As I write to our staff and customers alike, the current state of financial affairs in our country could best be described as uncertain. The stock market continues to behave unpredictably, largely due to instability and a lack of clear direction from national leadership. As we all know, market performance affects each staff member’s profit-sharing account and 401(k).

While investing is a long-term game — and short-term market reactions aren’t the wisest indicators — there are still near-term impacts. We face rising costs for imported products, and even our insurance premiums are influenced by market volatility, regardless of our stellar safety record and loss experience. (By the way, both are excellent.)

So the question becomes: what can we do as one small business here in El Paso, Texas?

I’m proud to report that the current state of affairs at Western is solid and robust. Sales are strong, and our contracted orders for the future are on pace with sales goals consistent with previous years and our sustained percentage of growth.

I’m often asked what I focus on when it comes to leading Western Precast. Two things immediately come to mind — Safety and Quality.

Without success in these two areas, failure would be inevitable.

I’m incredibly proud to share that, as of today, we’ve reached 700 days without a lost-time incident. WOW! Nearly two full years without a serious injury. What does this mean for Western? Most importantly, it means each of our staff members has returned home safely to their loved ones each day. That’s priceless.

Operationally, this achievement means we can be insured by preferred carriers and enjoy competitive premiums. Our long-standing partnership with Texas Mutual has paid off in return premiums, which we reinvest into safety programs and gear. My deepest thanks to Sergio Arvizu, our safety director, and the entire management team for keeping our family safe.

¡Un millón de gracias para todos!

Equally important, our quality assurance department continues to set the standard. In 2024, Western was once again named one of the top 25 certified plants in the National Precast Concrete Association. We earned a 100% score on our annual unannounced plant inspection — an incredible honor. To have one of the top 25 precast plants in America right here in El Paso is something to be proud of.

Western has been NPCA certified for 24 years and ranked in the top 25 several times. Our average inspection score is over 96%. Why does that matter? Because quality is one of the few competitive advantages we can fully control. While pricing is affected by many external factors, quality is our commitment — and one that keeps clients coming back.

Huge congratulations to Joe Marín and his team for their outstanding dedication. ¡Muchísimas gracias!

As we near the midpoint of 2025 and celebrate 79 years in business, let’s remember: life is about people and the relationships we build. Let’s make those relationships strong, respectful, and positive. When we do, everything else falls into place.

Our mission remains:

“Produce quality concrete products in a safe and efficient manner to achieve a profit sufficient to return back into the organization to reward those that demonstrated the good effort.”