Collaboration and conservation: Myrl & Roy’s new HMA plant raises the bar
In South Dakota’s construction corridor, a new hot-mix asphalt (HMA) facility has come online. The recently completed Myrl & Roy’s asphalt plant in Harrisburg is a layered story of more than aggregate, asphalt and tons per hour. It’s about visionary planning, deliberate environmental stewardship, and a team that treats the job as a legacy.
The new 500-ton-per-hour (TPH) facility from CWMF Corp., Waite Park, Minnesota, is a shining example of what’s possible when engineering, environmental planning and collaborative partnerships align.
Myrl & Roy’s is a division of the fifth-generation, family-owned L.G. Everist, Inc., Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Eric Leverson explained an overarching goal was to build a plant with higher production capabilities. That meant plenty of silo storage, with multiple loadout scales, and plenty of liquid AC storage. The team at Meeker Equipment supplied the tanks for the tank farm. Photo courtesy of Motion Engineering
An Idea Set in Asphalt and Stone
From the beginning of the project, Eric Leverson, VP construction materials, L.G. Everist, and his team at Myrl & Roy’s envisioned more than just their second plant. The new facility was designed to exceed their customers’ expectations, streamline material handling, and meet future market demands. The design includes a counterflow drum of 10 feet, 6 inches by 60 feet, four 300-ton silos, dual truck scales, and a fully paved traffic circle to eliminate bottlenecks and improve safety.
“The entire plant is designed to handle maximum production if needed,” Leverson shared. “The most important part of our business is customer service. Being able to handle their needs daily is critically important to us and them. We produce multiple mixes daily so having two scales and multiple silos coupled with the capacity of the plant allows us the flexibility to switch between mixes and customers’ needs and not sacrifice service. Our focus is to move the customers in and out in an orderly fashion and not slow them down.”
It was all hands on deck for installation of components to bring the Harrisburg plant to life. Both photos courtesy of Motion Engineering
Leverson noted that this new site had to fulfill the dual function of ready-mix and asphalt operations and prepare for future expansion, including recycling capabilities. The one-way truck traffic pattern minimizes cross-traffic and confusion, helping to protect drivers and plant personnel while accelerating loadout. According to Leverson, minimizing wait times and maximizing service is vital, as 75% of the mix will go to external customers.
“When we first laid out the site plan, it was very important that we understood the different activities that would be taking place on site,” Leverson explained. “We originally developed the site for the installation of a dual lane ready-mix plant, but we also wanted to have plans in place for a future asphalt plant and recycle yard.
It was all hands on deck for installation of components to bring the Harrisburg plant to life. Both photos courtesy of Motion Engineering
“My main concern was to make sure we identified not only the current needs, but also the potential future needs. With the amount of incoming and outgoing materials along with accommodating employee and public activities, traffic flow was one of the important and critical things that needed to be thought through and addressed. The original plan had a high-level conceptual idea of traffic flow, but the final plan was not developed until much of the site was completed. Temporary traffic control was used while the new ready-mix plant was operational. This allowed us to monitor traffic patterns for the operating season and identify what the final plan would look like. Striping, delineation and signage was the last activity to take place.”
“In the end, we did have a successful lift off. With only being in operation for a couple of weeks, the initial planning, execution and overall operation has been successful.”—Eric Leverson
The CWMF Revolution D™ drum mixer offers counterflow drum technology and features the company’s adjustable Wedge-Lok™ tire suspension system. Both photos courtesy of CWMF
Planning with Environmental Purpose
From concept to execution, environmental stewardship was key. Leverson and his in-house engineering staff designed the site to function as a self-contained ecosystem. “We have an in-house engineering staff that put together a rough outline of the layout and what we wanted for the site,” he said. “A local civil engineer assisted in putting together the site plan.”
Every paved surface has drainage leading to a storm sewer system that channels water into two deep retention ponds that serve multiple on-site functions.
This image of crew members ascending the baghouse stairs highlights the company’s commitment to safety with full stair access around the plant. In the adjacent photo, at left, CWMF Sales Technician Steve Schmitz and, at right, Myrl & Roy’s Asphalt Operations and Performance Manager Brian Heger discuss startup from behind the safety railing prevalent around the plant. Both photos courtesy of CWMF
With 75% of the site paved in concrete or asphalt, according to CWMF’s Vice President Travis Mick, airborne dust is greatly reduced. “There is drain tile under the concrete paved surface of all the material storage areas, allowing moisture to optimally drain from the stockpiles,” Mick shared. “There is a massive truck staging area out of the busy area of the plant, keeping things safe and orderly. Berms and trees surround the perimeter to keep an upscale appearance and to match the beautiful, gated entrance and exit points of the site.” These elements were installed intentionally to ensure the site would be an environmentally responsible addition to the community.
