Metheny Concrete Products, Inc. is a family owned and operated ready mix concrete business that has been proudly serving the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area since March 16, 1987. The genesis of Metheny Concrete started back in the 1930’s by Charles Makins, owner and President of Makins Sand and Gravel Company. Makins was a pioneer in the Oklahoma City ready mix business bringing the first ready mix concrete truck to the market. Because of its unusual and unique appearance Mr. Makins had a “?” put on the side of the truck so that the public would wonder what this strange looking truck really was.
In 1953, Hugh Smith was hired by Mr. Makins to start an asphalt paving company and an asphalt production business. Mr. Makins unexpectedly died in 1956, and in the years to come Mr. Smith took over management of the asphalt businesses as well as the ready mix operations. Makins Concrete Company was organized and incorporated in 1961 and Mr. Smith ran the business until the business was closed on March 13, 1987.
Spring of 1976 brought the marriage of Mr. Smith’s youngest daughter Connie to Rick Metheny and in 1980 Metheny joined Makins Concrete Company. Over the next seven years Mr. Metheny learned the business working side-by-side with Mr. Smith and several key long-time employees in the concrete business.
During March of 1987 Connie and Rick purchased two plants and twelve trucks from Mr. Smith and Makins Concrete and on March 16, 1987 Metheny Concrete Products, Inc. was officially opened for business. The original staff consisted of 25 employees and that staff was instrumental in allowing the company to survive the tough recession period of the late 1980’s. Their scriptural motto that sustained them is Luke 16:10-11, 13 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you?...You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Metheny Concrete Products, Inc. has been blessed to have the same General Manager, Randy Dunn and General Superintendent, Steve Defibaugh since its inception. Along with Rick and Connie’s son, Matt and sons-in-law Brent Roberts, married to their daughter Rachel and Steven Smith married to their daughter Jamie, the consistency of leadership has developed a strong management team that has stuck together through bad times as well as good and has been involved in pouring nearly 5 million cubic yards of concrete in the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area.
That mind set continued and Metheny Concrete grew to 135 employees, seventy ready mix trucks, ten hauling trucks and seven concrete plants spread out as far north as Stillwater and as far south as Norman/Newcastle, as well as a portable plant and precast operation. Metheny Concrete Products, Inc. grew to a size that they never expected. During 2013 and 2014 the ready mix business was optimized to three plants, plus a portable plant and 30+ ready mix trucks and the precast operation was sold to take care of the “best of the best” their customers and redirect their efforts to a more manageable and modern ready mix operation.
With the help of his son and sons-in-law in 2011 an affiliated company, Innovative Concrete Solutions was started which is owned and operated by the family and additional partners specializing in concrete construction specifically post-tension foundations and floors. In 2015 Innovative Construction Services, LLC was started to concentrate on not only concrete, but other interior construction trades.
Since inception, Metheny Concrete Products, Inc. has been involved in many notable projects from the Bricktown Ballpark, the OKC Thunder’s practice facilities and several large box stores such as Wal-Mart Supercenters, Home Depot and Super Target stores. Not to mention the countless tilt-up offices/warehouses constructed all over Oklahoma City. They have been proud to be involved in the reconstruction of Interstate 40 and part of the Interstate 235 construction project.
Always looking at ways to improve their operation the team of Metheny, Roberts and Smith are guiding Metheny Concrete into the future by computerizing their entire operation in order to improve efficiency. They are using the latest batching and dispatching technology along with GPS in all company ready mix and haul trucks in order to improve their customer service and quality.
While the past has been exciting and fruitful and the many men and women who have contributed to our success are greatly appreciated, the future looks even brighter. The leadership and management of Metheny Concrete Products, Inc. looks forward to continued success and is excited to being faithful stewards of the employees, customers and equipment with which they have been entrusted. Our goal is to one day be commended “Well done thou good and faithful servants, come into Thy rest.”
