C.J. Miller LLC, a family-run asphalt business based in Hampstead, Maryland, opened a new asphalt plant in Finksburg, Maryland during the summer of 2016 that is designed to increase production capacity, energy efficiency, and worksite safety. The nearly 60-year-old company invested $9 million into the facility, which doubles its output capacity while cutting energy consumption by 50 percent compared to the plant it replaced. This investment demonstrates how technology improves asphalt plant operations automation efficiency and long-term business planning go hand in hand for construction material producers looking to stay competitive.
Company Background and Growth Trajectory
Charles J. “Buck” Miller Jr. founded C.J. Miller in 1957 with a single backhoe, installing sewage and septic systems for residential customers in Carroll County. From these modest beginnings, the company has grown into one of the largest asphalt producers in Maryland, operating four asphalt plants across the state and producing over 700,000 tons of asphalt in 2015 alone.
From Septic Systems to Asphalt Production
The evolution of C.J. Miller reflects broader trends in the construction materials industry. What started as a small excavation business gradually expanded into paving, then into asphalt production, and today the company serves clients across a wide range of project types:
- Heavy highway construction for state and federal infrastructure projects
- Commercial parking lots and roadway networks for private developments
- Residential driveway paving for homeowners and subdivisions
- Specialty porous walking path products for municipal parks and trails
- Fine driveway mixes for premium residential applications
The company now employs 480 people and operates 1,000 pieces of equipment, making it one of the top five employers in Carroll County. Its market reach extends throughout Maryland and into southern Pennsylvania, serving both public and private sector clients.
Family Leadership and Company Philosophy
William “Billy” Miller serves as vice president, representing the second generation of family leadership. The company continues to operate on the philosophy its founder established decades ago: “If you do good work, you will be rewarded.” This principle has guided the company through nearly six decades of operations and multiple expansions, including the new Finksburg plant.
Technical Features of the New Finksburg Plant
The new plant was built within the footprint of the old facility it replaced, requiring extensive planning and site work before equipment arrived. Over 2,500 cubic yards of concrete were poured for the equipment foundations alone. Astec conducted the installation, which involved integrating new computer systems with existing equipment controls.
Production Capacity and Storage
The old plant operated at 200 tons per hour. The new facility more than doubles that capacity, allowing C.J. Miller to serve a growing customer base without sacrificing turnaround times. The plant can store nearly 1,300 tons of material before requiring a restart, with two additional silos providing extra surge capacity during peak production periods.
The Astec Double Barrel Green System
At the heart of the new plant is the Astec Double Barrel Green System, a key technology for incorporating recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) into new mixes. C.J. Miller takes millings from its seven paving crews and processes them through a mobile crushing and screening plant. The RAP is sized to minus one-half inch before being reintroduced into new asphalt production.
Joe Frock, director of the asphalt plant, explained the importance of this system: “The challenge with RAP is incorporating the right amount of recycled material into our mixes. It is imperative to produce a quality product which allows both C.J. Miller and our outside customers to achieve the highest level of success.”
Variable Frequency Drives for Energy Efficiency
The entire plant is outfitted with variable frequency drives (VFDs) through BGE’s Smart Energy Savers Program. VFDs control motor speeds based on real-time demand, rather than running equipment at full speed continuously. This approach significantly reduces the plant’s overall energy consumption:
| Component | Old Plant | New Plant | Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Production capacity | 200 tons/hour | 400+ tons/hour | 100% increase |
| Energy consumption | Baseline | 50% less energy | 50% reduction |
| Storage capacity | Limited | 1,300 tons + 2 silos | Significant increase |
| RAP incorporation | Basic system | Astec Double Barrel Green | Higher RAP content |
| Environmental footprint | Standard | Reduced emissions | Improved sustainability |
| Jobs supported | Existing workforce | Up to 100 new jobs | Workforce expansion |
Billy Miller emphasized the significance of these savings: “The cost savings is immense. It uses 50 percent less energy. That is huge.” Given the $9 million investment in the facility, these operational savings are critical to the project’s long-term return on investment.
Environmental Sustainability and RAP Management
C.J. Miller’s new plant was designed from the ground up with environmental performance as a core requirement. The company’s approach to sustainability goes beyond regulatory compliance, incorporating technologies and processes that reduce emissions, conserve energy, and maximize the use of recycled materials.
