SPRINGFIELD, Mo., September 29, 2009 – Conco Quarries heavy haul trucks may not travel far, but since they carry an average load of 41 tons of crushed rock at the company’s Willard Quarry, they have to be strong, rugged and reliable to handle heavy loads in different off-road conditions.

That’s why Conco turns to the Kenworth C500 model to move those heavy loads.

“We’ve been pleased with the reliability of our Kenworth C500s,” said Paul Dickerson, shop superintendent for Springfield, Mo.-based Conco Companies. “I would say that uptime with the C500s is in the 95 percent range (with much of the remaining 5 percent spent on routine preventive maintenance and repairs). And MHC Kenworth – Springfield, our local Kenworth dealer, provides us excellent parts and service support.”

That uptime helps the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Conco Quarries, to stay on schedule supplying the company’s ready-mix operations and the local market with between 1-1/2 million and 2 million tons of crushed stone annually from the Willard Quarry in Willard, Mo., and Galloway Quarry in Springfield.

In addition to crushing and stockpiling materials for charcoal briquette production, the company produces limestone material used in the manufacturing of asphalt and concrete. The asphalt and concrete are used in the construction of roads, homes, businesses and other building projects throughout the Springfield area. The company recently supplied crushed rock to make concrete and asphalt for taxiways and runways at the new Springfield/Branson National Airport and for Highway 13 north of Springfield.

When Conco Quarries originally needed a new replacement truck chassis strong and rugged enough to carry an average of 41 tons of crushed rock at its quarry in Willard, Mo., the company turned to the Kenworth C500 model.

“We needed to find a company that could design and build durable and reliable replacements to meet our needs,” Dickerson said. “Kenworth was the only truck OEM with a local dealer that would work with us to put together what we needed. We purchased two C540s spec’d with 40-inch wide, double-inserted 11 5/8-inch by 3/8-inch frame rails, 46,000-pound front axle, 110,000-pound tandem rear axle, and remote-mount transmissions.

Each of the company’s Kenworth C500s haul about 25 percent more material on each trip than the trucks they replaced. The C500s make an average of 70 to 80 quarter-mile trips per day, each operating about 2,500 hours annually. “Our 40-ton dump bins, which were designed around larger truck models, allow us to move large amounts of crushed rock efficiently from the rock crushing and aggregate screening plant to different stockpiles at the Willard Quarry,” Dickerson added. On top of that, Dickerson said his drivers really like the comfortable work environment the C500s provide.

Dickerson said Conco, which has been pleased with the performance of its first two C500s, recently took delivery of a third C500 model with a narrower, 34-inch frame, different front end suspension, larger engine, and direct-mount transmission.

“With our latest Kenworth C500, Kenworth gave us the option to equip it with a lockable inter-axle differential, which will help to reduce wheel scrubbing and tire wear,” said Dickerson, who estimated the option may save Conco up to $12,000 annually in tire costs.

Ralph Reed and his stepson, Tom Baird, founded the Concrete Company of Springfield in 1947 as a small family-owned ready-mix operation with four trucks and seven employees. Today, members of the third and fourth generations of the family now manage the company, which operates six ready-mix plants, two quarry sites, and employs more than 180 people. The company and the community have grown together. Springfield was a city of less than 60,000 at the end of World War II. Today, the metropolitan area, which serves as the economic hub for a large geographic region, boasts a population of nearly 400,000.

Kenworth Truck Company is the manufacturer of The World’s Best® heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth is an industry leader in providing fuel-saving technology solutions that help increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. The company’s dedication to the green fleet includes aerodynamic trucks, medium duty diesel-electric hybrids, liquefied natural gas trucks, and the Kenworth Clean Power® no-idle system. This year, Kenworth became the first truck manufacturer to receive the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Excellence award in recognition of its environmentally friendly products. In addition, Kenworth is the recipient of the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates awards for Highest in Customer Satisfaction for both Over the Road Segment and Pickup and Delivery Segment Class 8 Trucks, and for Heavy Duty Dealer Service. Kenworth’s Internet home page is at www.kenworth.com. Kenworth. A PACCAR Company.