Texas 17, August 13, 2023

From Beirut to Houston: An Underground Success Story

As a general contractor performing work on and installation of storm sewers, sanitary sewers, water lines and roadways, TCL’s major business is municipal work for the city of Houston and surrounding counties

He left his home in Beirut, Lebanon when he was 25, arriving in Houston in 1987 with just $20 in his pocket. Today, Boutros Merhi owns one of the nation’s premier underground utility companies, Houston’s Total Contracting Limited (TCL). Launched 12 years after Merhi emigrated, the firm has 55 to 75 employees depending on its work load, and an impressive resume of municipal, residential and commercial projects. Merhi traces his road to success to Beirut, where he did concrete work as a goal-driven teenager and into his 20s.

By Joe Jancsurek CEG CORRESPONDENT

Boutros Merhi (R) owns one of the nation’s premier underground utility companies, Houston’s Total Contracting Limited (TCL). The company is assisted by NED Salesman David Keys.

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Odessa Concrete, Aggregate Producer Keeps Biz Growing

While oil and gas continue to be the main drivers in the West Texas market, up-andcoming entities are proving to be profitable, according to PB (Permian Basin) Materials

LLC CEO Christopher Crouch.

“We are becoming more of an energy center rather than just oil and gas,” said Crouch. “Wind and solar are making significant gains. There’s also gravity batteries and carbon capture. We probably have the largest AI mining or Bitcoin mining investment in the country. We don’t worry about the power going out in West Texas. There’s plenty of it, and that’s good for us.”

All the energy projects — as well as the

infrastructure to support them such as roads, utilities and new commercial and residential developments — require a reliable, steady supply of aggregate and concrete products. With a staff of more than 350 people led by Crouch and Chief Financial Officer Philip McWard, PB Materials has been one of the area’s leading producers for a decade.

“Initially, there were three separate companies with more than 100 years of experience that, in 2013, combined into a single entity,” explained Crouch. “During the past several years, we have made a lot of headway in our product portfolio, dramatically

improving the size of our reserves, what we do, and where we do it. We are the largest integrated producer in West Texas.”

Diverse Customer List

Based in Odessa, Texas, PB Materials’ 17 ready-mix facilities and 14 aggregate operations stretch north through Lubbock, south to Fort Stockton and west into New Mexico. Annually, PB Materials produces approximately 1 million yds. of concrete and more than 4 million tons of aggregate products.

“We have a pretty broad diversity of customers because we have a general contract-

ing community here,” said Crouch. “We are also very closely tied to the DOT [Department of Transportation], as well as the municipalities and the marketplace. On the ready-mix side, we’re the go-to for specialty concretes and consider ourselves at the forefront of trying new mixes. We are one of the beta [testing] companies for some of the third-party and admixture companies because I’m a firm believer that the pioneers take all the arrows, but the pioneers also get there first. PB Materials is very open to trying new things and being on the leading edge of any technology within any business that we operate.”

That philosophy applies to PB Materials’ aggregate side too. More recently, it has entered into production of both wet and dry frac sand in West Texas. In total, PB Materials makes 22 products that range from ultra-fine sand to landscaping boulders. In addition to turning raw materials into finished products, PB Materials recycles concrete and asphalt.

“As required, we will work hand-in-hand with customers to figure out what best suits their needs, and we’ll make sure that they’re getting the right product for their application,” said Regional Operations Manager Chad Mikulec, who runs several of PB Materials’ aggregate operations. “We have a quality control staff that ensures the highest quality in all cases, whether that’s supplying materials to our own ready-mix operations or to the DOT or contractors. In addition to standard products, we do a lot of unique, custom specifications.”

see MATERIALS page 24

Christopher Crouch, CEO

(L-R): PB Materials’ Joey Offield and Chad Mikulec, KSM’s Kevin Demel and PB Materials’ Christopher Crouch discuss equipment and service at PB Materials’ headquarters in Odessa, Texas.

Operator Homero Villalba loads a Komatsu HM400 articulated truck with a Komatsu PC650LC excavator, a task performed on many projects in Texas.

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Electrician Works His Way Up From Humble Beginnings

TLC from page 1

“In Beirut, there are so many concrete buildings, there was always work and my goal was to come to the United States, said Merhi, who saved his money to immigrate to Houston, where he had friends.

