Editor’s note: For the June issue of Portable Plants, members of the Editorial Advisory Board were asked the following question: As we enter the heart of production season, what operational adjustment, innovation or strategy has made the biggest impact on your business’s efficiency or performance so far this year – and is it something you plan to carry forward long term?
One of the biggest operational improvements for our business this year has been a stronger focus on forecasting, dealer collaboration and overall market visibility. Utilizing tools like our dealer eVentory has helped us gauge how dealer stock inventory has been moving and predict the direction of market demand. As production season intensified, equipment availability and lead time management became critical priorities across our business. By working closely with dealers, reviewing pipeline activity and maintaining better visibility to customer projects, we’ve been able to improve forecasting accuracy, position inventory and production schedules. That has helped reduce surprises, improve responsiveness and create better alignment between manufacturing, sales and customer expectations. Strong forecasting and open communication are becoming increasingly important in today’s market, especially as customers expect shorter lead times, quicker decisions and greater confidence in equipment availability.
– Russ Burns, sales director, Terex MPS, Perry, Michigan
As production hits its peak, speed isn’t just an advantage, it’s a necessity. With tight deadlines and tough operating conditions, unplanned downtime is the ultimate enemy of an aggregate operation. To combat this, we’ve focused on proactive partnerships rather than reactive supply. By synchronizing critical parts inventory directly with our dealer and distributor networks, we’ve positioned essential components closer to the face of operations. This localized availability, paired with our investment in manufacturing automation, allows us to shorten lead times and respond instantly when adversity strikes. For plant managers and maintenance teams, this means less time waiting on a freight truck and more time moving material. This commitment to localized readiness and automated precision isn’t just a seasonal fix; it is our long-term blueprint for ensuring our customers maintain maximum uptime, no matter how demanding the season.
– Riley Arndt, strategic account manager, Superior Industries, Morris, Minnesota
Capital Aggregates operates numerous tracked and chassis-mounted portable plants, so we’ve always had the flexibility to pivot quickly. That agility has become even more valuable in 2026 as large-scale data centers move into our area. These projects move fast, often with limited notice, significant volume and evolving product specifications. We’ve had to adjust plant production schedules to support this demand while continuing to serve our existing backlog. Scaling a small rural quarry from roughly 150,000 tons annually to more than 1 million tons is a strong example of what our team can accomplish when we align resources and execute. We expect these projects to deliver a meaningful contribution to our 2026 results and plan to carry forward the lessons learned in scheduling, responsiveness and coordination.
– Jamie Jones, COO, Capital Aggregates, Jefferson City, Missouri
An operational adjustment and strategy change we have made coming into 2026 is that we, as a company, felt the need to shift some roles and responsibilities from direct family management to senior employees who have grown with us. With WD Scepaniak family-owned and operated since the beginning, the direct oversight of each operating plant’s production has historically been handled by a family member. As we have grown over the last decade, keeping to that standard has become difficult due to both an expanding operating area and the increased number of plants producing materials at the same time. Most business owners will agree that it can be difficult to find employees who will have the same drive to grow the company that they have, and this is why, when making this decision, we chose those who both have longevity working with us, as well as the experience that is needed to manage multiple sites simultaneously. However, we are excited to see how well these changes help us continue to grow as a national company.
– Bryan Scepaniak, quarry development manager, WD Scepaniak, Holdingford, Minnesota
For additional insights from our editorial advisory board members, go to portableplants.com/eab.
Related: Industry experts detail the most significant adaptations companies made in 2025