L & S Concrete

08/30/2024

That's our man Joel Figueroa who's coming up on his one year anniversary at L&S.

During the vetting process, we called Josh Nelson of Simmons Concrete Construction. Josh said:

"Joel applied there? Listen, not only is he a very good driver, but he's a good human being. Great guy, grab him."

Very accurate description of Joel. A gem of a dude to be around and work with. Plus he's a clean freak. Look at #7 shine.

So if you see Joel, give him a congrats and a big pat on the back. Just make sure your hand is VERY clean.

08/14/2024

Sun, fishing boats, concrete being pumped, Stallion's crew getting it done, a 500 yard chunk of concrete being poured...

August is soo much nicer than January.

Really, you suck January.

07/23/2024

If you ever see two mixers backed in tight to each other like this, things are not good. It means one truck's engine has failed, and the other truck is going to turn the drum of the disabled mixer.

Very stressful situation. You'll have an hour maximum in hot weather like this before the concrete sets up in the drum and if it's a full load, the drum is junk. Probably a $50,000 bill at that point minimum.

So when the s**t is hitting the fan, there's no one you want more on your team than this guy. That's L&S' Sean Burns getting it done.

Picture 2: Our man Russ in action, about to hook up a hydraulic line that can and will soon be operating up to pressures of 10,000 psi. A stream of oil at that speed and force can cut through our bodies like a scalpel. Not for the squeamish or faint of heart.

Picture 3: Jeff and Ian waiting for the thumbs up to begin the emergency unloading. A front end loader is just out of sight to the left that will dispose of the overheated concrete. Until 26 is empty there's no relaxing. Concrete production unfortunately can sometimes be a very serious business. Ian’s smile hides a lot.

Picture 4: The concrete's out of the truck and Sean is buttoning up 10 so it can go back to turning it's own drum. No plumber's crack on that dude. A tough job is over and successful after 90 very intense minutes.

06/04/2024

L&S is hiring again.

We'd prefer an experienced mixer driver, but we'll train the right person.

To join us, you need to be self motivated and good with people, customers and fellow employees alike. Driving a mixer is more than just driving a truck. You will interact with a people constantly.

L&S pays a generous hourly wage and has benefits that include profit sharing 401K, medical insurance, vacation and personal time, and guaranteed 40 hours a week until winter.

We're a close knit group who have each other's backs. Fun to work with, and very professional when we need to be. This is the type of job that people don't leave. A recent hire said after being here a week, "I've found my forever job."

If you're interested, contact us through direct message, or send your resume to [email protected].

05/28/2024

Here's our 3 year man Jordan Jr with his brand new truck. He now holds the distinct honor of being the youngest driver in company history to be assigned a new mixer. Don't let his baby face fool you though, he's wise well beyond his 27 years. Just ask any of our customers, you'll only hear good things. As the son of another legendary Jordan Costa, he's doing an outstanding job living up to the family name.

04/26/2024

Thank God it's Friday here at Hell Of A Mess concrete.

We moved mix, up powered an older mixer, and got our MassDOT reapproval for '24.

This is our favorite pump operator Devin from Simmons Concrete Pumping.

We weren't sure what he was doing, and we were afraid to go and ask him if he needed a hand.

03/28/2024

What are you doing this rainy day?

We're inspecting the overhead aggregate bin walls of the plant.

Not for those who don't like heights, or are claustrophobic.

02/01/2024

L&S has lost another legend...

The one and only Jerry Settlemire .

Jerry started here in '85, and was forced to retire in '11 due to health issues.

He was a customer favorite, and a favorite among his fellow employees.

One of the best pure drivers L&S has ever had. His only flaw was he didn't like to clean his mixer (Come on Jerry, you didn't think I was not going to mention that, did you?).

Jerry became our go-to guy for so many things. If we needed someone to service a big pour and make sure the trucks flowed in and out, and the slumps were constant, it was Jerry. If we needed someone to go out and talk with an unhappy customer, it was Jerry. He was smooth and unbiased. If we needed someone to train a new driver in the L&S way of things, Jerry again.

Part of his magic was he told you like it was. It didn't matter if he was talking to me, the Managing Partner, or the latest hire, you were going to be told if you were right or wrong, and how to fix it. Customers too knew he was a straight shooter (For the record he was a straight shooter with a hand gun too, and won many local competitions). We always sent Jerry to checkout jobsites and their potential for getting trucks stuck, before we batched the load.

