Blue Dot Readi-Mix is a locally owned and operated company specializing in ready mix concrete. Founded in North Carolina in November 2004, the team has been in business for over a decade making this November its twentieth anniversary. With a set vision for the future and plans to continue expanding, Blue Dot Readi-Mix is excelling on its current trajectory by providing a one-stop-shop approach to all things concrete. Crucially, the company has done this while embracing the technological advancements of the last two decades.

Although ready-mix concrete is the company’s main offering, Blue Dot Readi-Mix offers a suite of other products such as aggregate, stone and sand. The company also offers a range of services including concrete testing and reporting, design concrete mixes, project technical support and outside sales support.

Every project is carefully monitored by a wide-ranging group that includes its Sales Team, Quality Control and Production experts. This enables the company to verify that each load meets —and exceeds— industry standards and project specification requirements.

Blue Dot Readi-Mix also has a sister company named BluRebar, which helps to promote the one-stop-shop experience for clients. Through BluRebar it can offer rebar, rebar accessories, welded wire mesh, rebar estimating, rebar project management and rebar shop drawings. Its rebar fabrication shop, located in Monroe, NC, is equipped with the latest machinery and software that enable it to deliver the same excellent service and quality provided by Blue Dot.

As a locally owned company, many of its team members are part of the community. Sales Manager, JJ Dixon, has been working at Blue Dot for 15 years and attended college nearby at University of North Carolina (UNC) in Charlotte. Since graduating, Dixon and the team at Blue Dot have carried out a lot of work at UNC Charlotte. “One of the biggest standouts, for me personally, is the fact that we’ve done a lot of work over there. We’ve done five residence halls and dorm rooms. We also did all the concrete for the UNCC football stadium, among many other projects over there at that particular college here in our hometown.”

While Dixon has been with the company for 15 years, there are other members of the Blue Dot team that have been around since the foundation of the company, —a testament to the positive work culture at Blue Dot Readi-Mix.

The current team of professionals are a mixture of colleagues and family. Incredibly, family legacies have developed over time with children of employees eventually starting at Blue Dot also. As the company has grown, it has evolved into a multi-generational workplace of skilled workers. However, this growth has also been nurtured through active engagement with modern technologies.

“As the company has grown, it has evolved into a multi-generational workplace of skilled workers.”

Manager of Operations, Wayne Shue, is one of the team members who has been at Blue Dot Readi-Mix since the very beginning. Over this time Shue has experienced multiple changes that have altered the industry for the better. “It’s amazing to see the growth in equipment and the technology. I think we’ve evolved with the times and that’s been a big thing for us. From what we started with to what we have today is completely different. We used to do paper delivery tickets, now we’re on e-tickets. We’ve got truck cast, which gives our customers transparency of their loads being delivered. They can also place orders that way now instead of everything having to come through a phone line. The technology’s just helping us a tremendous amount.”

In its mission to provide the best possible service, Blue Dot has put together a quality control department made up of five people with over eighty years’ experience in the construction industry. The goal of this team is to maintain both Blue Dot’s quality at the plant, and its quality on job sites.

To ensure this, Blue Dot’s quality control technicians receive educational and on-the-job training in endless job scope scenarios. Its in-house lab has the ability to cure, break, and report cylinder strengths. The team performs various testing procedures, and its quality control staff are NCDOT, SCDOT, and ACI certified.

Having a quality control team allows for Blue Dot to provide a service that differentiates it from other competitors. It is this excellent service which has led to successful work on numerous projects.

As the company has grown, so has the scale of its projects. Currently, Blue Dot Readi-Mix is working on two high-profile bridges, situated in Locust and Concord. Alongside this there are several large industrial concrete structure buildings; two in Charlotte, one in Rock Hill, and one in Chester which is almost ready to begin. Additionally, the company is working on several schools in the Charlotte area. While these projects may have a higher profile, it is clear that this does not give them a greater level of importance. Shue understands the necessity of all jobs, and this is what makes up the overall success of Blue Dot Readi-Mix.

“I think what’s also equally as important is our everyday-ers that we deal with. From the two-yard patio of the homeowner to the 30,000-yard job. They all hold their own level of importance to us, and we need the small just as much as we need the large.”

So, with all the success and achievements Blue Dot Readi-Mix has achieved so far, what does the future hold? Currently it has eight facilities in production every day and is looking to add to that even further.

While the vision for the company is growth and expansion without compromising on the service it has become known for, this local business will always remain close to home. The current plan is to expand out of the Greater Charlotte market and into the Carolinas.

When he looks back at Blue Dot’s 20 years of business, Dixon is impressed by the growth and is looking forward to the future. With plans to keep growing, and generations of workers already at Blue Dot, it won’t be long before its workforce significantly increases, and the next phase of Blue Dot employees begins.

“We’re growing our footprint in terms of reach and we’re expanding our coverage area by adding two additional plants. If you look at the snapshot of the last 20 years, it’s incredible. When we started, I think we had 10 or 12 employees. Now we’re at 250. So, I guess that’s not bad for 20 years”.

What defines a legacy? To many, a legacy is defined as something which is passed on and continues to do so long into the future. In that case, you could define the history of Master Craft Floors as being very much an ongoing legacy. Master Craft Floors is a full-service commercial floor covering dealer that prides itself on being a one-stop-shop. From flooring installation, in-house interior design, estimation, project management and even floor care and maintenance, they strive to exceed their customer’s needs from start to finish. Celebrating 50 years in business this year, the company has experienced an exponential amount of growth throughout its business lifecycle and continues to invest in new services and products.

Founded by Eugene “Gene” Ulfig and his wife Eleanor “El” Ulfig in 1974, the company was then passed down to their son Dan Ulfig in 1985. By hiring more staff and field personnel, the business continued to grow and is now run by director James “Jim” Judd.

With extensive product knowledge of all flooring types and applications, Master Craft Floors are truly masters in the field. The business offers a range of services including carpet, resilient, ceramic tile, epoxy coatings, and polished concrete to name a few. The company also have their own in-house design, which is done by Jim’s wife, Julie Judd.

Master Craft Floors has an extensive catalogue of work to be proud of, completing several significant projects along the way which include major stadiums and casinos. This began in the mid-2000’s when Detroit added three casinos to the downtown skyline. Master Craft Floors was the most qualified local contractor and incredibly, it was awarded two of these projects simultaneously, the Motor City Casino (now Hollywood Casino at Greektown) and MGM Grand – Detroit projects.

With this gaming experience and the encouragement of partners and clients alike, Master Craft ventured into Nevada. After some exploratory work traveling back and forth as work demanded, Master Craft opened officially in January of 2010 with an office, warehouse space & full-time staff in the region.
Jim has been with Master Craft Floors since 1994. In this time, he has witnessed multiple projects come to fruition, but there are some standouts that spring to mind for him.

“We’re wrapping up a project right now in Detroit called the JLA. It’s where the old Joe Louis Arena was and where our Detroit Redwings have played for years. It’s a 26-story residential unit skyscraper and we did 1000’s and 1000’s of feet of flooring throughout that building. “The craftsmanship is just amazing. I sent some pictures back to the office the other day of the lobby and the wall panels we did with the tile and stone in it. It’s cutting edge, and it will be one of those places that I proudly tell everyone, we did that.”

Another project Jim is proud of is the Raiders Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, where Master Craft Floors satellite office can be found —the headquarters is located in Plymouth, Michigan, but Master Craft Floors also cater to businesses worldwide.
Operating from different locations allows Master Craft Floors to complete projects in various locations. Whether it is the T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas or the Huntington Place (formerly TCF Center/Cobo Hall) in downtown Detroit, Master Craft Floors is willing and able to input its expertise into numerous projects simultaneously. Unsurprisingly, the scope of work varies for each project. For example, the Detroit Metro Airport project involved installing both the flooring in the terminal and rubber tile in the pedestrian walkways of the parking garages. However, occasionally a project comes along that allows the company to really excel. The Shinola Hotel in downtown Detroit, for instance, allowed it to showcase a different set of skills altogether. To build the Shinola Hotel, five existing buildings with different levels of elevation had their walls torn down and merged. Master Craft Floors did solid hardwood flooring — mostly custom cut — and poured concrete, inlaid solid brass strips and polished it. Although this job was completed five years ago, Master Craft Floors are currently back at the Shinola Hotel resurfacing the wood floors in the hotel rooms.

Creating and maintain relationships is important to the team at Master Craft Floors and especially important to Jim. Building relationships and trust with clients is important for every business, but Master Craft Floors also tries to build and strengthen its internal relationships. Julie mentions the importance of knowledge and training in house, and how Master Craft Floors invest so much into its employees to provide the client with better results.

“Master Craft is unique in that we don’t farm out our labour which ultimately works out better for the client because the quality of labour is so much higher. Our entire installation team is comprised of direct employees of the company. Jim, our warehouse manager Rob, and I are consistently doing the latest and greatest training in the for both our installation team and also for our in-house personnel, so that we’re totally current and up to date on the latest trends in installation and products.

“Our installers are real craftsmen and continually educated on the latest installation training – especially when specific to healthcare and ICRA (Infection Control Risk Assessment). We have been historically — and we are still —strong with resilient floors and that’s a more technical install, including welding, flash coving, things like that. Our guys and girls — we have women on our installation team too — are fully versed in ICRA standards.”

Master Craft claims that one thing it does better than anyone else is occupied spaces, and it has the evidence to prove it. Whatever the job, all staff are trained in best practices in health care, infectious control, rescue, risk assessment and blood borne pathogens. Master Craft staff can set up containment to ensure no one becomes infected when they are in occupied space.

Another area unique to Master Craft is the ripping up of old carpet/floor covering and installing new flooring quickly and precisely, which comes in particularly handy for its casino work. The business has invested in fabricating equipment that can pick up slot bases with the machines on them and move them out of the way. This allows for customer carpets to be installed with machines returned to the floor with limited downtime.

By developing this equipment, it has helped master Craft Floors to strengthen its relationships within the casino industry. Clients have less downtime to worry about and Master Craft can provide a more efficient service. This is important to Jim as he has mentioned multiple times throughout the interview that “the clients come first”.

With such a successful career to date, what is next for Master Craft Floors? Its current plans right now are for the company to engage more in artificial intelligence to help with streamlining the software. Jim also has a goal to keep profit margins up and within the next 15 years reach 60 million. With a growth mindset and dedicated leadership, you wouldn’t bet against it hitting these targets comfortably. “I’ve always lived by failure is not an option. So, one way or another, we’re going to get it done and be successful with a happy client at the end of the day. And every day, I still live that. One thing that Dan has instilled in me is for this company to endure. “My goal is to make the company endure, for all of our employees to make a good living, and to also have some fun along the way.”

The construction industry relies on building relationships and creating partnerships. While talent and skill are of course important traits, at the heart of every business are clients. Knowing how to foster great customer service is a skill that can help propel any company to success, and no one knows this better than owner of both Central Painting and Industrial Floor Systems, Dave Graham.

Having worked in construction since he was 10 years old, Graham is no stranger to the industry. His father worked as a mechanical contractor which he believes led to him growing up more blue collar than white collar. Graham went on to graduate with a degree in finance, all while running a college professional painters’ franchise. After graduation, Graham was drawn fully into the construction industry as it felt like a natural progression to him at the time. In 1994, Central Painting was started and Graham’s journey truly began. “I moved to Barrie with my girlfriend at the time—my wife now—and never looked back. We got in with some chains very early on and started working all over Ontario. Then one of our clients, Loblaws, came to us and said, we have a big program out West, would you consider working on it? That’s how our western expansion started back in 2007/2008. We opened the first office in Calgary and we had offices in Saskatchewan. A lot of our expansion has been very much customer driven because customers liked our service. They’d often ask if we could do more, and that’s how we got into flooring. Our locations have grown because of that and our services like flooring and roof coatings all progressed through client demand.”

While Graham initially set out in business with a painting company, he soon became aware of a gap in the market that his team could cover. While working on time sensitive and complicated shutdowns, the coordination never worked out as well as any of the parties would have liked. Wanting to serve his clients better and offer the best service possible, Graham decided to setup Industrial Floor Systems. Now, Graham can offer the whole package when it comes to commercial or industrial institutional work.

What does this mean for clients? Well, it means clients no longer have to manage two separate trades or worry about the complexities to schedule. The project is now taken by both Central Painting and Industrial Floor Systems — who operate independently to each other — and brought back to their offices to be shared amongst project managers.

“These operations managers work very closely together on these projects to make sure that it’s as pain free for the client as possible.”

By creating a one-stop-shop, Graham is able to reduce the amount of time projects take to complete and provide the ultimate customer service that both Central Painting and Industrial Floor Systems have become known for. Recently, both teams worked on a very large project in Edmonton which was a painting project that happened to coincide with a very large flooring project. The project was a two and a half million square foot robotics warehouse facility for Amazon that included floor remediation, which ultimately left the clients incredibly satisfied. “We just did a couple of big remediations this year, 100,000 square foot plus buildings where we did flooring and painting. We also sandblasted the buildings which really showcased what our guys can do. This involved working very closely with the client and our own project managers to shorten schedules and get the buildings in operation as quickly as possible. We’ve got great teams and the thing about it is as much as they are two separate companies and two separate sets of employees, these guys meet weekly. These operations managers work very closely together on these projects to make sure that it’s as pain free for the client as possible.”

