The Chronicle Herald Saturday, July 18, 2009 E1 NOVA SCOTIA ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATION PAST PRESIDENTS 20009491 * Dr. H.W.L. Doane * D.F. MacIsaac * W.P. Bickle * G.C. Hault * O.H. Norman * M.H. McManus * R.S. Parsons * F.C. Hudson * J.D. Harnett * H.H. Latimer * D.R. MacKay * W.W. Spicer * L.H. Langley H.W. Doane * A.O. Parsons D.W. Latimer * J.S. Stevens * J.A. Domville * C.A. Maier * R.K. Chappell * L.D. Hopkins * P.W. Ross * J.T. Douglas * F.A. Martell R.E. Bayard A.M. Dechman * R.F. Titus R.G. Steed J.G. Flemming * S.W. Weeks Dave MacKenna * Vic Lunn John Chisholm * Dan Arbing Eric Barker Haluk Alemdar Aubrey Martell Tim McSorley * Gerry Holle Elmer Thomas Fred Benere Jack Eisener Greg Burke D.J. Campbell Cecil Vance Ron Legere Gary Rudolph Ken Thomas Barry Hunter John Flemming Wally Caldwell Carl Baillie Don Maillet Paul White www.nsrba.ca For NSRBA Membership and other information, please call 450-1433 *Deceased www.nsrba.ca NOVA SCOTIA ROAD NOVA SCOTIA ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATION BUILDERS ASSOCIATION special advertising feature 20009518 F OR MOST PEOPLE, and in many industries, infra- structure improvement is little more than a vague concept — an endeavour that everyone agrees is necessary and important, but one that someone else has to accomplish. In the road building industry, however, infrastructure renewal is quite literally where the rubber meets the road. In this industry, it’s not just a catch phrase; it’s a literal reality, a day to day respon- sibility. “Every single day in Nova Sco- tia, in every corner of the prov- ince, from small communities to large urban centres, people in road building are hard at work helping to maintain and improve the province’s most basic infra- structure, for the betterment of everyone,” says Ken Thomas, president of the Nova Scotia Road Builders Association (NSRBA). “The improvements they make to our roads and bridges are sometimes overlooked,” says Thomas, “but they’re ones we all utilize and benefit from every day. Roads are an integral part of our transportation system; they im- pact everything we do, from where we go, to how we get food on the table — they’re essential.” Road building is also a key driver of the Nova Scotia econo- my. The industry is one of the province’s largest employers, representing a wide cross section of professions and trades. The sector employs more than 7,500 people annually, with an estimat- ed payroll of $375 million. Represented by the NSRBA, the road building industry is made up of 140 member compa- nies engaged in road, bridge, heavy civil, marine, and sewer and water main construction. Founded in 1947, the association and its members play an integral part in building the province, it roads, and its crucial infra- structure components. Road building work has a long and storied history in Nova Sco- tia, going back more than a centu- ry and today the industry remains strong and healthy and is one of province’s most modern and progressive sectors. The NSRBA works with gov- ernment to standardize road building processes and develop environmental and safety regu- lations. The association also partners with other local industry associations and educational institutions to develop training programs. The NSRBA recently hired a new executive director and is undertaking a new long-term strategic plan. The process is aimed at making amendments to old bylaws and preparing the industry for the next decade. The NSRBA’s president, Ken Thomas, says road building has an exciting future in Nova Scotia, with a projected increase in em- ployment and more work expect- ed in the public sector resulting from infrastructure renewal pro- grams announced by federal and provincial governments. The key challenges ahead, says Thomas, will be replacing retiring skilled trades people and training enough people to do the work Joseph Robichaud Photography Road building is a key driver of the Nova Scotia economy. The industry is one of the province’s largest employers, representing a wide cross section of professions and trades. The sector employs more than 7,500 people annually, with an estimated payroll of $375 million. Road building key component of N.S. economy Bonnie Bobryk Photography The 2009 NSRBA board of directors are (front, left to right): Rylan MacDow, Ron Dunn, Andrew Lake and Pat Gray. Back, left to right: Brad Scott, vice president; Ken Thomas, president; Paul White, past president; Carol Ingraham; John Flemming; Grant Feltmate, executive director; and Donald Chisholm. Missing from photo: Marcel Poitras, Trevor Chisholm, and Troy Nauss. By Ken Cashin Special Features Writer See KEN THOMAS / E2
Transcript
The Chronicle Herald Saturday, July 18, 2009 E1
NOVA SCOTIA ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATIONPAST PRESIDENTS
R.G. Steed J.G. Flemming* S.W. Weeks Dave MacKenna* Vic Lunn John Chisholm* Dan Arbing Eric Barker Haluk Alemdar
Aubrey Martell Tim McSorley* Gerry Holle Elmer Thomas Fred Benere Jack Eisener Greg Burke D.J. Campbell Cecil Vance
Ron Legere Gary Rudolph Ken Thomas Barry Hunter John Flemming Wally Caldwell Carl Baillie Don Maillet Paul White
www.nsrba.ca
For NSRBA Membership andother information, please call 450-1433
*Deceased
www.nsrba.ca
NOVA SCOTIA ROAD NOVA SCOTIA ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATIONBUILDERS ASSOCIATION sp
ecia
l adv
erti
sing
fea
ture
20009518
FOR MOST PEOPLE, and inmany industries, infra-structure improvement islittle more than a vague
concept — an endeavour thateveryone agrees is necessary andimportant, but one that someoneelse has to accomplish.
In the road building industry,however, infrastructure renewalis quite literally where the rubbermeets the road. In this industry,it’s not just a catch phrase; it’s aliteral reality, a day to day respon-sibility.
“Every single day in Nova Sco-tia, in every corner of the prov-ince, from small communities tolarge urban centres, people inroad building are hard at workhelping to maintain and improvethe province’s most basic infra-structure, for the betterment ofeveryone,” says Ken Thomas,president of the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association(NSRBA).
“The improvements they maketo our roads and bridges aresometimes overlooked,” saysThomas, “but they’re ones we allutilize and benefit from every day.Roads are an integral part of ourtransportation system; they im-pact everything we do, fromwhere we go, to how we get foodon the table — they’re essential.”
Road building is also a keydriver of the Nova Scotia econo-my. The industry is one of theprovince’s largest employers,representing a wide cross sectionof professions and trades. The
sector employs more than 7,500people annually, with an estimat-ed payroll of $375 million.
Represented by the NSRBA,the road building industry ismade up of 140 member compa-
nies engaged in road, bridge,heavy civil, marine, and sewerand water main construction.Founded in 1947, the associationand its members play an integralpart in building the province, it
roads, and its crucial infra-structure components.
Road building work has a longand storied history in Nova Sco-tia, going back more than a centu-ry and today the industry remainsstrong and healthy and is one ofprovince’s most modern andprogressive sectors.
The NSRBA works with gov-ernment to standardize roadbuilding processes and developenvironmental and safety regu-lations. The association alsopartners with other local industryassociations and educationalinstitutions to develop trainingprograms.
The NSRBA recently hired anew executive director and isundertaking a new long-termstrategic plan. The process isaimed at making amendments toold bylaws and preparing theindustry for the next decade.
The NSRBA’s president, KenThomas, says road building hasan exciting future in Nova Scotia,with a projected increase in em-ployment and more work expect-ed in the public sector resultingfrom infrastructure renewal pro-grams announced by federal andprovincial governments.
The key challenges ahead, saysThomas, will be replacing retiringskilled trades people and trainingenough people to do the work
Joseph Robichaud Photography
Road building is a key driver of the Nova Scotia economy. The industry is one of the province’s largest employers, representing a wide cross section of professions andtrades. The sector employs more than 7,500 people annually, with an estimated payroll of $375 million.
Road building key component of N.S. economy
Bonnie Bobryk Photography
The 2009 NSRBA board of directors are (front, left to right): Rylan MacDow, Ron Dunn, AndrewLake and Pat Gray. Back, left to right: Brad Scott, vice president; Ken Thomas, president; PaulWhite, past president; Carol Ingraham; John Flemming; Grant Feltmate, executive director; andDonald Chisholm. Missing from photo: Marcel Poitras, Trevor Chisholm, and Troy Nauss.
By Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
See KEN THOMAS / E2
E2 Saturday, July 18, 2009 The Chronicle Herald
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coming down the pipeline. He says thatalthough road building offers rewarding,good paying jobs and a diverse range ofcareer choices, fewer young people seemto be getting into it.
“The demographic is changing,” saysThomas. “Traditionally, our workforce hascome from rural areas, but today a lot ofyoung people are moving into the urbancentres, looking for office jobs and workin other industries.”
Thomas says the NSRBA has undertak-en a number of initiatives to meet thelabour needs of the future. He points outthat Dexter Construction has partnered
with the Nova Scotia Community College(NSCC) to create the Dexter Institute, atwo-year heavy construction program thattrains people for careers in road buildingand construction.
He adds that, together with the N.S.Department of Education, NSCC and theConstruction Association of Nova Scotia(CANS), the NSRBA is involved with aprogram called Building Futures for Youth,which allows Grade 11 students to explorea career in road building through a sum-mer education and work program.
“We’re trying to show young people thatroad building is an excellent career choice,with lots of employment opportunitiesdown the road,” says Thomas. “It’s alsovery rewarding work. At the end of the dayyou can look over your shoulder and seewhat you’ve done.”
