Carolina Floors Inc. (CFI) got its start by taking on the concrete jobs that no one else wanted. “This allowed us to get in front of the general contractors and develop relationships, and in turn, get on the bid lists for the larger jobs,” says owner Jeff Rogers.
After 25-plus years a large part of CFI’s workload is the projects that others do not want or cannot do, and those are the ones that still intrigue Rogers. “My dad was a concrete finisher and I always enjoyed pouring concrete and being able to see what I accomplished at the end of each day,” says Rogers.
In terms of the number of employees, CFI has remained one of the smaller place and finish companies in the Southeast. But with a strong business plan of, “Do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it,” CFI places in excess of 4 million square feet of flatwork per year. In 2012 CFI won the bid to do the place and finish work on the Giordona Veladrome, a 250-meter bicycle race track with 42-degree sloped banks and a 1/16-inch tolerance, all finished by hand. “It has never been our goal to become the largest or the cheapest,” says Rogers. “We strive to be the best.”
Rogers remains active in each project and each pour, and boasts that the average employee has been with the company for more than nine years, while others have retired after 20 years. “We use laser screeds, 10- and 12-foot ride-on trowels, laser graders, iPads, and smart phones for scheduling and job tracking, but it is our employees that make it all work. That is what I am most proud of and thankful for.”
Rogers is ready to groom the next generation to take the helm. “I’ve been very fortunate the good lord has given me the people that I know will be able to do just that,” he says.
