KM president explains how striving to improve has kept his company competitive

As the asphalt maintenance industry continues its growth trend, it is now more important than ever for contractors to diversify the services they offer customers. As one of the industry’s leading manufacturers, no one understands the need for diversification better than KM International.

With more than 30 years of experience as a manufacturer, KM International strives to constantly develop equipment that will have real-world applications and increase the users’ job efficiencies. KM International’s product line consists of crack maintenance equipment, infrared recyclers, asphalt hotbox reclaimers, asphalt recyclers, and KM’s newest line of mastic equipment.

In order to stay on top of the industry, KM’s research and development department stays vigilant with industry trends and innovations, says KM International president Cliff Cameron, and tries to integrate those changes into its equipment in order to increase the functionality and equipment efficiencies.

“One of our main goals is to produce equipment that is applicable to a wide range of asphalt companies,” says Cameron. “We understand that the needs for every company are different. To remain a leading manufacturer, we need to have equipment to help companies meet those needs and move into the next level of their business.”

As the competitiveness of the market grows, it’s becoming more difficult for contractors to grow their businesses while relying solely on one service. Just look at some of the industry’s top contractors — they essentially offer a one-stop shop; sealcoating, maintenance, line striping, crack repair, and so on. In today’s digital world, potential clients are well-informed and want to work with one company that can meet all their needs.

In addition to setting itself apart from competitors, diversification also gives a company a certain sense of security; If you’re a contractor that only offers sealcoating and, for whatever reason, sealcoating business is slow, then your business is bound to suffer. But if you have more services in your arsenal, those would potentially make up for the lack of sealcoating work. Diversifying also will allow you, as the contractor, to lessen your dependence on sometimes-unreliable subcontractors and, in the end, increase your per-job profit margins.

A gleaming example of diversification, for many companies, has been the addition of infrared services. As the industry’s leading infrared manufacturer, KM International has helped thousands of contractors add the technology to their businesses.

A scenario his company commonly encounters, explains Cameron, is when a sealcoating contractor contacts KM because they’re having trouble staying competitive in markets that are flooded with low-cost, low-margin competitors. In these cases, an infrared recycler — paired with a hotbox reclaimer — would be an ideal solution. Think about it like this: The addition of infrared for a seal coater not only gives them a differentiating factor against those low-cost competitors, but also allows the contractor to now offer pavement maintenance services which, in most cases, can increase revenues by 20 percent or more.

If a company wants to grow, diversification isn’t an option — it is a necessity. Every client KM International works with will attest that KM is more than a manufacturer — they are a business partner, says Cameron, who adds that each piece of KM equipment is built with quality, dependability and functionality at the forefront.

“We want to understand our client’s business and make equipment recommendations based on where their business is, and where they want it to go,” says Cameron.

Contact Us to Learn More about Infrared Asphalt Repair
At KM International, we know firsthand how beneficial the infrared asphalt repair method can be to businesses of all sizes. In addition to improving profit margins while being able to work all year long, you can trust that the repair will last longer and be more durable than other options.

To learn more, see our KM International website or call us at (800) 492-1757