Navigating Data-Driven Decision Making In The Aggregates Industry. By Barry Hudson In an industry as cyclical and competitive as aggregates, where every penny often feels like a mountain, industry executives must tread carefully – balancing their pricing strategies between a market that is rising and one that is in decline. Data-driven decision making has emerged as an essential component for…
Read MoreAuthor: Barry Hudson
When Rocks Get Pricey
How Tariffs And Market Volatility Shake Up Construction. By Barry Hudson and Chris Summers The world of construction is built on a foundation of, well, rocks. Specifically, construction aggregates: crushed stone, sand and gravel. These seemingly humble materials form the backbone of everything from roads and bridges to homes and skyscrapers. But what happens when the cost of these essential…
Read MoreInternal Transfer Pricing
The Role Of Internal Transfer Pricing In The Aggregates Industry. By Barry Hudson Many aggregates companies operate across multiple business units – quarries, transportation, concrete, asphalt and sales divisions – each responsible for different parts of the value chain. Internal transfer pricing determines the cost at which materials move between these divisions before reaching the final customer. When set incorrectly,…
Read MorePricing: That Gut Feeling
Why The Older Generation ‘Knows’ The Market Price Of Aggregates (Or So They Think). By Barry Hudson There’s a peculiar phenomenon in the world of aggregates (yes, we’re talking about gravel, sand and stone – not fine wine) where the most experienced generation of industry professionals often dismisses the need for a formal pricing process. “Why waste time with all…
Read MoreThe 2024 Regional Pricing Puzzle
Inconsistent Prices, Soaring Transport Costs And Supply Bottlenecks – Why The Aggregates Market Last Year Was Anything But Uniform Across The United States. By Barry Hudson Pricing sand and aggregates in 2024 feels like solving a puzzle where half the pieces are missing. Despite being one of the most critical inputs in construction – used in everything from roads to…
Read MoreHere Comes Smart Pricing
It’s Time For The Aggregates Industry To Unlock The Power Of CPQ And Shape A Future Of Efficiency, Profitability And Customer-Centricity. By Barry Hudson, Laura Georgi and Oksana Verbetska In the dynamic world of the aggregates industry, staying ahead of the competition is crucial. To thrive in this challenging landscape, companies must adapt to changing customer demands, streamline their operations,…
Read MorePricing Strategies (Part Two)
Does Your 2024 Budget Set You Up For Failure? By Barry Hudson and Steve Franklin In the first of this two-part series, which appeared last month, the authors stated the challenge and offered initial advice. In part two, they identify solutions. – Ed. When thinking about the aggregates industry, and how fixated some people are with volume, as opposed to…
Read MorePricing Strategies (Part One)
Does Your 2024 Budget Set You Up For Failure? By Barry Hudson and Steve Franklin In the first of this two-part series, the authors state the challenge and offer initial advice. In part two, they identify solutions. – Ed. For such an operationally focused industry, quarry operators are very poor at planning, specifically sales and operational planning (S&OP). It’s hardly…
Read MoreBig Rock Math
EveryPoint Discusses The Business Cases Around Effective Inventory Management And Optimized Pricing In Aggregates. By Barry Hudson and Lisa Tener Each day hundreds of aggregate teams collaborate to ensure the successful production, distribution, sale and delivery of bulk products to customers in the United States and abroad. Inaccurate perpetual inventory data leads to poor decisions and labor-intensive corrective measures which…
Read MorePricing: Sales Success Stories
How Top Plant People Use Quoting And Sales Planning To Their Advantage. By Barry Hudson In the high-stakes world of aggregate plants and rock quarries, every grain of sand, every pebble, counts. Especially when margins are as small as they are in this industry. But it’s not just about what’s underfoot; it’s about foresight, planning, and a dash of savvy…
Read More