Closed-Loop Recycling System
The company operates a complete closed-loop system for asphalt recycling. Millings from road rehabilitation projects are collected by C.J. Miller’s seven paving crews and returned to the plant for processing. The mobile crushing and screening plant sizes the reclaimed material, which is then stored and reintroduced into new asphalt mixes at controlled percentages.
This approach delivers multiple benefits:
- Reduces demand for virgin aggregate, lowering quarry consumption
- Decreases the amount of asphalt waste sent to landfills
- Lowers the carbon footprint of each ton of produced asphalt
- Reduces raw material costs, making the company more competitive
- Extends the useful life of existing paving materials
Frock noted: “One of the great things about this modern plant is it has helped C.J. Miller to significantly reduce our environmental footprint. We incorporated the Astec Double Barrel Green System, which will provide us with the opportunity to use higher amounts of RAP while maintaining stringent quality standards.”
Emissions Reduction and Community Impact
As a facility located within a populated area of Carroll County, the new plant was designed to minimize its impact on the surrounding community. Reduced emissions from the energy-efficient VFD systems, combined with the environmentally friendly burner technology, ensure that the plant operates within strict environmental standards.
Billy Miller highlighted the importance of community relations: “We make it a point to have a strong online presence that tells the story of who we are and what we do, and we strive to target the right markets to grow our employee base. We constantly educate current and potential customers on the products and services C.J. Miller offers, doing whatever we can to make their experience a positive one.”
For more on how producers manage seasonal transitions and maintain consistent quality, see our guide on Asphalt Plant Seasonal Startup Best Practices for Reliable production cycles.
Workforce Development and Operational Challenges
Finding, hiring, and retaining qualified workers remains one of the most persistent challenges in the construction industry, and C.J. Miller is no exception to this trend. The company’s new plant is expected to create up to 100 new jobs, requiring a significant expansion of the workforce in Carroll County.
Recruitment and Retention Strategies
Billy Miller acknowledged the difficulty of building a skilled workforce in today’s labor market: “Finding and retaining strong employees is a constant challenge.” The company addresses this through several strategies:
- Hiring the right people to manage customer expectations and project quality
- Working with vendors who share the company’s commitment to quality
- Strengthening relationships with customers, the community, and equipment sales representatives
- Developing a strong employer brand through online presence and community outreach
- Targeting the right labor markets to attract qualified candidates
The company recognizes that its employees are the foundation of its success. As Miller put it: “We appreciate the men and women who come to work for us each day.”
Site Work and Construction Challenges
Building the new plant within the old facility’s footprint presented unique logistical challenges. The site required extensive preparation before Astec’s equipment could be delivered and installed. Over 2,500 cubic yards of concrete were needed for the equipment foundations, and the installation process involved integrating new computerized controls with existing operational systems.
Frock noted that there were complications with computer communications during the installation phase. Working through these integration issues required close coordination between C.J. Miller’s team and Astec’s installation crew, demonstrating that even well-planned projects require adaptability and problem-solving on the ground.
Asphalt producers looking to improve their own operations can draw lessons from C.J. Miller’s experience. For a broader look at equipment and products that improve construction site performance, read about Essential Construction Products and Tools That Boost Efficiency and safety on the jobsite. For those working with concrete materials as well, our guide to Concrete Batching Plants and Mixing Equipment a Complete overview covers batching plant types and production systems.
Lessons for Asphalt Producers
C.J. Miller’s investment in the Finksburg plant offers several takeaways for other construction material producers considering facility upgrades:
- Plan for integration complexity. New equipment must communicate with existing systems, and the transition period requires patience and technical support from vendors.
- Prioritize energy efficiency from the start. VFDs and modern burner technology deliver measurable cost savings that improve project economics over the life of the plant.
- Design for sustainability. RAP processing capability is no longer optional — it is a competitive requirement in most asphalt markets.
- Factor in workforce expansion. New capacity requires new people, and recruitment should begin well before the plant starts operating.
- Stay committed to quality. Higher production volumes must not come at the expense of mix quality, especially when incorporating recycled materials.
Miller summarized the company’s outlook: “Every company is going to have its challenges, but we really try to live by the philosophy of our founder. He always said, ‘If you do good work, you will be rewarded.'” With its $9 million investment in the new Finksburg plant, C.J. Miller is betting that the same philosophy will carry the company through its next six decades of operation.