Buildex

Name

Buildex

Legal name

Buildex

Website

https://buildex.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Buildex manufactures Haydite® ceramic structural lightweight aggregate from a single Dearborn, MO rotary kiln plant, shipping 225,000+ cubic yards annually to infrastructure, commercial construction, geotechnical, and horticulture buyers across 15 Midwestern and Rocky Mountain states as a subsidiary of Summit Materials (NYSE: SUM).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lightweight Construction Aggregate

NAICS

Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying (2123)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400)

akta.pro primary industry

Asphalt Aggregates & Specialty Aggregates (Rail Ballast, Riprap, Lightweight) (IMADAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Lightweight Aggregate Blocks (e.g., Pumice, Cinder) (IMADABAE)

Keywords

• Lightweight aggregate
• Structural concrete materials
• Rotary kiln aggregate
• Geotechnical fill
• Construction materials manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Lightweight Aggregate Sales: Buildex manufactures and sells Haydite lightweight aggregate as its only product. The company ships over 225,000 cubic yards annually throughout the United States. Revenue is generated through bulk sales, super sack (on-pallet) shipments, and one cubic foot bag sales (20 bag minimum).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Buildex manufactures and sells a single core product, Buildex® Lightweight Aggregate (also marketed as Haydite®), a ceramic structural lightweight aggregate produced by expanding shale in a rotary kiln at temperatures exceeding 2,200°F. The aggregate is sold in bulk, in super sacks on pallets, and in one cubic foot bags with a 20-bag minimum, and is shipped to customers across 15 Midwestern and Rocky Mountain states for applications including asphalt preservation, structural concrete, geotechnical fill, masonry block, stone veneer, refractory, horticulture, aquaponics, and storm water management.

Product overview

Buildex is a manufacturer of a single core product: Buildex® Lightweight Aggregate (also known as Haydite®), a ceramic structural lightweight aggregate produced by expanding shale in a rotary kiln. This one product serves as the foundation for multiple specialized applications, including Asphalt Preservation, Internal Curing, Lightweight Structural Concrete, Masonry Block, Stone Veneer, Refractory Applications, Green Roofs & Horticulture, Aquaponics, Storm Water Management & Water Treatment, Lightweight Geotechnical Fill, Natural Athletic Field Conditioners, and Equine Arena Amendment. The aggregate is sold in bulk, super sacks, or one cubic foot bags and ships throughout 15 Midwestern and Rocky Mountain states. The company, founded in 1950 and now a Summit Materials company, ships over 225,000 cubic yards annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Haydite®: Lightweight aggregate prepared by expanding select shale in a rotary kiln at temperatures exceeding 2,200°F, producing a uniform and high-quality ceramic aggregate.