Customer service is a huge part of both businesses and one that Graham is increasingly proud of. While customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance, Graham also gets satisfaction from the repeat client base that comes with it. Reflecting on how Industrial Floor Systems flourished, Graham is now asking himself, what is the next service he can add on? Graham recently added roof coatings, which have been great for building owners. This means that rather than tear off a roof, a roof coating can be put on it, saving both time and money. Also, great warranty can be provided with the rubberized coating which is even better for owners.

With the customer in mind once again, both companies have decided to invest in elevating their training programs to increaser their service level to an even higher standard—if that is even possible.

Graham has clients he has worked with for 20 to 25 years, who still prioritize Central Painting and Industrial Floor Systems as their main choice, and he would like this to continue. By focusing on their own people and training, both companies have the opportunity to excel at service by working from the inside and then outwards. The training will involve making field staff more efficient in order to help the client better and create a more seamless project completion. “Well-trained people are always happier in their job and the clients are happier when you have well trained people on site. We have somebody now that was a full-time trainer, building these programs, implementing them, and going around the different offices training. We already see where it’s paying off and it’s not just on how do you execute your job? It’s how do you serve the client? How do you interact with the client? We want to be known as those guys that are great to work with. In our business there’s always things that come up and the best people are the ones who figure out solutions and work with the other trades for the client in order to make the path as smooth as possible.”

Central Painting and Industrial Floor Systems are not a ‘one and done’ company. Both companies pride themselves on repeat business, and that fight to become the number one choice for clients is what motivates them to keep pushing the limits on what can be offered.

Graham built both companies with the mindset that clients can reach them whenever it may be to find a solution for something, even if that means calling on a Saturday evening. There is no time Central Painting and Industrial Floor Systems will not be there for the client, which is what serving customers the right way is all about.

Turning forty is a pivotal point in life for majority of people. It allows us time to reflect on where we came from and focus on where we’re going. In business, this is no different. In 1984, IECS Group was known as West Lorna Precast, the company established by two individuals, one of whom was Louis Arvai. Over this time, the company has experienced massive growth and has managed to remain at the pinnacle of a profoundly volatile industry. As it approaches the big four-zero, it’s nice to take a moment to stop and smell the proverbial roses.

The company has experienced a number of significant successes during its time in business and at its peak, has had close to 140 employees. Ever the innovator, IECS invented the precast headwall in 1997, a first for the industry. Specializing in articulated concrete block or articulated concrete mat, the company has used these skills and desire to push the industry forward to expand across both local and international markets. 2008 saw the company develop its operations significantly. IECS acquired a new property, built a new precast facility in Rodney, and also built a new office space. While in 2012, IECS acquired another property adjacent to its existing structure, essentially doubling its space. However, the expansion didn’t stop there and IECS continued to grow in both 2019 and 2021.

Cable Concrete is an engineered solution and IECS manufacture the moulds to cast the product in Canada. The engineering aspect of this was developed by IECS, which allowed the business to enter global markets and manufacture the product locally, utilizing local labor and materials by shipping its molds there. In addition to this, it also offers products such as precast box colour, bridge elements, girders, deck slabs, footings, wing walls, and more. This type of specialised custom precast solution has allowed the company to grow its business in Ontario. To add to its list of industry firsts, the company poured Cable Concrete in Mexico as far back as 2006 and manufactured it in Nigeria in 2010.

Vice President of IECS, Greg Arvai, has worked at IECS for more than 20 years, and views the company as leaders in custom design build precast. “We’ve made a name for our company over the years. A lot of our products head all over Ontario, and to the GTA, which is one of the best construction markets in the world. We’ve worked with big contractors to smaller ones, and basically everything at our facility is built on a per project basis. We have a full turnkey operation from estimating to engineering and design work, to the quality engineering of the work and also delivery of the material to the customer. But the specialty precast has been an area that contracting companies relevant to our market reach out to us for solutions. We definitely don’t like to say no. We like to take on unique challenging projects that require engineered solutions and that is where we excel.”

“Ever the innovator, IECS invented the precast headwall in 1997, a first for the industry.”

Reflecting on their almost 40 years in business, Arvai discussed some standout moments for IECS, which included its first international project based in Malaysia in 1999. Today, IECS has offices in Nigeria, Chile, Uganda, Zambia, and the United States.

To manage this successfully, IECS Group has territory managers in each location that work directly for the company and report to head office. However, a certain amount of trust has been placed on each manger to manage their region as their own business. With this in mind, the IECS business philosophy is not to micromanage its people. Instead, the company chose to surround itself with creative people; people it can rely on. With IECS being a family business, this family run approach is extended to all offices worldwide, covering everyone from personnel to senior management.

This style of business has allowed IECS to work on multiple projects and complete them not only successfully, but to an enviably high standard. One of these projects was a Metrolinx project, Davenport Diamond Grade Separation in Toronto. The Cougar Creek flood mitigation projects in Canmore, Alberta, was another big project for IECS, and also opened the door for it to expand into Western Canada.

While there have been many projects IECS has worked on, one it is currently excited about is the work it has completed as part of the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project.

This is a major infrastructure project and is especially exciting for Arvai, who is happy to be associated with Canadian ice hockey player Gordie Howe. Hockey is a major part of the Arvai family and being part of a project such as this engrains the family in the fabric of Canadian culture.

Another exciting opportunity for IECS is its partnership with Reinforced Earth Company (RECo), a civil engineering company in Canada providing national leadership in designing and supplying components for innovative civil engineering projects. As Arvai explains, this relationship is built on a shared vision. “They specialize in providing engineered precast solutions similar to ourselves. We also sell cable concrete as a solution to design engineers in a similar way Reinforced Earth would visit design engineers and owners to sell their solutions upstream and help with design assistance. So, when we first started the conversation about potential partnership, we got very excited that our approach was very similar. They were excited to add cable concrete to their product offerings in the western provinces. So, entering into 2024, RECo Canada will be representing Cable Concrete in Western Canada. IECS is also very excited even though we’ve been in the West since 2013. We’re excited to be associated with a company with as much knowledge and experience as RECo and add additional boots on the ground in the West.”

With many celebrations to be had in 2024, IECS is remaining focused on its future. It is a company that is always looking for the next challenge. While growing and expanding its business will definitely be a priority, the relationship with RECo in the West opens the door to many upcoming projects. Other exciting opportunities for IECS include expanding cable concrete overseas. IECS is confident it can bring a great engineering solution to many countries outside of Canada. However, no matter how much IECS continues to grow, the one part of the business that will never change is the family culture. “Within our business, the one thing we’re very proud of is that, as we’ve grown, we’ve stayed true to our values. We hope to continue to do that and work with companies and customers that hold the same vision and morals and values as us. We feel blessed at the opportunity that that we have had as a family business over the last 40 years, and we really want to work with people we consider friends and family. As we take on the next challenge, this is something that definitely matters to us. We feel like we’re a great partner and we’re just looking to continue providing the industry with unique solutions.”

When William and Laura Donnellan ventured to Vancouver from the West of Ireland in 2009, they could never have imagined the success that would follow. After working tirelessly for many years, the husband-and-wife duo now run IRL Group, which includes multiple companies across Canada and over 150 employees. IRL Group started in 2011 when William noticed the opportunity to bridge a gap in the market that had persisted for years. While working in a management position for a concrete contractor, William encountered issues involving securing and maintaining a consistent supply of labor in Vancouver. As is often the case in construction, a helping hand is sometimes needed, and subcontracting is very much the norm. However, the outsourcing of labor comes with an element of risk. Invariably, workers would arrive on site without tools or PPE. In some cases, workers would not show up at all.

Recognizing this flaw and seeking to find a better solution is what led to the setup of IRL, where the goal was for a different caliber of workers to be provided. IRL supplied its workers with PPE, training, company vehicles and even helped source personal tools. While skilled labor hire may have been the spark that ignited IRL, the company has developed enormously, building a wide array of services. IRL offers total construction services including renovations, tenant improvements, formwork, rebar, concrete, carpentry, construction management and more. As William would say, there is not too much that IRL cannot do. With contracts typically ranging from $5,000 to $5 million, IRL has worked on numerous noteworthy projects.

“In 2012, we completed a project up in Dawson City (Dawson City Water Treatment Plant) basically as far north as you can go. It was for a group called Corix Utilities. They asked me to go and manage the job for 3 months. That ended up being almost a year, and it was phenomenal. A small village with about 800 people, 24 hours darkness in the wintertime and 24 hours daylight in the summertime.”

As William explains, the variety of skill within the company has led to a growing list of successful projects. “We worked on another project in Vancouver, the Seaforth Armory. A military base close to our head office here in South False Creek. We were there for about three years doing a seismic upgrade and a new build. We also worked on the Haida Gwaii Health Centre, which is up in Northern BC. I remember Prince William came in for the official opening on that project. Another successful job was the Kitsilano Elementary School, which is also close to us here in Vancouver. There are many, I could keep going on and on”.

Another area that IRL Group has delved into, and succeeded in, is the hospitality industry. Building 10 bars in eight years, holding onto, and operating 5 still today. This enormous expansion is a long way from where it began back in 2011. In fact, as the success of these bars continues, IRL Group is developing franchise plans to expand across Canada in the near future. This move will further develop its portfolio and is a venture that the group is incredibly excited about.

In addition to this, IRL Group has recently launched Vanway Properties, the group’s new development company. Vanway was setup with the intention of building more affordable homes for the people of Vancouver. This is something that, for William, is a vital component of the work IRL Group does. While construction and contracting are successful elements, there are countless endeavors that allow the organization to work with its local community. At IRL Group, success is not merely a financial consideration. The group has won multiple awards for the positive impact it has had on the local community, including multiple awards from the BC Small Business Association. Over the last 10 years the organization has also sponsored a massive number of local sports teams and continues to be involved with these clubs.

“Throughout everything that IRL Group does, there is one common thread connecting it all: passion.”

Recently, IRL Group ran the Irish Fusion Festival in its local community. This unique family friendly music festival included activities such as pony rides, dunk tanks, hurling and football exhibitions, Irish dancing, Scottish dancing, and more.

In addition to this, William sits on boards such as Pacific Riding For Developing Abilities (PRDA), which is a not-for-profit therapeutic horseback riding facility in Langley, BC, that provides opportunities for persons of all ages with physical abilities. Evidently, giving back to the local community is something that is important at IRL Group. Not only does it keep William and Laura grateful, but it reminds William of something his mother always told him growing up: ‘It costs nothing to be kind’.

This link to their homeland is an intrinsic aspect of IRL Group. For William and Laura, it is important that they always remember where they came from. The couple are extremely proud of their Irish roots, so much so that it forms a huge part of their company’s brand identity. As William explains, IRL Group is not just a corporate chain, it is a haven for people who are looking to connect. “My wife came up with a brilliant idea recently. She saw lots of people online during COVID saying that they were lonely, anxious, and fearful. We started a networking event to support people in this regard, ‘New and not so new in Vancouver’. It not just for people that have recently come to Vancouver, but also for those who have been here for years, or people who grew up here. It absolutely exploded, and now we run it monthly in Donnellan’s Irish pub on Granville Street. It’s like speed dating. We set up about 10 tables and every three minutes people move to the next table. Guests absolutely love it; it has been a huge success. I have to give full credit to my wife Laura for that.”

Throughout everything that IRL Group does, there is one common thread connecting it all: passion. The company has huge passion for its work, its employees, its community and even passion for those it has yet to meet. However, for William there is one thing he is truly passionate about. Promoting the construction industry and developing people’s interest in securing a career in construction is hugely important to him. Coming from a small village of 3000 people and a family of 10 kids, William was the one who did not go to university or get third level education. Instead, he joined the construction industry and went on to build an empire. For him, construction represents an opportunity that is unique to the industry. “I really promote the construction industry. I love the trades. I’m always trying to encourage people to join, even my own kids. We’ve got three little boys, one, three and six. I would be so proud if they said they wanted to be a digger driver, or they wanted to be a carpenter, or an electrician. I think there are endless opportunities in the construction industry and with the right attitude, the sky’s the limit.”

People often ask William if he could do it all over again would he opt for the trades rather than going to university; his answer is always the same… “Absolutely”.

In order to enhance safety protocols for contractors, there needs to be a specific way to measure safety. However, safety is not a tangible object and measuring progress cannot be done by simply using a ruler. Instead, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) created a world-class safety system and safety benchmarking improvement tool, also known as STEP. Chapter President at Associated Builders and Contractors of Minnesota and North Dakota (MNABC), Adam Hanson, explained how STEP was developed by ABC roughly 30 years ago for contractors of any size; including small specialty subcontractors, large subcontractors, general contractors, and all contractors who enroll in the program.

Once members have enrolled in STEP, they are provided with a benchmark score for the previous year. The program then allows contractors to look at those metrics and assess how they can improve from where they are today, or how they can easily implement new safety protocols that will help them achieve world class safety.

