From humble beginnings as a family ranch, Silver Creek Materials has established itself as a key part of the local supply chain for a wide range of products on some of the biggest projects in the Dallas, Fort Worth area. Utilizing a range of equipment supplied by Powerscreen Texas to produce high-quality materials in significant quantities whilst committed to leaving the land preserved for future generations.
Nestled in the heart of North Texas, Silver Creek Materials has been a pillar of innovation for over four decades. What started as a 100-acre family ranch has transformed into a 600-acre enterprise, setting new standards for sustainable mining practices in Fort Worth. Led by CEO Marshall Dow and his father, Robert Dow, Silver Creek Materials is not just another mining company. Their motto, Stewards of the Earth, perfectly encapsulates their commitment to the environment and the legacy they aim to leave behind.
Robert Dow, the founder of Silver Creek Materials, had a different vision when he became the principal owner of their family ranch. After earning a degree in horticulture, he started his own landscaping business, growing plants in greenhouses that once populated the property. The turning point came in the mid-70s when Robert was having concrete work done near his greenhouses. A truck driver, who noticed the rich sand deposits on the land, asked if he could take some. Robert’s answer, “Well, yes, I can sell you some sand,” this would mark the beginning of Silver Creek Materials.
The company was officially incorporated in 1983, what started with small-scale sand and gravel mining has since expanded into a sprawling operation, with an annual tonnage of over one million tons of material passing through the gates. Despite the impressive scale of their operations, Silver Creek Materials remains committed to minimizing its environmental impact. Marshall Dow, who now oversees daily operations, emphasizes, “We do not want to leave a massive hole in our Earth when we are done mining here. A huge part of our business is the organic recycling, composting, and land reclamation aspects.”
Sustainable Mining in North Texas
One of Silver Creek’s most innovative contributions to sustainable mining is its involvement in Texas’ state tire recycling program. These tires become one of the key components in their land reclamation efforts, along with other recycled materials such as dirt, rock, and concrete, all of which undergo rigorous seven-day testing to ensure that neither the land nor the water is harmed.
Another aspect to their sustainable practices includes organic recycling of liquid waste. Onsite, they receive in pallets weekly containing various liquids, that for one reason or another, cannot be sold to the public. Some of these products include soda cans, beer cans, sport drink bottles, etc. all of which are reintroduced to their mulch piles after being extracted from their original containers. Silver Creek not only utilizes the liquids as food for the microbes in their mulch stockpiles, but they also recycle all the aluminum, plastic, and glass that the liquids might have come in.
SCM’s dedication to sustainable practices doesn’t stop at land reclamation and recycling liquid waste. Another one of their proudest contributions is a 40-acre, 190-foot-deep well that pumps millions of gallons of pure, clean water into the City of Fort Worth’s water supply. In a state often grappling with water shortages, this act of environmental stewardship is just as important as their mining operations.
“The land we’re on has been good to us, and it’s our responsibility to be good to it in return,” says Marshall Dow, reflecting on the balance between business and environmental responsibility. This mindset is what drives every aspect of the operation, from mining and reclamation to recycling and composting.
Legacy of Reliability
At the core of Silver Creek Materials’ success is its relationship with Powerscreen Texas, a partnership that dates to the 1990s. After years of struggling with unreliable screening equipment, Robert Dow met with Powerscreen Texas President Sam McNabb. The introduction was timely, as Silver Creek needed high-output screeners capable of handling the heavy volume of material their expanding operation demanded. “We made a pros and cons list of numerous screener manufacturers that we’ve used onsite, and for us, we found that Powerscreen had the longest list of pros. From that point, we have stayed true to Powerscreen Texas” Marshall explains.
Equipment: Getting the Right Answer
Marshall’s initial experience with Powerscreen machinery was during a site visit hosted by Powerscreen Texas in partnership with Powerscreen of CA, NV, & HI at a landfill in California. The Warrior 2400 was in operation and impressed the Silver Creek CEO immediately, Marshall was convinced to purchase their first Warrior 2400 after witnessing material that is clay-bound like their material onsite in Fort Worth being processed through the machine at high throughputs of between 700 – 800 tons an hour consistently.
