Last Pour for Norgaard Ready-Mix

MERRITT — In a news release published November 20, 2023 Noorgard Ready-Mix a long time staple of Merritt has announced they are shutting their doors.

After more than 60 years of building the Merritt community, the trucks at Norgaard Ready-Mix will pour their last loads of concrete on December 22, 2023 and the business will close on January 12, 2024.

“It has been my honour to carry on the legacy of the business my parents established in 1959,” said Al Norgaard, President and General Manager of Norgaard Ready-Mix.

“I’ve always been proud to see our work literally become part of the community. Projects like the Railyard Mall, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, the Coquihalla Highway the first time (1986) and now the rebuild of the Coquihalla will be here long into the future.”

Norgaard Ready-Mix has provided sand, gravel and specialty aggregates, precast products as well as ready-mix concreted for commercial residential and industrial projects across the Nicola region.

“On behalf of our staff I want to sincerely thank Merritt and area for supporting Norgaard Ready-Mix over the last six decades. It is definitely with mixed emotions that we close the business, but it feels like the right time to move onto the next chapter and spend more time with my partner, kids and grandkids,” said Norgaard. “It’s been so rewarding for me and my employees to be part of this great community. We’ve celebrated in the Christmas parades along with our neighbours and we’ve helped rebuild after disasters like the flooding in 2021. It’s a hard choice for me to close the business but we’re wrapping up work on the Coquihalla rebuild and it feels like the right time.”

Many have seen their flashing lights spinning around their cement truck during the annual Christmas Parade, one of the standouts every Holiday season. Many have also recognized their service over several, several years.

This Holiday season was the last time Merrittonians were given a chance to say farewell to the long-standing local business.