by Sean Zimmerman on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 8:05 am

As temperatures drop, the number of asphalt plants open for business is dropping as well.  It’s that time of the year when most plants go into shutdown mode, performing maintenance and keeping costs low while conditions are less than ideal for asphalt paving.  Lately, it seems like more and more plants are able to stay open and crews able to pave deeper and deeper into the season.  The reason behind this is directly linked to the rise in popularity of Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA).  For those who aren’t yet familiar with it, WMA is produced and laid at significantly lower temperatures than traditional Hot Mix Asphalt.

There are several advantages to producing and paving with Warm Mix Asphalt, including:

• Using a lower plant temperature, there are increased savings in fuel consumption & operating costs, while reducing emissions into the atmosphere
• WMA can be laid at a lower compaction temperature, providing a larger window for crews to pave.  As a result, Warm Mix Asphalt can also be hauled to jobsites that are further away.  This can allow for companies to bid and take on work that was previously thought to be too far away from the plant.
• Better workability in lower temperatures means that the amount of wasted (non-pliable) asphalt that typically occurs when temperatures drop is reduced

Successful QualiTherm WMA job in Oxford County, Ontario, Canada

by Towner Magill on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 at 1:07 pm

It’s hard to believe that 2011 has already passed, and thus we’ve made it successfully through our first full calendar year of ShopWorx. I wanted to take some time to reflect on 2011 and what we’ve learned, and look forward to exciting things in 2012! We have learned so much from our customers about what they need every day to get the job done. I hope we have made your job easier with something we’ve provided from our supply line, and if not I hope you will let us know how we can help this year.

ShopWorx customers are popping up all over the nation as the word spreads about us. We are now an exclusive provider of Portable Changeable Message Boards to the State of Maryland, and they have been raving about our message boards in every state agency across the state. Our QualiTherm additive for Warm Mix Asphalt production has been used with great success by asphalt producers in the Midwest and the Southeast. Numerous contractors from Connecticut to California are using our PPE gear and work tools. At the end of the year we also became exclusive supplier of traffic cones to the State of North Carolina. And, we’re just getting started….

I expect great things for ShopWorx and our customers in 2012. There are signs that the economy is turning around, and infrastructure projects on hold are sure to pick back up. As your business begins to grow again, we hope you will give us the chance to grow with you. For now, I leave you with a quote from Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation since 2009:

“It’s been proven time after time: investments in our national infrastructure create jobs and opportunities. Americans can and must build great things – not just in spite of enormous economic challenges but also as the means of overcoming them.”

Let’s build great things together in 2012!

Towner

by Towner Magill on Monday, October 24th, 2011 at 6:27 am

As we move into a part of the year where weather and conditions tend to get a little more counter-productive, I thought a post on being safe in the workplace would be appropriate.  I wanted to share three stories I’ve recently heard from different QPR reps throughout the country.

The title of this blog post is from a saying stenciled on a temporary storage shed belonging to a paving contractor in my hometown, and it made me think.  We all work to support ourselves and our families, and have a better quality of life.  While many of us work in a sheltered office environment, there are many working on dangerous jobsites, such as the folks doing road construction in my hometown.  For these people, a day’s work can be deadly if the proper safety procedures are not taken, including wearing the right personal protective equipment, or PPE.  Their company takes PPE very seriously, and it shows when you are traveling through any of their construction zones.

In another example, halfway across the country another paving contractor we know was fined for not having the proper safety gear at their jobsite.  The fine was in the thousands, and could have bought hundreds of safety vests.  Although they take safety seriously, they were not aware of the OSHA & ANSI safety regulations that are required to be followed in different situations.  Even with the best intentions, the proper gear must be used in order to avoid costly fines, let alone accidents.

Finally, another rep of ours told me about a municipality in the state of Florida that recently lost an employee in a work-related accident.  He was wearing a safety vest, but unfortunately was not seen by a driver while doing work on the side of the road.  Their municipality is taking additional precautions moving forward to make sure they don’t have any more of these types of accidents.

As the days get shorter, and the weather gets colder and rainier and eventually turns to snow, hours are precious in getting jobs done in time.  Just because you have less time to finish the work doesn’t mean you need to cut corners when it comes to the proper PPE.  Keep in mind that QPR ShopWorx has a full line of ANSI – compliant PPE gear, both for warm and winter weather.  Ask your rep today about the requirements and make sure you are up to speed.  Be safe!

Towner Magill

South East Territory Manager

by sbailey on Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 at 8:41 am

Introducing the QPR ShopWorx  Convenience Store Package EXCLUSIVELY for subscribers of Convenience Store News!

You don’t want to miss out on our C-Store Safety Package put together exclusively for convenience store owners available for a limited time only.

Don’t let that pesky pothole turn into an expensive and untimely liability. You no longer need to waste valuable time and money trying to find a contractor to do these pothole repairs for you when you can do it yourself in less time and at a fraction of the cost. This C-Store Safety Package has everything you need to keep your parking lot and your customers safe.

The C-Store Safety Package comes with the following:

• 1 – Roll of caution tape
• 6 – 18” 3 lb. traffic cones (great for diverting traffic away from your repair area)
• 7 – Bags of QPR Permanent Pavement Repair
• 1 – QPR Multi-Purpose Tamp
• 1 – QPR Multi-Purpose Squeegee (great for removing rain water from the entrance to your store)

You get this 16 piece package for the low price of $199.00.

QPR is also offering FREE shipping to the first 50 callers! Don’t risk passing up on this offer. You can’t put a price on safety, and $199.00 is a great deal for some peace of mind.

by admin on Thursday, June 24th, 2010 at 7:46 am

We are proud to introduce our newest range of quality products.

QPR ShopWorx is born to serve the need for clients to get ALL their asphalt supplies in one easy phone call. And we mean it! Our staff works hard to take care of all your ordering needs.

Here’s a quick insight on what you can expect from us. Stay tuned to the blog in which we will share thoughts on the industry, practical advice, and naturally the latest news here at QPR ShopWorx.

Our promise:

• High quality products at competitive prices
• Satisfaction guarantee or your money back on all products
• We’ll help you find the products you need to get the job done right
• If we don’t carry the specific item you are looking for, we’ll get it for you. We do all the work, leaving you free to tackle more important tasks

Traffic Control

• High-visibility, durable & cost-effective traffic cones, drums and channelizers in a variety of sizes & specifications to meet DOT requirements.
• Full range of cone accessories, including cones lights, arrow signs and flags
• Solar-Assisted advance warning arrow boards and message boards, with or without battery chargers, to provide versatile, high-visibility traffic routing through construction zones

Personal Protection Equipment & Safety Apparel

• From simple safety vests and hard hats to heavy-duty bomber jackets and rain suits, we offer high visibility safety apparel for every situation
• Our garments are 100% certified and meet all current specifications
• All background and reflective material has been tested by a Federal Testing facility and meet ANSI safety criteria

Work Tools

• Our high quality, innovative tools provide long-lasting service at a reasonable price
• Asphalt lutes and rakes are constructed of light-weight aluminum, with rigid beams to ensure even application
• Shovels and tampers have durable steel heads and handles
• Our squeegees feature either ‘U’ or ‘V’ shaped blades ideal to funnel material intocracks.
  Can be used as both push and pull applicators

Asphalt Engineering

QPR QualiTherm Warm Mix Additive

• Allows asphalt to be produced & compacted at lower temperatures
• Reduces fuel costs and extends the paving season into the cooler months
• Requires no plant modifications

QPR Asphalt Release

• Prevents asphalt from adhering to surfaces
• Will not degrade asphalt
• Effective with hot, warm and cold asphalt
• Environmentally safe

QPR RC Tack Coat

• Provides an effective bond between new asphalt and existing pavement
• Slow setting, low viscosity
• Can be used all year