ISSA Scores Big at the 2025 Slurry Systems Workshop

The 2025 SSWS Knocks It Out of the Park with Record-Breaking Attendance —

The International Slurry Surfacing Association (ISSA) knocked it out the park at its 2025 Slurry Systems Workshop, held in Las Vegas from January 20-23. With a record-breaking 484 registered attendees, this year's event was truly one for the history books. The Workshop brought together a diverse group of professionals, including ISSA members and non-members, contractors, suppliers, government agencies, and academics from eight countries, all united in their commitment to advancing slurry systems.

Chaired by Jimmy Kendrick (Bergkamp Inc.), the Workshop delivered a dynamic blend of crowd-favorite presentations, engaging breakouts, and new, insightful topics that kept attendees on the edge of their seats.

The 2025 SSWS kicked off on Monday night with an excepting opening reception, giving attendees the perfect opportunity to network while watching the National College Football Championship game. Some even showed up in their college gear to cheer on Notre Dame and Ohio State University, adding to the spirited atmosphere.

Tuesday morning began bright and early with a full slate of engaging presentations. After a warm welcome from Jimmy Kendrick and ISSA President, Brad Pearce, Jamie Wing, chair of ISSA's Leadership Development Team (LDT) and Ingevity, along with co-chair Trent Gofers of McAsphalt Industries Limited, highlighted the LDT and ways for attendees to get involved. Dr. Andrew Braham of the University of Arkansas then provided a comprehensive overview of pavement preservation. With safety being a top priority in the industry, Chuck Swann and Paul Neiswonger of the City of Bend discussed key strategies for maintaining a safe job site. Next, Matt Ferguson of VSS International, Inc. shared their 2024 ISSA President's Award-Large winning project for the City of San Diego. To wrap up the morning, an industry panel focused on fostering stronger relationships between contractors, suppliers, and agencies. Moderated by Kendrick, the panel featured Chris Hollenback of Heritage Research Group, Ken Messina of Asphalt Paving Systems Inc., Scott Metcalf of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions, Kyle Smith of Intermountain Slurry Seal Inc, along with Swann and Neiswonger.

Tuesday afternoon saw the start of breakout sessions, offering attendees a choice of four specialized topics. The first two included Micro Surfacing & Slurry Seal, presented by Tim Harrawood of Vance Brothers and Dave Kiser of Terry Asphalt Materials, and Chip Seal, presented by Stan Williams of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions and Doug Legg of Etnyre International. The third session, Crack Seal, was led by Bryan Darling and Brandi Julian of Crafco Inc. The fourth session was a technical deep dive, covering a range of topics, including The 4 G's of Aggregate: Geology, Geometry, Geography, and Gradation, presented by Tim O'Connell and Rich Wenthe of Ingevity; Emulsions in Pavement Preservation, by Chris Musser of Vestal Asphalt Inc; Performance Testing in Pavement Preservation: Slurry Seal & Micro Surfacing, delivered by various members of the ISSA Lab Technical Team; and AASHTO Accreditation, presented by John Malusky of AASHTO.

After a day of educational sessions, the evening concluded with a reception that highlighted our generous tabletop exhibitors. Attendees and exhibitors took advantage of this opportunity to network and connect in a relaxed setting.

Wednesday morning kicked off with another round of breakout sessions. Attendees could once again choose from the Micro Slurry & Slurry Surfacing or Chip Seal sessions. Additionally, the Inspection Breakout offered valuable insights, featuring inspection techniques for Micro Surfacing by Alek Vance of Vance Brothers, Chip Seal by Doug Olsen of Western Emulsions, and Crack Seal by James Clark of Crafco, Inc. This year, a new breakout session focused on Applications in Pavement Preservation, covering topics such as the Use of RAP in Pavement Preservation, presented by Greg Duncan of Applied Pavement Technology; Fog Seal, presented by Matt Jeffers of Ergon Asphalt & Emulsion; and Slurry Surfacing Troubleshooting, presented by Zach Jensen of Bergkamp Inc. and Rich Wenthe.

New this year was the move of the Hands-On Day to Wednesday afternoon. This interactive session allowed 65 registered attendees to rotate through four different stations, gaining hands-on experience with some of the most prominent equipment used in ISSA treatments. A big thank you to Etnyre International, Bergkamp Inc., VSS Macropaver, American Pavement Preservation, and Crafco Inc. for their commitment to making this session a continued success.

One of the core highlights of the Workshop was Demo Day and the Equipment Showcase. Equipment manufacturers showcased the key features of their machinery, offering valuable insights into the latest technology. Following the showcase, attendees had the chance to witness various ISSA treatments being applied, thanks to the collaboration with ISSA member American Asphalt South and the Nevada DOT. After the demo, participants were able to get up close to the equipment and engage with the manufacturers, learning more about the tools in action. 

Hands-On Day, Contractor Showcase & Live-Demo Photo Gallery: Explore key moments from the day here!

Thursday marked the final day of the Workshop, featuring presentations from key ISSA industry partners. Speakers included Bouzid Choubane of the National Center for Pavement Preservation (NCPP), Antonio Nieves of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Dr. Adrianna Vargas of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT), and Cathrina Dmytrow of Women of Asphalt. Following these insightful talks, attendees had the opportunity to choose from three sessions. The first session covered Slurry & Micro Calibration and Record Keeping, presented by Randy Tattershall of Etnyre International. The second session focused on Distributor & Chip Spreader Operation and Calibration, led by Doug Legg. The final session consisted of hands-on Calibration & Demo Tables, where attendees rotated through five stations: Slurry Seal (Ester Ternero Dalessi, Nouryon), Micro Surfacing (Pat Denney, Arkema), Laboratory Equipment (Vince Vopat, Bergkamp Inc.), Chip Seals (Jeff Dunn, Heritage Research Center and David Pitchford, Ingevity), and Crack Seals (James Clark, Crafco, Inc.).

To wrap up Thursday, 25 attendees participated in an exclusive hands-on session focused on slurry surfacing mix optimization and accreditation, hosted by the ISSA Lab Technical Team. Meanwhile, all other attendees had the opportunity to attend a session on RoadResource.org, presented by Scott Dmytrow of Pavement ACES.

The 2025 Slurry Systems Workshop would not have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors. A heartfelt thank you to the following:

• Monday Cocktail Reception: McAsphalt Industries Limited
• Exhibitor's Cocktail Reception: ViaSun Corporation
• Beverage Cart: Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions
• Mobile App: VSS International, Inc.
• WiFi: Talis Corporation
• Luncheon: Bergkamp Inc. & Sunland Asphalt Corporation
• Lanyard: Crafco Inc.
• Break: Intermountain Slurry Seal, Inc.
• General Sponsors: 
•   American Pavement Preservation
• Arkema
•   BASF
•   Bergkamp Inc.
•   Cactus Asphalt
•   Crafco Inc.
•   Etnyre International
•   Forta
•   Geneva Rock Products Inc.
•   GreensBroom
•   Ingevity
•   Intermountain Slurry Seal, Inc.
•   Maxwell Products Inc.
•   Nouryon
•   Pavement Preservation Group
•   Paragon Technical Services, Inc.
•   Slurry Pavers, Inc.
•   Tymco, Inc.
•   Vance Brothers
•   Viking Construction, Inc.
•   VSS Macropaver
•   Western Emulsions

Dates for the 2026 Slurry Systems Workshop will be announced this spring. ISSA is excited for another successful Workshop in the coming year!