Ken Thomascontinued from / E1
The Nova Scotia Asphalt UserProducer Association is contin-uing to share more informationabout developments in the asphaltindustry with its members acrossthe province, says Mike Deering,the association’s chair.
On April 15, more than 300participants attended their secondsuccessful Spring Seminar held atthe Holiday Inn Harbourview,which was supported by morethan 20 industry sponsors.
“The seminar covered topicsfrom asphalt plants to placingasphalt on the road,” says Deering.“Our speakers were both local andfrom the U.S. covering a broadspectrum of the industry to tryand have a little bit of somethingfor everyone.”
The Nova Scotia Asphalt UserProducer Association is made upof contractors, government em-ployees, suppliers, consultantsand educators. There are currently19 members of the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders participating in thegroup. Producer members include:Aberdeen Paving, Basin Contract-ing, Costin Paving, Dexter Con-struction, Highland Asphalt,Ocean Contractors, Ocean Paving,S.W. Weeks Construction, Will-Kare Paving, Industrial Cold Mill-ing, Roto Mill Services. Suppliermembers include Atlantic Tractors& Equipment, Aggregate Equip-ment, McAsphalt Industries, Impe-rial Oil, Santon Equipment,Strongco, Wallace Equipment andWilson Equipment.
“Technology in the asphaltindustry is changing as rapidly aswe’re willing to let it,” says Deer-ing. “The specifications are gettingstricter so we have to keep upwith the demand of governmentagencies and we need the tech-nology to do that. We try to makeeverybody aware of the advance-ment of technology out there. Twoof those technologies are hot mixrecycled asphalt and warm-mix
asphalt and we had speakers onboth of those subjects this April.”
Hot mix asphalt recycling istechnology that involves pro-cessing the old asphalt off theroad and mixing it in with the newbefore putting it back down on theroad. A few trial projects weredone in Nova Scotia last year andDeering says there will be moreasphalt recycling projects thissummer.
Another technology involvingrecycling asphalt pavement hap-pens at the road itself. Both CIR(cold in place) and FDR (fulldepth reclamation) are both tech-nologies to reuse and rehabilitatethe existing asphalt pavement inplace on site. Recycled asphaltreduces 10 to 25 per cent of thevirgin material used by introduc-ing the recycled asphalt into theconventional hot mix asphalt atthe asphalt plant. Currently, as-phalt is the most recycled productin the world.
“We’re on the edge of that tech-nology right now and hopefully afew contractors will try it thisyear,” he says.
Warm-mix asphalt is the new‘green technology,’ made by low-ering the temperature duringmanufacturing but using a verysimilar process to conventionalhot mix asphalt.
“This reduces emissions,” saysDeering, “but there haven’t been alot of long-term studies regardingwarm mix asphalt and how itperforms long term. It’s the new-est asphalt technology and webrought people in to speak aboutit to make sure we were informedas much a we can be about it.”
Deering says the association’sgoal is to help everyone makebetter asphalt.
“If something is working,” hesays, “we should all be doing it.Better asphalt improves every-thing from safety on the roads toroad quality itself. That’s our goal.We’re just at the starting point ofgetting everyone together to worktowards a common goal.”
N.S. Asphalt User ProducerAssociation hosts its secondsuccessful spring seminarBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
Who we are...� Founded in 1947, NSRBArepresents contractors work-ing in Nova Scotia who areengaged in road, bridge, heavy-civil, marine, sewer and watermain construction. The in-terests of suppliers to theindustry are met through asso-ciate membership.� NSRBA is the only organ-ization representing the roadbuilding sector in N.S.� Our 140 member companiesdirectly and indirectly employapproximately 7,500 individu-als annually.� Our work impacts signif-icantly on the service andsupply industry.� We are distinct from theconstruction industry; we haveunique working conditions andneeds.
Industry realties...� Our sector is highly compet-itive.� The industry is seasonal.Early tender calls are criticalto timely tender completion.� Safety is a top priority for theindustry.
� Employees are highly valued.� They expect, wish and areoften required to work longhours.� They are often away fromhome for extended periods.� They originate from bothrural and urban communities;from every county, town andvillage in the province.� Their payroll and benefitssubstantially exceed minimumstandards.
Spin-offs of road building...� Approximately 7,500 per-sons, directly and indirectlyearning an estimated $375million in wages, are employedannually by the sector; andthese numbers will grow asfunding increases.� Economic benefits accrue tocommunities and familiesacross N.S.� Goods and services requiredby contractors are purchasedlocally wherever possible,assisting small businessesprovince wide.� Improves sustainability ofNova Scotia’s rural communi-ties and businesses.
Nova Scotia Road Builders Association facts
Raising your profile and gettingyour message out is important forpractically every association, as ithelps you grow and improve,better serve your members, andachieve your goals.
New executive director of theNova Scotia Road Builders Asso-ciation (NSRBA) Grant Feltmatesays a key focus will be to pro-mote greater awareness of whatthe association does and highlightthe significant role it plays indriving the Nova Scotia economy.
The NSRBA’s executive direc-tor position was formally createdin October, 2008. Similar to otherroad building associations inCanada, the position provides aconsistent point of contact for itsmembers and important industrystakeholders. The executivedirector’s main responsibility is tocarry out the mandate providedby the board of directors.
“Our 140 member companiescreate a huge amount of em-ployment in the province — 7,500jobs annually with an estimated$375 million in wages,” says Felt-mate. “We’re also major purchas-ers of Nova Scotia products andservices.
However, we feel that knowl-edge of our industry’s significancecould be much better and we’reworking hard to change that.”
As a result of the new publicrelations campaign, the associ-ation recently revamped its Website, aiming to enhance its profileand make available better onlineservices to its members. The siteboasts a colourful, sharp newlook, better functionality, andincludes an improved member-ship directory.
Other new initiatives are alsounderway. The NSRBA is workingwith the provincial government toaddress the industry’s long-termlabour needs in critical areassuch as accurate labour market
information specific to roadbuilding.
The industry is also estab-lishing industry-specific trainingprograms with local educationalinstitutions like Nova ScotiaCommunity College.
“We expect lots of employmentopportunities in the comingyears,” says Feltmate. “We’retaking a proactive approach todealing with the anticipated de-mand.”
Another key focus, says Felt-mate, has been the developmentof a new strategic planning pro-cess to help direct the associationgoing forward. He adds that theNSRBA has also improved com-munications with the other prov-inces to address common issuesin the industry.
Helping organizations gain aclear picture of where they wantto go and find the best way to getthere is something Feltmate hasdone many times before, havingdirected a number of significantassociations through successfulstrategic planning.
With over 20 years of consult-ing experience and a broad rangeof exposure to private industry,associations and government,Feltmate is a steady hand on thewheel at an important time in theNSRBA’s history. He says theindustry finds itself in an unusualsituation right now, with theeconomic downturn on the onehand and, on the other hand, anew emphasis on infrastructurespending by all levels of govern-ment.
“This has resulted in muchlarger than usual governmentspending being earmarked forroad building,” says Feltmate.
“But, at the same time, ourindustry is dealing with less de-mand from the private sector, asthose entities make their waythrough the economic challengesof the day.”
He adds, “We’re also goingthrough a change of government
in Nova Scotia, so there are manyvariables. Hopefully, the govern-ment stimulus plans will benefitour industry for the next coupleyears. Ideally, the economy willhave rebounded during that peri-od to the point where privatedemand for our services will beback up again.”
Feltmate is quick to point out,though, that even with the in-creased government budgets,there’s still a shortfall — thespending is still lower than what’sneeded for the job of not onlymaintaining our infrastructure,but also expanding it.
He adds that road building isdirectly responsible for creatingthe fundamental infrastructureupon which a good economy canbe built.
“A good highway infrastructureis a crucial support for building asolid provincial economy,” saysFeltmate. “Nova Scotia’s roadbuilding industry is very impor-tant to our province, both in theeconomic impact it providesthrough direct employment aswell as the spending on localgoods and services.”
On an on-going basis, he says,the NSRBA’s goal will remainconsistent: to secure reasonablelevels of stable, long-term govern-ment spending necessary to main-tain the prov-ince’s roadsand bridgesand build newones for thefuture.
“Now is thetime to investin our roadsand bridges,”says Feltmate.“It would givethe provincetangible, long-term assetsthat would leadto productivitygains for manyyears.”
Todd Gillis Photo
Work on the 101 Highway twinning is one of the major road projects currently going on in N.S.
Getting message outBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
Halifax, Nova Scotia tel 902.435.1291 fax 902.435.1243
A S P H A L T R E A D Y M I X C O N C R E T E F O U N D A T I O N S W A T E R A N D S E W E R
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Proud Member of the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association
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‘Many hands working’ togetheris what the road building industryis all about.
And just as road building re-quires the co-operation of manypeople with various skills, thesuccess of the industry itself de-pends on the ability of the manygroups within it to work togetherfor a common purpose.
A great example of industrycooperation is a long-term initia-tive called Building Futureslaunched by the ConstructionAssociation of Nova Scotia(CANS) to commemorate its 150thanniversary in 2012.
For Building Futures, CANSmembers are rallying together fora unified goal — to establish a$2.5-million endowment fund withthe NSCC Foundation for studentscholarships and bursaries at theNova Scotia Community College(NSCC).
