A 35-year-old Chattanooga company that has helped asphalt to become the most recycled product in the world was recognized today as the Company of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers.
Roadtec Inc., a division of the Chattanooga-based Astec Industries, was honored during an awards luncheon for its innovative products, employee safety, environmental record and community involvement.
John Irvine
"Asphalt is the most recycled product in the world today and we make the best recycler," said John Irvine, the president of Roadtec who has helped triple the company's sales in the past twelve years as head of the asphalt equipment maker. "We are extremely proud of our workers here and we have highly qualified workforce. "Safety begins with me" and we take that slogan very seriously."
Last year, Roadtec generated more than $200 million in sales for Astec, which had total sales of more than $1.1 billion.
Founded in 1981 in Dalton, Ga., Roadtec began as a manufacturer of asphalt pavers and has since expanded its product line to include cold planers, cold-in-place recyclers, soil stabilizers, brooms and material transfer vehicles.
The company practices Lean 6S (the name comes from the Japanese words that make up the stages of lean manufacturing) after being trained in the lean manufacturing process at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
The Tennessee Association of Manufacturers today also recognized Lectrus in Chattanooga as the top energy manufacturer, Miller Industries as the winner of the TAM environment award and EPB as the top safety company.
The statewide trade group, , which includes more than 200 corporate members across Tennessee, also announced the creation of a new annual honor known as the Inspires Award named after the late Tim Spires, the president and founder of the Tennessee Association of Manufacturers (previously the Chattanooga Manufacturers Association) who died unexpectedly in February. TAM directors are searching for a new association president to fill the vacancy created by Spires death.