When Ajax Paving and Anderson Columbia entered into a joint venture arrangement to widen I-75 from south of Fort Myers to Naples — a $400-million-plus multiyear project — it was the state's largest highway project ever. Lead contractor Anderson Columbia will handle the excavation and base portion of the project, while Ajax will be responsible for asphalt paving.

A key factor that had to be dealt with up front was the matter of ensuring an adequate supply of HMA. To address that need, Ajax decided to install a new asphalt plant at its Alico Road location in Fort Myers. To handle the I-75 work and other anticipated work, Ajax estimated that it needed a new plant capable of producing about 500,000 tons of HMA each year.

To meet the need, Ajax selected a new Dillman plant — the first such plant in the state of Florida. The plant is manufactured in Wisconsin, but Dillman owner Bruce Dillman lives in Cape Coral and is no stranger to the needs of the Florida market. The entire plant is controlled electronically, and with a maximum production capacity of 600 tons per hour it can easily handle the production demands of the Alico Road site.

To make room for the new plant, Ajax moved the Alico Road site's existing plant to a new location in Tampa.

"We shut down the old plant on a Friday," says Ajax equipment manager Kevin Fiorillo, "and we were back in operation with this new plant just 19 days later."

Fiorillo, a retired Army logistics officer, is no stranger to managing complex and fast-track projects.

"Whether it's a military or a private sector project, the priorities are very similar," Fiorillo says. "It's all about implementing procedures and policies to support the user. The goal is to get equipment ready, keep it ready, and provide support. The difference between private sector logistics and military logistics," he adds, "is that in the military you're saving lives."

Once the old plant was shut down, dismantling began immediately with removal of the three old silos.

That same day, adds Robert K. Ray, plant operations manager for Ajax, crews also erected the three new silos and almost had the slat conveyor up that same day too.

To erect the plant, which arrived via what Fiorillo calls "many truck loads," Sunbelt Crane brought five separate cranes to the site. Setting the 198,000-pound drum — the largest lift on the project — took two cranes (175 ton and 150 ton) working together.

One key part of the turnaround — extensive electrical work on the new plant — was handled by Asphalt Electrical Repair, under the direction of Daryl Smith.

"He did his part in record time," notes Fiorillo.

Ray handled the quick turnaround in stride.

"People had questions about whether or not it could be done," Fiorillo says. "But Robert and his team did it, thanks to the efforts of a whole bunch of hard working people."

"It was an awesome feat," Ray adds. "I've put up a lot of asphalts in the last 19 years, but this one is a career high."

Plant foreman at the new Alico Road operation is Jim Wynn, with Dwight Warner and Bernie Brunella serving as plant operators.

The new plant joins other Ajax operations in Nokomis, Punta Gorda, Palmetto, Odessa and Tampa, giving the company a total of six plants serving the area.

To handle the constant need for material transport at the new plant, Ajax worked with Marc Young of GS Equipment in Fort Myers to select a Kawasaki 115Z V-II loader, a 110,000-pound machine that's outfitted with a 9.5-yard bucket.

During construction of the new asphalt plant facility, Ajax Paving Industries placed asphalt with this Blaw-Knox PF3200 paving machine.

In addition to its ability to handle the volume of material, the bigger loader offers other advantages such as increased fuel efficiency. That, for a logistics specialist like Fiorillo, helps make it a perfect fit.

The new loader — designed for EPA Tier III compliance — is also environmentally friendly. In today's climate, EPA regulations concerning emissions are very strict, not only for asphalt plants themselves but also for the pieces of heavy equipment that work at a plant. At the new Ajax facility, both the plant and the new loader which serves it have been designed with attention to minimizing emissions.

The plant began producing asphalt last October.