Air Placement Cement Company

What Air Placement Cement Company does

Air Placement Cement Company is a privately-held, family-owned industrial services provider headquartered in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Operating as a division of John M. Hill, Inc., the company delivers turn-key refractory, gunite, and shotcrete services to industrial customers across the Eastern and Central United States, with active sales coverage in West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky. Founded in 1951 by G.D. Heldreth and under Hill-family ownership since 1976 (currently in its third generation of management), the firm serves nine industrial verticals including power generation and incineration, coal processing, iron and steel, non-ferrous metal processing, aluminum, petrochemical, mineral processing, pulp and paper, and infrastructure.

The company's core technology is mechanical and materials-science based, centered on specialized refractory installation techniques including gunite (pneumatically applied concrete) with 65+ years of experience, shotcrete and concrete pumping, refractory brick work, precast shape fabrication, ceramic fiber work, and structural repair methods such as epoxy injection and carbon fiber wrap. Air Placement Cement owns and maintains its own equipment fleet — Piccola, Reed, Allentown, and Airplaco Gunite Machines, dry-mix batch plants, high-pressure pumps, and multiple high-CFM air compressors — enabling 24/7 emergency response. The company also distributes refractory products (brick, castables, mortars, gun mix, fiber products, high-temperature products) from its West Virginia warehouse, acting as a regional distributor for major manufacturers including Harbison Walker International, Vesuvius, RHI Magnesita, Unifrax, Snow Shoe Refractories, Resco Products, Mt. Savage Specialty Refractories, Spar Refractories, United Refractories, Magneco/Metrel, and Carolina Refractories.

The business operates on a sales-led, project-based model with field sales representatives making direct calls on industrial customers and providing custom quote-based pricing. Revenue is generated through two streams: professional services (turn-key refractory installation and repair projects) and hardware sales (refractory product distribution), with multi-year contracts referenced. The company has 11-50 employees, no disclosed revenue, no external institutional ownership, and a wholly-owned subsidiary (Hill Refractory Services) formed in 2013 after the acquisition of Bigelow-Liptak Corporation's service division.

Name

Air Placement Cement Company

Legal name

John M. Hill, Inc.

Website

https://airplacement.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Air Placement Cement Company is a family-owned, third-generation industrial services firm headquartered in Bridgeport, WV, providing turn-key refractory, gunite, and shotcrete installation plus refractory product distribution to power, metals, petrochemical, pulp and paper, and infrastructure customers across the Eastern and Central United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Refractory Services

NAICS

Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing (3273), Other Concrete Product Manufacturing (327390), Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors (23811)

SIC

Concrete Products, Except Block & Brick (3272), Concrete, Gypsum & Plaster Products (3270)

akta.pro primary industry

Mortar, Grout & Masonry Cements (IMADABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concrete Resurfacing, Overlays & Patching (HSAGALAD), Concrete Equipment (Mixers, Pumps, Batching) (IMAHAAAK), Cementitious Binders & Additives (Fly Ash, Slag, Silica Fume, Lime) (IMADAAAH)

Keywords

• Refractory services
• Gunite applications
• Shotcrete services
• Industrial concrete work
• High temperature products

Headquarters

HQ city

Bridgeport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Refractory Services: Project-based services including gunite, shotcrete, brick installation, precast shapes, fiber work, fabrication and steelwork, epoxy injection, carbon fiber wrap, concrete and grout applications for industrial customers.
2. Refractory Products Distribution: Distribution of refractory products including brick, castables, mortars, plastics, fiber products, gun mix, and high temperature products. The company maintains products in their West Virginia warehouse and acts as a distributor for multiple refractory brands.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Air Placement Cement Company is a turn-key provider of refractory, gunite, and shotcrete services serving industrial customers across the Eastern and Central United States. The company installs and maintains high-temperature refractory linings, performs precast shape fabrication, brick installation, concrete and grout work, epoxy injection, carbon fiber wrap, and structural steelwork, while also distributing refractory products (brick, castables, mortars, plastics, fiber products, gun mix, high-temperature products) from its West Virginia warehouse.

