Gov. Lamont and Lt. Gov. Bysiewicz Visit Southington's F & F Concrete
- Philip Thibodeau
- Jan 15
- 3 min read
The front office of F & F Concrete was packed Wednesday morning as Lauren Forgione, the president of the company, and her brother Dan welcomed Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz on a tour of their business.
The visit was arranged by 81st District State Representative Christopher Poulos, who made introductions and moderated a discussion, the express purpose of which was to help state and local officials better understand what small businesses need to grow and succeed.
F & F Concrete was established 73 years ago by a pair of veterans, Ralph Forgione and Jack Foley, who served together during WWII. The concrete plant facility was originally located on Buckland Street while the garage was at 110 West Main.
In 1982, Ralph bought out Jack and continued to run the business with his son David. As it grew, it offered new varieties of concrete, and expanded into areas such as materials recycling. The concrete batching plant that is visible from downtown Plantsville, with its impressive tower and conveyor belt, was constructed in 1989:
Lauren, Dan, and their brother David Jr., who are Ralph’s grandchildren, now run an operation that has some 60 employees and 30 trucks. They said that they are always on the lookout for qualified mechanics, truck drivers, and other machine operators. The jobs are well-paid, with starting salaries of $35 per hour for workers with little prior experience; at the same time, the jobs can be very stressful, and require mastery of technical skills.
Much of the conversation in the office revolved around steps the State of Connecticut could take to put F & F in touch with prospective employees. Bysiewicz asked whether veterans would be a good fit for the company, given how many of them have experience operating large, expensive pieces of equipment, and was answered in the affirmative.
She also asked Lauren about the prospects for women in the industry. Lauren commented on how much things have changed over time: when she started her career, she said, she was usually the only woman in the room, but now she often encounters two or more other women at a site or in a meeting. Bysiewicz expanded on this observation by noting how high school ‘Girls in STEM’ programs (STEM standing for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) can be a win-win for everyone, as they open up a new pool of potential employees for firms like F & F, and prepare women for well-paid jobs in a flourishing industry.
Lamont for his part observed that Connecticut is an “old state” with aging roads and bridges that is going to need companies like F & F as it goes through the long process of updating its infrastructure. He also said that if you are driving a cement truck, you can be pretty sure AI is not going to take your job.
Dan added that concrete is likely to be in demand as a building material for a very long time, given its combination of strength and versatility at a relatively affordable price.
The group then moved outdoors so visitors could observe F & F’s concrete plant in action. One driver had the honor of loading up his truck as the State’s top two executive officials looked on:
While the tour was taking place, the third Forgione sibling, David Jr., was up in the control room of the plant overseeing the machinery that injects special additives into the mix and keeps it at optimal temperature. David offered the Outsider a quick tour of the structure, which is believed to be the tallest building in Southington and has a good view of Plantsville:
After the Governor and Lieutenant Governor departed, a smaller group of visitors went with Representative Poulos to visit F & F’s new truck garage. A massive structure, it has radiant-heat flooring and the capacity to house several of the firm’s trucks at once. There Poulos asked Lauren and Dan more questions about F & F’s needs and opportunities, and their role in the Southington community.
According to Poulos, this will be the first in a series of small business tours in Southington.
