From The Top: Head of the Class

This joint column appears in the Winter 2024 print edition of NAPA Quarterly. Subscribe here.

The heart of innovation is learning. Trying something new. Testing for results. Modifying and trying again. The learning mindset resonates throughout our industry because we are innovators always seeking to build better, longer-lasting, sustainable roads.

While many on our crews and staff may not call themselves ‘lifelong learners,’ they most certainly are! It takes an incredible amount of knowledge sharing and skill building to learn all aspects of the business, to rise from front end loader to paver operator (for example), and to continuously stay on top of ever-changing specifications and techniques.

This issue of NAPA Quarterly delves into various types of learning and innovation. It’s not exactly ‘back to school,’ but we are sharpening our minds!

Many of our plant and equipment manufacturer members provide training for their customers, helping operators use their products safely, efficiently, and skillfully. From online classes and videos to hands-on events, these are unique opportunities for your plant and paving crews. Our own Brett Williams took advantage of the Cat Paving Training this summer and shares his experience with a day-by-day recap.

Learning also comes from research. And there’s none quite like what goes ’round and ’round the Test Track at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at Auburn University. Every three-year cycle simulates 10 years of roadway usage, culminating in the Test Track Conference. The eighth cycle findings, related to additives, balanced mix design (BMD), and more, were presented this spring.

This issue also celebrates our Larry H. Lemon Award winners for paving projects under 50,000 tons. Take a look at the projects to see what you might glean from their successes.

Finally, we’re really excited about what the whole industry will learn as we begin our work on a five-year, $10 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to improve and expand our Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program. It is crucial that NAPA lead this charge on behalf of our industry, ensuring that industry issues and concerns are addressed at every step of the way. As this journey unfolds, it will provide further evidence of the inherent sustainability of our products, contributing to the long-term sustainability of our industry.

There’s so much to learn from projects, research, and each other. If you have an educational resource to share or unique learning experience to tell us about, please let us know – perhaps you and your company could be featured here in NAPA Quarterly!

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.” – Henry Ford