Scott System is a New York based custom concrete formliner and concrete formwork manufacturer that transforms everyday structures into works of art. Its products are fabricated by Access Anvil Corp., a subsidiary company of The Fort Miller Group. It was a project called Little Island in New York that became the catalyst for Access Anvil’s acquisition of the then-named Scott System Inc., whose original founder played a pivotal role in the invention of formliners and who brought with it a fifty-year legacy of success in the field. A unique project with demands that the company were not yet accustomed to, Little Island inspired Access Anvil to diversify into the custom precast and cast-in-place exposed concrete architectural spaces. “Little Island was the kind of project that would either make or break a company,” says Rosario Gallo, President of Scott System. “The high profile project prompted a strategic decision to bring critical scope in house rather than rely on outside vendors, specifically for the manufacturing of the project’s highly complex concrete formwork. To address this gap in capability and support long term diversification, Access Anvil made significant investments in 2017, including expanding manufacturing space, buying CNC machines, teaming up with companies like Thermwood and Chemline and building our own 40 by 40 paint booth. We hired engineers, developed modelling software, and we took on this project ourselves.”
While the move seemed unconventional for a commercial fence and gate company, it reflected a deliberate strategy to broaden its in-house capabilities and add advanced manufacturing competencies to the organization. “It was kind of unthinkable, being a fence and gate company, to get into advanced manufacturing and CNC milling to produce a project of this magnitude,” Gallo says. “The project was very iconic in the construction industry at the time.” Following the successful completion of the Little Island project, which was notably one of the most complex forming projects in the United States at the time, Access Anvil gained the ability to fabricate virtually any required concrete shape for architectural or exposed concrete applications. “When we successfully completed that project, the thought was, we have a team now that can produce any architectural shape that we want, and we have the space to develop the business.” What was not yet part of the company’s offering was the ability to provide surface texturing solutions, so this became the next logical step. “In 2019, Chemline, a key partner and material supplier on the Little Island project, approached Access Anvil regarding the acquisition of Scott System Inc. of Denver, Colorado.” Founded and operated by Buck Scott, the inventor of urethane formliners and the Brick Snap® and Rim Snap® for cast in place and precast concrete applications, Scott System had a full line of form liners that would allow concrete to not only be shaped under the Access Anvil umbrella, but to be textured too. “Buck Scott was a thinker, an inventor type, who started his business around 1969,” Gallo says. “While the company had a strong history, it was no longer fully aligned with evolving industry trends and required revitalization. The integration of advanced manufacturing capabilities, modern equipment, and an innovative engineering and sales team combined with the longstanding reputation of Scott System created the ideal foundation to reinvigorate the company and advance its product offerings. So, we came in, purchased it at a great price, brought it back to upstate New York and gave it a fresh start. Then we added our competencies of advanced manufacturing, unique concrete forming, and married that up with the texturing, and it really was a great proposition for us.”
“When we successfully completed that project, the thought was, we have a team now that can produce any architectural shape that we want, and we have the space to develop the business.”
Little Island did not break the company as it might have done others but instead became the beginning of Scott System the concrete formliner powerhouse we see today. The reimagined Scott System Inc., known as Scott System under the Access Anvil umbrella, is an exposed concrete products manufacturer working on vertical high-rise, horizontal highway and landscape projects both nationally and international in an ever-evolving landscape. Scott System differentiates itself from other formliner suppliers by combining decades of proven product history with modern, in-house advanced manufacturing and engineering expertise. While many suppliers rely on standardized patterns or outsourced customization, Scott System offers highly customized, precision-manufactured solutions that are tailored to the project’s specific architectural, structural, and constructability demands. “Through integration with Access Anvil’s expanded manufacturing capabilities including CNC machining, advanced tooling, and modern materials processing Scott System delivers complex textures, shapes, and thin brick systems with exceptional dimensional accuracy, consistency, and durability. This vertical integration enables tighter quality control, faster lead times, and greater flexibility compared to traditional formliner manufacturers.” In an approach that is engineering driven, Scott System works closely with architects, engineers, precasters, and contractors early in the design process to solve challenges related to geometry, repetition, installation, and finish quality. “Proprietary systems such as Brick Snap® and Rim Snap® continue to evolve,” Gallo says, “supported by modern design tools and production methods, ensuring reliable performance on demanding cast-in-place and precast applications.”
