Astec Underground specializes in large and small trenchers, as well as directional drills.

Premier Business Partners:

Cummins Cumberland

Astec Underground Inc., a subsidiary of Astec Inc., specializes in trenchers, both large and small, as well as directional drills. Located in Loudon, Tenn., Astec Underground builds trenchers that range from 13 to 1,500 horsepower. Its utility trencher line – from 13 to 200 horsepower – is sold through dealers worldwide. Its Trencor line – from 250 to 1,500 horsepower – is sold directly to contractors.

The company manufactures trenchers and drills both large and smallunder one roof. According to Ben Campbell, director of manufacturing, Trencor has the No. 1 worldwide marketshare for 800 horsepower and up, and the utility products are No. 3.“Trencor use’s a mechanical digging drive,” Campbell says. “Mechanical drives use transmissions, sprockets and chains, so there is less maintenance required. Hydrostatic drives use hydraulics and pumps, which require more maintenance.”

On the utility side, performance, durability and productivity set the company’s products apart, says Bob Wren, marketing specialist. “The lifespan of the product can be infinite, if they have wear-part replacement and proper maintenance.”

Wren says Astec Underground’s primary customers are utility companies and contractors. It does quite a bit of business in Texas and the Midwest, as well as Spain, Russia, and Qatar. “We were the No. 1 exporter of international goods from Tennessee in 2007,” he says. “We received the first Governor’s Award for Trade Excellence in 2007 in the large company category – 250 or more employees – in recognition of our success as an exporter.”  

Campbell says the company is constantly looking for ways to improve its existing product lines and updates them on a yearly basis.

The company’s 360,000-square-foot Loudon facility includes a research and development center, training facilities, a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant and a custom paint facility. The plant is situated on 108 acres and was built in 1997. It has 48 dock doors to allow for easy flow of materials in and out, the company notes. “Within this facility, Astec Underground manufactures all Astec brand trenchers and vibratory plows below 200 horsepower,” the company says. “We also build the entire Trencor line of machines at this facility, in our newly expanded plant.”

‘Aggressive in Change’
Wren says Astec Underground’s employees take great pride in the machines they build. “We have a culture that is aggressive in change, family oriented and really stresses teambuilding and continuous improvement,” he says. “We are very dedicated to the markets we serve.    

“Our people take pride in the machines they build,” he adds. “It’s a rural area here and we are lucky to have a large portion of the work force with many of the technical skills needed for the job before they ever start working.”

The company has developed a cross-training program in its shop, as well as keeping up with OSHA safety training, Wren notes.

Bright Future
Wren says the future looks bright for Astec Underground. “They’re always finding new ways to put utilities in the ground, so our service is ongoing,” he says. “The infrastructure of the country is continually changing and improving. We have a bright future, primarily in the directional drill market. It’s still a growth market in this country and around the world as countries like Russia continue to develop. There is a lot of infrastructure work over there to improve services to people. We shine very well with those projects.”    

Astec Underground  is confident its international market share will continue to grow.  “We keep adding products to the facility and bringing in more revenue on an annual basis,” Campbell says. “We are continuing to grab market share and grow as much as possible.

“We’ve embraced all the modern technologies and lean principles,” he adds. “We’ve invested a lot of dollars in the past few years, and we’re seeing the fruits of our labors.

“We have new processes in place and our safety program has improved from historical scores. We believe in safety, we believe in lean and we feel like we’re a modern competitor in terms of manufacturability.”