In the 2001 construction season the portable crew produced and laid around 205,000 Ton moving the plant and equipment 6 times. The average move takes around 4 days from when we finish paving one job until the plant is ready to pave on the next job. Those 6 moves took 1 month out of our construction season.

Since the last news letter the crew has been in Keokuk County doing 36,000 Ton of Hot Mix Asphalt. As soon as the mix was completed the asphalt plant was coming down and Denny and crew were shouldering the job. The smoothness readings on this job were as good as we have ever done. This was a job that everyone can look back at and be proud of the quality of their work.

The last job was back to Greene County where we had been earlier in the year. The crew finished the binder course but left the surface to finish in the spring of the 2002 construction season. That means that we at least have 18,000 Ton to do next spring.

So far we have not picked up any new work for the 2002 construction season. It appears to us at this time that the pricing and work volume for 2002 will be no better than in 2001. We are hopeful that we will be able to get enough work to keep the portable crew busy in the 2002 season.

These last two weeks have been interesting to us in the Newton office. We have had an individual from the Country of Georgia with us as an intern. His name is George Lomtatidze and he lives in Batumi, Georgia. George is the economist at Gzebi Ltd., a construction company specializing in the construction and repair of roads and buildings. It also produces construction materials, such as flagstones, borders and road metal.

Gzebi Ltd. was established in 1989 with 5 employees. By July 2001, it employed 95 people and has managed to maintain strong annual revenues in the past five years.

Gzebi Ltd. serves state and private enterprises and individuals throughout the Batumi region. George is responsible for business planning and calculating expenditures, as well as completing tender documentation. George is interested in acquainting himself with new technologies involving road building, equipment, accounting methods and practices particular to the construction business.

It sounds to us that the Country of Georgia is probably between 20 – 30 years behind us in the Asphalt Industry. Their plant has no pollution control equipment. He told us that their employees at the plant are black from head to toe with dust and soot from the asphalt plant. Most all of their equipment and trucks are Russian made and manufactured in the 1970’s.