Aimee Baker, Author at Boxley

Concrete Masonry Units Delivered by Award Winning Drivers

Boxley manufactures top-notch Concrete Masonry Units (CMU) delivered by award-winning CDL drivers with service and safety few others can match.

CMUs are created at our Lynchburg Block, Brick, and Hardscapes plant (110 Lynchpin Lane, Lynchburg, VA 24501), where our sales representatives are ready to help you make the best selection for your needs. We’ll then set up a delivery time, and one of our valued drivers, like Greg Stratton, will make their way to your project site.

Greg is an exemplary driver, with driving experience predating his eight-year employment with Boxley. He drove while in the military for seven years which allowed him to get the necessary qualifications to do long-haul delivery for 33 years. Then one day, he was referred to Boxley’s open CDL position by one of our warehouse workers and Greg said, “it’s time to come home.” He finds it rewarding to be home at night while making good money with a company that provides good work equipment and a great benefits package—all while loving his job.

Greg suggests to anyone thinking about getting behind the wheel, “finding a school that will teach you to drive is important, but you need to get out on unfamiliar terrain and get comfortable in different weather conditions. Nothing will replace the hands-on experience you’ll only receive with time.”

If you have interest or questions about pursuing a career within the Summit Materials family, please reach out to Manisha Hall at (540) 777-7613. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to stay up to date on what’s happening throughout the company.

Aggregate and Base Mix: Foundation for Everyday Life

Aggregate (also known as stone) production is an essential component of our daily lives. Since 1906, Boxley has proudly helped meet the regional demand for aggregate supply at our seven southwest and central Virginia locations. Aggregate is the foundation to build every facet needed for daily living. Homes, businesses, places of worship, roadways and bridges, wastewater management, and renewable energy development all require aggregate.

Ever wonder how a modern aggregate operation works?

There are many jobs to fill in an aggregate operation drawing on the skills and expertise of each person. It starts with a responsible and effective site and plant design by an engineer that meets all regulatory and environmental requirements. Then, under the supervision of foremen, supervisors, managers, and our safety department, we develop the site. Quarry benches (ledges that serve as roadways to access and transport the stone) are created by strategically drilling and blasting rock away per state and industry laws and regulations with the required state-certified blaster-in-charge present.

Once the rock has been blasted, we are on our way. Heavy equipment operators utilize a variation of heavy equipment machines to load and haul the rock to crushers where a primary operator, or plant operator, controls the machines to crush and screen the stone according to the size and specification needed for the customer.

Our asphalt division uses aggregate in all mix designs (Base, Intermediate, or surface mix. Base mix, the first layer laid, is the foundation for the load-bearing portion of a pavement structure. Included in all asphalt projects, it is an important part of our daily lives, from the roadways we drive to the tracks at the local high school.

Project managers assist the customer in determining which of the three base mixes will work best for their project. Then, plant technicians sample the base mix before it is applied to ensure it meets the required standards.

Dispatchers then ensure dump truck and distributor drivers (CDL) have the product out to the foreman, skilled laborers, laborers, roller operator, and paver operator— allowing them to begin work with the asphalt distributor, tractor broom, skid steer and paving machine.

Boxley’s Safety Director Is A Driving Force Behind A World-Class Safety Culture

At Boxley, safety is set in stone, held as the highest value, and emphasized daily. Creating an outstanding safety culture is more than words; it requires actions, like those taken by our Safety Director, Andy Vassar.

He says, “Safety is our first job every day. It doesn’t take breaks. We must value the safety of ourselves and our coworkers to make sure everyone goes home to their families.”

With almost 29 years at Boxley, Andy has been trained and worked in every position in the aggregate division. This, along with multiple state certifications and completion of a company-backed development program, provides the necessary awareness and knowledge to always be on the lookout for what can be improved.

Andy spends his day out in the field, focusing on our locations across southwest Virginia, as often as possible. Adhering to MSHA and OSHA regulations means there is always a plant or piece of equipment that needs to be inspected or an employee who needs to be trained, whether it’s their first time or an annual refresher.

Leading by example, Andy lives Boxley’s safety culture and encourages collaborative ideas from all employees to continue building a world-class safety culture of zero accidents. He says, “I find it gratifying to serve all the employees of Boxley. We have great people across the board.”