Products and services

• Buildex® Lightweight Aggregate (Haydite®) Core ceramic structural lightweight aggregate produced by expanding shale in a rotary kiln at temperatures exceeding 2,200°F, sold in bulk, super sacks, and one cubic foot bags for use in construction and infrastructure applications.
• Asphalt Preservation Aggregate Chip seal surface treatment aggregate that produces safer, more economical, and longer-lasting road surfaces than conventional aggregates, extending asphalt life by 5–7 years and reducing windshield damage.
• Internal Curing Concrete Aggregate Prewetted expanded shale, clay, or slate lightweight aggregate that supplies water throughout a concrete mixture to improve hydration, reduce early cracking and chloride ingress, and extend concrete service life.
• Lightweight Structural Concrete Aggregate Structural concrete aggregate designed to reduce dead loads and improve durability in buildings, bridge decks, and exposed structures while helping mitigate Alkali-Silica Reaction (ASR).
• Green Roofs & Horticulture Aggregate Non-toxic, odorless, inert horticultural and landscape soil medium for rooftop gardens, golf course greens, ball field conditioners, and potting soil that resists compression, degradation, and chemical reaction.
• Aquaponics Grow Medium Inert expanded shale grow media for hydroponic and aquaponic growing systems, where fish waste supplies nutrients to plants and plants purify the recirculated water.
• Storm Water Management & Water Treatment Aggregate Lightweight aggregate used in vegetated filter strips, rain gardens, constructed wetlands, bioswales, and as filtering fill beneath permeable pavements to treat and reduce storm water runoff.
• Masonry Block Aggregate Lightweight aggregate for concrete masonry units that increases thermal performance, saving an average of 5.5 cents per block per year in energy costs over the life of the structure.
• Refractory Applications Aggregate High thermo-structural resistance lightweight aggregate manufactured above 2,200°F for consumer products such as fireplace logs, gas grill briquettes, patio fire bowls, pizza ovens, and boat dock/pool decking.
• Stone Veneer Aggregate Lightweight aggregate for manufactured stone veneer products that provides an aesthetically pleasing alternative to natural stone at lower labor, shipping, and installation cost.
• Lightweight Geotechnical Fill Engineered lightweight aggregate fill for geotechnical applications that converts unstable soft soil into usable land, with approximately half the weight of common fills and high internal friction angle reducing vertical and lateral forces by more than half.
• Natural Athletic Field Conditioners Lightweight aggregate field conditioners that mix evenly with all soils, absorb water quickly, decrease wind erosion, and reduce player injuries on athletic fields and warning tracks.
• Equine Arena Amendment Arena blend that transforms clumpy, sandy soils into comfortable riding surfaces, cutting dust, reducing muddy and slippery conditions, and requiring less water and rain-related downtime.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90 lb./ft3 concrete has 260% better insulation factor than 135 lb./ft3 concrete
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Expanded Shale, Clay, & Slate Institute (ESCSI)coreOthersBuildex is a proud member of ESCSI, an industry institute focused on expanded shale, clay, and slate lightweight aggregate. ESCSI provides industry standards, research, and promotion of structural lightweight aggregate products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Arcosa Specialty Materials (Lightweight): Arcosa (formerly Trinity Lightweight) is the largest North American producer of expanded clay, shale, and slate lightweight aggregate. Directly comparable to Buildex via identical rotary kiln vitrification technology, ASTM certifications, and structural concrete / masonry block end markets.
• Norlite LLC: Norlite produces expanded shale lightweight aggregate in upstate New York using the same rotary kiln process as Buildex, targeting structural concrete, masonry, and geotechnical fill in the Northeast. Closely comparable product, technology, and applications.
• Carolina Stalite Company (Stalite): Stalite produces expanded slate lightweight aggregate in North Carolina through rotary kiln processing, serving structural concrete, masonry, and horticultural markets in the Southeastern U.S. Same core product, end-use focus, and certification profile as Buildex.
• Utelite Corporation: Utelite mines and expands shale into lightweight aggregate at a Utah facility serving the Mountain West and West Coast. Comparable rotary kiln process, expanded shale feedstock, and structural concrete / masonry end markets.
• Big River Industries: Big River (formerly Texas Industries lightweight unit) produces expanded clay lightweight aggregate in the Gulf Coast region for concrete masonry and structural applications. Same lightweight aggregate category and structural / masonry use cases as Buildex.

Broad incumbents

• Vulcan Materials Company: Largest U.S. producer of construction aggregates with a national footprint. While Vulcan is principally a commodity crushed-stone producer, it participates in specialty lightweight aggregate end-use applications and serves as a benchmark for aggregates-industry scale economics.
• Martin Marietta Materials: Top-tier aggregates and heavy building materials producer with national operations across the Midwest, South, and East. Relevant comparable for aggregates production economics, infrastructure end-market exposure, and trucking logistics costs that drive Buildex's 15-state market area.
• Summit Materials Inc. Public parent company (NYSE: SUM) with aggregates, cement, and ready-mix operations across the U.S. Buildex is a wholly-owned subsidiary; relevant for understanding capital allocation, geographic footprint, and competitive dynamics with other Summit aggregates operations.
• Holcim US: Aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and cement producer serving U.S. infrastructure and commercial markets. Holcim's ready-mix and aggregates operations compete at the ready-mix and concrete producer stage that Buildex's lightweight aggregate feeds into.
• CRH plc (Oldcastle): Global building materials conglomerate with North American Oldcastle franchise producing aggregates, concrete products, and masonry. Significant presence in masonry block — Buildex's masonry block end market — making CRH a relevant end-customer-adjacent peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/llcbuildex
• Facebookfacebook.com/BuildexAggregates
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buildex-inc.

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Buildex