AJ Precision Concrete Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary

Twenty-five years is a long time to spend building…anything. For AJ Precision Concrete, it represents thousands of projects, countless relationships, and a reputation earned the old-fashioned way – through consistent, quality work.

This August, the Santa Barbara-based company celebrates its 25th anniversary. The milestone traces back to 2001, when founder Antonio “AJ” Gijón set out on his own with two people, an advertisement in the Santa Barbara News-Press and a decade-plus of hands-on experience in the concrete trade behind him.

AJ had already spent more than 15 years learning the business. He began in construction in 1985 before joining the union and later spending nearly a decade with Concrete Impressions, a well-known local company. Going out on his own had long been in the back of his mind.

“It was always a challenge,” AJ says. “I was always thinking that if I tried a little harder, I could start my own business.”

When he finally did, he was starting largely from scratch. Rather than pursue clients from his previous employer, AJ placed an ad in the Santa Barbara News-Press. The first projects were small patios, driveways and walkways, completed by a crew of just two.

Those early jobs became the basis for a company that now employs around 22 people and works throughout Santa Barbara, Montecito, Hope Ranch and the surrounding area.

The scale of the work has changed considerably, too. Today, AJ Precision Concrete handles structural projects including foundations, basements and poured-in-place concrete walls, along with caissons, drilling, and dry wells. Its hardscape work extends to patios, driveways, pool decks, flagstone, and pavers, with a wide range of concrete finishes available.

For AJ, however, 25 years of growth has not changed the fundamentals of how the company operates. There is an equally firm expectation that employees conduct themselves professionally on every jobsite. AJ asks his team to acknowledge the homeowners, contractors and others they encounter and, quite simply, to be polite.

That emphasis on relationships has been important from the beginning. Running his own company gave AJ the opportunity to work directly with homeowners and develop connections throughout the community.

“Trying to talk directly to them and deal directly with them… it’s really nice,” he says. “A lot of really good experiences come from knowing a lot more people.”

Those relationships have helped AJ Precision Concrete grow from its modest beginnings into an established local operation. The company now works on projects ranging from smaller residential jobs to extensive structural concrete and hardscape installations, while maintaining the standards that AJ established at the outset.

The business is also becoming a family affair. AJ’s daughter Daisy now works with the company and has taken an active role in promoting it, including expanding its advertising and community presence. AJ is quick to credit her efforts.

“Daisy is working, and she’s doing an excellent job,” he says. Her push to promote the company more widely has helped introduce AJ Precision Concrete to new audiences while building on the local reputation her father spent decades establishing.

The 25th anniversary will be marked with the people who helped make it possible. AJ plans to gather his employees for a celebratory dinner around the anniversary, an appropriately personal way to recognize a company that began with two people and now supports a crew of more than 20.

Asked what reaching 25 years means to him, AJ’s answer is immediate.

“I’m really happy, really excited,” he says. “I’m always thanking God for keeping us here, keeping us healthy and keeping us with work, and having all those loyal clients and loyal people around the area.”

A quarter-century can pass surprisingly quickly. AJ agrees. “It definitely goes quick,” he says.

What remains is the company he built during those years, the team around him and the relationships that have kept AJ Precision Concrete working since 2001. The business has grown, its capabilities have expanded, and a new generation is becoming involved. Yet the priorities remain much as they were at the beginning. Quality work, fair pricing, good communication, and respect for the people on the other side of the job.