(L-R) are Richard Baldi, founder and owner of Baldi Stone & Gravel and his two sons, Nate and Clayton.
How many small business owners can relate to what life was like when you were a young entrepreneur with an incredible idea? You had the business plan in place, but you needed the means to make it happen. That is exactly what Richard P. Baldi experienced in the mid '80s when he wanted to utilize his land from what was a seasonal Christmas tree farm for a year-round aggregate business.
“Every year we would spend money clearing our land, which would deplete our profits earned from our Christmas tree farm,” Baldi, the founder of Baldi Stone & Gravel, said. “During the clearing process, we would find large rocks and have an abundance of excess aggregate material, which would result in hiring a contractor to come in and crush the rocks and haul off the material.”
It didn't take long for Baldi to realize that it would be far more profitable for him to process the material himself, so, he started pricing equipment, trying to make this idea come to life.
But he encountered a problem.
“Every equipment dealer I went to wouldn't give me the time of day. A small-town guy with some big ideas wasn't enough for the bigger dealerships to risk doing business with me. But then I met Brooke III and Bill with Tyler Equipment. They had faith in me and worked with me to get me the equipment I needed so I could get this business up and running.
“I've never seen a company work so hard for their customers. They're creative, fun-loving and just hands down a tremendous company to do business with. In the past 30 years, I have purchased roughly 70 pieces of equipment, and they are my sole dealership. From my Volvo L120H, L90G, L60G, L70D, EC330B, EC250E and EC140B (just to name a few), I wouldn't choose another brand to own. The Volvo excavators and loaders are fuel efficient, very agile, and easy to operate. And bottom-line, they run consistently and hold a very high retail value.”
Baldi's sales representative at Tyler Equipment, Jasper Diers has been a great asset to the company.
“He has been available at the drop of a hat, in the evenings, on the weekends, you name it. I've had a few machines that haven't met my full expectations, and when I call him, his response to me is, 'Don't worry Richie, we'll get you through it.' and he's either shown up with a brand-new machine to swap out with me, or dropped off a machine for me to use for as long as I've needed. They'll literally do anything to meet our expectations.
“It's not just because Volvo is a good product. Tyler Equipment makes Volvo a great product because of who they have working for them, and what they do for businesses like mine. I wouldn't be where I am today without them,” Baldi said.
About Baldi Stone & Gravel
Baldi Stone & Gravel is still a family owned business, but the company has drastically expanded its products and service offerings since it was founded in 1985. Located on 72 Miller Road in Colchester, Conn., it sells a full range of aggregate material ranging from processed gravel, crushed stone, screened fill, screened top soil, mason sand, asphalt millings, mulch, tailings, mushroom compost and more. In addition to its aggregate items, it also specializes in driveway installations, snow removal, site excavation, home remodeling, onsite crushing/screening/recycling service and disaster clean-up.
Baldi Stone & Gravel takes great pride in having versatile, diversified employees that can drive truck, operate equipment, and perform all the necessary tasks throughout all the various services that they offer. Owning its own gravel pit plays a key role in its other services, as it is able to provide the soil services right into its quotes. It also is able to make custom products that are unique to each job, and take care of removing or recycling any access soil a customer may have.
For more information, visit www.baldistoneandgravel.com.
About Tyler Equipment
Tyler Equipment is a full sales, rental, parts and service dealer of Volvo Construction Equipment, SDLG, Sennebogen, Doosan Portable Power, Rawson Screening, Allied Attachments, Blaw-Knox Pavers, Rogers and Felling Trailers.
Tyler Equipment Corporation has been fulfilling the needs of the construction industry in southern New England since 1922. Its territory includes all of Connecticut and the four western counties of Massachusetts.
For more information, visit www.tylerequipment.com.
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