Virtual Learning
Carbide Crisis: Understanding the Impact on Snowplow Cutting Edges
- Date: Sep 8, 2026Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm CT; 1:00 - 2:00 pm MTDelivery: Live Zoom Webinar (desktop/laptop and mobile devices)
Registration
Registration Deadline: Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026
A webinar link will be emailed to registered participants 2 days prior to the presentation.
For assistance, please refer to our LMS Help — Registering for Upcoming Presentations
Why Attend
Tungsten carbide has long been the industry standard for snowplow cutting edges due to its exceptional durability and performance. However, dramatic increases in raw material costs, global supply chain disruptions, and growing demand from the defense sector have created significant challenges for transportation agencies. In some cases, carbide prices have increased by as much as 800%, while product availability has become increasingly uncertain.
Join us for this timely webinar as we examine the factors driving the current carbide crisis, discuss whether these market conditions are likely to persist, and explore practical alternatives and emerging technologies for winter maintenance operations. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the current market and strategies to help prepare their agencies for the upcoming snow and ice season.
Interactive Features
- Engage with presenter and peers via chat or Q&A
- Live polling / surveys / annotations – varies by presentation
- Downloadable reference materials
Who Should Attend
Maintenance personnel involved in winter operations to include operators, decision makers, purchasing, and leadership. Both state and local governments will benefit from this presentation.
Your Presenter(s)
Dr. Wilfrid Nixon is the Director of Public Works for the City of Pella, IA. Prior to that he was President of the Professional Snowfighters Association, and Vice President for Science and the Environment at the Salt Institute, after working for nearly 30 years as a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Iowa.
Wilf started his research in winter highway maintenance in the late 1980s working initially on ways of improving snow plow performance. He has conducted research for a number of federal and state agencies, and has covered topics relating to plow and cutting edge performance, optimal chemical usage, snow fence design, plow and truck instrumentation, optimal uses of novel technologies in winter maintenance, and information management and decision making in winter maintenance. He has written over 100 papers and reports on his research, and has made numerous presentations around the world. Wilf was recognized by APWA (the American Public Works Association) in 2021 as one of their Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year. Wilf is currently serving on the APWA National Board of Directors as the Technical Director for Engineering and Technology.
Gardi Willis is the Managing Director of Kueper, North America. Gardi has been working as a Managing Director at Kueper for over 15 years. Gardi strives to provide information to the industry to best assist in improved operations and operator experience. Gardi is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys spending time with family and friends.