Luck Companies

A shared vision to positively impact people and the communities we serve

Looking Back

Looking Forward

A Message from John Pullen

In 2018, Luck Companies celebrated a major milestone in the company’s history — our 95th anniversary since our founder, Charles Luck Jr., established our first location in Richmond, Virginia in 1923. Today, we are proud to be the nation’s largest privately-held, family-owned producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel in the United States.

At Luck Companies, we have a mission that calls us to ignite the potential of
people. Our associates are encouraged to explore new methods and harness their skillsets, while helping others do the same. A great example of how this came to life in 2018 is the work we put toward providing advanced technical training and leadership development to our associates. We have instituted an industry-leading technical training program built around a competency-based learning model. This personalized program is led by full-time, role-specific coaches within our company. We are also immersed in leadership succession planning that will strengthen our bench of mid-level and senior managers, enabling younger associates to assume the critical role of leading the company well into the 21st century.

Since our company’s founding, in addition to our unwavering commitment to people, we have always prioritized and valued innovation. From safety-inspired initiatives including: automating our plants in the 1970s, operating remote controlled loaders in potentially hazardous areas of our pits, and utilizing drone photography for our equipment inspections, to developing a number of leading edge, award-winning mobile applications designed to streamline our customers’ and haulers’ experiences with us, we are inspired by the opportunities that technology affords our business and our industry. 2018 marked notable progress in this regard as we are enacting a growth strategy that is focused on preparing for future changes, including technology and transportation advancement. In addition, we began exploring virtual reality as a means to introduce ourselves to people who have never seen or experienced a quarry operation.

We are incredibly energized as our company is healthy and growing. We are in an exciting period of strategic, accelerated growth and expansion deeper into the southeastern U.S., with recent acquisitions in both South Carolina and Georgia. This extension of our company’s portfolio achieves a number of corporate growth objectives and enables us to create opportunities for people across our company, broaden the reach and impact of our mission and ensure an exceptional experience for the customers and communities we proudly serve — a core component of Luck Companies’ operating philosophy and beliefs.

In this Impact Report, we reflect on the growth we experienced in 2018 and the ways we were able to make lasting, sustainable contributions through the impactful work of the passionate people who make up our company.

Igniting

Human

Potential

Nearly 100 years of history, 28 operating locations, 800 empowered associates, and three generations of Luck Family Leadership.

Our Business Units

Values Based Leadership

Values Based Leadership (VBL) is a distinctive philosophy that guides Luck Companies. It's about living, working and leading in alignment with deeply discovered core values in order to ignite human potential in yourself and others.

Integrity

Earns the trust and respect of others.

Creativity

Delivers ideas and innovation that add value.

Leadership

Ignites human potential and performance.

Commitment

Takes personal responsibility for the success of self, others, and the organization.

Vision

2020

Mission

We will ignite human potential through Values Based Leadership and positively impact the lives of others around the world.

Vision

Luck Companies will ignite potential and actualize performance while growing a thriving family business with exceptional leaders prepared for the future.

Objectives

Leadership Development and Succession:

‍Ensure we are developing the environment where each associate has the opportunity to optimize their purpose, passion and competency in a way that prepares the company for the future

Business Excellence

‍Optimize time, energy and talent in order to build a healthy, profitable and high-performance company

Growth

Challenge ourselves to intentionally reinvent the growth process in a way that brings value to the company and grows sales

Financial Performance

Advance the mission for future generations by ensuring the long term financial health of the company

Growth Mindset

At Luck Companies, our growth strategy is about people.

“Our Vision 2020 objectives call on us to intentionally reinvent the growth process in a way that brings value to the company and grows sales. If we are in the business of igniting human potential, we have to continue to create space within our organization to realize that potential for associates, customers and communities.”

Terry Enslow

Vice President, Corporate Development,
Luck Companies

“Through our growth and expansion we are trying not only to diversify our business, but also to bring our impact model to new associates, new customers and new communities.”

Ed Ladd

Regional Operations Manager,
Luck Stone Southeast Region

Introducing the Luck Stone

Kershaw

Plant

Kershaw Plant

In June 2018, Luck Stone took ownership of our first location in South Carolina. The Kershaw Plant offers customers a robust inventory of state-approved crushed stone options.

Introducing the Luck Stone

Atlanta-Stephens

Plant

Atlanta-Stephens Plant

In October 2018, Luck Stone expanded to Georgia through the acquisition of Stephens Industries, a family-owned aggregate and construction and demolition recycling business located near Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Reflection of our

Culture

New Platforms for Associate Communication

The Cloverleaf

Launched in the first quarter of 2018, The Cloverleaf, a people-focused publication, is the associate newsletter of Luck Companies. A revival of the original, which shared company news for many decades, the new Cloverleaf is published quarterly and mailed to associates’ homes.

The GreenRoom

GreenRoom is a mobile app that looks and functions like a social network—inside the company—providing a space for associates to interact and share what matters to them.

“I love GreenRoom because it has provided me with
the perfect outlet to share pictures that I love with other associates who share the same interests. I really enjoy seeing what goes on at all the other locations and communicating with people across the company in a way that we didn’t have before.”

