Connections

Issue 2 • Volume 3 • April 10

COMPANY NEWS

Oldcastle Companies' Collaboration Delivers Results

In our competitive market, many companies are struggling to find ways to maintain margins while retaining valuable customers and employees. The temptation to slash prices is greater than ever. While bidding on a large project referred to as Black Canyon, Idaho Concrete Company (ICC) and Idaho Sand & Gravel (ISG) discovered that there is a way to win a job and provide a modest return without continually beating competitors on price alone.

Prior to Oldcastle's emphasis on encouraging its companies to work together as one source, it’s likely that ICC and ISG would have submitted independent bids. ISG is primarily dedicated to asphalt paving, while ICC is largely a ready mixed concrete and aggregate supplier. The two companies found that combining their capabilities allowed them to demonstrate greater value to the customer and win an extremely competitive bid without slashing prices.

"The teamwork across lines of business proved to be well worth the effort," said John Grunenwald, vice president, ICC. "Our companies were awarded the asphalt paving, ready mix and aggregate pieces of the Black Canyon project. Without these concentrated efforts, it is possible that each line of business may have lost out on its respective piece of the project."

The companies found that providing a commercial package benefited the customer and companies as a whole. It is possible to shift from simply competing on price to enhancing customer satisfaction while producing satisfactory bottom-line returns.

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