Discover Peckham Industries’ century-long journey of empowering communities and fostering positive change  

Family-owned for 100 years, Peckham Industries has historically and consistently empowered communities, guided by the principles of loyalty, mastery, and experience. At the core of its ethos lies The Peckham Way, which encapsulates the company’s century-long belief and mantra that ‘our word is our bond.’ Embracing a result-focused mindset, Peckham Industries remains entirely dedicated to nurturing its continued independent growth. Ever since its early days, the company has been a reliable partner for supplying materials, paving roads, and constructing projects in its local communities. This enduring legacy has fostered a proud and deeply ingrained family-like culture, founded upon the core values of safety, integrity, unwavering dedication, and efficiency. We learn more about Peckham Industries from Damian Murphy, CEO.  

“We are a local and fourth generation family-owned construction materials business operating across the Northeast of the US. Founded in 1924 with an initial investment of $12,500 in White Plains, New York, we were initially established as a road construction company. Over the years, the diverse range of projects we have undertaken has led us to enter the materials sector, which is now our main specialty. Other primary sectors we are involved in include aggregates, blacktop, liquid asphalt, ready-mix concrete, precast, and paving. These services are offered across the Northeast and New England, with our crews completing work for schools, day cares, hospitals, backroads, major interstates, airports, and more. No significant infrastructure can be built without aggregates, which places it at the heart of our business.  

“Operating primarily in New York in the beginning, our continued growth gained momentum in the early 2000s, prompting us to acquire additional facilities in other states such as Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. In honor of our 100th anniversary last year, we hosted a celebration with over 2000 members from our communities across four open house events at our plants and quarries. Furthermore, we had a celebration weekend in New York City, where 1000 of our Family By Choice and their partners partook in a series of activities. Notably, the weekend’s headline event was a gala held in the New York Museum of Natural History,” he reflects.  

Serving communities 

Since its inception, Peckham Industries has been dedicated to serving its local communities, with community engagement at the heart of its company culture. To build strong and enduring relationships, the business actively participates in local initiatives, hosting events like blood drives, open houses, food drives, and local sponsorships. From its long-standing involvement in the Mayflower Marathon Thanksgiving Food Drive, to toy drives, breast cancer awareness efforts, and holiday food and gift donations, Peckham Industries consistently strives to make a positive impact. Additionally, through its very own Peckham Family Foundation, the company extends its philanthropic reach by providing financial support to a variety of causes.  

Indeed, the Peckham Family Foundation plays a pivotal role in driving positive change and enhancing the quality of life in local communities by offering grants that support various initiatives, such as environmental causes, arts in education, and assistance for underserved populations. To date, the Peckham Family Foundation has donated to hundreds of organizations across New York and New England. Notable recipients include Northern Westchester Hospital, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Willie Ross School for the Deaf. The Peckham Family Foundation’s Grants Committee, made up of non-management community members who live and work within the areas served by the company, is responsible for reviewing applications and allocating funding. In line with its commitment to strengthening the fabric of local communities, Peckham Industries prioritizes support for causes that leave a lasting and transformative impact on the communities it serves.  

As a century-old business, Peckham Industries has evidently stood the test of time and is now in an even stronger position than ever. Gregory Peckham, Shareholder and Plant Manager, sheds light on the factors that have been crucial to the business’ longevity and success over the years. “People and culture are the foremost elements that have fueled our continued growth and resilience. Thanks to our roots in the contracting business, we have attracted unique individuals who are all independent, dedicated, tenacious, and fun-loving while maintaining the utmost integrity. Our company values of safety, integrity, dedication, and efficiency are not just words on paper; they are living principles shaped and upheld by our people, resulting in a culture of perseverance and compulsive tinkering. For us, that means that no matter how challenging things gets, we will always keep moving forward.   

“All of our successes are celebrated, but they also serve as catalysts for introspection and finding new ways to improve, as we are never entirely satisfied with our current performance and always strive to do better. While reflecting on our journey as a business, my grandfather aptly remarked, ‘Expansion is a way of life at Peckham Industries. At times, the company pushes too hard, perhaps, but it never stops pushing’. This ethos continues to define our culture today, upheld by the exceptional members of our family by choice – our employees,” he affirms.  

