It wasn’t originally the plan to have a new product line with table tops and wall medallions for the collegiate market. It just happened that way.
“A company, Proline Stamps, had made a mold design and produced a wall medallion as a gift for Alabama Pigments Company for hosting them at the Alabama-LSU game in Tuscaloosa a few years ago,” recalled Frankie Smeraglia, managing partner for Concrete Sports. “At Alabama Pigments, we were big Alabama fans, so we placed the medallion on our wall at the office and took it to trade shows.”
They didn’t plan to sell the wall medallion.
“The point of taking the medallion was to display how color and designs could be implemented in concrete molds,” Smeraglia explained. “But, the idea took off. We were asked multiple times by individuals and companies if they could purchase the medallion.”
It was a natural evolution for the medallions to also be used as sturdy, attractive, high-quality table tops. So, in 2013 the new company, Concrete Sports, was started as a joint venture by Proline and Alabama Pigments with the primary focus to manufacture and distribute concrete table tops and medallions. Company headquarters are in McCalla, Ala., with an office in Oceanside, Calif.
“We decided to use team logos on our product because we understood how big the college branding market had become,” Smeraglia said. “Alabama and Auburn were our first two schools that were licensed. We believed that if we could produce something that wasn’t currently available in the marketplace, at a reasonable price point, we could be successful in the collegiate market.”
They were correct. Concrete Sports has expanded with several other Southeastern Conference team products now available and with plans to add more schools.
“We plan for future expansion to include adding more universities and over time to expand into other areas, such as the NFL, motorsports and other segments of the sports industry,” Smeraglia said.
Concrete Sports products include a 32-inch and 40-inch round table, as well as 32.5-inch x 34.5-inch wall medallions.
There are challenges to starting a new company, especially with products about which the target audience is not already aware. Concrete Sports has advertised its products and has promoted them at fan club events for teams including Auburn and LSU. Trade shows have also been a venue for reaching the market.
“It’s important that we advertise our products to the public to support distributors that are selling our products,” Smeraglia said. “Trade shows are important due to visibility to the marketplace. It’s important to understand the market segment as a whole. We’ve been able to meet other companies in the collegiate market that have pointed us in the direction toward possible distributors that we would not have thought about approaching.
“Our team logo products have been received really well by customers. We’ve also gotten positive feedback from the institutions.”
Concrete Sports sturdy table tops and wall medallions are attractive in the home, on decks and porches, and are well-suited for pregame parties and social gatherings. They are unique presents for Christmas, birthdays or as a gift to the college sports fan year-round. The products are available at many retail locations, and can be purchased through the company web site at www.concrete-sports.com or by calling 205-243-7693.