Herbert H. Jacob established Ajax Asphalt Paving Company on April 19, 1951, and the company enjoyed early success due to a commitment to servicing Detroit’s largest developers of shopping centers and neighborhoods. (True to his “marketing genius”, Herb Jacob chose the name “Ajax” so that the company would be first in the phonebook!) Herb Jacob also established Ajax’s longstanding tradition of providing the best tools to his employees to assure his customers the highest quality pavement by purchasing a state of the art Barber-Greene #879A Asphalt Paver for $13,700. In late 1950’s Ajax became a founding member of NAPA, the National Asphalt Paving Association.

In just 10 years, Ajax Asphalt Paving Company had grown to the point where it was necessary to build the company’s first asphalt manufacturing plant. In 1961, a 2.5-ton Standsteel brand asphalt plant was erected on Sanders street in Detroit, Michigan. Soon Ajax was competing for larger public and private projects. In 1968, a second asphalt plant was erected north of Detroit in fast growing Oakland County. In 1963, Ajax purchased the J. C. Sachs Company, a Detroit-based concrete paving contractor. Along with this investment in equipment came the establishment of the Ajax team of experienced and committed employees.

With the Ajax management team and experienced crews in place, Ajax was prepared for even more growth. The 70’s saw Ajax’s first expansion outside of Southeast Michigan with the acquisition of an asphalt company in Jackson, MI. In 1973, Ajax acquired the Detroit Asphalt Paving Company (founded in 1914), adding 3 additional asphalt plants in Southeast Michigan. And later this decade, Ajax acquired additional competitors, becoming the preeminent asphalt paving contractor and asphalt material supplier in the region. At this time, Ajax Asphalt Paving Company became Ajax Paving Industries, Inc., better reflecting our broadening capacity and capabilities.

A severe economic downturn in Michigan during 1979-1980 created the need to find new opportunities. Mike Horan, the current President of Ajax Paving Industries of Florida, was up to the challenge. In 1981, an asphalt plant was erected in fast-growing Port Charlotte, Florida. In a few short years, an additional asphalt plant in nearby Ft. Myers was erected and the Florida operations where primed for growth. Also during this decade, Ajax continued to invest in upgrading to state-of-the-art asphalt drum mix plants with recycling capability. And Mark Johnston, President of Ajax’s Michigan operations, launched an initiative to expand the concrete paving division that resulted in several major highway and airport projects. Throughout the 1980’s and continuing to the present, Ajax enjoyed recognition from NAPA and ACPA for several award winning projects.

In the 90’s, Ajax continued to expand our asphalt manufacturing facilities and paving crews throughout the Gulf coast, including the Tampa Bay market. And our continued investment in concrete paving capacity allowed Ajax to successfully complete several major interstate and airport projects on time and within budget. As a result, the 1990’s saw Ajax became the premiere and preferred concrete paver in Michigan and throughout the Midwest. Some of that success was due to the implementation of a university recruitment initiative that helped us to develop leadership capabilities throughout the organization and to meet the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. Recruitment at the best universities continues today.

A new millennium fostered a heightened resolve to build on our past success. In 2003, Ajax acquired 5 asphalt plants from a competitor in Michigan, continuing our consolidation of the asphalt paving industry. And our concrete division completed a series of contracts at the Wayne County Metropolitan Airport totaling $200 million, along with several other multi-million dollar contracts in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Florida. Strategic initiatives, including a 100% increase in asphalt production capabilities in Florida and an A+ performance rating by FDOT, culminated in the award of the largest paving contract in the history of Florida: a 35-mile lane widening project on I-75 near Ft Myers, Florida, totaling $430 million. Once again, our success was recognized with numerous quality awards from the National Asphalt Paving Association and the American Concrete Paving Association. Clearly, Ajax has the plan – and most importantly the people – for continued success.