Revolutionizing Roads: Astec's Tech Triumph

In The Mix with Marvin Joles – Episode #22
Date: March 2, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of In The Mix takes listeners to Chattanooga for an inside look at Astec Industries—one of the asphalt industry's leading technology innovators. Host Marvin Joles sits down with Peter Moore (longtime Astec engineer and product development lead) and Trevor Wagner (Director of Sustainability) to discuss Astec’s approach to problem-solving, customer-driven innovation, industry trends, and new technologies like the IntelliPaq aggregate moisture sensor and CCPR recycling systems. The conversation unpacks how thoughtful tech implementation is transforming road building, plant operations, and sustainability in the modern era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Astec’s Legacy and “Rock to Road” Philosophy

• Astec History: Founded in 1972 in Chattanooga by Dr. Don Brock, Astec began as an innovator in industrial heating capabilities and quickly expanded to comprehensive plant and component manufacturing. Many acquired brands pre-date Astec itself. (10:36–12:45)
• Philosophy: From the outset, it's been about "solving customer problems" and integrating lessons from all stakeholders (contractors, agencies, DOTs, operators). (23:00–23:56)

“Fundamentally, at our core, our customers have always been involved in the innovation process, helping us discover and solve those problems.”
— Trevor Wagner [23:16]

2. Innovation DNA and Product Development

• Internal Structure Changes: Recent years saw Astec move from ad hoc innovation within product lines to specialized, cross-functional teams focused on new product development. This allows deeper dives and faster progress on persistent industry issues. (16:38–18:01)
• Customer Obsession: Direct “voice of the customer” is key to new products. Field visits, interviews, and prototype testing focus on real needs—not just what engineers think is useful. (22:11–23:56)

“The term that I have fallen in love with using is customer obsession… their job is to go find that next problem and solve it.”
— Trevor Wagner [23:00]

3. IntelliPaq: Transforming Plant Operations & Mix Quality

• The Old Way: Manual moisture testing was intermittent and imprecise—requiring representative samples from stockpiles and lengthy burn-off times. This led to miscalibrated batches, wasted material, and rejected loads. (25:41–27:34)
• The Innovation: IntelliPaq uses real-time, infrared laser sensors to constantly monitor aggregate moisture, directly feeding plant control systems. It eliminates guesswork, reduces operator stress, and automatically adjusts mix parameters for optimum efficiency and quality. (26:54–29:13; 35:21–36:20)
• Benefits:
  • Less waste and material-rejects
  • Up to $0.60 savings per ton; estimated 6-month ROI
  • Reduces operator workload and errors
  • Retrofittable onto any brand of plant bin
  • Enables plant monitoring and decision-making remotely—key for work-life balance (29:24–34:03; 34:22–35:03)

“The Intellipa system will actually pay itself off within six months... up to 60 cents a ton is what we've seen for savings.”
— Peter Moore [29:13]

“The beauty about… the IntelliPaq system is that it's a system, not just a sensor. It's fully integrated with the plant controls, so the plant is automatically making corrections based on that data. You don't have to ask the plant operator, hey I'm giving you another piece of information, and you have to make another decision every day.”
— Trevor Wagner [36:05]

4. CCPR & Astec Remix: High-Efficiency Asphalt Recycling

• What is CCPR: Cold Central Plant Recycle—using up to 95% reclaimed asphalt (RAP) to create new base or paving material, all mixed at ambient temperature, drastically reducing energy use and cost. (38:44–41:08)
• Application: Mainline paving, parking lots, subdivisions, and more—potentially replacing cheaper but lower-quality options. The performance is validated by years of independent and accelerated testing. (43:34–46:48)
• Challenges:
  • Adoption in “specification” is slower than the technology and material quality;
  • Some regions lack sufficient RAP quantities;
  • Retrofit solutions (like Astec’s Remix system) lower the commitment to try CCPR without overhauling main hot mix plant operations. (44:00–48:38)