To read some of the achievements Boxley has received with Andy’s safety guidance, check out:

To learn more about Boxley’s commitment to safety, visit our new website. Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram

Boxley Cultivates Safety Leadership

In recognition of National Construction Safety Week, we’re going to dive into Isaiah Christian’s role as our Safety Manager for Asphalt and Construction to find out how his leadership impacts our asphalt crews.

How does Isaiah support a high prioritized safety culture that exemplifies this year’s theme of Connected. Supported. Safe.?

Connected: His day starts by checking in on the road crews, shops, and asphalt plants.

Supported: He listens to and addresses any safety concerns employees share with him and keeps an eye out for improvement opportunities while in the field.

Safe: He proactively works to ensure our crews have the necessary tools and training.

Each crew in our market participated in the following courses this year:

Work Zone Training
Annual Refresher Training
Smith System Driver Training
Task Training

“Being a part of Boxley’s safety culture has completely changed my mindset. I was 19 years old when I came into the industry and still had a sense of immortality. However, the positions I’ve held, especially transitioning into the safety manager position, have exposed me to the real dangers we face daily,” Isaiah points out.

Isaiah’s Path to Safety Leadership

Boxley provides opportunities for career advancement, no matter what position you start in. Isaiah initially joined our asphalt division part-time as a laborer while attending college. Upon graduation, he came on board full-time as a Management Trainee. Through internal promotions, we had a vacancy in our Safety Department and Isaiah stepped up to the challenge.

Since joining Boxley’s team, Isaiah has become trained in OSHA 10, VDOT Sediment and Control, and state-certified for Virginia & North Carolina as a Traffic Control Supervisor. He is currently working on obtaining his CHSP (Certified Health and Safety Professional) certification.

If you have interest or questions about pursuing a career within the Summit Materials family, please reach out to Manisha Hall at (540) 777-7613.

To learn more about Boxley’s commitment to safety, visit our new website. Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram

Boxley Employees Can Provide Modern Solutions to Asphalt Customers’ Needs

Since the early 2000s, Boxley has played a part in installing porous asphalt, a green alternative to asphalt construction projects, in our communities. Boxley was recently awarded the Green Paving Award from the Virginia Asphalt Association in 2020 for their work on the Garden City Greenway in Roanoke, VA. Ken Arthur, Boxley’s Director of Asphalt Plants and Development was heavily involved in the project.

How does it work?

Porous asphalt is an asphalt mix that provides water the ability to drain through the pavement, a rock-filled bed, and finally back into nature either unassisted or through a drainage system. Allowing minimal impact on the surrounding environment and prolonging the life of the paved area, making it a great option for parking lots, recreational ballfields, pathways, and certain roadways.

“It’s a unique application that definitely has its place.” Says Ken.

Invented ahead of its time, porous asphalt has gained traction in modern construction as a more environmentally friendly option for our community’s needs. By allowing stormwater to store underneath in a reservoir, developers can forgo disturbing additional property for a retention pond. Leaving the area free for conservation, recreation, or further development.

Why is Ken important to the process?

Ken’s highest priority is managing our four asphalt plants and Front of Business (FOB) asphalt sales in his current position. He boasts, “We have a strong, experienced team of talented personnel at our asphalt plants and laboratories.”

Ken also has responsibilities within Boxley’s contracting division with estimating, project management and building work-scopes for customers. He explains, “There is non-stop ‘connecting’ behind the scenes to keep operations running smoothly between Asphalt Ops, Field Ops, FOB customers and estimating.”

With over 25 years of industry experience and a bachelor’s degree in Biology accompanied by a Chemistry Minor from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Ken finds satisfaction in being challenged daily.

He says, “The variety of work and the people of the roadbuilding industry are what I like best. Anyone willing to apply themselves can be trained on the job and be provided all accreditations needed for a successful career.”

If you have interest or questions about pursuing a prosperous career within the Summit Materials family or would like to learn more about the Management Trainee Program, please reach out to Manisha Hall at (540) 777-7613. And don’t forget to follow along on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to grow your knowledge of careers and topics inside the construction industry.

