The industry should embrace its neighbours and all stakeholders and invite the public into its operations to demonstrate everything that goes into an aggregate operation
A diverse Industry
Steven Bottero, P.Eng., is manager, logistics and yards, at Dufferin Aggregates, a division of Holcim (Canada) Inc. He recently spoke to Avenues about the incredible diversity of the aggregate industry, and why it’s about a whole lot more than just “making big rocks into small rocks”
Q: What was your first exposure to aggregates?
A: Growing up in Acton, ON, I lived close to a quarry, but it wasn’t until I worked in the industry that I gained an appreciation of the complexity of the operation.
Q: Why did you chose a career in aggregates?
A: My career exposure to aggregates is relatively young. Before joining the aggregates industry three years ago, I spent the previous ten-plus years in the construction, cement and ready-mix businesses. I wanted an opportunity to gain experience in another facet of the building material industry, and the challenge of aggregate logistics presented an excellent opportunity.
My current role focuses on the transportation of aggregates. Gaining an appreciation of the transportation of aggregates over the past three years has made me realize how important it is for an aggregate producer to understand how to get product to market.
Q: What do you notice about the culture of the industry with respect to your workplace?
A: The aggregate industry requires diverse expertise and a diverse knowledge base to manage the complexity surrounding an aggregate operation. Before starting in the industry, the perception (was) that it’s all about using big equipment to make big rocks into small rocks. But there is so much more. The demands of the industry have been able to attract such a wide spectrum of very talented people to address the business needs of today’s aggregate operation and its customers. This diversity makes it an exciting and interesting industry to work in.
Q: Where you see the industry going in the next decade?
A: The aggregate industry plays an integral role in the development of all infrastructure. The focus on how to get aggregate to market is becoming an increasingly important element of an aggregate producer’s strategy as availability of close-to-market resources becomes depleted and the volatility of energy prices continues.
A strong understanding and knowledge base of how to mine and produce aggregates safely and in a more environmentally sustainable way is a core competency of an aggregate producer. Today and in the future, much more attention will be dedicated to the entire lifecycle of aggregate production, whether that includes obtaining the licence to mine a resource, production and getting product to market, or site rehabilitation.
Q: What could the industry do better to promote itself to young prospective workers, especially women?
A: The industry should continue to embrace its neighbours and all stakeholders and invite the public into its operations to demonstrate everything that goes into an aggregate operation. School bus tours, tree planting events, open-house events and earth week activities are all awesome opportunities to extend the knowledge of what aggregates are all about. Every first-time visitor to an aggregate operation is completely amazed with their experience and with how much diversity is involved.