The Ontario Asphalt Pavement Council (OAPC) has recognized four asphalt plants with its 2020 Trillium Award. The awards were announced at the OAPC’s annual Fall Asphalt Seminar, which was held virtually for the first time in its 29-year history.
The OAPC presented the Trillium Award to Steed and Evans Limited Kitchener Asphalt Plant, Dufferin Construction Company Simcoe Asphalt Plant, Thomas Cavanaugh Construction 77009 Asphalt Plant (Jinkinson Road) and D. Crupi & Sons Ltd. Oshawa Asphalt Plant.
As well, 19 plants were recertified. Trillium-awarded plants may recertify for the award every three years
The Trillium Awards were introduced in 2002. Recipients must meet exceptionally high standards in seven categories including appearance, operations, environmental, safety, permitting and compliance, community relations and industry participation.
“For 2020, it was really great to award four plants and recertify 19 plants. To date, 86 plants have earned the Trillium Award and, since the inception of the Trillium Awards in 2002, 119 award recertifications have been issued. That speaks highly of our members and Ontario’s asphalt industry,” said Mike Deckert, OAPC plant and paving committee chair and vice president of FLO Components.
“We are maintaining the ambitious goal to have all member plants Trillium-awarded by 2021.”
Bleeds Black Award
The Bleeds Black Award was presented virtually with pre-recorded messages from the nominators. The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and passion to the continual improvement of asphalt throughout their career. There were two 2020 Bleeds Black Award recipients, Bruce Armstrong, director of sales for Canadian Asphalt Industries Inc., and Donn Bernal, principal of Corfinium Solutions Inc.
The inception of this award is credited to a past OAPC director who in 2012 described an individual and said, “his passion and commitment for all things asphalt is so great that when cut, he bleeds black.”
Armstrong, from Markham, Ontario, started his career more than 32 years ago on a crack sealing crew at KJ Beamish Construction Co. Ltd. He then gained extensive experience in the manufacture and supply of bituminous materials at Ashwarren International Inc., Lafarge Asphalt Engineering and then Canadian Asphalt Industries Inc.
Through the years, he has become known as one of the top professionals in Ontario in regards to his knowledge about emulsions and performance grade asphalt cements. Armstrong also served as the 2011 president of the Ontario Hot Mix Producers’ Association (now the OAPC), was the 2014 recipient of the OAPC’s Earl Kee Volunteer of the Year Award, serves on both the OAPC Environment Sub-Committee and the Asphalt Mix Industry Technical Standard (AMIS) sub-committee.
Bernal, from Ancaster, Ontario, began his career in 1998 as an assistant laboratory supervisor at Ashwarren Engineering Services and moved through the ranks as general manager for asphalt plant operations for Lafarge Canada, Oxford Sand & Gravel Ltd. and Aecon Group Inc.
In 2013, when Yellowline Asphalt Products Ltd became a joint venture company between Aecon Construction Materials Ltd. and Dufferin Construction Company, Bernal became general manager for Yellowline. He is now principal of his consulting firm, Corfinium Solutions Ltd., specializing in asphalt materials.
Bernal was OHMPA president in 2016 and serves on the OAPC marketing committee and is vice chair of the OAPC environment sub-committee. His years of volunteering his expertise in asphalt and aggregate industry, from mix designs and analysis to small-scale and large-scale plant operations, has made him a sought-after and respected industry advisor.
The following plants were awarded three-year Trillium Award recertifications: Harold Sutherland Construction Ltd. Downs Pit Asphalt Plant, D. Crupi and Sons Ltd. Passmore, Brimley and Bethridge Asphalt Plants, Coco Paving Inc. Ajax, Kitchener, Leaside, Maple, Hamilton-Nebo, Oshawa and Wilson Asphalt Plants, Capital Paving Inc. Puslinch Asphalt Plant, Miller Paving Limited Mosport (25) Kawartha Lakes, Pave- Al (26) Mississauga, Tapscott (28) Scarborough, Georgian (29) Barrie, North Bay NFN (13) , Timmins CFI-150 (15) and Timmins CFI-150 (17) Asphalt Plants.
