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Hedrick Helps Out

Hedrick Industries knows that being in the aggregate business is a significant responsibility for many reasons. We assist in the growth, beautification and modernization of all of our communities. We also can be counted on to respond in emergency situations.

This was the case January 13^th at approximately 12:40 am in Weaverville, North Carolina. A fire truck crossing a privately owned bridge ended up in the creek under it when the bridge collapsed – leaving 5 other fire trucks stranded on the other side. Using material provided by Hedrick Industries out of North Buncombe Quarry, a crane was able to stabilize the bridge and recover all 6 fire trucks.

Hedrick would like to take the time to thank Lynn Brooks – a dedicated contract hauler – for stepping up and assisting to haul this material on incredibly short notice on a day off. Hedrick would also like to thank McKinley Wheeler – a long-time employee that can always be counted on to help.

To learn more about the story visit https://abcnews4.com/news/local/fire-truck-goes-in-creek-on-way-to-weaverville-house-fire                                                                                                                                                                                            

Drone Technology Increases Productivity and Accuracy for Hedrick Industries

Hedrick Industries recently adopted the drone method for taking stock pile inventory. In the past, inventory was done manually: an employee walks the pile with a GPS device and takes a hundred or so points to measure the volume of the pile. This process was time-consuming, cumbersome, and less precise than the drone measurements. As the drone flies over the pile, surveying the area, it takes thousands of points, meaning volume measurements are more accurate.

In addition to realizing the immediate benefits of improved stockpile measurement and safety, the drone also has the ability to take some awesome pictures! See below!

January 21st is Community Night

Next Thursday, January 21st, from 4-8pm, Highland Brewing Company is hosting a Community Night as part of the Colburn’s Spot-Light Campaign. The campaign is raising funds to help relocate and rebrand the museum into The Asheville Museum of Science, set to open Spring 2016. The expansion allows the museum to operate in a larger space in the heart of downtown, to make science more accessible to more visitors.

Come out and join Hedrick Industries in helping “move science into the spotlight.” Highland Brewing Company will have great beer, a raffle for cool prizes, Taste-n-See food truck, and good friends. $1 of every pint they sell will be donated to Colburn’s Spot-Light Campaign. Let’s celebrate positive changes together. Hope to see you there!

Zero Waste by 2020

I read a book recently, Let My People Go Surfing, by Yvon Chouinard, founder and owner of Patagonia, about their businesses humble beginnings and principles that led them through tremendous business growth. From their financial philosophies and product design values to their workplace culture and environmental impact statement, Chouinard sets the stage for good business practices that can be applied to different industries, big or small.

In his “Environmental Philosophies” chapter he says, “One of the hardest things for a business to do is to investigate the environmental effects of its most successful product and, if it’s bad, to change it.” One thing about business is that it is always evolving and there are always ways to operate more efficiently and effectively as our market and environmental change.

Like any business, the waste that our quarries generate cost us money to discard and has a huge impact on the environment. When we send our trash to the landfill, it increases the amount of land needed to store waste, thus encroaching more and more on natural habitats and potentially leaching toxins into our soils and waterways. Waste that goes to the landfill, that could otherwise be reused or recycled, increases the demand to manufacture new products, which in and of itself can have negative implications on the environment.

A future without waste is a necessity. That is why Hedrick Industries is working towards zero waste operations in the next five years. We produce waste that could be recycled in our offices, and around the plant shops and operations. Paper, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, ink cartridges, tires, batteries, conveyor belts, cardboard, and scrap steel may all have recyclable potential if sorted and collected properly.

We are encouraging our employees to take small steps to go a long way in waste reduction! Instead of using Styro-foam cups for beverages, which are used once and then tossed in the waste receptacle, we are bringing reusable coffee mug or glass from home. Instead of buying plastic water bottles and throwing each empty one away, plastic bottles can be refilled from the water fountain to extend its life and keep it out of the landfill. As we develop our plan for better environmental action, we are going to put the right measures in place to properly sort and collect recyclable materials that what would otherwise be waste.

Rock the Quarry Raises $45,000 For Local Organizations

There are a lot of things we love about Rock the Quarry: the great views of the Swannanoa River Valley that we get to share with participants, the enthusiasm of the children running the Kids’ Fun Run, the handmade “pet rock” awards, the friendly-competitive spirit, the dedicated sponsors and the gracious volunteers that make it all happen. The list goes on.

Our FAVORITE thing about Rock the Quarry is the contribution it brings to help two local beneficiaries: the Black Mountain Home for Children and Colburn Earth Science Museum. Thanks to our sponsors and record-breaking participation this year, we raised $45,000. We handed the Black Mountain Home for Children a check for $30,000, which will go towards their Everyday Fund to pay for food, water, electricity bills, and their overall ability to care for homeless and neglected children in Western North Carolina. Grove Stone & Sand is also a longtime partner to the Colburn Earth Science Museum, who received $15,000 for their capital campaign. As the museum is moving locations and transitioning into the Asheville Museum of Science, we are thrilled to support the work they do and the efforts made to provide educational programming to youth and adults.

For more coverage on Rock the Quarry’s contributions, check out the following news articles:
Black Mountain News and
Aggregates Manager News

We are planning an even more successful Rock the Quarry for 2016. Put Saturday, September 17^th, 2016 on your calendar and help us continue to grow, so we can continue to give back to our community.

Happy running!