Building Futures has alreadyreached half of its fundraising
goal. As of January 2009, CANSmember companies and industryorganizations have committed$1,250,000 to NSCC scholarships.Contributors include many mem-bers of the Nova Scotia RoadBuilders Association (NSRBA).Support has also come from vari-ous associations within the indus-try as well.
CANS president, Carol MacCul-loch, says the awards will helpattract students to construction-related programs to meet thegrowing labour needs of the con-struction industry.
“CANS is committed to helpingclose the skill shortage here inNova Scotia and what better wayto accomplish this goal than witha strong commitment to theNSCC,” says MacCulloch. “CANShas 700 member organizations andis positioned well to make a boldstatement about the industry’svalue to Nova Scotia.”
Donors can establish their ownnamed endowment at a minimumamount of $25,000, which provides
an annual student award of $1,000in perpetuity. Contributors can setthe qualifying criteria for thescholarships.
Last year, the program awardedeight scholarships and 20 thisyear.
With the endowment, CANS willbe able to provide approximatelyone hundred $1,000 studentawards annually for the life-timeof the college so that 100 studentswill be able to financially supporttheir education every year.
CANS is an industry trade asso-ciation representing contractors,suppliers and service providerscomprising the non-residentialconstruction industry. CANS wasfounded in 1862 as the HalifaxBuilders’ Society.
Since that time, CANS member-ship has grown to include firmsfrom all over Atlantic Canada as
well as other regions of the coun-try. The primary role of CANS is torepresent the interests of its mem-ber companies.
MacCulloch says the 10-yearforecast for the local constructionindustry indicates the sector willoffer excellent employment oppor-tunities. In the next decade, shesays, many of the mostexperienced trades people in theindustry will be retiring and thesector will likely see an upswingin work if federal and provincialgovernments honour the commit-ments they’ve made to infra-structure renewal.
CANS and other industry part-ners, together with the departmentof education and NSCC, are alsoundertaking other initiatives tomeet future labour needs. NSCChas invested in construction relat-ed programs, which provide more
career options to young peoplecoming into the workforce andallow workers already in the in-dustry to upgrade their skills.
CANS contributorsNSRBA Member Companies
who have contributed to theCANS 150th Anniversary BuildingFutures Industry Investors as ofJanuary 2009 are: Black & McDo-nald, Conrad Brothers Limited,Dexter Construction CompanyLtd., Eastern Fence Erectors Ltd.,J. R. Eisener Contracting Limited,Elmsdale Landscaping Limited,Fraser & Hoyt, Higgins Construc-tion, J.W. Bird & Co. Ltd., OceanContractors Limited, OSCO Con-crete, The Shaw Group Limited,Stevens Group of Companies,Wade Atlantic, and Wilcraft Con-crete Services.
Joseph Robichaud Photography
A long-term initiative called Building Futures was launched by the Construction Association of Nova Scotia to commemorate its 150th anniversary in 2012.
BuildingfuturesBuildingfuturesBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
Joseph Robichaud Photography
CANS is committed to helping close the skill shortage here in Nova Scotia.
The good news in the heavyconstruction industry is that theemployment picture for the next10 years looks very promising.Industry experts say the key issuewill be to train enough people todo the work.
Despite fluctuations in con-struction employment due to thecurrent weakening of demandfrom the private sector, the com-bination of an aging workforceand an expected upturn in publicsector work in the years ahead isincreasing the need for traininginfrastructure in the province,says the Construction Association
of Nova Scotia (CANS). CANS president, Carol MacCul-
loch, says the industry is cooper-ating on a number of initiatives toimprove training capacity andaddress the industry’s require-ment for new entrants. She says anew program, called BuildingFutures for Youth, a co-op educa-tion/work program at Nova Scotia
Community College (NSCC), isgiving Grade 11 students at vari-ous high schools in the province achance to explore the heavyconstruction industry.
“Building Futures for Youthgives students a great opportunityto test drive the industry and seewhat a career in construction isall about,” says MacCulloch.
“They have a chance to meet upwith employers in their local areaand see for themselves the manybenefits of working in this indus-try.”
CANS developed BuildingFutures for Youth in partnershipwith the Department of Educa-
Placement program gives Grade 11 students chance to test drive construction industryBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
See PLACEMENT PROGRAM / E9
E4 Saturday, July 18, 2009 The Chronicle Herald
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Proud Membersof the
Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association
Nova Scotia’s roads are one of thegreatest indicators of the econo-my’s good health, says Bill Es-tabrooks, the new minister oftransportation and infrastructurerenewal.
“That’s why the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association hasalways been so important to me asan MLA and now as a minister,”says Estabrooks. “I certainly appre-ciate the fact that they are a wellorganized, skilled group that hasalways been in close contact withus whether we’re in opposition orgovernment and it is so importantthey are given support from what-ever government of the day tomake sure that they continue tomake roads, maintain them andkeep them safe. Our roads are anindicator to visitors and NovaScotians that we’re making gooduse of their money.”
Although Estabrooks is new inhis position as minister of trans-portation and infrastructure renew-al, he was once the transportationcritic.
“I’m certainly aware of the greatwork done by the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders and one of my pri-orities as minister is to make surethat we continue to work withthem closely to build a good work-ing relationship,” says Estabrooks.“They have a huge responsibilitywhen it comes to building andmaintaining our highways. Whetherwe’re talking about improvinginfrastructure or connecting com-munities throughout the province,they are key to the success not justto this government, but to makingsure we have good safe roads.”
After just one week on the job,Estabrooks says it’s too early toconfirm specific projects yet, butthat they are at the cabinet tablenow.
“We do know that when it comesto the provincial projects and thestimulus package from the federalgovernment that Road Builders arecrucial, especially at this time ofthe year,” says Estabrooks. “Wehave to make sure they have ap-propriate funds so that we cancontinue to make sure this is animportant part of the economy inNova Scotia.”
Estabrooks says the construc-tion season is well underway withmore projects in the works.
“I understand how important itis that we have these so-calledshovel-ready projects for us inNova Scotia and the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association comesas prepared as anybody when itcomes to shovel-ready projects,”Estabrooks says.
“That’s their claim to fame andwe want to make sure as a govern-ment that we’re there to supportthem in as many ways as possible.”
Contributed
Bill Estabrooks is the new Min-ister of Transportation andInfrastructure Renewal.
Estabrooks is nostranger to roadbuilding industryBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
Heavy equipment owners andoperators can track just abouteverything they do these daysthanks to developments in satel-lite communications.
Morgan Cronin, vice-presidentof Wilson Equipment Ltd., says allof their Komatsu machines comeequipped with satellite communi-cations called the Komtrax sys-tem.
“Most machines today are runby computers,” says Cronin.“Computers run the engines, thefuel delivery systems, the hydrau-lics and the transmission. Theysend electronic information backand forth between the differentcomponents so now the satellitescan intercept this and it can bebroadcast to the owner. Theowner can access that informa-tion by going on a secure site onthe Internet.”
Komatsu equipment ownerscan track how many hours are onthe machine, how much fuel is inthe tank, how many hours themachine was idling, how manyhours it was digging with a buck-et or running an attachment, orhow many times it moved for-ward or backward.
“If there’s any fault with themachines, the computer willrecognize the fault code and canactually be programmed to sendan email to the owner’s Black-berry or to his computer tellinghim there’s a problem and what itis,” says Cronin. “The dealership
can look up the fault code, diag-nose the problem and have theright parts dispatched to it, givingthe service technician a muchbetter idea of what the problem isand allowing him to service itmore efficiently.”
The system can also tell own-ers how much fuel the machine isburning in its economy mode orfull mode and can save usersmoney by showing them which ismost efficient.
Boundaries for operating the
machines can also be set thatadvise the machine where it canoperate. If it goes outside theboundaries, it will shut down andcan’t be started again.
“This is an anti-theft featureyou can switch on if you like,”says Cronin. “It will also tell youwhere the machine is located.”
The Komtrax system is avail-able for every Komatsu machineincluding wheel loaders, bulldoz-ers, trucks and other constructionequipment.
Komatsu is also using satellitecommunications to run heavytrucks autonomously in largemining operations in Australiaand South Africa.
“These trucks go back andforth with nobody in the cab,”says Cronin. “They’re guided byGPS satellites and radar on theground. If the vehicle approachesa person or a pick-up on the road,the truck detects it and stops. It’slike a robot in that it’s aware ofitself and its surroundings.”
Joseph Robichaud Photography
Komatsu equipment owners can track how many hours are on the machine, how much fuel is in the tank, how many hours the machinewas idling, how many hours it was digging with a bucket or running an attachment, and how many times it moved forward or backward.
High-tech equipment saves time, moneyBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
Joseph Robichaud Photography
All of Wilson Equipment Ltd.’s Komatsu machines come equipped with the Komtrax satellite com-munications system.
The Chronicle Herald Saturday, July 18, 2009 E5
2000
7070
With over 40 years of experience and
a large number of people, Municipal
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Dexter Construction Company LimitedPO Box 48100, Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada B4A 3Z2
Dexter Construction Company LimitedA Member of the Municipal Group of Companies.
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is proud to be a member and a supporter of
The Nova Scotia Road Builders Association
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Compactors Crushers
Considerable effort has beenmade to improve constructionzone safety by road buildingcontractors since the mid-’90s,says Patrick Gray, director ofsafety for the Nova Scotia RoadBuilders Association.
