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
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 landscape and more. Doran...
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 monitoring in helping prod...
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 reflect on the content shared ...
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 steel and outperforms aluminum in bot...
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 include:
• Matt Dibble, Dibble Equipm...
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 to an all-encompassing solutions pr...
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 Wuesthoff, who joins the show ...
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 system (AHS) at its Bridgeport ...
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 hold
• Mergers and acquisitions...
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 launches and autonomous equipment adva...
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 meaningful gains in production, uptime a...
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 Handbook since 2014. With wor...
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 touch on potential funding uncertai...
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 company's 211,000-sq.-ft. manufactur...
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.
Listeners will hea...
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 Siegmund discusses how the ...
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 and tackling sticky material and th...
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 Tanel (Association of Equip...
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 "Built for the Mine" program – a c...
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 how Texas’s surging population, robust...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.