Quarry Operation Finds Profitable Balance
GROUND LEVEL
Beyond Niche
After starting out with a niche quarry product, Phoenix San-Man Inc. more than holds its own on a much larger scale.
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oon after its founding in 1998, Phoenix San-Man Inc. of Gilbert, Ariz., targeted an underserved niche market for its quarry operation. Company managers recognized a need for a supply of high-quality sand to plastering and masonry contractors. "There was a multitude of aggregate suppliers, but it was mostly for asphalt and concrete, says San-Man General " Manager Tim Lashley. "We identified mining properties for producing sand, and we thought we could offer more controls to produce a better product for that market. And there was enough demand in that market to sustain our business. " But, he adds, "You can't count on making a living in specialty sands alone. " So San-Man also mar keted the rock and gravel "byproducts" of its sand mining, Lashley says, and helped ensure a demand for them. " key was having an A on-site user, a concrete ready-mix plant to which we could sell aggregates, he " notes. "That essentially keeps the ratios of our finished products in balance. " The approach worked. Today, SanMan produces a wide range of quarry products from specialty sand to more common aggregates, riprap and even topsoil. "There's really no contractor segment where an aggregate product is needed that we don't supply, Lash" ley says. The company now operates five quarries throughout the Greater Phoenix area. A separate sister company, Desert Equip-
ment, operates the off-site trucking and delivery end of the business. And the two companies share managers and offices in a new headquarters they built and moved into in December 2008. The building includes plenty of room for future growth.
Craig Hills (above, left) and Tim Lashley have built a solid future for Phoenix San-Man on a variety of quarry products.
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