LE SILLON

A John Deere Publication

The size and scope of the Rockridge Quarry fleet is something to behold. A vast array of Deere machines work in harmony to muscle their way through the quarry, highlighted by an expansive range of excavators and wheel loaders. Loader operators with Rockridge carry out a variety of tasks, including moving product around the massive quarry site and loading material into customer trucks. On top of that, they unload rock into a Kleemann 953 Crusher. A relatively new addition to Rockridge, the machine’s presence is the byproduct of dealer persistence and a prove-it mentality.

Spring 2024

Crushin’ It In KC

Rockridge Quarry embraces the grind

9 MIN READ

On a crisp, late-fall morning on the outskirts of Kansas City, Missouri, the final glimmers of the season are on full display.

In the distance, muted red and orange leaves add a colorful accent to the rolling hills. A mild wind carries a cool chill to the sprawling piece of land known as Rockridge Quarry, hinting at the frigid winter months to come.

Against the backdrop of this picturesque, serene day, the urgent hum of constant activity fills the air.

Nearly a dozen machines work in harmony to reshape the rugged landscape. Operators maneuver the equipment with speed and precision, making the disparate parts come together in what seems like a pitch-perfect symphony.

Each worker, and every piece of equipment, plays a vital role, contributing something essential to the greater task at hand. The incessant clatter of another busy workday brings an odd sense of peace to the man orchestrating the action.

Peering out from beneath his weathered hard hat, with a grizzled beard framing his face, General Manager Tracy Link alertly scans the action around him. He scoffs at the notion that one could be overwhelmed by such a hectic scene, instead choosing to soak in the beauty of the moment.

“My first two words were ‘tractor’ and ‘truck’,” Link says. “It’s been in my blood ever since I was born. And it’s what I always wanted to be doing.”

EMBRACING CHANGE

Link has a way of seeming like he is everywhere at once, somehow keeping an eye on all the parts of a sprawling quarry that spans roughly 450 acres. He drives quickly. And talks quickly.

Link was raised on a farm, where his family owned and used large equipment. Shortly after turning 18, he moved to Kansas City and landed a job with Rockridge Quarry. In the quarter-century since, he and the company have grown together.

“Oh, there’s been so much change,” Link exclaims, taking a moment to survey his robust fleet of John Deere equipment. “We started pretty small. Over the years, we’ve gotten newer equipment. Better equipment. And we’ve gotten a lot bigger and more productive over time.”

The size and scope of the Rockridge fleet are something to behold. A vast array of Deere machines work in harmony to muscle their way through the quarry, highlighted by an expansive range of excavators and wheel loaders.

Mark Franklin, a seasoned employee with an affable disposition, spends the vast majority of his workday operating the 904 P-Tier Wheel Loader.

“If I was inside a building all day long, I’d be miserable,” he says. “I’ve got the sun above me, the wind at my back. Nothing better than being outside working.”

Franklin is an industry lifer, with 27 years of construction experience — including the last seven at Rockridge — under his belt.

“I’ve used other machines, and when I am trying to get into a pile, they bog down and can’t seem to dig in,” Franklin says. “With the 904, there’s no messing around. It gets right in there and does what it’s supposed to do. You put it to the test, and it passes with flying colors.”

PROOF IN PRODUCTIVITY

Loader operators with Rockridge carry out a variety of tasks, including moving product around the massive quarry site and loading material into customer trucks.

On top of that, they unload rock into a Kleemann 953 Crusher. A relatively new addition to Rockridge, the machine’s presence is the byproduct of dealer persistence and a prove-it mentality.

Link says multiple manufacturers pursued Rockridge about selling them a crusher. The quarry’s John Deere dealer, Murphy Tractor & Equipment Co., took the bull by the horns — bringing one of the screeners onto Rockridge’s vast site so the company could try it for themselves.

“They thought the product would sell itself. And it did. It was way more productive than the others,” Link says matter-of-factly. “It did a better job of cleaning the material.

It was simpler to set up, take down, and transport. At the end of the day, Kleemann just outshined the rest of them.”

Through Link’s eyes, however, a machine is never just a machine. Purchasing equipment is also about partnering with the people who sell it to you.

Kleemann products are made by The Wirtgen Group, a company that officially partnered with John Deere in 2017. And the fact that Deere and his local dealer are standing behind the product gives Link the ultimate sense of confidence.

“It’s huge that we can work with the same people when it comes to these machines,” Link says. “You’re not having to deal with a different outfit. Not having to call four or five people to get to the right person. It’s one phone call and you’re in business."

BLAZING A TRAIL

When extracted rock leaves Rockridge Quarry, it ultimately makes its way to a wide variety of jobsites and serves a range of purposes.

Some of the stone is used to form surfaces for local roads, while other product contributes to construction projects in the heart of downtown Kansas City. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is among Rockridge’s biggest clients, using large pieces of rock to install riprap and control erosion along the Missouri River.

For Lisa Nanninga, a 20-year industry veteran, this bigger picture fuels her passion and instills purpose.

“There’s a lot of pride in knowing that we’re contributing to the growth in Kansas City,” she says. “We send out materials that go to Arrowhead Stadium or helped build the downtown streetcar. I get to tell my kids and my grandkids ‘I helped build that.’”

As a female thriving in a traditionally male-dominated field, Nanninga is acutely aware that she’s building more than infrastructure. Through her inspiration and example, she’s also forging a path for other women to thrive in the industry.

“I want to prove myself and make sure the guy working next to me isn’t going to say, ‘She’s not pulling her weight’,” Nanninga says. “So I come here every day and do my job as well as him, or better than him. Simple as that.”

GROWING TOGETHER

Nanninga, however, emphasizes that it’s not just about establishing her own place in the industry. She embraces every opportunity to share her experience — and encouragement — with young women or girls interested in following a similar path.

“I know that, when young women see what I am doing here, I can inspire them,” Nanninga says. “Encouraging that next generation is absolutely my greatest passion.”

For Link, having operators like Nanninga is the key to carving out an expanding niche in the Kansas City market.

“When you have good equipment and good people all working together, that is what makes the difference,” he says, observing the quarry as the afternoon draws to a close.

“It amazes me how much we can get done in a day, and at the end of a week when you look back and see what we accomplished,” says Link. “You can look back at the end of it and just say, ‘Wow.’ ”

Rockridge Quarry is serviced by Murphy Tractor & Equipment Co., Kansas City, Missouri.