At Blacklidge, we not only take pride in the high-performing asphalt products we manufacture but also the impact we make through our guiding principles of integrity, diligence, empowerment, excellence and perseverance. Despite the challenges we faced last year, I’m in awe of what we have achieved as a company. That’s why I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight Blacklidge’s proudest moments of 2020. 

Planting Deeper Roots in Texas

In November, we officially broke ground on a new 10-acre plant in Fairfield, TX. The facility is expected to be fully operational by 2022 and will enable us to serve current and prospective customers better as we continue to grow in this market. Learn more about the expansion here.

Women of Asphalt Sponsorship

Before the coronavirus outbreak halted large-scale gatherings, we attended CONEXPO-CON/AGG in support of Women of Asphalt, where they co-hosted several events. We also sponsored their 20 to Watch in 2020 video series, which recognized women who are industry game-changers. Additionally, we continued to be the exclusive sponsor of their podcast, Where We Belong. We look forward to further showing our support for Women of Asphalt this year. 

Projects On the Road

As an essential service, road construction has remained steady throughout the pandemic. With safety protocols in place, we have continued serving our customers with the same commitment to excellence they’ve come to expect from us at Blacklidge. Our R&D team worked tirelessly to innovate, collaborating with other departments to ensure our high-performance products were launched.

Notable projects in 2020 included being recognized by the Delaware Asphalt Pavement Association as their September project of the month! Our Original Trackless Tack®, UltraTack®, was used in a demo with outstanding results. Check out the profile by scrolling down here.

Another demo by Duval Asphalt and Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering conducted in July in Jacksonville, Florida demonstrated the successful results of our ReGenX® product. Learn more in ATS’ report summary here. 

ReCharge™, one of our newest products, was used by the City of Hannibal Street Department in Missouri, saving them time and money by reusing Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) instead of the high cost and environmental impact of using new material.

Featured in Asphalt Pavement Magazine

Launched in December, two Blacklidge employees are featured in the current January/February 2021 issue of Asphalt Pavement magazine. Dominique Kelsie, Quality Control Lab Tech based in Tampa, FL, is featured on the cover while Amanda Hufft, Materials Engineer based in Gulfport, MS, is featured in NAPA Research and Education Foundation Scholars’ “Where are they now?” as one of the spotlights. Learn more here. 

On The Road Webinar Series

Last year, we kicked off our first series of webinars, focused on asphalt sustainability. We learned more about bond strength, RAP and improving the performance of recycled materials from experts, partners and customers. This year, we will launch a new webinar series that I think you’ll find informative and timely. Catch up on all of our previous webinars here.

Looking back at all we have accomplished in the past year, I’m looking forward to seeing Blacklidge innovate and grow even more this year.