LafargeHolcim has acquired Tarrant Concrete Co., which operates three ready mixed plants on two sites, and builds on a Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex platform created under Holcim (US). With 90 employees and annual sales hovering $40 million, Tarrant Concrete becomes the first bolt-on transaction in domestic ready mixed production since the Aggregate Industries U.S. and Holcim (US) businesses, along with Lafarge North America, were brought under LafargeHolcim Ltd. in the 2015 Lafarge Group and Holcim Ltd. merger.
“For more than four decades, Tarrant Concrete’s talented employees and strong focus on customer service have made it a partner of choice in Fort Worth and the surrounding area,” says LafargeHolcim U.S. Aggregates & Construction Materials CEO Guy Edwards. “Tarrant Concrete aligns well with our Lattimore Materials business, and I look forward to combining our expertise and strengths in Texas.”
“The acquisition follows our Strategy 2022 – ‘Building for Growth’ by capturing growth opportunities in our most attractive markets,” adds LafargeHolcim CEO Jan Jenisch. “By being highly complementary to our existing business, Tarrant Concrete will allow us to expand our ability to serve customers in a high growth area of Texas.”
Dodge Data & Analytics figures show the Dallas-Ft. Worth market trailing only New York City in 2017 building activity. Over the past decade, the DFW Metroplex has seen annual population growth average 2 percent, netting 1.3 million new residents.
MDU Resources Group in Bismarck, N.D., has acquired the operations of Molalla Redi-Mix & Rock Products, a concrete producer in Molalla, Ore., south of Portland. The business joins the Portland Metro office of MDU’s construction materials subsidiary, Knife River Corp., extending its reach in a growing market between Portland and Salem.
“Molalla Redi-Mix is a good addition to our Oregon operations, and gives us more flexibility to serve customers southeast of Portland,” says Knife River CEO David Barney. “This is our third acquisition this year, and we look forward to completing more deals throughout our service territory.”
Vulcan Materials Co. has implemented a chief financial officer succession plan. Effective September 2018, Suzanne Wood will join the producer in that capacity and as senior vice president, succeeding John McPherson, who has served as chief financial and strategy officer and executive vice president. He will remain with the company as chief strategy officer through year’s end.
“Vulcan has benefitted tremendously from John’s counsel and leadership over the years and we appreciate [his] commitment to a smooth handover,” says Chairman Tom Hill. “He has played a critical role in all of our endeavors as we have continued to build an even stronger, aggregates-focused company with strategic positions in high-growth markets across the United States.”
Wood arrives at Vulcan after serving as finance director and CFO of Ashtead Group Plc, an international equipment rental company and parent of Sunbelt Rentals Inc. in North America.
Pioneer Landscape Centers, Highlands, Colo., has added Granite Express, an Arizona-based, full-service commercial supply company that owns and operates quarries surrounding the Phoenix area. The deal follows acquisition of Grand Materials & Supply and Midwest Materials, and positions Pioneer as the leading supplier of its kind in Arizona. Specializing in materials such as decorative landscape rocks, aggregate, boulder and unique stone, Granite Express will become a Pioneer division and maintain current leadership and employees as it transitions into the Pioneer organization.
“This momentum of growth has allowed us to expand significantly over the past few months. Acquiring Granite Express allows us to not only inherit a new pipeline of business but also gives Pioneer the ability to expand and thrive in the Arizona market,” says Pioneer CEO Sagi Cohen. “Granite Express seamlessly fits within our ‘farm-to-table’ strategy by enhancing Pioneer’s commercial division and product capabilities, bringing us one step closer to our goal of being the premier customer-centric, outdoor living destination in the Southwest.”
Wisconsin-based Spancrete has promoted John Schnell from vice president of Spancrete Machinery to vice president of Precast Operations North, and Nicholas Passint from product development and business development engineer to vice president of Spancrete Machinery.
A 33-year company veteran keen to the industry, operational efficiencies and managing a team with diverse skill sets, Schnell will be responsible for overseeing the producer’s Crystal Lake, Ill., and Valders, Wis., precast operations, and based at the latter. Passint is credited with leading the development of Spancrete’s RePlenish pervious precast system and, from a Waukesha headquarters office, will be responsible for increasing sales of the namesake hollow core fabrication, finishing and handling equipment.