The 1st
To me it feels like the concrete paver has been around forever. I was kind of shocked when I found out the
concrete paver was first brought to the American Market in 1972. During my research there was little to no information published about the origins of the modern day concrete landscape paver. The very first pavers were used in Europe but there is little to no info about when it was invented. My task was to find the who, what, when, where and why about the history of concrete pavers. So my focus shifted to who was the first in the Americas to manufacture concrete pavers and that lead me straight to Unilock. Unilock was the 1st to manufacture concrete pavers with the UniStone Paver as the prototype. Unilockcontinues to be at the forefront of developing new manufacturing processes, techniques and styles to keep the concrete paver relevant in todays market.
Today there are now dozens of regional and national concrete paver manufacturers and a flourishing landscape market. Belgard, Techo Block, County Materials, Genest, Tremron, Barkment and more.
Everything else is just a copy of the blueprint and product developed by Unilock. Here is the story of how the concrete paver was made famous and how Unilock was founded.
THE FOUNDING
In 1972, a European stone mason, installing a fireplace at our family home north of Toronto, sparked an idea. That discussion would mark the early beginnings of the establishment of the first successful paving stone manufacturer in North America, Unilock®.
Ed Bryant was new to concrete manufacturing when he and Heather, his wife, started building the business together. Ed’s early years in the military combined with his experience in both the construction and computer businesses provided him with the endurance, relationships, ‘know-how’ and the ‘sense of urgency’ to make the vision a reality. He credits, “a great product, great people, perseverance, planning and some luck” for Unilock’s ongoing success.
Leveraged to the max, Unilock was founded on humble beginnings focused on providing a quality product to a new market. It probably isn’t a stretch to say that the market didn’t know what a paver was, never mind the inherent benefits and installation requirements. Fortunately, Ed was able to develop European connections to provide the seed money to put the vision into motion. These investors had grown up with segmental paving products in Europe and were willing to take the risk of developing the North American market with Ed at the helm.
Not only was investment required for the first production facility in Barrie, Ontario, but Ed knew that the investment in marketing was key to success. The market had to be educated. The aesthetic and functional benefits of the paver over more traditional paving products had to be communicated to the fragmented mom and pop dealers, installers, architects, designers and to the homeowner. Ongoing investment in people, marketing and innovation ensures that our customers continue to have access to unparalleled business building resources.
The first Unilock installations continue to endure with resilient beauty, whether residential or commercial. Our family home is one of the original residential applications. The Unistone® product looks as good as ever. One of the first commercial jobs was the 1974 installation at the Toronto Zoo, sold by Heather. Proper installation of our quality pavers ensures that these pieces of history will continue to remind us of our history of quality.
Unilock continued to grow through the building boom of the 1980’s as plants were constructed around the greater Toronto area. By 1984, the first Unilock US operation, in Buffalo, was established; this was the start of the Unilock presence in north eastern US. By the 1990’s, production facilities were in full operation on the outskirts of Chicago, Detroit, New York, Boston and Cleveland.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. Like other successful companies, Unilock has withstood the highs and lows of the economy. We like to think that we have even turned some of these economic challenges into opportunities. Diligently managing our cash, we have been able to seize opportunity and continue to innovate when most of the market was focused on cut-backs. During the 1990’s recession, the competition looked on with disbelief when, Unilock introduced a new product that used secondary processing to batter and bruise pristinely pressed product to look prematurely aged. We fondly call this the first North American tumbled product; Unilock’s Brussels Block®. Since its introduction, we have been flattered by the numerous copies of this product as we have continued to bring new and improved innovations to market, like the unparalleled durability and natural aesthetic appeal of RichCliff®.
Exclusive international relationships we have with other manufacturing and concrete design groups provide Unilock the unique advantage to harness global innovations. The meetings with these groups not only serve as a platform to share successful ideas, but also those that didn’t work out so well. We all know that local markets have unique tastes, but there are also solutions to shared problems that benefit the international market.
Dirt, grime and in particular gum are an unsightly reality in all markets. Rain and street cleaners can do their best to clean pavement surfaces, but gum has traditionally been stubborn to remove. Don’t forget the oil left by a delivery truck in your driveway or the food spilled at your recent patio party? Metten’s German innovation delivers new StayClean technology to facilitate ease of cleaning of all stubborn stains including gum, oil and food. Unilock exclusively brings you this technology in our Select Umbriano® product which boasts beauty and stain resistance for both commercial and residential applications.
Almost 40 years later, Unilock has not forgotten its humble beginnings. Our employees, some that have been with us since the beginning, continue to evolve with the market while maintaining our brand values. Integrity, passion and innovation are words set in stone to give us that daily nudge.
We continue to learn a great deal from our successes and our mistakes as we endeavor to pursue the ultimate in paving technology.
If you need pavers for a landscaping project in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, look no further than Unilock, the original manufacturer of concrete paving stones in North America. Since 1973, we have been the brand most trusted by contractors and homeowners alike for unmatched durability. With Ultima™ concrete technology, our pavers are up to four times as strong as poured concrete, and our TitanTec™ surfacing makes our paving stones resistant to cracking after being exposed to freezing temperatures. In addition to their unbeatable performance, our driveway and patio pavers are also renowned for their rich colors and lasting beauty. With the broadest selection of colors, styles, and textures in the industry, our products can be combined to create a truly unique look that complements both the exterior of your home and your personal style. Our Unilock Select™ collection of pavers includes some of our most stunning designs, including: • Courtstone® – for the look of European cobblestones • Il Campo® – featuring irregular brushed lines • Rivenstone™ – for an elegant, classic flagstone look • Yorkstone™ – mimics the appearance of fossilized limestone • Richcliff® – boasts a realistic surface texture for a natural, random look • And many more
For more than 40 years, Unilock has been the most trusted brand of pavers in the country. That’s because we not only have the best products, but exceptional customer service as well. We ensure that our customers have access to the most knowledgeable staff by providing ongoing training for our employees and authorized contractors. Additionally, we stand behind our products with a transferable lifetime guarantee, which means we will continue to look out for your investment long after the work is done. For more information about our quality pavers for your Milwaukee home and to receive a free estimate from a Unilock Authorized Contractor, please contact us today.
*Content from this article was provided by Unilock.com and Horttrades.com
Pool Pros is not an affiliate and was not compensated for this article
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https://horttrades.com/the-history-of-pavers
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