ASPHALT ANSWERS
sure you don’t get caught up in the new
and shiny toys. Take a step back and
remember what got you where you are
today and what will get you to the next
step tomorrow. Evaluate what every
machine offers versus what holds value
to you. Remember, it’s all about total
cost of ownership (TCO). When TCO
is properly evaluated, your cost per ton
tends to be within a manageable level.
For example, if you are looking at a ma-
chine with a high cost option such as
grade control, your total cost of own-
ership is affected more than let’s say a
truck hitch. Grade control saves as-
phalt and can be transferred to a new
machine. A truck hitch, while a worth-
while option, doesn’t make you money,
but might save your time. As they say,
value is in the eye of the beholder. Look
at all options as a single purchase and
evaluate whether it adds value to your
operation, taking resale value into con-
sideration.
In many regions, there are
programs such as gas taxes
that are giving an influx of
dollars municipalities must
spend on infrastructure.
Expand your offerings. In speaking
with many contractors recently, many
are looking at new asphalt avenues. In
many regions, there are programs such
as gas taxes that are giving an influx of
dollars municipalities must spend on
infrastructure. This should motivate
the asphalt contractor to spend time
with the county engineering staff to see
what their upcoming projects are being
considered. When you discover what
the projects entail, I believe trends will
emerge. These trends may point to you
looking at new equipment investments
such as patching machines, different
size paving machines or even (gasp!)
concrete equipment. If municipal work
isn’t in your wheelhouse, what about
site prep or even striping. This way, you
can control the job from start to finish
and be less reliant on subcontractors.
Go with your gut. In the end, you
must remember you have responsibilities
to your employees and their families to
provide work on a regular basis. There is
a lot of new bells and whistles on the lots
these days and we all have to work togeth-
er to find the right solution for your com-
pany. The pitfall we must avoid is trying
to keep up with the guys down the road.
We all have different goals and needs and
to try to mirror what you think is going
on is a recipe for disaster. Talk to your
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