Off the back of the Little island project, Scott System was approached by Hoffman Concrete to complete the Overlook Walk project in Seattle. Located at the iconic Pike’s Place where the viaduct once stood, Overlook Walk creates a six-lane pedestrian connection between the city and the waterfront. The project saw Scott System provide unique concrete formwork to complete the concrete fascia installation. “It was another great example of digital fabrication, sharing through technology and nothing done on paper,” Gallo says, which is typical of Scott System’s technologically advanced approach. Gallo goes on to mention the award-winning DuPont, a 41-story residential tower in New York City, a project that is exemplar of Scott System’s ability not only to provide a truly customized product, but to do so in a way that is innovative, artistic, and where possible, sustainable. “We developed all the form liners using crushed acorns from Adirondack oak trees combined with our in-house CNC capabilities,” Gallo says. “When you do things with CNC manufacturing, you get more of a computer-generated product that looks almost perfect. Edges are rounded, not as crisp. But when you do things artistically, like we do with clay or organic products, you get clean edges, a different shadowing, and it really brings out the organic feel of something.” Another notable project in Scott System’s diverse portfolio is the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado. “We fabricated the unique Y columns that sit on the stage and support the roof structure,” Gallo says of this iconic development.
For Scott System, construction is approached as an artform, and innovation is the norm. This can be seen in a recent award-winning project at Adams County Veterans Memorial Park in Colorado, for which Scott System designed formliners from a photo in a process called photo etched concrete. “It’s a 34 foot by 7 feet tall curved wall, and they wanted to chronicle a photo collage of letters, telegrams and photos that accounted for local veteran’s journey from enlistment through to deployment and return. We took those photos, put them into our system, developed models, and were able to use our CNC machines to photo-etch form liners that they would cast against to get the images in the concrete. That’s another thing that we really separate ourselves on, these unique, very custom things that other people aren’t doing.” More of Scott System’s innovative work includes manufacturing parts for Blue Origin in the SpaceX category, cutting foam to shape Tiger Woods Gold League (TGL) game zone, and projects for DARPA’s Reefense Program. “Recently we’ve been working on a reef line, where we create these unique tidal objects that not only provide resilience to the shoreline using precast concrete, but also are housing for oysters.”
Having mastered the art of concrete formlining, Scott System is now ready to elevate its offering. We purchased a 230,000 square foot manufacturing space and are positioned to continue to expand well into the future. The team is also exploring how it can do this in a more sustainable way. “Looking ahead, Scott System is embracing innovation through advanced fabrication technologies and forward-thinking design, while also prioritizing environmental responsibility,” Gallo says. “A key focus is the development of eco-friendly formliner solutions, including initiatives that explore recycling, repurposing, or extending the lifecycle of urethane formliners to reduce waste and create meaningful “afterlife” applications. That’s a big focus of our team right now, to not just use these form liners and put them in the landfill, but to figure out a way to either grind them, put them in a road surface, or do something with it that gives it an afterlife. I think if we can start thinking differently about that, that’s going to be another way that our company is going to separate itself and set ourselves up for long-term success.”
With this mindset, Scott System is positioned for a strong and sustainable future in the construction industry, driven by continued growth in both highway infrastructure and vertical building markets. “Ultimately, Scott System’s differentiation lies in its ability to pair legacy innovation with contemporary manufacturing, offering clients custom solutions, responsive collaboration, and long-term reliability that commodity formliner suppliers cannot match,” Gallo says. Whether a project requires the technological advancements of one of the company’s five CNC machines, or the intricate skill of an artist sculpting a new mould out of clay, Scott System is not only doing it but doing it in-house. “By consistently delivering high quality, customizable solutions that meet the evolving needs of contractors, architects, and public agencies, Scott System is deepening its role as a trusted partner across complex projects,” Gallo says. “This commitment to performance, customer service, and sustainability positions Scott System for long-term success in a rapidly evolving construction landscape.”
