Willow Design

What Willow Design does

Willow Designs LLC is a privately held, founder-operated manufacturer of asphalt paving equipment attachments headquartered in East Berlin, Pennsylvania. The company was started by contractor Jerod Willow in 2005 when he developed a notch wedge system for his own paving crews; the original 2005-built set reportedly remains in service. Its product portfolio centers on longitudinal joint construction: the Notch Wedge Safety System, the Safety Edge System (compliant with the 30-degree FHA safety wedge mandate for federally funded projects), and a patent-pending Notch Wedge Pneumatic Roller designed for secondary compaction of the wedge joint in response to Connecticut DOT specifications. Supporting products include Asphalt Depth Gauges, Asphalt Wedge Curb Attachments, and Hopper Inserts, all built as custom-fitted attachments for specific paver models.

The business sells proprietary equipment directly to asphalt paving contractors and state transportation agencies through phone, email, and on-site consultation, with no resellers or intermediaries. Go-to-market relies on trade media coverage (Asphalt Pro, Asphalt Pavement, APE, Paver Marketplace), customer testimonials, and a social media presence rather than a formal sales force. Willow also offers on-site consulting and one-day crew training seminars covering paving techniques, grade control, paver setup, and compaction, providing a service overlay on top of hardware sales. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; products are sold as sets (typically left and right) with optional upgrades (e.g., spring-loaded kits for NY DOT compliance) and refurbishing services for existing systems.

The customer base is distributed across more than 150 contractors in over 30 US states and Canada, including heavy-highway contractors such as Glenn O. Hawbaker, Schellinger Construction, Eastern Industries, James J Anderson Construction, and government buyers such as Connecticut DOT and PennDOT. The company is bootstrapped with no external funding, operates with 1-10 employees, and generates revenue primarily through one-time equipment sales; there is no public disclosure of revenue, and the operating model is consistent with a niche, specification-driven micro-manufacturer.

Name

Willow Design

Legal name

Willow Designs LLC

Website

https://willowdesignsllc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Willow Designs LLC designs and fabricates custom asphalt paving attachments, including notch wedge and safety edge systems, pneumatic rollers, depth gauges, and curb attachments, selling directly to heavy-highway contractors and state DOTs across 30+ US states and Canada, with complementary on-site consulting and crew training.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asphalt Paving Equipment

SIC

Construction Machinery & Equip (3531)

akta.pro primary industry

Pavers & Road Construction Equipment (IMAHAAAI)

Keywords

• Asphalt paving equipment
• Notch wedge joints
• Safety edge systems
• Pavement compaction equipment
• Highway construction attachments

Headquarters

HQ city

East Berlin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: One-time sales of proprietary asphalt paving equipment including notch wedge systems, safety edge systems, pneumatic rollers, curb attachments, and depth gauges. Products are sold as sets (left and right) with optional upgrades and refurbishing services for existing systems.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Willow Designs designs, fabricates, and sells proprietary attachments for asphalt pavers used to construct longitudinal joints meeting state DOT and FHA specifications — including the Notch Wedge Safety System, Safety Edge System, patent-pending Notch Wedge Pneumatic Roller, asphalt wedge curb attachments, depth gauges, and hopper inserts. The company also delivers on-site consulting and crew training services for paving contractors and state transportation agencies.

Product overview

Willow Design is a manufacturer of asphalt paving equipment and attachments, founded by a contractor in 2005. The product portfolio centers on notch wedge joint systems (Notch Wedge Safety System and Safety Edge System) that attach to asphalt pavers to create longitudinal joints meeting state and federal specifications. Supporting products include the Notch Wedge Pneumatic Roller for secondary compaction, Asphalt Depth Gauges for measurement, Hopper Inserts for material flow, and Asphalt Wedge Curb Attachments for curb formation. The company also offers On-Site Consulting services for asphalt paving operations and training seminars. Products are designed as contractor-focused solutions with emphasis on quick installation (under 60 seconds), adjustability, and durability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Notch Wedge Safety System Attachment system for asphalt pavers that builds notched wedge joints (Michigan joints) for longitudinal joint construction of asphalt highways. Features under-60-second slide-on mounting, adjustable end gate control, and compatibility with crown adjustments. Sold as a set (left and right).
• Safety Edge System System producing the 30-degree standard wedge required by FHA for federally funded projects. Available in standard or vibratory units, using the same mounts as Notch-Wedge Systems for easy slide-on installation. Refurbishing services available for existing systems.
• Notch Wedge Pneumatic Roller Patent-pending pneumatic solid wheel roller (450 lbs) for secondary compaction of notch wedge joints. Features a steering design for lateral tracking adjustment, pressurized release agent tank, and works with front or rear extend screeds. Pulled from either side of the paver with adjustable pull point. Achieves joint density equal to mainline mat densities.
• Asphalt Wedge Curb Attachment 6-inch screed extension producing 6.5-inch asphalt wedge curbs. Heated by a 110-volt system powered by an onboard generator. Custom-built to fit any paver and capable of forming various curb shapes.
• Asphalt Depth Gauges Stainless steel depth gauge (37-inch length) with adjustable depth measurement, allowing paving operators to check mat thickness without bending over.
• Hopper Inserts Equipment accessory for asphalt pavers designed to manage and improve material flow at the hopper.
• On-Site Consulting Consulting service covering proper paving techniques, Topcon grade control, paver setup for mat smoothness, rolling trains and compaction, and trucking and plant effectiveness. Includes 1-day on-site seminars for contractors introducing notch wedge joints or safety edges to their crews.