Once here, he worked tirelessly, attending Houston Community College where he received his electrician’s degree while working long days for Simplex Construction Management, doing concrete and electrical work. In fact, for six years, Merhi worked 18-hour days, building both his knowledge and bank account that would eventually enable him to launch TCL .

“When I was doing electrical work for Simplex Electric,” Merhi said, “I was also assisting the underground utility contractors and learning what it takes to prepare projects for the pouring of concrete slabs and what’s necessary, all the while saving a significant amount to start my business.”

Today, the journeyman electrician oversees a business credited with 35 municipal, commercial and residential projects, resulting in annual revenue of approximately $20 million and year-over-year growth of approximately 10 percent.

see TLC page 12

Launched 12 years after Merhi emigrated, the firm has 55 to 75 employees depending on its work load, an impressive resume of municipal, residential and commercial projects.

Today, the journeyman electrician oversees a business credited with 35 municipal, commercial and residential projects, resulting in annual revenue of about $20 million and year-over-year growth of about 10 percent.

Boutros Merhi, founder of Total Contracting Limited, shown in front of flags representing his homeland Lebanon and the United States.

South Star JCB Celebrates Lewisville Location Opening

JCB, the world’s largest privately owned manufacturer of construction, agricultural and defense equipment, recently held a ribbon cutting announcing the completion of its newest locally owned and operated dealership facility, South Star JCB — Lewisville, which will expand the dealership’s service in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area.

JCB is a family-owned business that has expanded from a modest start-up to a global powerhouse. As such, it was fitting that Alice Bamford, daughter of JCB founder Lord Bamford, and her children could be in attendance to cut the ribbon and officially open the 14,000 sq.-ft. building. The Bamford family has kept the company in its ownership, preserving its family-drive ethos amidst its growth and success.

The new South Star — Lewisville location is a purpose-built facility serving the entire range of JCB construction equipment, from excavators, backhoes, skid steers and wheel loaders to generators and aerial equipment on its more than 4-acre, fully concreted site. The building also houses eight workshop bays (two larger heavy line bays) and is supported by a 10-ton shop crane, JCB special tooling, and includes a full integrated customer uptime center.

To ensure ample availability of parts for customers, South Star JCB has built a 2,000sq.-ft. parts warehouse with more than $1 million in JCB parts stocked throughout

DFW locations.

“Since opening our first location in 2019, we’ve seen a significant growth in demand

for JCB products and service in the DallasFort Worth area,” said Chris Meinecke, dealer principle of South Star JCB. “With the addition of our new Lewisville location, we are able to service even more current JCB customers in the DFW area, and with our new demonstration area, show potential customers firsthand the difference JCB’s purpose-built machines make on a job site.”

“We are witnessing real breakthroughs being made in the U.S. South Star is a great start, and it’s just the beginning as JCB continues to grow in the Dallas-Fort Worth area,” said Christian Baillie, vice president of construction equipment dealer sales at JCB. “Finding individuals like Chris Meinecke, who share our vision and have the drive and appetite for success, is a key factor in achieving our goals.”

Also in attendance for the ribbon cutting was Texas House of Representatives Member Kronda Thimesch in support of House District 65, which includes the Dallas and Lewisville areas.

Situated on State Highway 121, South Star JCB Lewisville is the third location for South Star JCB, which also has locations in Dallas, and Forth Worth, Texas.

For more information call 844/599-8728 or visit www.southstartxjcb.com.

(L-R): Christian Baillie, JCB vice president of construction equipment dealer sales; Waverly McCarthy, South Star JCB office manager; Chris Meinecke, CEO/dealer principal of South Star JCB; Kristi Meinecke, wife of Chris Meinecke; Alice Bamford, the daughter of the JCB founder and her children, Iris, Beau and Otis; Representative Kronda Thimesch, Texas State of Representatives – District 65; Jeff Bell, South Star JCB sales manager; Chris Gregory, South Star JCB operations manager; and Ben Coleman, JCB vice president of dealer development.