“The entire site is self-contained and has its own storm sewer system,” Leverson said. “The storm sewer drains into a network of drainage ponds which ultimately end up in two large retention ponds. The site has a network of water hydrants at various locations that are used for not only dust control, site wash down, water truck fill stations, aggregate stockpile control but also ready-mix truck wash out ponds. All the stockpile areas are paved with positive drainage that allows the moisture to drain away and get captured by the storm sewer and recycled for onsite use.
The 12-foot by 34-foot elevated control house features the advanced technology of Systems Equipment. Photo courtesy of CWMF
“It was important to us that we understood the impact a site like this would have on the area, not only for the traveling public but also the natural habitat. This was all taken into consideration when the site was built. We feel we have addressed not only the concerns of the public but also impacted the natural environment and habitat in a positive way.”
Leverson described how the team took extra steps to address local impact. LG Everist worked with the local governments to accommodate traffic increases and upgraded a portion of the farm-to-market road servicing the site—out of pocket. Leverson said it was part of being “good stewards of the land and the community.”
This image of crew members ascending the baghouse stairs highlights the company’s commitment to safety with full stair access around the plant. In the adjacent photo, at left, CWMF Sales Technician Steve Schmitz and, at right, Myrl & Roy’s Asphalt Operations and Performance Manager Brian Heger discuss startup from behind the safety railing prevalent around the plant. Both photos courtesy of CWMF
Seamless Collaboration Among Experts
CWMF served as the primary equipment provider, supplying the counterflow drum, slat conveyors, silos and control systems. CWMF’s Mick noted that this project, though not the first interaction with Myrl & Roy’s, was the first large-scale partnership with the company under LG Everist ownership. He spoke highly of the contractor’s planning and attention to neighborly details.
ARC Fabricators supplied the bins and scale conveyors. From there, CWMF contracted with Motion Engineering to install the plant and piping for the tank farm, and with Meeker Equipment to handle the tank farm.
Jeff Meeker described the intricate and safety-focused AC tank system: “Our part of the project was to supply the AC tank farm, which consists of six 40,000-gallon asphalt tanks, AC piping, hot oil heater, mass flow meter, a 10,000-gallon emulsion tank and associated pumping and loading equipment.”
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Meeker elaborated on the automation technology, sharing: “All the valves on the piping system are controlled by Meeker’s Liquid Vision valve control system and tank monitoring control. Inside the control room, we provided an Allen Bradley plc control and HMI. The plc has the logic done for normal operations and also unique situations. All scenarios are taken into consideration with the Liquid Vision.”
Motion Engineering was responsible for installation aspects. Mike Petrie, operations manager at Motion, clarified: “Motion Engineering was responsible for the mechanical installation of all equipment as well as mechanical installation of all hot oil and AC piping in the tank farm.” He pointed out the Motion Engineering team handled the insulation for the entire plant and spoke proudly of his team. “Our team did an incredible job with the insulation…and it’s becoming more important to emphasize the advantages of insulating equipment.”
“It was very clear to us at the beginning that Myrl & Roy’s was going to take the lead on exactly how they wanted everything designed,” Petrie continued, but that was no challenge for a team working in concert. Trust among the team was crucial and worked in everyone’s favor.
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“There is a great relationship that exists between Motion Engineering, Myrl and Roy’s, CWMF and Meeker,” Petrie said. “We all want to get it right at the end of the day to ensure longevity of the plant.”
Getting everything right at the end of the day requires coordination. “There is an intense amount of final fitting and changes that come with a new asphalt plant build,” Petrie emphasized. “All the AC piping/valving was prefabbed but the hot oil piping was something that we helped design in the field. We had to make sure that we built the hot oil piping according to what the OEM’s specifications are.”
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Pre-Planning for Success
Mick shared that the quoting/conversation with CMWF and Myrl & Roy’s started in November of 2022. “We were awarded the job in August of 2023. This project hit production in March of 2024. The first components were delivered in the month of May. Equipment installs started with the tank farm. From there, we continued with the silos/slat.” By Labor Day, the plant was structurally in place. Final electrical work continued through the fall and winter.
When the team fired up the plant on May 28, 2025, Leverson said they targeted 2,000 tons on the first day—and exceeded it.
Leverson acknowledged the startup came with a learning curve. The team spent about three weeks identifying and resolving issues. Still, all underground electrical and mechanical systems installed prior to the winter performed as expected.
