Morgan Asphalt Inc.

Morgan Asphalt Inc. builds success by taking control of schedules and doing bigger jobs each year in the Salt Lake City area

Matt Morgan grew up around asphalt, but if things had worked out the way his father, Thom, originally planned, that probably would not have been the case.

Matt Morgan, President

“Dad worked for an asphalt company during summers to make money while he was attending the University of Utah, and he hated the job,” Matt explained. “He wanted nothing to do with it after he graduated. He went into commercial real estate in Phoenix. Over the course of time, things changed in that realm, and he decided to move back to the Salt Lake area.”

When Thom moved, he took on a 50% stake in an asphalt contracting company that performed both paving and maintenance. Matt emphasized that those two services didn’t work well together.

Brice Butler, Equipment Manager

“There are unique skills sets with each that involve different demands for equipment, time and people,” he pointed out. “Dad and his partner at the time decided it was best to split the company up and each go their separate ways. My dad took the paving side, and that was the start of Morgan Asphalt in 1996.”

Based in Magna, Utah, Morgan Asphalt Inc. started out doing small patching and driveway paving jobs with Thom and a small group of workers. During the past 20-plus years, Thom, Matt and a staff of dedicated individuals steadily built the company into one of the Beehive State’s most notable contractors. Today, it has more than 200 employees during peak season and numerous crews focused on mainline paving, milling, grading, excavating, utilities and site concrete.

Foreman Cesar Montes digs base material with a Komatsu PC138USLC-10 tight tail swing excavator on a parking lot repair project. “The excavator has good power for its size; it will dig out hard materials fairly easily,” said Montes. “It’s fast and smooth.”

Improved schedule control

Matt estimated that about 70% of Morgan Asphalt’s work is done as a subcontractor within a 75-mile radius of Magna. Projects range in size from a $100,000 base and pave to multimillion-dollar site packages that include site preparation and paving, mainly in the commercial sector.

“Each year we take on a little larger paving project than the one before, and that model has worked very well for Morgan Asphalt,” said Matt. “Many of our employees have been with the company for a decade or more, and their experience and expertise helped us grow. Their skill level is a big reason that we are able to complete paving jobs efficiently with the highest quality.”

Cesar Montes, foreman

Matt added that initially the staff’s ability to work quickly posed a problem for Morgan Asphalt.

"We got to a point where the dirt guys were having a hard time staying ahead of us,” Matt said. “In order to better control the schedule, we took on excavation and site prep. Now, we do everything from stripping, to ut ility installation, to finish grading in preparation for paving. We now have multiple grading, excavation and utility crews. Adding excavation sped things up considerably.”

Operator Colby Walton moves material at Morgan Asphalt’s aggregate pit with a Komatsu WA500-8 wheel loader. “The machine runs smooth, and the joystick controls are nice,” said Walton. “It has a comfortable ride.”

While adding earthmoving solved Morgan Asphalt’s site preparation situation, the company still faced another dilemma. It had grown into the largest asphalt paver in the market that didn’t supply its own material. The company found a solution by opening its own aggregate plant and pit.

“We realized that buying materials and competing against our competitors was not a solid long-term business model, even though we had built great relationships with them,” said Matt. “Our future would always be capped. This was a really good strategic move.”

Colby Walton, operator

Komatsu assists in choosing most efficient machines

When Morgan Asphalt decided to open its pit, Matt and Equipment Manager Brice Butler contacted Komatsu’s Salt Lake City branch for advice. After a discussion with Jim Slade, general sales manager for the Rocky Mountain region, and other Komatsu personnel, they decided that WA500-8 wheel loaders would be the proper size for the operation.

“We have one with a spade bucket to load the crusher and two with a straight edge for loading trucks,” said Brice. “Jim and Komatsu answered a lot of questions to help us get the best efficiency and price. We debated over WA500s versus WA600s, and they considered what we expected for production rates among other factors. Their expertise was invaluable, but we knew it would be based on past experiences.”

Matt added, “Service plays a big role in our equipment choices. Komatsu has always been there whenever we need them. Jim and our past territory managers have been great to work with, and our new representative, Darrell Sagers, is the same. They have been a big part of our growth and success.”

Morgan Asphalt and Komatsu have worked together for nearly two decades. Morgan Asphalt has used Komatsu loaders, including WA320 models, in its utility operations for several years. It also has a WA500-6.

Morgan Asphalt Equipment Manager Brice Butler checks the company’s Komatsu fleet using My Komatsu. “It’s an amazing fleet management tool,” he stated. “It has service manuals, so everything is right there on the computer. One big advantage is that I can see what a code is on a machine remotely, without driving to the job site. It helps save time and expense.”

“We still have the original WA320 we purchased; it works great for picking pipe, moving gravel boxes and is easy to transport,” said Brice. “We equip them with quick couplers to easily switch from buckets to forks. That first loader continues to run very well, as does a WA500-6 that has about 11,000 hours on it. Our Komatsu equipment's reliability is outstanding.”

To dig trenches, Morgan Asphalt relies heavily on Komatsu PC138USLC-10 tight tail swing excavators. “The PC138 is a great crossover between a standard excavator and a mini,” said Brice. “They have great power, so we get good production even in confined-space situations, as well as in open digs.”

Brice uses My Komatsu to track the machines through telematics and order parts. “It’s an amazing fleet management tool,” he stated. “It has service manuals, so everything is right there on the computer. One big advantage is that I can see what a code is on a machine remotely, without driving to the job site. It helps save time and expense.”

(L-R) Morgan Asphalt Equipment Manager Brice Butler, Komatsu Territory Manager Darrell Sagers, Morgan Asphalt President Matt Morgan, and Komatsu West General Sales Manager Jim Slade discuss equipment at Morgan Asphalt’s office in Magna, Utah. “Komatsu has always been there whenever we needed them,” stated Matt. “Jim and our past territory managers have been great to work with, and our new rep, Darrell Sagers, is the same. They have been a big part of our growth and success.”

A balancing act

Morgan Asphalt’s management is currently charting a course for the company’s future. Matt said the plan calls for stable, healthy growth in a controlled fashion.

“The question is, how do we keep the good that we have and build toward where we think we can go?” Matt asked. “We have a strong family atmosphere. We know each other and our families. If we get too big, that dynamic gets lost. So, we are determining how to keep that culture while at the same time reaching our potential. It’s our belief that we have a moral obligation to do the latter for ourselves, our people and the business. It’s a balancing act that we are navigating, and we are considering the possibilities.” ■