UAPA recently spoke with Michael Scardina — Regional Sales Director at Surface Tech, LLC — about The Asphaltist. We hadn’t heard the term before and were curious.
What is the Asphaltist?
The Asphaltist is a new online forum where fellow “Asphaltists” can post news and project profiles, share information on products and solutions, ask questions, and search articles and information sources.
The site features information from a variety of sources. You’ll find news, blogs, reports, and studies organized into four categories — Environmental, Funding, Infrastructure and Products & Innovation. Four buttons at the top of the site invite you to Ask, Share, Search and Chat.
What does it offer UAPA members?
The Asphaltist offers credible industry information and networking resources for anyone in the asphalt industry.
When did it start?
The beta site launched in January 2022, and it was announced at the Transportation Research Board show.
Who is involved in it?
The Asphaltist social platform is the brainchild of Nick Slinde and Steve Santa Cruz, both executives at Surface Tech, an asphalt additives producer based in San Diego, California.
What needs does it address?
The Asphaltist serves as a forum where followers can share white papers in a timely manner. They can post their latest research findings and help the industry move forward faster. It solves the problem of “Where do I go to get the solutions I need to make my pavements last longer, need less maintenance, save me money and more.”
How big is it?
It is still in the beta phase and is primarily growing by word-of-mouth within the asphalt industry. We’re inviting all Asphaltists to go to the site, try it out and give us their feedback.
What do you hope it will become?
The creators have already begun working on a mobile app, projected to debut later this year. The Asphaltist is set to become the primary information source for all things asphalt.
We’re all in this industry together, but sources of information and ways to communicate with each other are still largely fragmented. For the first time, we have an opportunity to consolidate information, usable data, and new ideas with the ability to have conversations and get everything asphalt into one easy-to-access source.
The goal is to build a platform that becomes the preferred resource for engaging with others in the asphalt industry.
