With a history going back thousands of years, it’s a little amazing that asphalt remains one of the most widely used products for the roads of the 21^st century.

A semisolid, bituminous substance, brownish-black in colour, asphalt has always been valued for the way it sticks to surfaces—just the thing for hunters to glue arrowheads to shafts. Over time, older civilizations also used it to waterproof ships, baths, and aqueducts. Collected in its raw natural state as bitumen, it was refined in factories, mixed with aggregates, and became the product we know today.

As much as we take asphalt for granted, it’s a product that keeps developing and plays a key role every day in our lives, especially in transportation infrastructure.

As the automobile gained popularity, the need for smooth, driveable roads and fewer mud-filled potholes grew, and asphalt—first laid by hand, later by machine—became a viable, cost-effective alternative to concrete. Initially used for street paving in the United States from about 1870, about 42 million square yards of America’s streets were paved with asphalt by 1903.

Continually re-formulated, asphalt became even more durable, proving able to withstand the weight of military aircraft during World War II. In the boom years following the war, with the passing of the Interstate Highways Act, asphalt played a huge part in the growth of America’s roads and highways.

According to the British-based Mineral Products Association (MPA), about 70 percent of annual bitumen production today is still earmarked for road construction. When it’s mixed with aggregates like gravel as a binder, asphalt concrete is produced, usually referred to simply as asphalt. In the U.S., asphalt remains the surfacing product of choice, used for approximately 94 percent of about 2.75 million miles (4,425,696 km) of paved road.

Much like its counterpart concrete, the technology behind asphalt products keeps evolving. Unlike the asphalt of years past, today’s formulations are more durable, better for the environment, and can be easier to apply. This is especially apparent with mixes used for road construction.

A combination of about 95 percent aggregate like stone and sand mixed with asphalt cement, hot mix asphalt (HMA) has been used for traditional asphalt paving for years. Cost-effective for road surfaces and able to withstand weather changes, it is being rivalled by warm mix asphalt (WMA).

WMA holds some advantages over HMA. Produced at temperatures of 30 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (-1.11 to 48.8 degrees Celsius), WMA requires less energy consumption to create.

“Relative to HMA, WMA cools more slowly, allowing WMA to be successfully placed in lower temperatures,” says the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. “As a result, WMA extends the paving season. It also makes night paving more feasible.”

Since WMA is at lower temperatures than HMA, it can be transported greater distances, saving costs. And being compacted more easily, it requires less labour. On the manufacturing side, WMA is better for people and the planet because it produces less dust and smoke.

With global warming a growing concern, WMA can be applied “when the air quality would typically put a halt to paving,” says the Federal Highway Administration. Technologies like intelligent compaction (IC) for applications such as parking lots are incorporating sensors and GPS to make the process faster and more efficient.

Asphalt is leading the way as the world transitions from polluting, wasteful products toward newer, greener materials and application methods. This includes recycled asphalt pavement, sometimes known as reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP).

Containing asphalt and aggregates, RAP refers to pavement materials that have been removed or reprocessed. Pulverized at a processing plant, or sometimes onsite, reclaimed asphalt is mixed with additives and binders.

Although the exact amount of RAP produced in the U.S. is not known, the Federal Highway Administration believes it to be up to 45 million tons (41 million metric tons) annually, while others believe it’s twice as much. Providing many benefits over using virgin materials, RAP saves money on disposal, reduces the amount of fresh crude oil needed, helps conserve natural resources, and is less expensive while still providing durable, crack-resistant paving.

In recent years, 3D concrete printing has taken off and is being used for structures from pedestrian bridges to entire buildings. Much like concrete, 3D asphalt printing is also gaining popularity.

Developing a unique 3D system for printing asphalt, researchers at University College London are exploring what this technology means for the future of construction. This includes so-called “self-repairing cities” and using unmanned drones, instead of human workers, that will fly around and identify, diagnose, and repair roads and streets before they become costly, traffic-clogging problems.

Self-contained, these drones harness a vision system to detect and digitize cracks, an asphalt heating and extruding system, and a ground mobility tracked mechanism. “Asphalt roadways deteriorate due to age and traffic loads,” says the Self Repairing Cities website. “If maintenance is not done in a timely manner distress will aggravate—cracks become potholes, and the potholes become craters. Automated systems used to monitor and repair cracks in the roadway could address the current interest in preserving road infrastructure, with minimal road obstruction.”

