Maybe it's her training as a runner, but it is clear Susan Martinovich is a woman in a hurry—both as the chief, since 2007, of Nevada's $800-million-a-year transportation department and, in her role that ended in November, as the first female president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Thrill seekers can drive life-size Tonka toys and move massive mounds of earth thanks to Ed Mumm's $1-million heavy- equipment theme park in Las Vegas.
Ahern Rentals Inc., the 58-year-old family-owned equipment rental giant that filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Dec. 22, prided itself on not selling out. Now, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Reno, Nev., Ahern's Chapter 11 proceedings unfold on the heels of an announced merger between the construction industry's two largest rental companies—United Rentals Inc. and RSC Holdings Inc.—which for more than a decade have been chipping away at independents like Ahern through roll-ups, volume purchasing and price competition. Tudor Van Hampton for ENR Don Ahern is a fixture at equipment shows such as World of Concrete. Photo by
KBC Asset Management NV, a Brussels-based private investment manager, filed a lawsuit on Dec. 27 against Vulcan Materials Co. for not acting on a hostile takeover bid earlier in the month by rival Martin Marietta Materials Inc. that would have created the world's largest rock and gravel supplier."The exchange offer provides significant bird-in-hand value to Vulcan's shareholders in light of Vulcan's poor performance over the recent periods," says KBC's lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Birmingham, Ala. The Belgian firm owns over 44,000 shares of Vulcan, which has lost money three of the last four quarters. Martin Marietta stock,
Tudor Van Hampton for ENR Don Ahern is a fixture at equipment shows such as World of Concrete. Photo by Tony Illia Contractors praise independents like Ahern for personal service and locations that national chains do not reach. Ahern Rentals Inc., the 58-year-old family-owned equipment rental giant that filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Dec. 22, prided itself on not selling out. Now, at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Reno, Nev., Ahern's Chapter 11 proceedings unfold on the heels of an announced merger between the construction industry's two largest rental companies—United Rentals Inc. and RSC Holdings Inc.—which for more
photo: AP/Wide World Cement manufacturing giant had 4.7 million tonnes of in-country capacityl, including this plant in Maracaibo. Monterrey, Mexico-based cement giant Cemex S.A.B de C.V. will get $600 million in restitution from Venezuela, about half of the $1.2 billion it had sought, after President Hugo Chávez nationalized its assets in 2008.Under the Dec. 1 deal, the firm will get $240 million in cash and $360 million in various negotiable securities issued by state-owned oil giant, Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. Cemex's Venezuelan operation consisted of 4.7 million tonnes of cement capacity, including 10 land-based and seven marine terminals, 33 ready-mix
The critics have called it "the bridge to nowhere." It has gone through over a decade of delays and setbacks. But the 1,722-ft-long, 295-ft-tall Galena Creek Bridge, one of the costliest, most controversial projects in Nevada's history, is finally nearing completion. Julie Duewel With the bridge approaching completion, the fill that enabled crews to erect falsework is now gone from the canyon. Julie Duewel Galena Creek Bridge is the centerpiece of an 8.5-mile Interstate 580 extension being constructed between Reno and the state capitol, Carson City. Related Links: Read this April 2007 story on Galena Creek Bridge from ENR Southwest's
The critics have called it "the bridge to nowhere." It has gone through over a decade of delays and setbacks. But the 1,722-ft-long, 295-ft-tall Galena Creek Bridge, one of the costliest, most controversial projects in Nevada's history, is finally nearing completion.Crossing a small creek in a rocky, rural patch of northern Nevada about 20 miles southwest of Reno, it will be both the country's longest cathedral-arch bridge and the linchpin of a $600-million Interstate 580 extension between Reno and Carson City.The 8.5-mile-long, six-lane freeway bypasses a busy, accident-prone stretch of U.S. Highway 395—which runs through Pleasant Valley, a small, unincorporated
Engineers and contractors could end up holding the bag if the finances of state and local governments continue to deteriorate, risk experts warn.Government clients can be especially hard to collect from because they are unlikely to place money in escrow accounts. Private-sector protective measures, such as filing a pre-lien against assets, may not apply to public owners. Yet contractors and prime consultants may remain liable for paying subcontractors, consultants and suppliers.That was the grim assessment at the American Council of Engineering Companies' Oct. 19-22 fall conference in Las Vegas, where a panel explored ways of safeguarding against deadbeat government clients.
images courtesy of burns & McDonnell Brainchild Engineering firms sponsored design competition hopes to attract K-12 students to science, math and engineering subjects. Courtesy Burns & McDonnell Burns & McDonnell's program boosts engineering's appeal to students. Related Links: Education Special Report Main Story: Engineers and Universities Work To Advance Career-Long Learning With plans to add nearly 1,000 positions by the end of 2013, Kansas City-based engineer Burns & McDonnell isn't wasting any time on its recruiting efforts, both short and long term. One effort aimed at its future workforce is the “Battle of the Brains” competition, a pilot program launched