Building Innovation: A Fresh Chapter for AMI Specialty Products
On the Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI) property in Indianapolis, a newly renovated facility has emerged as a cornerstone for innovation and collaboration: the AMI Innovations Building. This space is reshaping how Heritage Construction + Materials’ (HC+M) operating companies work together, bringing the specialty products team under their own roof for the first time.
The Innovations Building serves as a dedicated space for AMI’s Specialty Products Team, which include J-Band®, AMIGUARD™ Rapid Penetrating Emulsions (RPE and RPE-R) and Tietan™ products. This location functions as a hands-on workshop and staging area where the team focuses on equipment fabrication, modification, product application testing and small-scale storage of materials used for scale-up trial and demonstration projects. It’s equipped with essential tools, including a compressor, bandsaw and welder, allowing teams to fabricate and modify equipment without relying solely on external vendors. This greatly improves the speed of “proof-of-concept” testing and data gathering.
Inside and outside of the new space
This space also offers Evergreen Roadworks™ an equipment home base in Indiana to service and stage asphalt distributor trucks. Trucks will be maintained on-site, creating a reliable “pit stop” for maintenance tasks and overnight staging. This setup allows for quick deployment for jobs across Indiana, streamlines material pickup and reinforces Evergreen’s footprint in the region.
Collaboration is at the heart of the Innovations Building. With guidance from John Anderson and his Continuous Improvement Team, the layout was informed by Six Sigma principles to ensure optimal flow and functionality. Elevated work surfaces and a thoughtfully designed layout enhance safety and efficiency for daily operations, with designated zones for hot work like welding and grinding, organized shelving and room for future expansion making the facility built for flexibility and long-term growth. Teams that once worked out of shared or makeshift spaces now have a dedicated environment to innovate, build and grow. Dick Fortner has been instrumental in establishing the EHS procedures required for this unique to AMI workspace.
Nathan Foy, who led the renovation, played a pivotal role in bringing this vision to life. From managing contractors to coordinating scope and safety, his diligence kept the project aligned and on track.
“This project taught me how powerful clear communication can be,” Nathan shared. “When everyone’s on the same page from the start, things move smoother, safer and with a lot less stress. It’s been rewarding to see this space come together and know it’s going to help our teams do even more.”
Nathan Foy, Product Commercialization Support on AMI’s Specialty Product Team. Nathan with Joe Finch, Product Innovation Engineer, frequently found in the Innovation Building, fabricating equipment
The completion of the Innovations Building marks the beginning of a new launchpad for collaboration and in-house capability. With the specialty products team now equipped to build, maintain and grow under one roof, this facility stands as a testament to what’s possible when vision meets execution.
About Heritage Construction + Materials
Heritage Construction + Materials (HC+M) is part of The Heritage Group, a privately held, family-owned business headquartered in Indianapolis. HC+M has core capabilities in infrastructure building. Its collection of companies provides innovative road construction and materials services across the Midwest. HC+M companies, including Asphalt Materials, Inc., Evergreen Roadworks, Milestone Contractors and US Aggregates, proudly employ 3,000 people at 85 locations across seven states. Learn more at www.heritagebuilds.com.
About Asphalt Materials, Inc.Asphalt Materials is a privately held, family-owned business headquartered in Indianapolis. Over its 66-year history, Asphalt Materials has prioritized safety and created a people-focused culture around asphalt expertise and innovation. Through its commitment to building long-term relationships with employees, customers, and vendors based on trust and confidence, Asphalt Materials creates solutions to issues affecting customers and our communities. Asphalt Materials is a part of The Heritage Group’s family of businesses. Learn more at www.asphalt-materials.com.
About Evergreen RoadworksEvergreen Roadworks provides a wide-ranging suite of pavement solutions and applications. For generations, we have partnered with state and local agencies across the Midwest offering products and services that extend roadway life and increase infrastructure longevity. We work to stretch our customers’ investments, building high-quality, long-lasting roadways that truly connect our communities in a better way. Evergreen’s commitment to excellence in paving and pavement preservation goes beyond roadwork – to building relationships and crafting the foundations of our communities.
