C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc.

What C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc. does

C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc. is a vertically integrated heavy highway and civil infrastructure contractor headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. Founded in 1946 and now approximately 80 years old, the company self-performs the majority of construction scope across six core service divisions: asphalt paving and manufacturing (supported by 30 fully operational hot-mix asphalt plants throughout Georgia), bridges and structures, concrete paving, design-build project delivery, and grading and underground utilities. The company serves state and local government transportation agencies — primarily the Georgia Department of Transportation — as well as airport authorities, port authorities, and a growing base of private industrial clients tied to economic development mega-sites such as the Hyundai and Rivian EV manufacturing facilities.

The company's business model is built on competitive public-sector bidding for fixed-price construction contracts. Revenue is generated entirely through project awards from government procurement (GDOT, Georgia Ports Authority, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, municipal and county governments) and a smaller set of large private industrial clients. C.W. Matthews' distribution is exclusively direct-to-government via field sales pursuit of RFPs and design-build solicitations; no consumer or commercial channels exist. With 1,400+ employees (rising to ~1,625 after the May 2024 Baker Constructors acquisition), more than a year of contracted backlog, and a heavy equipment fleet, the company is among the largest specialty heavy highway contractors in the Southeast. Recent acquisitions of McCarthy Improvement Company (2021) and Baker Constructors (2024) have expanded the company's footprint into North Carolina and Florida, while adding concrete paving and Savannah-area capabilities, respectively.

Technologically, C.W. Matthews relies on conventional heavy civil construction methods augmented by Topcon millimeter GPS paving systems for precision profile work on runways and highways, accelerated bridge construction techniques using micropiles and precast concrete, and an in-house Design Build group for pre-bid engineering optimization. The company has no disclosed AI, machine learning, or software platform capabilities; its competitive differentiation rests on physical scale, vertical integration into asphalt manufacturing, equipment ownership, and a skilled labor pipeline developed through apprenticeship programs and high school recruiting.

Name

C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc.

Legal name

C.W. Matthews Contracting Company, Inc.

Website

https://cwmatthews.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

C.W. Matthews Contracting is a Marietta, Georgia-based heavy highway and civil infrastructure contractor founded in 1946. It self-performs asphalt paving, bridge, concrete, design-build, and grading services for GDOT, airport/port authorities, and private industrial mega-site clients across the Southeast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marietta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices33 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Construction Contracts: C.W. Matthews derives the vast majority of its revenue from public-sector construction contracts with government transportation agencies. Projects include highway widening, bridge construction and replacement, runway reconstruction, and infrastructure for economic development zones. Revenue is project-based, with contracts awarded through competitive bidding (e.g., GDOT, Georgia Ports Authority, municipal governments, airport authorities). The company's scale — with over a year's worth of contracted work backlog — ensures a continuous revenue stream across multiple divisions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc. is a full-service heavy highway and civil infrastructure contractor that self-performs asphalt paving, concrete paving, bridge and structural construction, grading and underground utilities, and asphalt manufacturing. The company also delivers integrated design-build project delivery through an in-house Design Build group, leveraging its 30 asphalt plants, large equipment fleet, and 1,400+ employee workforce to execute interstate, bridge, runway, and mega-site infrastructure projects primarily in the Southeast United States.

