Drilling Deeper: A Pit & Quarry podcast
Listen-in to Pit & Quarry magazine’s new bi-weekly podcast series. Our hosts, editors Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski break down the latest print issue, provide industry updates and give you a behind-the scenes look into the people, operations and news affecting our aggregate world. You’ll hear exclusive in-studio and remote interviews from a wide range of industry influencers.
For 107 years, Pit & Quarry magazine has been the premier monthly U.S. and Canadian aggregate processing information source. Through multiple platforms, we deliver the very latest in equipment and technology news and information that is critical for safely achieving the highest level of efficiency and profitability. Editors Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski cover the market in print, online and through e-newsletters. As respected industry insiders, they moderate the annual Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference and speak at various industry conferences and meetings.
Episodes
67 episodes
Episode 66: Construction markets and MSHA insights with Reddin and Doran
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, res...
Episode 65: Smarter screening, stronger plants with Haver & Boecker Niagara
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. <...
Episode 64: Pit & Quarry Roundtable & Conference Recap
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 Roun...
Episode 63: PPI highlights latest roller offering
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 carr...
Episode 62: ConExpo-Con/Agg takeaways and 7 special guests
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...
Episode 61: Buffalo on scaling up, expanding solutions and “Following the Buffalo” at ConExpo-Con/Agg
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 h...
Episode 60: ConExpo-Con/Agg preview with show director Dana Wuesthoff
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...
Episode 59: Pronto.ai’s Christian Kurasek talks Heidelberg partnership
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...
Episode 58: 10 trends shaping aggregates in 2026
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...
Episode 57: 2025 reflections and onward to 2026
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...
Episode 56: Eagle Crusher on the future of crushing and screening
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...
Episode 55: The all-new Pit & Quarry University is here
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 ...
Episode 54: Twenty Industry Trends For 2025
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....
Episode 53: Visiting Missouri operations, a South Dakota manufacturer
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 gra...
Episode 52: Kirby-Smith and Brandeis join the show
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 Ro...
Episode 51: Inside the Pacific Northwest – Producer Insights from Allied Rock, Knife River & Washington Rock Quarries
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, ...
Episode 50: How General Kinematics is tailoring solutions to producers’ needs
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 tod...
Episode 49: ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 countdown
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...
Episode 48: 'Built for the Mine' with Luck Stone and Virginia Tech
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 "Buil...
Episode 47: Texas at full throttle with TACA's Rich Szecsy
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 Aggregate...
Episode 46: Safety focus with P&Q columnist Steve Fuller
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 th...
Episode 45: Midyear economic update with Dodge Construction Network's Eric Gaus
Eric Gaus, chief economist of Dodge Construction Network, joins the show to give an update on the economy and the construction industry midway through 2025, as well as a look ahead to the second half of the year.Gaus offers insights into...
Episode 44: July is P&Q’s ‘Dealer Issue’ Month
In the latest episode of Drilling Deeper, hosts Kevin Yanik and Jack Kopanski shine a spotlight on one of Pit & Quarry’s most anticipated magazine editions of the year: The Dealer Issue. Now in its seventh year, P&Q’s ...
Episode 43: Van der Graaf (VDG) talks drum motor innovation
On this episode of “Drilling Deeper,” P&Q managing editor Jack Kopanski is joined by VDG’s Matt Lepp. The duo take a deep dive into the current state of the market and the challenges facing the industry today, as well as VDG’s experiences n...
Episode 42: Rob Duke talks Armada Materials, M&A and more
Rob Duke, founder of Armada Materials, joins the show to discuss the origins and growth of his rapidly emerging company. Launched through the 2023 acquisition of Volunteer Materials in Tennessee, Armada has since completed a couple of smaller d...