Drilling Deeper: A Pit & Quarry podcast

On this episode of "Drilling Deeper," Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski share updates from the 72nd Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) Annual Meeting.  Jack was down in San Antonio for the event and spoke with Dr. Anirban Basu, CEO of Sage Policy Group; Andrew Pinkerton, president of TACA; and Matt Arnold, TACA chairman and vice president of operations at Knife River. Basu ex...

Dave McCracken, technical sales director at Astec Industries, joined "Drilling Deeper" to offer insights into common – yet often hidden – issues that are costing aggregate operations time and money. The issues addressed in this episode are bottlenecks and equipment mismatches in production, how maintenance and downtime affect efficiency, how the operator experience impacts safety and per...

Scott Alexander, now with Quikrete, has a long history in the aggregates industry. His son, Jason, followed in his footsteps in 2024, joining the industry on the manufacturing side with Kleemann.  P&Q caught up with the two at the 2026 Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference, where Scott and Jason discussed the intersection of family and work in the aggregates industry. Our conversation t...

In this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Superior Industries’ Riley Arndt and Joe Gibson to explore why the same conveyor problems keep coming back, and how a systems-based approach can finally break the cycle. Arndt and Gibson walk through six recurring pain points – material spillage, dust containment, material carryback, conveyor belt tracking,...

FMI Capital Advisors’ George Reddin and Ogletree Deakins’ Bill Doran caught up with P&Q’s Kevin Yanik at the 2026 Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference to provide updates on the construction materials market and MSHA environment, respectively. Watch or listen to our one-on-one interviews with these P&Q contributors, as Reddin offers an assessment of construction markets, the M&A...

In this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Karen Thompson, president of Haver & Boecker Niagara, to explore how smarter screening can transform an aggregate operation’s bottom line.  Thompson breaks down key trends in screening efficiency and uptime, from predictive and preventative maintenance to the growing role of AI, automation and condition...

This episode takes listeners inside the 2026 Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference, recorded on-site at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Florida. Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski recorded this episode at the conclusion of the Roundtable to share key insights from aggregates industry leaders, as well as reflect on the conversations shaping the industry right now. The two co-hosts refl...

On this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with PPI’s Tim Wolf to discuss the launch of Precision Composite Roller (PCR), a new composite idler roll option designed to tackle weight, corrosion and carryback challenges.  Wolf explains how PCR delivers a 30 percent weight reduction while remaining fully load capable, with temperature stability that rivals s...

A high-energy ConExpo-Con/Agg is in the books. P&Q’s Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski sat down toward the very end of the five-day show to share their experiences and detail some of the trends that permeated throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center.   In addition, P&Q welcomed seven guests into its booth to capture their ConExpo-Con/Agg perspective and what stood out. This episode’s guests...

On this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Dominic Nasso and TJ Greene of Buffalo to talk about the company’s biggest ConExpo presence yet – and what that milestone says about where the brand is headed in 2026 and beyond.  Nasso explains how Buffalo’s record-setting booth in Central Hall (#C31458) captures the brand’s evolution from a wire specialist...

As the industry’s biggest trade show inches closer, Pit & Quarry’s Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski preview what’s coming to ConExpo-Con/Agg while offering an inside look at P&Q’s show lead-up – from virtual press conferences to the steady flow of equipment launches being shared with the magazine. This episode’s centerpiece is an in-depth interview with ConExpo-Con/Agg show director Dana Wues...

On this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Christian Kurasek, CFO of Pronto.ai, to discuss the company’s partnership with Heidelberg Materials and the producer’s recent milestone of 2 million tons hauled autonomously at a Texas quarry.   Pronto and Heidelberg began their partnership in 2023 when Heidelberg began using Pronto’s autonomous haulage syst...

In the very first Drilling Deeper episode of 2026, Pit & Quarry editorial director Kevin Yanik and managing editor Jack Kopanski lay out 10 trends they’ll be watching closely in aggregates throughout 2026. Among the topics explored this episode are: • Autonomy. How it moves from pilot programs to commercial-ready systems • AI and connectivity. How AI, automation and telematics further take hol...