Entergy Texas Starts Construction On Bolivar Peninsula

Entergy Texas continues to invest in opportunities to build a more resilient and sustainable energy future for Southeast Texas communities. To meet the growing electric demand on the Bolivar Peninsula and improve service, Entergy Texas developed a $110 million reliability project that is a combination of new construction and equipment upgrades. Construction for the Bolivar Peninsula Reliability Project started on Monday, June 27, and is expected to be completed by December 2024.

“Our service area continues to grow, and we are working to meet the growing energy demand to reliably serve our customers,” said James Nicholson, project manager at Entergy Texas. “The Bolivar Peninsula Reliability Project will double the load serving capacity to help strengthen the grid and provide resiliency for an area prone to storms.”

Existing substations in areas known as High Island, Bluewater, and Sandy Shores will receive upgrades, and two new substations known as Palms and Port Bolivar will be constructed to support load growth on the peninsula. Approximately six miles of new underground conductor and 19 miles of new overhead conductor will be connected to the two existing substations, Bluewater and Sandy Shores, and the two new substations, Palms and Port Bolivar. Additional feeds and multiple self-healing networks, which identify and repair outages and performance issues before they happen, will also help support the area's reliability and expected load growth for the future.

“We understand the importance of keeping our customers informed, especially when it relates to this significant proj-

ect, so we encourage customers to log in to myEntergy to ensure their contact information is up to date,” said Jim Malain, customer service manager at Entergy Texas. “We appreciate the understanding and patience of our customers as we work to bring these improvements to the Bolivar Peninsula.”

For more information on the Bolivar Peninsula Reliability Project, visit www.entergy-texas.com/bolivar.

September 2023

Distribution line construction starts. Entergy Texas crews and vegetation contractors will begin clearing equipment to perform vegetation activities. Access for property owners will not be blocked during work, but property owners will be notified if access is impacted.

April 2024

Palms and Port Bolivar substations will be completed. New substations are built and ready to be connected to the grid in order to serve more load capacity across the Bolivar Peninsula.

December 2024

Distribution line construction will be completed. Entire project will be completed and will start serving customers across the Bolivar Peninsula.

About Entergy Texas

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 499,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Texas is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation, a Fortune 500 electric company. Entergy powers life for 3 million customers through our operating companies in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The company is investing in the reliability and resilience of the energy system while helping our region transition to cleaner, more efficient energy solutions. With roots in our communities for more than 100 years, Entergy is a nationally recognized leader in sustainability and corporate citizenship. Since 2018, we have delivered more than $100 million in economic benefits each year to local communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy. Entergy is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has approximately 12,000 employees. For more information from Entergy, visit https://www.entergy.com/ 

Massive Rio Grande LNG Project Advances With Investment

NextDecade Corporation announced it has made a positive final investment decision (FID) to construct the first three liquefaction trains (Phase 1) at the Rio Grande LNG (RGLNG) export facility in Brownsville, Texas.

The $18.4 billion project financing for RGLNG Phase 1 is the largest greenfield energy project financing in U.S. history and underscores the critical role that LNG and natural gas will continue to play in the global energy transition. Industry experts expect a global shortfall of LNG before 2030, which if not addressed by projects such as RGLNG, may result in a prolonged reliance on other more carbon intensive fuels such as coal and oil.

In conjunction with making a positive FID, RGLNG issued the notice to proceed (NTP) to Bechtel Energy Inc. (Bechtel) to begin construction of Phase 1 under its lump-sum turnkey engineering, procurement and construction contracts (EPC). The final EPC cost at NTP is approximately $12.0 billion. The remaining expected project costs to be covered by the financing that closed recently are: owner’s costs and contingencies of approximately $2.3 billion, dredging for the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project, conservation of more than 4,000 acres of wetland

and wildlife habitat area and installation of utilities of approximately $600 million and interest during construction and other financing costs of approximately $3.1 billion.

Phase 1, with nameplate liquefaction capacity of 17.6 MTPA, has 16.2 MTPA of long-term binding LNG sale and purchase agreements (SPAs) with TotalEnergies, Shell NA LNG LLC, ENN LNG Pte Ltd, Engie S.A., ExxonMobil LNG Asia Pacific, Guangdong Energy Group, China Gas Hongda Energy Trading Co., Galp Trading S.A. and Itochu Corporation.

