ESS Expands Grinding & Grooving Horsepower

Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) has acquired the equipment assets of the Highway Services Group from Penhall Company, strengthening our grinding and grooving capabilities and expanding the pavement maintenance work we can take on across the country. 

This addition positions ESS as the owner of the largest grinding and grooving fleet in the U.S., totaling 242 assets, and brings ESS’ overall asphalt and pavement restoration equipment fleet to more than 1,000 pieces. But equipment alone isn’t what sets ESS apart. Paired with decades of experience, seasoned crews, and a deep bench of operational horsepower, this equipment expansion positions ESS as the nation’s powerhouse contractor for diamond grinding and grooving. And now, ESS is the premier contractor for large-scale airport runway grooving in the U.S. 

Built for Large, Complex Work 

Grinding and grooving takes more than iron. It takes skilled operators, strong leadership in the field, and teams who understand how to execute safely and consistently on complex pavement work. 

ESS also hired a team of specialized professionals to join and support the crew, strengthening our capacity and operational control while building on the deep experience already in place. From major airport runways to high-profile infrastructure projects, with the expanded fleet and bench, ESS has more capability to deliver complex work safely, efficiently, and on schedule.  

“Every project we take on is powered by the skill and dedication of our employee-owners,” said Brandon Finn, Executive Vice President of Asphalt Operations.

“Expanding our fleet and capabilities isn’t just about equipment — it’s about giving our teams the tools and support they need to deliver the best work safely, efficiently, and at a scale that makes us proud.” 

For clients, partners, and vendors, it’s business as usual — now with greater depth behind it. The same ESS team you work with today is backed by expanded equipment, expertise, and capacity, allowing us to deliver pavement maintenance work with a level of scale and consistency that’s hard to match. For our employee-owners, this growth reflects continued investment in people, experience, and opportunity — positioning ESS to take on larger, more complex work across the country while growing the company the right way.