By keeping its commitments, providing a wide array of construction expertise, and striving to provide a quality product to its customers, Century Concrete has successfully grown from a company of four employees to a turn-key concrete contractor of 400-plus employees, routinely generating annual revenues in excess of $50 million.
“Our model is to perform all types of concrete with a focus on safety, quality, time schedules, price competition, and team building,” says CEO Preston M. White.
Most economic downturns bring greater cost pressure and tighter margins. Century’s long history with many of its customers and its good reputation were positives that helped in procuring work during the recent downturn. “There are about 20 customers that provide the main portion of our work and many of them have worked with us in excess of 20 years,” notes White.
A key to Century’s success is its management’s ability to recognize the changing environment and make the appropriate adjustments to its estimating and operations functions. The company’s main goal is to generate margins that not only cover its operating and overhead costs but also return a fair and reasonable profit to its owners.
“We reach for excellence in all projects that we build,” says White. “Because we compete across a wide range of concrete projects, we are usually the first contractor in our market areas to employ the latest construction technology. Century’s management and operating philosophy has created a strong successful company.”