Oil prices rise on holiday sales, Europe hopes

By CHRIS KAHN, AP Energy Writer – 20 hours ago 

NEW YORK (AP) — Oil prices climbed above $98 per barrel Monday after shoppers pumped up holiday retail sales in the U.S., and investors bet that Europe would find a last-minute solution to its financial crisis.

Benchmark crude rose $1.44 to end the day at $98.21 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, which is used to price foreign oil — including much imported by U.S. refineries to make gasoline — rose $2.26 to finish at $108.02 a barrel in London.

Benchmark oil has recovered much of the ground it lost since Nov. 16, when it hit $102.59 a barrel. Prices rebounded Monday following strong holiday sales in the U.S, where shoppers spent nearly $1 billion more on Black Friday than they did a year ago. The robust weekend sales are a promising sign that consumers are opening their wallets a little wider.



Read the full story here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iTFmvy9TULUKWFodK7N1q25EOghQ?docId=9ffabc70eec848b8abd9e84a3a088019

New road paving mix is strong, but spotty Article by: LAURIE BLAKE , Star Tribune Updated: November 25, 2011 - 10:42 PM Blotches that formed after resurfacing jobs in Inver Grove Heights and Eagan will be fixed; hopes for the product remain high A longer-lasting, more expensive blacktop experts liken to a "granite countertop on the road" just made its debut on two heavily traveled metro highways. But it's so new that an unexpected problem has already popped up. The new material was installed this fall on Interstate Hwy. 35E in Eagan and Hwy. 52 through Inver Grove Heights, and to the dismay of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the coarse new pavement has developed unwanted smooth surface spots in dozens of locations. The spots look like dark blotches on the pavement. There's a concern that they might be slippery for drivers, and the department is requiring the paving company, Hardrives Inc. of Rogers, to fix them at the firm's expense. Read the full article here: http://www.startribune.com/local/south/134517088.html

Rabine Group Companies Exhibits at the Cooperator Expo

Rabine Paving and Roofing Solutions America exhibited at the Cooperator Expo at Navy Pier.

 

Schaumburg, Illinois (November 16, 2011) – Rabine Paving and Roofing Solutions America (RSA) exhibited at The Chicagoland Cooperator’s Condo, HOA & Co-op Expo on November 16th, 2011 at the Navy Pier Convention Center in Chicago IL. The Cooperator Expo is a real estate trade show featuring exhibitors displaying services in building management, construction and maintenance.

The show opened at 10 a.m. and consisted of hundreds of exhibitors, many seminars and a lot of networking. The Rabine Group was excited to meet new people and see familiar faces while exhibiting at two trade show booths. Rabine Paving and Roofing Solutions America were at booths #300 and #302 and had representatives from Rabine Paving and Roofing Solutions.

Rabine Paving is a commercial paving construction and maintenance company. It displayed the qualities...

Rabine Paving Paves its Parking Lot using Warm Mix Asphalt

Rabine Paving uses warm mix asphalt on a project in Itasca to help maximize parking lot sustainability.

 

Schaumburg, Illinois (November 17, 2011) – Rabine Paving was excited to pave its first warm mix asphalt project in Itasca this month. Warm mix asphalt is chemically altered for environmental reasons. The chemical allows the pavement to be mixed and laid down at lower temperatures. It is able to reduce temperatures from 50 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit compared to standard asphalt.

Warm mix asphalt requires less fuel and it decreases the amount of greenhouse gasses into the environment. Other benefits include better compaction on the parking lot, the ability to transport mix for a longer amount of time and being able to pave at lower temperatures.

The Rabine Group’s Senior Vice President of Global Engineering, Ryan Laughlin, says, “"We consider ourselves leaders in the industry understanding and championing sustainable...

