The Concrete Corner - January

Welcome to The Concrete Corner, a monthly newsletter highlighting Ozark Ready Mix, Fischer Concrete Services, and all things ready mix concrete! In this newsletter, you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at our concrete operations, meet outstanding individuals and businesses, and stay up to date on concrete news and trends throughout the Midwest and the United States. Hopefully, this will be mildly informative, and a little entertaining. However, just like the ready-mix concrete business, I offer no guarantees!

In this month’s The Concrete Corner newsletter presented by DBI LLC:

• Expanding in Kansas City

• How do we keep our trucks so clean?

• A 345-acre reservoir

• Why is scheduling so important?

• Did you know…We have a block bonus!

Building a Greater KC: ORM & Platte County Join Forces - We are excited to welcome 17 talented individuals from Platte County Ready Mix to our growing Kansas City team! This strategic acquisition strengthens our presence across the greater Kansas City area, allowing us to better serve both new and existing customers. We’re thrilled to have them on board and see this as a powerful first step toward an exceptional 2024!

Clean Truck, Professional Reputation - Our trucks aren’t just vessels of concrete; they are rolling emblems of who we are. Each truck is a testament to the care and dedication that drives our company. That bright orange and yellow, or sharp red and white paint isn’t just for show; it’s also a promise of precision and reliability. What helps us keep our trucks so clean? How can we restore trucks that have gotten away from us? We apply DBI’s Scrub Brite and Over-nighter to our trucks on a daily and weekly basis. This quick application removes concrete build-up, oxidation, road grime, mineral deposits, hard water residue, and grease/soot from exhaust deposits.

Each of our trucks is a visual handshake, assuring our customers that the same unwavering commitment extends to every aspect of our service.

Little Otter Creek Reservoir- This complex and ongoing reservoir project started in August 2022. When completed, it will provide a source of drinking water to communities in Caldwell County and surrounding areas, along with providing flood control and recreational opportunities such as fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, biking, and the enjoyment of nature. The 345-acre reservoir will supply 1.24 million gallons of raw drinking water daily. We have supplied concrete from our Trenton and Chillicothe Missouri locations to this project. Together with our partner Phillips Hardy, we have been building something special for the Caldwell County community. We expect to see this project come to life later this year!

Hey Dispatcher! I Need My Concrete Now! - Scheduling fuels our business. Done well, it unlocks efficiency and top-notch service; done poorly, it can cripple our week. We cannot dispatch our way to good service and efficiency. We must schedule and plan for it. Our methods of scheduling through dispatch vary depending on location. In Kansas City, for example, we have a central dispatch office where multiple dispatchers share the workload. In other markets like Marshall or Eldon, Missouri, one individual is tasked with dispatching and batching at each plant. Beyond their direct control, dispatchers face a constant shuffle of unknowns: loading times, traffic snarls, and unpredictable unloading delays on job sites. Scheduling can be like gambling. One has no control over which cards are dealt yet some consistently win while others consistently lose. The difference is how the cards are played. Our goal of scheduling is to look for patterns, not exceptions. Our team of dispatchers and batchers do an exceptional job of identifying those patterns, keeping our complex machine operating at a high level.

Did you know…Some concrete plants have a lot of leftover concrete. So what do we do with ours? Recycle of course!

• Some plants have concrete reclaimers that wash, separate, and dewater the concrete residue, and discharge the sand and aggregate separately. This allows for the re-use of aggregates and sand.

• In certain scenarios, we may need the use of concrete crushers. By using a concrete crusher, we can recycle old concrete into aggregate for use in new concrete projects such as base rock for roads or new construction sites.

• We would rather not let that concrete pile up over time. Turning leftover concrete into sturdy building blocks is a win-win for us and the environment. Trucks returning from jobs with leftover concrete don’t need their loads dumped on the ground. Instead, the concrete finds its way into our versatile concrete block forms. We craft these blocks in various sizes and styles, from classic 2×2×6 rectangles to smaller options. Some blocks are plain, while our most popular blocks sport decorative designs to add a touch of flair. However, the real reward goes beyond profitability. Each block sold represents a tangible thank you to our team, reflected in their year-end ‘block bonus’. Give us a call or drop by one of our plants to explore our full range of concrete block options!

Kenny Jackson

Business Operations

Ozark Ready Mix Company