He had a colorful way of talking and changed the lingo here forever:

"mmmm 42" (CB radio slang and then L&S private radio slang for okay.

"You'll have to pry me out of the seat" (When told there was a big pour and long day coming up)

"God I love this business" and

" 'crete till we die"

He was a great guy and will be sorely missed. In fact over the years, if someone told me they didn't like Jerry, I dismissed that person, employee or customer, and invited them to use someone else. Jerry had everyone's back.

Where ever you are now Jerry, hot or cold, you better be waiting for me when I arrive in the hereafter, to shake my hand and say "It's about freakin time Digger Dan, nice to see you again."

Have fun catching up with Domino Don. He thought the world of you too.

01/05/2024

It may be called Facebook, but to us it's Truckbook.

That's our 2024 Terex alongside our 1980 TET.

Don't laugh until you see the vehicle excise tax bills side by side.

12/20/2023

For Sale:

1998 Advance / 2011 Phoenix Mixer

$30,000 firm

This truck was remanufactured by Phoenix of Indiana in 2011. Only the axles and transfer case were left untouched. It hasn't really worked hard since.

The drum is in great shape and clean. Still 80% of it's service life to go.

The engine is a factory reman L10 from Cummins in 2011, with a new fuel pump.

The transmission was changed this Summer with a Camerota rebuild.

The rear suspension was completely rebuilt last Summer by Woodwards in New Bedford.

This is a good, solid mixer. It's time at L&S is up, but this truck still has a lot of life in it.

Being a little underpowered has kept it from being ridden hard.

Ideally suited in a spare truck roll, but it is still capable of being worked hard.

I refuse to cannibalize this truck for it's parts and tires. It belongs on the road.

Call 508-509-3639. I'll return your call within the hour, unless it's after 5PM.

11/16/2023

25 years and counting at L&S. That's our man Timmy Flood.

Not enough superlatives to describe him. Very professional behind the wheel. Friendly and patient with our customers, even the ones who try our patience. He can work a truck hard without wearing it out, and he's a joy to work with. A top shelf dude.

And yes, that's a brand new mixer. at $300,000 plus, I think you can understand why concrete has become so expensive.

09/26/2023

***We're hiring.***

Not the best year here for some of our older drivers. Ever notice that when guys get old all they talk about is their medical conditions? Don't stop by the plant unless you want to hear all about them.

L&S has lost two drivers recently to early retirements, so we're hiring. Very good hourly wage, benefits that include 401K, medical insurance, generous vacation and personal time, and guaranteed 40 hours a week until the winter.

It's late in the year to train someone with no mixer experience, but we would if you're the right person. If you have some mixer experience, it would be a big plus.

We're a close group who have each other's backs. Fun to work with, and very professional when we need to be. This is the type of job that people don't leave. A recent hire said after being here a week, "I've found my forever job!"

If you're interested, contact use through an email to [email protected] Thank you.

08/24/2023

Before you complain about the to-do list around your house this weekend, be thankful that you're not doing the to-do list around a concrete plant.

That's our man Marc "Rambo" Ferreira changing the filters on Cement Silo 1's dust collection system. He's 75' straight up.

So if you have to change your AC unit's filter on Saturday, DON'T complain about it to us.

08/11/2023

Our man Wayne Ferreira and T-14's first day on the road.

If you think new car smell is awesome, you should come by and take a hit of new cement tanker smell.

But ask Wayne first. There is a certain decorum in the concrete industry after all.

07/20/2023

Fashion trends are a funny thing. We miss the days when men's shorts went past the knees.

That's our "Man" YouTube Cote, and no, he has not started a trend at L&S.

06/29/2023

One of our new guys Derek Rocha took this shot of his ride in front of the Wind Turbine Staging Area in New Bedford.

Derek drove a garbage truck prior to L&S. Good move. Have you ever seen a cool looking trash truck? No! Even if they're new they still smell bad when you're behind them at a red light. And don't get us started on the flies...

Mixers are SOO much cooler. 😎

06/22/2023

For sale, our 1985 Fruehauf steel bulk tanker. In good shape. The rear frame and suspension were changed 20 years ago to air bags. Can be dropped loaded. Rubber is 50%, but showing signs of dry rot.

