Pit & Quarry, February 2016
Grit and determination A Louisiana producer overcomes a physical challenge and makes the most of his business opportunities A number of people start their morning with a cup of coffee John Robbins general manager at Louisiana based Webster Gravel and Asphalt says he likes to start his morning watching the sunrise onsite at a crushing or paving project I like taking beautiful pictures of the sunrise before heading to work on a project he says My whole family likes doing that Were always excited for the sun to come up before its rock n roll time for crushing When its time to crush Robbins maneuvers his way into the cab of a loader or crusher Robbins is bound to a wheelchair most of the time because he has multiple sclerosis MS which attacks the central nervous system Despite his disability Robbins tries to never miss a day of work He says he finds unique safe ways to get into machinery Typically I can get myself onto any kind of machine Robbins says If its a normal crushing day I pull a truck up close to a machine and get in the cab Or I can climb up using my arms On tough days I cheat and sit in the bucket of a loader to lift me up into the cab Getting into machines is the hard part but once hes in Robbins says hes ready to crush or load for the whole day One cant tell Robbins is disabled once hes operating a crusher loader or track hoe While he has limited use of his legs Robbins figures out ways to move his feet or shift his body weight to operate the machines just like anyone else He says hes not special but I tell him he is says Gerald Bauer president of Eccofab Bauer met Robbins when delivering parts to Webster Gravel and Asphalt about three years ago PORTABLE PLANTS BY MEGAN WILKINSON A Rubble Master RM80GO portable crusher is a successor to the RM80 a crusher Webster Gravel and Asphalt purchased in 2009 38 PIT QUARRY February 2016 www pitandquarry com
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