“Safety has become paramountwith road building contractors,and statistics will support thesafety improvements that havebeen made,” says Gray. “Dealingwith traffic still remains the big-gest challenge road constructioncrews face. We have realized thatcommunication and coordinationwith all parties is key on everyproject.”
That’s why the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association, inconjunction with the departmentof transportation and infra-structure renewal, has made evenmore efforts to promote roadconstruction safety awareness tothe motoring public.
“The public is concerned overthe poor condition some of ourroads are in, especially after theharsh winter we had. But as theconstruction season begins, andrepairs and upgrades are beingmade, motorists do not want to
be inconvenienced by construc-tion delays,” says Gray.
“In an effort to keep motoristsbetter informed we have put outnews releases and radio commu-nications and added messageboards ahead of a lot of job sites.We’ve also made changes to new-er cones and barrels that aretaller, brighter and more visible todelineate the work zone from thetravelling area.”
One of the most significantchanges impacting constructionzone safety is the doubling ofspeeding fines in constructionzones, which was legislated lastyear.
“We’re working with law en-forcement to try to force peopleto slow down,” says Gray. “On the100-series highways, you’ll seesigns asking people to reducetheir speed from 100 km per hourto 80 km per hour. Drivers willhave demerit points assigned totheir driving records, and speed-ing ticket fines now can rangeanywhere from $337 for a firsttime offence to $2,407 for a thirdoffence.”
All the measures are part of asafety campaign the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association isworking on with the departmentof transportation and infra-structure renewal.
Janice Harland, manager oftraffic engineering services forthe department, says, “We’repleased to be working with NovaScotia Road Builders to promotework zone safety. Partnership inthis effort reflects our sharedinterest and responsibility to bothhighway construction and mainte-nance workers and motorists.”
“We’re trying to make motoristsunderstand that they have to bepatient, attentive and reduce theirspeed in work zones,” says Gray.
“We’re working very close toon-coming traffic and if you’veever had the chance to stand on ajob site, and a speeding carcomes close, it can definitely beunsettling. For many men andwomen, that’s their workplaceand we want to make sure theygo home safely to their families atthe end of the day.”
Joseph Robichaud Photography
Dealing with traffic still remains the biggest challenge road construction crews face.
Constructionzone safetyBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
Joseph Robichaud Photography
Slow down in work zones.
E6 Saturday, July 18, 2009 The Chronicle Herald
A Member of the NSRBA
GENERALCONTRACTORS
P.O. Box 1193, Antigonish, NS(902) 863-6445
2000
7908
Serving Central Nova Scotia, Canada Since 1974
2001
1735
TRURO, NSPhone: (902) 897-7283
www.willkarepaving.ns.ca
Your Paving Specialists servingTruro and surrounding areas.
30 Isnor Drive, Suite 2Burnside Industrial ParkDartmouth, N.S. B3B 1K5
Tel: (902) 481-9040Fax: (902) 468-1614
In the eyes of many people, itused to be that a career in roadbuilding — if you could even callit a career — meant a harsh sen-tence of back-breaking labourdigging a ditch or excruciatingwork in the sweltering summerheat shovelling steamy asphalt.
While physical labour has notdisappeared from the industryaltogether, road building today islight years more advanced than itwas only a few decades ago. Theindustry offers a diverse range ofcareer choices and employs peo-ple from a broad spectrum ofdisciplines and backgrounds.
Today, the design of construc-
tion equipment is evolving con-stantly, and, as such, computersimulators are often used fortraining, while equipment designis becoming highly specializedand those who operate roadbuilding machinery are specialistsin their field and make very goodmoney.
The industry employs 7,500people and pays an estimated$375 million in wages annually. Itspayroll and benefits far exceedminimum standards. The top 20per cent of all individuals work-ing in heavy construction earnover $45,000 annually, while theaverage salary for this professionis about $39,000 per year.
Job opportunities run the ga-mut from heavy equipment oper-
ators to highly technical careerslike surveying and new productdevelopment. Many unique careerpaths can be found here, both inthe field and in the office, withjobs as diverse as project manage-ment and engineering & design.
Gary Rudolph, with local con-tractor Highland Asphalt Lafarge,says the range of career options isstaggering, encompassing every-thing from project estimators tothe people who execute the work.Some of the many jobs, he says,include everything from engi-neers and architects to IT special-ists, communications people,surveyors, heavy equipment oper-ators and safety managers, toname just a few.
“The manual shovel work hasbeen replaced by equipment that’sbeen specially designed for thetasks at hand,” says Rudolph.“Career opportunities have ad-vanced and kept pace with thenew generation of tools and con-struction methods. Road buildingis a fantastic career path offeringdiversity, specialized skills train-ing, and dynamic work envi-ronments.”
Rudolph says that while muchof the appeal is that you get towork outside, you can work inmany different environments,both indoor and outdoor. Thetype of work you can do, he says,includes laboratory analysis andtesting, environmental analysis,
civil design, inspection of con-struction projects, as well astechnical writing for consultants,construction companies, andother contractors.
The day to day activities andexperiences on the job are in-credibly diverse, challenging, anddynamic, he says, which providesa unique opportunity to developboth people skills and technicalabilities.
“The work environment chang-es greatly from day to day,” saysRudolph. “You see results quicklyand you can take pride in youraccomplishments. You often workin a team environment whereeveryone’s role and contributionis important and respected.”
Joseph Robichaud Photography
While physical labour has not disappeared from the industry altogether, road building today is light years more advanced than it was only a few decades ago.
Unique careers found in road building industryBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
Since its founding in 1947 theNova Scotia Road Builders Asso-ciation (NSRBA) and its membershave played an integral part inbuilding the province, its roads,and its infrastructure.
A non profit organization, theNSRBA also helps build good willin the local community by givingback to it through charitabledonations.
Every year the associationshows it support by donatingsurplus funds to many differentcharitable groups and causes.
On July 10, 2009 the NSRBA
held its seventh annual golf tour-nament at the Truro Golf Club.Each year the event attracts 140players and has raised more than$30,000 over the past seven yearsfor charities like Christmas Dad-dies and the Turkey Club Society.
At the NSRBA’s annual generalmeeting in January 2008, theassociation put on a formal eve-ning and held a live silent auctionwith the proceeds going to theChildren’s Wish Foundation ofCanada. The event raised over$80,000 dollars.
The donation is one of thelargest that the charity has everreceived from a third-party event.
In 2009 a smaller version of the
auction was held, with the pro-ceeds going to a charity of theNSRBA president’s choice: theTruro STAR program. For thischarity the NSRBA raised morethan $8,000.
The STAR program is a non-profit organization that reliessolely on fundraising and dona-tions. The first session of STARtook place in January 2004 andthe organization has continued togrow each year. It provides muchneeded support to special needschildren in our community.
The NSRBA’s 2009 donation toSTAR was the largest the program
NSRBA building more than just roadsBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
Joseph Robichaud Photography
Road work is presently underway on Fenwick Street in Halifax.See CHARITY WORK / E11
The Chronicle Herald Saturday, July 18, 2009 E7
2000
9492
NOVA SCOTIA ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
Membership ListORDINARY MEMBERSAberdeen Paving Ltd.Alva Construction Ltd.Basin Contracting Ltd.Chapman Bros. Construction Ltd.Cumberland PavingDexter Construction Co. Ltd.Industrial Cold MillingHighland Asphalt LimitedModern Enterprises Ltd.Municipal Ready-Mix Ltd.Nova Construction Co. Ltd.Ocean Contractors Ltd.Ocean Paving Ltd.S.W. Weeks Construction Ltd.
