Salute to a Customer: Douds Stone LLC

 

As America was growing in the early 1900s, a mine, quarry or other natural resource-based company would be an anchor for a town to develop around. Those enterprises played an integral role by providing not only employment, but a sense of identity for the residents. That was the case for Douds, Iowa. 

 

VIDEO: Komatsu 325-8 haul trucks keep Douds Stone productive

VIDEO: Astec stackers & wash plants help Douds Stone manage their quarry efficiently

 

In the 1920s, a company looking for a source of ag lime and construction began underground mining in the small southeast Iowa town. In 1947, extreme flooding caused the nearby Des Moines River to break its levees and flood the mine. Faced with a flooded underground operation and a submerged equipment fleet, the controlling company walked away from the mine.

 

The residents of Douds did not.

 

“The community still wanted to have a source of rock, the jobs and all that kind of stuff,” explained General Manager Chuck Manson. “They got together and started pumping out the mine. They pumped 24/7 for two years —150 acres with small pumps. Then, they got all the equipment back running and reopened Douds Stone in 1949.”

 

The effort was a testament to the importance of the mine for the town.

 

Eventually, the mine needed more money to continue to grow and upgrade equipment. In the 1950s, Merrill Norris, J.C. Yates and Leon Yates purchased the location and continued its production. Over the years, it has grown and acquired other locations. In 2012, Douds Stone joined into an ownership agreement with Norris Asphalt —the company founded by Merrill Norris —and is now part of the Manatt’s Family of Businesses.

 

Today, the original Douds Mine location is still used as a quarry, and the company has 100 employees and 16 locations in southeast Iowa that bear the Douds Stone name.

 

“The Douds Mine has been an employer there for 100 years; it’s a staple of the community,” said President Dan Roberts. “I bump into people all the time who tell me their grandpa worked at the mine. There’s a sense of pride. That’s why we carry the name on.”

 

Mobility, availability and history

 

Douds Stone employs a mobile strategy to manage its crushing operation across its locations.

 

“We move in, crush the pile of rock we need to, and move on,” said Equipment Manager Matt Finch. “This allows us to cover a larger footprint by being mobile. We can just set up and go.”

 

That strategy is made possible in part due to Astec aggregate equipment from Road Machinery & Supplies Co. Astec’s lineup of mobile KPI-JCI units enables the plan to work.

 

Crushing different materials and multiple locations requires a crushing fleet that is ever-changing, which is why Douds Stone relies on rentals from RMS to get the specific machines it needs, when it needs them.

 

“RMS has the inventory we need,” said Finch. “We can literally call RMS, have it delivered, unload it, and we’re off and running. Whether it’s a track crusher, conveyor belts, or a wash plant, it’s about uptime. We know RMS has it in inventory, they can get it to us right now, and it’s ready to perform.”

 

Old Faithful sets standard

 

In 2010, Douds Stone was looking to upgrade its fleet to meet the regulations and restrictions of underground mining —specifically emissions and size limitations.

 

“We had a lot of rebuilt trucks, but we were wanting to update our fleet, so we were looking to buy new trucks,” said Roberts. “We had some Komatsu trucks in our fleet, so we asked the crew running them what they thought of them. One superintendent said, ‘Old Faithful? Yeah, it runs great!’”

 

Roberts laughed, “We kind of forgot about it since we never had to do anything with it. So that’s how it got its nickname. It just always performed.”

 

From that conversation, Komatsu haul trucks have become a constant presence in the fleet. While the underground mine is closed at Douds, Komatsu HD325-8 haul trucks are still the truck of choice for the quarry operators.

 

On a typical day, the trucks will move about 5,000 tons while running five-minute cycles.

 

“It’s all about reliability with the Komatsu trucks,” said Finch. “They perform every day. We have one truck that has about 28,000 hours on it, and we have never done any major work to it. They just perform.”

 

Productivity is one thing; comfort is another. The Komatsu trucks also deliver on that aspect. “The computer stuff is handy to have, they’ve got power, ride great, dump nice, and the cab is very quiet,” said Truck Driver Wendell Dorothy. “I’m getting ready to retire, and I wish I had this truck the whole time!”

 

“Our drivers comment on the drivability and consistent load,” added Crew 1 Supervisor James White. “Our trucks have the scales in the cab to give us a clear idea of what we are hauling. All around, they’re good trucks.”

 

Strong partnership

 

A century of operation leads to a lot of strong relationships. Douds Stone’s history with RMS goes all the way back to when Herman M. Brown was the equipment dealer in Iowa.

 

“We had a lot of Hough wheel loaders from Herman M. Brown when I started back in the ‘80s,” said Manson. “And now that we are in the Manatt’s Family of Businesses, we all have a strong relationship with RMS and their manufacturers.”

 

Douds Stone turns to RMS Territory Manager Derek Welge for its Komatsu trucks and RMS Aggregate Sales Specialist John Miller for Astec pieces.

 

“They know their products and represent RMS very well,” said Manson. “When we need something, we know we can call RMS, and they’ll do it for us,” said Finch. “That’s why we continue to work with them.”

 

Small town, big success

 

For Douds Stone, continued success is a way to strengthen and support the community that saved it back in the ‘40s.

 

“We’re small-town Iowa —in Van Buren County, we don’t even have a stoplight,” Manson laughed. “If I’m hiring someone, I can call someone I’ve known since kindergarten to get a recommendation.”

 

He added, “We deal with 50 to 60 independent contractors. They’re all local. They live in our neighborhoods, and we all know each other. Our success fuels their success and helps to strengthen our communities. It’s generational.”

 

That’s why a commitment to maintained growth will remain a focal point for Douds Stone.

 

“There’s a sense of community pride with Douds Stone. We always have our eyes and ears open for opportunities that can help us grow,” said Roberts. If Douds Stone’s approximately 100-year history is any indicator, the community that it serves will continue to play a large part in its future growth.