Starting A Trailer Based Ready Mix Company
Location, location, location. The first rule in opening a business, right? Well, it’s even true for a trailer based concrete yard, just not in the same way it’s true for, say, a coffee shop. You want your coffee shop in a well trafficked area where people will see it often; like the main drag in town. It’s a bit different for a Cart-Away concrete mixing trailer location.
Granted, you don’t want your concrete mixer supply business buried ten miles from town off some back road. However, visibility of the business site is less important because your product is going to be seen all over town in the form of your mixing trailers.
Therefore it is critical that your contact details are highly visible on your mixing drums. Your customers will promote your concrete business all day long as they tow around the rotating banners with your phone number on the side. That being said, the “location” mantra does still apply in the form of regulations and zoning considerations. You’re not going to put a fleet of concrete mixing trailers and a concrete batch loader on the corner downtown next to the coffee shop. That’s because the coffee shop is a permitted use for a light commercial zoning and a ready-mixed concrete business is not.
Most zoning requires retail businesses to be in commercial locations, while your Cart-Away concrete trailers will usually be asked to locate on a "heavier" zoned parcel of land. Every city that I have dealt with has little differences here and there, but for the most part the zoning codes are very similar. The type of land upon which your concrete mixing business will be allowed is usually heavy commercial or light industrial.
Finding that information out for you is something I do a lot. I also investigate permitted uses and look into conditional use permits for our customers. Often a piece of property may not be specifically zoned right, but a use permit will allow you move forward, and I am happy to guide you through the process. It is generally a best practice to call me and ask for a government compliance package and some tips before you go visit with the local planning department.
Another consideration will be the air quality department in your area, if you have one. Depending on the type of material loader you buy, you may need a permit to operate. I’m also well-schooled (Training from California Air Resources Board) in these permitting issues and will help you fill out any paperwork you may need.
Cart-Away concrete mixer businesses have never been denied a permit in any environmental district of the US. Addressing these two important issues up front can save you from a lot of headaches down the road. We’ll address them with you as part of the extra value that Cart-Away Concrete Systems offers.
Thanks to Sandee and Bruce Marchent for posing in front of one of their trailers
