Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/339575
TIONS ILLUSTRATED OUR EXPERTS Perfect Plant Entrances July 2014 Bart Mayer has been in the aggregates industry for more than a decade. He began with a Chicago-area quarry after obtaining a bachelor's degree in mining engineering from Southern Illinois University. He then joined Vulcan Materi- als Co. as an assistant plant manager at its River Rock Plant before working his way up to plant manager of its Pleasanton Plant. Rich Moses is the gen- eral manager of Buckhorn Materials, LLC where he spearheaded permitting and development of a quarry, as well as a sand operation, with the former owners. He has a bachelor's degree in market- ing from Juniata College and attended the Kenan/Flagler Business School – Young Executive Institute, at the University of North Carolina. Bill Larson is the vice presi- dent of marketing for Glen- dora, Calif.-based CalPortland Co. He joined the company in 2008 after 21 years in the aggregates industry. He has an MBA and a bachelor's de- gree. Larson is a graduate of executive international mar- keting programs at INSEAD France, Stanford University, and the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. The signage outside the plant entrance represents an excellent opportunity to showcase it as a valuable member of the local community. At its Jefferson, S.C., operation, Buckhorn Materials' Lynches River Quarry sign is constructed from rock columns built with granite from the operation. The buckhorns on the name- plate are echoed in the gates at the front of the site. Colorful landscaping refl ects pride in the business and creates a warm fi rst impression. Vulcan Material Co.'s Sanger R&S operation is located on a rural two-lane highway with heavy traffi c. During a plant upgrade, money was allocated to the new entrance, which features a turn lane for incoming traffi c to mitigate major back ups. The gate, which clearly marks site ownership, can be operated by a keypad or remote. The walls and pillars were designed with rocks scalped from the pit. Redwoods and other native plants line the berms ad- jacent to the entrance creating the impression of a gated commu- nity, while 12-foot-high berms serve as visual and sound barriers. Last spring, Rogers Group's Whites Creek Quarry began a beautifi cation effort to its entry and haul road to enhance the plant design. Along a half-mile of frontage, the existing landscaping was removed and nearly 100 loads of topsoil were brought in to rebuild the banks. A total of 963 trees, shrubs, and other plantings line the road while an irrigation system was installed for the trees. Berms were hydro-seeded, and rip rap was placed along the banks to prevent erosion. A retaining wall at the entrance improves the appearance. At River Products Co., Inc.'s Conklin Quarry, a dozer and rip- per that were retired from fi eld service were incorporated into the site's landscaping plan. Each year, the company's building and grounds crew sets lights on the equipment, while 'Santa' serves as the equipment operator. The exhaust stack on the dozer lights up with motion lights, and the tracks are also lit with motion lights to mimic movement. The operation regu- larly receives calls from local community members indicating how much they enjoy the display. Craft the message you send 2 3 Take a cue from gated communities 5 Consider long-term impacts when planting 6 Consider seasonal decor