About Us

    Ash Basics Company, Inc (ABC) is a full service company focused on all aspects of managing, marketing and utilizing coal combustion products (CCPs) generated by coal fired power plants. These CCPs are the end products resulting from the burning of coal in large boilers or furnaces used to produce electricity, which consist mainly of fly ash (a fine powder pulled from the top of the boiler), bottom ash (heavier agglomerated particles that fall to the bottom of the boiler), and Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) material (the end result of cleaning air emissions), commonly referred to as scrubber sludge or gypsum. Throughout the United States, these coal or “fossil” fired stations produce millions of tons of these CCPs, which can be used for inclusion into products generally related to the concrete industry, or wallboard industry with regards to gypsum. A vast majority, approximately 70%, of all CCP’s are stored on electric utility property by way of sediment ponds called “ash basins” through a wet sluicing process, or by dry stacking in above ground impoundments called “landfills”. ABC provides service to these utilities by operating landfills and mechanical collection systems, reclaiming ash basins, selling these raw products, and developing new utilization programs and products for purchase by the general public.

    ABC also provides services for other materials associated with power plant operation, such as: “cenosphere” (lightweight ash that floats on ash basins) collection and utilization for specialized markets, coal recovery and processing from mill reject streams and coal piles,  waste water sludge handling and disposal, boiler slag collection and marketing, and any other material management requiring bulk handling capabilities.
ABC is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C., a geographically strategic location to serve utilities, product suppliers, manufacturers, and end users throughout the Southeastern United States and other regions of the U.S. as well.

    Ash Basics Company has a strong relationship with Duke Energy Corporation, a major utility located in North Carolina. This relationship was formed by many successful contractual projects beginning in the early 1990’s between current ABC and Duke personnel. With this long experience in the CCP industry, both locally and nationally, ABC is qualified to handle any need expressed by our clients.

The following highlights and milestones with Duke Energy Corporation are hereby presented to illustrate that ABC should be your company of choice for CCP related services:

  • ABC personnel offer over 65 years combined experience in CCP management, marketing, and construction for major utilities throughout the eastern United States, with over 50 of those years working with Duke Energy Corporation.
  • Current senior officers of the company were directly responsible for implementing the structural fill program for Duke Energy in the early 90’s, with over 2 million tons of CCPs placed in private development projects. These endeavors lead to the Duke CCP management team receiving the Chairman’s Award from Duke Energy.
  • ABC has been actively working with Duke Energy since 1998 at various Duke power plants managing projects totaling over $18 million dollars.
  • ABC has met all Duke requirements for status as a qualified bidder with regards to safety, performance, financial security, insurance coverage, and other conditions as indicated by inclusion in Duke’s BROWSE data base system for Purchasing and Procurement Department.
  • Marketing rights, license rights, and other contractual agreements are currently being generated by ABC for six technologies, all of which require CCPs as the raw material.
  • ABC currently owns a fleet of equipment, including trucks in support of large projects under A Basic Construction, LLC, a subsidiary of ABC. This division is lead by an experienced field supervisor who is currently working with Duke on major ash basin projects.
  • ABC currently holds the contract for cenosphere recovery and marketing from Duke’s ash basins. This unique source of material will be marketed and developed for specialized products under A Basic Cenosphere Company, also a subsidiary of ABC.
  • ABC has always supplied bids for projects when invited by Duke Energy, has completed all obligations to Duke’s satisfaction on individual projects, and has the capacity to generate future business directions of benefit to any utility in many ways.
  • ABC brings a unique approach to CCP Marketing by incorporating personnel from both the utility industry and the national Ash Marketing industry.

 

    The CCP industry encompasses many issues with multiple parties responsible for environmental and regulatory compliance, safety, and sound financial business practices, among others. Communication and interaction among diversified groups with different goals can often be confusing and challenging to achieve results. Ash Basics Company was formed on the principle of getting “back to basics”, keeping things simple, and that is what we strive to do.

   

History 

    Ash Basics Company Inc. (ABC) was formed in May 1998 by Robert D. (Dean) Johnston, President and CE0. At that time, Dean, chose to embark on his own journey in the coal ash industry, having served as project manager, salesman, and operations director for large and successful ash marketing companies in the southeastern region of the U.S. since the early 1980’s. At the time ABC was formed, Duke Energy Corporation was looking for a company that could market and develop a new utilization program called “structural fill”. The objective was to use coal ash as a substitute for conventional fill material (soil) to “level’ building sites for commercial businesses. The concept made since, as State and Federal regulations to promote this program and other utilizations were originated to encourage the use of coal ash as a recycled product. The utilities wanted a way to utilize the “waste” generated by electric power production to avoid long term storage costs. The commercial developers wanted an alternative to costly soil movement to produce sound foundations for building sites, and the environmental agencies supported this application as being environmentally friendly. Dean was directly responsible for Duke’s first structural fill project for a site using over 100,000 tons of ash, only to be followed by a second and third site project totaling over 1,000,000 tons of ash, all taking place in the early 1990’s. Based on Dean’s knowledge of the local area, his past successes, and lengthy experience in the coal ash industry, Duke Energy selected Ash Basics Company to promote and market this readily available material from Duke’s seven fossil power plants. 

    Utilizing coal ash deposited in ash basins and from storage silos. ABC initiated projects for commercial development in and around Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln Counties of North Carolina. ABC provided Duke coal ash for the first major highway project (interstate bypass) located near Charlotte, N.C., as well as diversified businesses such as airports, gas stations, tire stores, car dealerships, and retail shopping centers. By 2003, ABC had placed over 2 million tons of coal ash into various private projects, providing Duke an avenue to reduce costs, while helping the local economy and businesses.  

    Today, Ash Basics Company Inc. is an important national company serving North Carolina, South Carolina and the entire southeastern region of the United States. It is ABC’s company goal to expand traditional ideas, generate new ones, and change the way industry and the public view utilization of an abundant source of raw material, capable of exciting and rewarding benefits to the world.