With the STEP program supporting the safety considerations of its members nationwide, the MNABC chapter has recently gone even further. Developed in 2012, the Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) partnership program is a state-plan program, which is approved by federal OSHA, to protect workers at private and public worksites.

The goal of this program is to annually reduce the number of injuries, illnesses and fatalities affecting participant employers by focusing on the leading four hazards: falls, caught in/between, struck by, and electrocutions. As Hanson explains, the program aims to increase the number of construction contractors that implement effective safety and health programs, provide training for managers, supervisors, and employees, along with recognizing contractors that go beyond basic compliance. “In this program, contractors enroll their company or specific projects with MNOSHA to improve safety on all construction sites. We have goals to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities affecting the construction industry annually by 3%. We want to increase the number of contractors that implement safety programs across their company and on their job sites.”

For Hanson, it is vital that the chapter’s members get home safely from every jobsite so programs like this are hugely important. Additionally, he identifies key benefits such as strengthening communication and links across the industry. “This program also helps recognize those contractors whose leadership teams and core employees develop these programs. It’s a way to promote safety and to showcase those good examples. It also promotes the open line of communication between MNOSHA and the construction industry, because we need to be a partner with everybody in terms of safety from MNOSHA, the general contractors and the subcontractors working on those projects.”

MNABC is also actively involved in its members safety services. The chapter works with a third-party group called OECS that helps customize safety programs, safety days, new certifications that need to be added or continue to be added for workers out in the field. MNABC assists with this because safety is the first and foremost priority for the construction industry.

When a contractor becomes a member of MNABC, they get access to a whole variety of other benefits, such as, education, legislative and regulatory awareness, as well as business and workforce development. As part of the education sector of AMNBC, the chapter aims to equip its contractors with the tools, resources, curriculum, and certifications to implement their own training programs. By using a trade-specific customization strategy, the chapter can tailor its training programs based on the individual company.

Through developing its knowledge base and in-house education team, MNABC can cater to the specific needs of different contractors. For example, plumbing contractors require different training needs than roofing contractors, as the training is unique to each trade and construction industry segment. This means MNABC can support apprentices or new hires by supplying a set curriculum and a distinctive new training program.

Other great benefits of membership include the chapters networking events. In Minnesota and North Dakota there are two kinds of seasons according to Hanson: construction season and the winter months. MNABC utilizes its events throughout these seasons to bring together contractor members, associates and the suppliers who also make up their membership. This could include a structured networking event at a racetrack, or a conference, to discuss the types of projects they build.

Other topics often discussed by MNABC and its members are issues that may affect the construction industry, such as the skilled labor shortage. However, as Hanson says, this shortage is not unique to Minnesota and North Dakota. While not specific to any one geographical area, he believes that it is a major issue facing the construction industry and one that needs to be tackled through a strategic approach.

“We need to find new and creative ways to attract younger people into our industry. We are one of the co-creators of a group called Project Build Minnesota. The aim of the group is to increase awareness about careers in construction in young adults. We are doing everything from school visits to job site tours, meeting with contractors, and we are actively supporting our members with this challenge. A lot of our contractor members are taking it upon themselves individually to do reach out to schools in their area, to host shop classes or other construction technical education courses at their offices and job sites. This is so participants can get a hands-on look and feel about the construction industry that might be harder to do in a classroom setting.”

While the plan to tackle the skilled labor shortage is certainly a future-focused one, MNABC has much on its agenda. Working forwards across a number of strands, it will continue supporting its members through sustained advocacy and the provision of resources and training. Additionally, the chapter is always seeking to grow its members. Last year, for instance, saw positive membership growth. With an increased membership last year, those at MNABC feel that it is getting its message out successfully. However, this does not mean that the chapter is done working. In fact, it is only getting started, especially when it comes to issues such as advocacy.

MNABC has testified at everything from school boards to city councils, to the state capitols in St. Paul and Bismarck, and even in Washington D.C. on Capitol Hill on key issues such as workforce development, safety, prevailing wage, and government mandated project labor agreements. The scope of its advocacy is quite simple: the chapter advocates for the merit shop philosophy and opposes efforts that seek to limit their contractor members’ and their employees’ ability to work.

It is evident in the work carried out by MNABC that their people and their issues are what motivates this chapter to continue working. Fighting for better safety initiatives, creating unique paths to education, and advocating for its members is only a small taste of what MNABC offers.

While on-site safety is undoubtedly a key element of the work MNABC does, Hanson suggests that the chapter’s members also benefit from a slightly different kind of safety. He believes that, for members of the chapter, the safety of knowing that there is someone fighting in their corner cannot be understated. “We advocate for our members because our members, contractors across two states and those across the country also, are experts. They are experts at building, and they’re experts at being contractors. It is their full-time job. And they build this great country. When they join ABC, they allow us to be their voice. They allow us to advocate on their behalf to get in the weeds of the politics in the legislative world, and we do. We can be their voice.”

Before you can thrive in business you must simply survive, and the same can be said for life. In the last 70 years there have been iconic moments, such as the first moon landing and the Concorde’s first flight. But there have also been moments the world has had to endure: wars, economic recessions, a global pandemic to name a few. Hurckman Mechanical Industries (HMI) has not only existed throughout all of the above-mentioned moments, but it has also evolved to become an estimated 60-million-dollar construction company based in Wisconsin. What began as a simple family business has grown into a technically superior group of associates offering design/build, fabrication, test and balance, commissioning, customer support, and mechanical services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Known for its Commercial, Industrial and Marine, HVAC, Process Piping, Plumbing, Insulation, Refrigeration, and Biogas, HMI provides a trusted service to its many clients.

Chief Operations Officer Jake Warden has been working at HMI for 8 years, and has experienced multiple highlights during his time here. Starting in 2015, Warden has seen the company grow from a 15-million-dollar company to a 60-million-dollar company. As he explains, the company has no intentions of stopping there, either. With a five-year goal to reach $100 million, things are becoming increasingly exciting at HMI. “We’ve had some massive growth over the last five to 10 years and it’s kind of fun and exciting to keep that ball rolling. Four or five years ago we took on our biggest project, which was a $4.5 million project with a local pharmaceutical company. They focus on pharmaceutical gummies and taking on that project at that time was big. Then, just last year, we finished up our biggest project ever which was a $15 million HVAC project for a local high school.”

While HMI may be well known in certain circles, its wide range of services goes much further than its headline offerings. For instance, HMI has been invested in the marine sector for a very long time. In fact, the company is the go-to subcontractor for Fincantieri Marinette Marine, a shipyard just an hour north of Green Bay with multiple buildings across the world. HMI is currently wrapping up the Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) project for the Italian owned business and will follow this up with work on another military style vessel for the US Military. By doing this type of work, HMI is able to keep 50 to 60 workers constantly busy at the shipyard.

With such a sizeable company, it goes without saying that safety is paramount with employee safety being of the utmost importance. At HMI, the company’s focus is on supporting employees, enabling them to stay accident free every day. This is achieved by continually implementing innovative programs that provide a focal point for all. At every stage, the commitment to safety is communicated loud and clear.

This message stems from the company’s five core tenets: Planning, Training, Awareness, Communication, and Accountability. It is through these strategic pillars that HMI develops and implements its safety and health policies and procedures. Using these methods, employees are encouraged to take personal responsibility for the safety of themselves and their work colleagues. Safety Director at HMI, Corey Delwiche, understands the important of safety, and how having the correct procedures in place is non-negotiable. “Each person along with their families are important to the Leadership at HMI. Our success with customers, and consequently the overall success of this business, depends upon the individuals working for this company — his or her personal skills, energies, and contributions. Because we are united in achieving success, we are concerned for, and supportive of, each other’s safety and health.” Delwiche goes on to explain that when it comes to safety, a preventative strategy is key to ongoing success and can only be achieved through a process where every single person knows their roles and responsibilities. “HMI believes strongly in the prevention of accidents before they happen. This preventative approach requires participation and ownership from all levels of the company. Management, Project Managers, and Foremen are responsible for executing the company’s safety program within their areas of supervision, assuring proper and positive corrective actions, and communicating with upper management, the safety department, and the work force.”

“Our success with customers, and consequently the overall success of this business, depends upon the individuals working for this company — his or her personal skills, energies, and contributions.”

Incident prevention is not only good for employees, but also for business. This year HMI hit 1 million hours without a lost time incident which means that HMI has worked 1 million hours with an employee missing work due to a workplace incident. This provides the company with strong rates. In the mechanical contracting world, having good numbers in different sectors allows HMI to get work in various buildings. Warden referred to it as a kind of scorecard or resume to other companies. These “scorecards” allow HMI to continue its growth trajectory, one of its most important future plans. The company’s growth plan includes an expansion within its current markets, also placing a strong emphasis on refrigeration and insulation. Protocols have changed in the US on what refrigerants can be used, with historical refrigerants now having to be swapped out for optical ones. With that in mind, HMI has identified significant growth in the area over the next 10 to 15 years.

Another important topic for HMI in the coming years is what Warden refers to as the next generation. Having been in business for 70 years, HMI has a continuous recruitment process that sees employees retiring and new employees lined up to continue the HMI work. This cyclical approach is an important facet of the company’s continuity, which enables it to maintain its high standards across years and decades. “When I started here 8 years ago, I was kind of the first of the next generation. We have a big group of people here that are within 10 years of each other. We were kind of seeing the end of an era of people that have been here 25 to 30 years, and now we have that next group of people that can be here for the next 25 to 30 years.” As he goes on to explain, change will always come with its own challenges. However, as things evolve, a re-ordering takes place which will ultimately put the company on a strong footing for the next generation. “That part to me is kind of exciting. We have experienced massive growth over the last 5 to 10 years. Obviously, with growth that quick there can sometimes be pain. However, I feel that as teams bond and come together, exciting things can happen. I can’t wait to see what this company achieves over the next 20 to 30 years.”

Incorporated in 1953, Brad Hurckman said Hurckman Mechanical has a long history of family lineage. Brad Hurckman, CEO, is the third generation for the Hurckman family to lead the company. “My grandfather, Frank Hurckman, used to be a salesman during his younger days,” Brad said. “He was a cornice worker who made metal molds for buildings where the concrete could be poured into. He learned the trade in Colorado.” “My grandmother, Ann, was a teacher at Webster (Elementary in Green Bay), and they took her savings to start the company – they started with $5,000,” he said. “It was called Hurckman Metal & Roofing.” Shortly thereafter, Frank and Ann got out of the roofing business, Brad said. “They could see heating and ventilation was the way to go,” he said. “St. Vincent Hospital, in Green Bay, was their first big break as a company – that put Hurckman on the map.” In 1967, the business was renamed Hurckman Metal Inc. “My father (John Hurckman) took over the company about five years later,” Brad said. “When the company was founded, my dad was 10 years old – you could say he grew up around the business.” In 1983, the company’s name was changed to Hurckman Mechanical Industries Inc. following the acquisition of Lindsley Plumbing and Heating Company. The company also acquired the Carrier dealership of Hurckman Heating and Cooling and the TAC dealership of ConTech Network – which are divisions of Hurckman Mechanical Industries. The transition into the third generation of Hurckman leadership began in 2005 when Brad took over as president.

What grew from his honest work ethic was the thriving and growing HMI you see today. “The growth of the company has been tremendous,” Brad said. “My father did a wonderful job of merging, buying and acquiring to become a full-service mechanical contractor.” Founded on honesty, HMI embraces its operating principle of “No Empty Promises”, and with diversity, growth and a succession plan already in place, will undoubtedly continue to offer the best possible service long into the future.

With skilled labor shortages affecting the construction industry throughout North America and Canada, ABC New Mexico (ABCNM) has placed a huge emphasis on recruiting the next generation of workers. Offering a range of programs across a wide variety of skills, ABCNM is excited to showcase the innovative ways in which it has expanded its existing programs; many of which now include technological elements. While construction has always involved elements of technology, in our current climate, technology, and its widening list of associated skills is proving to be a fundamental aspect of the industry.

With this in mind, ABC chapters are keen to assist members by upskilling and supporting their education across this growing sector. In an effort to meet these needs, the association is offering the pathways needed to grow into the area. The ABC National Office has a Tech Alliance of 15 hand-picked companies that provide some form of technological service within the construction sector. By implementing technology into its training programs, ABCNM is hoping to distinguish itself from other training facilities and help tackle the skilled labor shortage by improving recruitment and retention of employees.

One specific area of technology ABCNM is rolling out is virtual reality (VR). The association has identified VR headset systems as an effective and creative tool for education in the construction industry as it allows for specific immersive experiences to be generated that will help to promote learning. Additionally, VR headset systems can be used to emulate real life experiences. This will not only be beneficial for safety, but can also improve design visualization, project planning and coordination, training and education, customer experience and site management.

For plumbing, mechanical, and electrical students, they will have access to a more hands on experience through VR than they would typically experience in the training labs — which ABCNM is quickly outgrowing. In fact, the influx of students has become so massive that ABCNM is continuously looking for additional space, and while the increase may be an obstacle, it offers hope that the end of the skilled labor shortage is near.

