Positioned between the I‑120/I‑120RS and the larger I‑140/I‑140RS, Finlay says the new models address demand for a machine that delivers strong impact performance while being easier to transport and configure across a range of applications.

The I‑130 models were developed for quarrying, recycling, asphalt and demolition operations. A 42-in. x 49-in. four‑bar rotor with twin hydraulic aprons is at the core of the models. A direct‑drive system with soft‑start provides smooth engagement, fuel efficiency and reduced wear on drivetrain components.

Material is delivered to the chamber via a heavy‑duty vibrating grizzly feeder, with the option of an independent pre‑screen to remove fines ahead of the chamber, reducing wear and improving overall efficiency. Beneath the chamber, an optional underpan feeder provides additional belt protection, managing rebar and directing material safely onto the main product conveyor when used in conjunction with the optional overband magnet.

Designed for operators who do not require onboard screening and recirculation, Finlay says the I‑130 offers straightforward operation, with an emphasis on high-output crushing across multiple operations.

For operations requiring closed‑loop crushing and onboard screening, the I‑130RS integrates a high‑capacity two‑deck afterscreen and recirculation system within the same mid-range platform.

The two‑deck afterscreen is the biggest in its class, Finlay says, providing high screen capacity and configuration flexibility. Both decks can be recirculated for closed‑loop applications, or operators can divert bottom‑deck oversized material to produce a mid‑grade product, increasing output flexibility without the need for a separate screener.

The 20-in. recirculation conveyor slews up to 90 degrees, allowing material to be efficiently stockpiled when required. For recycling and C&D applications, an optional windsifter can be fitted to the afterscreen to remove light contaminants such as wood, paper and plastic.

The I‑130RS also features a modular design. The entire RS section can be quickly detached to reduce transport weight when screening is not required. Alternatively, the RS conveyor can remain in place while only the afterscreen is removed, providing another option to meet specific job requirements.

According to Finlay, both models offer easy access to service areas, with large platforms, clear walkways and straightforward maintenance points. Fully hinged crusher sections simplify blow bar changes and liner inspections, helping reduce downtime and improve safety.

“Building on the market success of the I‑120 and I‑120RS, the I‑130 and I‑130RS were developed to meet demand for a more transport‑friendly impact crusher with increased configuration flexibility,” says Matt Dickson, business line director at Finlay. “The result is a machine that can be tailored to suit a range of recycling and quarrying applications, with options including use of a pre-screen, under-pan feeder, windsifter, and onboard recirculation, while remaining easy to operate and maintain for efficient, low‑complexity production on site.”

Related: Crushing innovation takes center stage this summer

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Published in ACS Environmental Science & Technology Air, the study combined controlled laboratory testing with measurements from in-place pavements exposed to environmental conditions. Laboratory testing used representative asphalt pavement samples under realistic temperatures and full-spectrum solar exposure. The researchers also evaluated the formation of secondary organic aerosols, particles that can form when emitted chemicals react in the atmosphere.

The results showed that measured emissions were primarily associated with the pavement surface rather than the bulk asphalt material.

The research was commissioned by the Asphalt Institute, the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) and other organizations.

By evaluating both compacted pavement samples and in-place road surfaces, the associations say researchers examined emissions under conditions designed to better reflect how asphalt pavements behave in service. The findings offer an additional perspective on previous research that estimated substantially higher emissions from asphalt materials. Much of that earlier work relied on laboratory measurements of small, uncompacted asphalt samples rather than real-world, in-place pavement, the associations say.

“This research brought together academia and industry to better understand potential sources of atmospheric emissions from compacted roadways,” says David Cocker, professor and chair of UCR’s Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering and lead researcher on the study. “By combining controlled laboratory testing with measurements from in-place pavements, we were able to evaluate emissions using a more comprehensive approach that reflects the conditions pavements experience in the environment.”

The research was conducted through UCR’s Center for Environmental Research & Technology, part of the university’s Marlan & Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering. The center specializes in emissions and environmental research, including atmospheric chemistry and air quality.

“This research demonstrates the value of credible, independent science in advancing our understanding of asphalt pavement emissions,” says Reed Ryan, president of the Asphalt Institute. “By supporting rigorous, peer-reviewed research, we can help ensure that discussions about asphalt pavement emissions and air quality are informed by accurate data and real-world conditions.”

Audrey Copeland, president and CEO of NAPA, says the findings will help inform the industry’s sustainability and emissions goals.

“This study adds proof that in-place asphalt pavements do not adversely impact air quality,” Copeland says. “In partnership with scientists and experts, we are continually seeking to understand our impact and improve our product, as well as manufacturing and paving practices. This work advances our understanding and further informs the asphalt pavement industry’s sustainability and emissions goals.”

