Reliance Interiors, Inc. has a presence that reaches from Georgia to Alabama. This small, woman-owned company with a reputation for excellence also serves the greater region from South Carolina to Tennessee and Florida. At home in Acworth, Georgia, the company is well-known for delivering a unique combination of wall- and ceiling-related services with typical southern charm.
Reliance Interiors carries a wide range of products including prefabricated wall panels, non-load-bearing and load-bearing metal-framed walls, and specialty ceilings. The company also offers turnkey drywall installation, building information modeling, and design coordination.
As a trusted supplier to some of the region’s best-known general contractors, Reliance enjoys being the go-to solutions provider for its many new and returning customers serving a diverse range of industries. From schools, hospitals, and federal agencies to religious buildings, retail, multifamily, and other types of projects, the Reliance team has just about seen it all.
Building a business as sturdy as this one took discipline, patience, and time. During the past three decades in the trade, Reliance Interiors has earned a reputation for excellence by keeping its promises. The team is committed to hard work and cultivating business relationships that last—for decades, in some cases. This culture is consistently instilled by the management team, which considers its relationships with its employees to be as valuable as those it has with clients. Thanks to robust organizational health and great team spirit, these values are reflected throughout the company, growing customer confidence and securing future business as the company increases its capacity and its reach.
Reliance Interiors’ legacy was established by founders Jackie and David Kettering, who started the company in their basement in 1994. Today, their son is at the helm of the family venture. “We value long-term relationships,” says Luke Kettering, Vice President of Operations, who was only 16 when his parents started Reliance Interiors. He points out that one firm has been a customer for 30 years, “basically since we started.”
As a youngster, his parents’ commitment and dedication left a big impression on him. “They poured their heart and soul and bank accounts into the company,” Kettering says of his parents’ drive to make the company the success it is today by investing a part of their retirement funds into it during the recession of 2008. This selfless act would one day guide his own approach to the company’s longevity. “They did that because of their commitment to the employees, because of their commitment to the people who have been here for a long time. I think that says a lot about them and I’m very grateful to be a part of it.”
Today, Reliance calls a 15,000-square-foot facility home, with a 13,000-square-foot workshop which is soon to be expanded. Computer-aided design and roll-forming machines enable the company to roll its own metal studs which will form the frames to hold drywall in position. But there is more to the team’s work than ordinary drywall; beyond panelized walls and metal framing systems, Reliance offers a range of other systems including metal roof trusses, gypsum wallboards, metal composite decks, building insulation, security walls, and acoustic walls and ceilings. As technology is an imperative part of remaining relevant in today’s market, the company is now also venturing into employing artificial intelligence to enhance its operations.
As its fabrication space is currently relatively limited, the team has honed its field installation capabilities to a fine art, collaborating with a local contractor who waterproofs and cuts the walls following the sheathing and framing process, whereby the outer layers of the walls are added to the frames before they are shipped to job sites where they are installed by Reliance Interiors’ teams. Thus far, the system has not proven to be prohibitive to growth in any way; on the contrary, the company is always busy.
Recently, Reliance completed a project with JE Dunn at Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center in Marietta, Georgia, which the team thoroughly enjoyed. There is also a project underway at Centennial Yards, an impressive downtown redevelopment in Atlanta, which must be completed in time for the FIFA World Cup next year.
Moreover, the team is also working on Cosm in Atlanta. This exciting project is based on The Sphere in Las Vegas and is set to welcome its first guests next year while the remainder of property is to be developed over the next decade. The phenomenal entertainment complex spans 70,000 square feet and is set to take the entertainment experience to an entirely new level with immersive concerts, a 12K-resolution LED dome, and much more—all spread across three stories of beautifully designed public spaces.
The company is also working on the second phase of Corso Atlanta, an exclusive assisted living facility famous for its breathtaking design. Reliance’s contribution in the first phase, which it completed in collaboration with Brasfield & Gorrie, landed the company a specialty contractor award at the AGC Build Georgia Awards in 2024. Moreover, the team received the same award for its work on the Westin Atlanta Gwinnett Hotel in Georgia’s prestigious Gas South District. Now, the firm is looking forward to installing two challenging structures for the hospitality industry.
With many exciting upcoming projects in the pipeline, the company also boasts a host of past successes. One of its most notable historic projects was a large renovation of the Robert S. Vance Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama. Completed in 2010, this was a technically demanding yet rewarding project with an elaborate anchoring system demanded by the century-old building, in contrast to the fastening systems the team typically uses. The project challenged the team’s knowledge and skills to the utmost, and Kettering recalls it as an outstandingly tricky but fun project.
Another job which stands out is the tallest hotel built in Atlanta in the past two decades, Signia by Hilton at the Georgia World Congress Center, built in collaboration with Skanska.
Naturally, delivering quality work is impossible without a quality team, and judging by the testimonials the company has received, Reliance Interiors’ people are fantastic. Kettering agrees, so it wasn’t surprising when he lit up when asked what he appreciates about his staff. “The biggest thing is they’re all good people,” he says of the people he describes as being part of the family. “Everybody tries to do the right thing. They’re honest.” He is especially proud of the fact that the company’s open-door policy gives everyone here a voice. As a result, employer-employee loyalty is mutual.
This shared respect extends to the local communities in which the team works, wherein it supports events and organizations like the Hammer Down Race, Habitat for Humanity, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Reliance Interiors team ensures that its work serves to provide for its own but also for those in need wherever possible.
With a legacy built on solid foundations, this fiscally sound company is looking forward. Its sights are set on continued growth in the face of economic challenges, and Kettering is pleased with the forecast. “Our current trajectory is 10 to 15 percent growth annually, compounding over the next five years,” he says.
As part of this goal, Reliance Interiors plans to expand its facility by another 15,000 to 20,000 square feet and improve its prefabrication outfit to ensure that its output aligns with demand. While the world and the country adjust to geopolitical shifts and the economic impacts they bring, this company is fully prepared for growth and continued success.