Boxley’s Asphalt Crew Assists First Responders in Action

Boxley’s asphalt milling crew, led by James Phillips, was ending their workday on Monday, April 11, 2022, on Chestnut Ave NW, Roanoke, VA, when Lt. Adam L. Fleming and his crew from Roanoke Fire-EMS Station 1-C received a call for a house fire on the same road.

As the firefighters sprang into action, so did our employees by utilizing one of our trucks and orange cones to block the road from traffic, ensuring the supply line from the hydrant to the house did not get compromised. Employees also provided a hydrant tool allowing firefighters to save time in their effort to save the house.

“It’s not that often we get help from the public. I would like to recognize James and his crew for helping this day,” says Lt. Fleming. “Thanks again for Boxley having employees that will go beyond their normal workday assignments and lend a helping hand.”

Left to right: Firefighters Troy Mann, Lt. Andrew Watkins, Capt. Chris Decker, and Lt. Adam Fleming and Boxley crew James Phillips, Doug Fink, Johnny Hall, Drake Vaughn, Timothy Locklear, and Richard Simmons

“We would like to personally thank our crew on the scene that day for exemplifying the characteristics we look for. Additionally, thank you to the fire and EMS personnel in our communities. Your tireless, and sometimes thankless, work does not go unnoticed, and we are proud of our employees who took the initiative to give back to you that day,” says Charles Craddock, Boxley’s Vice President of Asphalt & Construction.

If you would like to learn more about Roanoke’s Fire-EMS and what you can do to prevent house fires, click here.

Investing in the Planet Starts with Engineers

For us, Earth Day is Every Day. Greener. Smarter. Better. is the mindset Boxley employees use when optimizing how we responsibly operate.

To accomplish this, we invest in our employees and their tools, empowering them to help better the company. Our engineers, specifically Tim Mauzy, PE, lead this charge by overseeing our environmental operations and compliance. For Boxley, our commitment to the environment starts with engineering a responsible site design.

Tim works with our existing and new aggregate mines, getting them permitted, planned, and designed. Across all business lines, Tim establishes environmental plans and conducts employee training on environmental issues. Additionally, Tim handles air and water permitting and any necessary amendments.

Tim joined forces with Boxley’s Lynchburg and Salem asphalt plants to earn the Diamond Achievement Commendation from the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) in 2009. Recertified every two years since, this status is maintained when a plant emphasizes continued improvement in six areas: appearance, operations, environmental practices, safety, permitting, and regulatory compliance.

Tim collaborates with employees to find ways to reduce, reuse, or recycle waste products and minimize freshwater use in our operations. Our continual focus on reducing our carbon footprint includes investing in more efficient equipment, employing technology to reduce idling times, improve fuel efficiency during production and energy usage in our buildings.

“In my position, I meet and work with many different people. From regulatory agencies to plant managers and mine employees. There’s a great balance of office and field time; there never seems to be a dull moment,” Tim says. “Working to do our part to reduce our carbon footprint and find ways to operate more sustainably while also progressing the company is rewarding, to say the least.”

Tim joined Boxley over 30 years ago and has proven time and again the way he cares for Boxley and, in turn, the planet. He earned his degree in mining engineering from Virginia Tech and found his home at Boxley five years later. Starting as a quarry foreman at our Fieldale quarry, Tim worked through assistant superintendent, superintendent, finally landing in the engineering position he currently holds.

“If there is a possibility you will one day want to work in the engineering field, take the EIT (Engineer in Training) exam in college. Passing this exam is the first step in becoming a PE (Professional Engineer); you can take it later, but it’s good to get it out of the way for your own peace of mind,” advises Tim on those considering a career in engineering.

Need help prepping for the EIT? Click here and gain access to free practice exams.

Empathy While Working and Volunteering

At Boxley, “employee” and “volunteer” are heard synonymously when referencing our team members. No matter the position, each employee is encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities provided throughout the year to give back to the communities we’re honored to serve.

Torri St. Clair, a Purchasing Administrator at our Support Center in Blue Ridge, VA is a shining example of someone who does what she loves and shares her time generously to support her community. As the support person for all the quarries and plant managers, Torri reviews incoming invoices and purchases and works with vendors to ensure accounts are processed and charged accordingly. She sets up new vendors in the payment system and is the point of contact for vendors’ with payment questions.

