OHMPA Presents Trillium and Bleeds Black Awards at 2016 Fall Asphalt Seminar

The Ontario Hot Mix Producers Association (OHMPA) recognized the best of the best at its annual Fall Asphalt Seminar held on December 1 at the Universal Eventspace Conference and Event Centre in Vaughan. This year marked the event’s 25th anniversary and record number of nine asphalt plants received the 2016 Trillium Awards and 14 plants were recertified.

Recognizing the best of the best in the production of asphalt, the Trillium Awards were introduced in 2002. Recipients met exceptionally high standards in seven categories which are appearance, operations, environmental, safety, permitting and compliance, community relations and industry participation. The nine newly awarded plants are Thomas Cavanagh Construction Limited – 77009 Asphalt Plant, R.W. Tomlinson Limited – Moodie Plant, R.W. Tomlinson Limited - Rideau Plant, R.W. Tomlinson Limited – Portable Plant, Fowler Construction Company Limited – Plant 8 – Madill, Fowler Construction Company Limited – Plant 5 – Rosewarne, K.J. Beamish Construction Co., Ltd. – Hanmer Asphalt Plant, and The Miller Group – Smith Construction – Astec Double Drum Portable.

Asphalt plants named for the three-year Trillium recertification, were Coco Paving Inc. – Belleville Plant, Coco Paving Inc. – London Plant, Coco Paving Inc. – Wolfedale Plant, Dufferin Construction Company – Hamilton Asphalt Plant, Dufferin Construction Company – Bronte Asphalt Plant, The Miller Group – Mill-Am Asphalt Plant, The Miller Group – Lavis Contracting Co. Limited – Holmesville Plant, The Miller Group – E.C. King – Sydenham Plant, The Miller Group – The Murray Group – Mt Forest Plant, The Miller Group – The Murray Group – Bowman Plant, The Miller Group – Whitby Asphalt Plant, The Miller Group – Smith Construction – Turcotte Plant, The Miller Group – New Liskeard Asphalt Plant, and The Miller Group – Brennan Paving – Port Colborne Plant.

“Being good neighbours and stewards of the environment is a top priority for OHMPA producer members and the Trillium Award recognizes those plants that go above and beyond the “gold” standard already required by industry regulations,” said OHMPA executive director Vince Aurilio. “We are very pleased that this year we have awarded and recertified a record number of plants. To date, 77 plants have earned the Trillium Award and 61 have been recertified. That speaks highly of our members and Ontario’s asphalt industry.”

Also presented at the seminar was the Bleeds Black Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and passion to the continual improvement of asphalt throughout their career. The 2016 Bleeds Black Award recipient is Tom Dziedziejko, Director of Quality, Infrastructure for Aecon Construction and Materials Limited. He has worked for Aecon for 20 years and has been in the asphalt industry for over 30 years working in materials testing and construction. Throughout the decades Mr. Dziedziejko has made a tremendous positive impact within the industry through his work and advocacy on numerous committees and task groups and has been a great mentor to the next generation of asphalt technologists.

The inception of this award is credited to a past OHMPA 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.”