Since 3D printing is precise, asphalt can be laid with great accuracy. Eliminating the potential for human error means surface thickness will be consistent, with less waste generated. From onboard sensors in paving machines to computerized data analysis, asphalt pavements are destined to be laid with greater precision, resulting in uniform thickness. And automation, machine control systems, and remote monitoring will all make asphalt projects more efficient and safer for human workers.

With 3D printing, self-healing asphalt, and incorporated nanoengineering additives, the asphalt of the future will be applied faster and with greater accuracy, and will be more durable than ever before.

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Years before founding Specialty Technology and Research, Inc.—better known to its many customers as STAR—Dubey earned his master’s degree in inorganic chemistry from Gorakhpur University in India, later pursuing chemistry at Ohio’s Wright State University. This led to a position at Denmark-founded and based Hempel, one of the foremost global manufacturers of sustainable coatings used in marine containers, oil and gas, industrial, infrastructure, yachts, and other sectors.

Inspired by his experience at Hempel and seeing a need in the sealcoating market, Dubey created STAR Inc. in 1986.

Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, STAR has grown to 15 plants across the United States and three international manufacturing facilities in India, Australia, and China.

“We’re always looking for new territories, and there are some interesting candidates,” says Dubey. “Generally speaking, we’re looking to expand on the West Coast and in Canada, and we’re diligently exploring certain areas on the Eastern Seaboard.”

Developing new and exciting products over the years has led STAR to offer customers four major lines of sealcoating, with each sealcoating having three or four variations. The company is also behind other established lines of products including primers, traffic paint, additives, crack fillers, and many more.

“We are always expanding our product lines, the most recent being one that was introduced last year,” says Dubey. “This is an additive called STAR LTCA: Low-Temperature Cure Additive.”

For years, one of the biggest challenges for customers was cold weather. But thanks to STAR LTCA, the sealcoating season has been extended.

Sealcoatings can be applied at temperatures below 50°F (10°C)—from around 40°F (4.5°C) to 45°F (7°C)—but not below freezing, which is the cut-off. Specifically formulated and manufactured for optimal curing at cooler temperatures, STAR LTCA extends the season for sealcoating application by about four or five weeks in both early spring and late fall.

Drying and curing at lower temperatures, STAR LTCA provides a durable coating and is ideal for applications ranging from apartment buildings and office complexes to gas stations. “This product has been very successful, and is well-liked by sealcoating customers,” says Dubey, “and we’re starting an ad campaign for it.”

STAR LTCA is available from all STAR plant locations and comes in five-gallon plastic pails, 55-gallon drums, and 275-gallon plastic totes for projects of all sizes.

Along with STAR LTCA, the company is actively promoting STAR® RUST ARREST™. A unique rust-inhibiting specialty primer/coating, STAR RUST ARREST is well suited to addressing unsightly and destructive rust spots and streaks caused by pyrites (iron sulfite minerals) in pavement.

Freshly laid asphalt is black, and if anything is wrong at first, customers cannot see it. As it oxidizes, the color bleaches and after about a year turns slate grey. Unless addressed, these rusting areas will show through the pavement, allowing rain, snow, and salt to penetrate, creating cracks and potholes. “If the aggregate contains pyrites—which is fairly common—as a pavement is laid down, it will start oxidizing. Those iron ore contaminations start turning to rust and become very visible on the new pavement,” Dubey explains.

“Sometimes you will see all kinds of rust coming through on pavement that’s just a year old. You have to address the rust; it’s not only unsightly, but it damages the pavement. This primer and coating is water-based, and once applied, it stops rust from starting. It creates a barrier coat that reduces the oxidative reactions to rust in the pavement.”

Made for asphalt surfaces, STAR RUST ARREST creates a black satin finish as it dries, protecting and beautifying the asphalt surfaces found in airports, parking lots, schools, home driveways, and other areas. Once the pavement is swept, cleaned, power washed, and dried, just a single application is needed. “You don’t have to even apply another coat. Just one coat of RUST ARREST gives a beautiful black finish to the pavement,” says Dubey.

