“ They bought us for a reason ,” Jason Latiolais , President and CEO , begins . “ CRH looks for companies that are innovative and creative , able to think outside the box , and bring exciting new ideas to the group , all of which we really pride ourselves on . We are at the technological forefront and constantly seek new approaches to improve our efficiencies and processes . It ’ s been an incredible move for our employees , as it ’ s presented them with new opportunities that Barriere , alone , couldn ’ t have offered them before .
“ The family ownership element of a company often limits its workforce ’ s headroom for career progression , with a lower benchmark for pinnacle positions . Now , under CRH , we have a whole host of sister companies , which has opened up new roles throughout the US and Europe . We can now be an exporter of talent and offer our people subsequent space for personal growth , which has created a lot of positive energy within the organization . We also now have access to a great deal of resources and support from CRH , which is great , but otherwise , it ’ s generally been business as usual . We have around 400 employees and have been this size for the last ten to fifteen years , which I don ’ t see changing unless the market does .”
Safety and quality
Barriere is primarily a highway contractor with around 65 percent of its work being asphalt related , due to its three plants located in southeast Louisiana . The business serves New Orleans , Baton Rouge , southern Mississippi and some of the region ’ s northern markets with its product
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