Graniterock Museum

1980–1989

During the 1980s, Graniterock’s resources went into a decade-long plan to transform the outdated Logan Quarry into a state of the art, fully modernized operation — renamed the A.R. Wilson Quarry in 1989. Beyond the quarry, there were other important changes and additions. A concrete plant at Redwood City and an asphalt facility in South San Francisco were added, and in 1988 the Company resurrected its Contractor’s License #22 with PAVEX Construction Division. In 1986, A.R.’s grandson, Bruce W. Woolpert, joined the Company and ushered in a new approach to Total Quality Management.

1982 Logan Quarry At the start of the decade, Logan Quarry continued to operate with some plants dating from the beginning of the century.

1984 Logan Quarry The first step in a decade long modernization of Graniterock’s Logan Quarry was the construction and installation of the Krupp mobile crusher, the world's largest crusher of its kind. It was built in Germany, disassembled, and then shipped to California for reassembly on site.

1984 Logan Quarry Advancement of women in business was an important theme of the 1980s, and Graniterock was a leader in this arena. A group of women executives from Graniterock’s corporate office view the Krupp crusher installation. Left to right: Norine Kimber, Gloriann Katen, Betsy Woolpert, Yvonne Heritage

1984 Logan Quarry Krupp crusher installation. Nine engineers arrived from Germany to assist Graniterock Team Members with assembly of the mammoth machine.

1984 Logan Quarry The Krupp in operation. Loaders feed massive rocks into the primary crusher, and the product travels on a two mile long conveyor to the secondary plant for further processing.

1984 South San Francisco Asphalt Demand for asphalt was strong in the San Francisco area, and to meet the need, Graniterock added a new hot plant location to its Road Materials Division.

1986 Corporate Office With a combined seventy-five years between them, Bruce G. and Betsy Woolpert were ready to turn the reigns over to the next generation. Bruce W. Woolpert left his job with Hewlett-Packard Corporation and joined the team at Graniterock. Here, he and Betsy Woolpert confer at the Peninsula Road Materials Branch.

1987 Company Party Mike and Marie Marheineke congratulate Betsy Woolpert as she celebrates her retirement in December, 1987.

1987 Total Quality Management New corporate objectives introduced a fresh focus on customer service and quality, along with efficiency, profit, production and financial performance, quality management, safety, community responsibility and people development.

1987 Total Quality Management In 1987, publications such as Rock Talk, Construction Update and Tuesday Facts provided new ways to share ideas, company stories and accomplishments.

1987 Sales Seminar At this offsite sales meeting, the volleyball team of “Good White Concrete Crusaders” were victorious over the “Bad Black Asphalt Bombers”. Left to right: Kevin Witzig, Russ Crider, Duane Loftin, Dennis McClanahan, Elmer Winfree, Bill Hilton, Hal Poulin, Mike Martin, Jim Holmquist, Mark Treanor

1987 Logan Quarry Construction began on a totally new secondary plant at the Logan Quarry, including the GraniteXpress™ 24-hour loadout facility, which automatically loaded trucks with Graniterock aggregate products.

1987 Logan Quarry A new D10 Caterpillar Tractor Dozer increased mining efficiency at the Quarry’s face.

1988 Peninsula Road Materials Left to right: Bob Mathiason, Carl Jaco, Dennis Mitchell, and Tim Sharp were members of the growing emulsion spreader truck team at Graniterock’s Peninsula Road Materials.

1989 A.R. Wilson Quarry The quarry modernization dedication in memory of A.R. Wilson and the Company’s 90th Birthday were celebrated with a grand Open House event in the 1989. Here, visitors enjoy Roman the Elephant’s performance in front of the new rinse tower.

1989 A.R. Wilson Quarry Graniterock volunteers helped prepare for the more than two thousand people who arrived to celebrate the grand opening of A.R. Wilson Quarry. Giok Sih holds a bouquet of balloons for guests.

1989 A.R. Wilson Quarry The secondary plant installation was completed in September 1989. The new computer controlled crushing and screening plant is one of the most modern in the world.

1989 A.R. Wilson Quarry The newly unveiled GraniteXpress™ automated system provided computerized automatic truck loadout in less time and with greater accuracy, reducing loadout time from 16 to 7 minutes. This, plus 24-hour availability creates cost savings and convenience for our customers.

1989 A.R. Wilson Quarry GraniteXpress™ was launched in 1989 with a Performance Trial Contest that helped to illustrate just how efficient and effective the new system could be in providing quality service to our customers.

1989 A.R. Wilson Quarry A new secondary plant automated and computerized systems to improve quality, productivity and safety. Here, Bill Maguire uses computer monitors to keep an eye on plant operations. Bill retired in 1993 after thirty-one years with the Company.

1989 San Jose Road Materials Doug Tolbert, Charles Thomas, Eddie Dupee, Rudy Minajares and Bill Larkin get pretty dirty doing bag house maintenance.

1989 Salinas Branch Joe Gumke presents an award to manager Mike Martin during the Salinas Branch Recognition Day, an annual event in which Team Members of each branch or department discuss improvements they have implemented and recount their accomplishments of the year.

1989 Pavex In March of 1989, Pavex Construction was launched as a general engineering and construction division within Graniterock. This roller compacted concrete paving job was one of Pavex’s first projects. Sanjar Chakamian stands at left.

1989 Peninsula Road Materials Team Members celebrate 25 years of branch operations during their annual Recognition Day.

1989 San Benito Sand Plant Left to right: Joel York, Jeff Allen, Bill Nunes, Stan Tarkington, Nancy Lausten and Aaron Gomez, celebrating their commitment to safety, receive an award for ten years without a lost time injury.

1989 Watsonville Struve Slough Bridge, Highway 1, Watsonville. Rebuilt in only 54 days, significantly ahead of schedule, after the previous bridge was destroyed in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake. Graniterock’s Watsonville Concrete Branch worked in close concert with contractor C.C. Meyers on this project.

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