Turning point
The opportunities Pro Lawn seized these last few years with quarries may not have come about at all had Houssain not initially acquired his own gravel pit.
A friend told Houssain about a vacant pit several years ago, setting up a meeting with the owner about reviving the operation after 15 years of dormancy.
“We went to lunch one day,” Houssain says. “He said: ‘I like you. Let’s try it. Just pay me a royalty, and it’s yours.”
Business at the pit is good, Houssain adds, with 15 or so trucks hauling material out each day. But perhaps the greatest benefit of the pit is that it provided Pro Lawn with a home to refine its crushing abilities in mining.
“It got us our MSHA (Mine Safety & Health Administration) training and the hours we needed to get established to be a mine contractor,” Houssain says. “That’s why we’re always in high demand. It’s hard to find people who have the proper training.”