The full study is available here.

Related: NSSGA, NAPA endorse newly introduced infrastructure bill

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Richard Baldwin, now a professor of international economics at the IMD Business School in Switzerland, is often credited with popularizing this sentiment. He offered a version of this line three years ago at the World Economic Forum’s Growth Summit.

Thinking back to three years ago, AI was not part of my everyday work life like it is in 2026. It probably wasn’t something you regularly engaged with then, either.

For me, AI was introduced more formally two years ago when North Coast Media – Pit & Quarry’s parent company – engaged an AI consultant to present the technology’s seemingly endless possibilities in our work.

I am a stubborn guy, so I was a skeptic. Perhaps my biggest concern then was losing the battle to a supercomputer, which I feared might swipe my identity as Pit & Quarry’s editorial director. Like many of you, I take pride in the work I do every day, and I didn’t want to concede that some “thing” could do my job better than I could.

Fast-forward to today, though, and I can’t imagine a world where AI doesn’t have a place in my work life. The efficiencies it delivers are undeniable, and I’m still the same me I was two years ago.

But here’s what surprises me: I’m now convinced that anyone not leaning into AI is, as Baldwin suggested, bound for the chopping block. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but AI’s power is too great to dismiss.

Putting technology to work

The same logic applies within the aggregates industry – and in a whole slew of instances.

Three years ago, for example, Caterpillar and Luck Stone embarked on a journey to prove the viability of autonomous haulers in a quarry environment. Part of the conversation back then centered on jobs and what might happen to them if the driver was ultimately removed from the truck.

Well, ours is an industry plagued by worker shortages. So I’d argue that, in the long term, leaning into autonomy isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But the message Cat, Luck Stone and others exploring this space kept emphasizing is that jobs will simply evolve.

For the operations embracing autonomy for their hauling, the driver may be eliminated but one or more people are now part of the oversight effort. The net result is more efficient hauling.

Still, that’s just one example. Producers are turning to technology in an assortment of ways to achieve greater efficiencies.

We see it in the sensors attached to equipment, alerting operators when failures are nearing. We see it in the drones flying the skies, capturing data in ways that make us chuckle looking back on previous processes for surveying and stockpile management. And we see it in sophisticated ordering systems that get parts where they’re needed in the field like never before.

Is the technology behind these developments hurting the pride of those who once did things a different way? Sure, maybe. But think about the industry’s then and now, and it’s truly astounding how far we’ve come.

Related: Why the industry is built on people – and not just rock

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New research on crystalline silica, the growing use of AI in workplace safety, and environmental and regulatory developments related to Texas’ continued growth were among the major topics at the Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association’s (TACA) Environmental, Sustainability & Safety Seminar, held Sept. 29-30 in San Antonio.

The two-day seminar brought together state regulators, scientists, safety professionals and construction materials industry leaders to examine developments affecting the production of aggregates, concrete, cement and other construction materials.

TACA president and CEO Andrew Pinkerton opened the seminar and, along with vice president of governmental affairs Clinton Harned, led a session on issues that may be considered during Texas’ upcoming 90th Legislative Session and the vital role construction materials supplied by TACA member companies play in the state’s continued growth.

“As Texas continues to grow, the demand for the basic materials needed to build our roads, homes, schools, water systems and other infrastructure grows with it,” Pinkerton says. “Our industry has an obligation to meet that demand while continuing to improve the way we operate – environmentally, technologically and from a safety standpoint. This seminar gives our members an opportunity to hear directly from scientists, regulators and other experts about the developments shaping that work.”

TCEQ research examines crystalline silica

One of the seminar’s featured presentations examined research by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) into crystalline silica and ambient air quality near aggregate production operations. Tracie Phillips, a toxicologist in TCEQ’s Toxicology, Risk Assessment & Research Division, presented TCEQ’s “Ambient Monitoring of Particulates, Including Crystalline Silica, Near APO Facilities” report. The research included monitoring near two central Texas quarries and one sand mine, along with a background monitoring location in Austin.

TCEQ reports that the aggregate operations studied did not measurably contribute to total PM2.5 concentrations – which can contain respirable crystalline silica.

Concentrations measured near the two quarries were comparable to those at the background monitoring location, while higher ambient particulate concentrations were measured near the sand mine. TCEQ concluded that the airborne crystalline silica concentrations measured at all study locations were not expected to result in short- or long-term adverse health effects for the general public.

TCEQ also found no data in the study demonstrating any correlation between aggregate production and impactful ambient crystalline silica concentrations in the air. The study did identify Saharan dust transported from Africa as a contributor to concentrations of respirable crystalline silica across the study locations.

