On this episode of "Drilling Deeper," Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski share updates from the 72nd Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) Annual Meeting. Jack was down in San Antonio for the event and spoke with Dr. Anirban Basu, CEO of Sage Policy Group; Andrew Pinkerton, president of TACA; and Matt Arnold, TACA chairman and vice president of operations at Knife River. Basu explored the factors driving the construction industry economy of late, the exponential growth data cent...
Jun 30
56 min
Dave McCracken, technical sales director at Astec Industries, joined "Drilling Deeper" to offer insights into common – yet often hidden – issues that are costing aggregate operations time and money. The issues addressed in this episode are bottlenecks and equipment mismatches in production, how maintenance and downtime affect efficiency, how the operator experience impacts safety and performance, and lost value in wastes and fines. For each hidden loss, McCracken outlines how producers can ad...
Jun 16
46 min
Scott Alexander, now with Quikrete, has a long history in the aggregates industry. His son, Jason, followed in his footsteps in 2024, joining the industry on the manufacturing side with Kleemann. P&Q caught up with the two at the 2026 Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference, where Scott and Jason discussed the intersection of family and work in the aggregates industry. Our conversation traversed topics such as the workforce and technology, with the Alexanders each bringing a un...
Jun 2
43 min
In this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Superior Industries’ Riley Arndt and Joe Gibson to explore why the same conveyor problems keep coming back, and how a systems-based approach can finally break the cycle. Arndt and Gibson walk through six recurring pain points – material spillage, dust containment, material carryback, conveyor belt tracking, conveyor component failure and conveyor belt damage – showing how they’re connected symptoms of a...
May 19
57 min
FMI Capital Advisors’ George Reddin and Ogletree Deakins’ Bill Doran caught up with P&Q’s Kevin Yanik at the 2026 Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference to provide updates on the construction materials market and MSHA environment, respectively. Watch or listen to our one-on-one interviews with these P&Q contributors, as Reddin offers an assessment of construction markets, the M&A landscape and more. Doran, meanwhile, details what’s happening at the federal agency overseeing...
May 5
43 min
In this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Karen Thompson, president of Haver & Boecker Niagara, to explore how smarter screening can transform an aggregate operation’s bottom line. Thompson breaks down key trends in screening efficiency and uptime, from predictive and preventative maintenance to the growing role of AI, automation and condition monitoring in helping producers optimize existing plants before making big capital investme...
Apr 21
17 min
This episode takes listeners inside the 2026 Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference, recorded on-site at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski recorded this episode at the conclusion of the Roundtable to share key insights from aggregates industry leaders, as well as reflect on the conversations shaping the industry right now. The two co-hosts reflect on the content shared during the 2026 Roundtable from three event speakers: Evan Bender of t...
Apr 7
1 hr 9 min
On this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with PPI’s Tim Wolf to discuss the launch of Precision Composite Roller (PCR), a new composite idler roll option designed to tackle weight, corrosion and carryback challenges. Wolf explains how PCR delivers a 30 percent weight reduction while remaining fully load capable, with temperature stability that rivals steel and outperforms aluminum in both hot and cold climates. He also breaks down how the PCR...
Mar 24
30 min
A high-energy ConExpo-Con/Agg is in the books. P&Q’s Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski sat down toward the very end of the five-day show to share their experiences and detail some of the trends that permeated throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition, P&Q welcomed seven guests into its booth to capture their ConExpo-Con/Agg perspective and what stood out. This episode’s guests include: • Matt Dibble, Dibble Equipment (10:33-13:44) • Stephen Woodcock, Dibble Equ...
Mar 11
49 min
On this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Dominic Nasso and TJ Greene of Buffalo to talk about the company’s biggest ConExpo presence yet – and what that milestone says about where the brand is headed in 2026 and beyond. Nasso explains how Buffalo’s record-setting booth in Central Hall (#C31458) captures the brand’s evolution from a wire specialist to an all-encompassing solutions provider. He also previews what visitors can expect when t...
Feb 24
31 min
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