Security Paving Company Inc.

Security Paving Company Inc. (Security) is a family-owned and -operated business with two locations in Bakersfield and Sun Valley, Calif. Albert Mattivi, president of Security, took over from his father, who founded the company in 1947. Security has since grown into a large-scale paver, specializing in large highway projects in the past 65 years.

Security has a staff of around 450, allowing the team to operate all over Southern California. In addition, many of the project managers and executives have been with Security for decades, offering clients a wealth of experience. Nearly everything is performed in house with Security’s state-of-the-art equipment to offer high-quality, efficient completion of highway projects year-round.

Equipment and Capabilities

The company is able to produce material on-site for a variety of applications. Security operates three portable concrete plants, two portable asphalt plants and six portable crushers. This equipment helps Security keep bids low and makes construction more efficient by having production capabilities on-site. The company also has a specialty materials division, Valley Based Materials, where the team recycles concrete and asphalt for repurposed road materials.

Security purchased a mine in early 2012 near a project site along Interstate 40 in the upper desert where the team is laying 240,000 tons of asphalt. The mine went into production in July 2012, contributing to regional projects. The company’s executives believe the operation will open doors for more opportunities in the area, keeping bids low and reducing transportation time for materials.

The team’s experience with heavy highway construction has proven to be an asset on recent major projects. Mike Sheffield, a professional engineer and project manager for Security, says safety is a priority with these projects. “A lot of the reconstruction and widening work is done at night time when traffic volumes are lower,” he explains. “We also erect concrete barriers, which place a physical barrier between traffic and our work crews protecting both.”

Ongoing Projects

Security has several contracts in the works for both 2012 and 2013. In the city of Bakersfield, the company is building a new freeway that will run across the town. Security bid and was awarded all six phases of the Westside Parkway projects, an impressive feat for any company.

The team finished the first phase, and eventually the freeway will link parts of Bakersfield with six lanes of pavement. The project includes bridges over existing cross streets and intersections that will require strategic rerouting of traffic; a project suited for the experts of Security.

The crew at Security is doing several realignment projects as well. On Route 5 in Los Angeles, the team is straightening out the road and constructing some new bridges. Again, reflecting Security’s skill and dedication to its clients. Another project is north of Bakersfield on Highway 99, where construction began early in 2012 and is scheduled to complete next spring. For this project, Security is one of the first contractors in the state using continually reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP). When properly applied, CRCP lays travel lanes with heavy steel reinforcement to extend the life of a road. This is not only big for Security, but for the entire industry.

There is a little sentiment involved in this line of work as well; it’s not all hard hats and pavement. Public highway projects have been Security’s staple throughout the recession, and for that the team is thankful. The reinvestment in the area is refreshing, especially to many of the company’s team members who have grown up around Southern California.

“This is something our society needs,” explains Sheffield. “People are going to use these roads for years to come. When we complete these projects, we can stand back and take a look knowing we’ve made a contribution. That’s how I feel about the Bakersfield area. I grew up here and it provides a sense of fulfillment to see it being rebuilt and knowing that I contributed to the area I grew up in – that I’ve given back to the community.”

Security will continue to give back with a steady stream of work lined up for the next few years. The team has felt pressure during the downturn, but taking an aggressive approach to bids and setting up A&B contracts has paid off in a big way. Things are starting to turn around in the region and the executive team at Security is taking growth day by day. The entire staff has been tightening up efficiency and keeping the focus on what the company does best.

Security has a solid support system from the inside and the outside. A local senator has been pushing for funding for highway projects in the region, and nearly $1 billion has been allocated for highway construction over the next decade-and-a-half. Many companies have jumped onboard, and Security has landed projects with completion dates as far off as 2015. Sheffield and the team are looking forward to the challenges of the varying projects.

“We have new construction, lane additions and realignments of existing roadways, but new is definitely better than rebuilding due to the safety concerns working adjacent to live traffic,” says Sheffield. “And new gives us a fresh outlook for the region’s transportation needs.” For years to come, Southern California’s infrastructure will continue to improve as contractors like Security Paving Company Inc. build newer, better road systems.