MARKET AREA: Panama City, FL & Surrounding Areas
STARTED IN BUSINESS: 1989
SERVICES: Concrete Contractor
EQUIPMENT: M60s
Volumetric Mixers Helping Rebuild Panama City After Hurricane Michael
What type of work does C-Miles Construction handle?
We do mostly underground work and lot clearing, subdivisions, water, sewer, storm, parking lots, curb and gutter.
The Panama City, Florida area was devastated in October 2018 when Category 5 Hurricane Michael made landfall. As a lifelong resident and now business owner, Chase discussed the lasting effects of the storm.
The worst thing about the hurricane was everybody’s homes being destroyed and a lot of our employees having to relocate. We lost a lot of help and we are just trying to put everything back together since the storm messed everything up. There are years left of cleanup and rebuilding. There are a lot of people having to fight with their insurance companies and then just everybody is so busy now and like I said with all the workers being misplaced there is not enough people to help rebuild.
Why did you switch to volumetric mixers from using ready mix companies?
You would call them, and they would be several days out. The day they said they would be there at a certain time, you would call them, and the truck wouldn’t show up. You might not even get it that day because they are so busy — we just ended up getting our own trucks, so we didn’t have to wait on them. Gabe kind of showed us the ropes and told us what we need, what we may not need, and kind of specked out the trucks for our needs.
What’s been the biggest difference in preparing for jobs?
Being able to load the trucks the night before that way we can have it first thing in the morning. Also, not having to over order concrete to make sure we have enough. When you’re done pouring just shut it off and there is no waste.
Talk about working with Cemen Tech’s service department.
The very few issues that we have had they have jumped right on, sent us any parts we needed, gave us any support we need, and sent a couple guys down to work on the trucks one time after the storm when they were damaged.
What type of job are you pouring today?
We’re pouring a section of this parking lot behind us. It is the standard 3,000 pound mix. Should be a 30-yard pour. With the sandy soil we have it likes to absorb water, so you may have to pour the concrete a little wetter than normal because the sand will draw the water out of it. Then in the summer time the heat really likes to dry the concrete up quickly, so you have to work it fast.