Surry Business

Ararat Rock Products Co. southwest of Mount Airy usually doesn’t attract as much attention as Surry County’s other major quarry — N.C. Granite Corp.‘s sprawling Flat Rock operation (so huge it can be seen from space) that mines “Mount Airy White” granite — but an article this year in Pit & Quarry magazine reveals many details about Ararat Rock Products that even many long-time Surry County residents don’t know.

Ararat Rock Products’ physical area surpasses N.C. Granite’s, with 301 acres permitted (145 of them bonded) compared to 277 acres (75 bonded), according to the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The county’s third major quarry, Vulcan Materials’ crushed-stone operation at Elkin, is slightly smaller than either.

Ararat Rock Products is a family-owned company founded in 1955 by Jim Crossingham Sr. According to Leibherr Construction Equipment Co., who supplied the quarry’s wheel loaders and shovels, Ararat Rock Products loads out 2,500 to 3,000 tons of crushed stone per day — a total of approximately 650,000 tons per year, making Ararat Rock Products one of the largest independent producers of crushed stone in North Carolina. The quarry operates 10.5 hours per day, 5.5 days per week. It employs about 28 people.

Ararat Rock Products quarry is at 525 Quarry Road. The company’s telephone number is 336-786-4693.