President and CEO of ABCNM, Carla Kugler, is passionate about all things construction, and is excited to add some innovation to the association’s current programs, but figuring out space is a separate issue for Kugler. “We’re suffering some growing pains which is a good problem to have. Our classes start in two weeks and we’re trying to figure out where we’re going to put everybody. In 2009, we built a 13,000 square foot training facility. By 2019 we had outgrown the facility, so we built an additional 13,000 square feet. We were lucky enough to have the land in order to be able to do that.” For Kugler, this challenge is simply the result of meeting the needs of the industry. She believes that the benefits of offering such a wide range of programs far outweighs any difficulties experienced. “We now have 26,000 square feet. We’ve got five labs, we’ve got seven classroom spaces and we are pushing capacity almost to that between all of the programs that we have. So not only apprenticeship — which we have eight trades — but we also offer continuing education, medical gases certification, customized training, project management and supervision. With all of these activities going on, we may end up having to either go up or figure out where we’re going to go and expand.”

“The chapter is currently exploring multiple avenues to equip the industry with enough skilled workers to meet demand.”

In recent years, ABC has very much been on the frontlines of recruitment efforts for the construction industry. Kugler sits on the State Workforce Development Board, which is a governor appointed board in New Mexico aiming to align and implement sector strategies for economic development and workforce. Last year, New Mexico state legislature allocated roughly $10 million for workforce recruitment, specifically pre apprenticeship. ABCNM continuously visit every college, career fair or outreach effort that it can to help encourage people to join the workforce. Not only for the industry, but for its members.

As part of these recruitment efforts, ABCNM has been involved in pre-apprenticeship outreaches with the intention of providing high school juniors/seniors with work based learning experiences. The state of New Mexico is currently implementing a franchise known as ‘Be Pro, Be Proud.’ This idea originated in Arkansas, and is essentially a semi-truck equipped with simulators for construction, which will tour middle schools and high schools around the state in an effort to recruit more people into apprenticeship.

ABCNM’s recruitment efforts are not just limited to students, however. The chapter is currently exploring multiple avenues to equip the industry with enough skilled workers to meet demand. ABCNM deals with veterans, second chance citizens and anyone interested in getting involved in the construction industry. However, there is a lot more to ABCNM than training and recruitment.

Safety is at the forefront of everything ABC does, not just ABCNM but every chapter. Kugler is keenly aware of the need to create workplaces where workers get home to their families each night. As she explains the efforts the association is making in this regard, I am struck by the realization that safety initiatives actually create a community within the construction industry. Kugler explains initiatives in which people are not competing with each other, and instead supporting one another.

ABC’s STEP program is its national safety program, and is almost like a benchmark tool for safety. STEP is a safety management program designed to help safety performance and is recognized by federal OSHA. How it works is that each company — regardless of size — measures its safety practices on 25 key components. If it follows these key components, the company will ultimately enhance the overall safety performance of its work place. While ABCNM promotes the STEP program locally, the chapter also has a partnership with its local state OSHA, known as CLAS — Construction Leader’s Agreement to Safety.

“The CLAS program goes a little bit further, it’s a little different because of the partnership that we have with our local OSHA. It’s just one guy that OSHA has designated to handle the partnerships. We verify, we do job site visits, we do leadership visits, we basically monitor our own team and that exempts the contractor from surprise onsite inspections.

“It gives contractors good-faith with regard to penalties, allowing them to remedy before fines. And it’s a best practice for OSHA because we’re going to watch our people under OSHA’s guidance. We are basically saying that we will ensure that our people are being safe, and that allows OSHA the time to monitor those that are not within the partnership. So, for their limited resources in our big state, it has been a great partnership for years.”

At the core of ABCNM is its members. If there is a way to make their lives easier, then the team at ABCNM is willing to do it. This care goes beyond tackling the skill shortage and managing safety, however. The association advocates for members at state and legislative level, campaigning tirelessly on the issues that affect them.

ABCNM’s strong focus on political advocacy is a bi-directional discussion. The association believes that it is as important to communicate with members as it is to advocate with lawmakers. For Kugler, it is hugely important that ABCNM is being the catalyst of information. This means that it offers a bespoke communication service for members, based on their individual needs. The association is always contactable by phone and often works as a liaison between government agencies and contractors. With this level of support, it is no wonder that ABCNM has so many members. As Kugler explains, association membership offers the power to be part of something bigger.

“We have found that ABC members really like to do work with other ABC members, and that is both on a national level and local level. I get phone calls all the time, or emails, asking for referrals for ABC membership. I honestly believe that we can grow our own business, or help members grow their own business. ABC is a quality brand and the contractors that are within that community really respect each other. I think that there’s a variety of things being a member brings to a contractor and we are here to support them.”

With its growing investment in technology, focus on recruitment and the support system it provides to its members, ABCNM is not only bringing the association into the future, it is creating a place for contractors to thrive. A future where the skilled worker shortage is a thing of the past, and ABC New Mexico is the thing of the future.

The American Concrete Pressure Pipe Association (ACPPA) is an association of manufacturers and other interested parties related specifically to the concrete pressure pipe industry. Involved in all aspects of concrete pressure pipe including design, manufacture, application and installation of concrete pressure pipe (CPP); the ACPPA aims to educate owners, specifiers and installers and research all things CPP.

As the authority on CPP in North America, covering both US and Canada, ACPPA has a specific niche due to its direct focus on CPP. As an engineered composite product, the pipe’s limit states design process is tailored to be specific to a project’s requirements and is more detailed than steel, iron or PVC pipe. Its uniqueness requires special education. As an engineered product, concrete pressure’s design attributes are not looked up in a catalog and is not typically something that’s covered in engineering curricula. That is why the ACPPA is invested in training and promoting the use of CPP.

President of ACPPA, Kevin Baas, has nearly 40 years of experience in concrete, steel, and fiberglass pipe design, manufacturing, quality assurance, construction, and pipeline design. Baas was selected President of the ACPPA on May 1, 2023, after most recently serving as ACPPA’s Technical Committee Chair. He is more than familiar with the intricacy of CPP and understands that a distinct, three-pronged approach must be taken by the ACPPA.

“The ACPPA has a three-pronged approach: Research, Education and the Audit Program,” Baas explains. “We perform research, we fund research, and we participate in research to improve understanding of the design, manufacturing, installation, and use of CPP. We also provide education services to owners, engineers and other interested parties through our website and through a number of other applications such as webinars, seminars, technical papers, and individual training. “The third of the three prong is an audit program that ACPPA provides for the industry. Everybody’s familiar with ISO and ISO audits to ensure that the products that are manufactured meet current specifications. ACPPA goes a step further. They have developed an audit program for concrete pressure pipe manufacturers that covers over 200 aspects of engineering, material properties, quality and manufacturing processes used in the manufacture of CPP.”

ACPPA developed the audit program based on the American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards, which is then implemented by a third party. The third party ACPPA hired to audit each of the manufacturing facilities and make sure that everything from material procurement to pipe design to pipe manufacturer, is Lloyd’s Register.

The research aspect of its approach is something that is extremely important to those at ACPPA. The association participates in research projects not only on its own behalf, but partners with a number of different Institutes and associations, such as: The American Concrete Institute, The American Society of Civil Engineers, ASTM International, AWWA, The Clean Water Council, AMPP and more.

“The ACPPA has a three-pronged approach: Research, Education and the Audit Program.”

The last — and by no means least — part of this approach is education. ACPPA values the education of its members and the wider industry as being a core facet of the work it does, and there are many ways in which the association achieves this. ACPPA provides webinars and in-person seminars where its members have the opportunity to present technical papers at various conferences.

Being a member of ACPPA brings with it countless benefits, particularly when it comes to available materials and accessing the latest technology. There are two software offerings developed by, and for, ACPPA. One is the Thrust Restraint Design Program (TRDP). Whether it’s ductile, iron, steel, concrete or fiberglass, all materials are subjected to thrust in their application and every industry has its own method of calculating thrust. ACPPA has the most technically accurate thrust design method for any pipe and it’s applicable to CPP. ACPPA has simplified this information for its users and compiled this into a software program that is provided free of charge to anybody that requests it from their newly re-designed website, acppa.org. Ultimately, this means that TRDP can calculate and design a thrust system for concrete pressure pipe.

The other software is for the actual design of the pipe. In the late 1980s, ACPPA and its member companies hired an internationally renowned consultant in the concrete pressure pipe world to revise and improve the design method for concrete pressure pipe. The consultant came up with a design process that then went through the AWWA approval process. That approval process included review by manufacturers, consultants, owners and other interested parties for technical accuracy and correctness and took over a year to approve. On its completion, AWWA issued a new standard.

“The American Water Works Association issued AWWA C304as a new design standard for prestressed concrete pressure pipe. The design method is very accurate, going through multiple load application scenarios. To simplify its use, ACPPA commissioned the creation of a software program called unified design program (UDP), which we make available to owners, manufacturers and engineers. While Baas explains that this particular software does come with a charge, he believes that its benefits far outweigh any price. “There is a charge for this software, but it will simplify the design of prestress concrete pressure pipe from the complex design method that is now AWWA C304. You can now do it simply with this UDP software and it follows C304 to the letter.”

Within the ACPPA, there are several different levels of membership. The highest is something that the ACPPA refers to as a “Member”. This refers to a company that manufactures concrete pressure pipe. As part of this membership, the company will have access to the audit program, an extensive technical library, marketing functions, and more. Associate members are those that provide services such as tapping or repairing pipes. ACPPA stresses the importance of service providers becoming associate members of ACPPA. If an owner or contractor hires an associate ACPPA member, it can be assured that the procedures, processes and materials the company uses all follow the ACPPA guidelines.

With the importance of safety and a need to understand CPP to the highest level, ACPPA plans to step up its education in the future. Its plan is to increase the number of webinars, seminars and training sessions it offers, and it has put a detailed roadmap in place. “We just completed one the end of September, which was a four-day technical presentation to a major organization in Ontario. It’s one of the larger water organizations there. ACPPA held an eight-session technical presentation spread out over four days on concrete pressure pipe from design to manufacture, installation, inspection, repair, and modification. We are going to make a similar offer to other municipalities and other water entities as well.” For Baas, these sessions go beyond reaching out to industry professionals. As he explains, the ACPPA puts great effort into connecting and educating the next generation of workers also. “Now that we’re out of the COVID bubble, we’re redoubling our efforts to reach out to people, including universities. We have a several potential opportunities to teach a class; by either performing as a guest speaker at a university, or by hosting a seminar at some of the top engineering schools around the US and Canada. By doing this, we can provide the best information to students and other people that are interested in CPP.”

In an industry where excellence can come down to minute details, it is vital that the professionals working within the industry are trained to the highest standard. It goes without saying that, in order to achieve this, you need to learn from the best. Becoming a member of the ACPPA is not just an opportunity to learn about CPP from highly knowledgeable educators. It also provides the opportunity to engage, connect with, and learn from, the most experienced people within the industry. When it comes to Concrete Pressure Pipe, the American Concrete Pressure Pipe Association is the encyclopedia of CPP, with the knowledge and research to prove it.

Moran Iron Works (MIW) is a HUBZone-certified Small Business Concern that was founded in 1978 by Thomas Moran. Now celebrating its 45th year in business, MIW plans to continue diversifying its portfolio across various industries including Power, Marine, Industrial and Hydro.

MIW is dynamic fabrication facility that provides a full range of custom design, engineering, fabrication, installation, service, repair, and modification services. While projects at MIW can be extremely varied, the company excels at heavy plate fabrication & modularized components that are barge shipped. While large modules may be in MIW’s wheelhouse, the company also completes significant D1.5 fracture critical work (bridge work) that also falls into the category of Hydraulic Dam Gates. In a nutshell, MIW builds components for general industry & critical infrastructure, whether that be power generating, hydro support, or electrical. In addition to this, the majority of the services offered by MIW involve various types of welding which is the primary component of daily business.

Vice President of MIW, Victor Ruppert, has worked on numerous projects throughout his time at the company, and he was happy to give more of an insight into some of the work he undertakes. For Ruppert, the work he does is both challenging and interesting. “Large projects that involve barge shipping are probably my favorite. The guys like them and they’re fun and interesting. We also fabricate marine vessels which adds an additional intriguing element to our business. Marine vessels are turnkey, so we complete a vessel and then launch the vessel at our port facility in Rogers City, MI. Most of our vessels have been used by different companies around the Great Lakes and it’s a lot like the D1.5 work.” He goes on to explain that the company is experiencing significant success while working on a variety of projects. “A lot of our work has been in the steel industry recently. We’ve done a handful of stove domes for steel factories. We just completed a recent ductwork job too. If you look at the jobs completed so far this year through the end of July, we’ve completed about two dozen. These jobs range between 50,000 and 2 million dollars, so there’s a mix of different sized jobs sprinkled in there. And of course, that’s just completed. We’ve about a dozen in progress right now.”

