A 164-year-old cornerstone of Minnesota’s infrastructure industry will shut down entirely on December 19, 2025. Minnesota Paving & Materials, a subsidiary of global building materials giant CRH, is closing all 12 of its central and southern Minnesota facilities, displacing 297 workers just weeks before the holiday season. The company, which has supplied asphalt, aggregates, and stone for roads, bridges, and development projects since 1861, will cease operations across Becker, Mankato, New Ulm, Kasota, Owatonna, Rogers, Rosemount, Comfrey, Waite Park, St. Cloud, and Lakeland.
The decision, announced through a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) filing on October 20, marks one of Minnesota’s largest recent job losses in the construction materials sector. Of those affected, 206 workers are represented by Minnesota Operators Local 49, Laborers Local 563, and Teamsters Local 120—unions that have long advocated for heavy-equipment operators and construction trades workers across the state.
A Legacy Built on Stone and Asphalt
For more than 160 years, Minnesota Paving & Materials quietly powered the state’s growth. The company supplied essential materials for residential, commercial, and municipal projects, helping construct the very highways and neighborhoods that define modern Minnesota. The New Ulm Quartzite Quarries, one of the oldest sites, has operated continuously since 1858—making it a rare industrial survivor spanning nearly two centuries of Minnesota history.
Local communities have long depended on these facilities. In Becker, the Sherburne County site at 13983 Industry Avenue served as a vital distribution hub for central Minnesota construction. The Mankato plant supplied materials to projects along the Minnesota and Blue Earth Rivers. In Kasota, a small Le Sueur County town, the twin facility closures eliminate multiple positions in materials processing and hauling—work that has supported families for generations.
Immediate Impact on Workers and Communities
The compressed closure timeline—all 12 sites shutting simultaneously—leaves no room for internal transfers or union “bumping rights,” according to WARN filings. This means nearly 300 families face an abrupt transition into an uncertain job market as winter approaches and the holiday season looms.
Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development has activated its Rapid Response Team to coordinate support. Working alongside the three affected unions, DEED is offering unemployment assistance, job placement counseling, and skills retraining tailored to construction trades. State officials emphasize that the coordinated effort aims to help workers find long-term stability in related industries, not merely replace lost paychecks.
Local leaders across affected regions have expressed concern about broader economic ripples. City officials in Owatonna noted that construction projects will now face higher material costs and longer supply delays. In St. Cloud and Waite Park, planners described the combined loss as “a significant setback” for central Minnesota’s infrastructure capacity. For small towns like Comfrey, the closure eliminates one of few steady industrial operations—a blow to local economies that depend on every reliable paycheck.
Part of a Larger Industry Shift
The shutdown reflects broader consolidation reshaping America’s construction materials industry. Rising costs, supply-chain strains, and labor shortages are forcing companies nationwide to consolidate operations. Minnesota consumes approximately 51 million tons of aggregate annually, worth roughly $187 million, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. While closures like this disrupt regional supply chains, the state’s ongoing infrastructure investments ensure continued demand for reliable materials producers.
CRH, the New York-headquartered parent company, declined public comment on the Minnesota closures, citing a “quiet period” ahead of third-quarter earnings. The global firm ranks among the world’s largest building materials providers, employing more than 80,000 people across 4,000 locations in 28 countries. Its U.S. holdings include well-known brands such as Ash Grove and Oldcastle.
Looking Forward
The December 19 closure marks the end of an era for Minnesota’s construction sector. For long-time employees—many with decades of experience operating loaders, mixers, and testing equipment—it represents the loss of steady union jobs and close-knit teams. For communities that have relied on these facilities for generations, it signals a shift in how regional infrastructure will be sourced and supplied.
As Minnesota’s workforce development systems mobilize to support displaced workers, the broader question remains: whether regional construction demand will attract new materials producers or whether Minnesota’s builders will increasingly depend on suppliers from farther away.