Is asphalt the best solution?

I know asphalt producers/contractors may view that question as complete heresy, but give me a chance to explain. Believe me, as editor of Asphalt Contractor, I know asphalt is the best solution when it comes to building and maintaining the road and airport surface pavements in this country. But, I often wonder why the bituminous believers who rely on the black stuff to earn a living aren't on the pulpit spreading the word. When I contact asphalt producers and contractors to extend the opportunity to promote the good work they do, which would also promote the industry in general, I detect some reluctance. Asphalt producers/contractors have told me they're too busy, there's no benefit in being featured in a trade article, they like to maintain a low profile (don't want the competition to discover their secrets), and there's nothing unique about what they do. And yet, when I attend a trade meeting I hear a lot of discussion about promoting the industry. Asphalt contractors will also mention a project they recently completed and talk about how it would have made a great article for the magazine. So here's my dilemma - if you sincerely believe asphalt is the best solution and you want to promote the benefits the asphalt industry has to offer, why not use Asphalt Contractor to spread the gospel? If you're working on an interesting project, or you're proud of the work you've done, why not use Asphalt Contractor to tell your story? I've worked in other industries, and to be honest, the entrepreneurs I contacted were pretty excited about the opportunity to be featured in an article. They wanted to showcase the quality of their workmanship. They were proud of how well they could meet the challenges customers and projects threw their way, and how they managed to profitably meet or exceed their customers' expectations. As an editor, there is nothing more exciting than connecting with a story subject who is absolutely pumped to tell you what they did to deliver exactly what their customer wanted. Asphalt producers/contractors who believe they're the best at what they do have a lot to offer their industry peers. Sharing your success stories will elevate the professionalism of the industry and truly promote asphalt as the right solution. I'll be at the National Asphalt Pavement Association Annual Meeting next week and would love to hear about the good work you're doing and why asphalt is the best solution. You can also post a comment or send a message to [email protected] .
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