Recently, MIW was awarded a contract to build eighteen radial gates for the American Bridge Company based in Pennsylvania. The radial gate project will take place over the next 4 years and will require MIW to deliver large modular sections of the gates to sites owned & operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Tennessee & Kentucky. The project is a huge stepping point for MIW and utilizes almost all points of their capabilities. The gates are 50 feet wide and 37 feet tall. They are connected to arms that will cantilever off the skin plate 33 feet. As you can imagine these are complex & heavy. Working on large scale projects such as the above requires huge responsibility, especially in the area of safety. MIW is committed to ensuring that all employees go home at the end of their shift and enjoy time with their family. However, MIW is not the only party invested in safety.

“After 45 years in business, the company has experienced significant growth and success.”

Understandably, the clients who award each contract have a particular interest in the safety of all employees onsite, and how safety is managed by MIW. It is not uncommon for potential clients to enquire about accident rates or recordables. In the modern construction world, companies want to work with partners that are serious about supporting employees. “You’re lifting 10s of 1000s of pounds, you’re rolling it around and you’ve got multiple guys working on things. So, safety is of the utmost importance, and I would bet 99% of any employers’ you talk to will say that. It really boils down to everyone wanting their employees to make it home.” Along with this safety-focused approach, MIW is also a drug-free, Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) committed to providing equal opportunity for the participation of all qualified persons in all job classifications. At MIW, people are valued as individuals – not as workers or staff. The company creates goals and plans for professional and personal growth, recognizing that not everyone is the same and that there is a greatness to be found in these differences. As part of the company’s core values, employees are encouraged to have a positive attitude, competence, personal ethics, and be team players.

Outside of this positive employment culture, the company has a massive input within its local community. To this end, MIW accepts funding requests from organizations located in the Emmet, Cheboygan, and Presque Isle County community areas for programs that address community needs. The company also sponsors several projects throughout the community including Cheboygan High School Bowling Team, The Onaway Goodfellows Toys for Kids Christmas, MI Career Quest, and Chelsea’s Closet. For Ruppert, these ventures have significant value, both to the local community and to its staff. “We like to donate locally and to organizations that help people, help students, help kids groups, and different things like that. There’s already a handful of donations this year. Some philanthropy is for youth programs and others spotlight community concerns such as suicide prevention. On top of that, we have a handful of employees that spend time helping the community. If they volunteer, we’ll actually match them and give them extra vacation. Supporting the community is a big deal as there’s not a lot of large businesses up here.”

Founder of MIW, Tom Moran, also gives back to the community himself. Moran shares his creative passion by making ornamental sculptures and teaching ornamental welding. These metal creations are shared in an equitable way with most of his sculptures being donated to non-profit organizations and educational facilities for fundraising opportunities or public display.

After 45 years in business, the company has experienced significant growth and success. This is down to a commitment to reliable and innovative work. Unsurprisingly, MIW has no intention of taking its foot off the gas, either. Currently, much of the work the company is completing is infrastructure-based work for the government. However, while MIW plans to keep this type of work as a majority standing in its portfolio, it also wants to continue expanding its creative outlets and embrace its diversity. Projects within the marine sector give MIW the opportunity to diversify out of its infrastructure and heavy industrial work. These emerging sectors will allow MIW to continue its history of strategic growth and undertake a broad new spectrum of projects.

From design to delivery and everything in between, Moran Iron Works is a full-service fabricator that cares deeply about its employees, community, and clients. The relationships and values that have been built and maintained over nearly half a century are vitally important to everyone at the company and Ruppert sees the importance of continually managing these relationships. For him, and all at Moran Iron Works, reputation and trust are key to the success it has achieved. Not only that, but these values will set it in good stead to complete another 45 years as a leading player in the market. “Our culture is based on our core values and at the end of the day, we have a culture that is supportive. We have got personal ethics which focus on community, family, and being compassionate; but overall, our employees are a direct representation of us as a company, and we’re a direct representation of our clients.”

The phrase “pushing the envelope” may be a familiar, ubiquitous one, but its meaning may come as a surprise. The term itself is not a reference to the stationary letter everyone is familiar with. Instead, pushing the envelope refers to science and the attributes associated with aeronautics. Surpassing standards, breaking barriers, and going beyond the regular limits to exceed expectations is what pushing the envelope truly means, which is why this term is so fitting for Bass Installation.

With a team of professionally skilled trades-people from both the Ironworkers and Glaziers unions, Bass Installation provides professional curtainwall and glazing installation services to the commercial, residential, institutional, and industrial sector within the Greater Toronto Area. Focusing mainly on the building envelope — a term given to the exterior of a building which includes all the building components that separate the indoors from the outdoors — Bass Installation specializes in curtain wall systems, cable wall systems, skylights, canopies and more.

Trying to continuously create new and innovative methods to install complicated structures could prove difficult to most, but not to the people at Bass Installation; in fact, they thrive on it. Each time Bass Installation takes on a new project, it pushes itself to think of something different. After completing standout project after project, the team finally reach a point where they think they have outdone themselves. That is, however, until the next project comes along. With a catalogue of immensely detailed and highly skilled work under their belt, the team at Bass Installation are not only pushing the glass envelope, they are shattering the creative walls.

President of Bass Installation, Stephen Callender, is no stranger to hard work or business. Having moved to Canada from Barbados more than 47 years ago, his first job was in a window factory. Ironically enough, the name of the street Callender first worked on when he arrived in Canada was Barbados Boulevard. Taking this as a sign, he continued on his current trajectory and aimed to differentiate himself form other businesses. With a willingness to succeed in mind, Callender led Bass Installation to success and the company is now celebrating 20 years of business.

“We always take a challenge. We have a design or concept and we adhere to that. If you can design it, we can install it. We always pride ourselves in finding ways to get things done. Regardless of the design or complications, there’s always a way to getting started. We use technology quite a bit more than a lot of other companies that really help us document information, which gives a lot of value back to the customer. So, when anything is happening on site, they have access to the reports.”

“The finish on the canopy is a testament to the skills of all those at Bass Installation.”

It is not only the installation, but the execution of its projects that is most impressive with this company. One project in particular is the canopy at The Well. The unique approach to this body of work is distinctive, emulating a skylight above an open atrium. The fluidity of the structure and manipulation of the materials creates a distinctive finish, adding movement to what could have been an otherwise rigid structure. The finish on the canopy is a testament to the skills of all those at Bass Installation.

Another successful project includes the TD Tower on Front Street. The tower is not the usual square or rectangle shape. Instead, the tower is an awkwardly curved structure, which was something of a challenge. Unsurprisingly, Bass used its wealth of knowledge and skill to complete the project to an incredibly high standard. Overcoming challenges and moving with the flow of the industry is something that Natasha Callender, Vice President of Bass Installation, knows a lot about. “I like looking back at the City of Toronto and knowing that we’ve been a part of its growth and evolution for two decades. I always tell the story that when I go to an airport and I see one of those globes or some skyline figurine, I can almost tell you what year roughly that was taken, depending on the different buildings that are in that Skyline.”

Natasha, Stephen’s daughter, has been involved with Bass for 18 years. The experience that comes from a lifetime in the industry cannot be understated. Natasha has been part of many standout projects during her time at the company and has experienced many highlights while on this journey. “A standout project for me would be the TEC bridge. Being a glass structure, there was a unique twist involved at each bracket. It was a very interesting installation and is a different type of project to the ones we typically work on. But it goes to show the range and variety that we can offer, in terms of different buildings and structures that we could install.”

Celebrating 20 years in business is a milestone for any company and it gives a chance to reflect on how it got there. At Bass Installation, it is also a chance to recognize the people who helped it reach this milestone. Director of Business Development, Rob Gabriele, mentioned during the interview that outside of himself, Stephen and Natasha, there are so many more people responsible for the successes of Bass Installation.

At its core, Bass Installation is a family business and the principles that make up the foundation of this business are those family attributes and morals instilled in Stephen and Natasha. Attributes such as integrity and credibility go a long way at Bass and those are some of the values that hold the company together. The ultimate goal for Stephen is for the employees of Bass to feel part of the Bass family and be proud of the contributions they make.

With these goals in mind along with continued success, Bass Installation is looking towards the future. The company has plans to take more of the market share by developing its supply, fabrication, and product offerings. This addition will broaden its range and abilities even further, allowing it to support its clients in a multifaceted way. For the team at Bass, it is important to be recognized as a full-scale glazing contractor. Simply put, this is a company that offers much more than installations. With its family values and skilled workers successfully leading the company to success, it is no wonder Bass Installation is continuing to soar. For Rob, the company stands as an outlier across a crowded sector. Bass Installation is a successful combination of ability and heart. By combining the attributes that come with growth and development along with the mindset of a family business, the company is positioned for sustained success. “There’s a saying that I put on some of my presentations, which kind of sums it all up: we are big enough to make a difference and small enough to care. We’ve got the people and we’ve got the skills and that’s where we can make the difference. We’re small enough that we don’t get lost and not know who our employees are. So, we’re not lost in your hundreds and thousands of employees and not knowing them by name. We know them by name and we see them and appreciate them.”

With a team of over 250 of the industry’s most skilled trades people, it is safe to say that Roberts Onsite is no small business. Generation after generation, family after family; the company has continued growing throughout its 85 years of business to become one of Ontario’s largest multi-trade contractors providing turn-key solutions for industrial, commercial, institutional and energy projects.

Unlike the majority of large companies, the overall culture at Roberts Onsite is less of a corporate environment and more of a family occasion. The quality and pride its employees possess is a trait that stands out to the team at Roberts Onsite, especially to Vice President, Wayne Barnard. With this in mind, it is no surprise to learn that work culture is of the utmost importance to Barnard, and he believes the family style team atmosphere that has been carefully cultivated at the company is reflected in its product. This could be because a lot of the team are actually family; in one form or another.

The longevity of Roberts Onsite can be witnessed through not only its years in business, but in the multi-generational families within the group. Often, trades can be passed down through generations, with one family member learning from the previous. Through its focus on its employees and reputation, Robert’s Onsite has managed to capture this family quality and keep it in house, with current employees following in both their fathers and grandfathers’ legacy.

Today Roberts Onsite offers a variety of services in seven areas of operation: electrical, mechanical, millwrighting and rigging, communications, automation controls and engineering, utilities & traffic controls, and predictive maintenance. With such a variety of skills available, the company is essentially a one stop shop for construction, with the ability to lower overall costs for clients.

While its catalogue of work is extensive, there are a number of projects that standout to Barnard; one of which is currently ongoing. The company is currently doing the electrical for a base building, which will become a battery assembly plant for General Motors in Ingersoll. “That’s a new 327,000 square foot plant that’s going to manufacture batteries for the new GM BrightDrop EV600 vehicle. It’s going to be the first battery plant that will be operational in Canada so we’re pretty excited about that. And there is another standout project we just finished about a year ago. It was called the B2 Project-Phase 3, and basically, we helped build the process equipment for a 430,000 square foot new facility in Brampton, Ontario.” For Barnard, it epitomized the connected thinking and operational skills the company possesses. “It became special to us because all aspects of our group — electrical, mechanical, millwrighting and rigging — were able to come together with a client who came from Europe many years ago. They decided to basically tear down the old part of the plant and build a brand-new state of the art, shingle manufacturing business, which they designed most of the equipment themselves.”

Throughout all its projects, Roberts Onsite has a strict adherence to safety protocols and the safety of its employees is at the forefront of everything it does. Its multi-trade crews achieved a perfect score in 2020 with a Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) of 0.00. Roberts Onsite has also been IHSA COR™ certified since 2017. The Infrastructure Health and Safety Association (IHSA) is Ontario’s trusted health and safety resource, with a goal of improving the lives of workers and reducing all safety hazards.

“The longevity of Roberts Onsite can be witnessed through not only its years in business, but in the multi-generational families within the group.”

Although Roberts Onsite cares immensely about the safety of its employees, the company also equally cares about creating a space for its employees to enjoy their work. As part of its 85th year in business celebrations, the company celebrated two-fold this year and decided to create events for the employees to celebrate. The company usually holds its Christmas gathering in February of the following year, due to its busy period during the Christmas shutdown to summer shutdown. However, this year it held an 85th anniversary winter gala, which included an eighteen-piece live band. To continue the events, the company also had a barbecue during the summer to help raise money for the local fire department, which was another way for employees to come together outside of their busy work lives and relish in that family culture.

Several times throughout the interview Barnard referenced the employees of Roberts Onsite and their importance to the company. Building relationships and creating friendships is a side of the business that ultimately keeps work flowing, and this goes beyond the skilled trade workers. The talented and experienced trade workers at Roberts Onsite are considered by their employer to be the best in the industry, but there is an equally talented and professional team of project managers, estimators and administrative staff that help keep the gears of the company turning. “At the end of the day, our employees are the face of the company. They’re the ones in front of the clients most times. It’s those relationships and bonds with certain clients that allow us to continue to come back and do other work in the future. A perfect example of that is Loblaws, a local grocer. We’ve been doing work there ever since they started. And we’ve got pictures of some of our old trucks back in 1938, changing light bulbs in their parking lot, and we’re still there today doing that.”