Acquisitions & investments 

Still focused on advancing its growth strategy, Peckham Industries has recently completed two major acquisitions. E. Tetz & Sons, Inc. and its subsidiary, Tetz Asphalt LLC, (collectively known as Tetz) were acquired in 2023. In the following years, Peckham Industries purchased the Gorman Group (Gorman). Gregory tells us more about the newly acquired companies and how they have been integrated into the wider business. “In a recent development, we welcomed Tetz and Gorman into our family of companies. The integration of Gorman into our liquid asphalt resale business, PARCO, has allowed us to be more flexible with our inventories. In addition, this move has empowered us to cater to our asphalt customers with a wider range of products and enhanced our delivery services. Meanwhile, the acquisition of the Tetz businesses provided us with two quarries, a sand and gravel pit, a blacktop plant, and a ready-mix plant. Beyond that, it has marked a pivotal expansion into the growing markets of Orange and Sullivan County, New York and bolstered our reserve position in Southern New York,” he enlightens.  

Alongside the increased capabilities and footprints associated with the acquisitions of Gorman and Tetz, Peckham Industries has made internal enhancements through various investments. “In Slate Hill, New York, which is one of the locations we obtained through the acquisition of Tetz, we have invested in state-of-the-art sand processing plants. Additionally, we have upgraded our sand processing equipment across several other quarries to meet the rising demand for concrete sand within our markets. Across our business, we have placed a focus on enhancing our technological infrastructure. An integral part of this initiative involves investing in advanced software solutions to improve our visibility into business insights. This new software is crucial in analyzing and presenting key performance indicators (KPIs) across several facets of our operations, including sales, logistics, materials production, and construction efficiency. We develop some proprietary software solutions in-house to meet our unique requirements, while also integrating third-party software such as XBE and PriceBee,” Damian explains.  

Whether it is through investments in new technology or sustainability, Peckham Industries is consistently striving to stay ahead of the curve. In line with that, the company is increasingly using recycled materials in its operations and products. “As we champion environmental sustainability, we have been significant proponents of increasing the utilization of recycled materials. By doing so, we not only empower our industry to align with the lower emissions goals of the future but also contribute to the conservation of our finite natural resources. A cornerstone of our sustainability efforts lies in the extensive use of recycled asphalt product (RAP) in our production of blacktop. While many Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in the country cap the usage of RAP at 20 percent, we have consistently pushed the boundaries by operating at RAP contents ranging from 40-to-50 percent for our commercial clientele and forward-thinking municipalities like the New York City DOT. When we run higher RAP contents, it is critical to ensure their efficacy through diligent testing. Moreover, in instances where higher RAP contents are employed, we run rejuvenators to help relieve some of the stiffness often associated with recycled asphalt binders,” Gregory adds.  

Ambitious targets 

Turning to the future, Gregory shares insights into Peckham Industries’ plans and priorities for the year ahead. “As we enter 2025, we maintain an optimistic outlook on the markets within which we operate. Although current volumes remain somewhat depressed, we expect a gradual upturn in the near future. In this landscape characterized by sustained inflation in our inputs and a lower volume environment, we recognize the importance of our market strategy and cost management practices in strengthening our position.”  

Over the next five years, Peckham Industries will be working towards an ambitious target of doubling its size. Damian elaborates on the company’s strategy for facilitating such tremendous growth. “Within our business, there is a multitude of opportunities to boost efficiency and develop mastery across our product lines. As part of our devotion to continual improvement, we are committed to perfecting our performance by investing in cutting-edge technology and equipment every year. By doing so, we aim to maximize uptime and reduce costs, thereby remaining competitive in our markets. Looking further afield, we envision a future where we not only enhance our internal capabilities but also explore avenues for strategic expansion through investments in businesses that align with our core values,” Damian concludes.  

Guided by its core values and unwavering commitment to community, craftsmanship, and innovation, Peckham Industries continues to lead the construction industry with unparalleled expertise and a drive to transform infrastructure across the Northeastern US.   

www.peckham.com