Meet the team: ASTEC Digital’s ace team of asphalt plant control systems specialists are here to help you

Going above and beyond to solve customer problems is the guiding principle for ASTEC Digital’s asphalt plant controls support team.

ASTEC Digital’s asphalt plant controls support team is a small but mighty crew with a combined 81 years of experience in asphalt industrial automation. They’re excited to use that deep bench strength to help our U.S.-based customers as they undergo the digital transformation of their operations.

“We have a really great team in place, and we’ll be building and growing that further,” says Mark Chambers, director of technical sales and support at ASTEC Digital.

Following the formal launch of ASTEC Digital, ASTEC Industries’ business unit for innovative technological solutions for the rock to road industry, we wanted to introduce our U.S. customers to the people who support our cutting-edge asphalt systems. Chambers’ four-person team handles support requests when ASTEC’s frontline service group isn’t able to, by accessing customers’ systems remotely to fix the issue or making site visits.

These dedicated digital specialists for ASTEC Digital controls products add to the existing asphalt plant support group of more than 30 experts that has been taking care of ASTEC customers for more than 50 years. 

“We do whatever’s necessary to resolve the customer’s issue,” Chambers says. "That’s what has made ASTEC successful—that’s just the mindset here. Our number-one guiding principle is doing whatever it takes to help the customer.”

Chambers would know: he’s been with ASTEC for 37 years, getting his start in the company’s electric shop as an electrician helper in the 1980s. “It was the best thing that could’ve happened to me because I had an opportunity to learn our equipment that way and what that equipment did,” he says. 

Chambers progressed to ASTEC’s service department, travelling the country to support customers with start-up commissioning and troubleshooting as they set up their asphalt plants, then spent a combined 28 years in our asphalt plant controls group — 15 of which were as the group’s director — where he got to use his background in industrial electronics and control systems. When the role at ASTEC Digital came up, he jumped at the opportunity.

“I’m extremely excited about the potential for ASTEC Digital. We’re just getting started, but the potential for something really special is here,” he says. 

Working under Chambers, Systems Support manager Stephen Payne leads our support team. Payne has worked for ASTEC for 28 years, and was initially hired by Chambers himself.

Payne, Chambers says, is someone you want in your corner when facing challenges with your control system. Dedicated, tenacious and deeply knowledgeable about ASTEC products, he “will figure out whatever the problem is and won’t stop ’til he fixes it. He likes to be the hero and he always is, he’s just that good,” Chambers said. “It doesn’t matter if the issue is with hardware or software; he’s tremendously capable.”

John Ferguson and Gene Hensley round out the team. Ferguson, who joined ASTEC in April 2024, started his career in the mid-1990s as a technician and took on progressively senior technician and product engineer roles with consumer electronics companies. Between 2016 and 2024, he worked for Reliable Asphalt Products, handling the planning, installation, training and commissioning of MINDS Inc. asphalt plant automation and control products, including DrumTronic, BatchTronic, and silo loadout control systems. Hensley, who has worked as a controls service field engineer for ASTEC since 2016, got his start as an industrial applications developer in the late 1990s. 

“Both of them are so skilled with automation support, and they share that mentality of helping the customer with whatever they need,” Chambers says. 

Heading up ASTEC Digital’s asphalt plant hardware support team, John “Doc” Watson is another company veteran. Over his 37 years at ASTEC, Watson has earned a reputation as an ace troubleshooter who will go the extra mile for customers. 

“We’ve done a lot of work together, and I’ve learned so much from him,” Chambers said. “He wants to help everybody and anybody. He’d answer his phone on Christmas day if someone needed help. John is the embodiment of ASTEC Digital’s commitment to customers.” 

ASTEC Digital’s mandate is to connect the entire rock to road industry — but connection isn’t just about industry-leading asphalt plant controls. It’s about true partnership with our clients. Our team of dedicated asphalt plant software and hardware experts is committed to helping asphalt plant operators troubleshoot any snags and get the most out of your asphalt plants.

Optimize your operations with intuitive, precise, intelligent asphalt plant control systems. ASTEC Digital’s telematics and plant control systems simplify and improve equipment, plant management, and paving operations for the rock-to-road asphalt industry. Visit our website to learn more.