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22 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | March 2014 A Closer Look A 90-year-old material production company might not be the first place you would expect to find a commit- ment to innovation. But it's not part of Luck Stone's DNA to be content with the status quo. A long history of innovation paved the way for the Virginia-based company to stake its claim as the largest family-owned material production company in the U.S. "Innovation isn't something new for Luck Stone," said Bob Grauer, presi- dent. In the 1920s the company was one of the first operations to switch power from steam to electricity. In the 70s they began to fully automate their operations. Today, innovations are primarily focused around customers. Grauer had an unusual introduction to Luck Stone. Not long after college he was hired as a carpenter to work on an expansion of the company's offices. Before the project was complete the chairman of the company offered him a job. That was 30 years ago. When he became president in 2012, Grauer focused on rebranding the company and furthering a culture that supported innovation. The phrase "igniting human potential" is the mantra that defines the organization's culture, leadership strategy and process. "We grow through value add and customer inspiration," added Grauer. "While we are a material company, we try to think about what customers care about." According to Grauer, customers today need more than just a load of stone. They want to know where their stone is. They want to be able to communicate with drivers and avoid costly delays. They want vendors that are easy to do business with. The service aspects of the business, he says, become differentiators. Technology In Action With roughly half of deliveries dispatched by Luck Stone and the other half picked up by customers, a purchased telematic solution that would provide better information for customers wasn't economically feasible. However, a brainstorming session among a group of Luck Stone employ- ees provided a viable alternative: the result was LOGIQ, a proprietary Web- based software that connects Luck Stone offices, customers, and trans- portation partners. A mobile app gives customers a 24/7 access to the system, complete with navigation, order track- ing and a tonnage calculator. To deploy the system in the field, Luck Stone purchased approximately 250 iPads for contract haulers. Though management worried whether truckers would be receptive to the technology, it didn't take long for them to see the benefits. In fact, one customer was so impressed they asked Luck Stone to set up the system for their entire fleet of 60 trucks. "If somebody owns a truck and they can get an extra load a day by leverag- ing technology, that is going to move a purchasing decision our way," said Grauer. Luck Stone is working to develop efficiencies for public sector custom- ers as well. They demonstrated to the Virginia Department of Transportation how the LOGIQ program could be used to create a paperless system for Luck Stone Adds Value With Innovation (continued on page 24) One of the largest family-owned material producers talks about innovation, equipment management and dealer partners. BY JOANNE COSTIN Bob Grauer, president, Luck Stone, introduced the company's remote control loader during a press conference last year.