Don't think of it as a trailer you'd use everyday. Being steel, it's days of pounding the pavement are long over. Think of it as a horizontal cement or fly ash storage silo. That's what we've been using it for, but we have limited space in our yard, so we're moving it along after 35 years.

$15,000 firm. 508-509-3639(Dan). Will not haggle as I don't have the time. I'll just part it out and chop it up before I sell it for less.

09/15/2022

It's been a long, hot Summer for those of us making, pumping, and placing concrete. The dog days are over, but we're still out here working like dogs.

07/20/2022

https://gofund.me/c8fd6e12

One of the nicest guys that I and many of you know needs our help. Mike "Popcorn" Bourgeois has sad… Danny DeBalsi needs your support for Popcorn's Challenge

07/15/2022

Flash forward Friday?

Shaun Sughrue and his boys in Tewksbury were having trouble getting service from their concrete supplier because of the driver shortage most producers are experiencing. So they came up with a great idea: buy a used mixer and get concrete whenever you want.

That's L&S' old #17 shining like a new diamond.

Impressive move Sean. The Parkinson's ribbon is a nice touch.

07/06/2022

Our man Sean Burns, the first day in his new ride.

Sean's been driving mixers for 26 years. We stole him from Quality Concrete in Fall River about 20 years ago.

This is his first new mixer. He's trying not to seem excited, but he is. As Sean goes, that's his BIG smile.

If you're out there in Facebook land Scott Douglass, Sean has somehow managed to get even better at his craft. And we hope you're well Scott. You might have been a tough competitor, but you were a class act all the way.

07/01/2022

Yeah we're Mack freaks. Is there any other make of truck?

Just like Harley guys think there's only one make of motorcycles.

Now if someone could get Mack to make a front discharge mixer...

Happy America's Birthday everyone.

06/18/2022

Life can be cruel and incomprehensible.

It took this man away from us, his L&S family.

Like all families, sometimes we bicker, say things we don't mean, and get on each other's nerves.

But there's the cherished moments when we make each other laugh, and we feel better just from being around each other.

So many times, Mike Bourgeois, you were our heart and soul.

Indefatigable smile and corny jokes you had used 100 times before. But they still made us laugh. Especially when it was an exhausting day.

You led the charge and we were proud to follow you. Whatever it took.

Though no longer here, you'll never be gone.

We're still a bunch of laughably macho dudes, afraid to show our emotions.

Keeping our guard up.

But we'll let it down to wish you a fond and oh so reluctant goodbye.

We love you Skeeter...Popcorn...Mike.

There's a pain in our hearts that will never heal. We'll just learn to live with that pain.

'Crete till we die.

Rest in a well earned peace Brother,

Till we meet again.

06/08/2022

It's here....

A half year later than it was supposed to arrive.

For a lot more than it was originally quoted.

But once we saw it, we forgave all that.

It's really impressive looking. Like an ATV on a whole bottle of steroids.

05/02/2022

Our 4 legacy employees.

On the left is Jordan Costa, Jr. Son of the irrepressible Jordan, Sr. Junior has been with us for about a year now. A natural born mixer driver like his old man. A customer favorite too. Goes about his business quietly and professionally. Now if we could only get his Father to mimic the "quiet" part.

Next is Zach DiRocco, our Production Manager, and nephew of our most senior employee. Zach has been here almost a year too. His humor is constant and a little irreverent, and makes a day fly by. He's the man behind the curtain, and we all love to hustle for him.

Then comes our man Ian McNaught. His father is the driver of the only orange mixer in the fleet. Ian is an ACI Certified concrete technician, and has a BA in Child Psychology from Stonehill. That comes in real handy when working with the "Grown ups" in the concrete business. He's happiest when driving his mixer, just like his old man.

Fourth is that orange blur behind Ian's shoulder. That's the son of the late Mike "Preacher" Cote, who was L&S' best driver during the 80's. "YouTube", as he's known affectionately, is social media averse. He started last October and studied anything mixer related on YouTube beforehand. We slapped that nonsense out of him rather quickly.

May God continue to embrace your soul Preacher Cote. 'Crete till we die brother.

04/28/2022

For Sale: 2004 Advance Mixer

$30,000 firm. We will not haggle.

