Part One: Elite Crete Systems was born...

The Elite Crete Systems experience and roots in the cementitious overlay industry is deeper than any other company or product line today. "Elite Crete" products were originally created as simply a product brand by a specialty paint and coatings manufacturing company who at the time only sold cementitious overlay materials to other companies under private label or re-label. Ownership made the decision to create and launch their own product label line and called the brand of materials "Elite Crete" not to compete with the same companies they were already selling products to, but to go after a sector of the industry that they considered untouched by other companies, the specification segment. An obvious void existed as it pertained to architectural overlay and finishes products being specified by architects for commercial applications.

Much to their surprise, the "Elite Crete" product line became increasingly popular and the demand for private labeling of specifically the "Elite Crete" products became overwhelming. It soon became obvious that the experienced, quality conscious contractor wanted a single, proven product, direct from the manufacturer that had the right answer. It came time to launch "Elite Crete Systems" as a separate entity and focus on their own, contractor proven, quality products that countless contractors, distributors, suppliers and architects demand today.

Elite Crete Systems not only set the initial and current standards for architectural concrete finishes & overlay products but are constantly raising the bar as well. From their highly sought after training seminars, to the detailed engineering of their entire product line designed with the contractor in mind, to their commitment and dedication to a level of customer service and technical assistance is second to none in this industry. 

People around Elite Crete Systems use words like Quality, Ease of Use and Innovative to best describe the basis of every product they manufacture. In fact, their company mission is to provide the most comprehensive architectural concrete overlay system, one that is of the highest quality, easy to use, with substantial versatility and yet reasonably priced. They manufacture one of the most complete lines in the industry and are committed to quality customer service and technical assistance. They are fully dedicated to their customers and provide them with personalized, quality service and attention.

For many years, several well known companies, manufacturers and suppliers have looked to Elite Crete Systems to provide them with the products, technical assistance and solutions to their architectural concrete finishes and overlay products.

Elite Crete Systems concrete overlay products have come a long way since it’s birth in a small, dirty, crowded paint factory, when they introduced the industry's first hybrid blended emulsion modifier. The demand for their concrete overlay systems grew quickly during it’s early years, adding color, stain and various sealers along the way, and earning a strong reputation for innovation, quality, durability and cost effectiveness.

That reputation proved invaluable when Elite Crete Systems introduced its first "Concrete Restoration Overlay." The industry raised their eyebrows when Elite Crete Systems began offering a concrete resurfacing material that was more resistant to freeze/thaw, deicing salts and petrochemical deterioration without the need for a protective sealer. This was unheard of from products and companies that dominated the industry at the time. Elite Crete Systems reputation encouraged both concrete finishers as well as other construction contractors to give the materials a try and widespread industry skepticism quickly gave way to a host of imitators.

Today Elite Crete Systems is the leading manufacturer of decorative concrete related products, concrete overlay systems, stains, dyes, sealers, protective coatings and more, selling to more than 20 countries worldwide while completely dominating the U.S. market. Widely regarded as the "Architectural Concrete Overlay" industry's leading innovator, Elite Crete Systems products are specified and successfully installed on thousands of projects every year and over a millions square feet annually.

When Elite Crete Systems officially incorporated the Elite Crete product line name that had gained so much attention and praise the primary purpose was to manufacture and market their own brand of products. Almost a year-to-the-day later - Elite Crete Systems unveiled a new Pre-Mixed Overlay System designed to allow specifiers the confidence that the material will perform long term as originally engineered. The hallmark products of the Pre-Mixed Overlay System consisted of TEXTURE-PAVE™ and THIN-FINISH™ which featured expertly engineered mix designs consisting of over 9 silica quartz sizes and a dry version of the legendary CPR1000 Hybrid Polymer Modifier. The Pre-Mixed Overlay Systems immediately impressed the architectural concrete overlay industry and soon-after virtually eliminated the use of "liquid polymer" and/or "add your own sand" overlay systems.

The Pre-Mixed Overlay Systems began shipping to distributors in 1999, and it was followed in February, 2000, by PORTION CONTROL COLORANTS™. Response to the new coloring system was incredibly enthusiastic and overwhelming. As an editor at a well known construction magazine put it, "in a contest of all-out decorative concrete products compared to Elite Crete Systems, it looks like the other suppliers brought knives to a gun fight."

In October 2001 Elite Crete Systems launched a very informal discussion forum website, www.concretelocator.com for their customers to share information with one another. Although the website got off to a slow start, it is now busiest and most frequented "architectural concrete" related website on-line.

Although 2002 was a slow year for much of the U.S. economy due to 9/11, Elite Crete Systems as well as many of their Authorized Distributors and Contractors continued to see positive business growth primarily due to the fact that the architectural concrete overlay industry has a bit of "recession proof" qualities about it.

2003 to 2004 was business as usual. Elite Crete Systems set up several new Authorized Distributors in areas where there were none to better service contractors in those regions and ultimately saw 25% and 38% increases in revenue respectively in those years.

2005 to 2007 continued growth and additional Authorized Distributors was the main theme. By the end of 2007 the total Authorized Distributors tops 30, leaving only a few areas of the U.S. available. With sites set high for an improved International Authorized Distributor base, more and more marketing was designed to attract foreign business and it was paying off.

2008 plans include essentially the same strategy that has created such success up until now: developing innovative, differentiated, high-performance products through rapid prototyping, extensive testing, flexible, U.S.-based manufacturing and absolutely unsurpassed technical support, customer service and business development assistance. To continue to facilitate those goals, manufacturing, training and sales departments will move in to a brand new facility.

Many of the ideas that keep Elite Crete Systems products on the cutting edge come from the vast experience and professionalism their customers have. The feedback provided by their customers and their own flexible production processes, encourage a near constant stream of both new innovations and improvements to existing proven products. Based 30 minutes out side of Chicago, Elite Crete Systems manufactures products at two facilities in Valparaiso, Indiana with offices in Valparaiso and Merrillville, Indiana. In addition, there are Elite Crete Systems Authorized Distributors located throughout the continental United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, South Africa and other countries