With such an extensive history engrained in Roberts Onsite, it is important to continue this by creating a future for the company to thrive. In order to propel itself into the future, Roberts Onsite plan to keep growing and diversifying across different markets, both existing and new. It does not stop there, however. The company also plans to expand into other areas outside of its everyday business. Currently, Roberts Onsite is largely involved in the Industrial Marketplace, with an emphasis on automotive. However, it would like to venture further into the food and beverage side of the construction industry in order to continue its growth.

As the company continues to grow, generations of families will grow alongside it and possibly within it. Whether a person is already part of a multi-generational family that works for Robert Onsite, or is looking to create a family legacy of their own within the company, the family values instilled within the company provide a footing into the future for work that is valued and appreciated.

If you missed out on previous generations, it is never too late to become part of the family at Roberts Onsite and create a multi-generational family of your own.

When Pierre (Pete) Beaucage Jr. started out 20 years ago, he was completing small-scale renovations. Though his skill and dedication have never wavered, his intent was never to grow his business to the size it is today. However, with an increasing demand for housing in the city of Timmins, north-eastern Ontario, Pete began building homes, simply put, because no one else was doing it. Fast forward to today, and this unintended business direction has led to Pete celebrating 20 years of business under the name Praztek Construction.

For nearly 50 years, the Beaucage name in construction has represented quality, integrity, and progress. Pete has followed in the steps of his father and grandfather by prioritizing superior workmanship and a commitment to service. Over the past 20 years, Praztek Construction has grown significantly and now includes professionals skilled in both design and construction management. Collectively, the team represents over 100 years of construction experience.

As a full-service General Contractor that can design, build, finance, lease, equip and manage anything that can be built, Praztek Construction has been on a rollercoaster of a journey. After Pete had built over 100 houses many years ago, the housing market began to slow down. Praztek Construction then ventured into developing rental properties, with some serving commercial and industrial settings, in addition to the residential market.

Praztek Construction is an indigenous company and, unsurprisingly, Pete holds great pride in being a member of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Businesses. With an extensive project catalogue built up over two decades, the company rightly enjoys a reputation for quality. However, in the context of being a 100% Certified Aboriginally owned business, there are some jobs which are more meaningful than others. Praztek Construction recently completed work on a housing complex in North Bay called the Suswin House Indigenous Friendship Centre. The company built the complex as a way to help tackle homelessness in the indigenous community. With Pete’s roots stemming back to the Kootenaiu tribe from his mother’s side, projects like these are important to Praztek Construction. “I really think that this Suswin House Indigenous Centre will change a lot of lives. I had the honor to be the builder and make this dream a reality. It was a long process and it was a project that was in the planning stages for at least 10 years.”

As he goes on to explain, the project may have been held up due to global events, but it offered Praztek the opportunity to showcase its flexibility and adaptability. “We actually built this during COVID and the logistics of the project got very complicated, but we managed to successfully complete it with minimal setbacks. We were very fortunate and we really pushed hard to get our product when we needed it. Sometimes we had to change our plans on how we were going to get certain material or source it, but the building is beautiful and it was a pleasure to build.”

Another project Praztek worked on was the Timmins Native Friendship Centre. The area was experiencing a housing crisis, and Praztek was hired as a contractor to design and build 18 new units for housing indigenous seniors. Although Praztek’s official involvement was with construction, the company’s input stretched considerably further than that. Praztek also assisted with the severance and rezoning of the land, along with the architectural, mechanical, electrical, and civil drawings for the project. While working on this project, a relationship based on trust was developed and for Praztek Construction, ongoing partnerships such as these have always been a high priority. To this day, Pete does all the maintenance for Timmins Native Friendship Centre.

“For nearly 50 years, the Beaucage name in construction has represented quality, integrity, and progress.”

Helping out and giving back is not uncommon for Praztek Construction. The company is heavily involved within the local community and is often involved in charitable initiatives such as building 200 brand new apartments, sponsoring hockey teams/school events and more. With all of this philanthropic work, it is no wonder that Pete himself recently received a lifetime achievement award in business.

“I was really honored that I was recognized in that aspect of business, because I do a lot of work outside of Timmins. I have projects in Ottawa. Kingston, Toronto, North Bay, Sudbury, and Sault Ste. Marie. I was shocked that I was even noticed, because sometimes as a business owner you work a lot and you don’t count the hours you do, but, needless to say, you work more than 40 hours. You don’t think that people actually notice all the hard work and the sweat and tears and heart that you put into these projects.” For Pete, the honor is something that stands as concrete evidence that he is in the right field. The saying goes, ‘If you find something you love, you will never work a day in your life.’ While Pete will attest to the long hours and hard work, he believes that being focused and driven by a sense of enjoyment is hugely important. “I only found out the night of the awards that I was successful. I honestly didn’t think I was going to win, but I did; and it was a moment that’s hard to describe. This is my passion. It’s my career, but at the same time I love what I do. It’s pleasant coming to work every day, especially with the team that I have and all the different friendships that we’ve developed over the years with different people. It’s enjoyable to go to work.”

Having started the business at 25 years of age, retirement is understandably some way off for Pete. However, the company is always looking to the future. With the success achieved so far, that future looks to be a bright one. With growth always high on the list of priorities, the company expanded into western Canada after completing a hugely successful job in downtown Toronto. The project was for a government client a number of years ago and involved work that differed from the company’s comfort zone. As he has shown throughout his career, the experience proved to be an educational one with the experience helping Pete realize that Praztek can indeed thrive in areas outside its hometown.

Speaking to Pete, his humility for the accomplishments of Praztek is refreshing. No matter how much the company grows or expands, it is clear to see that the humble beginnings of this company have not been forgotten, nor have the relationships built and maintained along the way. Full of praise for his team, clients, suppliers, community and more, Pete Beaucage Jr. is a man that understands the value of working together. Having developed a successful business with skill, leadership, and compassion, it is no surprise that he has been acknowledge by his peers.

“The thing is that it takes a long time to get to this level. I’m proud of that because I now have the capability to compete with the big guys. It’s probably mind blowing for them too because I am from Timmins. It’s probably very rare that something like this happens. I’m very happy to have built this successful company, the great reputation, and the great connections and relationships that we have. I just want to continue to grow that.”

While the infrastructure network across North America needs modernization, it is not advancing quickly enough in many cases. While energy sources and underground cable networks all require substantial investment, there is much to be done. One sector in particular stands out, however: the transport network across the U.S. After a series of vehicular fatalities on highly travelled road the Southern State Parkway, this stretch of highway has become better known to locals as “Blood Alley.” As one of the nation’s most dangerous roads, “Blood Alley” has experienced nearly 16,000 vehicle accidents, resulting in 78 deaths in the last seven-year period.

Acting as the voice of Long Island’s Highway and Infrastructure Professionals, Long Island Contractors’ Association (LICA) prides itself on its safety advocacy. Having recently drafted legislation to create a highway safety corridor for the Southern State Parkway, LICA continues to advocate for safety measures to protect future lives from being lost.

To safeguard its community, LICA has recommended using a public-private partnership (like what had been used to fund the remake of LaGuardia Airport and Moynihan Train Hall) to fund the addition of a high-occupancy toll lane to each side of the parkway while also reconstructing 50 bridges. This project would also involve several additional roadway improvements, including the design of the road itself.

The association has roughly 170 member firms that engage in public works contracts. Dealing with almost 115 different entities — including villages, towns, cities, counties, New York State, and other public authorities — LICA covers a vast array of communities and represent many people in the industry.

At its core, LICA is a heavy construction industry organization representing the community of Long Island, immediately east of New York City. The population in the region is almost 3 million people, which outnumbers the amount of people living in 15 states. It is no wonder that the association is keenly aware of the importance of its role.

Executive Director of LICA, Marc Herbst, is involved with numerous safety training initiatives as well as the education and advocacy work completed by the association. Since 2006, Herbst has managed services and programming, labor, and safety training for more than 170-member firms and acts as the voice for the industry’s public and government advocacy. “We offer OSHA safety training certifications, programs, and during the pandemic we offered courses on preventing the spread of infectious diseases. We also cover topics such as work zone safety, construction in confined areas and working with hot environments.”

While courses and programs will assist the industry in significant ways, the magnitude of the industry, coupled with the concerning figures surrounding workplace accidents and fatalities, has led LICA to develop communal strategies. As Herbst explains, it is vital that the association brings its members together to share its safety message. “We’ve recently completed our annual winter safety training conference, with the assistance of the American Road and Transportation Builders Association — our national organization. They provide our technical assistance with trainers, and they support us. We also collaborate with many of our organized labor partners. They have safety training schools and we run programs through them as well for our employees.”

“This spirit of collaboration and community lies at the heart of everything LICA works toward.”

Advocating for safety is an endless battle, one which LICA fight tirelessly. Through the lobbying efforts of LICA, New York state recently passed a law allowing for automated speed enforcement in work zones, but the association do far more than drive safety initiatives.

Formed in the 1920s, LICA has now been in existence for roughly 100 years. Having started out as a sand mining industry and an advocacy group that focused on job-site safety, LICA has since evolved. The association is now involved in professional classroom training and advocacy including legislative remedies, along with involvement in stakeholders beyond the construction site. The association also hosts widely attended events and is considered an influential speaker and advocate in the region for its industry, as well as the overall community. In fact, LICA has just finished hosting its most popular annual event, the 2023 LICA Golf Outing. The association uses two wonderful courses, and the event is one of the highlights for the Long Island community. It is so popular that both events were sold out in less than 24 hours. LICA use this event as an opportunity to get together and mingle, but the Golf Outing event functions as a fundraiser, as well as a social event. This is the association’s only fundraiser and all in attendance are more than happy to help raise funds.

Although LICA is focused primarily on the infrastructure construction industry, such as highways, bridges, sewers, parks, other public works, and private site development; its member companies play a significant role in sustaining the region’s quality of life as a key economic engine in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Being a member of LICA offers the opportunity to access several benefits. While safety initiatives and golfing events are incentives, Herbst assures there are much more. “We offer so many services for the safety issues, for professionals. We offer professional development hours certificates for continuing education programs for professional engineers and other vocations. But on top of that, we offer the opportunity to gather together to share insights in the industry. We offer the opportunity for advocacy, working with legislative officials that deal with laws and regulations, the professionals in government and the stakeholders in the community.”

This spirit of collaboration and community lies at the heart of everything LICA works toward. By advocating on behalf of its members, Herbst believes that everyone wins. For Herbst, community and working together is a sure-fire way to create opportunity. “One of the main benefits we have is collective bargaining agreements with organized labor. We have many organized laborers, operating engineers, teamsters, carpenters, all kinds of professions, and we negotiate contracts on behalf of our members. So that is a huge opportunity for our members. In addition to that they have the opportunity to learn about other programs such as insurance surety programs. When we bring our members together, we give them opportunities to meet with those leaders that can help in their businesses, and we pride ourselves on all the services we offer.”

LICA is currently focused on identifying projects for the region. LICA’s mission for the next chapter of the business is to continue growing and fostering the economy while providing job opportunities. Working particularly with New York State, LICA is looking for long-term investment and programs that will be needed for funding in the future. This strategy marks a shift in how LICA works. Previously, due to the challenging industry landscape its members experience, the association needed to take a short-term approach, focusing on one construction season at a time. However, as Herbst explains, the association is now pivoting and placing a stronger emphasis on long-term plans. “We’re trying to have a longer-range vision and that’s really been something that we’ve been concentrating on. I’m looking for — as an example — sewer programs. 75 percent of our region does not have sewers, and with the amount of people that is damaging for the environment. If we could look to provide wastewater recovery programs that create jobs and enhance the environment, that is the approach that we’re trying to take right now.”

Having supported locals since the 1920’s, it is safe to say that LICA has no intention of stopping. At every juncture, the association has advocated on behalf of its members with integrity, knowledge, and an acute sense of what the industry needs. This ability to identify opportunities for long-term growth and planning is merely the latest example of this foresight. Despite the challenging conditions facing members and the industry in general, one this is certain. Whether it be past, present, or future, the Long Island Contractors Association will continue to act as a pillar of support for all its members and surrounding communities.

What defines a basement? While many will be familiar with the word, are they familiar with the possibilities? The word itself, and its stereotypical uses, can often be considered negative, or uninspiring. However, for those at Penguin Basements, this is a missed opportunity and can prevent people from seeing the extraordinary possibility this space has to offer. At this company, a basement can become something life changing. Turning basements into bedrooms, apartments, games rooms and wine cellars are just some of the many innovative ways Penguin Basements have transformed what is often considered usable space, into something of real importance and value. The team at Penguin Basement are now on a mission to showcase the limitless potential basements have to offer, while redefining exactly what a basement is.

Founded in 2011 and based in Ontario, Penguin Basements set out to rise above its competition by employing higher build standards, utilizing more suitable materials, and implementing a proven build process (similar to that employed by housing developers) to deliver a better basement in terms of design, functionality, quality, and durability. After discovering the demand for housing and construction outside of the Greater Toronto Area during COVID, Penguin Basements expanded to Cottage Country, The Muskokas, and also up north in places such as London, Ontario, and Ottawa. Today, the business now caters to most of the Ontario province.

Penguin Basements offers a range of services that can be designed to client’s needs, but often involve creating more living space to add to the functionality of an existing residence. A previous project, for example, involved leveraging a basement to create a separate recreational and living space for a family. Thus, allowing the children to claim the space as their own during the day, while giving the adults an entertainment space for themselves at night.

