Fabricator Profile: Creative Countertops

FlorestaVerde-mid2Nearly 30 years ago, Andy Nettles set out to fabricate and install countertops for upscale clientele in the area around Charleston, S.C., and he must’ve been doing something right because today he operates the largest fabricator in the metro area: Creative Countertops. The company now covers markets throughout the state and two others: North Carolina and Georgia.

According to Guy Richards, general manager of Creative Countertops, the company stands out among the competition because it has never hesitated to implement the latest technology. As of 2012, the shop had two Intermac CNC saws, two bridge saws and a double-bed Flow waterjet at its disposal, which allowed the team to make clean, custom cuts that would be difficult for other fabricators in the area to handle.

The company’s success allowed it to expand into two 30,000-sq.-ft. warehouses, one dedicated to natural and engineered stone and the other to solid surface. A full-time sales staff of eight individuals brings in new clients and takes care of current customers, while 15 installation teams are dispatched through the tri-state area. Even though the company is large and receives 25 percent of its business from Lowes, the company proudly boasts a lead-time of only seven to 10 days.

One of the marketing tools Creative Countertops has found helpful is the company’s own fleet of service trucks, which are branded with a logo and a few pieces of helpful contact information. In addition, the company offers an incentive program to its customers to help bring in new clients. Customers who bring in others receive $100 for each referral, and it is not unknown to receive three or four new jobs from a single client.

Read more of this Fabricator Profile here: Creative Countertops