ForConstructionPros.com

Making a decision to purchase a new piece of equipment in a challenging economy is not easy. Making a decision to purchase a new asphalt plant costing several million in a challenging economy is definitely not easy. But for Independence Construction Materials (ICM) it was clearly the right decision and the right time; and earlier this summer, ICM, a division of Pennsylvania-based American Infrastructure held an open house to celebrate its new Jessup, MD facility.

"The decision to open a completely new facility is based on the good market studies the company conducts to determine what will benefit our customers and generate a fair return on the investment," says Rob Schwear, area operations manager for ICM. "This is ICM's eighth asphalt facility and second 500-tph facility. It was really great being able to develop a ‘green field' facility starting totally from scratch. It even allowed us to demonstrate our warm mix asphalt capabilities by paving the entire site."

ICM chose a strategic location in the corridor between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. for its newest facility. The asphalt producer/contractor was already bidding on jobs in that area, supplying asphalt out of its Aberdeen facility. The new plant now enhances the company's ability to better serve customers and projects in the area and do so in a more competitive way.

Established in 1983 as a division of American Infrastructure, Independence Construction Materials has grown to include five quarries and eight asphalt plants serving the Mid-Atlantic region. Most ICM asphalt plants are located adjacent to company-owned quarries, yielding production efficiencies that translates into superior quality control and efficient delivery that meets the demanding expectations of customers.

American Infrastructure, ICM's parent company, is a vertically integrated, heavy civil construction company and material supplier strategically positioned to serve a four-state market in the Mid-Atlantic region. American Infrastructure began in 1939 as a local hauling company serving the Philadelphia area.