Silica was also addressed by Emily Hargrove, director of occupational health and safety at the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, who provided an update on MSHA’s respirable crystalline silica rule and discussed the industry’s ongoing efforts to monitor and manage occupational exposure.

AI moves into safety and operations

The seminar also examined the rapidly evolving use of AI in workplace safety and operations.

Lonnie Holder, director of loss control, and Todd Lykke, agency and risk development manager at McGowan Transportation, examined how AI and other emerging technologies are affecting everyday life and how safety professionals can use these tools to become more efficient and proactive.

The discussion explored the role technology can play in identifying potential risks, analyzing information and strengthening workplace safety practices.

“AI can help decision-makers make faster, better-informed decisions, but it is decision support – not a replacement for human authority and judgment,” Holder says.

Pinkerton says AI is moving very quickly from something people simply talk about to something companies are beginning to use in their day-to-day operations.

“For our industry, the important question is how these technologies can be used responsibly and practically to make our people safer, improve the efficiency of our operations and help us work more effectively,” he says.

Environmental, safety issues take focus

The TACA seminar also featured additional sessions addressing sustainability, environmental compliance and workplace safety.

TCEQ’s Brandon Greulich, who manages the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) Task Force Section within the agency’s Air Grants Division, and Bill Moody, technical specialist in the New Source Review Mechanical/Coatings Section, discussed grant opportunities available through TERP and TCEQ’s permitting process.

Other sessions examined low-carbon concrete mix design, stormwater permits, mining and land reclamation, environmental product declarations, cybersecurity, flood and emergency preparedness, safety leadership and preventive maintenance.

Additionally, the program included a session led by Hargrove on strengthening safety culture and addressing mental health across the aggregates industry.

“Texas cannot build the infrastructure its growing population requires without aggregates, concrete and cement,” Pinkerton says. “The challenge for our industry is not simply producing more material. It is continuing to find better, safer and more responsible ways to produce it. Bringing together regulators, researchers and the people who operate these facilities every day helps us do that.”

Related: TACA annual meeting highlights Texas growth

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Construction Partners, Inc. (CPI) acquired the asphalt manufacturing and construction assets of J.H. Strain & Sons, an asphalt paving and manufacturing company headquartered in Tye, Texas.

The transaction adds two hot-mix asphalt plants and related crews and equipment serving the greater Abilene, Texas area. The acquired operations will become part of CPI’s Texas platform company: Lone Star Paving.

“We are pleased to welcome Ross and Kent Strain and their team to the CPI family of companies,” says Jule Smith III, president and CEO of CPI. “Abilene is a growing Texas market with a diversified economy and significant ongoing investment, including several data center-related developments.

According to CPI, more than 125 J.H. Strain employees will join Lone Star Paving as part of the deal.

“We welcome more than 125 talented new employees to Lone Star and look forward to working alongside Ross, Kent and their team to build upon J.H. Strain’s longstanding presence in the market and pursue continued growth together,” Smith says.

Related: Cemstone Aggregates acquires Wisconsin mining operations

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Across pits and quarries, passive warnings are giving way to active, intelligent safety ecosystems built directly into excavators and wheel loaders.

By combining real-time camera systems, precision sensors and machine learning, next-generation machine intelligence is helping to eliminate blind spots and protect workers on the ground.

Jay Patel, wheel loader product manager at Develon, and Brian Kim, heavy excavator product manager at Develon, explain how modern machine technologies and controls are reshaping safety in aggregates.

Advanced wheel loader safety features

Overcoming one of quarrying’s oldest safety challenges – the forward blind spot created by a raised bucket – takes much more than cab mirrors and manual spotters. Here are a few key features that are helping operators work more safely:

■ Transparent Bucket technology. The technology addresses this challenge by stitching together real-time video feeds from top- and bottom-mounted cameras – one on the front axle and one higher on the cab. The video projects a seamless, unobstructed view of what is directly in front of a raised bucket onto the in-cab monitor.

“The Transparent Bucket has been a huge benefit from a safety standpoint,” says Tim Allard, general manager of the Sand & Stone Division at Benevento Companies. “This is a busy place, and the ‘see-through’ wheel loader bucket enhances the visibility and safety in the quarry as the machines are loading trucks and working near each other.”

Wheel loaders working in quarries often run more than 12 hours a day performing repetitive tasks in crowded, high-traffic environments.

“To help operators maintain total visibility during these demanding shifts, the Transparent Bucket acts as a virtual window on the in-cab monitor,” Patel says. “The system’s processor automatically adjusts the camera inputs into a single image so drivers can ‘see through’ the raised bucket to the ground ahead.”

