Arcosa Specialty Materials

Arcosa Specialty Materials Arcosa Specialty Materials serves a diverse set of end markets including building products, energy, industrials, infrastructure, agriculture, and food.

Arcosa Specialty Materials, based in Norman, Oklahoma, mines, mills, processes, and distributes expanded shale lightweight aggregates, minerals and traditional aggregates including gypsum, anhydrite, limestone, sand, gravel and downstream food, and plaster products. Through the company’s 59 year history, Arcosa Specialty Materials has established itself as a highly regarded supplier of lightweight

aggregate, mineral and rock products in the United States and Canada. The company operates dozens of locations in Alabama, Arkansas, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, and beyond.

Arcosa’s Diamond Pro® team is proud to be part of the Sports Field Management Association Field Day at Kauffman Stadium,...
08/14/2026

Arcosa’s Diamond Pro® team is proud to be part of the Sports Field Management Association Field Day at Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals!

It is a great opportunity to get out on the field with sports turf professionals, share ideas, talk field maintenance and showcase the Diamond Pro infield products that help grounds crews create consistent, high-performance playing surfaces from the local ballpark all the way to the Major Leagues.

And Kauffman Stadium is familiar territory for Diamond Pro. Our relationship with the Royals goes back years, including the introduction of Double Play™ Infield Conditioner on baseball’s biggest stage during the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City.

Thanks to the Sports Field Management Association and the Kansas City Royals grounds crew for bringing together the people who know that a great ballfield starts from the ground up.

Congratulations to Jeff Speck!Retired Arcosa Lightweight Vice President Jeff Speck, P.E., has been inducted into the Con...
07/29/2026

Congratulations to Jeff Speck!

Retired Arcosa Lightweight Vice President Jeff Speck, P.E., has been inducted into the Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA) Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors in the concrete masonry industry. He received the recognition during the association's induction ceremony on Tuesday, July 28.

CMHA honored Speck for more than 40 years of outstanding contributions to the industry through engineering excellence, technical leadership, education, and unwavering service to both the association and the concrete masonry profession.

Speck's distinguished career began in structural engineering before he joined the Portland Cement Association, where he became a sought-after technical expert, conducting engineering seminars and advancing best practices throughout the Southeast.

He later helped establish the Concrete Masonry Institute of Georgia, where his leadership expanded the use of concrete masonry in commercial and multifamily construction and strengthened the industry's technical foundation.

Speck went on to spend more than three decades with Big River Industries and its successor companies, ultimately retiring from Arcosa Lightweight. Throughout his career, he earned a national reputation as one of the industry's most respected technical educators, trusted advisors, and passionate advocates for concrete masonry. His influence can be seen in the thousands of engineers, architects, contractors, producers, and design professionals he educated and mentored, leaving a legacy that continues to shape the industry today.

The Concrete Masonry & Hardscapes Association (CMHA) is the leading trade association representing the manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, and professionals behind concrete masonry, segmental concrete pavements, manufactured stone veneer, segmental retaining walls, and other hardscape systems across North America. Through education, technical guidance, research, advocacy, collaboration, and industry expertise, CMHA works to advance innovation, strengthen its members, and promote the continued growth of the concrete masonry and hardscape industries.

The fish were biting, the competition was fierce, and the bragging rights are officially on the line!Employees from Arco...
07/20/2026

The fish were biting, the competition was fierce, and the bragging rights are officially on the line!

Employees from Arcosa Specialty Materials' Texada Island facility, along with their families and friends, gathered for the 16th Annual Fishing Derby, a tradition everyone looks forward to each year. What started as a friendly competition has become one of the facility's biggest and most anticipated events, complete with plenty of good-natured ribbing about who will reel in the biggest catch.

This year's derby brought nearly 30 anglers to the water, with 14 Chinook salmon, 10 Coho salmon, and 4 bottom feeders entered into the competition. Awards were presented for the biggest Chinook, biggest Coho, and biggest bottom feeder, with all entries weighed in before the Sunday morning deadline.

The weekend wrapped up with a delicious BBQ, great food, prizes, and plenty of stories about the ones that got away. Congratulations to everyone who participated and helped make another memorable Fishing Derby. The countdown to next year's showdown has already begun!

