At Asphalt Materials, Inc. our commitment to innovation is at the heart of our process improvements and safety initiatives across all our facilities. A prime example of this is our mill automation and operator-free loading systems.
Back in 2017, our engineering team began discussing how they could utilize automation in the plants across the network. Historically, the plants used a manual process for fulfilling product orders, which decreased efficiency and productivity, but Asphalt Materials found an opportunity to make employees’ jobs safer and more efficient through plant automation and operator-free loading.
Implementing mill automation and operator-free loading at our Marietta, Ohio, North and South plants is a great example of how these technologies are being utilized.
Operator-free loading at the North plant increased safety and productivity for our employees and customers. This allows drivers to input a specified amount of material themselves once they arrive at the scale, and it now only takes 15-20 minutes for a driver to load the product. This saves time for the drivers, but also gives AMI employees back valuable time that can be spent on maintenance work or other responsibilities.
Polymer and emulsion mill automation was implemented at the South plant, increasing safety for our employees. Before automation, the operator’s focus was divided between multiple process indicators spread across the production area. An operator had to open valves, regulate the flow of pumps and ensure the preciseness of the quantity of materials being produced. Now, the operator’s process conditions are all centrally located, giving the operator increased confidence and time to adjust an out-of-tolerance condition. Automation also ensures a more consistent product, providing customers with the highest quality possible.
“We started the process in 2022,” said Senior Project Engineer Randy Hicks, “We went to the plants and worked to understand their process. How can we go there and make their jobs better? How can we make it safer?”
The collaboration between our plant workers and the engineering team has been crucial to streamline these improvements and enhancing them along the way. The engineering team has completed 17 automation projects to date, and AMI’s strategic investment in efficiency and innovation are positively impacting employees and customers.
The integration of mill automation and operator-free loading has revolutionized operations by significantly enhancing both safety and efficiency among our plants and exemplifies how AMI is tackling the big problems and creating enduring value for its employees and customers. We are excited to continue these projects throughout 2026 and improve further processes.
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