AFFILIATE MEMBERSACL Construction Ltd.B Spicer ConstructionBeaver Marine LtdConrad Bros. Ltd.Costin Paving & ContractingD.W. Matheson & Sons Construction Ltd.Eastern Fence ErectorsElmsdale Landscaping Ltd.England Paving & Contracting Ltd.Higgins ConstructionHoward E. Little Excavating Ltd.J.R. Eisener ContractingMaritime Fence Ltd.Northern Contracting LimitedRoto Mill Services (Atlantic) Ltd.Sackville Trenching Ltd.Trax Construction Ltd.Will-Kare Paving & Contracting Ltd.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS3091592 Nova Scotia LimitedAdvanced Composite Structures LimitedAggregate Equipment Ltd.Alfred J. Bell & Grant Ltd.Allstar Rebar Ltd.ALPA Equipment Company LtdAMEC Earth & Environmental Ltd.Archibald Drilling & Blasting (1986) Ltd.ARMTEC LTD.Arrow Construction Products Ltd.Atlantic Explosives Ltd.Atlantic Industries LimitedAtlantic Tractors & Equipment Ltd.Axis Mobility Ltd.Barrett Enterprises LimitedBird-StairsBlack & McDonald Ltd.Bluewave EnergyBourque Security Services NSBrenntag Canada Inc.Britney Conveyor LtdCanadian Salt Company Ltd.Casey Concrete Ltd.CBCL Ltd.Classic Freight Systems Ltd.Coastal Bulk Transport Ltd.Conestoga-Rovers & Associates LtdConsbec Inc.Craig Manufacturing Ltd.Creighton Rock Drill Ltd.CSP Web-Based Management Inc.Cubex LimitedDowneast CommunicationsDyno Nobel Ltd.Earthmover Atlantic LtdFraser & Hoyt Insurance Ltd.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSG & R Kelly Enterprises Ltd.Gateway Materials Ltd.GE Canada Equipment Financing GPGEMTEC Ltd.GEOCON Atlantic Ltd.Gerald Battist Trucking Ltd.Gillis Truckways Inc.Grant ThorntonGraymont Eastern CanadaHertz Equipment RentalHolcim (Canada) Inc.HSBC Bank CanadaHydraulic Systems Ltd.Imperial Oil Ltd.Inspec-Sol Inc.Irving Oil LimitedK & D Pratt Group Inc.K & M Inspection Consultants Ltd.L.S.W. Wear Parts Ltd.Lafarge Canada Inc.Liebherr CanadaLockhart Truck CenterMaccaferri Canada Ltd.MacKays Truck & Trailer Ltd.Mac Williams Engineering LimitedMaritime Testing (1985) Ltd.Martin Marietta Materials Canada Ltd.McAsphalt Industries Ltd.McLennan Sales Div. of EMCOMetso Minerals Canada Inc.Miller Tire Services LtdNova Enterprises Ltd.Nova International Ltd.Ormac Industrial SupplyOSCO ConcreteP. Clarke & Co. Inc. Parts for Trucks, Inc.R.S.T. Industries Ltd.Reinforced Earth Co. Ltd.Reliant Traffi c ControlRitchie Bros. Auctioneers (Canada) LtdRoadtec Inc.Rockico Truck & Trailer Sales LtdSancton Equipment Inc.Seaboard/Harmac Transportation GroupSerco DistributionShaw Group LimitedSMS Equipment IncSojourn SignsSource AtlanticSouth Shore Ready-MixStanhope Simpson Insurance Ltd.Stantec Consulting LtdStrescon Ltd.Strictly Sales & Service Inc.Strongco Equipment Ltd.The Cat Rental Store/Hewitt RentalsTrans East Trailers LtdTrout River IndustriesTurf Masters Landscaping Ltd.United Rentals of Canada Inc.Universal Truck & TrailerUrquhart-MacDonald & AssociatesV. J. Rice Concrete Ltd.W. S. Tyler CanadaWade AtlanticWajax Industries Ltd.Wallace Equipment Ltd.Weightronic Canada Inc.Wilcraft Concrete ServicesWilson Equipment Ltd.Wolseley Engineered Pipe GroupWolseley Waterworks
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Basin Contracting Limited hasjust been awarded a paving pro-ject worth $4.8 million alongHants County’s Route 215.
Curtis Isenor, chief estimatorfor Basin Contracting Limited,says the project will be brokeninto four sections totalling 16.8kilometres.
The first section begins 500metres west of William ConnollyRoad and runs 7.5 kilometreseasterly.
The second section starts ap-proximately seven kilometreseast of William Connolly Roadand continues for 4.9 kilometreseasterly.
The third section starts approx-imately 400 metres east of theStirling Brook community lineand continues easterly towardSelma for 4.4 kilometres.
The fourth section of the job,and one of the first things they’lldo, involves replacing a woodencross culvert with a new concretestructure.
“We’ll get the structure in sec-tion four done,” says Isenor, “andthen we’ll schedule the othersections based on its completion.We should begin work by July 20,but the work has just been award-ed and there are still some meet-ings and things to be finalized.The job is scheduled to be fin-ished by October 31.”
The job will entail cold plan-ning in sections one and three,which means grinding the exist-ing asphalt, removing it at a spec-ified thickness and hauling it tosites determined by the depart-ment of transportation and infra-structure renewal.
“After that has happened onsection one, we’ll put down alayer of gravel and grade it on,then pave with two courses ofasphalt,” says Isenor. “There’s adifferent job description for allthe sections. Section three is alsobeing cold planed and then willhave some patching and twocourses of asphalt as well. Sec-tion two involves just patchingisolated areas on that section ofroad and then repaving over topof the existing asphalt.”
Brad Scott, controller for BasinContracting Limited, says one ofthe unique characteristics of thisjob is that they will be puttingsome recycled material into theasphalt mix.
Of the millings from the coldplanning done on sections oneand three, the province will keep80 per cent and Basin ContractingLimited will be entitled to 20 percent.
“What’s unique about this pro-ject is that we will have to use 15per cent recycled asphalt pave-ment (RAP) in the first course ofour asphalt mix,” says Scott. “Ibelieve this is the first time theytendered a project this way toallow recycled material to goback into the asphalt mix.”
When the tender for this jobwas called, says Isenor, the com-pany had the option of bidding onit in the standard specification orbidding on it using RAP. Theychose to bid using RAP.
“There’s no change in the meth-od it’s put down,” says Scott, “thealteration is where you actuallyintroduce it into your asphaltplant. We are under renovationsin our asphalt plant in Elmsdalethat will allow us to put RAP intoour plant mix as we make it.”
Route 215paving beginsthis summerBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
Joseph Robichaud Photography
A road worker on the job recently on Kempt Road in Halifax.
E8 Saturday, July 18, 2009 The Chronicle Herald
AberdeenPaving Ltd.
Commercial, Residential and Highway PavingSand and Gravel Sales • Custom Crushing • Heavy Equipment Rentals
1-866-400-2276
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0829
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England Paving & Contracting Ltd.SERVING NORTH EASTERN NOVA SCOTIA & CAPE BRETON
1648 ADDINGTON FORKS RD. ANTIGONISH, NS
Ph. 902-863-3231Fax: 902-863-2137
www.englandpaving.com20016024
While road building in NovaScotia is a major driver of thelocal economy, it’s also one ofthe province’s most progressiveindustries.
The sector is implementing anumber of green technologiesand ways to use resources moreefficiently to help reduce theenvironmental impact of con-struction.
It’s also winning awards fordoing so. Ocean Contractorsrecently won the 2009 ResourceRecovery Fund Board NovaScotia’s Mobius EnvironmentalAward for innovation in wastereduction.
Ocean was recognized for itsinnovation in the support anddevelopment of an asphalt shin-gle recycling system through apartnership with Halifax C&DRecycling.
Ocean is the only hot-mixasphalt producer in Canada touse recycled asphalt shingle grit.With this green technology solu-tion, Ocean has diverted fromlandfill roughly 3,558 metrictonnes of recycled asphalt shin-gle grit product over the lastthree years.
In 2008, almost all of Ocean’sprivate hot-mix asphalt pavingjobs used a percentage of recy-cled hot-mix asphalt shingle gritproduct for a total of more than1,395 metric tonnes.
With the Mobius Award,Ocean was also recognized forpartnering with Halifax C&D inlobbying the Department ofTransportation to agree to useOcean’s recycled shingle gritpavement product in a pro-vincial road, which was the firsttime this was done anywhere inthe world.
“Green construction is thewave of the future, it’s the waythe industry is heading,” saysOcean president, John Flem-ming.
“We want to be part of thispush toward a greener industry.”
Flemming says clients todayare not only interested in gettinga good price and top quality;they also want to know what thecompany’s position is on theenvironment. He says it’s afeather in your cap if you canoffer green initiatives as part ofyour package.
In addition to recycling tear-off shingles and using the mate-rial in their hot mix asphalt,Ocean has also begun puttingreclaimed asphalt pavement(RAP) materials into their mix.
Using RAP materials saves onnew asphalt cement and alsoreduces the cost of truckingmaterials to the road buildingsite, as there is less need forvirgin aggregate.
To implement the RAP tech-nology, Ocean uses a verticalimpact crusher and screens,which effectively recycle anexisting road to make a newone. The equipment crushes theroadways’ existing asphalt pave-ment into smaller aggregatesizes which is then added to thenew asphalt mix.
Ocean’s ready mix concretedivision is also investing ingreen technologies. The com-pany operates a concrete re-
claimer at its Dartmouth plant,where surplus or ‘waste’ con-crete can be separated into itsbase components and re-in-troduced into new production.
Most recently, Ocean installeda process water managementsystem at its Halifax location.The innovative Enviro-Porttechnology cuts water consump-tion and virtually eliminatessurface run-off.
Flemming says even the waterused to wash the trucks getsre-circulated and re-used.
“Companies have to be willingto make fundamental changes ifthey want to go green,” saysFlemming. “You’ve got to bewilling to put up capital costsand project your rate of returnover time. It’s not difficult ifyou’re willing to look at new
ideas and new ways of doingthings. If you’re environmentallyconscious at all, you can make abig difference.”
Flemming says the key isgetting governments and regu-latory bodies on board. He saysthe process can be slow, butwell worth it in the end.
He points out that both theprovincial department of trans-portation and HRM have nowdeveloped specifications thatregulate the use of RAP materi-als for road construction.
“This is very positive for ourindustry,” says Flemming. “Itwill help push companies totake the next step and imple-ment green technologies. It willbe good for the environmentand good for the industry over-all.”
Road builders using more green technologies
Contributed
Ocean Contractors recently won the 2009 Resource Recovery Fund Board of Nova Scotia’s Mobius Environmental Award for innova-tion in waste reduction.
Contributed
In 2008, almost all of Ocean Contractor’s private hot-mix asphalt paving jobs used a percentage of recycled hot-mix asphalt shinglegrit product for a total of more than 1,395 metric tonnes.
Contributed
In addition to recycling tear-off shingles and using the material intheir hot mix asphalt, Ocean has also begun putting reclaimedasphalt pavement materials into their mix.
By Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
Although it’s true that the envi-ronment is top of mind with prac-tically every industry these days,it’s not altogether new in NovaScotia’s road building industry.
For decades, NSRBA membershave been factoring the envi-ronment into their decision mak-ing and finding new ways to re-duce their environmental foot-print.
Elmsdale Landscaping Ltd.Elmsdale Landscaping Ltd. has
been in business for 55 years andis one of the largest landscapingcontractors in Atlantic
Canada. Known for its superiornursery sod production, today thecompany maintains over 1,000acres in production and has thefacilities to harvest more than
one million square yards annually.With its many years of experiencein turf management, Elmsdale isthe sod supplier trusted by gov-ernments, landscape contractors,city parks, grounds superintend-ents and homeowners.
One of the key environmentallyfriendly methods Elmsdale uses isa planting process called hydro-seeding. An alternative to thetraditional process of broad-casting or sowing dry seed, withhydroseeding a mixture of water,seed, fertilizer, mulch and lime issprayed over prepared ground ina uniform layer. Hydroseedingpromotes quick germination andinhibits soil erosion.
In addition to lessening theenvironmental impact, hydro-seeding is a highly effective plant-ing method, as the mulch in the
hydroseed mixture helps main-tain the moisture level of the seed
and seedlings.For many years Elmsdale has
spread reused bales of hay pur-chased from local farmers. Thecompany also uses silt fences onwork sites to protect water qual-ity in nearby streams, rivers,lakes and bays.
Elmsdale president GeorgeCoupar says the public has cometo expect that great care will betaken to lessen the environmentalimpact of construction.
“People today want to see anew highway looking like it hasdropped out of the sky,” saysCoupar. “In our industry we haveto be as environmentally friendlyas possible, with everything wedo. With today’s methods, you canbuild almost anything in an envi-ronmentally friendly way.”
Roto-Mill Services Ltd.Another of the many NSRBA
members committed to the envi-ronment is Roto-Mill ServicesLtd., an innovator in road buildingrecycling.
First established in 1979, asmall company was formed toaddress the needs of recyclingasphalt pavement for road recon-struction.
From those early days of onlyone milling machine, Roto-Millhas flourished as an industryleader within the Ontario andAtlantic markets. Roto-Mill re-cently opened an Atlantic Officein Cooks Brook, Nova Scotia.
Roto-Mill’s Chris Thompsonsays the company is constantlylooking for and developing newtechnologies to help in the ad-vancement of road building recy-cling processes.
“The environment is very im-portant to us,” says Thompson.“Our company was founded on
asphalt recycling 30 years ago.We’ve grown continually, addingvarious methods over the years,with a focus on In-Place Asphaltrecycling.”
The In-Place process utilizesexisting aggregate and residualasphalt cement with a small addi-tion of new asphalt cement toform a stabilized base material.
The process reduces the needfor non-renewable resources andrequires much less energy thanconventional road reconstructionor rehabilitation.
Roto-Mill also produces largeamounts of reclaimed asphaltpavement which can be utilized inthe hot mix asphalt.
“We’re committed to sustain-able road construction,” saysThompson. “We’re reducing theneed for non-renewable re-sources and providing a costeffective, quality product.”
NSRBA members always in search of new ways to reduce environmental footprintBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
A.C.L. Construction Limited is a large civil construction company based out of Halifax, NS that specializes in Municipal Pipe, Blasting, Subdivision Development,
Site Services and Earthwork. The company presently does work in various
tion’s apprenticeship division, local schoolboards, NSCC, and in consultation withindustry representatives. The initiative isdesigned to increase the number of youthexploring a career in the constructiontrades.
Students enrolled in the program arepre-screened by CANS and provided withup to 100 hours of work-place orientationand safety training prior to a summer workplacement. They have the potential to earnco-operative education high school creditsfor their participation, as well as time andtraining credits toward a formal appren-ticeship.
The students are also registered asConstruction Trades Pre-Apprentices andare required to maintain logbooks. Mentor-ship training for their supervisors is alsoan essential element of the program.
So far, 40 students have participated inBuilding Futures for Youth. Those whowant to apply can do so through theirschool’s co-op education teacher.
MacCulloch says the industry doesn’tseem to have a problem attracting peopleto the trades — the issue is creating ade-quate resources in the apprenticeshipsystem, seats at the training institutions,and strategies to support trades people in
the full journey through their qualifica-tions.
“What we’re trying to do,” says MacCul-loch, “is identify opportunities for youngpeople coming into our industry. We’retrying to provide a better way to connectemployers and workers together.”
In addition to addressing future trainingneeds, she says, a key challenge in theyears ahead will be to hold onto the indus-try’s workforce by providing them withconsistent employment.
Long-term, stable funding for publicsector projects, she says, will go a longway toward ensuring that the industrydevelops and maintains a skilled work-force.
“The challenge is getting to the pointwhere we have stable public expenditure,”says MacCulloch. “Many of our mostskilled workers will soon be retiring, sowe’ll need consistent employment to at-tract and hold enough qualified tradespeople here to do this kind of work. If youdon’t have things to build, you won’t havethe people who can build them, either.”
She adds that while government com-mitments to infrastructure renewal pro-grams are encouraging, the spending hasnot rolled out in a timely manner and theindustry is still waiting for many of theprojects to get the green light.
“We’re cautiously optimistic,” says Mac-Culloch. “But, right now we’re sort of onthe edge of our seat.”
Placement programcontinued from / E3
Pursuing a career in road building is asmart idea. Firstly, there’s lots of work.
In Canada since 1993 construction em-ployment has outpaced all other occupa-tions, growing by almost 13 per cent.
The top 20 per cent of all individualsworking in heavy construction earn over$45,000 annually, while the average salaryfor this profession is about $39,000 peryear.
The employment forecast is also encour-aging. Experts say four to five per cent ofthe local industry’s 30,000 constructionworkers are retiring every year, creatinghuge employment opportunities for today’syouth.
Also, federal and provincial govern-ments are expected to invest significantlyin infrastructure renewal over the next fewyears, which will give the industry a seri-ous boost in public sector work.
TrainingDeciding upon a career is one thing, but
finding the right school or training in-stitution isn’t always easy. Fortunately,several post secondary programs are of-fered in Nova Scotia that are geared tojobs in heavy construction.
In 2007, Nova Scotia Community Col-lege’s (NSCC) School of Trades and Tech-nology introduced its civil engineeringtechnology program.
The two-year course includes five weeksof on-the-job training and an optionalcooperative education. The program trainspeople for the planning, designing, con-struction, and maintenance of structuresand public works, and altering geographyto suit human needs.
Civil engineering technologists work onvarious aspects of built structures, high-ways, and marine structures and projects.
The program is designed to provide anoverview of the field in the context ofenvironmental sustainability, so that stu-dents can develop projects that are feasi-ble, practical and ecologically sensitive.
Dexter InstituteSeeing the need for more local training,
the construction industry and educationalfacilities in the province are partneringtogether to help meet the labour needs ofthe future.
A great example of this is the DexterInstitute, which opened in 2001. Emergingfrom Dexter Construction’s parent, Munici-
pal Group of Companies, the Dexter In-stitute is a full partnership between DexterConstruction Co. Ltd. and NSCC. Now inits eight year, the institute offers a two-year heavy construction professional pro-gram.
Some of the many course topics offeredinclude heavy equipment theory and oper-ation, surveying, drafting, geology, andproject management.
The institute accepts 32 students peryear and offers two paid work terms.Those who meet and surpass programrequirements receive a post secondarycertificate and are guaranteed employmentwith Dexter Construction. The positionsoffered range from equipment operatorsand surveyors to site supervisors andproject managers.
The course covers both theory andfieldwork. Students study in areas such as:safety, computer fundamentals, communi-cation, applied mathematics, human rela-tions, heavy equipment theory and oper-ation, geology/topography, surveying ba-sics, site preparation and heavy construc-tion.
The Dexter Institute’s Shalini Richardssays the program exposes students to abroad range of learning experiences. Theinstitute’s key advantage, she says, is thatit allows you to try out various possiblecareer choices before committing to one inparticular. She adds that it shows youngpeople that heavy civil construction offersmuch more than a good paying summerjob.
“The challenge right now in our indus-try,” says Richards, “is to change the per-ception that it’s only seasonal work.
We’re trying to break from that and getthe message out that construction is defi-nitely a career choice — there are definite-ly opportunities here for growth.”
She points out that construction today ismuch more technologically driven andemploys people from a variety of dis-ciplines, from engineers and architects toIT specialists. The industry, she adds, isbecoming seen as a legitimate career pathfor many people, including women.
“Dexter Construction is expanding andour company offers many opportunitiesfor professional development,” saysRichards. “Our industry has a very brightfuture. It’s not just a job; it can grow into acareer.”
Road buildingcareer smart ideaBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
Joseph Robichaud Photography
The road building industry today employs people from a wide variety of disciplines.
E10 Saturday, July 18, 2009 The Chronicle Herald
Proud member of the Nova ScotiaRoad Builders Association
The NSRBA is pleased to ad-vise its members that its newwebsite is officially up and run-ning as of May of this year.
The website has a fresh newlook and feel, is much more userfriendly, and will be a valuabletool as the association movesprogressively forward.
“The association decided sometime ago that a new websitewould be an important tool toincrease our public profile, send aclearer message about who theNova Scotia Road Building Asso-ciation is, and to better supportour members in the efficient andaccurate transfer of information,”says Rylan MacDow, associate
director for the Nova Scotia RoadBuilders Association.
