PROJECT AT A GLANCE
Project: Poteau Health & Wellness Center
Location: Poteau, Oklahoma
Yards Poured: 3500 yards
Start Date/End Date: March 2020–August 2021
We met Zach McQuay and his concrete business, McQuay Construction, in January 2022, as he was working on a project in Oklahoma. He was using volumetric concrete mixer trucks from Cemen Tech. Congratulations to Zach McQuay for being selected the MCS TOP STORY OF 2022.
ABOUT ZACH
Zach is a third-generation concrete guy. His grandfather started the business and his dad took the reins in 1977. Zach took the business in 2007-2008. Although his tool and equipment arsenal were meager, his pursuit of innovative ways to grow the business and be successful at scheduling his time moved him forward to today. With the means of producing his own concrete, doing all of his own dirt work and GPS, Zach added volumetric concrete mixers from Cemen Tech to his fleet.
OKLAHOMA PROJECT
At the project in Poteau, Oklahoma, fire hydrants were installed a few days before the work commenced. This was a time-saver since a water truck did not have to be on-site. The material stockpiles of rock, sand, and powder were placed for optimal reach prior to pour day. The equipment set up was maximized to be productive and move through the pours smoothly.
“With ACCU-POUR™, I can run my business from my iPad and stay on top of materials, timing, scheduling, ticketing, and even the location of my trucks,” says Zach. “The innovation of the Cemen Tech truck and ACCU-POUR has benefitted my business and 2022 looks to be a good year.
MCS: Looking back at the Oklahoma project, what stands out to you regarding the use of Cemen Tech trucks?
ZACH: Being able to pour at any given time was a huge factor because we had a deadline on that job and worked with multiple other contractors. Whether it was due to not being on somebody else’s schedule, rain, utilities or simple work delays, there was always a delay of some sort. But being able to work with everyone’s schedules and being in control of our own concrete using our Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixer, we could pour at six in the morning or 12 at night—and we did. We had the ability to stay on schedule since we weren’t working on somebody else’s schedule, waiting for concrete.
MCS: Since the Oklahoma project, how has the year unfolded for you with other projects?
ZACH: We finished the Poteau Health & Wellness Center at the beginning of 2022. Based on its success, we were sought out to do dirt work on another significant project, which has grown during the year to include not just dirt work, but utilities and essentially concrete paving. In fact, we already have two more projects like this that start in spring 2023, which will also include road paving. We continue to sell concrete to other contractors, but these major jobs have become like a home base for us.
MCS: Looking forward to 2023, what are your thoughts on the future of your company and the use of Cemen Tech trucks?
ZACH: Ultimately, I’d like to have 15 or 20 Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixers. It’s a growing process. You’ve got to crawl before you walk. That’s my goal—as our business grows, I want to grow the number of trucks we have. We are already adding a new silo from Cemen Tech to support the larger amounts of materials we’ll need.
President and CEO of Cemen Tech
For a growing number of contractors, volumetric concrete mixer technology is creating positive change, allowing for new opportunities, and opening the door to business expansion. McQuay Construction is a terrific example.
Owner Zach McQuay has moved his third-generation family business, originally made up of a backhoe, a five-gallon bucket of tools and a trowel machine, to a self-sufficient operation that produces thousands of yards of concrete each year using Cemen Tech volumetric concrete mixers. The technology has enabled McQuay to reduce costs caused by delays, lower material costs, and improve quality, while increasing efficiencies and dispatching trucks when and where his crews need concrete.
A leader in volumetrics and the concrete industry at-large, Zach McQuay takes full advantage of the benefits offered by the technology and shares his enthusiasm with others. Give him 10 minutes, and McQuay will demonstrate how concrete from a volumetric mixer is more accurate and sustainable than traditional ready mix. He has also mastered utilizing the flexibility of the equipment, perfecting the art of a continuous pour by backing two volumetric mixers into a pump to produce 120 yards an hour—more than many batch plants can deliver.
McQuay has continued to develop and diversify his business beyond industrial and commercial work. Using his fleet of volumetric mixers, McQuay has expanded his company’s portfolio to include numerous residential projects and large-scale paving jobs. This technology has allowed him to improve his bottom line while vertically integrating all aspects of his operations. This gives McQuay an optimistic outlook for the future.
CLOSING THOUGHT
McQuay Construction will continue to chase more paving projects, and will still do a lot of big, finished floors. I enjoy selling concrete and always trying new things. I love to be told that we can’t make it work, because we always do our best to make it work.
For More Information:
For more about Cemen Tech, visit cementech.com.
Modern Contractor Solutions, December 2022
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