“Achieving FID and issuing NTP on RGLNG Phase 1 is a landmark event reflecting years of hard work and dedication by NextDecade’s employees, shareholders, construction partners, equipment suppliers, and customers,” said Matt Schatzman, NextDecade’s chairman/CEO. “I want to specifically recognize the Rio Grande Valley community, the Port of Brownsville and the countless leaders and officials at the local, state, and federal levels that have supported us throughout the development of RGLNG Phase 1.”

“Achieving FID is an important milestone in NextDecade’s mission of becoming a reliable supplier of low-carbon LNG that will replace coal with a cleaner source of ener-

gy,” said Bayo Ogunlesi, chairman/CEO of Global Infrastructure Partners. “Our investment in RGLNG affirms GIP’s commitment to promoting decarbonization, energy security and energy affordability.”

“We are delighted with this final investment decision that enables us to launch the construction of this new LNG liquefaction plant in the United States, to which TotalEnergies will contribute its expertise in the development of major LNG projects,” said Patrick Pouyanné, chairman/ CEO of TotalEnergies. “This project gives TotalEnergies access to competitive LNG thanks to its low production costs. LNG from this first phase will boost TotalEnergies U.S. LNG export capacity to over 15 MTPA by 2030, and thus our ability to contribute to European gas security, and to provide customers in Asia with an alternative form of energy that is half as emissive as coal.”

“Today’s announcement marks a pivotal milestone in Mubadala’s enduring partnership with NextDecade in the development of RGLNG,” said Khaled Abdulla Al Qubaisi, CEO of Mubadala’s Real Estate & Infrastructure Investments platform. “Mubadala is delighted to welcome GIP, GIC and TotalEnergies into the partnership as RGLNG enters its next phase of

development.”

“NextDecade is on a mission to produce lower-carbon intensive LNG for its customers, and we’re honored to be their partner,” said Paul Marsden, president of Bechtel Energy. “Today, as we commence engineering, procurement, and construction on the first phase of this project, we reaffirm our commitment to the community through quality jobs, training, and support for the supply chain and small businesses.”

Under the joint venture agreement executed today, NextDecade will hold equity interests that entitle the Company to receive up to 20.8 percent of the cash flows generated by Phase 1 during operations. Financial Investors and TTE will hold equity interests that entitle them to a minimum of 62.5 percent and 16.7 percent of the cash flows generated by Phase 1 during operations, respectively.

As part of the transaction, Financial Investors and TTE each have options to invest in RGLNG Train 4 and Train 5 equity and options to invest in the planned carbon capture and sequestration project at RGLNG. TTE’s right to invest in Train 4 and Train 5 is conditioned on exercising their LNG purchase rights of 1.5 MTPA in each of Train 4 and Train 5. 

Total Contracting Limited, NED Make for Good Partnership

TLC from page 6

Working with National Equipment Dealers has been instrumental to the company’s success.

“I’ve dealt with NED, formerly Four Seasons Equipment, since 1999 and I’ve known David Keys,” Merhi said. “He is a great help to our company and we’ve grown together. Every time we need equipment, he was there to supply us. [David Keys] put priority to our company so we can meet our goals doing the job.”

As a general contractor performing work on and installation of storm sewers, sanitary sewers, water lines and roadways, TCL’s major business is municipal work for the city of Houston and surrounding counties. Such projects present a host of challenges, most notably those recently posed by a drainage system project calling for the city of Houston’s biggest-ever concrete box culvert at 14-ft. by 12-ft. and used to channel water as part of a drainage system.

“The city of Houston initiated this project to alleviate the flooding in the Houston Medical Center at Kirby Drive,” explained Merhi.

The box culvert, serving as an underground detention pond, called for the pouring of concrete 7-ft. deep and the installation of a wellpoint system for lowering the water table on a 27-ft. wide roadway. The lifting and positioning of the box called for a Leibher excavator 964 crane, which TCL owns, along with several Hyundai excavators, loaders, mixers, bull dozers, backhoes, brooms and rollers. The company performs all its own equipment maintenance.

“This project serves as an example of how TCL has grown steadily over the past 20 years, going from being a small concrete contractor to one of the area’s largest contractors with extensive experience in water, storm, sewage and roadway construction projects, including structures,” said Merhi. “We expect this growth to continue into the foreseeable future.”  CEG

(All photos courtesy of Total Contracting Limited.)