“The association is utilizing thiscrucial tool now to advise itsmembers of upcoming events,allowing them the ability to payonline for events and member-ship registrations electronically,and the ability to view recenttender postings. The site also
hosts a useful and up to datemembership listing with informa-tion on all of our 136 membercompanies.”
The site will continue to evolveand develop over time as theassociation determines whatother functions the membershipwould like to see added or ex-panded.
Please be sure to check yourown member profile to confirmthat all the information listedthere is up to date and accurate.
NSRBA also encourages you tosend your corporate logo to themso that it can be included withyour other corporate information.
Be sure to check the site out atwww.NSRBA.ca
Nova Scotia Road Builders Association completes new websiteContributed
Phase two of the North Dart-mouth Trunk Sewer handleswastewater from the new Dart-mouth Crossing development andcompletes a connection thusclosing a gap that has existedsince the 1960s when the trunksewer was first built.
The finishing touches on theNorth Dartmouth Trunk Sewerproject were completed this Junewhen 100 trees and approximate-ly 1,600 shrubs were plantedalong Lake Banook’s new water-front trail. The walking trailwinds along 500 metres of lakeshore covering the sewer project.
“We had to either build a biggerpumping station or finish thistrunk sewer along the shore tohandle the increased flows,” saysGlenn Woodford, project managerfor Terrain Group, the project’sdesign engineers.
“The city also wanted to havemore walking trails around thelake and it offered us the abilityto put the two projects together.”
The project was a combinedeffort by Halifax Water and Hali-fax Regional Municipality.
Steve Hogan, project managerfor Dexter Construction, theproject contractor, says pumpingLake Banook to lower the waterlevel by two metres was the mostchallenging part of the job since ithad to be done in the winter.
Dexter Construction had tostop lowering the lake’s waterlevel by Christmas Eve so thelake would be at its natural levelby this spring. It was completedon schedule.
“We used three 12-inch and two10-inch diesel pumps to pump thewater into Sullivan’s Pond wherethere’s a sluice way that runsfrom there into the harbour,” saysHogan. “We had to lower thewater level to install the sewerpipe and we also performed thework at that time for the WorldChampionship canoe course,including building some newanchors for their lane wire sys-tem.”
Although the original designreport recommended high-densitypolyethylene (HDPE) pipe is usedin the project, Woodford saysthey had concerns about its buoy-ancy and the amount of curvaturethe HDPE could handle.
“We could actually get a tighterradius of curvature using con-crete pipe.” “Because it’s so closeto the lake and below the waterlevel, it could float and we’d needto have a complicated tie-downsystem,” says Woodford. “Be-cause the lake is used for boatingin the summer, the work had totake place in the fall/winter. Wealso worried about using HDPE incold temperatures and the diffi-
culty in bending it to follow theshoreline, as well as installing itin a wide, open trench.”
It was decided to use a special-ly designed concrete pipe, sup-plied from Shaw Pipe.
“The water tightness of thetrunk sewer was a major focus,we could not afford any chanceof leaks in the pipeline” saysWoodford. “We put three different
layers of protection on the pipe toeliminate any chance for leak-age.”
Rylan MacDow, sales managerfor Shaw Pipe, says “The trunksewer will carry sanitary effluentfrom Highway 111 to BrookdaleCresent for many years, and sincethis effluent can be corrosivespecial additives were introducedinto the pipe to resist any deterio-
ration over time. A very special-ized pipe design was required,including waterproofing, pipelinealignments and section weights.”
The pipeline changes directionmore than 10 times over a lengthof more than 500 metres by usingmany radius pipe sections andfew manholes in a serpentinepipeline installation.
The pipe was made heavier to
eliminate any possibility of buoy-ancy due to the high water tableand close proximity to the lake.
The wall thickness of the pipewas increased from a standardthickness of 140 mm to 230 mmin order to achieve the required6,260 kilograms per pipe section.
Phase Two of the DartmouthNorth Trunk Sewer should have alife-span of about 100 years.
North Dartmouth trunk sewer: Phase 2By Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
Contributed
Phase Two of the Dartmouth North Trunk Sewer should have a life-span of about 100 years.
The Chronicle Herald Saturday, July 18, 2009 E11
SPECIALISTS IN COMMERCIAL,CONSTRUCTION, CONTRACT BONDING,MANUFACTURING, SEAFOOD INDUSTRY,
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A Proud member ofThe Nova Scotia Road Builders Association
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has received to date. The money is beingused to purchase much needed equipmentfor the unique needs of the program’sparticipants. The NSRBA’s support hasalso helped the charity fund more exten-sive volunteer training.
Paul White, who was NSRBA presidentat the time, selected the STAR program as
the charity of choice. “I had the privilege to select the STAR
program,” says White. “I was familiar withthe program and know a couple of thechildren who participate. The NSRBAtakes great pride in supporting charityinitiatives like this one. We’re able to makedonations because of our golf tournamentand other events. For the last two yearswe’ve made donations resulting from ourAGM silent auction. This practice willcontinue.”
Charity workcontinued from / E6
As the road building industrycontinues to grow in Nova Sco-tia, so too is the need for trafficcontrol at construction sites.
Today, temporary workplacetraffic control has developedinto an important sector of theindustry. Companies that spe-cialize in traffic control offermuch needed products andservices that help improve safe-ty conditions for road workersand the motoring public.
A case in point is a local busi-ness and NSRBA member calledSojourn Traffic Control. Cele-brating its 20th anniversary thisyear, Sojourn provides suppliesand services for clients of allsizes, from small contractors tosome of the region’s biggestconstruction companies, as wellas all three levels of govern-ment.
Sojourn is the largest pro-ducer of traffic control equip-ment in Atlantic Canada and iscalled upon for jobs rangingfrom set ups for small second-ary roads to shutdowns on thelargest 100-series highways.
The company supplies a largevariety of roadway signs andother equipment like flashinglight units (FLUs), arrowboards, temporary traffic lightsystems, variable messageboards, traffic cones, trafficbarrels, and barricades. Sojourn
is also the region’s only 3Mcertified private sign shop.
Input from Sojourn wascalled upon recently when thegovernment of Nova Scotiaupdated the province’s Tempo-rary Workplace Traffic ControlManual 2009.
The guideline is approved foruse on roads in Nova Scotia bythe Minister of Transportationand Infrastructure Renewal. Itsets minimum standards forconstruction, maintenance andutility work on or by roads.
Sojourn helped critique themanual and the company’s inputwas used to help draft some ofthe specs.
“Traffic safety is our busi-ness,” says owner Stan Slauen-white. “We have the most ex-pertise in the industry and striveto maintain the highest stan-dards in safety, which makes usthe leader in traffic control forAtlantic Canada. We’re able tomeet our client’s safety needs 24hours a day, seven days aweek.”
Sojourn has worked on someof the region’s largest and mostcomplex heavy civil construc-tion projects. These have in-cluded the Angus L. MacdonaldBridge lane expansion, SealIsland Bridge deck replacement,the natural gas pipeline throughNova Scotia, the NS Internation-al Air Show, and the NB Powertransformer move from SaintJohn Harbour to Point Lepreau.
The Point Lepreau project,says Slauenwhite, was one ofSojourn’s most challenging jobsand showcased its planningprocess.
“When it comes to safety, youcan’t cut corners,” says Slauen-white. “Before we do anythingwe take the traffic controlmanual and put together a solidplan. We look at every require-ment in detail, and then weinform our crews, provide thegear, and make sure everythingis done right. We have to doeverything by the book or elseeveryone’s in trouble.”
sites can be very dangerousplaces,” says Slauenwhite, “soyou have to realize that thetraffic control workers are therefor your benefit. From a safetystandpoint, if they weren’taround it wouldn’t be pretty —your chances of staying safewould be a lot slimmer.”
He points out that Sojournstaff are certified by the NovaScotia Construction SafetyAssociation.
“You’ve got to realize thattraffic control workers don’talways get the full cooperationof the work crews,” says Slauen-white. “They do the best they
can with what they’ve got. Ifpeople paid more attention tothe road signs and gave theworkers a little more respect,everyone would be better off forit.”
However, Slauenwhite saysinitiatives like the RCMP con-struction zone safety campaignand the doubling of work sitespeeding fines are having apositive impact.
“It’s definitely working,” hesays. “You can tell that motor-ists are getting the message andslowing down. They’re not com-ing at you as fast anymore.”
Joseph Robichaud Photography
Initiatives like the RCMP construction zone safety campaign and the doubling of work-site speeding fines are having a positive impact on construction zone safety.
Traffic control essential at construction sitesBy Ken CashinSpecial Features Writer
E12 Saturday, July 18, 2009 The Chronicle Herald
ASPHALT LIMITED
A PROUD MEMBER OF THE NOVA SCOTIA ROAD BUILDERS
ASSOCIATIONSPECIALIZING IN:
• Highway construction • Commercial Sites • Parking Lots • Residential Construction
Global Positioning System(GPS) technology has beenaround since the mid-’90s, but itsuse in heavy equipment is fairlyrecent.
For the last three years, anaccugrade system that uses GPStechnology to provide more accu-rate grading has been offered inall Caterpillar machines includingon blades of motor graders, bull-dozers and excavators.