On July 15, 2026, Arcosa Lightweight employees and their families gathered for a fun-filled Family Day at Holiday World ...
07/17/2026

On July 15, 2026, Arcosa Lightweight employees and their families gathered for a fun-filled Family Day at Holiday World & Splashin' Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana. The annual event serves as a way to thank not only employees, but also the families whose support and encouragement make their work at Arcosa possible.

A total of 38 employees attended, including 36 from the local Brooks team in Kentucky and two from our Brooklyn site in Indiana. Along with spouses, children, and other family members, the event welcomed 140 attendees.

The day gave everyone a chance to take a break from work, enjoy quality time together, build stronger relationships, and create lasting memories. Events like Family Day reflect Arcosa's commitment to recognizing the important role employees and their families play in the company's continued success.

The Safety Steering Team (SST) from Arcosa Specialty Materials visited the Carson City location on July 7 & 8. They wer...
07/17/2026

The Safety Steering Team (SST) from Arcosa Specialty Materials visited the Carson City location on July 7 & 8. They were impressed that the Carson City team truly lives the ARC100 culture, and it shows from the moment you arrive. Everyone, from the newest employee to the most experienced team member, takes ownership of safety and looks out for one another. Plant leaders Russell Cowen and Dan Salas have built an environment where every voice is heard, whether it's during a safety meeting, a plant tour, or a live safety audit. Conversations were open, thoughtful, and focused on learning.

During the visit, the team welcomed the SST with genuine hospitality, demonstrated outstanding communication, and emphasized the importance of staying hydrated due to the hot and dry weather. The SST joined in on a live safety audit with issues addressed on the spot and shared with the entire plant to encourage discussion and improvement.

It was clear that Carson City has embraced the principles behind ARC100, ALIVE, and FVCC. Most impressive of all was the positive attitude of the entire team and their commitment to keeping employees, contractors, truck drivers, and visitors safe every single day. A big congrats is in order for the entire Carson City team for their strong safety culture and unwavering commitment to protect everyone on site.

Today at the Brooks Arcosa Lightweight plant in Kentucky, our electrical contractor, Henderson Electrical Services, trea...
06/22/2026

Today at the Brooks Arcosa Lightweight plant in Kentucky, our electrical contractor, Henderson Electrical Services, treated our employees to a fantastic lunch that was greatly appreciated by everyone on site. The meal featured a wide variety of flavorful wings, offering something for every taste, along with all the traditional sides and trimmings that completed the feast.

Employees took the opportunity to enjoy a well-deserved break, share a meal with coworkers, and connect with members of the Henderson Electrical Services team. The lunch created a positive atmosphere across the plant and served as a reminder of the strong working relationship between our organizations.

To top off the meal, employees enjoyed delicious cheesecake for dessert, providing a sweet ending to an outstanding lunch. Gestures like this help strengthen partnerships, boost morale, and show appreciation for the hard work and dedication demonstrated every day at the Brooks facility.

A sincere thank you to Henderson Electrical Services for their generosity and continued support of the Arcosa Lightweight team and our Brooks plant.

The ARC100/ALIVE Focus Group was created and met during the first week of June to take on a challenge every employee kno...
06/05/2026

The ARC100/ALIVE Focus Group was created and met during the first week of June to take on a challenge every employee knows well: if safety paperwork reproduced any faster, we'd need a safety inspection just for the filing cabinets.

After reviewing the current process, the team recommended combining ARC100 inspections with the ALIVE program's Field Verification Critical Control (FVCC) process into one streamlined approach focused on identifying and eliminating Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) exposures before they have a chance to become incidents. The goal is simple: fewer forms, fewer duplicate efforts, and more boots-on-the-ground safety conversations that actually make a difference.

The group developed a rollout plan that includes site training, communication campaigns, and measurable success metrics. Success will be tracked through employee involvement, lifesaving actions, quality observations, and timely corrective actions. The meeting concluded with a review of implementation timelines and next steps, setting the stage for a safety process that's simpler, smarter, and more effective. After all, hazards don't care how much paperwork we've completed, but they do care when we find them first.