Discussing the Kirby Drive Project (L-R) are Luke Morganti, former TCL superintendent; Jeff Chuckwu, city of Houston (COH) project manager; Boutros Merhi, TCL general partner; Bill White, former COH mayor; and Daniel Krueger, former COH public works director.

TCL’s Boutros Merhi’s meeting with Pope Francis was arranged by his church in Houston as a show of appreciation for TCL’s financial support of the church’s parking-lot remodeling project.

The Kirby Drive project was a milestone achievement for TCL as it installed the first 14-ft. by 12-ft. box culvert in Houston’s history. The box was installed at 27-ft. deep.

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Bottom Line Reveals Acquisition of H & V Equipment Services

Bottom Line Equipment LLC, heavy equipment and specialty attachment rental and sales resource for construction, demolition, pipeline, land management and debris removal equipment, has completed the acquisition of H & V Equipment Services Inc.

Since 1991, H & V Equipment Services has provided rental, sales and service of new and used construction equipment from three locations in South Texas.

Through this acquisition, Bottom Line will expand operations into the greater San Antonio and Progreso geographies where construction activity continues to thrive. This acquisition also will support the expansion of Bottom Line’s existing operations in Corpus Christi and is part of the company’s overall growth strategy.

Operations at all three locations will include Bottom Line Pro-Fit Solutions. The Pro-Fit Solutions team is comprised of highly qualified and dedicated specialists focused on delivering unique equipment and specialty attachment solutions to Bottom Line customers.

Kurt Degueyter, Bottom Line Equipment CEO/owner /founder stated, “A greater presence in South and Southwest Texas including San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Progreso are an important part of our strategic expansion plans. We are pleased to welcome H&V Equipment employees to the Bottom Line Team and look forward to providing the exceptional level of service and support we’re known for to customers across our geographic area.”

About Bottom Line

Bottom Line Equipment was founded in 2005 in Lafayette, La., with a mission of building better communities by raising the standards of quality and safety for all. The success of the company has been fueled by a Make It Happen attitude and partnering with customers to satisfy their specific needs. Over the years, Bottom Line Equipment has expanded business operations throughout Louisiana and Texas, opening Service Centers in St Rose, La., Baton Rouge, La., Broussard, La. Sulphur, La., as well as Texas locations: Beaumont, Baytown, Corpus Christi, Greenville, Aledo on 7/5/23, and now San Antonio and Progreso. 

ROMCO President Clarkson Retires After 46-Year Career

ROMCO President Charlie Clarkson has announced his retirement after 46 years with the company.

Through his unwavering service, he helped transform ROMCO from a small enterprise into a formidable industry leader, leaving a profound impact on the lives of employees and the broader business community.

Clarkson’s exceptional leadership and remarkable problem-solving skills have played a pivotal role in the growth and success of ROMCO, going from a company with two branches a few dozen employees into the larger, successful business it is today with 14 branches and more than 300 employees.

“After 46 years, I am retiring from ROMCO Equipment Co.,” Clarkson wrote on social media. “It has been a great ride and I owe too many people to thank individually.”

Clarkson joined the company as a young sales professional, driven by ambition and a passion for success. He climbed the company ladder going from sales to sales management to branch manager to ROMCO president. His ability to drive results and inspire those around him has made the business what it is today.

As he bids farewell to the business, he will always be remembered as the problem solver and deal maker. 

ROMCO photo

Charlie Clarkson

State Approves Nearly $100M for Transit Agency Projects

Taking the bus opened up endless possibilities for Uvalde resident Jennifer Gilleland. Born with cerebral palsy, she’d ride 90 miles each way on a TxDOT-funded rural transit agency bus to get to class as she worked on her college degree.

Years later, bus rides have helped her travel the nation, even going skydiving in Miami. Her inspiring story is just one example of the many ways TxDOT-funded transit agencies are having a major impact on Texans.

Recently, the Texas Transportation Commission approved $96 million in state and federal funds for rural and small urban transit agencies across the state to help Texans travel to jobs, healthcare and education. The funding goes to agencies like Southwest Area Regional Transit District that provided a path for Gilleland to reach her dream of getting two college degrees through a comprehensive outreach, travel training, and partnership with healthcare case-management programs.

