Across Boxley, a company of Summit Materials, our employees organize and perform road and river cleanups to help keep the communities we live and work in clean and beautiful.
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.
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 follow our A-Z tour for the remainder of the year.
Construction is nearing completion at the Beaver Creek Dam Reservoir where Boxley has supplied aggregate for Martinsville city’s $2 million repair project. The regularly inspected 70-year-old facility is looking at extending life by another 50 years with the repairs that took place over the past year.
Beaver Creek Reservoir, Martinsville’s primary water source, is within the proximity of Boxley’s Fieldale Quarry, making us a practical choice to provide the material. Haymes Brothers, the construction company on the job, has utilized 2010 tons of aggregate to complete the spillway repairs.
“It’s always a pleasure working with Haymes Brothers, who hold quality service and products to a high standard just like Boxley does.” Johan Van Eeden (Quality Control Lab Technician)
Stay tuned for new and continued projects as the 2021 peak season gets ready to kick-off!
The City of Lynchburg, Virginia is undertaking a major roadway expansion that will transform Lakeside Drive for drivers and pedestrians. Boxley, the aggregate materials supplier for this project, is proud to play a role in the enhancements to the surrounding community, including improved access to nearby Lynchburg University. The upgrade became mandatory after a flood in previous years left Lakeside Drive closed for weeks. Continue reading “Boxley Supplies Bridge Over Troubled Water”
This National Truck Drivers Week, all of us at Boxley want to give a big shout-out and deep appreciation to our Boxley truck drivers for traveling 2,829,668 miles and achieving ZERO lost time incidents in 2019. Boxley truck drivers are an essential pillar of our business to ensure our quality products make it safely to customers. Our drivers show up every day and deliver on Boxley’s high standard of excellence. Continue reading “Hats Off to Boxley Drivers “
Since 1906, Boxley has provided the aggregate (more commonly known as stone) required for the construction of homes, schools, hospitals, buildings, landscaping, and the maintenance and construction of roads and bridges in the communities we serve. Aggregate is an essential component of our daily lives and some of its uses may surprise you.
Did you know: The average American requires roughly 10,000 tons of aggregate per year?
Where You See It
Without aggregate we would not have roads to drive on or bridges to traverse waterways and valley. In fact, aggregate makes up over 90% of asphalt pavement and up to 80% of concrete mixtures. Aggregate is also essential in the construction of the buildings where we live, learn, work, and play. An average-size home requires roughly 400 tons of aggregate alone.
Besides providing volume and stability for building materials, aggregate also makes the finished product resistant to wear and erosion, allowing for a longer lifespan.
Where You Don’t
Glass, plastic, pennies, computer parts, antacids; none would be possible without aggregate. Other everyday items it can be present in include medicines, makeup, toothpaste, paint, animal feed, household cleaners, sodas, and more. Aggregate even plays an important role in the purification of the water we drink.
Working with other additives, aggregate provides calcium ions for strong teeth and bones and neutralizes acidic soil to allow plants to grow more effectively.
Spread The Word
Boxley host hundreds of school-age children every year for tours of our aggregate operations as part of our partnership with the Virginia Museum of Natural History.
If you are a teacher or homeschool facilitator, contact us at contact@boxley.com to schedule a tour.