The planning, including conduit burial and early groundwork, was vital. Leverson and his in-house team oversaw months of activity long before the drum or silos went up—grading, paving, trenching, pouring footings—all choreographed for a seamless equipment installation.
Looking ahead, Leverson sees the Harrisburg plant as a blueprint for future-ready operations. “It’s about building something responsible, scalable, and respectful of the land and the community,” he said. “That’s what we set out to do, and I believe we achieved it.”
The CWMF Revolution D™ drum mixer offers counterflow drum technology and features the company’s adjustable Wedge-Lok™ tire suspension system. Both photos courtesy of CWMF
Technology in Action
Even in its earliest weeks of operation, the Harrisburg plant’s design choices are proving their worth. Leverson shared that the facility exceeded production expectations on opening day and has shown consistent reliability since.
The advanced systems supplied by CWMF, Meeker Equipment and ARC Fabricators play a pivotal role in this performance. With multiple silos and dual truck scales, the plant can handle several mix designs in a single day without disruption to customer service.
The Liquid Vision system from Meeker Equipment is already simplifying operations. The plant operator can manage tank flows and monitor levels without stepping foot outside the control room. Drivers unloading asphalt can access real-time tank data, reducing the risk of overfills and improving efficiency.
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“If a driver is in control, he can choose the tank he is delivering to,” Meeker said. “He knows the amount of liquid AC already in the tank, and it will alarm him if the tank is getting too full.
“All of the Meeker AC tanks come with a hi-level float—what we call a stainless steel basketball,” Meeker continued. “It’s a final safety measure to stop the flow of AC into a tank.”
That emphasis on automation and safety extends across the site. From automated truck spray-downs that reduce dust and eliminate the need for drivers to leave their vehicles, to traffic signage and scale lane separation, the site is focused on safety-first productivity.
The team planned and built the Harrisburg plant with the future in mind. Leverson pointed out that meant production and sustainability. “We wanted this to be a benchmark facility, one that reflects who we are as a company and how we want to serve this community.” Photo courtesy of CWMF
Team Pride
Throughout every phase of the project—from site selection and early grading to the final wiring and commissioning—the Myrl & Roy’s team operated with precision and a strong sense of ownership. Their in-house crews coordinated infrastructure, utility trenching and poured critical foundations while managing the complexities of a multi-vendor installation.
Leverson noted how the team’s proactive attitude made the difference. Whether troubleshooting complex mechanical systems, refining traffic flow or accommodating last-minute layout adjustments, the crew never faltered. “The main objective was to build a plant that had [higher] production capabilities if we needed it, plenty of silo storage with multiple loadout scales and plenty of liquid AC storage. We have not been in operation very long, but those choices have proved themselves already.”
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He added that the Myrl & Roy’s staff took personal pride in the facility throughout the build. Employees guarded exposed conduit installations during active phases to prevent damage and monitored subcontractors to maintain site integrity. Their commitment ensured that no detail was overlooked. “All of the conduits, wiring and airlines survived the winter. They have performed as anticipated. We spent approximately three weeks in start-up mode, troubleshooting problems and eliminating issues. With the amount of electrical and mechanical parts that are involved, this was probably not unrealistic. We had plenty of trial and error, frustration and other emotions that we fought through, but in the end, we did have a successful lift off. With only being in operation for a couple of weeks, the initial planning, execution and overall operation has been successful.”
The team’s hands-on approach created an asphalt plant that blends high production with environmental responsibility, technology integration and site safety. Leverson emphasized that the people behind the work are the plant’s greatest asset.
Myrl & Roy’s, a division of family-owned L.G. Everist, Inc., Sioux Falls, South Dakota, planned and built its new asphalt plant in Harrisburg with CWMF Corp., Waite Park, Minnesota. Additional vendors joined the team to facilitate delivery and installation of all systems for an environmentally friendly facility poised to meet market demands now and into the future. Photo courtesy of CWMF
Looking Ahead at a Sustainable Legacy
With the new plant now fully operational, Myrl & Roy’s has laid the groundwork for a long-term model of environmental stewardship. Leverson and his team continue to monitor and fine-tune systems to optimize efficiency and minimize impact.
Future goals include increasing the use of recycled materials. Leverson reflected on the larger mission: to build infrastructure responsibly, not just for business, but for the region and the environment. “Every aspect of the Harrisburg plant was built with the future in mind—not just in terms of production, but also sustainability,” he said. “We wanted this to be a benchmark facility, one that reflects who we are as a company and how we want to serve this community.”
The facility may have only recently opened its gates, but it already stands as a powerful symbol of what a responsible, forward-looking plant build can achieve.