"Rural communities and surrounding areas can sometimes have limited options for transportation, and these transit agencies provide a lifeline for those who need it most,” Texas Transportation Commissioner Alvin New said. “This funding will help make sure Texans can get to where they need to go safely and reliably.”

These funds will go towards 79 public transportation providers and planning agencies across the state to operate and maintain a critical network of integrated mobility services including:

East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG), Tyler and

Longview are working together to provide a seamless network of transportation services through a combination of state and federal grant programs that address the diverse needs of their communities.

Bluebonnet Trails Community Services (BTCS) will be employing around-the-clock language services allowing mobility managers to supply better coordinated transit for non-English speaking individuals.

Rolling Plains Management Corporation (RPMC) is constructing an Administrative and Operations Center to house its SHARP Lines Rural Public Transportation dispatch, administration and training activities. The new facility includes approximately 6,000 square feet of office space

The funding goes to agencies like Southwest Area Regional Transit District that provided a path for Gilleland to reach her dream of getting two college degrees through a comprehensive outreach, travel training, and partnership with healthcare case-management programs.

The Texas Transportation Commission approved $96 million in state and federal funds for rural and small urban transit agencies across the state to help Texans travel to jobs, healthcare and education.

attached to the existing bus storage and maintenance building in Crowell, Texas. The new facility provides a safe and efficient office and training space large enough to accommodate additional drivers, fleet maintenance and dispatch administrative staff.

For more information, contact TxDOT Media Relations at MediaRelations@txdot.gov or 512/463-8700. 

(All photos courtesy of TxDOT.)

Granite Selected for $48M Texas Flood Control Project

Army Corps of Engineers photo Andrew Park, the project manager from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Southwestern Division's Fort Worth District, inspects the final construction results of the Santa Fe Ditch, in Wharton, Texas.

Granite has been awarded an approximately $48 million contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to mitigate flood risk and damage in Wharton, Texas.

Project funding will come from the USACE’s fiscal 2023 civil construction funds and is expected to be included in Granite’s second quarter CAP.

The city of Wharton has significant existing and historical flooding issues from the Colorado River, Caney Creek, Baughman Slough and Peach Creek. Granite’s work includes the construction of four strategically located levee reaches, five interior gravity

Corps of Engineers work to mitigate flood risk for Wharton, Texas.

sump areas, storm sewer relief systems, slope repair activities along the Colorado River and miscellaneous paving improvements.

“These essential measures are designed to fortify the city's defenses and minimize the impact of future flood events,” explained Granite Vice President of Regional Operations Matt Shepherd. “Granite is pleased to have the opportunity to showcase our ability to perform USACE civil works in this market.”

The earthen levees, a critical component of the flood mitigation plan, will stretch

approximately 11,800 linear ft. With a top width of 16 ft., an average height of eight ft. and a base width of 80 ft., these sturdy structures will act as formidable barriers against rising waters. By strategically positioning the levees, the project aims to create a robust defense system that will protect vulnerable areas from inundation.

In addition to the levee system, the project will implement five interior gravity sumps featuring cast-in-place structures equipped with sluice and/or flap gates. These sumps will play a vital role in managing water levels and controlling the flow of discharge

within the city, to optimize drainage, and reduce the risk of localized flooding.

The storm sewer relief systems will be constructed to enhance the city’s existing drainage infrastructure, optimizing its capacity to handle excessive rainfall and prevent water accumulation in low-lying areas. Slope repair activities along the Colorado River will bolster the stability of the riverbank, mitigating erosion and reducing the potential for future flooding events.

The project is planned to begin in September 2023 and is expected to be completed in December 2024. 

Army Corps of Engineers photo

Skanska Announces Promotion of Reeves to Lead North Texas

Skanska, one of the world’s leading construction and development firms, announced the promotion of Todd Reeves to vice president — account manager in North Texas.

As a leader in North Texas construction, Reeves is instrumental in the development of some of DFW’s most innovative and community changing projects that will support the area’s exponential growth.

Reeves began his construction career at Skanska as an intern and now has 24 years of experience in commercial construction under his belt.

He was previously a project executive on multiple highly successful Collin College projects, the Audubon lite industrial plant and he is currently working with a variety of higher education clients throughout the region. He has also served on construction teams for clients including IBM, Royal Bank of Canada, UT Systems, DFW Airport and a number of confidential clients building data centers.

