During the last Ice Age - (ending about 10,000 years ago) the glacier covering what is now the Great Lakes Basin, including the State of Michigan, receded, leaving huge deposits of sand and gravel.

One of these pockets is located at 700 North Nazareth Road in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the site of Consumers Concrete Corporation. The company's location was originally the site of the Kalamazoo Construction Company, which was founded in 1916 by Joseph Lowe. During the 1920's Lowe opened a "borrow pit" along Nazareth Road, which allowed individuals and local construction companies to use the sand and gravel to build and repair roads.

In 1933, the name Consumers Sand and Gravel was first used, and the entire operation was purchased by brothers Adrian and Richard Klepper and Richard Butcher, a third partner, in 1938. Adrian Klepper's son, Donald W. Thomas, joined the firm in 1941. With a loyal customer base and an abundance of natural resources for its products, Consumers continued to expand, incorporating in 1948.

The company changed direction in the 1930's, and returning to its sand and gravel roots was one of the first to offer ready-mix concrete services. This line quickly became Consumers' lead product and its popularity keeps it there today.

After World War II, concrete products were in greater demand than ever as America welcomed home thousands of brave military men and women. Consumers expanded its delivery fleet, updated procedures for the receipt and handling of raw materials, and introduced its successful concrete block operation. The 1950's saw the introduction of hydraulic chutes, six-wheel drive ready-mix delivery trucks and 2-way radios, making the dispatching of materials much faster and cost efficient.

Consumers real landmark years, however, were 1964 and 1965. During that time, General Motors Corporation contracted with Consumers and two other local producers to supply materials for the giant Fisher Body stamping plant it was building in Kalamazoo - 180,000 yards of concrete to be exact.

In 1966, Consumers introduced the first front-discharge delivery truck in Michigan, offering much greater versatility than the rear-discharge trucks of the past. It was eight years before other companies were able to offer this innovation and compete at this level. Consumers Sand and Gravel then purchased the assets of Kalamazoo Cement Products in 1968, which today is known as the Block division.

Consumers Concrete became Consumers Concrete Corporation in 1976, when the four grandsons of Adrian Klepper and the sons of Donald W. Thomas became officers and partners. The brothers are Tom W. Thomas, president; Stephen A. Thomas, vice-president; Gregory A. Thomas, secretary; and Donald B. Thomas, treasurer. Today all four men play active roles in the day-to-day operation of the business. Because of this hands-on involvement of top executives, Consumers Concrete Corporation continues today as a stable, dynamic, growing, force in southwest Michigan.

Construction of a twin transit, ready-mix plant was completed in 1981 - the first of its kind in the industry, and in May of that year the first pour of concrete was completed. A fleet of 32 vehicles and the ability to load 300 cubic yards of concrete an hour kept Consumers way ahead of the competition in distribution and delivery. This twin transit, or dual batch plant is still in active operation today. Still offering Consumers Concrete clients guaranteed delivery.

The company has increased its operations three-fold since 1984, purchasing twelve ready-mix concrete and concrete block producing companies, and now serves twenty one counties with twelve regional plants across southwestern Michigan. Our Kalamazoo location has 240 acres of sand and gravel deposits bordering Sprinkle Road, Nazareth Road, East Main and East Michigan. Along with a large supply of natural resources, Consumers has a fleet of several hundred "power units" composed of mixer trucks, gravel trucks, cement hauling rigs, block delivery trucks and field loaders.

With thirty three locations serving all of southwest Michigan, Consumers Concrete Corporation is a manufacturer, supplier, and recycler of ready-mix concrete, concrete products, and sand and gravel, offering a wide array of tools and supplies to assist with any project, large or small.

An industry leader since 1933, Consumers Concrete continues to be your best choice.