Archie Scott III, working in his first job as a mechanical engineer, was seeking entrepreneurial inspiration when he passed a laden tractor-trailer on the freeway.
The flatbed was carrying concrete temporary highway dividers – but only nine, because they're so heavy. After some market research, Scott had the idea for the product he would patent to start his own company.
Asynt Solutions LLC raised $1.29 million to build lightweight, corrosion-resistant and flexible traffic barriers from fiber-reinforced polymer, which the startup will soon test with a handful of state highway departments. After starting the company in Dayton, Scott moved about a year ago with his fiancee to Columbus, where he's looking to establish manufacturing capacity.
"Columbus is a great central location for all the raw material suppliers," Scott said. "I've met a lot of great people from the startup community."
Cleveland-based JumpStart Inc. led the funding round, with participation from individual investors. The investment came from the Advanced Manufacturing Fund, JumpStart's partnership with Magnet, a Northeast Ohio regional nonprofit consulting group in the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Asynt – the name combines synthetic, a rhyme with "ascent" and Scott's initials – will soon make its first full-time hires. The startup is seeking a certification from the Federal Highway Administration that several states, including Ohio, require before testing a new product.
Its APE Barrier, for Asynt Protective Equipment, weighs about 50 pounds per linear foot, about 80% lighter than a concrete Jersey barrier. The flexible plastic also absorbs energy from a crash, making it safer for both driver and construction crew, Scott said.
Scott filmed pickup trucks sideswiping concrete and Asynt barriers – "first time I went shopping for a truck just to crash it" – for a marketing video on the website and to show highway departments. The truck sustained less damage as it bounced off the plastic barrier, which buckled but didn't break.
"They do not break or crack the way concrete does," he said. "Theres no concrete debris ejected into the work zone."
The barriers will cost more per linear foot than concrete, Scott said, but customers save on transportation and lifetime replacement costs. The APE is projected to last 20 years, compared to six to eight for concrete, especially in climates with freeze-thaw cycles.
Five years from now, Scott envisions the company with sales throughout the U.S. and Canada, and with additional product lines using polymer composites for infrastructure or traffic safety.
He took the idea through the "boot camp" at Columbus-based Rev1 Ventures and engaged with the venture development organization for mentorship and connections. Rev1 is not a financial investor.
Scott grew up in Southeast Ohio and the Springfield area before studying engineering at Ohio University. After graduation he worked for the Dayton manufacturer where he'd interned. His bosses encouraged his desire to start his own company and let him observe accounting and other business meetings.
"I have a pretty high risk tolerance. I enjoy big challenges, taking a big problem and solving it for myself," Scott said. "I see business like I see a machine: I love seeing the inner workings of how a product is created … through the invoice and the accounts receivable."