“Todd is an invaluable member of our team, and he continues to provide exceptional service to each one of our clients while being a driving force behind Skanska’s continued success,” said Dennis Yung, executive vice president and general manager of Skanska’s North Texas construction operations.

“Thanks to his leadership, expertise, and commitment to quality, we continue to grow our footprint in North Texas.”

A native Texan, Reeves attended Texas A&M University. He is an active member of the American Heart Association (AHA) and participates in many community service events in the region throughout the year. He currently resides in Flower Mound with his wife and two children.

About Skanska

Skanska uses knowledge and foresight to shape the way people live, work, and connect. We operate as a local Texas builder backed by a strong global brand, financial strength, and a vast network of resources. More than 135 years in the making, we’re one of the world’s largest development and construction companies. Skanska in the U.S. is headquartered in New York City with 29 offices around the country and in 2022, construction in the U.S. generated $6.9 billion in revenue. Together with our customers and the collective expertise of our 6,500 teammates in the U.S. and 28,000 globally, we create innovative and sustainable solutions that support healthy living beyond our lifetime. 

Todd Reeves

PB Materials, Kirby-Smith Lean On Longtime Relationship

MATERIALS from page 4

Outstanding Service From KSM

PB Materials is focused on providing outstanding service to its customers and expects the same from the vendors it works with. Crouch emphasized that’s a big reason why PB Materials and Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc. (KSM) have a solid, longstanding relationship.

“When it comes to equipment, support is critical to us because any time a machine is

down, that’s potential dollars lost,” said Crouch. “Kirby-Smith’s service is impeccable. It’s quick. They don’t let you down.”

Crouch noted that KSM’s responsiveness, especially from KSM Territory Manager Kevin Demel, stands out the most, which is partly why PB Materials has been transitioning its fleet from other brands to Komatsu over the last few years. Demel and other members of the KSM team analyzed PB Materials’ operations to determine how PB Materials could maximize efficiency with properly sized machines. Recent purchases include two HD465-8 mechanical haul trucks with approximately 60-ton capacities.

“We went through several scenarios before making the final decision, and during our conversations, Kevin and others on the Kirby-Smith team reached out to Komatsu’s engineering department and some other customers to make sure we had all the information we needed and provided a high level of comfort with the purchase,” said Mikulec. “Higher level service like that — in addition to helping us set up data collection through Komtrax that gives us the information we need to make better decisions about maximizing production and efficiency — really stands out.”

In addition to the HD465-8 mechanical haul trucks, PB Materials utilizes several other Komatsu machines, including HM400 articulated trucks, PC490LC and PC650LC excavators, as well as WA470, WA500 and

WA600 wheel loaders.

“You don’t have to have the most experienced operator — a fairly new operator can understand the controls and improve his skills at a pretty reasonable pace,” said Operations Manager Joey Offield. “We’ve had really good longevity out of them. Most of our fleet has over 10,000 hours. KSM gives us a sameday or next-day response. They’ve worked with us to find the true solution to our issues, not just a band-aid. They work well with us.”

Continued Growth

Recent mining operations have led to a new commodity for PB Materials to sell: water.

“Our mining process involves moving a lot of water out of our way, and we identified value in it,” said Crouch. “We initially started out using it as an environmental tool by cleaning it and depositing it in a nearby dead river, which basically brought it back to life. Now, there’s fish, ducks, geese and deer. The environmentalists and Texas air quality folks, they really appreciate what we’ve done relative to our use of water and how we’re helping the river.”

Crouch continued, “Even with that, we have excess water, which not too many people in this area can claim. We are working with communities to see if they want to put it through their water treatment plants to process it into drinkable water. We are also working with the oil and gas industry to use it

for fracking.”

The PB Materials team sees continued growth in the near future as well as for the long term.

“We actually have a lot of wind in our sails, and we’ve identified more areas and different materials to mine,” said Crouch. “We’re excited about how things look going forward.” 

(All photos courtesy of Kirby-Smith Machinery.)

Operator Joshua Ellison transports a load of finished product with a Komatsu WA600 wheel loader.

Joey Offield, operations manager

Chad Mikulec, regional operations manager

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