Manage for a Win

Ever wonder how those fancy companies win awards for their paving projects at state and national conferences? It takes teamwork, of course. Companies that take the time to complete the submission process are those that have confidence in their teams and pride in their workmanship. For example, Michael McBreen, the operations manager for Four Corners Materials, an Oldcastle Materials Company, Bayfield, Colorado, shared his view of the team responsible for the successful completion of US Highway 160 from Bayfield to Yellow Jacket. They received a Quality in Construction (QIC) award for a project totaling more than 50,000 tons from the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) at the recent annual meeting in LaQuinta, California.

“I am extremely proud of our crew’s continued commitment to excellence relative to materials quality and smoothness,” McBreen said. “This is particularly evident by the fact that this same crew has won a Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association (CAPA) smoothness paving award four out of the last eight years, and we fully expect to win another this season. Every minute of the day, our highway paving crew is committed to delivering world class operations and quality results to all project owners.”

Even when the job is complex, project managers can tell when the crew has performed well. Clayton Plemons, the quality control officer for C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc., Marietta, Georgia, shared about the State Route 74 crew that took home a QIC award.

“We are proud of the C.W. Matthews team’s abilities to adapt to the scheduling demands of the project along with the implementation and use of a new asphalt concrete mixture, and open graded interlayer,” Plemons provided. “The resurfacing project, which was completed in 29 days, was one of the first Georgia Department of Transportation funded projects to use an open graded interlayer, or OGI, for crack mitigation. The OGI coupled with the polymerized surface course and patching course dictated three separate production temperatures, quality inspection procedures and in-place compaction procedures for the duration of the project. The production temperatures for the project ranged from 250^oF to 320^oF depending on the application of the hot mix asphalt. Additionally, each mixture required a separate quality inspection procedure and field compactive effort to ensure a tight and consistently smooth riding surface. The combined efforts of everyone involved with the project resulted in a new riding surface with a 40 percent improved Smoothness Index.”

Preferred Materials, Inc., of Jacksonville, Florida, had some complex items in its contract for US 441 as well.

“The US 441 project consisted of both rural (high speed 70 mph) and urban (45 mph) limits,” Jodi Haviland, quality control manager for Preferred Materials shared. “This meant that there were different mandatory daytime and nighttime work schedules, which the crews handled safely and efficiently. Also, because of the combination of rural and urban limits, the project involved several milling and paving typicals in the plans. All the different typicals were constructed effectively and efficiently, producing a high quality pavement with an excellent ride value.”

These successful companies and crews don’t lose site of the end customer. Brandon Finn of Hutchens Construction Co., Cassville, Missouri, said, “The individuals involved on this project: paving crew, milling crew, plant personnel and truck drivers worked unselfishly as a team to make this project so successful. They were dedicated to quality from day one, and adhered to the high standards set by themselves throughout project completion. This is evident by the extremely high quality, smooth riding pavement the public is now enjoying.”

The crew working the I-25 project for Fisher Industries also took success personally. Shawn Hammer, the QC manager for Fisher Sand & Gravel-NM, Placitas, New Mexico, shared:

“The crew attribute that I’m most proud of relating to the project was that each crew member took a personal interest in constructing a successful, quality project. The decisions made were based upon what was the right way instead of what was the easiest way. The result of that type of thought process was a great project, and each time discussions arise regarding the project, the crew members get a big smile on their faces. You can see the pride rise within them because they know how good the project turned out and they enjoy having the “bragging rights” that come with being involved in a project like this one.”

The successful companies also never lose site of the most important “asset” in the operation—the employees. President/CEO Larry Winkleman of Hinkle Contracting Company, LLC, Paris, Kentucky, spoke proudly of the team that garnered two QIC awards for the 914 and Cumberland Parkway in Pulaski County.

“Our crew includes the full team: aggregates, plant, QAQC, trucking, equipment and laydown,” Winkleman shared. “Each component understands the importance of meeting the requirements of their individual role as well as working together as a larger team. Each crew’s commitment to quality and teamwork is key to Hinkle providing a first-class in-place pavement to our customer.”

It takes a quality job from a quality-minded crew to win a national award for a paving project, and national awards—and state awards—are one more tool in a company’s public relations arsenal. When it’s time to show potential clients what kind of moxie you can bring to their jobs, quality in construction awards make a statement about your overall company and your overall commitment to working as a team for a quality outcome. Here are the companies from 2015 who can add their names to the NAPA roster for QIC winners of projects comprising more than 50,000 tons.

Angel Brothers Enterprises, Baytown, Texas, for US 59

APAC-Kansas, Inc., Shears Div., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Hutchinson, Kansas, for US 54 in Butler County, Kansas

APAC-Missouri, Inc., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Springfield, Missouri, for Route 46 in Barton & Vernon Counties

Austin Bridge & Road, LP/Reynolds Asphalt and Construction, Irving, Texas, for SH 183 IH 820

Barrett Paving Materials Inc., Franklin, Ohio, for ODOT 130522 Greene IR – 675-9.48

C.W. Matthews Contracting Company, Inc., Marietta, Georgia, for SR 74, M004617

C.W. Roberts Contracting, Inc., Freeport, Florida, for SR 20 in Okaloosa & Walton Counties

Callanan Industries, Inc., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Albany, New York, for NYSDOT I-88 pavement improvement

Dunn Construction Co., Inc., Birmingham, Alabama, for IMF-IO65(447) Shelby County Interstate 65

 

Elam Construction, Inc., Grand Junction, Colorado, for I-70 Exit 49 resurfacing project

 

Fisher Sand & Gravel-NM, Inc., Placitas, New Mexico, for I-25 San Marcial

 

Four Corners Materials, Bayfield, Colorado, for US Highway 160 – Bayfield to Yellow Jacket

 

Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc., State College, Pennsylvania, for Juniata County SR 22 – C10 and Clarion County I-80 Section 392

Gray & Son, Inc., Timonium, Maryland, for I-95 Express Toll Lanes/MD 43 Interchange MDTA contract

 

Hinkle Contracting Corp., Paris, Kentucky, for Pulaski Co. FD04 SPP 100 9008 072-085 and Pulaski FD04 SSP 100 0914 009-014

 

Hutchens Construction Co., Cassville, Missouri, for AHTD Project 090065 Avoca-N. Garfield

 

Jagoe-Public Company, Denton, Texas, for US 380

John R. Jurgenson, Cincinnati, Ohio, for ODOT 0001-14 IR-70 Clark Co. and ODOT 560-14 IR-275 Hamilton County and ODOT 3015-13 IR-275 design build

Knife River Corp., Southern Idaho Div., Boise, Idaho, for US 95 Lewiston Hill rehab

Knife River Materials Northern Minnesota, Bemidji, Minnesota, for ND Bottineau Hwy 60 and Pennington Marshall County TH 32

Kokosing Construction Co., Inc., Elyria, Ohio, for Contract No. 39-14-02 EB/WB right 2 lanes & shoulder reconstruct

Kokosing Construction Co., Inc., Mansfield, Ohio, for Resurfacing 2015 project 2 and pedestrian safety improvement

L.L. Pelling Co., Inc., North Liberty, Iowa, for NHSX-1-4(46)—3H-92

Manatt’s, Inc., Ames, Iowa, for STPN-69-5(105)—2J-85 US Hwy 69

Manatt’s, Inc., Newton, Iowa, for Hwy 3 Humbolt & Wright Counties NHSX-003-4(42)—3H-99 and I-80 Jasper County IMX-080-5(338)155—02-50

Norris Asphalt Paving Co., Ottumwa, Iowa, for STPN-002-7(38)—2J-04

Northeast Asphalt, Inc., Greenville, Wisconsin, for USH 141 Wausaukee to Beaver and STH 26 Waupun-Rosendale

Ohio Valley Asphalt, LLC (subsidiary of Hinkle Contracting), Paris, Kentucky, for Henry-Trimble Co. 121 Gr 13 D011-NHPP IM

Oldcastle Southwest Group, Grand Junction, Colorado, for Yampa Valley Regional Airport runway, apron and taxiway rehab

OMG Midwest, Inc., dba Tri State Paving, Estherville, Iowa, for STPN-140-2(17)—2J-75, IA 140 Plymouth County

Pennsy Supply, Inc., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Annville, Pennsylvania, for I-83/PA-581 bottleneck

Pittman Construction Company, Conyers, Georgia, for M004644, I-20/SR 402, Newton & Rockdale Counties

Preferred Materials, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, for SR 20/25(US 441) Alachua County

Ranger Construction Industries, Winter Garden, Florida, for I-95 design build 413046-1-52-01 and I-4 Polk County 431301-1-52-01

Reeves Construction Co., Macon, Georgia, for NH000-0520-01(017), I-520 Bobby Jones Pkwy, Richmond County and M004317, I-520, Richmond County

Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc., Wyoming, Michigan, for M-231, from M-45 to M-104, Ottawa County, Michigan

Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc., Charlevoix, Michigan, for MDOT US-31 South reconstruction project

Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc., Big Rapids, Michigan, for US-131 Expressway/Osceola County

Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc., Prudenville, Michigan, for US 23

Rogers Group, Inc., Columbia, Tennessee, for Lawrenceburg West Bypass (US-64/SR-15) and I-24 resurfacing, CNN305

Scotty’s Contracting and Stone, LLC, Bowling Green, Kentucky, for Glasgow Outer Loop (Section 3) and Tennessee State Line-Elizabethtown Road (I-65)

Shelly & Sands, Inc., Zanesville, Ohio, for ODOT project 387-15, I-77, Noble County

Superior Paving Corp., Gainesville, Virginia, for Gainesville Interchange

Tampa Pavement Constructors, Inc., Hubbard Construction Co., Tampa, Florida, for SR 55 (US 19N) from Countryside Blvd to Live Oak St

Texas SAI, Byram, Mississippi, for US 77

The Allen Co., Inc., Lexington, Kentucky, for I-75 Madison County, Kentucky

The Cummins Construction Co., Inc., Enid, Oklahoma, for STPY-207C(007), Bryan County State Hwy 48-78

The Lane Construction Corp., Charlotte, North Carolina, for Mecklenburg I-485 widening

The Shelly Co., an Oldcastle Materials Co.,Thornville, Ohio, for ODOT 382(15) GAL/MEG SR7

Tilcon New Jersey, Inc., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Parsippany, New Jersey, for Bergen County resurfacing-various roads and Rt. 287 South St to Littleton Rd, Morris County and NJDOT-Route 3

Tilcon New Jersey, Inc., an Oldcastle Materials Co., Wharton, New Jersey, for Palisades Interstate Pkwy

West Virginia Paving, Inc., Dunbar, West Virginia, for Tuppers Creek – Fairplain S320-77-109.80 NHPP-0773(452)D

Wiregrass Construction Co., Inc., Huntsville, Alabama, for NHF-0067(501), Morgan County, additional lanes on SR-67

 

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