ISS – History

The history of International Surfacing Systems (ISS) dates back to 1983 when International Surfacing Incorporated (ISI) was founded which followed the purchase of the asphalt-rubber assets of Sahuaro Petroleum and Asphalt Company.  In the beginning ISI had more trainees than experienced personnel.  The major challenge was the maintenance work that had to be accomplished on all the equipment which was a critical and formidable task, but was successfully met by the determination of hard working men and women.  During the ISI years there were many dynamics as the asphalt-rubber industry evolved.  Asphalt-rubber binder was a patented process and in 1987 the patent holders authorized additional licensees and so ISI had to compete with four additional asphalt-rubber applicator companies.  These firms were Asphalt Rubber Systems of Riverside, Rhode Island; Cox Paving Company of Blanco, Texas; Eagle Crest Construction Company of Arlington, Washington and Manhole Adjusting Inc. of Monterey Park, California.  The following year ISI held a “spreader school” and invited all other licensed applicators to attend this two-day training course which focused on blending and application of asphalt-rubber binder, with emphasis on quality control and proper construction procedures.  ISI trained their competition!  Why?  For the good of the industry, and to provide consistency and standardize the quality of the various asphalt-rubber systems, nationwide.

ISI continued to lead the way through many changes and evolvements that the asphalt-rubber industry was to go through.  The early 1990’s brought the very controversial “Federal Mandate years” along with the expiration of the patents which then opened up the industry to many other contractors.  With the accelerated growth caused by these and many other changing market conditions that the industry had to face along with many of its own negative internal issues, ISI was destined to go out of business.  This occurred in 1997 and prior to a bankruptcy preceding the assets were purchased by a company in central California, Basic Resources Inc.  ISI was re-named International Surfacing Systems (ISS) but many of the original people and all the original asphalt-rubber equipment remained.  For a number of years ISS was in a re-building mode and there has been many changes compared to the previous ISI years.  The result is the fact that ISS still has one of the largest and well maintained fleet of spreader trucks and specialized asphalt-rubber blending and reaction equipment in the United States.  ISS has also continued to move forward concerning the development of innovative technology which has not only added new dimensions to the industry, but has improved and enhanced the use of asphalt-rubber binder relating directly to cost effective pavement preservation techniques. 

Numerous changes have occurred in the company and the industry since ISS was formed out of the old ISI.  Most of the present personnel were and are instrumental in effecting these positive changes.  Our firm has grown considerably, and has developed new equipment, materials, procedures and technology that will be an integral part of this industry for years to come.