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  Herk & Associates Recruiting Team

The Hidden Hiring Challenges Facing Paving & Road Building Equipment Companies

The paving and road building equipment industry plays a critical role in building and maintaining the infrastructure that keeps North America moving. Whether manufacturing equipment, supporting dealer networks, expanding sales territories, or providing product support across multiple regions, companies throughout this specialized industry depend on experienced professionals who understand both the equipment and the customers they serve.

Finding those professionals, however, has become one of the industry's biggest challenges.

Why hiring in the paving & road building industry is different

Unlike broader equipment markets, the paving and road building industry draws from a much smaller pool of experienced professionals. Many candidates have spent years developing specialized knowledge of asphalt production, milling, paving, compaction, rehabilitation, road construction processes, and customer applications. Those skills are difficult to replace and even harder to find.

At the same time, the most qualified professionals are often already employed and being actively recruited by competitors. For employers, that means filling leadership and sales positions often requires a proactive recruiting strategy rather than waiting for applications to arrive.

Today's hiring challenges

Companies across the paving and road building equipment industry continue to face several workforce challenges, including:

• Increased competition for experienced industry professionals
• Limited talent pools with specialized equipment knowledge
• Growth into new geographic markets and territories
• Expansion of dealer networks and product lines
• Candidates being actively recruited by competing organizations
• Succession planning for key leadership positions

Organizations looking to grow need leaders who understand the industry, can build customer relationships, and have the experience to support long-term business success.

The positions we recruit

At Herk & Associates, we recruit for leadership, sales, and operational positions throughout the paving and road building equipment industry, including:

Whether our clients are expanding into new territories or strengthening existing teams, we understand the qualities that contribute to long-term success in this highly specialized industry.

Why industry expertise matters

General recruiting firms understand recruiting.
Industry-focused recruiters understand the equipment industry.

For more than 25 years, Herk & Associates has specialized exclusively in recruiting for heavy equipment industries across North America. Our recruiters work with manufacturers, dealerships, distributors, and equipment organizations every day, giving us real-time insight into hiring trends, workforce movement, and candidate expectations.

Because we understand the paving and road building industry, we know how to identify candidates who possess the technical knowledge, leadership skills, and customer-focused mindset our clients need.

Connected to the equipment industry

Staying involved in the equipment industry helps us better serve our clients. As active members of both the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) and the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), our team stays connected to the trends shaping today's equipment market. We also regularly participate in major industry events, including the AED Summit and CONEXPO-CON/AGG, allowing us to strengthen relationships throughout the equipment community and stay informed on evolving workforce challenges.

Trusted by equipment manufacturers

Long-term partnerships are built on trust, communication, and results. Here's what one of our manufacturing partners had to say about working with Herk & Associates:

"We have had the pleasure of working with Herk & Associates for many years, and they have consistently proven to be an invaluable partner in our industry. Kevin and the Herk team have always gone above and beyond to understand our hiring needs and provide quality candidates that align with our hiring goals. Their professionalism and dedication to excellence make them a standout agency, and we look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come."

— Senior Recruiter, Wirtgen America

Companies we support

We recruit for organizations throughout the paving and road building equipment industry, including:

• Paving equipment manufacturers
• Road building equipment manufacturers
• Asphalt equipment companies
• Milling equipment manufacturers
• Compaction equipment manufacturers
• Equipment dealerships
• Equipment distributors
• OEM organizations
• Equipment rental companies
• Product support organizations

Whether your organization manufactures paving equipment, supports dealer networks, or continues to expand throughout North America, we understand the hiring challenges unique to your business.