11/17/2011 8:42:00 AMCubs broadcaster gives lead-off hit at Schaumburg business expo

 

By Kim MikusBusiness Ledger EditorSCHAUMBURG -- Pat Hughes, the radio voice of the Cubs, kicked off the 2011 Schaumburg Business Association Expo Wednesday mixing baseball stories with a little business. Hughes shared funny stories about the late Ron Santo and the time they spent announcing games together. Hughes, who is approaching his 30th year with the “big leagues” and 17th year with the Cubs, is optimistic about the team’s personnel changes.Members of the Schaumburg audience asked who he thought would be named manager. “It seems like the front-runner and leading candidate would be Mike Maddux,” Hughes said. He stressed, however, that the players on the field will also be changing, and they are the ones “who have to get the job done.” One of Hughes’ biggest hopes for the upcoming year is that the Cubs will make it to the World Series. “I’m ready for the Cubs to be a contender,” he said....

Rabine Group Company Exhibits at the Schaumburg Business Association Expo

Rabine Paving America exhibited at the Schaumburg Business Association Expo.

 

Schaumburg, Illinois (November 16, 2011) – Rabine Paving America (RPA) exhibited at The Schaumburg Business Association (SBA) Expo on November 16th, 2011 at the Renaissance Schaumburg Convention Center. The SBA Expo is the biggest business expo in the suburbs of Chicago.

The show opened at 1 p.m. and consisted of hundreds of businesses, thousands of attendees, and a featured speaker, Pat Hughes, who is the voice of the Chicago Cubs, along with several other guest speakers. The Rabine Group was excited for the opportunity to create new networking opportunities at the highly anticipated SBA Expo.

Rabine Paving America is a national paving company providing facilities managers with industry leading resources to guide them to value-added innovative solutions. In addition to our installation and construction expertise, RPA offers...

Bloomberg



Ethanol Declines to Three-Week Low on European Debt Crisis November 09, 2011, 4:23 PM EST

By Mario Parker

Nov. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Ethanol futures declined to a three- week low in Chicago on concern Europe’s debt crisis will sap demand for fuel.

Futures followed crude oil and gasoline lower after Italian bond yields reached a euro-era high of 7.25 percent and after Handelsblatt reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel wants to make it possible for countries to exit the euro.

“It’s Italy,” said Peyton Feltus, president of Randolph Risk Management Inc. in Dallas. “If the sword falls on us it’s going to mean less demand. Less demand for our energy markets, for ethanol, for any of them.”

Denatured ethanol for December delivery fell 2.3 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $2.651 a gallon on the Chicago Board of Trade, the lowest price since Oct. 20. The futures have increased 11 percent this...

Rabine Group Hosts Business Regulation Roundtable

The Rabine Group Academy hosted an informative business roundtable meeting in the Rabine Academy Auditorium at their headquarters in Schaumburg.

Schaumburg, Illinois (November 2, 2011) – An informative business roundtable meeting was held at the Rabine Group Academy’s Auditorium last month. Small business people of the Chicagoland area gathered to discuss how government regulations are preventing and taking away jobs and businesses nationwide.

The roundtable consisted of Brian Kelly of Bulk Lift International, who was the moderator, Gary Rabine, CEO of the Rabine Group, Garrett Patten of Patten Industries, Randy Truckenbrodt of Randall Industries, Inc. and Former State Senator, Steve Rauschenberger of Rauschenberger Partners. The event began with stories of facing vague and unfair regulations experienced by the panel. The stories all illustrated how the government makes it difficult for the business executives to expand and create more...

Beware of Traveling Driveway PaversFrom the Better Business Bureau

 

Your Better Business Bureau has received a report from a local couple that were approached by two men at their home in Pueblo offering to pave their driveway. The couple reportedly told the men they did not want the work done.When the couple returned to their home the next day after being out, the driveway had been paved. The employees, who said they were with a company called Pro Pave, wanted to be paid $9,000.The couple refused to pay for work they had not authorized. However, the homeowners began to receive phone calls from a company called Custom Asphalt stating that they owed the company money.It should be noted there was no contract – nothing in writing giving the pavers permission to work on the couple’s driveway.

 

Read the full article from the Better Business Bureau at: http://www.bbb.org/us/article/beware-of-traveling-driveway-pavers-30515



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