Quinn Parsons

Welder II,
Luck Stone

“I love GreenRoom because it gives me a connection to associates that I don’t see on a daily basis. When I connect in person with fellow associates for the first time, they’ll say, ‘You’re the one who posts on GreenRoom all the time’. Yep, that’s me. I use it to showcase happy times and fun events both personal and professional. I also enjoy celebrating with others when they share what’s happening with them inside and outside of work.”

Charlene Spence

Payroll Manager,
Luck Companies

The Arch

Effect

West Pit Tunnel Project at the Leesburg Plant

After a careful process of planning, permitting, zoning, and partnering, Luck Stone achieved an engineering first for the company — the development of the West Pit Tunnel at the Leesburg Plant in Ashburn, VA, a thriving suburb of Washington, D.C.

The North Pit reservoir will hold well over 1 billion gallons of water for use by Northern Virginia residents in case of drought or other emergency.

"As soon as you dig a hole in the ground, you have an ‘arch effect.’ The Romans built viaducts in this shape for a reason. Stone always behaves this way. It will take this shape, it will carry its own weight and make it possible for others to pass through."

Elmar Feigl

TUNNEL DESIGNER,
Dr. Sauer & Partners

"When you have a team like this, where everybody is aligned and working toward the same goal, it's really unbelievable what we can do."

Mike Plale

Project Manager,
Luck Stone

96 Years In The Making

A Safety

Record

In 2018, Luck Companies’ incident rate was 0.46—the very best safety record in the history of the company.

Through nearly 100 years of family leadership, Luck Companies has maintained a people-focused culture. And in a mining and aggregates environment, this dedication to people begins by ensuring the safety of those who work at or visit any of our 28 locations.

“What motivates us beyond achieving the metrics we set is making sure our associates get home safely to their families every single night.”

John LeGore

President,
Luck Stone

Stormwater

Management

What began as a small grassroots effort to reduce waste at quarry sites has become a purpose-driven business with ambitious goals to improve the environment.

“My passion for wanting to contribute towards a healthier environment comes from the great deal of time I spend enjoying the outdoors and believing in science-based solutions for mitigating the impact of growth and development.”

Kateri Shreve

Project Manager,
Luck Ecosystems

Luck Ecosystems’ RainScape Stormwater Management family of products ensures a healthier environment with engineered materials that keep waterways naturally pollutant-free, restore stream-beds and promote the protection of shorelines.

Fairfax Plant Uses Ingenuity to Support Fire Safety in the Community

Making the

Connection

With the support of Plant Manager Brad Johnson and former Foreman Trevor McLouth, Plant Mechanic and volunteer firefighter, Joey Cross worked closely with the firefighters from Fairfax County, VA to design a connection that would enable their fire trucks to quickly attach to Luck Stone’s water supply.

The Fairfax Plant team supplied the parts and installed a custom-made “quick connect” for the Fire Department to attach a large diameter hose to extract the most water possible. With just a couple fittings to make sure the connection was secure, the device was up and running, providing firefighters with a water supply of 1,500 gallons per minute, the maximum capacity for the fire truck.

“We’re really excited to have these custom connections that are compatible with our fire engines so we can easily access Luck Stone’s water supply.”

Captain Danny J. Daniels II

Station 38,
Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department

Reflecting on our Journey

Associate

Engagement

“This—to me—is one of the most important moments and proudest achievements of our company. When you’re a part of a company that’s about people and those people care about what they are doing and they score at a world class level, it just doesn’t get any better than that.”

Charlie Luck IV

President and CEO,
Luck Companies

We believe in giving our associates the tools and support to perform and lead at their best.

In 2018 Luck Companies was recognized as a Korn Ferry Employee Engagement Award Winner. The global organization consulting firm conducts an annual study of more than three million respondents from more than 500 companies in more than 60 countries.

Supporting the Expansion of I-64

Hampton

Roads

The I-64 Widening Project is a multi-year endeavor that will improve mobility along a heavily trafficked part of the interstate between Richmond, VA and Newport News, VA.

Luck Stone is proud to have been selected to participate in all three segments of the project, which will make day-to-day travel easier and enable safer evacuation from the Hampton Roads area in the event of a natural disaster.

“The Port of Virginia is vital to the economic success of not only Virginia but also the United States. In order for the Port to remain viable, our entire transportation infrastructure needs to support it. Our company’s critical role in the I-64 expansion project and longstanding partnerships with Allan Myers, Shirley Contracting, and the Port of Virginia have been key in ensuring that our work is enabling the growth, safety, and economic prosperity this highly-traveled roadway generates.”

Mary Ann Clark

Strategic Account Manager,
Luck Stone Eastern Region

Celebrating the return of the

Atlantic

Sturgeon

At Luck Companies, we integrate environmental, economic and social responsibility best practices into our business strategies to ensure the long-term health of our company, our associates, our communities and our environment.

In 2012, the Atlantic sturgeon was officially placed on the federal endangered species list.

Luck Stone provided a mix of irregular size rocks to mimic the clean rocky surface of their natural habitat. The hope was that it would become a place for Atlantic sturgeon to lay their eggs and for young sturgeon to hide out and evade predators.

