Delta Tri-Angle 2015 Issue 1 | Page 5

BEETLE RETIRES AFTER 47 YEARS OF DEDICATION Lawson “Beetle” Bailey retired from Delta Concrete Inc on April 30, 2015. After 47 years of service at the Sikeston Ready Mix Plant, fellow employees met with mixed emotions: sadness due to seeing their co-worker and colleague retire, but also happiness and hopefulness for the next chapter of his life. To celebrate Beetle’s time at Delta, his wife, Sue, along with his fellow co-workers, honored him with a luncheon – catered by Dexter Barbeque. Stories and memories were shared by Beetle, reflecting his experiences throughout the years. “Beetle was always focused on getting the job done right and enjoyed what he was doing. He was a joy to work with and truly an Ambassador for Delta with his work ethic and the years of service that he has contributed. Beetle will be missed by his co-workers, but the employees at Delta Concrete wish Beetle a safe and enjoyable retirement,” recalls Randy Hobbs (Area Manager), “And remember, Beetle, don’t be a stranger to your Ready Mix family. You will be welcome to visit any time.” During the luncheon, Beetle was presented with a plaque to commemorate his contribution to Delta. Among other retirement gifts were T-shirts celebrating April 30th as “Lawson Bailey Day”. Van Loomes (Plant Manager) comments, “Your attitude made our work enjoyable and fun. Everyone at Delta wishes you the best and you will be missed.” SEMO STUDENTS TOUR THE CAPE READY MIX PLANT On May 6, 2015, the Cape Girardeau Ready Mix plant hosted visitors from a Construction Management class from Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO). The tour included an overview of Delta’s operation which included scheduling, quality control, batching, and delivery. Shane Matlock (Quality Control Technician) and Randy Hobbs (Area Manager for Ready Mix) began the tour with a presentation on the various aspects involved in producing a quality yard of concrete. Shane and Randy discussed job specifications and how this helps Delta Concrete determine which mix would best fit the customer’s needs and budget. A discussion arose on water cement ratios which focused on the effects on the strength and durability of the concrete and the workability for placement and finishing.  The tour continued in the control room where Randy Hobbs and Ken Kelley (Plant Manager) discussed the process from the beginning (taking the order) to the end (delivery of the product to the customer). The class visited the stockpile of aggregates and cements and discussed the production process of making concrete, followed by a demonstration of a mixer truck being loaded. The group was shown the process of tracking trucks and scheduling orders using the Command Batching computer system. The order taking and entry process was a discussion topic that helped the class to understand how extremely important it is to have the correct information. The wrong information could result in the wrong product being sent to the customer. An open discussion ended the tour; allowing the class to ask questions about the operation. Common questions included: “How much can you haul on a truck?” “How far do you go?” “What is the average time allowed to make a delivery?” “When do you start an order to be able to meet the scheduled delivery time?” The SEMO Construction Management Student Class had a great experience learning about a business that not only has a lot of moving parts, but works toward producing a safe work environment while delivering quality concrete to customers. Delta appreciated the opportunity to meet, and hopefully spark interest in, this class of students. www.deltacos.com | 5