How Roller Compacted Concrete Catapulted Growth for This Iowa Contractor

Описание: Roller compacted concrete has been around for nearly half a century but still isn’t widely used across the construction industry. Skeptics have labeled it “squish concrete,” and written it off entirely.

But Kevin Chumbley, vice president of Davenport, Iowa-based Anderson Commercial Concrete is a believer.

Chumbley adopted the technique four years ago and hasn’t looked back. “It was something that nobody was doing in our area. We saw a market that we could try it.”

While the finished product is just as durable and strong as conventional concrete pavement, the mixing process and paving technique are very different.

RCC starts with the same basic ingredients as conventional concrete - aggregates, portland cement, supplementary cementing materials, such as fly ash and slag cement, chemical admixtures and water. Where it differs is the stiffer, no slump mix consistency – and because of that, it can be more difficult to work with.

RCC does not require forms, hand finishing or rebar reinforcement. The pavement is placed with an asphalt paver and then compacted with vibratory rollers.

“We’re still perfecting it,” Kevin says. “We have some good days, and we have some bad days with it. It’s so finicky. An ounce too much water and we can get a dip in the pavement. Then, not enough water and it’s hard to work with. Every project, every day, we're learning something new with it.”

Check out the video above to hear Kevin explain the RCC paving process. Anderson Commercial Concrete was one of 12 finalists in Equipment World’s 2025 Contractor of the Year awards.

The Equipment World Contractor of the Year program has been sponsored by Caterpillar since its inception in 2000. It recognizes contractors who display the highest standards of business acumen, equipment management expertise, attention to safety and community involvement. Each year, 12 finalists receive an expense-paid trip – this year to Nashville – to participate in roundtable discussions and an awards ceremony.

Throughout the year, Equipment World will post profile stories and videos of each of the finalists on equipmentworld.com. The nomination period for the 2026 program will open this summer.

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