The technology offers userssubstantial cost-savings in termsof time, fuel and labour on stake-less job sites, says James Bond,marketing manager for AtlanticTractors.
Simply put, sensors on themachines’ blades pick up GPSsignals from satellites and let themachine know where it is inrelation to a base receiver over afixed point.
Bond says, “It can come withinone and three centimetres ofaccuracy without any operatorinvolvement; it does it completelyon its own. It’s fully automaticand once the grade gets to acertain point, the operator justhas to watch the screen and makesure it’s going in the right direc-
tion. It’s really amazing to watch.”Ron Dunn, highway division
project manager, for Weeks Con-struction, says they just pur-chased their first piece of equip-ment with GPS this year — amotor grader.
“We’re just getting into it as acompany ourselves,” says Dunn,“but it’s the direction we’ll beheading in. Our operators had tobe trained on how to use thesoftware and equipment, but Iconsider it another tool in thearsenal of road building. As equip-ment and technology evolve, it’sjust another thing that makestheir day easier.”
Dunn says when working on asurface, they input the design intothe motor grader’s computer.
“It knows where it’s trying tolevel the material to and it knowsthe finished surface,” he says. “Ifit’s grading a road so that we canpave over it, the finished surfacewould be the top of the gravel.The computer automaticallyadjusts the blade so it’s puttingthe material in the right spots.”
Dunn says the technologyreduces the chance of error be-tween points as the entire surfaceis essentially documented.
“With the old technology, you’dhave a surveyor go out and lay
specific points around the site foryou to grade to and there was alot done by the feel and sight ofthe grader operator,” he says.
“In jobs like sports tracks, forexample, the standards are veryhigh and the work must be withinsmall tolerances. This technologytakes a lot of the thinking out of
the finished grading and assiststhe operator in better achievingthe finished surface.”
Topcon’s Millimetre GPS AddOn is an additional product thatgoes on graders or pavers.
Mike Barbick, sales managerfor On Grade, says it can tightenup the vertical accuracy more
than a GPS system can on its own.“It controls the height of the
screed within less than 10 milli-metres,” says Barbick.
“The system saves time, moneyand gives millimetre accuracy foryour paver, assuring the matthickness during high-productionpaving.”
Heavy equipment goes high tech with GPSBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
Joseph Robichaud Photography
For the last three years, an accugrade system that uses GPS technology to provide more accurategrading has been offered in all Caterpillar machines including on blades of motor graders, bulldoz-ers and excavators like the one shown above.
Todd Gillis Photo
Nova Scotia Road Builders Association members completed this bridge last year as part of the ongoing Highway 101 twinning project.
Aggregate, defined as materialssuch as sand, gravel and rock, orcrushed stone, is an importantelement of road construction,building construction, landscap-ing and much more.
According to the department ofnatural resources, Nova Scotia’spits and quarries produced6,931,074 metric tons of crushedstone and 3,913,303 metric tons ofsand and gravel in 2006.
Peter Oram, president of the
Nova Scotia Mining Association,says most materials used in roadbuilding are blasted from quarriesand then crushed. Sand, gravel,and pea gravel are usually freelydug from pits.
“You want the rocks to be niceand angular so the asphalt orconcrete can stick to them andcompaction is easier to achieve,”says Oram.
“You can picture pea gravelthat’s nice and rounded from pits,but when you make concrete andasphalt, it’s not going to stick aswell to that rounded surface.”
Oram says that modern quar-ries are very different from whatthe public may perceive.
“Historical issues with quarriesincluded noisiness, dust, anddamage to domestic wells,” saysOram, “but in a properly designedmodern quarry you can addressall those things.”
Oram says it’s important tonote that the modern approach toquarry development and oper-ation is very different.
New quarries are required tohave specific set-back distancesfrom homes as well as environ-
mental monitoring for things suchas water levels and water qualitythat are reported to Nova ScotiaEnvironment.
“Before a quarry is developedthere are environmental baselinesurveys to complete to make sureno special features are beingimpacted,” says Oram.
Previously, quarries were pro-jects of the department of trans-portation, not contractors, andreclamation was not required.
People may still see abandonedquarries on the side of the roadthat weren’t reclaimed properly,
which leads to misconceptionsabout them.
“Afterwards, quarries are re-quired to be reclaimed. You canfill them up as lakes, re-shapethem or create recreational op-portunities out of them. Whilethey are being developed, the soilcan be saved and used for recla-mation later.”
Today, more than 100 quarriesare operating in Nova Scotiaunder guidelines administeredthrough Nova Scotia Environ-ment.
Modern quarries different from what the general public may perceiveBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
The Chronicle Herald Saturday, July 18, 2009 E13
Industrial Cold Millinga division of Miller Group Inc.
Alva Construction Limited hasjust been awarded a contractfrom the department of trans-portation and infrastructurerenewal to build two single spanbridges in the Antigonish area,says Greg MacDonald, projectmanager.
“The $4-million project is thefirst step in building the newAntigonish by-pass,” says Mac-Donald, “which will create atwinned highway designed toalleviate traffic congestion and
maximize highway safety. Thenew highway will run just outsidethe Town of Antigonish and thebridges are being put in nearBeech Hill just east of town.”
Construction is set to begin inmid-August or earlier after thedepartment of transportationcompletes some preliminarywork.
MacDonald says the provincialelection meant they were severalmonths late in being awardedthis contract and they are still notsure of the time frame for com-pletion.
“We hope we can get it donethis year before the wintermonths,” says MacDonald.
The overpass structures will bebuilt off the current highway 104away from the motoring trafficover an access road to the high-way.
“There have been plans tore-route traffic on that roadaround the project,” says Mac-Donald, “so it will be nice towork on this particular structureand not have to worry about anyof the issues with the motoringtraffic. We aren’t anticipating any
particular challenges on the joband it should be pretty straight-forward.”
MacDonald says he believesthis structure is the first of manytransportation projects to comein the Antigonish area in the nextfive or six years.
Alva Construction Limited wasestablished in 1993 and is a fam-ily-owned and operated company.The medium-sized general con-tractor specializes in heavy con-struction including earth work,structures, marine structures,cast-in-place concrete, gravel
crushing and pile driving.Alva Construction Limited
currently has several projects onthe go, including the twinning ofHwy 125 near Sydney; Construc-tion of Spank’s Bridge in Guys-borough Co.; and on-going aggre-gate production to provide forvarious paving contractors in thearea.
Alva Construction Limited isthe general contractor on theBeech Hill overpass project andwill be able to perform 90-95 percent of the work involved withtheir own forces.
Alva Construction Limited awarded Beech Hill overpass contractBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features writer
File photo
Summer diversionsTraffic headed towards Hammonds Plains Road is diverted from Giles Dr., backdropped by construction on a stretch of a closed section of the Hammonds PlainsRoad July 7.
E14 Saturday, July 18, 2009 The Chronicle Herald
Halifax Regional Municipalitymade amendments to all 21 landuse by-laws this February inorder to prescribe controls forportable rock crushers as a devel-opment tool accessory to con-struction and demolition projects.
In the past, a rock crusherbeing used to crush native rock tobe used on a specific construc-tion site was considered inciden-tal to construction and thereforea permitted use.
However, if this rock is beingcrushed and exported to anothersite, it is considered an industrialuse and is not permitted in anumber of zones under the landuse by-laws.
While investigating a complaintthat crushed rock on a city con-struction site was being exporteda year and a half ago, HRM’s legalstaff advised that HRM’s land useby-laws should be amended toclarify regulations with respect tothese temporary constructionuses.
David Lane, a senior plannerfor planning services in HRM,says that the use of a temporaryrock crusher for 30 days wasacceptable until some contractorsabused that privilege, turningtheir sites into mini-quarries.
“Some were crushing rock forprojects on other sites and wereeven bringing big rocks to the siteand making aggregate there,” saysLane. “Our shared concern withour counterparts at the NovaScotia Department of the Envi-ronment was the operation of aquarry without having to gothrough the provincial approval
process and the potential impactson the environment and sur-rounding neighbourhood.”
After various stake-holder andpublic meetings, amendments tothe land use by-laws were decid-ed upon.
The by-laws enable the use ofportable rock crushers as a tem-porary use through the permittingprocess; differentiate betweensite development practices anddemolition practices that involvetemporary rock crushers; controlthe duration of the temporaryuse; provide separation distancesfrom existing residential or in-stitutional buildings for site devel-opment purposes; provide prop-erty boundary setbacks for demo-lition purposes; prohibit trans-portation of processed aggregateto other off-site locations; and,prohibit transportation of rock tothe site for the purpose of on-siteprocessing into aggregate.
The amendments also providefor the advancement of the goalsof the Community Energy Plan,as provided for in the RegionalMunicipal Planning Strategy, byrecognizing and encouragingsustainable practices for demoli-tion and site preparation work.
This balanced approach isintended to provide the necessaryand consistent legislation forenforcement of the land useby-law provisions while advanc-ing the efforts of the Municipal-ity’s vision for a clean, healthy,sustainable environment andcommunities.
Peter Oram, president of theNova Scotia Mining Association,says the new by-laws may be-come the model for the province’sfuture guidelines.
On-site rock crushingby-law amendmentsBy Melanie FurlongSpecial Features Writer
www.nsrba.ca
NOVA SCOTIA ROAD NOVA SCOTIA ROAD BUILDERS ASSOCIATIONBUILDERS ASSOCIATION sp