Torri’s compassion and understanding make her the accounts payable professional with a friendly touch. It also gives her the drive to give back, through the company, to make things better however she can.

Throughout her career, Torri has volunteered countless hours to the community:

Through Habitat for Humanity, volunteers helped the Rescue Mission of Roanoke get ahead by cleaning used items and sorting them for sale in their store.
Food for Kids is a volunteering effort throughout the school year where bags of food are packaged up and delivered to participating schools in our community for food-insecure children to take home over the weekend.

Working hard to better those around her doesn’t stop there; Torri also volunteers as part of our Team360: Health and Wellness subdivision. Below are challenges and events she has been a part of orchestrating to encourage better physical and mental health:

Weight Loss Challenge(s)
Bring Your Dog to Work Day

“As a representative of Boxley, I get to show how much the company cares for our community and employees. We’re encouraged to go a step beyond for others, just like the company does,” says Torri.

Stay up to date with what our employees are doing at work and in the community by following us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram!

Take It as A Sign, Slow Down

At Boxley, safety is set in stone, not just at our physical locations but also in our work zones. Our paving crews undergo extensive work zone training with annual refresher courses, including Smith System Driver training and task training. We take every precaution to provide you with the safety work zone we can.

But you can help make us safer!

Road work, detour, flagger ahead, and one-lane sign are what you might see heading into one of our work zones. Drivers must slow down and follow work zone signs; ignoring them could have detrimental consequences, not only for the workers but also for drivers and their passengers. For example, the nationwide numbers reported in 2021 from VDOT state:

Four out of five work zone fatalities are drivers
One work zone fatality occurs every 15 hours
One work zone injury occurs every 14 minutes
Approximately 700 people are killed, and more than 35,000 people are injured in work zone crashes each year

“There’s no room for error when working in or traveling through a work zone. Too many lives can be impacted if there’s a lapse in judgment, even for a second. Our employees are someone’s child, parent, and friend. As are you. We do the best we can to ensure safety on the roadway. With drivers’ help, we can make them even safer.” – Isaiah Christian, Boxley Safety Manager-Asphalt & Construction

Do you know your work zone safety signs? Take the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse’s ‘Knowing The Signs Quiz” to find out.

Stay tuned by following follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to see how Boxley acknowledged this year’s Work Zone Awareness Week.

Boxley’s Safety Scorecard

Boxley’s world-class safety program is the cornerstone of the Boxley Way. Our safety culture underpins every facet of our operation, from driver safety to safety-first policies and procedures throughout our operations.

Safety is a value, it’s our first job and how we work.

Each year, we set safety goals and track our performance, emphasizing continuous improvement year over year through our safety mindset and practices. The numbers speak for themselves—our employees take safety seriously. In 2021, Boxley employees worked an outstanding 950,700 hours, during which our fleet drivers drove 2,763,465 miles without a single accident. In addition, our locations underwent their regular inspections, 20 of which were citation-free.

Our work was recently recognized by our parent company Summit Materials. We’re thrilled to add 2021 Top Safety Performer, 2021 World Class Preventable Vehicle Accidents, and 2021 Top 5S Performance to our award collection from previous years.

“Our employees show up every day and put in 100%. This past year we began to see the safety culture we’ve been working hard towards implementing. We know this isn’t the time to let off the gas; we’re looking at 2022 as another year to maintain and improve our safety performance,” said Boxley Safety Director Andy Vassar.

We work hard to keep employees informed on safety events inside the company and across the country. Every incident, good catch, and citation is a learning experience that could prevent another person from getting injured. We incentivize our employees to stay aware of safety hazards and look for ways to improve the work environment for everyone. Our safety culture is an individual and team effort.

Our managers regularly conduct toolbox talks on relevant topics to keep in mind, such as extreme temperature exposure, Boxley’s 10 Safety Principles, unfortunate incidents in the industry, and more. Safety stand-downs are also performed when necessary to really drill home the importance of the safety topic.

“Our employees know that when they have an idea how to make something better, they’re going to be heard,” said Vassar, “We encourage reporting anything an employee has an issue with and promote brainstorming to find the best solution. We want people to feel safe coming to work every day, and most importantly, we want them to go home when they’re done.”

To learn more about Boxley’s commitment to safety, visit our new website (link: ). Also, be sure to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram