Opening Its Doors
Opening Its
Doors
In June, Silvi Group Companies hosted an open house at its Belle Mead Quarry. Its community
relations efforts are designed to be long-term, grounded in reality, and innovative.
Through a variety
of community
relations programs,
Silvi Group strives
to be an asset to
the communities in
which it operates.
by Therese Dunphy,
Editor-in-Chief
12
N
early 15 years ago, Fairless Hills, Pa.based Silvi Group Companies began its
foray into community engagement by
sponsoring a Little League team near
its Eagles Lake Reserve sand and gravel operation.
“We wanted our mine and the community to have a
mutually beneficial relationship,” explains Larry Silvi
who, with his brother John, co-owns the Silvi Group
Companies. Since then, it has expanded its community relations efforts and its business — to the benefit of the communities in which it operates. Today,
the company includes seven ready-mix plants (Silvi
Concrete); four sand and gravel operations (Sahara
Sand); a cement and aggregate import terminal
(Riverside Construction Materials); and one hard
rock quarry — with an additional greenfield site undergoing permitting (Gibraltar Rock).
Building the diverse business requires both an
excellent reputation and strong ties to local com-
AGGREGATES MANAGER October 2012
munities, particularly with regard to Silvi’s mining
operations in New Jersey, which is a home-rule state
where local townships grant operating permits.
“In my opinion, a good community relations
program has to be grounded in reality, innovative,
and the commitment has to be long term,” says
Uday Patankar, P.E., the company’s vice president
of environmental and public affairs. “One-and-done
overtures tend not to be successful.”
Early ventures
Rather than focusing on one-time events, Silvi
Group has taken a systemic approach to working
with its local communities. For example, one initiative that began in 1998 and continues today is
the annual donation of approximately 400 turkeys
to volunteer firefighters near each of its locations.
Timed for distribution around the winter holidays,
Patankar says the idea stemmed from the company’s