Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
BEDFORD – Flatbed trailers hauling large limestone blocks cut from quarries are a familiar sight on Lawrence County roads. The county has multiple limestone mills where stone is cut and fabricated as well as businesses that supply tooling, transportation and equipment to the limestone industry.
As much as limestone is a part of Lawrence County, after all it is the Limestone Capital of the World, opportunities to see up close a quarry operation or the inner workings of a mill are less common.
During the observance of Limestone Month in June, 3D Stone Inc., which recently acquired the Evans Limestone mill, and Indiana Limestone, a Polycor company, offered public tours of their operations. The tours were organized by the Lawrence County Tourism Commission, which organizes the tours to educate the public about limestone.
Last week, a group toured 3D Limestone, 1201 Limestone Drive, just off John Williams Boulevard.
Greg Gootee, vice president of sales, and Jessica Draper, human resources director, led the tour.
Gootee, who has worked in the stone industry since 1986, starting as a draftsman, said the addition of CNC machining and computer software have allowed for significant advances.
For instance, from the 1920s through the 1980s, it would take a gang saw 8 hours or more to cut one block. Now that time is reduced to about two hours.
Kurt Sendek, president of 3D Limestone“There is an awe factor here. We’ve got 200 years of legacy. We’re building history and limestone is part of our culture here and in Indiana. Without this, we wouldn’t have the lifestyles we have.”
Other industry advances include Quarry saws that provide cleaner cuts of stone mill blocks, resulting in less production waste.
The 3D mill performs work for institutional, commercial and residential customers. The spectrum includes multi-million dollar projects to elegant hand-carved window trims and fireplace mantles. 3D also produces flat panels used on exteriors and large pavers for patios and hardscapes.
“We have jobs from California to New York, Canada and everywhere in between,” Gootee said.
Depending on its capacity, a stone mill may fabricate between 90,000 and 100,000 cubic feet of stone per year.
A tour of the 3D mill shows the scope of skills, from rip and joint cutters, to planermen, CNC operators and carvers.
From seeing the blocks of stones outside waiting to be cut to the various saws, planers and overhead cranes in the mills, the tours are a great opportunity for the public to see inside this vital industry.
“Most people have no idea what goes on inside a mill,” said Tonya Chastain, executive director of Lawrence County Tourism, organizer of the tours.
Limestone work has been a part of Lawrence County since the mid 1800s.
“These tours are a way to keep the history alive,” Chastain said.
As Gootee and Draper explained the new advances in stone work as well as the old machinery still housed in the mill, Gootee said the work is highly rewarding.
“We like what we do and people knowing what we do,” said Gootee. “There is a lot of pride in our work. Indiana is a well known state for limestone and it’s great for people to know about it.”
3D President Kurt Sendek said there’s value in the community understanding the industry.
“I want to show people what we do. There is an awe factor here. We’ve got 200 years of legacy,” Sendek said. “We’re building history and limestone is part of our culture here and in Indiana. Without this, we wouldn’t have the lifestyles we have.”
Limestone doesn’t just employ people in mills and quarries. Sendek said ancillary businesses such as tooling and trucking companies are here providing jobs and wages because of limestone. Sendek estimates the limestone industry employs 400 to 500 people in Lawrence County.
Building for the future
In addition to the Bedford mill, 3D also operates a fabrication mill in Bloomington.
After acquiring the Evans mill in January, Sendek adopted an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. An ESOP is a 100% employee-owned business.
Sendek said the change is part of a long-term growth strategy to invest in the mill that is possible through tax advantages offered to ESOPs.
Because employees receive a share of the profits, they are rewarded like company shareholders would be.
3D recently was contracted for a job in New York City calling for 80,000 cubic feet of stone. Sendek has added five employees since January and plans to bring that total to 10 new employees by the end of 2023.
Since becoming an ESOP, employee turnover has decreased. It’s also creating long-term employees who are loyal and feel valued.
“Employees are happy and feel they are a part of something. Because there is no individual owner, it’s all of us sharing in ownership,” Sendek said. “Every year, we give away 4% of the shares to employees. They have a vested interest in the quality of the work and profitability of the company.”