Penny’s Concrete is returning to Emporia.
David Hoover, president of Penny’s Concrete, which has its headquarters in Shawnee, announced Monday that the company has purchased Bluestem Ready Mix at 3501 W. Sixth Ave.
The deal marks the return of the Penny family to the Emporia concrete business after a long absence.
Penny’s Concrete is owned by Bill and Marlene Penny of Lawrence. Bill Penny grew up in Emporia and Marlene Van Gundy Penny grew up in rural Lyon County. Both are graduates of Emporia High School and the University of Kansas.
Bill Penny’s father, Junius Penny, established Penny’s Ready Mix of Emporia and ran it until he sold it to the Ritchie Corp. of Wichita. Junius Penny was a civic leader in Emporia, including terms on the city commission and a stint as mayor.
Bill Penny has been equally active in civic affairs in Lawrence.
According to a company news release, Penny’s Concrete now operates 20 concrete plants from 18 permanent locations in Kansas and Missouri. The company also has two mobile plants, five sand-dredging locations in Kansas and a rock quarry in Franklin County.
The company employs about 300 people and has a fleet of more than 160 ready mix concrete trucks and more than 25 bulk aggregate and cement haulers.