Customer Highlight: C & R MILLING & PAVING, INC.

In 1986, Carlos Alvarado moved to Miami from Honduras and began working in the construction industry as a day laborer for a local contractor. His work ethic eventually led to a promotion as superintendent, and this is when he began noticing that a serious shortage of equipment was slowing down paving projects throughout the area.

“Every time I called a subcontractor for milling equipment, they were two or three weeks behind,” recalled Alvarado. “We had to wait in line because there were no machines available; it didn’t make sense to me.”

After seeing little to no improvement in the problem through the years, Alvarado decided to open C & R Milling & Paving, Inc., to provide a more reliable milling service for local companies. The business was a quick success.

“I bought my first two machines within three months of each other because the demand was so strong,” noted Alvarado. “Today, we have 40 employees and are running 13 milling machines around the clock. Our goal is to never say no to a customer. We will always have a machine available for them.”

C & R Milling & Paving, based in Homestead, has established itself as one of the largest milling companies in Florida by providing a full suite of services, including milling, trucking, clean up and paving.

“People like working with us because we simplify the process for them,” explained Alvarado. “Instead of using multiple subcontractors, we can provide a complete package from start to finish. We take care of it all.”

Alvarado recognizes that his employees have played an important role in establishing the company.

“We’re able to stay in business because of the people who work here,” said Alvarado. “They maintain and support everything we do. It feels like one big family.”

No Job too Big or too Small

It might be easier to name the projects between Miami and Orlando that C & R Milling & Paving has not played a role in during the past 15 years, than to list the ones in which they have been involved.

Notable contracts include work with the Homestead Air Reserve Base and the Army Corps of Engineers; extensive projects along the Florida Turnpike and Interstates 595, 95 and 836; as well as runway and surface work for the Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and the Palm Beach International Airport.

“There’s no job too big or too small for us,” offered Alvarado. “Our work ranges from a simple mill up to multiple millions of dollars. Whenever a customer calls, especially in an emergency, we’re right there.”

Recently, a customer contacted the company to repair a runway that was causing delays at the Palm Beach International Airport. Later that day, a crew and milling machine were on-site to complete the work.

“That was a smaller, yet typical, job that took less than 30 minutes,” said Alvarado. “We don’t let our customers down.”

Annually, the firm spends 70 percent of its time on milling projects and the remaining 30 percent is devoted to paving assignments.

“Milling is our specialty, and we frequently take on a mix of government, private and commercial contracts for that side of the business,” said Alvarado. “Projects that include paving and clean-up services tend to be through private contractors. Either way, we’re always willing to help a customer find a solution.”

Reliable Equipment

When machines are running, they are making money, which is why maximizing uptime is an important part of C & R Milling & Paving’s business. Alvarado relies on Linder Industrial Machinery and Sales Rep Jon Novaro to provide the equipment and keep it running at peak performance.

“Every machine we’ve purchased since our first two pieces has been through Linder,” shared Alvarado. “They have been a great company to work with. Jon is the kind of guy that if you have a problem, he will work with you to find the best solution, and do it quickly.”

C & R Milling & Paving’s fleet is comprised of a variety of equipment, including Wirtgen milling machines ranging from a W120i to two W2200 models. The W200i is the most prevalent machine, with seven in the company’s lineup.

“Wirtgen machines are reliable, strong and overall the best equipment out there,” said Alvarado. “We’ve tried other brands in the past; however, Wirtgen has always outperformed them. We’ve reached the point where we only want to use Wirtgen.”

Expanding Milling Services

Alvarado believes that increasing milling operations is the best way to bolster the growth of his company. The strong economy and investment into improving roadways throughout the state provides steady business and opportunities for expansion.

“Dedicating more resources to our milling operation will allow us to serve a larger portion of Florida,” explained Alvarado. “I’m happy with our current paving and clean-up operation. Our short-term goals include adding new equipment and hiring more high-quality people.”
Linder offers a wide variety of new, used and rental equipment. Construction products, excavators, dozers, trucks, wheel loaders, milling machines, pavers, brooms and so much more. Linder Industrial Machinery provides an extensive OEM parts inventory, remanufactured exchange components, aftermarket parts for all makes of equipment, used parts, complete undercarriage rebuilding equipment, and a professional staff of Customer Support experts. Linder Industrial Machinery has branches in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida. They are conveniently located near the areas of Arden, Aurora, Concord, Greenville, Greensboro, Raleigh, Wilmington, West Columbia, Ladson, Greer, Fort Mill, South Jacksonville, Orlando, Plant City, Ocala, Fort Myers, and West Palm Beach.