With the increase in numbers of people working from home, Penguin Basements has helped create office space to provide a better work/home life environment. The possibilities of what the space can become are limitless, but the team thrive on client satisfaction and aim to provide the best fit for each individual circumstance. In some situations, Penguin Basements has transformed basements into apartments, which in turn has alleviated the pressure of income for homeowners and also helped customer to pay off their mortgages quicker.

Founder of Penguin Basements, Guy Solomon, has worked on a range of projects since business began more than 10 years ago. Throughout his time, Solomon has built and created spaces that have transformed homes. “We build all kinds of projects. We’ve had situations where we had to install elevator lifts or chair lifts for the ageing population. Currently, we are seeing a lot of families amalgamate due to real estate prices being so high. Whether it’s the baby boomer parents moving in with their kids, or the millennials moving back in with their parents, they all want their own space.” For Solomon, this shift in culture towards amalgamated family spaces is borne from a number of factors. Amidst a housing crisis and materials shortage, renovation projects simply make the most sense. “Predominantly what people have been doing is trying to figure out how the family formation can continue to develop and grow, so young families can find a place of residence without this outlandish expense. The trend recently has been towards habitable spaces and affordable spaces, and with the interest rates where they are, that’s kind of where people have been focusing their attention.”

“The possibilities of what the space can become are limitless.”

Whatever project the team at Penguin Basements undertakes, its main priority is to help clients make use of the extra living space. In order to do this, relationships are key. The service it provides is never a one-sided recommendation from the team, but instead a collaboration between the clients wishes and Penguins Basements extensive experience.

While it goes without saying that customer satisfaction is crucial to any business, in the construction industry word of mouth is as much of a powerful ally as it is a deadly foe. With this in mind, it is important for businesses to not only provide a professional standard of business, but to maintain it. Penguin Basements do this by making sure it sticks to its brand promise of building better basements and providing fair pricing.

Solomon has been running a more systematic process over the last number of years by having a road labor and delivering materials all in one go. This streamlined approach has inevitably served his customers well and helps ensure the brand promise of building better basements. But with a promise of building better basements, I was curious to know what makes their basements better.

“We always comply with building code. So, when it comes to an older basement, we always make sure they are insulated properly, and we drop the mechanical vents. We make sure that the heating and cooling system works so that the basement is insulated and complies with the Ontario building code. Along with that, we make sure to use best practices in the products that we use, whether it’s a mold resistant board, or a commercial grade vinyl flooring, we try to make sure that the products that we use will last the test of time.”

After the company’s success with basement renovations, Penguin Basements has decided to grow its business and expand upon the impressive work it has become known for. Using its position in the current marketplace, the team are acting upon the customer’s needs by currently developing houses and other types of real estate. By exploring these new opportunities, Penguin Basements is hoping to alleviate the housing shortage in the province of Ontario somewhat by launching new brands, such as Penguin Living.

Penguin Living will focus on creating custom housing products and homes for specific markets, one of which is accessibility. As Solomon explains, the rationale for this venture is to meet the needs of the market while also capitalizing on the unrivalled experience the company has gathered over the past decade. “We think that there’s a market here for custom homes. Our new brands will be taking a lot of practices that we’ve learned within building basements, servicing an emerging market and the accessibility kind of side of things. So, it’s not directly linked with Penguin basements, but it’s definitely something related to us because we do build a lot of second suites that are used for in laws and ageing family members. This is a way of expanding on that into something, hopefully for the future.”

The team at Penguin Basements has spent a good chunk of their lives turning unused space into cherished space, but now it seems like the right time for the company to grow. Having spent so long in the basement, it only seems right that the team works its way up and evolves. Although, with the highest level of expertise and quality, I’d happily stay in a Penguin basement forever.

At the heart of Nortex Roofing lies just that, heart. Coming from humble beginnings, Nortex Roofing has grown from a small shop into the large and hugely successful facility it is today. With over 30 years in business and numerous successful projects under their belts, the team at Nortex Roofing have worked hard to create a successful business. What are some of the standout moments in its 30 years of business, or better yet, what is the secret to a successful business? It seems that, for Darnell Vrban, Business Development Manager at Nortex Roofing, the answer lies in the care and consideration it gives to every aspect of its work. Vrban got into the construction industry over 20 years ago and has also worked in other industries prior to that. For him, something about Nortex is different.

“I have never seen an organization where from the top of the organization and throughout, everyone cares and wants to deliver. There’s just no complacency, even with the company’s success. The people here are genuinely involved. I’m on the business development engine which brings a different set of roles and responsibilities, and sometimes I’m amazed, quite frankly of just how well our operations team works. I see them just about every day that I’m in the office and I just see how focused they are.”

Having its people as a prominent force in the business is one of the key elements to Nortex Roofing’s success, but another, and something that has helped propel it to success is the craftsmanship of its work and the clients who recognize it. The company’s catalogue of work includes everything from schools to shopping centers to manufacturing facilities. However, there are some standout projects that help differentiate Nortex from its competitors, such as its work on the CAMH Health Facility.

The facility itself had strict requirements for the roofing component of the project. Not only were Nortex working to a precise timeline, but the work also had to be carried out in the winter months without disruption. While winters may bring their own set of obstacles to Canadian construction projects, the job was a complete success. In an example of where relationships can make all the difference, the project manager setup and maintained an open channel of communication with the facility, allowing the logistics behind the project to run smoothly, and which resulted in another happy client for Nortex Roofing.

It goes without saying that environmental alternatives are becoming increasingly prevalent and necessary both in roofing and the construction industry in general. In order to make positive changes, Nortex Roofing has rolled out green roofing to its clients. This involves the roof of a building being partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. Also known as “living roofs”, green roofs serve several purposes for a building, such as absorbing rainwater, providing insulation, creating a habitat for wildlife, and helping to lower urban air temperatures and combat the heat island effect.

“We really have a team culture and team atmosphere at Nortex, and that’s what we try to cultivate.”

The company is dedicated to providing roofing services that are environmentally responsible by providing services such as solar powered roofs which convert sunlight into electricity. With this in mind, it is no surprise to learn that Nortex are currently working on a project with a number of environmental considerations. The project is for a large manufacturing facility and, as Vrban explains, it focuses on providing cutting edge technology with reasonable pricing. “Adding rooftop solar to a building involves some special requirements. We came in with a solution for this company and we gave them a very cost-effective roofing that met specific requirements for them, and particularly considering it was a manufacturing facility as well. So, we have to be very cognizant that you know what was under us while we were roofing and once again, timelines were very important.”

In addition to the innovation and technology being incorporated into Nortex’s designs, Vrban believes that this particular project highlights the importance of solid working relationships. “It’s actually a current project we started not too long ago and there’s a third entity involved in it. The solar provider is a fantastic company as well, so you have multiple companies coming together on a large project. The building itself is about 100,000 square feet and we had to work in close contact with the solar company to ensure that from our perspective, we delivered on what they needed in order to facilitate the solar array on the rooftop. It’s been a very successful project once again from a coordination and communication perspective. We’ve done a fantastic job and I’m very proud of that one.”

For Nortex, communication is extremely important, especially when it comes to clients. The company tries its hardest to keep communication channels open, not only externally, but internally also. The Vice President of operations works closely on every single project and no stone is left unturned. At Nortex, this inclusive culture ensures that almost everyone is involved in a project in some shape or form, and everyone is rooting for its successful completion.

What I refer to as inclusive culture, however, Nortex refer to as family. Even though the company has grown to become one of the larger contractors in the province, it has never reached a point that it forgets about its employees. The company has had foremen that have worked for the company since its inception and its current chief estimator has been there almost 20 years. For any company to have long standing employment like Nortex speaks to the character of the company and the overall environment of the workplace.
While Nortex will continue to expand on its success, its approach to growth is somewhat different than other businesses. Nortex Roofing is less concerned with expansion and more interested in maintaining quality.

Vrban believes that by maintaining quality as its primary goal, the company will never veer far from the attributes that have brought it such success already. “We are poised for growth, whether that may be into some different markets or different aspects of the building envelope. We’re measuring it to ensure wherever we grow or however we grow, that we can bring the same level of quality and best in class. Right now, we are redoing our website. We’re redoing our marketing collateral, and we have some strategic plans that are going to align with that. We’re not going to overextend ourselves and we’re not going to make promises that we can’t deliver on. However, we are looking into the next few years and there will be some exciting times for Nortex ahead.”

As Nortex continues to push forward, it will do so with its people in mind. At the heart of Nortex Roofing will always be its employees and when I asked Vrban for any last quotes he could not stress that enough.

“We really have a team culture and team atmosphere at Nortex, and that’s what we try to cultivate. The standout moments are seeing our colleagues, seeing their families grow and having monumental moments in their lives. Our people are everything.”

New York has become a progressive state, striving to represent the interests of every person within its vicinity. Leaders on the city council are addressing multiple issues currently facing the city of New York and, as always, one of the most important of these is housing. However, while the issue of housing shortages has been factored into the equation, support for the construction of new houses has not, leading to no solution.

With this in mind, Building Trades Employers Association (BTEA) is on a mission to jump start the market and get projects moving. By reducing red tape and bureaucracy, BTEA aims to upgrade its workforce and create a prosperous environment to help pave the way to an even more progressive city. BTEA is New York’s largest Contractor Association and serves as the construction contractor’s unified advocate for construction safety standards, professional development, government advocacy and communications. In working with real estate owners, city and state public agencies, building trade unions and the public, BTEA continues to steward the next generation of solutions for a vital, sustainable and safer construction industry.

Established back in 1903, BTEA is an association of associations who have collective bargaining agreements with their respective building trade union affiliations. Within the BTEA, there are 26 associations, three general contractor groups, and 23 subcontractor groups that pay dues on behalf of the 1200 individual member companies. As such a large association, BTEA is tirelessly working on methods to allow the construction process to function seamlessly. While tackling the obstacles surrounding advocacy and government affairs is currently dominating BTEA, the association is also kept busy with other key issues, initiatives and programmes.

One of the most active BTEA Committees is the Construction Safety Committee, which holds monthly meetings with the Department of Buildings, Fire Department and OSHA representatives. The Committee discusses common issues and policies, while also being responsible for developing BTEA’s recognized Safety Awards Program.

President and CEO of BTEA, Louis Coletti, has more than 30 years’ experience in the building industry and is strongly invested in the safety of all those involved. “When COVID first came about, both the Mayor and the Governor reached out asking to help write protocols. We got together with organized labor and the real estate community then drafted the protocols that were eventually adopted and followed by both the city and the state for COVID. I recall one of my members saying to me how easy it was to do that in New York. He made one phone call to BTEA, and we got everybody together. People sometimes don’t realize what we have in the BTEA. It’s one phone call and the organization can touch everybody: owners, labor, subcontractors, general contractors, public officials. We get things done so much quicker.”

“The construction industry in New York is essential for the creation of high-paying jobs, a stable middle class and a vibrant economy.”

Outside of the safety committee is a number of other committees, including its Minority and Women Business-Owned Enterprise (MWBE), Leadership Council, and Next Generation Leadership Council. The BTEA has been a long-term supporter of diversity and inclusion and has over 177 MWBE contractors, with 55% of those contractors producing revenues of $5 million or more. The contractor organization emphasizes the importance of next generation workers by finding young talented individuals and integrating them into the association in order to help maintain a steady flow of talent. This is done through the Next Generation Leadership Councill, but talent is found in other ways too. The Construction Skills program allows New York City high school graduates to join apprenticeship programs, and other mediums such as the BTEA program for returning veterans have also proved successful.

BTEA is constantly monitoring its pipeline of workers and unlike a lot of the construction industry, BTEA is not experiencing significant trouble recruiting people. However, this does not mean that work is flowing. The issue that BTEA is facing is not with workers, it is with the work itself and being able to provide jobs for its contractors. “The cost of construction in New York City is very high and owners can’t get loans. They’ve asked for tax breaks and the senate, the state legislature, and the city are refusing to give it to the developers. So, you’re building no housing and commercial development has been cut back as a result of COVID. We’ve got a real problem with being able to provide jobs for our contractors and our labor force. That has been a real focus for us.”

Payment for work is another issue the BTEA is trying to tackle. Cash flow is key to the construction industry and delays to payments can cause major problems, especially for small minority contractors. Coletti was recently a member of the Mayor’s public reform task force who made nine recommendations and asked the state legislature to adopt these. The desired outcome should expedite payment and capital construction processes allowing for companies to flourish, rather than decline.

The same issues of trying to advance current projects is also affecting the private sector. Coletti has a theory that this may be down to the loss of people in city government, specifically the buildings department and the fire department. Trying to avail of a building inspector or fire inspector has proven difficult and led to a hold up on jobs according to Coletti.

