donating blood is an incredibly important and life-saving act of kindness. It can help save the lives of those in need. Blood donations help to replenish the blood supply, and may help those who are critically ill, an accident victim, someone having surgery, or receiving a transplant. Our very own Sara Pieroni was a transplant recipient in 2022 and therefore has firsthand knowledge of how important blood donations can be.  

I will say this is what helped me when I had my transplant. I was getting blood infusions weekly for a month or so, and sometimes 3-5 times a day. This is awesome! Thanks for sharing how important it is to give blood if you can, you never know whose life you are saving and helping. I am SO very blessed to have a company that supports this and makes it easy for people to contribute. I never realized how important and HOW MANY people depend on blood from the banks. My whole entire family — aunts, uncles, and cousins — are all regular donors now. 

Thank you, TEAM AMI! 

#AMIThankful 

– Sara Pieroni 

Our team partners with Versiti Blood Centers for our quarterly blood drives in 2023, and the first was held on March 21, 2023. The AMI blood drives have positively affected our community. In 2022 we saved over 1,000 lives and since the start of the AMI Blood Drive in 2020, we have saved over 3,000 lives. Our goal this year is to save 1,500 lives.  

To learn more about how you can get involved, visit: www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/ 

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Zoe BuhlCommunity, Our People
June 13, 2023

Janik Reveals Employer Brand Insights at AEMA Annual Meeting 

Industry Leaders Gather to Share Best Practices 

Litchfield Park, Arizona. Thursday, March 2, 2023 

The future of our industry was at the forefront at the annual Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association (AEMA) meeting. Experts spoke on innovative topics that provided opportunities for members to improve their businesses, keep up to date on best practices, and connect with colleagues from across the industry. During the event, there were opportunities to recognize individuals and teams for excellence in asphalt recycling & reclaiming. 

Heritage Construction and Materials’ (HC+M) Chief Talent Officer Kierstin Janik was a featured presenter at this event. Several highlights of her presentation are noted below. 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) projects there will be approximately $550 billion of new infrastructure investments over the next decade. These projects will potentially create 3.2 million new jobs across the non-residential construction value chain. It is estimated that somewhere between 300,000 to 600,000 new construction workers are needed to fill the gap with projected peak needs in 2027-2028. 

In Indiana alone, there are predictions of 140,000 construction job openings by 2026 with more than 19,000 of those being highway construction jobs. 

One of the most important activities we should always remember is the importance of creating a positive work environment. The different aspects of a positive environment can include: 

  • Creating meaningful work 
  • Good work / life balance 
  • Investing in people 
  • Providing learning and development opportunities 
  • Creating a strong culture where inclusion and belonging matter 
  • Sharing of ideas about success stories and celebrating wins 

Being a Part of Women of Asphalt 

What inspired me to join WOA, and how has your involvement impacted your career in the industry? 

As a leader and talent professional, my involvement with Women of Asphalt is important to me on many levels.  I am highly committed to increasing diversity of all kinds in our construction and materials industry.  As businesses and an industry, we can’t afford not to!  To do that it is critical that women see our industry as a place where they belong and can thrive.  Women of Asphalt plays an important role in creating awareness to attract women into our industry as well as making resources and support accessible to women so that they can truly thrive.  

Personally, Women of Asphalt has helped me to connect with other talented women who are not only impressive in their respective functions – They are dedicated to this same mission.  They inspire me in so many ways! 

Kierstin Janik 

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Zoe BuhlOur People