Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/732903
October 2016 | EquipmentWorld.com 62 certain operators," he says. And as a result of that, Brown says if there are any problems in Sedalia requiring excavation expertise, he's usually the one to get the call. Part of that demand comes from Brown's attention to detail when it comes to safety, which he views as both a positive attribute of the com- pany and essential to maintaining his employees' wellbeing. "We have a safety meeting every morning," he explains. "We call it our roundtable meeting. That's something we've done ever since we started." Alderson's experience echoes the prowess of Brown's safety efforts. "They're very clean and safe on the jobsite," he adds, "especially in the business we're in, where it can be so dangerous. They really pro- mote safety practices and they're not going to cut any corners." Diversifi cation Being good at what you do, and doing it as safely as possible, will only get you so far, a point that isn't lost on Brown. His success is also dependent on his business acumen, which relies heavily on his com- pany's diversifi ed skill set. "I think diversifi cation is what a lot of people don't do enough," says Al- derson. "Everyone specializes when things are really great because you need somebody just to do that side of the job. But when it's tougher, you've got to be able to do other things. Mike's obviously been able to do that for years." That aspect provides a valuable example for other contractors, Alder- son adds. "Mike's business plan and model seems to work. He knows how to expand and then also to pull back when times are tough, in order to get through the harder times." Brown believes his company's diversifi cation contributed greatly to their success throughout the Great Recession. "We weren't affected too much in 2008 through 2012," he explains. "We had a large project go- ing on that we started in 2007, and I was there for fi ve and a half years, which were some of our best years. We had a lot of work going on, and we stayed busy year-round." The concrete and asphalt recycling side of Brown's business is a prime example of this diversifi cation. "I've been in the recycling business since about 1999," Brown says. "We bring concrete in from various jobs, and contractors bring me concrete." This side of his business, in a sense, began as a result of Brown's attention to detail, and is a testament to his business savvy foresight. "At one time, it was common practice for people to dump old concrete in ditches here and there," he says. "I didn't want to be retired and have to clean up something that I'd done during my working career. So, I bought a crusher and it really improved our work." "It's such a large investment too, buying a crusher," Brown adds. "It's a million-dollar investment just setting up, but it has been very profi table." "With environmental issues and air quality, it has become more than it was when I started," he says. "Of course, everything has. But we adhere to every rule and regulation. We're a DNR-approved recycling center." He sells the crushed material, or contractor of the year | continued Site preparation and development is the largest segment of Brown's busi- ness, but he's well diversifi ed, offering demolition, concrete and asphalt recycling, and general commer- cial construction. These vendors only want to do the work if he's also working on the projects… because the quality of their work is dependent on the quality of his. " "