Safe, simple to use, and easy to clean with water, the product dries in just 30 minutes and cures in as little as two to four hours.

Made for ease of use and formulated for longevity, STAR Inc.’s product lineup includes STAR-TRITON®—which can extend pavement longevity by approximately 300 percent—durable and colorfast STAR SPECTRUM® coating products, and many more. For the protection of concrete surfaces, STAR’s MACRO-DECK® safeguards against the destruction caused by water, salt, and chemicals.

Operating with a licensee model, STAR has an “Own a Star Seal Plant” section dedicated to entrepreneurs on its website at https://starseal.com/own-a-u-s-plant/. Providing all the tools needed for success, from technical expertise to research and product development, to sales and marketing support, STAR helps licensed plants across America grow and thrive through its unique, cost-effective program. Best of all, becoming part of the growing STAR family often saves more than the cost of start-up fees when compared to starting a manufacturing operation on your own.

All STAR products are carefully crafted and made to last. From concept to product development and commercialization, it often takes two to three years for a product to come to market—and Dubey wouldn’t have it any other way.

With the company refusing to take shortcuts, all new products are tested, manufactured, and subjected to field trials at several plant locations, where they are applied on pavement and observed. “It’s very important that the product goes through at least one cycle of freeze and thaw,” says Dubey.

Usually applied in late fall, the product and its performance are observed and recorded during the winter and spring. Only when a product successfully meets its benchmarks is it made available. Sometimes, new sealcoating products undergo third-party testing if required.

Sealcoatings, primers, traffic paint, crack fillers, and other STAR products are made to work under all weather conditions, and STAR’s President Girish Dubey warns potential customers of the risks of using other, less expensive, products. These typically contain excessive amounts of water, compromising the coating and resulting in a much shorter service life.

“To safeguard against that, it’s extremely important that you check the differences and talk to property owners for whom the contractor has done the job,” he says. “Check with suppliers and ask questions. Some contractors have even said they are using STAR Seal but are in fact using other products. It’s important to check references.”

STAR dedicates itself to providing a superior product with consistent performance, excellent value, and the highest quality—and it shows.

The post Girish C. Dubey Is Inspired by Sealcoating. It Explains a Lot About His Products.<p class="company">STAR, Inc.</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

“The winters are getting shorter,” Scott McConnell says with a laugh. Scott is co-owner of the company, along with his brother Rob and brother-in-law Chris Hanson. “There’s more to do; we have a full schedule.” McConnell & Associates now employs about 100 people through the winter. That number spiked to around 180 this past summer, the largest headcount in the company’s history.

That history dates back to humble beginnings in 1960.

Scott and Rob’s grandfather Burton was a superintendent for an excavation company, and their father Troy worked for him as a bulldozer operator. They began moonlighting together for another company which was a pioneer in refined tar pavement sealers.

Although these sealants had been used for years in roofing applications, a company based in Ohio—the ‘cradle’ of sealcoating, according to Scott—was using them in low-traffic pavement repair. One of its franchises was owned by an entrepreneur named Patricia Lorenz, and in 1962, she hired the two McConnells—Burton and Troy—to operate the business.

It is a unique origin story. “You wouldn’t necessarily think of a woman in the road oil business in 1960,” Scott says, “but she ran that business really well. Dad always spoke fondly of her; he looked up to her.”

In 1965, a few years after the McConnells joined Ms. Lorenz, she decided to exit the business. Rob picks up the timeline from there: “The story goes that our dad and grandfather went to every bank in town to get the money together. It finally worked out, and the business did well. A short time later, they were able to pay the loan off.”

Pavement maintenance was the foundation of the company, but in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it started working on sport surfaces. Tennis was the craze, and new courts were in demand.

McConnell & Associates’ path is not uncommon in the industry. “When we go to the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) conference,” says Rob, “there are always people in the room like Scott and I, whose dads and grandfathers started the same way: one running a sports business, the other running pavement. They were at the right place at the right time.”

Growing up in the family business was a natural fit for the brothers. ”We both always knew that we were going to come into the business; it’s what we knew,” says Scott. After college, both moved into the business full time, moving from field work into estimating and sales and, ultimately, into leadership.

Today, the business not only has sports and paving divisions; it also manufactures the pavement coatings that its crews apply. It sells the products it makes to other pavement maintenance contractors through four retail outlets.

