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Dayton Buys Steel Infrastructure Firm

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Dayton Superior Corp. has acquired Block Heavy and Highway Products Co., a leading supplier of steel infrastructure products used in the construction and repair of concrete roads, highways, interstates, airports and distribution centers.

The acquisition is Dayton Superior’s third since September.

Block Heavy, based in Bettendorf, IA, had been owned by the W.G. Block Co.
 
With a 27-year history, Block specializes in the manufacture and sale of welded and fabricated dowel assemblies, steel dowels, transverse bar assemblies, and rebar baskets.
 
Dayton Superior will market the Block product lines with those currently marketed under the Dayton Superior Paving Products brand (previously known as American Highway Technology).

Increased Highway, Bridge Focus

“We’re very excited about the addition of the Block Heavy and Highway business into our product portfolio,” said Rick Zimmerman, Dayton Superior president and CEO.

“Block will strengthen our presence in the highway construction market, and support our continued expansion into the infrastructure markets. This acquisition fully supports our increased focus on concrete highway and bridge projects.”
 
Dayton Superior manufactures specialized products for nonresidential concrete construction, including infrastructure projects, institutional projects and commercial projects.

Unitex, UBP Acquisition

In September, Dayton Superior fed its growing highway and bridge businesses with the acquisition of both Unitex Chemicals and Universal Building Products.

Terms of the Unitex deal were not disclosed. The Kansas City, MO-based company specializes in the protection and restoration of concrete used in bridges, highways, airports, marine and other applications. The company’s products include epoxies, cures and sealers, form releases and specialty items. Dayton Superior kept the Unitex brand name.

A week earlier, Dayton Superior acquired  Bellwood, IL-based Universal Building Products Inc. in a bankruptcy sale. UBC was a provider of accessories and equipment to the concrete construction industry.