Dr J Don Brock, chairman and former CEO of Astec Industries has died following a battle with cancer. He was 76.

Dr Brock and four others founded Astec in1972. Today the company has annual revenues of nearly US$ 1 billion, with 18 subsidiaries in the US and abraod. In addition to the Astec range of batching plants, the company manufactures equipment under the Roadtec, Breaker Technology, Telsmith and Kolberg-Pioneer brands, among many others.

Dr Brock held some 100 US and foreign patents on construction machinery and drying equipment. He was a recipient of numerous awards including 鈥淢an of the Year鈥�, (National Asphalt Pavement Association), 鈥淎cademy of Distinguished Engineering Alumni鈥�, (The Georgia Institute of Technology), 鈥淒ougherty Award鈥�, (The University of Tennessee), the 鈥淎RTBA Top 100 Private Sector Transportation Construction Professionals of the 20th Century鈥�, and the 鈥淒r. J. Don Brock Transovation Award鈥�, (American Road and Transportation Builders Association).

He was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the cancer linked to exposure to asbestos, in 2012.

Dr Brock鈥檚 son, Ben Brock, is president and CEO of Astec Industries.