ForConstructionPros.com

Asphalt producers/paving contractors often agonize over the substantial investment required to add a new production facility or replace an existing one, and for good reason. A new asphalt plant, which carries a multimillion dollar price tag, is the most expensive capital equipment investment a producer or producer/paving contractor will make, and crunching the numbers to determine the return on investment involves many considerations - increased productivity, lower production costs, the ability to produce challenging mix designs, and whether or not there will be sufficient work to keep the plant running more days than not.

The folks at Eubank Asphalt and Sealing, headquartered in Charlotte, TN, consider the substantial investment a competitive investment, and it's not uncommon for the asphalt producer/contractor to trade in a perfectly good plant for one that offers technological improvements.

"I like to trade plants in for new plants," says Michael Eubank, director of field management. "We try to take advantage of current technology whenever we think it can help us improve our production and paving services and achieve a competitive advantage at the same time."

Eubank Paving operates two Barber Greene stationary batch plants and one Astec portable drum plant at its Dickson production facility in North Central Tennessee. The batch plants produce mix the company sells to municipality and county road agencies, as well as other customers. The portable plant is used to support the company's own paving needs, and it's the fourth Astec portable plant Eubank has operated at that location. The company currently operates one main paving crew, but can outfit and support two crews whenever needed. Each plant upgrade, according to Michael Eubank, has advanced the company's production and paving capabilities.

The Clarksville plant
Approximately two years ago, Eubank purchased another portable plant, an Astec Six Pack portable HMA facility, to accommodate two major paving projects near Clarksville, located near Fort Campbell on the Kentucky/Tennessee boarder.