The tires are 80% on the rear, fronts are 50%. We bought the truck new. It had a Caterpillar, and we put a Cummins M11 in it 5 years ago, which had very low hours. The drum has a few seasons left of heavy work. It also has no buildup. Other than a new set of batteries, and a good cleaning, it's ready for work.

Anyone in the concrete business since Covid hit knows how hard it is right know to get parts. That problem isn't going away any time soon. As a truck to be cannibalized for parts, it is worth close to $30,000 to us. The M11 is worth $15,000, the tires are worth $4,000, the transmission is worth $3,000, The wearables like the newer main chute is worth $1,000, the Aluminum water tank is worth $1,500, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera..... So it isn't leaving New Bedford for anything less than the advertised amount.

Bill Yared, wherever you are, we know that you are on Facebook. Yes, we're selling your old ride. We're getting a brand new one in May. No, if you come out of retirement, you can't get the new one. Sean will be parking his butt in the seat of that truck. If you have $30,000 kicking around, you can buy #17 and keep it in your driveway though.

Please only call if your serious about buying it. It is located at 32 Lambeth street, in New Bedford.

My cell is 508-509-3639. If I'm in a mixer or the loader, I will not answer. Actually I don't answer strange numbers period. So leave a message please.

Ready mix concrete supplier.

02/28/2022

Roughly split time between trailer and mixer driving duties.

Our Tractors are almost all new or near new. Being junior on the list, you won't be driving one of the new mixers, but they are all in great shape.

We're looking for someone easy going. A mixer is a very special truck to drive, because it's load is fluid and time sensitive. As a mixer driver you'll be working closely with the placement crews, which requires patience and skill with the operator controlled chute.

This is not a boring job. When in a mixer you'll be going to different sites constantly. From backyard pool installations, to big construction sites, and all the in betweens. If you like off roading, then these six wheel drive behemoths are for you. Way more exciting than a dirt bike or ATV, especially when you are delivering concrete to a house foundation. It is not for the squeamish.

We no longer work Saturdays, unless a large contractor demands it. So your day will begin around 6:30, and end anywhere between 2:30 to 6:00, 5 days a week.

The dump trailer work will be hauling sand from Falmouth to our plant in Acushnet. Nice easy run. No pressure.

You need trailer experience, but we'll train you on the mixer.

This job is perfect for someone who's been hauling over the road, and is tired of the long hours and endless highways.

After a 2 month trial period, medical insurance and a 401K retirement plan become available. The job starts at $26.75/hr, with a bump up in July. You'll have two weeks vacation a year, and more after five years. You'll be given 5 sick / personal days. Expect to work about 45 to 50 hours during the busy season, and then just 40 during the cold months.

We're looking for the right person to join our team. We are a close knit bunch, about 15 people in all. We simply like to do our jobs and then go home. No drama please. Just somebody who is looking for a professional, hopefully life time job.

We're only hiring because of retirements and illness. When people come here, they tend to stay. You'll be treated with respect. We also need you to be self motivated. The management here is too busy helping out in production and driving to baby sit or ride your butt.

We also need you to keep your trucks clean. We spend big money on these things and are proud of them. Pig pens need not apply.

So if this sounds good to you, please respond and we will give you a call back. Thank you!

01/14/2022

Check out the precarious perch that driver Ian McNaught has put #10 on to keep the customer satisfied. That tire must be of the same high quality as the mix coming down the chute.

Then check out the Caribbean tan on that goofy customer peeking around the corner. Sure didn't get that here in freakin' frigid New England. Photo courtesy of our good buddy Michael Lopes.

11/08/2021

Now that's something we don't do every day...

Our #11 was chosen on a 5 truck pour this morning to have cremated ashes put into the load, and they became part of the floor.

The driver never asked the person's name, just dutifully assisted in the process.

Please pardon the irreverence, but that must have been kind of a cool last ride, down the chutes of a mixer. From the top they do look just like the big slide on a playground.

Hope orange was his favorite color.

11/03/2021

What are we looking at?

A. - Our man Jordan Costa finding a unique and expensive way to enjoy our famous New England foliage?

B. - Our truck #28 on it's way to join Thomas the Tank Engine and all his buddies in Train Land?

C. - A mixer delivering concrete to a remote section of the New Bedford Commuter Rail?

If you chose C, then you are correct. But if you've been around children the past 20 years, B is much cooler.