Quantifiable outcome

• Joint density of 90-93% achieved with notch wedge joint compaction technique using 12.5mm 64-22 WMA 2-inch depth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Blue Water Solutions, LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWebsite development partner responsible for Willow Designs' website (citclear.com). Website credit acknowledged on company site.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hamm AG: Hamm AG (a Wirtgen Group brand) produces rollers and soil/asphalt compaction equipment. Comparable because Hamm's pneumatic-tire rollers overlap functionally with Willow Designs' pneumatic roller, and both target the same joint compaction specification requirements on highway paving jobs.
• Bomag: Bomag manufactures compaction equipment including rollers for soil and asphalt applications. Comparable because Willow Designs' patent-pending Notch Wedge Pneumatic Roller addresses secondary compaction of longitudinal joints, directly overlapping Bomag's roller product category for the same paving customer base.
• LeeBoy: LeeBoy manufactures asphalt pavers, motor graders, and related road construction equipment. Comparable because Willow Designs sells retrofit attachments to contractors operating LeeBoy-class pavers and competes for the same end-customer wallet (heavy highway and commercial paving contractors).
• Vögele (Wirtgen Group): Vögele, part of the Wirtgen Group, is a leading global manufacturer of asphalt pavers and paving technology. Comparable because Willow Designs' safety edge and notch wedge systems are designed for compatibility with Vögele-style pavers, and any integrated paver-side solution from Vögele would directly compete with Willow's aftermarket attachments.
• Dynapac: Dynapac manufactures asphalt pavers, compactors, and paving equipment. Comparable because Dynapac's rollers and pavers are used by the same heavy-highway contractors that buy Willow Designs' notch wedge systems, and Dynapac's compaction equipment addresses overlapping specifications for joint density.
• Roadtec: Roadtec (an Astec Industries company) manufactures asphalt pavers, material transfer vehicles, and road construction equipment. It is comparable because Willow Designs' attachments are designed to retrofit onto asphalt pavers of various types, the same machine category Roadtec produces as factory-integrated equipment.

Direct peers

• Bergkamp Inc. Bergkamp manufactures pavement preservation and asphalt maintenance equipment including spray injection patchers and related attachments. Comparable as a niche manufacturer of specialty paving equipment accessories serving the same government-DOT and heavy-highway contractor customer base as Willow Designs.
• Carlson Paving Products: Carlson Paving Products manufactures asphalt paving equipment including screeds, pavers, and accessories. It is comparable because it produces complementary paving attachments and accessories for the same contractor customer base and shares the same distribution channel of selling directly to paving contractors and DOTs.
• CIMLINE: CIMLINE manufactures asphalt pavement maintenance equipment including crack sealing and pavement preservation machinery. Comparable because it is a small specialty manufacturer of asphalt paving accessories and attachments serving DOT and contractor customers, similar to Willow Designs' position in the joint construction niche.

Emerging players

• Weiler (Weiler Products): Weiler Products manufactures specialty paving equipment and attachments for commercial and highway paving applications. Comparable because it serves the same paving contractor segment with retrofit-style equipment accessories, representing a potential direct competitor for notch-wedge or safety-edge attachment sales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCJ48PSUCAOuCm35gxdEFWOA
• Facebookfacebook.com/willowdesignsasphalt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/willow-designs-fabrication-l-l-c
• Instagraminstagram.com/willowdesignsasphaltllc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Willow Design