Strong dealer relationship helps Alberta aggregates producer achieve consistent quality

FT Aggregates, a sand and gravel producer in Alberta, is on a mission to produce the highest quality aggregates on time, all the time. Helping the company achieve its ambitions are its Rokbak RA30 and RA40 articulated haulers.

FT Aggregates is an aggregates supplier to the Greater Edmonton area. To maintain its strong reputation, the earthworks specialist relies on articulated haulers from Rokbak.

FT Aggregates produces over one million tonnes of sand and gravel every year. A relationship with Rokbak and local construction equipment dealership Headwater Equipment has formed a powerful team in this part of North America. FT Aggregates has employed four RA40 articulated haulers since 2023 and added an RA30 to its fleet less than a year later. FT Aggregates runs an efficient operation and its Rokbak trucks handle large volumes of material with the trucks on maintenance plans to ensure minimal downtime.

Every RA40 moves between 100 and 120 loads and 5,000 tonnes of material every day, five or six days a week, and the RA30 is an operator's favourite for its comfort and surface handling.

"If our operators had to pick a truck amongst our fleet to run on site, it would be a Rokbak truck," says FT Aggregates president Shane Smith. "We've been very impressed by the fuel economy, the look and the comfort."

At FT Aggregates' ‘Pit 23', located south of central-Albertan city Camrose, excavators load overburden into the RA40, which has a capacity of 38 tonnes (41.9 US tons). Each RA40 at Pit 23 transports the overburden, sand, and gravel material for production. The truck's body is fabricated from high-hardness steel with a 1,000 MPa (145,000 lbf/in²) yield strength and features a dual-slope tail chute that facilitates material ejection.

FT Aggregates continues to test its Rokbak trucks, showcasing the ADTs' reliability and performance under the conditions of Western Canada. The company operates in harsh climates, from -40°C in winter to +35°C in summer.

"The seasons are not kind," explains Shane. "And that means we're probably one of the best places in the world to put trucks through their paces. We've found that the Rokbak trucks can be relied upon to operate effectively and efficiently, regardless of conditions."

Fully automatic transmission ensures smooth gear shifting, reducing fuel consumption, and increasing operator comfort, even in tough environments. The pressurized cab with HVAC offers enhanced control and comfort. Key features include ideal traction and a strong power-to-weight ratio, ensuring fast material movement. This maximizes productivity while minimizing costs.

FT Aggregates was formed via a foreseen opportunity in the market by identifying the Camrose area as becoming a major source of aggregates for Edmonton. Beginning in the mid-2000s with just one crusher, one screener, and one wheel loader, and a workforce made up of Shane and ‘just a couple of guys', FT Aggregates has experienced substantial growth in recent times, doubling its staff in the last year from 25 to 50, employing 75 to 100 subcontractors and operating six pits across Alberta.

FT Aggregates plans sustained growth by adding new crushing and wash plants, aiming to strengthen its market position while maintaining the quality of personal customer interactions. The introduction of new plants has created employment opportunities in the local area.

"Being part of FT Aggregates' success has been a privilege," says Rokbak Regional Sales Manager Greg Gerbus. "Working with them and seeing their growth has significantly bolstered our own reputation and presence in the Canadian market."

There have, of course, been challenges. The ‘Great Recession' of 2008 to 2009 halved gravel prices and the effects and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the loss of almost half the sand and gravel producers in the province. FT Aggregates, however, prevailed and are predicted to ship over one million tonnes of aggregate into the Greater Edmonton market in 2024.

"Our success has been down to establishing teams to empower each other," explains Shane. "Personal connection is vital to us. We're always at the end of the telephone and it's why Rokbak and Headwater Equipment are such a perfect fit. We're not just a number to them. We drive one another, and the relationship always comes first."

Close relationships are fundamental to FT Aggregates' framework. It's a real family affair. Shane's son Josh runs the operational side of the business, and his nephew Reuben is the production supervisor. Shane's wife handles the HR, and his two daughters own the coffee shop at the landscape yard.

"The passion is evident from FT Aggregates," says Headwater Equipment Sales Manager Scott Letkeman. "FT Aggregates runs 12 hard hours a day, and you see the drive in every aspect of the company. Everything we see at a sales and service level is driven from the top down."

FT Aggregates' growth is both a positive development and a challenge, as maintaining personal connections and being approachable despite the size and market share increase is crucial.

"We pride ourselves on being able to turn on a dime and build whatever a customer is needing," says Shane. "Each endeavour is with the intent of helping people. We're able to respond very quickly to our customers' needs

"Our choice of partner has to fit in our operating system. We have an affinity for Rokbak in its similar position as a growing player in a big market. The support we have gained from both them and Headwater is incomparable. When I see how they can take care of us, it provides me with a sense of how our customers feel about our ability to take care of them. It's synchronous.

"We've worked hard to establish a reputation of quality and dependability, and we identify these standards with Rokbak and Headwater also. The challenge for all of us is to maintain that individual relationship with our customers. But our greatest strength is the relationship we have with each other."