1. THE WHO’S WHO IN BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION DISCOVER MORE @ WWW.THEWHOSWHO.BUILD28
ALLPHOTOSCOURTESYOFSTEVESNYDER
ince 1896, Berks Products has supplied building
materials and energy products across southeast-
ern Pennsylvania. Over the years serving builders
and homeowners, the manufacturer and distrib-
utor of building materials has evolved its services and prod-
ucts—but never lessened its role in the community. Based in
Berks County, Pennsylvania, the firm can’t be missed with its
pink ready-mix concrete trucks rolling through neighborhoods
to promote breast cancer awareness and early detection.
Berks Products’ Vice President of Construction Materials,
Andrew Davis, tells us success isn’t found in a single transac-
tion, but by building relationships over time; that’s one reason
to use the trucks to deliver such an important message.
When the idea of the pink ready-mix concrete truck was born
about six or seven years ago, the team was immediately on
board. In the first year, for every load delivered from that
truck, the company made a donation to a local hospital
to offset the costs of preventative breast cancer screenings
for patients. Today, the iconic trucks serve as a reminder
of the importance of awareness and screenings. The
trucks appear in parades and at special events, including
an annual breast cancer awareness event in Allentown,
which Berks Products sponsors.
by Tonie Auer
A SERIOUS
COMMITMENT
TO CUSTOMERS
AND COMMUNITY
Berks Products’ 120-Year Legacy
S
“We have direct
relationships with
our team members,
and work hard to give
people opportunities
to try different
things and take on
new challenges.”
-Andrew Davis, Vice President of
Construction Materials, Berks Products
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2. 29POWERED BY THE BLUE BOOK NETWORK - EASTERN PA DELAWARE / FALL 2016
“The response to the trucks continues to be overwhelm-
ing,” Davis says. “When people see them driving down the
road, their reactions are really heartwarming. Everyone has
been impacted by this disease in one way or another, and
people are so excited to see the big pink trucks helping to
drive awareness.”
STANDING STRONG
FOR OVER A CENTURY
The fifth-generation, privately held company turns 120 this
year and has grown immensely from its founding as the
merger between two coal and lumber companies. Original-
ly a small sidewalk contracting business based in Reading,
Pennsylvania, the company has expanded its services and
locations to serve the needs of its customers, particularly
in the Lehigh Valley area.
Berks Products is equipped to offer materials for a variety of
building needs, from a simple backyard patio to a profession-
al hockey arena, and even high-rise buildings. Lately, Davis
says a big focus for the company has been in the residential,
distribution, healthcare and education markets.
Today, multiple divisions within the company offer a diverse
range of materials to meet the needs of builders at every
stage of the construction process. There is a heating and
cooling division with oil delivery, HVAC system installation,
Since 1896, Berks Products has supplied building materials and energy products across southeastern Pennsylvania. As a testament
to the company’s commitment to serving the community, in 2010, the company formally introduced the first of many pink ready-mix
concrete trucks used to promote breast cancer awareness and early detection. The trucks also make regular cement deliveries.
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3. THE WHO’S WHO IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION DISCOVER MORE @ WWW.THEWHOSWHO.BUILD30 THE WHO’S WHO IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION DISCOVER MORE @ WWW.THEWHOSWHO.BUILD
and year-round service for both res-
idential and commercial buildings.
Additionally, the company supplies
ready-mix concrete, crushed stone,
precast concrete products, masonry
supplies, concrete accessories, fabri-
cated wood products, millwork, doors,
tools and hardware.
Davis credits the company’s longevity
in the industry to the high-class merits
of the people within. Building long-
term relationships while consistently
delivering quality keeps their clients
coming back.
“We have exceptional people who
are ready to work hard and get the
job done, no matter what it takes. It’s
a group effort to run a business,”
Davis says.
Despite the big economic downturn in
2008, the eastern Pennsylvania region
is slowly but surely getting back to
business as usual, says Davis. One
obstacle the company deals with is
the increasing costs of materials. But
change in this industry is constant, and
the key, he adds, is to evolve with the
times and challenges.
