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. Who’s poised to buy this year, and what’s ahead for producer and manufacturer dealmaking

• Construction’s key markets. What infrastructure, housing and data centers mean for demand

• Safety and MSHA. What a higher fatality count in 2025 could signal for enforcement and prevention this year

• Aggregate pricing and volumes. Whether pricing gains continue if volumes wobble

• Mega-dealer growth. The ongoing push toward larger dealer footprints, with expanding territories and consolidation changing how equipment is sold and supported

• Used equipment and rental. Why the secondary market becomes a shock absorber in uncertain conditions

• Sustainability and electrification. What’s real, what’s marketing and what changes may be ahead

• Workforce. How labor challenges evolve, and what it means for training, retention and safety

Recorded Jan. 8 and released Jan. 13, the episode sets the agenda for the year ahead and tees up deeper conversations to come.

For 108 years, Pit & Quarry magazine has been the premier monthly 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 industry conferences and meetings.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Also, follow us on YouTube to see full-length episodes of the podcast, watch our Road to Prosperity videos and see other clips from our travels and events.

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 advancements to mergers and acquisitions, this episode revisits the headlines and trends that captured the industry’s attention and defined the year.

Kevin and Jack also recap a busy fourth quarter that included a pair of state association meetings. The episode features insights from Matt Konjevich of Melvin Stone and Elliott Archibald of LJ Inc. and Supreme Manufacturing, who both share perspectives on market conditions, data center-driven demand and expectations for 2026.

The episode closes with a look ahead to the year to come – including major industry events such as ConExpo-Con/Agg and a packed first-quarter travel schedule. Kevin and Jack also outline what listeners can expect from Drilling Deeper in the new year.

For 108 years, Pit & Quarry magazine has been the premier monthly 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 industry conferences and meetings.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Also, follow us on YouTube to see full-length episodes of the podcast, watch our Road to Prosperity videos and see other clips from our travels and events.

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 and total cost of ownership.

The conversation explores the industry’s gradual move from purely preventive to increasingly predictive maintenance, including how sensors, telematics and smarter algorithms help operators spot vibration and throughput issues before they become failures. Friedman also unpacks the pros and cons of consolidation among producers, manufacturers and emerging “mega dealers,” from better parts access to the loss of long-standing local relationships.

Finally, Friedman highlights Eagle Crusher’s latest update to its Ultramax 1400-OC plant and the launch of the new Talon tracked line, which includes lighter open-rotor impactors, dual-power track plants and tracked stackers designed to meet changing job site needs while preserving the company’s manufacturing roots. He closes by previewing what attendees can expect to see from Eagle Crusher at ConExpo-Con/Agg 2026 in Las Vegas.

You won’t want to miss this episode. Listen now!

For 108 years, Pit & Quarry magazine has been the premier monthly 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 industry conferences and meetings.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. Also, follow us on YouTube to see full-length episodes of the podcast, watch our Road to Prosperity videos and see other clips from our travels and events.