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American Asphalt Company has been in business for over a century, seeing significant changes and growth during its 106 years serving customers. Bob Brown, president and owner since 1986, has actively pursued growth and succeeded in transforming a small business with fewer than 10 employees to a company now employing over 100 people with $30 million in yearly sales.

American Asphalt Company, W. Collingswood Heights, NJ, is a paving contractor and hot mix asphalt producer. Brown says 60% of sales comes from the paving division while the other 40% comes from selling asphalt mix. The company services central and southern New Jersey as well as southeast Pennsylvania. Homebuilders, commercial developers, general contractors, and local municipalities make up the workload, Brown says.

Having no experience in the asphalt business at the time he purchased the company, Brown utilized the company's existing employees to gain necessary knowledge of the industry. "I asked the staff that was here to show me what they did and why they did it," Brown says. "They taught me how to operate the asphalt plant, repair the equipment, and work on paving jobs.

Keys to successful longevity
"Honesty, integrity, and treating people with respect are the values I hold and have instilled in our workforce," Brown says. These values are consistently reinforced and communicated to the employees. "In any business, communication is almost always the root of most business problems," Brown says.

To foster communication and reinforce the company's values, American Asphalt Company publishes employee newsletters and holds regular meetings at every level of employment. An internal Web page serves as a daily bulletin board which is constantly updated with important information. But personal communication is also essential.