George E. Coates Bulldozer Work was founded by George E. and Helen R. Coates in 1954 with one bulldozer, an Allis-Chalmers HD 9, purchased with a small savings and borrowed money. The company did mostly farm work; building ponds and dikes, and clearing land for crops and pasture. The company grew slowly and eventually hired its first employee, J.C. Smith from Benson, NC around 1960. George and J.C. worked six days a week in the field, and Helen kept the books and made sure the bills were paid on time, all while raising three children, Ann, Danny, and Mike.

The company grew steadily through the 60’s and 70’s and took on many jobs in the Raleigh and surrounding areas. Among these include clearing for the RDU Airport, Harrison Avenue in Cary, a 100-acre lake in Henderson, and many other projects too numerous to mention.

In 1986, the company was re-organized and incorporated. Brothers Danny and Mike Coates took on the day-to-day responsibilities of management and operations. The name was changed to Coates Grading & Hauling Co., Inc. This also marks the time the company diversified and started hauling materials with dump trucks. Commercial and residential projects led the company to hire more employees and purchase larger and faster equipment to keep up with the growing market. For instance, in 1995, having won a contract including water lines and sewer lines, a utility division was begun and licensed to do public utilities. Water and sewer installation crews have completed many public and private jobs since this humble beginning.

In 1998, the trucking and hauling division of the company was split off, creating Coates Transport Corporation. Coates Transport hauls gravel, dirt, asphalt, debris, equipment and structures to Coates jobs and to many other contractors and customers in North Carolina. Coates Transport was expanded in 2007 to accommodate the need to transport hot asphalt from the plant to jobsites for the newly formed paving division.

In 2007, after sub-contracting asphalt paving out to other contractors for over 30 years, the decision was made to start a paving division. After much thought and prayer, equipment was purchased and employees hired to begin this new direction for Coates Grading & Hauling Co., Inc. Bradley Coates, third-generation Coates, took on the large task of overseeing the day-to-day operations of the paving division. Brandy Coates Jernigan, also third- generation, came on to manage the extra work load and bookkeeping in the office.

In 2008, the name Coates Grading & Hauling Co., Inc. was changed to Coates Corporation to accurately describe company operations. Today, Coates Corporation is one of the largest grading, utility, trucking, and paving contractors in Eastern North Carolina. The company philosophy has always been to do an outstanding job in the shortest amount of time; thus creating good customer relations. Many jobs are completed by a verbal commitment because trust has been established between Coates Corporation and our customers.

The resume` for Coates Corporation today would include many elementary, middle, and high schools, shopping centers, highways, subdivisions, and building sites in Eastern North Carolina. Site work today includes all phases of work; from clearing and erosion control to mass grading, storm drain, water & sewer lines, curb & gutter, and paving. All divisions of work are done by Coates Corporation crews and equipment, so scheduling and quality control is optimized.

The vision for our future is to be able to be competitive in the market place, to provide jobs for our employees, and to complete jobs with the quality and control that we have been known for over 50 years.

Thank you for spending a few minutes getting to know the Coates Corporation, and we thank you in advance for considering Coates Corporation on your next project.