Like other divisions of the McNeely Companies, LBM Industries is known for its quality products, exceptional customer service support and its dedication to family.
Owned and operated by the McNeely family for more than forty years, this Sapphire, N.C.-based business specializes in producing crushed stone, aggregate base course (ABC), manufactured sand, boulders and more out of its quarry.
According to Bill McNeely, owner, LBM Industries, they developed the quarry to fit a need within the business and to help it grow.
"My father and I had been in the grading business and had some grading equipment and dump trucks," he said. "We were having to haul stone probably 25 miles, maybe more at the closest place and just saw a need for a quarry here."
Most of the now quarry was mountain laurel and white pine trees with a gravel road through it. McNeely goes on to explain that LBM industries logged the area three years before opening the quarry, when many of the rock faces were just slick rocks.
"We knew the rock was here. The location and having good rock were just a good place to start. The rest is history," he said.
Family involvement in LBM Industries is a big part of that history, too.
"We've always got along well as a family and as all the kids grew up, they seemed to enjoy it. Many have come back after they finish school, which means a lot to us," McNeely said. "We put in a lot of hard hours, days and weeks, but it's all worth it. They have good jobs here and can stay right here in the community. Keeping the family close together is really rewarding."
McNeely's son Mack, vice president of LBM Industries, agrees.
"Growing up, just starting out the business, the kids were always around and interested in what was happening," he said." Luckily, we've been able do well and grow into a company that most of our family is a part of."
PKA Marketing photo
Both McNeelys also see their equipment dealer, Tug Nix of Hills Machinery, as one of their own — relying on him for his expertise and equipment recommendations over the years. With Nix's continued support and counsel, LBM Industries recently invested in a Hitachi EX1200-7B shovel and have been pleased with the decision. They even took some time to reflect on the purchase of the previous Hitachi mining excavator they bought from Nix, with several family members recreating that memory with a photograph on the new machine.
"It was kind of a special photo from back then. We had mine and my sister's children here that day, so we set them up on the tracks and took the first picture in 2005, so 20 years ago," said Mack. "It was fun to recreate it."
Trusted Relationship, Trusted Equipment
According to Bill and Mack, Nix has been their equipment salesman for more than 25 years but even more so in that time, a friend.
"Tug has just been really a great salesman and super support for us and the Hitachi brand," said Mack. "He's always been very engaged and involved in any type of issues and he's been a great person business-wise. And then over years we've all got to be good friends and he's basically family to us."
While Hitachi's affiliation with Hills Machinery is relatively new, the McNeelys have experienced excellent support.
"Hills has been in this area for several years now and they've been really reliable," Mack said. "They hit the ground running and are eager to provide us with everything we need."
Bill agrees, adding "We've had quite a few dealings with other folks at Hills on other machines and parts and service and it's all been good."
Mack shared that "Tug worked hard to sell us the first Hitachi machine and that first machine really sold the second machine. And the older machine was great for us for the size and type of pit and the way we work. We had great service out of it. And looking at the new machine, we saw a lot of that old heritage in it and the only changes seem to really be upgrades, so it made it an easy decision for us to invest in Hitachi again."
PKA Marketing photo
The material that the McNeelys produce at the Sapphire Quarry is used for construction, highway and hydroelectric projects, among others. Due to its hardness, it takes a specific hardiness of equipment to mine from the quarry.
"We have really hard and abrasive material, which as far as the products we produce is a blessing. But actually producing products out of that hard material is kind of a curse," said Mack.
With a rated power of 760 hp and a shovel operating weight of 264,600 lbs., the new Hitachi EX1200 shovel has more than enough power to get the work done. It offers a maximum shovel digging reach of 37 ft, and 9 in., and maximum digging depth of 15 ft. and 8 in. The shovel also features Hitachi's exclusive center-track frame on the machine. This frame distributes stress through forged steel parts to improve the machine's durability.
The Cummins Tier IV Final, 6-cylinder, 23.2-L diesel engine that powers the shovel features auto-idle to save on fuel, while each individually controlled hydraulic pump provides efficient performance by using its own electric regulator.
Hitachi also built the EX1200 excavator with comfort and safety in mind. The cab includes an ergonomic layout and a climate control system to reduce operator fatigue, and the excavator has clear pathways with handrails. A standard dual-isolator switch gives operators the option to turn off the engine and battery individually.
The Next Generation
Thinking about their past and new Hitachi machine purchases and the family connection within LBM Industries, Bill McNeely can't help but get nostalgic — especially when he looks at the old photograph next to the new one just taken.
"It's special and causes a lot of reflection. Those kids were all small and they had all the opportunity in the world ahead of them," he said. "And to see them all grown, doing well and interested in the family business is really fulfilling to me. I hope that if they enjoy this business and want to be here. If some of them decide they want to do something else, that's fine too, but the opportunities are here if they want it."
