Celebrating 30 Years as Florida’s Asphalt Expert

Miguel Lopez Jr. Asphalt Maintenance
Written by William Young

Miguel Lopez Jr. Asphalt Maintenance & Site Development is a family-owned company located in Pembroke Pines, Florida and serving the greater Florida area. The business began in 1989 as a venture between brothers Miguel and Eduardo Lopez, both of whom worked in their father’s company manufacturing precast structures such as catch basins, manhole covers and bumpers used by paving contractors, before deciding to open a business together; today, the brothers employ around sixty people within their company – including additional family members – and are celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the business this year.
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Miguel Lopez Jr. Asphalt Maintenance & Site Development ensures they address each client’s concerns and makes a report detailing the condition of the paved surface for free – a service which many businesses find very attractive – while stressing the importance of regular maintenance. From there, the company will engage in any number of services from site development and clearing of the land to asphalt and/or concrete paving and addressing any issues the area has with regard to water, sewage, and drainage. Their services extend beyond paving and include waterproofing, sidewalk repair and installation, street gutters, water and sewer installation and more.

Clients place a great deal of importance on maintaining parking lots, as they want their lots to be in good shape, making the business more attractive, but they want it done for the least amount of money. The Lopez brothers say that seal quoting and parking lot maintenance are among the company’s most requested services.

In a field like asphalt maintenance, it is very important for clients such as property managers or owners that companies like the Lopez’s keep to a schedule, as time spent closing a parking lot for asphalt maintenance can lead to lost income. The company commits to being on time in every aspect of a project to complete it as soon as possible. This means that in-depth communication is a must.

Miguel Lopez says that the company’s approach to customer service is “why we’ve been in business for thirty years,” and it is “the way we treat customers and the product we provide… the quality of service and organization,” that makes the business stands out from others like it. In a maintenance-based business, Lopez says, service is the most important part; doing the right job on time and the product itself are both very important as well, but being there when needed leads to money saved and less aggravation for any client involved.

Miguel Lopez Jr. Asphalt Maintenance & Site Development began as a family-owned company and continues that tradition some thirty years later. The Lopez brothers say that their sons and grandsons have found work with the company in the last three decades, and the brothers themselves also retain active roles in the company; Miguel attending industry events and client meetings, Eduardo taking a supervisory role in the main office.

Beyond these connections, the brothers call the workplace a “people-centric culture,” meaning that employees are treated as much as family as anyone else. Many of the company’s employees have been part of the workforce for twenty to twenty-five years or more and remain there because of their knowledge about the company’s product, their exemplary communication skills – an asset in dealing with a variety of clientele, and because of the company’s commitment to take care of its people. In every sense, the Lopez brothers believe that surrounding the company with good people is important to the longevity and success that a business like theirs has found.

The company’s people first attitude also extends to its charitable side, and it has contributed for the past five years to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation (formerly Miami Children’s Hospital Foundation) by donating toys, makeup, games, and other items for children who must remain in hospital during the holiday season.

In its thirty years of business, the Lopez’s company is no stranger to recognition. The company is a two-time Eagle Award winner for excellence in engineering from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Florida East Coast Chapter and has found itself on the receiving end of other awards like the engineering contractor of the year in 2016 from the Latin Building Association. The company is a federally certified SBA 8(a) company – an assistance program for small disadvantaged businesses – is certified with FDOT, and in 2017, was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. These accolades have helped the company stay visible in its market, as has its use of internet marketing through abundant use of social media platforms and its continued use of networking throughout its area.

The company counts itself as a member of several area organizations in the construction and maintenance industries, such as the United States Hispanic and Miramar Pembroke Pines Regional Chambers of Commerce and the Builders Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) among others. It is a frequent contractor for bigger real estate companies within the area as well.

A great deal of financial and corporate upheaval has taken place in both the world and the realm of asphalt maintenance since Miguel and Eduardo began the company in 1989. The economy has fluctuated greatly in the past thirty years, but the Miami and South Florida markets have seen tremendous growth within that time to offset the more infamous economic downturns the United States has faced. Many technological advancements within the maintenance industry have come forth in the last thirty years as well, and the company has been very lucky to be able to roll with the industry and provide the training and technology to its workforce to change with the times and grow.

Miguel and Eduardo say that the company plans to continue its growth, especially regarding its maintenance services. With the economy in South Florida being as strong as it is, many new businesses and opportunities are developing every day, meaning a bevy of potential clients continue for companies like Miguel Lopez Jr. Asphalt Maintenance.

Miguel says that the company has grown in the range of 140 to 200 percent in the last three years and given the state of the market and how the company can take advantage of it, it will be very well on track to continue this growth into 2019 and even farther. The brothers are confident that the company’s long-held values of exceptional customer service and keeping people first in all respects will see it into the next thirty years and beyond.

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