A five-acre plot adjacent to Midwest Block & Brick’s long-standing Jefferson City, Mo., facility is the site of a wet-cast plant opened in late May by the Midwest Products Group subsidiary
Sources: Midwest Block & Brick, Jefferson City, Mo.
A five-acre plot adjacent to Midwest Block & Brick’s long-standing Jefferson City, Mo., facility is the site of a wet-cast plant opened in late May by the Midwest Products Group subsidiary. Completed in one year, the $2 million project entailed modifications to an existing 19,000-sq.-ft. building, prior to equipment procurement, and site work including MagnumStone, Rosetta outcropping, and Versa-Lok retaining wall installations. The new precast operation will service the Midwest Products Group network, encompassing 24 locations in five surrounding states.
Midwest Block & Brick’s precast facility will supply a full line of value-added products: (1) Rosetta precast boulders are said to provide a hardscape solution combining natural weathered-stone appearance with the installation efficiency and durability of interlocking concrete block; (2) Mechanically stabilized earth retention (MSE) wall systems, reportedly the next generation of precast MSE panel walls, feature patented Configured Steel Strip installation to meet AASHTO standards, while requiring less steel, excavation, and backfill than conventional MSE offerings; (3) MagnumStone is a large block, hollow core, wet-cast segmental retaining wall system using nearly half the amount of concrete per face foot, by company account, compared to traditional solid systems; (4) Eco Works, Hercules and Neptune retaining wall systems are available in multiple sizes recommended for use as hard-armor facing to provide erosion protection, an aid to setting slope angle, and a form to achieve proper compaction; and, (5) Reinforced lightweight modular concrete panels are especially suited to marine applications, since the low-maintenance, durable, easily installed panels resist salt water, heat and humidity, rot and corrosion.
Jeremy Winegar was named manager of the new Midwest Block & Brick precast plant. A total of 17 jobs was created upon opening the facility. We feel fortunate to supply products already in high demand by our customers, says Winegar. An additional bonus has been the ability to hire dedicated employees during this time of economic downturn. Adds Midwest Vice President and General Manager Darryl Winegar, This plant will allow us to continue to diversify our product lines, while we provide quality and service to the highway infrastructure, site development projects, and landscape contractor base.