Product overview

Air Placement Cement Company is a turn-key provider of refractory, gunite, and shotcrete services serving multiple industries. The company operates as both a products distributor and service provider. The product portfolio includes refractory materials: Brick (various types including silica, fireclay, high-alumina, zircon-based), Castables (conventional, insulating, low cement, ultra-low cement, vibration cast, cement-free, pump cast, self-leveling), Mortars/Plastics/Fiber Products (refractory mortar, coatings, ladle wash, heat/air setting plastic, ceramic fiber products), Gun Mix products (conventional cement bonded, insulating, low cement, shotcrete, colloidal silica, plastic mixes), and High Temp Products (cloth, rope, sleeves, gaskets, packing). Services include Shotcrete/Pumping, Gunite, Precast Shapes, Fiber Work, Fabrication and Steelwork, Brick Work, Epoxy Injection/Carbon Fiber Wrap, Concrete/Grout, and Sand Blasting. The company also operates under Hill Refractory Services division after acquiring Bigelow-Liptak Corporation's service division in 2013.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brick Refractory brick products including Silica Bricks, Fireclay Bricks, High-Alumina Bricks, Chrome-corundum Bricks, Zircon Mullite Bricks, Zircon Silicate Bricks, Magnesia Bricks, Calcium Bricks, and Insulating Bricks, supplied for industrial high-temperature applications.
• Castables Refractory castable products including Conventional Cement Bonded Castable, Insulating Castable, Low Cement Castable, Ultra-Low Cement Castable, Vibration Cast Castable, Cement Free Castable, Pump Castable, Free-Flowing Castable, Self-Leveling Castable, and Aluminum Resistant Castable.
• Mortars | Plastic | Fiber Products Refractory mortar, plastic, and fiber products including Refractory Mortar, Refractory Coatings, Ladle Wash, Heat Setting Plastic, Air Setting Plastic, Ceramic Fiber Blanket, Ceramic Fiber Board, Ceramic Fiber Paper, Ceramic Fiber Rope, Ceramic Fiber Textiles, Ceramic Fiber Cloth, and Ceramic Fiber Modules.
• Gun Mix Gunite and shotcrete mix products including Conventional Cement Bonded Gun Mixes, Insulating Gun Mixes, Low Cement Gun Mixes, Shotcrete Mixes, Colloidal Silica Gun Mixes, and Plastic Gun Mixes.
• High Temp Products High temperature products including High Temp Cloth, High Temp Rope, High Temp Sleeves, High Temp Gaskets, and High Temp Packing.
• Gunite Gunite application services with 65+ years of experience, featuring specialized equipment including Piccola, Reed, Allentown, and Airplaco Gunite Machines, with 24/7 emergency service capability for industrial customers.
• Shotcrete | Pumping Shotcrete and concrete pumping services with 10+ years of experience, offering High Pressure Refractory/Concrete Pumps, High Output Pumps, Shotcrete Equipment, and Accelerator Pumps for emergency 24/7 response.
• Precast Shapes Precast refractory shapes services with capability to design, precisely cast, fire, and deliver refractory shapes for installation across multiple industries.
• Fiber Work Fiber refractory construction services provided in partnership with leading manufacturers, offering over 10 years of experience in fiber construction from small repairs to complete new linings.
• Fabrication and Steelwork
• Brick Work Refractory brick work services with highly specialized skills in all types of Refractory Brick applications, performed by trained and skilled craftsmen.
• Epoxy Injection | Carbon Fiber Wrap Structural repair services including Epoxy Injection for repairing non-moving cracks in concrete (10+ years experience) and Carbon Fiber Wrap for structural column confinement and strengthening of concrete, masonry, stone, and timber structures.
• Concrete | Grout Industrial Concrete and Grout services with over 65 years of experience, including pneumatically applied concrete for vertical and overhead applications without forms, and concrete pumping for non-residential work.
• Sand Blasting Sandblasting services for Commercial and Industrial markets with capabilities to use Baking Soda, Dry Ice, Sponge, Glass, Ceramic, Jetmag, Coal Slag and other abrasives.

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• UnifraxminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnifrax supplies ceramic fiber products including blanket, board, paper, rope, textiles, cloth, and modules that Air Placement Cement distributes to customers. Products are branded under Unifrax.
• Snow Shoe RefractoriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSnow Shoe Refractories supplies brick products including silica bricks, fireclay bricks, high-alumina bricks, and other refractory bricks that Air Placement Cement distributes.
• RHIminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRHI (RHI Magnesita) is a major refractory brick supplier whose products including various brick types are distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• Harbison Walker InternationalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHarbison Walker International is a leading refractory manufacturer whose gun mix products are distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• Mt. Savage Specialty RefractoriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMt. Savage Specialty Refractories supplies gun mix products distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• Resco ProductsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResco Products supplies gun mix and other refractory products distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• Spar RefractoriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpar Refractories supplies gun mix products distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• United RefractoriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnited Refractories supplies gun mix products distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• Magneco/MetrelminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMagneco/Metrel supplies gun mix products distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• VesuviusminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVesuvius is a global refractory manufacturer whose products are distributed by Air Placement Cement.
• Carolina RefractoriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCarolina Refractories supplies gun mix products distributed by Air Placement Cement.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• RHI Magnesita: World's largest refractory supplier with significant U.S. presence in steel, cement, and lime. Overlaps with Air Placement through brick distribution and competes on large industrial refractory projects.
• HarbisonWalker International: Largest U.S. refractory products manufacturer and installer. A supplier-partner to Air Placement via its gun mix distribution relationship and a broad incumbent competing on national turn-key refractory services in power, steel, and chemicals.
• Vesuvius plc: Global refractory and foundry consumables manufacturer with U.S. service operations. Comparable as one of the principal refractory brand partners that Air Placement distributes for and competes with on turn-key installations.
• Resco Products: North American refractory manufacturer serving steel, aluminum, glass, and cement. Comparable through its gun mix and refractory product lines that Air Placement distributes, while competing on broader product portfolios.

Direct peers

• Magneco/Metrel: Manufacturer of refractory and ceramic products including gun mix and specialty castables. Directly comparable product portfolio, with Air Placement acting as a regional distributor and installer for the same product lines.
• BNZ Materials: U.S. manufacturer of high-temperature insulation and refractory products serving industrial customers. Comparable in industrial specialty product focus and end-market exposure (power, metals, cement).
• Gunite Supply & Equipment Co. Specialty gunite and shotcrete equipment supplier and contractor. Directly comparable to Air Placement's gunite service line in equipment, application techniques, and infrastructure/industrial customer base.
• Sharpe Refractory Services: U.S. refractory and insulation installation contractor serving power, petrochemical, and heavy industrial markets. Closely comparable turn-key refractory installation business model and customer verticals.
• Plibrico Company: U.S. manufacturer and installer of monolithic refractories and turn-key refractory services. Closely comparable in combining proprietary refractory products with field-installation services for industrial customers.
• United Refractories: U.S. manufacturer of monolithic and gunned refractories for iron, steel, aluminum, and cement. Comparable specialty product mix (gun mix, castables) and similar industrial customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Air Placement Cement Company