“Some of the most durable, resilient pavements that that group of researchers has ever cooked up have had CCPR as a key ingredient. It is, it's a wonderful material.”
— Trevor Wagner [46:36]

• Sustainability Angle: Each new generation of recycling adds more “fresh” material (binder/aggregate) so truly infinite recycling is close; test sections at NCAT have gone through three full recycle cycles with no major performance drop-off. (52:53–54:27)

5. Portability & Modular Tech: Self-Directing Surge Silo

• Who Needs It: Especially relevant for portable plant operations (about 30% in the Western US)—enables overnight storage (up to 90 tons), allowing early contractor starts and plant efficiency.
• Features:
  • All storage features of large, stationary plants
  • Fast setup, NTEP-certified, fully integrated
  • Challenges: Requires tri-axle hauling; permitting for superloads in some regions (58:20–62:13)

“Customer said we want a closed top system that we can store material in so that we can get ahead for that next day again.”
— Peter Moore [62:52]

Notable Quotes

• On Sustainability: “Sustainability isn't just environmentalism. It's performance, it's efficiency. It's smart business.”
  — Trevor Wagner [07:49]

• On Future Direction: “The goal is not to throw away where we've come from. There is so much that has been learned in our industry... Their perspective is, ‘Here's what we tried, here's why it failed back then. If that changes, go try it again in the future.’”
  — Trevor Wagner [68:54]

• On Technology Adoption: “It's like opening the door for somebody... What a nice young man Aztec is.”
  — Marvin Joles [76:34]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment / Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------| | Astec company history, “Rock to Road” legacy | 10:36–13:25 | | Innovation structure and customer-focused product development | 16:38–18:01, 22:11–23:56 | | Manual vs. automated aggregate moisture measurement (IntelliPaq discussion)| 25:41–36:20 | | Real-world impact and retrofitting of IntelliPaq | 34:03–36:20 | | CCPR and hot/cold recycling | 38:44–46:48 | | Adoption challenges and future of RAP-rich mixes | 47:00–54:27 | | Self-directing surge silo for portable plants | 58:20–62:52 | | Operator/customer training and support | 71:30–73:39 | | Future tech trends and vision for the next 5–10 years | 66:11–68:55 | | Final thoughts on integrative, retrofittable solutions | 76:12–77:33 |

Memorable Moments

• Marvin’s “Wow” Moment with Tech at Savannah Plant Tour:
  “When I got to go in and speak to the plant operator there in Savannah and for him to be like, ‘it makes my life so much easier’—it was a crazy thing.” [08:34]

• Peter’s Calculus Origin Story and Career Path:
  “I had to take some calculus classes. Really enjoyed it. Buddy of mine was going in…”
  — Peter Moore [04:36]

• On Infinite Asphalt Recycling:
  “The test track ... they have a strip down right now that’s been re-recycled three times as full CCPR ... what I’ve seen so far is that there’s not any serious issues.”
  — Trevor Wagner [53:54]

Takeaways for Asphalt Professionals

• Efficiency = Profit: Real-time data (like from IntelliPaq) not only assures product quality but can quickly pay for itself and reduce wasted labor and materials.
• Tech is Making Asphalt Production Less Stressful: Automation, integrated systems, and remote access are attracting next-gen tech-savvy operators and making life easier for seasoned pros.
• Sustainability is “Hardwired” into Astec’s Approach: Not about greenwashing; it’s about business sense and future-proofing industry practices.
• Recycling Today, Not Tomorrow: CCPR and Remix systems mean high RAP mixes can now be produced with confidence, but industry-wide adoption depends on updating specs and encouraging agencies to try proven innovations.
• Astec’s Tools Are for Everyone: Retrofit options, modular equipment, and training programs aim to help the whole industry—not just sell to new-plant buyers.

Where to Learn More

• Astec Industries: Website | Social Channels (YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.)
• In The Mix Podcast & Newsletter: inthemixmj.com
• Industry Conferences: ConExpo, World of Asphalt

“Asphalt is opportunity.”
— Marvin Joles [80:27]