Trans Ash

What Trans Ash does

Trans Ash, Inc. is a privately held, Cincinnati-based heavy civil construction and environmental remediation firm founded in 1960 by Rudy Gerbus as Gerbus Bros Construction and currently operating as a subsidiary of Northstar Group Services. The company specializes in coal combustion residual (CCR) management, civil construction, and operations support services for enterprise utility and power generation customers, primarily coal-fired plants across the southeastern and midwestern United States. Its eight-service portfolio spans the full CCR management lifecycle: CCR basin closure, CCR landfill closure, CCR landfill construction, CCR landfill management, civil construction, dredging, plant support, and grounds maintenance. The company has cleaned 100+ ash basins since founding and maintains a fleet of approximately 1,000 pieces of specialized heavy-duty equipment out of its 617 Shepherd Drive headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The company's revenue model is anchored on project-based and multi-year managed-services contracts with utility customers, with work executed directly at customer plant sites. GPS-enabled construction equipment, drone surveying, and GPS-guided dredging systems provide precision and efficiency advantages on capital-intensive dewatering, excavation, liner installation, and landfill construction projects. Named and inferred customer sites span Plant Bowen (GA), Roxboro, Belews Creek, Marshall, Barry, Buck, Plant Wansley, Amos, and an Alcoa mine reclamation operation in Southern Indiana since 2008. Long-term customer relationships are evidenced by multi-year contract extensions (including a 5-year renewal in 2019), and the founding Gerbus family continues to lead the firm (Mike Gerbus as President, Brian Gerbus as Executive Vice President). The business is B2B, project-quoted, and relationship-driven; labor scale is signaled by salary bands ranging from $20–$27/hour entry-level truck drivers to $135,000–$170,000/year regional quality leads, plus a dedicated Quality Division and Trans Ash University training program supporting talent development in skilled trades roles.

Name

Trans Ash

Legal name

Trans Ash, Inc.

Website

https://transash.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Trans Ash is a Cincinnati-based heavy civil construction and environmental remediation firm founded in 1960, serving coal-fired utilities across the southeastern US with CCR management, basin closure, landfill construction, dredging, and plant support services delivered via a 1,000-piece heavy equipment fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Construction & CCR Management Services

NAICS

Hazardous Waste Treatment and Disposal (562211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Coal Ash & Byproducts Management (CCRs, Fly Ash, Bottom Ash, Gypsum) (EUACAAAI)

Keywords

• CCR management services
• Coal ash remediation
• Civil construction services
• Environmental compliance contracting
• Landfill construction services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. CCR Basin Closure Services: Project-based contracts for cleaning and closing CCR basins at coal-fired power plants, including excavation, dewatering, and closure in place or by removal.
2. CCR Landfill Construction & Closure: Construction and closure services for CCR landfills, including liner installation, cover systems, and ongoing management.
3. CCR Landfill Management Operations: Ongoing landfill operations and management services at utility sites, with multi-year contract extensions demonstrating client satisfaction.
4. Civil Construction Services: Civil construction services for utilities including process water basins, spillways, haul roads, and environmental infrastructure.
5. Plant Support Operations: Daily plant operations support including scrubber materials handling, coal handling, CCR silo management, and facility maintenance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trans Ash is a B2B civil construction and environmental services company that provides total coal combustion residual (CCR) management, civil construction, dredging, plant support, and grounds maintenance for utility companies and coal-fired power generation facilities. The company delivers turnkey solutions spanning basin closure, landfill construction and closure, landfill management, sediment dredging, and ongoing plant operations support, executing projects on-site using a fleet of 1,000 pieces of specialized heavy equipment.

