Anthony "Red" DaCato and his wife, Ida, moved to Orlando in 1952. Shortly thereafter they began A-1 Block Corporation with Red and two employees. Red manufactured concrete block three days a week and delivered block three days a week depending on demand. Ida was technically a fourth employee, but she was not on the payroll. She would spend Florida days without air conditioning, sitting in her car doing the bookkeeping because they had no office. As time went on, they conservatively grew their business from one plant to five plants under a single roof. This successful team worked together for over fifty-two years. Now, the company is managed by the third generation of the family with locations in Lake Wales, Sanford, and Orlando, with over fifty employees.

A-1 Block Corp. built
reputation on "A-1 service"

The name of the A-1 Block Corp. of Orlando, Fla., is more than just the identification of a business enterprise – it represents a business philosophy plus the inspiring dedication of a husband and wife team to a joint effort. That effort is appropriately reflected in the climb of production capability of the company from 1,000 block per day at its founding to the present 20,000 units per day capacity.

Obviously, Anthony "red" DaCato and his wife Ida got A-1 off to a start on what is today considered a small basis. However, they proved that their motto "A-1 Service" was not idle words, but included both product quality and unswerving consideration of customers' needs; and that adherence to that motto would lead to growth. It did – to the extent of a 20-1 increase, almost equal to the years of A-1's existence.

Back in 1951, the Plasticrete Corp., for whom "Red" DaCato had worked for several years, acquired an operation in Orlando that was engaged in production of concrete brick and concrete guard rails – the latter much in demand in Florida's highway construction program, and the prime factor in the acquisition.

When the market declined, the decision to liquidate was made; but "Red," who had run the Orlando plant, felt that there was a good potential in the block market if the operation were converted to produce that product. Accordingly, he made arrangements to purchase the facility with initial backing from Plasticrete.

What transpired from that time on is a real saga of desire and determination that records progress in the face of stiff business competition as well as a near-tragic accident that may well have spelled finis to a firm with people having less courage than the DaCatos.

Upon assuming ownership of the facilities in 1953, "Red" first installed a block-producing system of 1,000 units/day capacity in the small original 30'x 30' plant structure. It was not an easy job to meet competition from larger

established operations with a facility of that size and a two-man crew, but dedication to the "A-1 Service" motto was not long in paying off. In less than two years, the original block machine was traded in for a Model 8 Columbia Machine that boosted production to 3,000 units/day.

By 1959, the growth of the business made it feasible to purchase and lease property adjoining the original site to accommodate expansion of block production systems, product storage, maintenance and related support facilities. Plans were also made related to making additions to the original plant structure to house proposed block production lines.

In 1967, the Model 8 machine was replaced with a Model 10 that would deliver 4,000 units/day. At the same time, the plant structure was enlarged to house the expanded system. A year later, another Model 10

Columbia machine was installed, and capacity was raised to 8,000 units/day. The plant building was again enlarged during 1970 to accommodate another machine system expansion – a project that nearly cost "Red's" life.

Working almost alone on the structural construction, he had a falling accident that resulted in a medical prognosis that he would not walk again. That situation, which later put him in a wheelchair, saw him working around the plant in that conveyance – with tools in lap to get the job done.

He got it done – installation of higher capacity block machines, extension of plant structure and reworking of feed systems to the point where A-1 could deliver 10,000 block/day – and after several months, plus a major operation, was on his feet in proving that you can't keep a good man down with any adversity.

This expansion involved two Model 22 Columbia machines, which were installed on a staggered schedule, to replace the older Model 10 equipment. Thus, by 1972 production capability was up to 10,000 block/day.

Then, in 1972, a Model 20 Columbia Machine with a capacity of 10,000 standard units per day was installed. That project was shortly followed by the replacement of the original model 22's with new machines of the same size – and a total production capability from the three machines of 20,000 units/day was established just over a year ago.

Although "Red" worked alone on making most of the major physical changes to the facilities, and was supervising operations, maintenance and dispatching at the same time, he emphasized that "I couldn't have done it without my wife's support." In fact, the typography of their organization's original name was A-I – a contraction of the initials of Anthony and Ida. In view of their mutual dedication to the firm's motto, it subsequently became A-1, as a letter/number designation.

After the original A-1 Block operation had been set up, all subsequent expansion of plant systems, structures to house them, and auxiliary systems were designed by "Red." The result of his efforts is the present three- machine operation housed in an open-sided, well ventilated structure 220' long with a clear overhead span of 70°, on a 7-acre site that accommodates an extensive product storage yard, a covered warehouse for contractor supplies, and a maintenance shop in addition to the main plant facility.

As noted above, the block machine systems incorporate Columbia Machine equipment throughout, with the exception of bins and material-handling systems installed with that part of the operation that involves the two Model 22 units.

Although it had been suggested to him that it would not prove out, "Red" designed a paired system for the two Model 22's, so that both could be supplied from a single batch mixer. To accomplish this, he laid out and fabricated an overhead "lorry" transfer to deliver mix to either machine on automatic demand (see accompanying photo).

In addition, he designed a pallet return system that provides for a single cubing and pallet removal operation to accommodate both of the Model 22's. He specified the installation of one of the first Mix-Mizer batch control systems to be placed in a block plant, plus the installation of the