Adcock Concrete Inc.

From his first job as a laborer, Mike Adcock knew he wanted to start a business in his hometown of Grand Junction, Colo. He joined the construction industry in 1980. “I was working on a gold mine project in Nevada,” recalls Mike, president and owner of Adcock Concrete Inc. “For many years I worked as a concrete carpenter, rod buster, finisher and ironworker on all sorts of jobs, from copper mines to power and chemical plants all throughout the western U.S. I enjoyed the work but I didn’t like the traveling and being away from my family, so, I decided to form my own company.”

As a result of Mike’s experience and connection to Grand Junction, Adcock Concrete Inc (Adcock) was established in 1994 with the help of his wife Irma and brother Rob. The company started out focusing on residential flatwork and foundations. As Adcock’s customer base grew, the company diversified into more types of concrete work, mainly subdivisions, commercial roadwork and curb and gutter.

Today the company operates out of its home location in Grand Junction, serving western Colorado and several surrounding states when certain contracts require. In the coming year, Adcock has the opportunity to expand outside of its normal geographic range, going all the way to Hawaii. “We’re in the works of organizing a project with a local contractor who’s asked us to join them in Hawaii,” shares Mike. “Unfortunately, I don’t get to go; I’m happily sending one of my employees named Billy.”

Adcock employs a crew of 15 experience professionals with industry know-how as well as artistic talent that has opened the door to the specialized concrete market, including concrete waterfalls, sculpted signs and rocks, stamped and stained concrete, swimming pools, countertops and racetrack strips. “We have an amazing team,” stresses Mike. “Most of our employees have been here for many years. I want to maintain the core group we have.”

Building Repeat Business

“I’m adamant about doing things right the first time,” explains Mike. “If for some reason that’s not the case, we’ll be back in no time to make it right for our customers. We aim for total customer satisfaction; that’s my guarantee on every project.”

Operating mainly as a subcontractor Adcock builds relationships with local general contractors but, as Mike says, it’s always the first choice because the company refuses to sacrifice quality for a cheaper price. “I understand why sometimes general contractors say they can’t go with us,” he says. “I know they need to stay competitive as a general contractor but I can’t promise them we’ll be the cheapest out there because we really concentrate on the quality of our work. I refuse to compromise that.” This attitude has helped Adcock build a steady stream of general contractors and clients who put full trust in the company’s abilities. “We have a pretty regular customer base,” adds Mike.

Partnering with the WCCA

The Western Colorado Contractors Association (WCCA) has been serving the local construction industry since 1948. WCCA offers a comprehensive weekly project listing with online and on-location plan rooms located in Grand Junction. “We get almost 80 percent of our work through our cooperation with the WCCA,” details Mike.

WCCA offered Adcock a contract to re-vamp Grand Junction’s Main Street. The result was a nationally recognized award from the National American Concrete Paving Association. “We won in the city paving under 30,000 square feet category,” adds Mike. “We’ve also participated in local fundraisers with WCCA. Recently, we partially sponsored the annual mud charity run, raising $12,000 for the Special Olympics.” With the WCCA’s help Mike reveals Adcock is in for a busy summer season. “We do a bit of everything,” he says. “But, we have lots of custom work in the near future.”

The company has recently completed work at Colorado Mesa University including the entire sidewalk, curb and gutter work surrounding the perimeter of a new dorm facility. “We’ve also finished up street construction, bridge work and concrete barriers on highways in the Delta, Colo., area.”

Looking Forward

Mike is especially excited about the influx of new green concrete technologies. “We’ve notice an increasing amount of recycled and LEED credited materials,” he reveals. “I’m glad to be in this trade because there is a lot of opportunity in this movement. It’s a growing industry, everything from absorbent concrete that reduces stormwater runoff to light reflective materials; asphalt and concrete recycling equipment is also significantly improving.”

Mike is optimistic about Adcock’s future potential in the green concrete market and says it’s been nice to have something to look forward to after the economic downturn. “It’s important to distance yourself from the negativity, even if things are going downhill, because if you start believing in it, then it becomes a problem,” he shares. “Instead, we tried to stay positive and focus on our actual costs, overhead and labor burden to improve our planning. When things are going well you tend to not look as closely at the details. I think now we’re even more prepare and can recognized when a job is right for us or not.”

After nearly 20 years in business, Mike is confident the company will continue to stay on the up, looking forward to new markets and exciting ventures. Adcock Concrete Inc., remains a trusted provider of quality concrete design and installation, serving a hometown audience.