Mel Price of Sand Valley Sand And Gravel, with loyal companion Abby and the Danville Illinois-based company's Case 1850K Dozer

Mel Price got into the contracting business in 1974. Equipped with a Case backhoe and a dump truck, he started out doing snow plowing, sweeping and other work around Vermillion County. But his friendship with the owner of Sand Valley Sand and Gravel in Danville ended up shaping the business.

When the gravel pit owner wanted to retire in 1984, he asked Price—who had started out as a customer—to take over the business. “He was a good friend, kind of a second dad to me,” Price recalled. The acquisition was a win-win scenario because it helped his friend and it gave Price’s contracting business an advantage. “When you add sand and gravel, you can offer customers everything they need; it makes you a full-fledged supplier,” Price noted.

Today, Sand Valley moves about 250,000 tons of sand and gravel annually. It operates both a dry plant and a moist plant, and supplies four ready mix plants as well as highway and bridge projects in Vermillion and eastern Champaign counties. The company also recycles and crushes concrete and asphalt. “We do some demolition and dirt work, but our main function—75 percent of our business—is as a material supplier of sand, gravel and rock,” Price said.

Price’s trucking and excavation company, Mel Price & Co. Inc., grew out of the need to deliver the sand and gravel. The company runs 15 delivery trucks.

During the peak summer construction season, Price’s companies employ as many as 30 people. “You’re no better than the people you surround yourself with. The average employee has been with Sand Valley for 18 to 20 years.” Price said. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without the good people who work for me, especially George Penrod, my trucking company superintendent, and Martha Foster, my office manager. I’m 65, and those two enable me to get a break from the action every now and then, so I can keep going.”

Price’s philosophy of surrounding himself with good people extends to his choice of equipment dealerships. He has been a customer of Birkey’s for more than 20 years. He describes Dana Alderson of Birkey’s as an excellent sales representative and a good person. Price says Alderson checks in at least once a week and takes good care of the company’s needs.

Sand Valley moves about 250,000 tons of sand and gravel annually.

Price even eliminated the position of staff mechanic because he found the Birkey’s service department was better. “Steve Bonner in the Urbana store is a fantastic mechanic,” he said. “Steve can fix anything we have, even if it’s not a Case machine. He’s so knowledgeable he can even work on our drag lines.”

“A lot of people make good equipment, but not everyone has a good service department. If something breaks, I want to be sure I can get it fixed, and I have the utmost confidence in Birkey’s,” Price observed.

The service is speedy—usually the same day—he said, and Birkey’s understands “we still have to operate day to day. They’ve gone so far as to give me a loaner.” He also likes the fact that if a breakdown is too severe to be fixed in the field, Birkey’s picks up the equipment, takes it to the shop, and brings it back without Price having to worry about transporting it.

Price buys Case equipment for its competitive price, durability and trade-in value. He owns a couple of Case excavators, a Case backhoe and two 1850K dozers. He also has his eye on a new 1221E wheel loader, which he saw introduced at ConExpo a few years ago.

“The Case warranty is great,” said Price, who frequently trades in equipment for a new model after the warranty expires. Hours on his equipment vary, but most of the machinery is used both by the gravel pit and the excavation side of the business, resulting in about 3,000 hours while under warranty.

All in all, with reliable equipment, competitive prices and superior service, it’s been a highly successful partnership. Birkey’s is proud to list Mel Price among its loyal customers.