Why an Asphalt Emulsion Sealcoat Plant is the Next Gold Mine
By Nicole Larsen
Have you ever toured a mine? We have them in our backyard in Virginia City, NV – home of the famous Comstock Lode silver ore discovery and gold mines. Virginia City became famous during the 19th century mining boom. But something you probably didn’t know is that there’s still major mining ventures going on there today. We were beyond excited to get a tour with Chris Peterson of Comstock Mining, Inc.*, “an emerging leader in sustainable, responsible mining and processing” ventures all over the world. We were in awe of Nevada’s mining history, but even more so with their current economic and technological success. They’re working to restore the land damaged by 19th century legacy mining with modern remediation and reclamation techniques, while still turning an impressive profit.
It turns out we have a lot more in common with mining (environmentally speaking) than we ever knew. Comstock Mining, Inc.’s focus on sustainable and responsible mining processes reminds us of our role in the sealcoating industry. We continue to develop and promote an environmentally-friendly sealcoat formula that generates economic growth without harming the water supply, wildlife and human health. What we do now in the sealcoating industry will affect many generations down the road. Knowing we can turn a profit and do the right thing makes a Pitch Black® asphalt emulsion sealcoat plant a prime investment. Here’s why…
Investors are looking for stable investments paired with corporate social responsibility.
We talk to investors on a weekly basis about the prospect of buying a Pitch Black® asphalt emulsion sealcoat plant. It’s no secret Pitch Black® has become a national brand with plants across the country. But what’s even more compelling is the interest we’re seeing in asphalt emulsion sealcoat itself. Investors want to be passionate about what they’re funding and they’re not interested in battling government regulation. They’re watching industry events and they want to invest in products that are forward-thinking like Pitch Black®.
The sealcoat industry is resilient.
As we all know, the past two years have revealed the fragility of certain industries enduring Covid lockdowns, inflation, decreased credit lines, and labor and material shortages. But despite all that, the sealcoating industry has seemed to weather the storm well. In fact, our Pitch Black® manufacturers have still seen impressive sales growth despite all of these challenges. With market factors in our favor, we’re predicting the strongest five (5) years we’ve seen in a long time for plant sales and Pitch Black® product sales by our manufacturers.
The sealcoat market in general is poised for growth.
According to the latest Mordor Intelligence industry report, “the sealcoat market was valued at USD $1.3 billion in 2020, and the market is projected to register a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of more than 4% during the forecast period (2021-2026).” Then, there’s the home improvement craze that started during the pandemic. According to BusinessInsider.com, “Home improvement and repair spending grew by nearly 3% to $420 billion in 2020, per a recent study by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS).” With the real estate boom, more buyers have home equity to invest in improvements. This doesn’t even take into account commercial improvements and government funding for improved infrastructure.
Asphalt emulsion sealcoat manufacturers are focused on the future.
With the coal tar bans in numerous states and the recent statewide coal tar ban in New York passed by state lawmakers awaiting approval by the governor (at the time we’re writing this article), it’s clear the industry is moving toward asphalt emulsion sealcoat. Not to mention the fact that a majority of the West Coast adopted asphalt emulsion sealcoat successfully back in the 1980s and never looked back. Asphalt emulsion sealcoat is an eco-friendly, high-quality, and affordable alternative to coal tar.
State legislatures are taking notice to viable alternatives like Pitch Black®. U.S. Seal International, Inc. (the founder of Pitch Black® sealcoat) and Pitch Black® manufacturers are proud to publicly consult on draft legislation policies. Robert Archie, inventor of Pitch Black® sealcoat, is also currently president of ASMA-USA (Asphalt Sealcoat Manufacturers Association). “We expect big things from ASMA-USA,” says Archie. “We have some of the biggest names in the business joining ASMA-USA, some with 50+ years of experience. We’re ready to bring that expertise to areas that don’t even realize what they’ve been missing.”
Pitch Black’s brand is thriving.
We joke around and have some fun with our marketing, but when it comes to our sealcoat formula, we take that very seriously. Our reputation affects our corporation and all of our manufacturers and their distributors. We’re in it for the long-haul. That’s actually what our investors want to see the most. Joining the Pitch Black® family of manufacturers who share similar business goals and challenges, but are united in their quest for quality…that’s a true gold mine right there.
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Sources:
• Mordor Intelligence. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/seal-coat-market Accessed 8 July, 2021
• Comstock Mining, Inc. https://www.comstockmining.com. Accessed 8 July, 2021
• Hoffower, Hillary. “How the 2021 Home-Improvement Boom Became Another Division Between Boomers and Millennials.” Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/home-improvement-boom-housing-market-recovery-millennials-pandemic-2021-5. Accessed 8 July, 2021
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. “Virginia City”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Jul. 2013, https://www.britannica.com/place/Virginia-City-Nevada. Accessed 9 July 2021.
• Travel Nevada. https://travelnevada.com/cities/virginia-city/. Accessed 9, July 2021
About Comstock Mining, Inc.: Comstock Mining, Inc. has extensive, contiguous property in the historic Comstock and Silver City mining districts (collectively, the “Comstock District”) and is an emerging leader in sustainable, responsible mining and processing, and is currently commercializing environment-enhancing, metal-based technologies, products, and processes for precious and strategic metals recovery.
ABOUT PITCH BLACK®: The Archie family got its start in asphalt in the 1920s with Robb Archie’s grandfather, Joe Archie, in Western New York. Archie’s dad, Earl Archie, learned the trade from his dad during the 1940s and 50s and taught it to his son, Robb Archie, who carried that knowledge from the 1960s and 70s to make Pitch Black® in the 1980s. The family secret formula has only been licensed to Pitch Black® manufacturers during the last 9 years, but Pitch Black® has been used for over 25 years.
ABOUT THE WRITER: Nicole Larsen has contributed cover articles on behalf of U.S. Seal International, Inc. (Pitch Black®) since 2013. She is also Director of Marketing for U.S. Seal International and founder of marketing agency, Busy Ave, Inc.