“It’s been a rocky recovery; no one
would debate that coming out of the
Great Recession has taken a long time,”
Davis says. “In our markets, we’ve hit
a nice stable point and we’re seeing
consistent growth year over year. Prod-
ucts are in high demand again, and with
that comes stability.”
One high-profile project example is the
PPL Center, a hockey arena in Allen-
town. Berks Products supplied con-
crete of various specialized designs
to meet a variety of applications and
weather conditions. The arena is a
special project, Davis says, because
it is a landmark that’s part of a larger
revitalization of Allentown’s downtown
district, for which Berks Products has
supplied the lion’s share of concrete.
“We are very proud to be part of the
work in Allentown; knowing that we con-
tributed to the beautifully reconstruct-
ed downtown area is very rewarding,”
he says.
In fact, around downtown Allentown,
Berks Products has provided more than
36,000 cubic yards of concrete in the
historic revitalization of the city core
around the PPL Center, home to the
Lehigh Valley Phantoms, a profession-
al ice hockey team.
TOTAL COMMITMENT
In a small business, “bench strength,” or
the readiness of potential successors
to move into key professional and lead-
ership positions, is challenging to build.
“Our company model is very efficient
and streamlined. We have direct rela-
tionships with our team members, and
work hard to give people opportunities
to try different things and take on new
challenges,” says Davis. “The people
who get it and want to do more are the
ones we look for; and when people ask
for the opportunity to do more, we’re
happy to let them try.”
Multiple company divisions offer a diverse range of materials to meet the needs of builders
at every stage of the construction process, including supplying ready-mix concrete, crushed
stone, precast concrete products, masonry supplies and concrete accessories.
At a company-sponsored picnic in Leesport, Pa., the Berks Products-sponsored No. 81
stock car makes an appearance. The race car belongs to head mechanic Dennis “Chico”
Bailey, a decorated race car veteran and former Grandview season champion. Bailey has
been with the company for more than 40 years.
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4. 31POWERED BY THE BLUE BOOK NETWORK - EASTERN PA DELAWARE / FALL 2016
Davis recalls one individual, Jarrod Pensyl, who showed am-
bition and potential to grow within the organization. Orig-
inally part of the dispatch team, Pensyl approached Davis
and asked for a chance at an inside sales position that was
open, which was granted. He quickly moved up the ranks to
become the company’s sales manager.
“He’s done a tremendous job and really helped the company
as we’ve overhauled our entire sales program. We like to
develop people internally when we can and the company is
full of a lot of great folks who know the business inside and
out,” says Davis. “They know our customers and how we
work as a team and are ready to jump in.”
He adds: “Our corporate pledge for decades has been ‘total
commitment’ to our customers and our community. This
promise is printed on the drums of our ready-mix trucks—and
it is how we run things at every level of the company. I believe
we are all obligated to take seriously the commitments we
make to other people, whether it’s family, colleagues or
customers. If you can’t deliver on your promise, don’t make
the commitment. As a company, we try to live up to that
business approach.”
To do that, Davis’ team aims to comprehensively understand
what customers need as well as when and how they need it,
before making a firm commitment to any project. “We want
to ensure that we can perform on demand because we know
our customers have to manage challenging and dynamic
schedules,” Davis says. “If we commit, we stick with it and if
our customers have a problem, we’re there to help. We want
to be the most consistent factor in a customer’s day.”
Author Bio: Tonie Auer is a longtime journalist and freelance
business-to-business and business-to-company writer based
in Denton, Texas.
Today, Berks Products’ iconic pink trucks serve as a reminder of the importance of awareness and screenings, appearing in parades
and at special events, including an annual breast cancer awareness event in Allentown, Pa.
“We have exceptional
people who are
ready to work hard
and get the job
done, no matter
what it takes. It’s a
group effort to run
a business.”
-Andrew Davis
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