Companies like Adams Asphalt Plant Services can help you focus on the job of producing asphalt while increasing your bottom line

This article appeared in Asphalt Contractor Magazine – July 2016. 

When your asphalt plant is running efficiently, it’s using less fuel, reducing emissions and putting more money in your pocket. When it’s not running efficiently, however, it can lead to downtime, less production and a decrease in profits – all which will directly impact your bottom line.

With today’s shortage of qualified technicians and the pressure to keep producing, even a minor repair can wreak havoc on your plant’s schedule. Enter a company like Adams Asphalt Plant Services, a one-stop source for maintenance, repairs, fabrication, plant moves, retrofits, and consulting for asphalt plants owners and managers.

Owner Jon Adams is a 25+ year veteran of asphalt plant operations. He worked for the same company overseeing the maintenance and production of various types of asphalt plants at the company’s three divisions until he started Adams Asphalt Plant Services in 2003. He also has a team of professionals who have years of hands-on experience. 

Qualified techs

Adams began the business in central Wisconsin but moved the headquarters to its current location in Johnson Creek, less than an hour west of Milwaukee, in 2005. He has four crews – about 10 employees – that are located in Wisconsin but work nationally.

Adams says the shortage of qualified laborers makes a business like his even more important to an asphalt plant’s balance sheet.

“We hire welders and fabricators and train them to perform these tasks,” he says. “There’s a shortage of labor across our industry; there’s definitely a deficit. We don’t have enough tech schools. We just don’t have the people to serve our industry.”

Because of this, asphalt plants can run into a giant roadblock if they don’t have the people to do even the basic maintenance, says Adams. Therefore, they have to outsource their maintenance in order to stay competitive.

“We offer off-production-hour maintenance – we can work through the night,” he says. “That way, the asphalt plant can be back online the next morning and not miss a beat.”

Adams argues that the ROI for outsourcing maintenance is greater than keeping a stable of maintenance techs on staff. “We do this every day – this is all we do,” he says. “We’re not also trying to run the mix, troubleshoot the paving crew and all the other items an asphalt plant manager is trying to do. We come in, do what is asked as quickly as possible and leave. It’s quality service, performed efficiently and safely.”

Mark Sweeting, plant control manager with Wolf Paving, a Wisconsin asphalt producer and paver serving the Madison and Milwaukee area, uses Adams Asphalt Plant Services for both major and minor repairs as well as normal maintenance on its two asphalt plants.

“We use them for everything from A to Z,” says Sweeting. “When we have a major breakdown, they’re out here quickly and repair the problem efficiently.”

Sweeting says Adams’ crews are well equipped with the tools needed to get the job done. Adams has a full-fledged fabrication shop in Johnson Creek, but also brings much of it with them in the fully-equipped mobile fabrication shop that travels to every jobsite. 

“I’ve done the ROI on hiring Adams or having the staff and tools ourselves,” he says. “It’s a wash really, but he keeps his staff and equipment up to date and it’s one less thing I have to worry about. They’re faster and more efficient than we could be.

“My plant operators are trained to operate a plant,” he continues. “I like them to do just that – concentrate on the plant operation.”

More than just maintenance and repairs

Adams Asphalt Plant Services does more than just maintenance and repairs. They also do new asphalt plant design, engineering and construction as well as complete plant relocation. They can also work with you during the decision-making process of purchasing a new asphalt plant.

Rick Croy, TITLE with Dunn Road Builders, headquartered in Laurel, MS, hired Adams via a recommendation for a plant setup in 2014. The company has three asphalt plants and plans to set up another in the coming year and will use Adams to complete the process.

“Adams’ crews worked seven days a week,” says Croy. “They hit the ground running and really listened to my people. They communicated every step of the way with the plant superintendent.

“They do this every day,” continues Croy referencing the experience Adams crews have. “We can concentrate on running the asphalt plant while they do the setup. It works well for us.”

Safety emphasis

“We’re a one-source company with a heavy emphasis on safety,” says Adams. “Our team is our most valuable asset, and we go to great lengths to ensure their safety. Thorough training and education, we arm our staff with the proper knowledge to keep a safe work environment.”

That means regular training, including bringing in resources to keep employees up to speed and certified.

“We regularly bring in field experts to train our team on rigging, working in confined spaces, CPR, and much more,” says Adams. “On a semi-annual basis, industry-leading safety instructors train our team on the safety issues facing our industry.”

Adams has been enhancing his safety program over the last year and has invested a lot – both time and money – in having the proper procedures to meet or exceed contractor’s requests and requirements. He recently hired an operations manager whose job it is to ensure safety procedures are followed.

Adams knows that a clean safety record is important, but he says his safety program is about more than that. “Yes, it lessens our risk of getting fined and helps us to get more work, but it’s really about keeping our employees safe,” he says. “What we do is dangerous, and I want my crews to be prepared as best as possible.

“We want to be a leader in safety, and this is how we get there,” he says.

Adams works hard with clients so they can see that Adams Asphalt Plant Services isn’t about maintenance or relocations or consultations but about providing solutions to their problems.

“Integrity in our operations is so important,” he says. “We do what we say. We bid correctly. We meet completion dates. We fulfill our promises. Clients see how we react and overcome obstacles; communication is key. We work hand in hand with the contractor. We’re a growing business and integrity is important. It’s what we’ve built this business on, and it’s what will continue to grow us.”

Services offered by Adams Asphalt Plant Services

  • New Asphalt Plant – Design, Engineering and Construction
  • Complete Asphalt Plant Relocation
  • Heavy Construction and Fabrication
  • Emissions Testing and Burner Analysis & Adjustments
  • Repairs / Rebuilds / Retro-fits
  • Welding / Pipe Welding Service
  • Sourcing of Both New and Used Equipment
  • Preventative Maintenance
  • Consulting and Training
  • Trunnion Alignments
  • Custom Built Dust Augers
  • High Wear Plate Sales (chrome carbide)
  • New Asphalt Pump Skids
  • New Asphalt Tanks
  • New Cold Feed Bins
  • New Scale conveyors
  • Complete Baghouse Services (new bags and cages)
  • Complete Maintenance Inspection Reports
  • Waste Oil Heaters
  • Waste Oil Pump Packages
  • Pneumatic Dust Systems
  • Mineral Blowers
  • Mineral Filler Silos
  • Mineral Piping
  • Mineral Dust Elbows
  • Tank Insulation/Reskin
  • Plumbing Insulation

Stop paying for unnecessary repairs and incomplete work. Make sure the job is done right the first time by hiring quality professionials. Give us a call today and we can come up with the best plan for your project.

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