“There’s a lot of crossover in our business,” Scott explains. “With the services we provide and the trades we perform, there are natural bolt-on services to create more value for our customers. The businesses are run as different segments, but they complement each other.”

McConnell & Associates’ market segments cross over as well. Its customers include property and business owners as well as churches, but school districts, colleges, and parks and recreation departments are also ideal fits. “With schools, there’s potentially a need for everything McConnell offers. They’ll have a parking lot but also a running track; we can help with both. Similarly, a park might have exercise trails but also need a parking lot.”

For schools and civic departments, the cost of installation can be steep: a few hundred thousand dollars, up to half a million in some cases. These clients cannot risk a poor quality installation eating into their tight budgets.

With specialized and highly trained staff, McConnell & Associates offers end-to-end service. “We have the capability to help an owner design their project,” Scott says. “We have tennis court builders and track builders on our team, certified through ASBA. An architect or general contractor may not have the expertise, and we save them money and time because it’s a specialty project.”

And the surfaces are getting more specialized all the time. While many contractors can create asphalt surfaces, McConnell & Associates also competes with a smaller number of companies that install rubberized surfaces. “It’s a premium product, and those are specialty contracts,” says Rob. “The technology originated in Germany, and there are fewer companies here doing it.”

Rob underscores how McConnell & Associates builds trusting relationships with its customers. “The partnerships are something I’m really proud of. Our project manager will look at every school in a district, for example. We’ll evaluate each of the properties and give the facilities manager a plan: what needs maintenance this year, what can wait, and how much they should budget. We just take care of them; we give them a good experience.”

One unexpected dynamic about McConnell & Associates’ business surfaced in early 2021, when COVID emerged. At a time when businesses of all kinds were uncertain about what the pandemic would mean, the company’s phone started ringing.

“We heard from customers about work they wanted to do,” Scott remembers. “Schools were closing, so what better time to resurface the parking lot or rebuild the track? We went to our people and let them know that they didn’t have to work, that their job would be there for them no matter what. But everyone came in, and we got to work.”

Scott believes that it was a healthy thing for the employees. “For our community of employees, it was a good thing. We were able to work outside and be safe, and it helped to maintain a sense of normalcy.”

That dedication to looking after employees factored into a big decision leading into 2022. “The conversation started four or five years ago,” Scott says. “We started entertaining what succession planning looks like, but we wanted to be intentional about it. We have a strong management team; some of them have been with us for 15 or 20 years. We knew that they’d have to be a part of any succession plan.”

With consolidation happening in the industry, the owners did consider a sale to a private equity buyer. That is not what they chose.

“We think that this brand is worth continuing. We have a lot of very loyal customers; we have children that are going to come into the business, and we feel strongly about the management teams we have in place. So we looked at the options, and an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) just made sense to us.”

Companies everywhere strive to increase the level of ‘ownership quotient,’ hoping that employees will act with the same enthusiasm and dedication that an owner would. It was an easy decision for McConnell & Associates to create employee-owners in name, because it was an extension of what was already present in the business.

“ESOP made sense because we’ve got people who come in and do their jobs like they own the place already,” Rob says.

“It’s a lot more work,” Scott acknowledges, “but it’s worth it. We don’t have other business interests. We wanted to stay here and give the next generation of leaders the mentoring they need so they’ll be ready when it comes time for us to retire.”

Planning for the future also means putting additional structures in place. The competition for labor has become fiercer, so McConnell & Associates hired a full-time recruiter. “It’s tough to find people,” Scott shares. “Staffing is always a challenge; it’s a job that’s never done. We need that recruiter to strategically go after and hire the best people. To make sure our departments have the human resources they need.”

The company has also hired two people—one a new hire, the other someone who has worked with McConnell & Associates in different positions—into business development positions. These two are the first dedicated salespeople the company has ever had and will focus on the sports construction segment and the pavement maintenance and civil segment, respectively.

All of these elements working in tandem position the company well for the future. After nearly 60 years in operation, McConnell & Associates has an emerging cohort of committed leaders in place, a sense of true ownership among all its employees, and a broad range of loyal customer partnerships.

The post Quality Surfaces—and Quality Beneath the Surface<p class="company">McConnell & Associates</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.