■ Around-view monitor camera system. While the Transparent Bucket helps improve visibility in front of the bucket, pairing it with an optional around-view monitor (AVM) camera system provides up to 270 degrees of enhanced visibility.

The AVM system uses three rear-mounted cameras to give operators more coverage of their surroundings, while integrated proximity sensors deliver visual and audio alerts as objects get closer.

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<p>The post Producers: Share your 2027 aggregates outlook first appeared on Pit & Quarry.</p>

Tecweigh’s Jeff DesJardin can attest to as much – maybe even too good given the impact data center construction is having on the company’s planned facility expansion in St. Paul, Minnesota.

“The data centers are seemingly consuming all of the construction materials and the steel,” says Jeff DesJardin, general manager at Tecweigh.

In a way, that’s a good problem to have.

“It’s got us a little bit behind,” DesJardin says, “but we’ll get there.”

While DesJardin can’t pinpoint precisely how many more tons of aggregates his customers are selling these days because of data centers, he says demand is clearly elevated. The increase is palpable, he says, based on what Tecweigh is seeing across the markets it serves.

“We are selling to those producers that are supplying raw goods, whether it be cement or whether it be the infrastructure piece for the roads to get to the data centers,” DesJardin says.

Ben Lentsch, national director of distribution and marketing at Unified Screening & Crushing, has a similar view of the market. Lentsch, however, wonders how sustainable data center-driven materials demand really is.

Regardless, Unified will take the more immediate increase and roll with it.

“Like any investment in infrastructure, we’re all for it,” Lentsch says. “Those are big facilities. There’s a lot of aggregate that goes into them – a lot of outlying [materials] with roads and things like that, and other businesses that are going to be developed around them.”

As Lentsch assesses the data center market, he can’t help but draw some parallels with the frac sand sector the industry is familiar with.

“We’re wondering if it might be a little ‘boomy,’” says Lentsch, whose company is headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota. “The frac sand boom was kind of that way. Once the service roads were in, the concrete wellheads and all that [infrastructure] was in, that initial boom was over.”

Still, unlike frac sand sites, Lentsch points out that some data centers are being built in or near metro areas. So the opportunity for supplemental development is potentially there.

“Data centers seem to be a lot more metropolitan-based,” he says, “so hopefully you get a lot of other businesses around them that continue to fuel that development. We’re excited for it. We’re just kind of keeping our fingers crossed to see where it goes.”

WD Scepaniak (WDS), a contract crushing company based in Holdingford, Minnesota, hasn’t directly been involved with any data center projects in 2026. But WDS president Joe Scepaniak says his company is undoubtedly benefiting from them.

“I do believe that has increased the demand for aggregates in certain regions,” Scepaniak says. “You’ll pick up something else because the demand is higher than what can be done.”

More broadly, Scepaniak says WDS is well booked through 2026 and already looking forward to 2027.

“Regionally, based on what I’m hearing from other competitors, customers and vendors, the Minnesota aggregates industry is pretty hot,” he says. “There’s a lot going on.”

More on Drilling Deeper

Hear more from Jeff DesJardin, Ben Lentsch and Joe Scepaniak on Episode 75 of Pit & Quarry’s Drilling Deeper podcast. Watch or listen today at drillingdeeperpodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

Managing editor Jack Kopanski contributed to this article.

Related: Perspectives: Infrastructure funding and demand optimism

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Komatsu is marking 25 years of manufacturing at its Newberry Manufacturing Operation in South Carolina, where more than 53,000 machines have been produced since the facility opened.

Employees, dealer partners, elected officials and community members gathered Oct. 2 to commemorate the anniversary. Komatsu also demonstrated equipment manufactured at the facility and unveiled a special 25th anniversary model of its WA485-11 wheel loader, one of the newest wheel loaders produced in Newberry.

The Newberry operation opened in 2001 as Komatsu’s fifth major manufacturing facility in North America. The plant initially manufactured backhoe loaders before expanding production to include wheel loaders and forklifts.

The facility has grown from about 200,000 sq. ft. when it opened to more than 300,000 sq. ft. today. Employment has increased from 22 employees at the plant’s opening to about 250.

“Reaching 25 years is a significant milestone for Newberry Manufacturing Operation and a testament to the dedication, skill and commitment of our employees,” says Rod Bull, CEO of Komatsu North America. “From the facility’s beginnings with a small team producing backhoe loaders to the diverse manufacturing operation it is today, Newberry’s success has been built by the people who come to work each day focused on delivering quality products and continuously improving what we do.”

Related: Komatsu debuts new facility in Canada

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