Heidelberg Materials CEO addresses Georgia producers

By |  February 23, 2023
The Georgia Construction Aggregate Association Management Workshop & Expo continues to be a draw for aggregate producers, equipment manufacturers and dealers in the state of Georgia. Photo: P&Q Staff

The Georgia Construction Aggregate Association Management Workshop & Expo continues to be a draw for aggregate producers, equipment manufacturers and dealers in the state of Georgia. Photo: P&Q Staff

The Georgia Construction Aggregate Association (GCAA) hosted its Management Workshop & Expo at Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, drawing a record 650 registrants for an educational program built around safety, education, community relations and sustainability.

The annual GCAA event also attracted a record 88 exhibiting companies for the trade show component of its event, which continues to find ways to grow.

“The increased participation is a direct reflection of a good economy in Georgia,” says Jeff Wansley, executive director of GCAA. “The fact that we continued strong during COVID and we’re continuing strong in a post-COVID state with good leadership – both from the governor to the GDOT (Georgia Department of Transportation) commissioner – bodes well for us.”

A pair of speakers – Vulcan Materials Co.’s Baron Worthington and Heidelberg Materials’ Chris Ward – addressed those who attended the Management Workshop & Expo’s general session. Worthington, the director of economic analysis at Vulcan who regularly speaks at the Management Workshop & Expo, delivered a construction outlook for the state of Georgia. Ward, president and CEO of Heidelberg Materials for North America, covered a variety of topics during his visit, including the recent rebranding of his company and industry trends.

For Ward, the Management Workshop & Expo was a homecoming of sorts as his industry career started at granite quarries in north Georgia.

“Once you mine granite, everything else seemed to get a little easier,” Ward says. “I have a lot of respect for everybody running the granite mines here in north Georgia.”

Sustainability conscious

Chris Ward, president and CEO of Heidelberg Materials in North America, paid the Georgia Construction Aggregate Association Management Workshop & Expo a visit. Photo: P&Q Staff

Chris Ward, president and CEO of Heidelberg Materials in North America, paid the Georgia Construction Aggregate Association Management Workshop & Expo a visit. Photo: P&Q Staff

Heidelberg Materials, which had about 30 employees at the Management Workshop & Expo, shifted away from the longstanding Lehigh Hanson brand at the start of 2023 to unite its businesses around the world.

According to Ward, the company first came to North America in 1977 as Lehigh Cement. In 2021, the company sold about 126 million tons of aggregates in North America alone. It produced about 300 million tons of aggregates worldwide that year.

Globally, Ward says Heidelberg Materials employs about 50,000 people across roughly 3,000 sites. The company is present in 50 countries, he adds.

“I like to say the sun never sets on Heidelberg Materials,” Ward says.

Because Heidelberg Materials is a global company, Ward has a unique perspective on industry trends such as sustainability and digitalization. Sustainability, for one, is a trend that’s here to stay, according to Ward.

“There are a few macro trends we see,” he says. “Today, they’re maybe not so much geared directly toward the aggregate business, but I think about the ‘green’ customer. By and large around the world and in many of our high-specification markets in the U.S., more customers are coming to us looking for solutions that they would call ‘more sustainable.’”

While ready-mixed concrete and cement are at the front end of the sustainability movement, Ward says aggregate producers should undoubtedly play a role in doing business more sustainably.

“You have to be conscious of what you are doing in terms of energy consumption and water consumption,” Ward says. “The sustainability movement is real. It’s led by concrete and supported by the cement side, but it affects everybody in the building materials space.”

Opportunities for aggregate producers to support their customers and operate more sustainably are aplenty, he adds.

“We have to ask ourselves what we can do to offer support on sustainability to help our customers demonstrate to their customers how they’re sustainable,” Ward says. “Think about recycling [and] the circular economy. How can we step into the middle of that and be a more sustainable industry? I think that’s something all of you should challenge yourselves with.”

Another trend

Digitalization, like sustainability, is top of mind for Heidelberg Materials leaders.

Kevin Yanik

About the Author:

Kevin Yanik is editor-in-chief of Pit & Quarry. He can be reached at 216-706-3724 or kyanik@northcoastmedia.net.

Comments are closed