This year’s respondents were tipped toward smaller producers: 46 percent had annual production of less than 500,000 tons, while 20 percent produced 500,001 to 1 million tons, and 18 percent produced 1.1 million to 3 million tons. The average annual production was 1.7 million tons.

A combined 16 percent produced more than 3 million tons per year. Approximately 61 percent of respondents described themselves as owners, presidents, or officers. Another 16 percent had executive titles while 12 percent each described themselves as production managers or mine managers.

From a business perspective, 48 percent produced crushed stone and sand & gravel, while 21 percent produced crushed stone only, 15 percent produced sand & gravel only, and 16 percent produced other products.

Methodology, Objectives, and Sources

The objective of the 2009-10 Aggregates Manager Forecast Survey was to determine business, production volume, spending, and workforce trends. In September 2009, Aggregates Manager mailed questionnaires to a randomly selected sample of 1,500 readers in the crushed stone and sand & gravel, crushed stone-only, and crushed gravel-only industries. A total of 215 useable surveys were returned for an overall response rate of 14 percent. The questionnaire contained $1 as an incentive.