Product overview

C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc. is a full-service heavy highway contractor offering a vertically integrated portfolio of construction services. The company operates six core service divisions—Asphalt Paving & Construction, Asphalt Plants & Manufacturing (with 30 Georgia-based asphalt plants), Bridges & Structures, Concrete Paving & Construction, Design-Build, and Grading & Utilities—that work together to self-perform the majority of project scope. The company also acquired Baker Constructors in May 2024, which now operates as the Baker Division with offices in Savannah, GA and Jacksonville, FL. Projects range from local road resurfacing to major interstate widening, bridge replacements, airport runway reconstruction, and design-build interchange projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Asphalt Paving & Construction Heavy highway asphalt paving services delivering durable driving surfaces for interstate, state route, county road, and subdivision projects throughout Georgia.
• Asphalt Plants & Manufacturing Hot-mix asphalt production from 30 fully operational plants located throughout Georgia, supplying roadway paving projects of any size.
• Bridges & Structures Roadway bridge construction and structural work ranging from multi-lane interchanges to single-span structures, including accelerated bridge construction using micropiles and precast concrete.
• Concrete Paving & Construction Concrete paving, flatwork, and manufacturing services for infrastructure projects including runway reconstruction and highway construction.
• Design-Build Integrated design-build project delivery for large-scale complex infrastructure, combining engineering and construction under one contract with pre-bid project optimization.
• Grading & Utilities Roadway construction grading services and underground utility installation including storm water, drainage, sewer, and water systems for projects of all sizes.
• Baker Division Heavy highway construction division operating in Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida, with offices in Savannah, GA and Jacksonville, FL, acquired from Baker Constructors in May 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• Replaced 110-year-old Courtland Street Bridge in 155 days (vs. original 2-year schedule), completing 25 days early
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• McLendon EnterprisescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.W. Matthews formed a joint venture with McLendon Enterprises for the Bryan County projects supporting the Hyundai Megasite (I-16 Frontage Road, US 280 Widening, Old Cuyler Interchange). McLendon Enterprises, established in Southeast Georgia since 1979, brings local market expertise while CWM contributes Design Build knowledge. Both companies actively participate in construction.
• Michael Baker InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.W. Matthews partnered with Michael Baker International as a design-build team for the Courtland Street Accelerated Bridge Construction project in Atlanta. Michael Baker International provided engineering design services while CWM served as prime contractor and self-performed the majority of construction.
• Narwhal Capital ManagementminorOthersNarwhal Capital Management serves as the 401(k) advisor for C.W. Matthews employees, providing financial advisory services and investment guidance including the company's 401(k) program. Luke Burton serves as the dedicated advisor, available by phone, text, and email.
• McCarthy Improvement Company (MCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCWM inherited the 9L End Around Taxiway project at Atlanta Airport following the acquisition of MCI. MCI had been the low bidder in 2021 and the acquisition brought MCI employees, equipment, and concrete paving expertise into the CWM family. MCI acquisition in May 2021 added employees, equipment, and concrete paving projects, including the largest concrete paving project ever attempted by CWM (Greensboro I-840 Loop).
• Baker ConstructorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.W. Matthews acquired Baker Constructors on May 1, 2024, integrating it as a division. Baker Constructors was a regional heavy highway contractor based in Georgia. The acquisition added 225 employees and expanded CWM's operations into Florida (Jacksonville office) and the Savannah market. Heritage Capital Group facilitated the sale with Steel Beach Advisors. Baker Division serves Georgia Ports Authority and other regional customers.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Reeves Construction Company: Heavy highway and civil contractor based in the Southeast (a Yates Construction subsidiary) performing highway, bridge, and site work for state DOTs in the same geography as CWM, with overlapping GDOT bidding exposure. Highly comparable in scope, revenue scale, and customer base.
• E.R. Snell Contractor: Georgia-based heavy civil contractor specializing in highway, bridge, grading, and site preparation projects across the Southeast. Direct competitor on many of the same GDOT and municipal procurements as CWM.
• Rogers Group Inc. Vertically integrated construction materials and highway contractor operating asphalt plants, quarries, and paving crews across the Southeast and Midwest. Closely comparable to CWM's vertically integrated asphalt-plus-construction model and direct bidding against CWM on state DOT work.
• Prince Contracting: Florida/Southeast heavy civil and highway contractor performing roadway, bridge, and infrastructure work for FDOT and regional agencies. Overlapping capability set and customer type with CWM's Baker Division expansion into the Jacksonville market.
• Wright Brothers Construction Company: Tennessee-based heavy highway and bridge contractor serving Tennessee, Georgia, and neighboring states. Comparable size, scope (highway/bridge/heavy civil), and customer base (state DOTs) to CWM.
• Blythe Construction Inc. Charlotte-based heavy highway, bridge, and asphalt paving contractor serving North and South Carolina, the same region CWM is expanding into through its MCI acquisition. Strong comparable on NCDOT paving and bridge work.
• Archer Western Contractors: Heavy civil and transportation contractor (Walsh Group subsidiary) executing large bridge, highway, and transit projects across the Southeast and nationally. Directly competes with CWM on complex design-build and accelerated bridge construction procurements.
• Hubbard Construction Company: Florida heavy civil contractor executing highway, bridge, airport, and site development projects for FDOT, airports, and private developers. Comparable in scope and customer type, with direct overlap on Baker Division's emerging Florida footprint.
• Ajax Paving Industries: Florida-based, vertically integrated heavy highway contractor that owns and operates asphalt plants while self-performing paving, earthwork, and underground utilities. Closely comparable to CWM's vertically integrated model in a parallel Southeast geography.

Broad incumbents

• Granite Construction Incorporated: Large, publicly traded heavy civil contractor with national reach across transportation, water resources, and materials. Operates at significantly larger scale than CWM and competes on the largest design-build and federal-aid projects in the Southeast and nationally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cwmatthewscont1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLW20TTcCpK9Wa0H1GE-j0w
• Facebookfacebook.com/CWMatthewsContractingCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/c-w--matthews-contracting-co--inc-
• Instagraminstagram.com/cw_matthews/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about C.W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc.