Page 2 - Demo

2| August 2021
Alpha Countertops
slippery rock gAzette
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“You can’t beat the customer service you receive from BACA, and I know that if there’s an is- sue, all I have to do is call and it’s taken care of. They are a very good company to partner with, you can just feel that.”
As for the learning curve, Sheri said, “When we purchased the Robo Sawjet, everyone was very onboard with the transition and learned very quickly while be- ing trained by BACA techni- cians. Our people were frustrated with the old equipment that we had, and it not being dependable. There is always a little bit of pain with growth, but they embraced the vision of a better company and wanted the same thing I did.”
Alpha Countertops employs 17 hard-working folks. Three operate the shop while two 2-man crews handle the installations. One per- son handles CAD operation,
one controls inventory, and there’s one dedicated templator. Additionally, there are three to handle sales. The remaining em- ployees are managers, including Sheri, of course. The company’s radius of service is approximately a one-hour drive time in all direc- tions from Russellville, and they serve a demographic consisting of 40 percent retail walk-in, 50 per- cent builders, with the remainder being upscale designers. Alpha Countertops does not do any big box fabrication, at least not any- more, said, Sheri. “We quit doing big box four years ago. We felt we could make more money and have less stress working in retail and with builders, so we went af- ter those. This was one of the best decisions we ever made.”
According to Sheri, before purchasing the two BACA ma- chines, they averaged fabricat- ing 800 square feet per week, and
Alpha Countertops fabricators, installers, sales and management at a recent company picnic. They are a close-knit team who share a vision of steady growth for the future of the company.
are currently averaging 1,100 square feet per week production, although, the BACA Saw can cut more. “We are maxed out on what the XL Edger can do, right now,” said Sheri. “Our fabrica- tion and installation just can’t
handle anymore production right now.” As for the ROI, Sheri said that per year they are able to pro- duce an additional 13,000 square feet for an additional revenue of $635,000 dollars, adding up to a profit increase of $240,000, and a return on investment of 75 per- cent payback over 1-3/4 years. Additional shop equipment con- sists of a Farnese Mitre Excel capable of doing precise miters on small to large pieces, and a Marmo Meccanica LCV 711 used for straight, polished edge finishing.
Higher Production Equals Bigger Discounts
on Material Purchases
As a plus, because they now produce more, higher produc- tion allows Alpha Countertops to save money on inventory, said
Sheri. “We are now able to buy in bulk, which saves money.” Sheri keeps an average of 35 colors in full bundles in stock. Sales are approximately 50 percent granite, 25 percent marble, and 25 percent quartz. To acquire sales, the com- pany is very actively keeping their websitecurrent.Socialmediaand word-of-mouth are also important drivers of customer awareness, but there are a few more rea- sons and one very special attrac- tion, said Sheri. “One big thing that sets us apart from most other countertop companies, is that we are female-owned and operated. There are some groups that this appeals to, such as designers. The other thing that helps us stand out is we focus on customer ser- vice, and some people come back and say something like, ‘You cost more, but we really liked the feeling we got here. We felt like you would take care of us, or you were nicer, or you answered my questions.’ Additionally, it’s the quality of what comes out of the shop as well as our installations. I have some great fabricators, and great install crews who reassure the customers, and make sure they’re happy before they leave. So all of these factors are just part of good customer service. There are other companies in the area, but our goal is to not focus on our competition. We just try to be the best we can be at what we do.”
Above and Right: Installation, setup and train- ing on the BACA Systems Edge XL. The Alpha Countertops fab shop operates a BACA Robo Sawjet, the BACA Edge XL, a Farnese Mitre Excel and a Marmo Meccanica LCV 711 Straight Edge Polisher.
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