The company now runs an impressive fleet of machinery from Powerscreen Texas, including three Powerscreen Warrior 2400s, two Warrior 1800s, a Titan 2300 screen, a Komptech Starscreen, and the CBI 6800CT horizontal grinder. This diverse range of machines is responsible for processing the primary products Silver Creek Materials is known for: sand, gravel, clay, fill dirt, recycling, and compost. Their top-selling aggregate product is a 2-inch minus material, while their finest sand product is between 1-inch minus and ¾-inch minus. According to Marshall, “The Powerscreen Warrior line complements our top-selling products extremely well. They are running constantly, and we can always rely on the truth that they will produce the best products for our business”. The machines SCM have invested in from Powerscreen Texas ensures consistent, top quality material for their diverse range of aggregate.
The Powerscreen Warrior 2400, one of the largest scalping screens in the Warrior range, boasts a massive 20’ x 6’ screen box that is highly versatile in allowing Marshall and his team to efficiently process large quantities of aggregate with minimized downtime. Marshall shared, “You can swap screen media in and out so easily. The ability to change the product we are making without stopping production for long is key in allowing us to meet our customers’ demands.”
The 2400 was favored by Silver Creek for its heavy duty scalping, ideal for their gravel and clay bound material. The large screening area combined with its aggressive throwing action allows for effective screening of the most difficult materials such as wet or sticky clay with minimal clogging or blockages.
The Warrior 1800 was also on their radar to add to their fleet as this machine is known for its compact yet powerful productivity. Slightly smaller than the 2400, the 1800 features an 11’ x 6’ screen, which is utilized mostly for processing smaller volumes of sand and fill dirt onsite. Though compact, the 1800 provides the same level of reliability and ease of use as larger models but with the more flexibility in transport across their 600-acre site.
On the front end of their recycling operations onsite sits the CBI 6800CT horizontal grinder. Silver Creek utilizes the 6800’s high throughput and sheer power to grind a variety of materials, from wood waste to construction debris. These materials are turned into a diverse array of mulch and compost to offer their customers. The 6800CT features a 15% larger screening are than the 6800BT, allowing for production capacity to reach up to 200 tons per hour, a feature that greatly impacts their operations, ensuring that they meet all their goals to better serve their customers.
Marshall Dow also shared, “The reason we purchased these machines from Powerscreen Texas is because they have always been the most reliable dealer. Spare parts have always been available when we need them, and the machines have always delivered reliably and with the highest throughput.”
From Greenhouses to Runways
As their business has grown, so too has the scale of their projects. Silver Creek Materials is now responsible for one of its largest undertakings yet: providing the material that will form the foundation for the new runways and taxiways at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. This project is a testament to the quality of the products they produce at Silver Creek Materials, with materials used in an aviation application having to meet the highest and most stringent standards.
Remote Monitoring and Management
As the scale of the operation has grown but maintaining the consistency of product quality is non-negotiable, the use of technology is playing an increasingly important part in managing production efficiency and identity opportunities for improvement. For this, Marshall and his team currently turn to the Powerscreen Pulse Telematics platform to track their equipment’s performance. From monitoring operating hours to tracking fuel consumption and identifying preventative maintenance needs, this technology ensures that their machinery operates efficiently and sustainably, reducing downtime and resource waste. In a company that processes over a million tons of material annually, this kind of operational insight allows Marshall and his team to maximize their uptime and productivity.
Leaving a Lasting Footprint
Though their quarry reaches depths of 190 feet below the surface, the Dows are not solely focused on what lies beneath. With a clear eye on the future, their efforts to reclaim the land and replenish natural resources stand as proof of their commitment to sustainability. Whether it’s returning clean water to Fort Worth or recycling material into reusable products such as compost, Silver Creek Materials is leading by example.
As stewards of the earth, Silver Creek Materials embodies the philosophy that industry and environmental responsibility can and must go hand in hand. With over 600 acres of property under their care, they continue to make strides toward a sustainable future where the land is both productive and preserved for generations to come.
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