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"On the paving side, we handle a broad range of jobs: everything from occasional municipal work, to shopping centers, to a 14-acre paving job for the local casino," he says. "Often, mix specs will differ with regard to types of oil, oil content, different gradations, and so on.

"Making those changes on the fly with the new Roadbuilder 160 is extremely easy," he continues. "All we do is key in our new mix design - a process that takes less than 10 seconds - and we're ready to go; we never have to shut down. That's a nice change for us."

Going mobile is an option

Like its predecessor, the smaller ADM 5424 SPL, Long's new plant is designed to be portable. However, the company has not gone mobile with its asphalt operation in more than five years and has no immediate plans to start doing so.

"We really got used to being home every night and have been fortunate that the local work has always been there, so we haven't pursued much work outside of the Fremont County area," Long says. "But we still like the fact that, should a suitable project arise, we can move this system without much difficulty at all. It's just another feather in our cap as far as I'm concerned."

The future looks very bright for Long and Dave's Asphalt. The company recently moved into a new, larger office/administrative building adjacent to the pit, and orders are steady.