Product overview

Trans Ash is a service-based company offering a unified portfolio of Coal Combustion Residual (CCR) management and civil construction services for utility and power generation clients. The core offerings span eight integrated service areas: CCR Basin Closure (dewatering, excavation, liner installation, and final cover), CCR Landfill Closure (evaluation and closure of existing landfills), CCR Landfill Construction (building new CCR storage facilities), CCR Landfill Management (ongoing operations, permit compliance, and liner maintenance), Civil Construction (utilities infrastructure including basins, piping, and storm water systems), Dredging (sediment removal from basins and lagoons), Plant Support (daily operations and facility maintenance), and Grounds Maintenance (landscape and vegetation management). Trans Ash also operates Trans Ash University as an internal training program for employee development. The company does not offer a software platform, API, or technology product; its services are delivered through a fleet of heavy construction equipment and trained personnel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CCR Basin Closure Comprehensive closure services for Coal Combustion Residual basins, including dewatering, excavation, liner installation, and final cover implementation. Works with federal, state, and local water regulators to obtain permits and ensure environmental protection for utility clients.
• CCR Landfill Closure Services to evaluate options and close existing CCR landfills, protecting public safety and ensuring regulatory compliance through traditional methods and specialized liner company partnerships for utility customers.
• CCR Landfill Construction Construction of CCR landfills dedicated to coal combustion residual storage, combining effective landfill construction with disposal options for non-marketable CCRs and comprehensive landfill management programs.
• CCR Landfill Management Integrated approach to CCR landfill operations including site development, erosion control systems, permit compliance, liner system installation and maintenance, and engineering support for sites of any size.
• Civil Construction Civil construction services for utilities and power generation facilities including CCR landfill construction, basin construction, process water basins, concrete construction, piping systems, storm water management, and demolition work.
• Dredging Dredging and sediment removal services for CCR basins, aeration basins, holding lagoons, and waterways maintenance, utilizing specialized equipment matched to project scope requirements.
• Plant Support Full range of operations and plant support services including scrubber materials handling, labor resources, coal handling, CCR silo management, and facility operation and maintenance for power plant clients.
• Grounds Maintenance Grounds maintenance services for utility and industrial segments including grass cutting, landscape trimming, weed control, fertilization, mulching, and storm damage repair using specialized equipment fleet.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• National Minority Supplier Development CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiversity supplier sourcing partner for the Tier 2 Partner Program, helping Trans Ash source from diverse suppliers and meet diversity goals.
• Women's Business Enterprise CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiversity supplier sourcing partner for the Tier 2 Partner Program, helping Trans Ash connect with women-owned businesses.
• Small Business AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiversity supplier sourcing partner for the Tier 2 Partner Program, helping Trans Ash source from small businesses.
• AvettacoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier/subcontractor compliance management platform. All on-site suppliers and subcontractors must register through Avetta to be considered for Trans Ash projects.
• Northstar Group ServicescoreOthersParent company of Trans Ash. Trans Ash is 'A Northstar Company' providing CCR management and construction services.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• CRH plc: CRH plc is a leading global building materials company with North American operations through Oldcastle Infrastructure. CRH/Oldcastle's environmental services and aggregates businesses intersect with CCR management and civil construction markets where Trans Ash competes for utility-sector work.
• Clean Harbors: Clean Harbors is the largest North American provider of environmental, energy, and industrial services, including hazardous waste management and environmental remediation. While broader than Trans Ash, Clean Harbors competes for utility-sector environmental and waste management work where service lines overlap with Trans Ash's CCR and landfill operations.
• Waste Management Inc. Waste Management is the largest North American waste services provider, operating hundreds of landfills and offering comprehensive environmental services. WM's scale and resources enable it to bid on large environmental and landfill projects where it competes with specialty firms like Trans Ash for utility-sector work.
• Veolia North America: Veolia is one of the largest global environmental services companies, with North American operations spanning hazardous waste management, industrial services, and utility-sector support. Veolia's broad portfolio and balance sheet enable it to compete with Trans Ash on larger CCR and waste management projects as part of a wider services offering.
• Holcim US: Holcim US (formerly LafargeHolcim) is a major cement and aggregates producer that has invested in beneficial use of coal fly ash as a supplementary cementitious material. While operating from a different end of the value chain, Holcim's involvement in fly ash reuse and CCR processing creates adjacent competitive dynamics with Trans Ash's landfill and ash management operations.
• Republic Services: Republic Services is a major North American waste management company with operations across collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal. While focused on MSW rather than CCR specifically, Republic competes in adjacent landfill operations and environmental services where overlap exists with Trans Ash's landfill management work.

Direct peers

• Charah Solutions: Charah Solutions is one of the most direct competitors to Trans Ash, specializing in CCR management, fly ash marketing, and environmental services for the coal-fired utility industry. Following its acquisition by SERCO Group in 2023, Charah operates with similar services around ash basin closure, landfill construction, and beneficial ash reuse, directly contesting Trans Ash for utility contracts.
• American Integrated Services: American Integrated Services (AIS) provides environmental construction, CCR management, and remediation services to utility and industrial clients. AIS competes directly with Trans Ash in CCR basin closures, landfill construction, dredging, and civil construction services for power generation facilities across similar geographies.

Emerging players

• SEFA Group: SEFA Group is a specialized provider of fly ash beneficiation, carbon conversion, and beneficial use services for the utility industry. While focused more on ash reuse than disposal, SEFA represents an emerging alternative approach to CCR management that could compete with traditional basin closure and landfill construction models Trans Ash currently dominates.
• Buzzi Unicem USA: Buzzi Unicem USA operates cement plants that consume coal fly ash as a supplementary cementitious material, giving the company strategic interest in CCR sourcing and beneficial use. As a niche player in CCR-related markets, Buzzi Unicem represents an emerging counterparty in the ash value chain adjacent to Trans Ash's work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

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 Trans Ash