And in 2018, the number of juvenile sturgeon in the James jumped dramatically; Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have recorded more than 300 juvenile sturgeon sightings, and it has become commonplace enough to see sturgeon “breach” in the James River.

“For our part, we will continue our efforts to protect the James River and the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed. We will stay in close touch with our partners at the JRA. As riverkeepers, they are, by definition, the ‘voice of the river.’ And we are proud listeners.”

Mark Williams

Environmental Manager,
Luck Companies

Stone is incredibly important to the digital age.
‍
All those high-speed signals transferring information across our economy have to pass through a data center, a collection of concrete buildings housing computer systems that power the internet. The largest concentration of data centers in the country happens to be in the Dulles corridor of Northern Virginia. According to Data Center Knowledge, the Northern Virginia region “shattered its own record of 115MW of wholesale data center leasing in 2018 with a reported 232MW of leases — about 2.5 times last year’s leasing volume of all other U.S. markets combined.”

For nearly 100 years, our aggregate products have served as the foundation for the bridges, roads and buildings that keep our economy moving. Even in the digital age, Luck Stone is continuing to play an important role in building that infrastructure by supporting customers in Northern Virginia’s Data Center Alley.

Luck Stone aggregate is a critical component in the construction and development of Data Center Alley, as it’s being used as a base material for site development, concrete construction, utility bedding and asphalt application.

“Our Customers are literally laying the groundwork for global exchange of information. We’re proud to support them—as we have for decades—with partnership, service and simplicity.”

Charlie Windle

Vice President,
Luck Stone Northern Region

Luck Stone to Develop a New Quarry in Crewe, Virginia

A Greenfield with

Deep Roots

An important aspect of Luck Stone’s growth strategy is our commitment to impacting economic growth through industrial real estate ventures.

Just as important as a good working relationship with town leadership is engaging with the local community members.

With a presence in Nottoway County, VA for 80 years at Luck Stone’s Burkeville Plant and a longstanding commitment to engaging with the community, Luck Stone looks forward to joining the Towne of Crewe and will be initiating site development in 2020.

"How we behave as a company, how we work every day to minimize the impact of our work on our neighbors, and how we give back to our communities. That trust is what leads to our future success."

Matt Schiefer

Vice President,
Luck Stone Eastern Region

Sharing knowledge and experience through coaching

Technical

Training

“We’re proud to be able to offer tools, technology and equipment, but what means the most to us is when we see our associates sharing their experience with each other, helping each other be the best they can be.”

Scott Luberto

Technical Training Manager,
Luck Stone

Employers often approach training as a static event. At Luck Companies, we have a bigger vision. For us, learning is a process, not a single event. We believe it has to be personal, strategic and measurable. Through our Technical Training Program, we are empowering associates to help develop rising leaders.

Supporting

VCU

We have an incredible gift in our hometown of Richmond in Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Founded in 1838, VCU is a premier urban, public research university with a mission to advance knowledge and student success through its many nationally ranked academic programs.

With a passion for the arts, environmental stewardship, and our community, the Luck Companies Foundation and the Luck Family have made a positive impact on various organizations associated with Virginia Commonwealth University, including the Institute for Contemporary Art, the Rice Rivers Center and the Massey Cancer Center.

“Our vested interest in supporting the growth and progress of VCU enables us to make a long-term, positive impact in the city where Luck Companies was first established back in 1923.”

Doug Palmore

Senior Vice President of Customer and Technical Services,
Luck Stone

Impact

2018 Successes

Born out of Luck Companies, and founded by Charlie Luck IV in 2015, InnerWill is a 501 c3 nonprofit dedicated to creating better people, braver leaders and a wiser world through the practice of Values Based Leadership.

Community

Impact

How Luck Companies Gave Back in 2018

A Letter from Charlie Luck IV

As I reflect on the phenomenal year we experienced in 2018 and all of the diligent and purposeful work that’s led us here, I’m inspired by the people who have chosen to work with us — our associates, our customers, our industry partners and our communities.

My grandfather, Charles Luck Jr., who founded our company in 1923, is remembered for having said, “If you take care of your people, they will take care of you.” My father, Charles Luck III, who led the organization for the next 40+ years, translated that commitment to people into the company motto, “We care.” Today, we are propelling their collective vision by living out our people-focused mission to ignite human potential through Values Based Leadership and positively impact the lives of others around the world.

With nearly 100 years of history, 800 empowered associates, 28 locations and three generations of Luck Family leadership, we recognize that our opportunity to make a positive impact is all around us. From the depths of our quarries to the walkways of our offices, we create an environment that helps our associates grow, lead and exceed their wildest dreams. Because at Luck Companies, people are our purpose.

This heartfelt dedication to people is woven into all that our associates do — inside and outside of our organization. We are driven to contribute, to partner, to innovate and to redefine what’s possible for our communities, our industry and our world.

To the people and partners of Luck Companies; to our customers and communities — new and longstanding; thank you for your trust and belief in us. We look forward to generating a positive and enduring impact through our work together.

Video

Our Mission