Arcosa Lightweight Aggregate Addresses Settlement Challenges on I-10 Widening in Baton RougeLightweight aggregate from o...
04/30/2026

Arcosa Lightweight Aggregate Addresses Settlement Challenges on I-10 Widening in Baton Rouge

Lightweight aggregate from our Livingston, Alabama plant is playing a key role in mitigating settlement issues on a major interstate widening project in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The material is being used as lightweight backfill behind a cast-in-place retaining wall at the westbound Dalrymple Drive bridge abutment as part of Phase 2 of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) I-10 widening project. The $195.1 million project will expand a 2.5-mile section of Interstate 10 from six to eight lanes between the I-10/I-110 split and Acadian Thruway and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

Construction is being delivered by the Kiewit/Boh joint venture, with James Construction Group serving as a major subcontractor. In addition to roadway widening and bridge modifications, the project includes the installation of sound-reduction walls. Traffic modeling for the corridor predicts peak-hour travel time reductions of 2 to 18 percent upon completion.

The Dalrymple Drive bridge location presented soil conditions commonly encountered in urban highway expansion projects. Settlement-prone soils beneath the widened roadway required a backfill solution that would limit loads on the subgrade while maintaining the stability necessary for a retaining structure supporting the bridge approach.

Using traditional granular backfill would have increased vertical loads on compressible soils and raised lateral earth pressures on the retaining wall. Instead, designers specified lightweight aggregate to reduce structural demand while maintaining constructability.

‘They were settlement prone soils under the bridge abutment,’ says Jack Moore, P.E., Geotechnical Market Manager for Arcosa Lightweight. ‘That’s why lightweight aggregate was chosen—to reduce the load on poor soils and manage settlement.’

The project utilizes expanded clay lightweight aggregate produced at Arcosa’s Livingston, Alabama facility. While the material is graded similarly to coarse sand and behaves like conventional quarry backfill, its unit weight is less than half natural fill materials and provides key structural advantages.

The reduced density lowers both vertical stresses on compressible soils and lateral earth pressures acting on the retaining wall. In this application, the cast-in-place wall retains the bridge approach embankment, and the use of lightweight aggregate helped mitigate settlement and allowed engineers to reduce the required wall cross-section.

"It’s a good example of how the material’s low density and high internal friction angle can reduce the size of structural components," Moore says.

Expanded shale, clay, and slate lightweight aggregate is produced by heating select raw materials in a rotary kiln, forming a durable ceramic internal structure. For geotechnical applications, the material offers low unit weight, high internal friction angle, and excellent drainage, making it well-suited for retaining walls and bridge approaches.

This is not the first LADOTD project to benefit from ESCS lightweight aggregate. Previous applications include mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall systems, such as the Picardy Avenue interchange project in Baton Rouge, completed in 2006, as well as the LA 531 Overpass project, completed earlier this year.

As transportation agencies increasingly face challenging site conditions, ESCS lightweight aggregate continues to provide a proven solution for reducing loads, controlling settlement, and improving long-term performance in highway reconstruction projects.

The I-10 widening in Baton Rouge demonstrates how ESCS lightweight aggregate can be effectively used to address settlement challenges while supporting durable, cost-effective infrastructure solutions.

Project Snapshot
Project: I-10 Widening – Phase 2 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Owner: Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) Contractor: Kiewit/Boh AJV
Major Subcontractor: James Construction Group Project Value: $195.1 million
Length: 2.5 miles
Application: Lightweight aggregate backfill behind bridge abutment retaining wall
Material: Expanded clay lightweight aggregate (Livingston, Alabama)

Rooftop green spaces are expanding across Boston as a creative response to limited land and rising climate challenges. T...
04/24/2026

Rooftop green spaces are expanding across Boston as a creative response to limited land and rising climate challenges. These elevated green areas are made possible by using lightweight aggregates made from expanded shale and clay products. Arcosa Lightweight is the leading supplier of lightweight aggregates.

Green roots stay up to 50 degrees cooler than traditional roofs, helping reduce urban heat while improving air quality. They also absorb rainwater, easing pressure on the city’s sewer system. They expand usable space for residents and businesses.

The city of Boston is even adding living roofs to bus stops, capturing significant stormwater. Officials see these projects as a key step in building resilience and preparing for future climate impacts.

Here's the link to the original story on WBTS NBC10 Boston:
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/rooftop-green-spaces-are-popping-up-above-boston-heres-how-they-help/3937924/

Address

1550 Double Drive
Norman, OK
73069

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Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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