Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/885126
EquipmentWorld.com | October 2017 47 the cut patched and paved. "We bought a smaller paver for this job and smaller rollers to fit in the ditches," says de Vre'. "It was a big investment. But the GC saw that we were doing the job the way they wanted, and they gave us more work the following year. All this evolved us to a higher level and pulled us out of the slump." The recession also held another silver lining. As paving companies around the state in neighboring Reno, Nevada, began laying off crews, de Vre' had his pick of talented, experienced craftsmen. "I was able to pick up very good operators, very skilled workers," he says. Mix of work Despite his successes, de Vre' never tried to grow beyond the business formula that he knew worked and allowed him to achieve the quality he wanted. "We found our niche was in small commercial, residential and municipal; bike trails and patching; utility line patching; and golf course trails. We work with several excavating contractors and just do the paving for them. They do the base work, and we come in and just lay asphalt," he says. "Being focused on one thing allows me to be more successful in the bottom line. I know paving. My guys know paving." He has branched out into asphalt and concrete recycling. "We pulverize material into the ground and reuse it as a base, and we find it's a better product," de Vre' says. The company will also take out asphalt and concrete and have it recycled into RAP to be used on future projects, a process that's increasingly popular in environmentally conscious California. The recycling addition to his business mix is no whim. De Vre' bought a Wirtgen milling machine and a Cat recycler for the work. Employees "Our whole business is based on three words: safety, performance and quality," de Vre' says. "That goes from the office and office manager to our estimator, out bookkeeper, our whole crew, equipment operators, we all have to work together. It's a whole team. I believe in teamwork. "The secret is communicating well with everybody, providing them with the equipment they can work with and standing behind them and recognizing them when they've achieved the standard of work you're trying to do. "When you have 16 people, you have 16 different personalities, and they don't all see eye to eye. So, you need to communicate and bring out those concerns so you can work together on them." Skiing and paving In the off-season when not paving, Raymond coached the Squaw Freestyle Team and several Olympic athletes including Johnny Moseley, Shannon Barkey and other U.S. Ski Team members. For 28 years, his strong yet gentle approach delivered the same kind of results and long- lasting relationships on the slopes as those he achieved in the paving world. His advice for athletes and contractors: "Go after your dreams, and you will achieve them. Work hard, learn all aspects of the business and believe in yourself." "H e's a super hardworking and driven guy," Jake Mahoney, at Teichart Rock Products, says of Raymond de Vre'. "It takes a specific type of drive and talent to work in paving in that area, and they have been successful for a very long time." "I've known Raymond since his late teens as we both progressed in our business, and he has done practically 99 percent of our paving," says Rich Loverde, of Loverde Construction. "He's been a good friend and partner, and if there is an emergency, Ray- mond is always there for us." "They're probably one of the best paving contractors we've worked with in the last 40 years," says Al Pombo, of Al Pombo Excavation. Customer appreciation The main crew: (top row from left to right): Antonio Calzada, Manuel Salinas, Raymond de Vre', Salvador Hernandez; (bottom row) Mark Panko, Brittany Rupp, Sebastian Fedoro, Oren Birdsall