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Overview

Overview

A legacy of excellence in road construction

The history of C.W. Matthews is the history of Georgia’s growth and development since 1946. Travel our state’s highways and roads, catch a flight into our airports—at nearly every turn, you’ll find a project completed by the men and women of C.W. Matthews.

As Georgia itself has grown, our company has grown, too. From its early days following WWII to the start of the 21st Century, C.W. Matthews has expanded alongside the state, deepening its construction capabilities to fulfill the state’s growing need for reliable roads and bridges, interstates, and airports. Through it all, our mission has remained steadfast: building the infrastructure to get Georgia home.

“My dad started the company with an eighth-grade education and no money, but he was one of those people who just radiated confidence. The word "can’t" wasn’t in his vocabulary.”
Bob Matthews
Bob Matthews
Son of C.W. Matthews

A Timeline of Our Growth

1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

1940s

Mr. C.W. returns from WWII and starts Marietta Construction Company, a grading business, with two partners and four employees.

  • Mainstay work included building ponds
  • Earth moving on rural roads
C.W. Matthews, age 22.

1950s

Mr. C.W. buys out his original business partners, changes the company name to C.W. Matthews, and enters the plant-mix manufacturing business

  • Builds road going to the top of Kennesaw Mountain
  • Builds drive-in movie theaters in the Southeast
  • First federally funded contract

1960s

A period of explosive growth throughout Georgia, the 1960s brought significant expansion to C.W. Matthews. Bob Matthews returns from Vietnam and becomes President of the company.

  • Builds small runways throughout the Southeast
  • Defense contract work for the military in Florida
  • Builds McCollum Airfield

1970s

Recent acquisitions of a bridge and culvert company and a sizeable grading contractor led to the transformation of C.W. Matthews into one of Georgia’s leading heavy construction contractors.

  • Atlanta Airport
  • Flint River Tunnel Project
  • Williams Street Project
  • I-75 Project, Cobb County, connects I-75 from Canada to Florida
Stuart Wallace, Structures Division VP, Doug Hudson, Structures Engineer, and R.J. Gilliam, Structures General Superintendent, 1981

1980s

C.W. Matthews acquires Bellwood Quarry and expands into the aggregate market. After decades of leadership, Mr. C.W. Matthews retires.

  • Hartsfield Atlanta Airport work
  • Construction of MARTA Rail System
Governor Roy Barnes, Bob Matthews, and Lee Powell-Ballenger, 1999
Governor Roy Barnes, Bob Matthews, and Lee Powell-Ballenger, 1999

1990s

A decade of great excitement in Georgia, the 1990s saw C.W. Matthews play a crucial role in preparing Atlanta’s infrastructure for the Olympic Games. The company also celebrated 50 years in business.

  • HOV lane construction for the 1996 Olympic Games
  • Hartsfield-Jackson Runway 9R/27L Replacement in 33 days

2000s

The start of a new century: C.W. Matthews doubles its size with the major acquisition of APAC-Georgia. In addition, Mr. C.W. is honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award

  • Atlantic Station Remediation Project
  • Hartsfield-Jackson 5th Runway Site Prep
  • SR-316 Interchange Project: largest GDOT project to date
  • First Design-Build Project: I-85 Interchange & KIA Frontage Road
  • Rockmart Asphalt Terminal is built

2010s

A decade of continued growth and achievement: the 2010s brought the expansion into the Macon and Savannah markets. In addition, Bob Matthews is honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

  • I-85 Bridge Rebuild
  • Purchase of Chattanooga Asphalt Terminal
  • Largest Design-Build Project: I-75 South Managed Lanes
  • Expansion to Macon and Savannah created 27 asphalt plants
  • Acquisition of Georgia Asphalt
Bob Matthews and his grandson, Michael Matthews
Bob Matthews and his grandson, Michael Matthews

2020s

Ethics, honor, quality, and commitment to excellence continue to be a C.W. Matthews tradition as the company moves forward into the 21st Century.

  • Expansion of Concrete Paving operation through the Acquisition of McCarthy to include the five concrete plants.