As 2025 comes to a close, Drilling Deeper wraps up the year with one final episode that reflects on what shaped the aggregate industry over the past 12 months – and what’s already building momentum for 2026.  Editorial director Kevin Yanik and managing editor Jack Kopanski open the show with year-end banter before diving into Pit & Quarry’s 16 most-read stories of 2025. From major equipment la...

On this episode of Drilling Deeper , P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Daniel Friedman, vice president of marketing at Eagle Crusher, to look at how “small” innovations are quietly reshaping the crushing and screening industry. Friedman explains why core crushing principles haven’t radically changed, yet refinements in metallurgy, manufacturing and wear parts are delivering mean...

Episode 55 of Drilling Deeper celebrates the arrival of the reimagined Pit & Quarry University – an expansive learning resource designed to guide newcomers and seasoned professionals alike through the fundamentals of stone, sand and gravel production.  The new Pit & Quarry University is now available at pitandquarry.com/pqu, marking the first full update to the classic Pit & Quarry Han...

Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski break down 20 trends shaping the aggregate industry this year. With the new year approaching, Kevin and Jack step back from the daily headlines to look at the bigger picture influencing producers nationwide. They open with market and economic themes – including steady-yet-slightly lower aggregate volumes and the continued shift toward value over volume. Kevin and Jack...

On this episode of "Drilling Deeper," Pit & Quarry managing editor Jack Kopanski shares interviews from his recent travels to Vermillion, South Dakota, and a pair of stops in Missouri. In South Dakota, Jack stopped by the grand opening of Masaba's new steel fabrication facility. The 147,500-sq.-ft. building includes both fabrication and office spaces and is adjacent to the compa...

Two equipment dealers join the show to break down what’s happening in the aggregate industry right now – and where things are headed in 2026. P&Q welcomes Gavin Cole, executive vice president of sales at Kirby-Smith Machinery, and Robert Krutsinger, vice president of sales at Brandeis Machinery, for dealer perspective on market conditions, technology trends and the ripple effects of tariffs. L...

In Episode 51 of Drilling Deeper, Pit & Quarry ’s Kevin Yanik takes listeners to the Pacific Northwest for a closer look at three producers shaping the region’s aggregate market. From Oregon to Washington, Kevin visits Allied Rock, Knife River and Washington Rock Quarries to capture fresh perspectives on operations, technology, workforce development and market trends. At Allied Rock, Andrew Si...

On this episode of Drilling Deeper, P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski sits down with Elliott Tribble, director of aggregate at General Kinematics, to explore the evolving landscape of aggregate production and the technology reshaping it today.  Tribble shares his boots-on-the-ground perspective on matching screen design to site-specific needs, meeting increasingly tight customer specifications...

The next ConExpo-Con/Agg is less than six months away, and equipment manufacturers have their show plans in motion. A late-summer meeting in Chicago brought ConExpo-Con/Agg manufacturers and others together to capture the latest exhibiting best practices – and P&Q’s Jack Kopanski was there to capture the energy and perspective. In this episode, Jack visits with seven guests – including Megan T...

On this episode of "Drilling Deeper," Travis Chewning, vice president of engineering and operational support at Luck Stone, and Dr. Erik Westman, professor of mining and materials engineering at Virginia Tech, join the show to discuss the "Built for the Mine" program. In their conversation with P&Q editor-in-chief Kevin Yanik, Chewning and Westman spotlight how the "Bu...

In this episode of Drilling Deeper, Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski team up for a deep dive into the nation’s No. 1 aggregate–producing state: Texas.   Their guest, Rich Szecsy, CEO of Big Town Concrete and chair of the Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association, offers an inside look at the unprecedented growth fueling demand for construction materials across the Lone Star State. Szecsy explains h...

Steve Fuller, founder of the Steve Fuller Company, joins this episode of Drilling Deeper. Fuller’s company focuses on helping organizations continually improve their safety culture through coaching, advising, mentoring and training. In this episode, Fuller zeroes in on safety within the aggregate industry. He draws from more than 20 years of experience in safety and operational leadership roles, a...