A Company Based on Family
Jim plays guitar and Kevin recalls fond memories of his father and his passion for not only homeownership but music. When Jim began his country music show, “Star Time,” in their home’s basement, he would invite not only known musical talent but also customers who’d purchased a Clayton home to perform on the show. “Star Time” ran for 20 successful years every Saturday night on television.
Kevin also remembers attending store promotions to celebrate the opening of a new Clayton home center. Jim and the Kountry King Band would play live music on stage at these events while many shopped for a home. Kevin laughs when he says his job was “instrumental” at the time to the company’s success; he would keep the kids busy doubling them around on his mini bike so the parents could pick out a home. The crowds were enormous, coming to see the television performers live.
From the time the first manufactured home was sold at the first Clayton Homes location, the company has grown to more than 350 home centers and over 20,000 team members across the country. We now build and offer not only manufactured homes but also modular homes, CrossMod® homes, traditional site-built homes, Designer Cottages and PMRVs. And with the ever-increasing demand for affordable housing, Clayton is uniquely positioned to help.
As the company has evolved, there are several common questions people ask Kevin. One is, “What does your dad think about what this company has become?” Jim expresses how proud he is of his son and the Clayton team, and the beliefs and attitudes fostered in the company to support the community and people we serve. He’s a proud founder.
A second question people ask is how Clayton continues to be successful. Kevin says, “It’s because of so many fantastic people in the organization, a wonderful family culture, and we are driven by our common purpose of ‘Opening Doors to A Better Life.’”
Built with Sustainability in Mind
We care about the sustainability and energy efficiency of our homes, so we not only reduce waste and energy usage as much as possible in our building facilities and offices but are also committed to recycling and reusing building materials wherever we can. In 2020 alone, Clayton diverted 4,768 tons of waste from landfills. All of our home building facilities and 16 Clayton Supply® locations are also ISO 140001 certified, while our home office is LEED certified.
In addition, 39 of our 40 home building facilities participate in the ENERGY STAR® program to help provide our customers with a more energy efficient home. We also offer our optional EnergySmart® Home package, which includes features like an ecobee smart thermostat®, quality insulation, Low-E windows and a Rheem® dual element water heater.
In 2021, Clayton also hired our first director of Environment and Sustainability, the company’s first position committed solely to sustainability.
How Clayton Continues to Innovate
There is a saying Kevin likes to share that helps guide Clayton as a whole: “Slow down to go fast.” We take time with our innovations to enhance our customers’ experiences, from dreaming of their own home to living in it and making memories. This includes tours at our home centers and on our website, and with a variety of online tools to help support home buyers throughout the process.
