LHV Precast Inc.’s Kyle Willis operating a 50-ton Mi-Jack mobile crane, while brother Dylan steadies box culvert. This piece of equipment has proven to be extremely useful, safe and efficient on many of the company’s complex jobs.

A family business that can span more than four decades is obviously doing something right. That’s the story of Kingston-based LHV Precast, Inc. Started by Dick and Clarice Willis in 1979 (who are now retired), the commercial precast concrete company is currently managed by their sons, brothers Jim Willis and Bob Willis. Under their leadership, LHV continues its long tradition of providing quality products and stellar service with its customers’ project schedules and budgets in mind.

Jim joined his father in starting the business in Kingston and was later joined by brother Bob in 1983. The company was originally called Lakelands Hudson Valley Corp., but sometime in the late 1980s it was changed to LHV Precast. Jim and Bob are equal shareholders with both parents surviving and still holding titles of Secretary and Treasurer.

Among the 48-person staff are other family members, too, including Jim’s sons, Kyle and Dylan. Bob notes that his son, Brandon, will be doing an internship with the company this summer. Additionally, LHV has a strong engineering staff, including talented draftspeople and four sales engineers, directed by Bob. Jim runs the day-to-day operations, including overseeing production and finance.

Quality Service, Quality Products

LHV is a true leader in the region’s precast concrete market. The company is an approved NYSDOT production facility with an expansive product line that includes catch basins and manholes, electrical vaults and light pole bases, box culverts and three-sided spans, large septic tanks, Stone Strong—a proprietary, NYSDOT-approved retaining wall system that can also be used for bridge abutments on non-DOT projects, the proprietary Legioblock system for use in bin walls and self-storage facilities, Contech CON/SPAN & BEBO arch bridge units as well as a host of other custom designs to meet the needs of specific projects.

LHV is all about underground utility structures. “We use NYSDOT-approved raw matrials in all of our precast concrete products. Virtually all of our materials are made and mined here in the Hudson Valley. Our in-house technicians, who are certified by the National Precast Concrete Association (NPCA) and the American Concrete Institute (ACI), along with outside inspectors, maintain high-quality finished products, providing our customers with the best possible experience on every job.”

First and foremost, LHV prides itself on being customer oriented and for doing everything it can to meet customers’ schedules. “We are more adaptive to meeting the customers’ schedules and deadlines than much of our competition. We will work overtime to complete projects on time. We have an excellent reputation for that, as well as for our quality and service. We are competitive in every way, and our customers can trust us. The majority of our business, in fact, is repeat business.”

Keeping Customers Close

The LHV service area spans approximately 150 miles from its Kingston headquarters, going up to the Canadian border, down to New York City, out to Utica, and over into Connecticut and Massachusetts. “We’re dedicated to service. We have our own fleet of trucks and a dependable relationship with outside haulers when it gets to be more than we can handle.”

As for its loyal clientele, Bob notes that they do a lot of work with the counties, especially Ulster County. He says, “We have over 40 bridge abutments and bridge slabs in place since 2004. We’re very proud of that. The Stone Strong retaining wall system is used for bridge abutments by Ulster County and other counties as well. Along with that design, we produce lightweight bridge slabs up to 30’ in span, and for longer spans we will produce thinner slabs that are designed to sit on steel beams with a stud connection."

More than anything, LHV Precast is dedicated to its clients. “Since the beginning, we have been committed to providing customers with outstanding quality, and timely, excellent service. We will always go above and beyond to find the right solution.”