By Tamas Mondovics
With more than 500 members representing small businesses as well as corporations, the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce is no stranger to welcoming new members to its fold.
Even so, the grand opening celebration of its newest Trustee Level Member, #Asphaltbabe, has undoubtedly marked one of the most memorable events in the Chamber’s 50-year long history as it treated guests to a real Louisiana-Style crawfish boil.
Holding to tradition, and demonstrating southern-hospitality, #Asphaltbabe, the Baton Rouge-based company, literally served up a boatload of crawfish, seasoned and boiled to perfection.
A fitting addition to the Riverview business community, #Asphaltbabe is part of Coastal Bridge Company, LLC, (CB) a heavy contractor that has been providing decades of expertise in all areas of construction including asphalt paving, concrete paving, pile driving, bridge construction, commercial and residential site development, underground sewer and utilities, as well as several specialty trades in Louisiana.
Confident of its local impact, Coastal Bridge boasts of nearly $90 million total revenue in 2015.
On hand during the festivities was CB Owner Kelly Sills, who has officially closed the deal on purchasing the former Better Roads Plant at 6225 Powell Rd. in Gibsonton for $3.5 million only hours prior to the Crawfish-filled festivities.
“It’s exciting to debut our company here in Florida as we are ready to serve the asphalt needs in the Tampa Bay area. There is a lot of good here. The market here has plenty of room, for so much growth,” said Sills.
Led locally by Operations Manager Gary Gauthreaux, #Asphaltbabe is ready to serve the community, equipped to take each job from design stage to the final layer of asphalt.
“We are open for business,” Gauthreaux said. “We can handle a large variety of jobs from driveway to parking lots and neighborhood improvements, not to mention major roadway repavments. When it comes to asphalt including hot mix, warm mix and cold mix, this plant can make it, sell it and lay it.”
At full capacity the plant will potentially employ nearly 80 workers, including plant operations as well as drivers.
Greater Riverview Chamber Executive Director Tanya Doran emphasized the benefits of #Asphaltbabe to the Riverview business community when she said, “This is a great business and much needed as it brings in jobs, creates careers and adds to the overall growth of the local economy.”
Visit www.asphaltbabe.com or call 672-1800.