The construction industry in New York is essential for the creation of high-paying jobs, a stable middle class and a vibrant economy. The associations activities are devoted to creating a building environment that meets the highest standards, integrity, cost efficiency, productivity, and value, in order to contribute to improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers. Coletti is committed to tackling the current government obstacles faced by the association and providing the work BTEA is known for, and while BTEA is part of the construction industry, it is also part of the union sector which comes with certain perks. “We’re not having any trouble recruiting people, but everybody I talked to in the non-union sector is saying that they just can’t get workers. That’s the benefit of doing work in the union industry. Our wages are higher, which means our costs are higher, but they’re also safer. OSHA gives us the fatality statistics for New York City every year and for about 20 years in a row, 80% of the deaths are on non-union job sites.”

Mathematicians often use equations as a very precise way to describe various features of the world. What I am about to propose may seem like a simple and obvious solution to the equation, but to tackle issues such a housing, houses need to be built. Unfortunately, the bureaucracy and politics surrounding housing are acting as a deterrent to the issue and ultimately prolonging the housing shortage.

Ultimately, the city of New York needs to understand the importance of construction and the value of those who work within it. To simplify the equation even further: Prosperity + progression = a better city, and a better life for all within it.

Running a business creates its own challenges, but reinventing an existing business model requires analyzing the current model to pinpoint room for improvement. Flat Iron Building Group — a Toronto based building strategy company focusing on design build and construction management in the commercial real estate sector — has successfully managed to locate a flaw in the present business model of the construction industry and turn it into a strength for the company and its clients.

Before a project reaches the construction site, a meticulous amount of work is carried out. The pre-construction phase is the magic that takes place behind the curtain and brings together experts from finance, engineering, architecture, design and more.

Fast forward along the project timeline and a whole new range of unique skillsets are introduced – including electricians, dry-wallers, carpenters, plumbers and more – as the construction phase begins.

It had occurred to Flat Iron Building Group that the real experts in construction, namely the workers in hard hats and steel-toed boots are often only introduced towards the end of a project. They saw this linear approach as deeply inefficient since operations cannot be stacked as they would in other industries to reduce timelines and control costs. More importantly, this structure doesn’t create the needed diversity in the boardroom to truly understand all perspectives and best balance the 3 pillars of any project – quality, cost, and schedule. When you look at a boardroom in the planning stages of a project, where the largest impact on cost and schedule is often made, and contrast that with the very different group on site where the space is actually being built, it becomes clear that not all perspectives are being considered from the beginning.

In order to have the biggest possible impact on projects, Flat Iron is focused on engaging all parties from the get-go, ultimately saving significant amounts of time and money. This approach not only provides a more inclusive working environment, but also creates a new and much-needed communication channel that otherwise does not exist.

The focus of Flat Iron’s Business Model was created with the intention of bringing the most value to the client. The business has been in existence for 20 years and its positioning as a strategically smart builder has allowed it to flourish and evolve more fully into the needs of its client base within the last 6 – 7 years.

President and COO of Flat Iron Building Group, Julie Phillips, recognizes the value of having all parties involved in the process from an early stage. By marrying the construction and pre- construction phases, equal respect is accorded to both sides of the coin and, for Flat Iron, this has certainly paid off. “That person at the very end of the traditional process with the hardhat can save you millions of dollars early in the process if you talk to them. Working closely with Hicks Architecture on the Osprey Valley Resorts redevelopment – a golf course just north of the city of Toronto, we were collectively able to find value in the planning stage to balance client requirements, design intent, and budget. For example, original discussions on the clubhouse had a ramp going into the basement to deliver food and products into the facility. But that required significant concrete retaining walls and a much deeper basement to allow the slope to function as planned. This drove up the cost of the project.

By completing scenario cost analysis during planning, and combining the experience and knowledge of construction staff with the architects’, we avoided significant expenses with little impact on the golfer’s experience. To be clear, there was over a million dollars saved in foundations that could be used in higher impact areas or to reduce the overall costs.”

Another successful project completed by Flat Iron Building Group was First National, one of the new towers in Downtown Toronto. This project involved a pressurized raised floor system, meaning all airflow and electrical ran under the pressurized raised floor, creating great air quality inside the building.

The client originally contemplated tearing out the existing pressurized raised floor system and replacing it with a new finished product. Early in planning, Flat Iron with B+H architects highlighted that this approach would dramatically impact the process of construction due to the opening of the plenum, and the resulting increase in material storage requirements, all of which would impede the trade work and negatively affect the overall schedule and project costs. Due to these concerns, the full team worked very closely and when the client fully understood the tradeoff decisions around schedule and cost, it became clear that the new focus was to achieve the same design intent without having to replace the existing system. With Flat Iron’s assistance in early planning, First National was able to maintain their schedule, but to also come in $500,000 under budget.

These stories feed into the values at the heart of Flat Iron and help bring them to life. The values that existed 20 years ago are still inherent in the business today: Be Bold, Be Open and Create Community. The business has grown and evolved through the years and while its core values may have adapted, fundamentally they have not changed. Workers at Flat Iron face the choice to be bold every day. This involves acknowledging problems and addressing uncomfortable situations head on. Not only does this involve being up front with each other, but it requires above all being upfront with clients. Being Bold, in other words, means always doing what is right, not what is easy.

The value of being bold for Flat Iron opens the door to the company’s next two values, openness and community. Being open involves the exchange of ideas and taking the most novel viewpoints seriously, while community supports all parties involved and elevates everyone who walks through Flat Iron’s doors.

These values are actually particular areas that empower Flat Iron to add that more unique touch, and no one knows this better than Phillips. “Nothing makes me more excited than when somebody says I’ve got a crazy idea; that is the first step toward openness. But it is really about hearing that out of the box thinking and taking a novel viewpoint seriously while asking, ‘could we actually use a different approach on this?’ The best outcomes are often the result of team effort. No one individual can be as good as a team and to build a team, or community, we need to elevate everybody that comes through the doors and make sure they are properly heard.”

“Flat Iron is focused on engaging all parties from the get-go.”

As Phillips explains, the essence of a community is ultimately rooted in diversity and inclusion. While the construction industry may skew unhelpfully from the level of gender balance found across society, that is far from the case at Flat Iron. “We far exceed on diversity and inclusion metrics. Around 35% of our employees are women but the bigger picture is that we’re 50-50 at the senior management team. In addition, 40% of that management team represents different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. That’s unheard of in the sector and we do a lot to develop that in the market. We’re very focused on how we bring different perspectives to the market and get them equal voices at the table.”

The theme of inclusivity flows through all aspects of Flat Iron Building Group, and not just in the diverse, multicultural, socio-economic background of its workers; but also, through its approach to business. The commitment to have the best minds and best parties at the same table at the same time is not only strategic business, it is strategic inclusion.

Looking ahead, Flat Iron plans to work with more strategic business partners from project inception and hopes to be seen as a strategic business partner by their clients. After speaking with Phillips and examining Flat Iron’s business model, it is hard not to see the company as a collective of smart professionals searching for a better, smarter way to do business.

Flat Iron plans to work with its clients before a real estate problem has even been identified. For there, it can be part of defining the solution. This way, it can ensure that it can hit both architectural form and function requirements, as well as address any issues related to cost and schedule requirements. This company cares about the construction industry immensely, and for Phillips, it doesn’t stop there. Along with care, she is extremely proud of the industry as a whole.

“I think the other thing for me is to raise the profile of construction as a sector. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, people who can build things became somewhat looked down upon by the knowledge worker. Yet the people that I meet in the world of construction know so much and add so much value. If I’m trying to solve a problem from a cost perspective, I want to involve the person, man or woman, that has been on site one hundred times and seen it. There are so many smart people in this world that just might not show up in a suit every day.”

With businesses constantly searching for ways to keep employees happy, it’s rare to find a truly unique solution. Benefits such as safety, retirement planning, health, wellness, and career growth are important to employees, but the chance to take part in something different—something beyond typical benefits packages—can create distinctive appeal for a company and contribute to greater sense of excitement and productivity in the workplace.

At Swinerton, employees enjoy a comprehensive benefits package along with the opportunity to partake in one or both of the company’s ownership programs: an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP), or direct shareholder ownership. This means that those who work at Swinerton, regardless of title or tenure, are not just employed by the company; they are owners of the company. This full circle investment profit and decision-making stays within the company, thus organically inspiring each Swinerton employee-owner to act with accountability and strive to achieve higher levels of success.

With 135 years of history, 20 office locations, and over 4,300 construction professionals from coast to coast, Swinerton is continuously growing. The company launched a 15-year business plan in 2015 with the intention of future-proofing the organization against any natural market downturns or unforeseeable incidents such as the recent pandemic. That business plan included offering geographic diversity, and this is where Swinerton’s expansion into New York City plays a pivotal role.

Vice President and Division Manager, Andrew Pearl, leads the New York City office and has been working at Swinerton for 16 years after joining fresh from graduate school in San Diego. Pearl has experienced all Swinerton has to offer and is proud of the work he has accomplished with the company.

“We are a general contractor, but we also provide construction management services, and we take on design and build procurement styles,” Pearl said. “However, I think the main driver for us and what differentiates us as a general contractor is this concept of going back to being a master builder. We perform some of the trades that we used to subcontract, and we built a workforce with 2,000 carpenters and laborers across the country that can provide clean up, demolition, concrete, millwork, framing, and drywall.”

Swinerton has been working hard in New York with projects such as the recently completed office refresh for technology company Patreon. The firm is well poised for new opportunities on the horizon. Mass timber in New York is growing, largely due to a recent building code update that was adopted in November 2022 and allows for cross-laminated timber (CLT) in Type IV construction for New York City buildings up to 85 feet, or seven stories. The codes had previously been limited to heavy timber or laminated wood, but with the explicit codification of mass timer—including CLT and glued-laminated timber—Swinerton is already experiencing a significant uptick in interest from developers looking to be among the first in the city to build with the material.

By leveraging its extensive mass timber expertise in building design and construction, and partnering with affiliate company Timberlab, which specializes in turnkey mass timber engineering and fabrication, Swinerton is uniquely suited to address this rising interest in mass timber. The firm is also able to leverage other affiliate companies to provide efficiencies and specialized expertise in a variety of services and project delivery methods, from structural concrete to Public-Private Partnerships.

Despite its national presence as a $5 billion organization, Swinerton is eager to give back to the community. Its leadership teams sit on non-profit organization boards to ensure the company’s time, resources, and financial support are invested back into each local community. Pearl himself sits on the board for the Rebuilding Together New York City Chapter, which means that Swinerton serves as a national partner there.

“We really do want to make sure that we’re engaged with our local communities, and we’re not just building buildings and walking away,” Pearl said. “We’re really proud of [The Swinerton Foundation]. We build really strong workforce development plans, so we actively go out and recruit, train, and onboard to keep the best-in-class craftspeople because we’re constantly looking for the future workforce in the construction industry.”

“The firm is well poised for new opportunities on the horizon.”

The Swinerton Foundation was founded in 2002 to centralize and guide the charitable donations of Swinerton, and today serves as a 501(c)(3) public charity focused on construction education and workforce development. This foresight and commitment to community building is perhaps one reason why Swinerton has experienced huge success. With a willingness to work with the best and to equitably distribute ownership across its workforce, the company has a clear vision to build the future with workforce industry organizations and dedicated talent recruitment. Swinerton also has a craft services team that is dedicated to workforce development and is excited about growing careers.

Pearl is particularly excited to bring these opportunities to New York and hopefully provide a path for its workforce to become future leaders. Swinerton as a whole is seven years away from completing its 2030 business plan, and just over halfway through its 15-year goal. In this time, the organization has grown exponentially, opening offices in Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta, New York City, and Boise. However, according to Pearl, Swinerton remains strategic, disciplined, and patient in its growth.

“We do not want to outpace our growth and outpace our ability to deliver on our promises,” Pearl explained. “So, we are much more long-term orientated, looking to build a sustainable business with steady, consistent, responsible growth. And we are able to do that because we have the support of the $5 billion organization that’s financially robust and truthfully passionate about the investment strategy.”

The company is also keenly aware of the need to choose its locations based on demand and local needs. “We’re going to allow our national accounts and the local markets to kind of guide us. If that that takes us into Philadelphia, then we’ll go there, and if that takes us into New England, we’ll go there. But for us, it’s more about making sure we contribute responsibly.”

Swinerton has built an enviable reputation at the top of the industry. Its business model and culture of ownership are innovative and conducive to the firm’s ongoing success. From speaking to Pearl and from seeing the evidence of this success, there is no doubt that that the next seven years of Swinerton’s current business plan are going to be just as busy — if not busier — than the first eight. While this is exciting for all the current employees that are willing the company to succeed, it is even more exciting for those future employees out there waiting to be found.

When starting at the bottom of the career ladder, the only way to move is up. It may not seem like it, but this is a powerful place to be, especially when deciding which direction to follow. Figuring out which ladder that may be is almost a rite of passage: making the wrong decision can alter life tremendously. For some, the decision is made from a very young age. With this in mind, it has become apparent that reaching young people as soon as possible is important. ABC Florida East Coast Chapter’s partnership with Junior Achievement in Broward County simulates a business for middle schoolers. As the single largest provider of apprenticeship education in the state of Florida— investing roughly $3.6 million in workforce development — the organization aims to excite and encourage the next generation of construction workers.

In order to excel in the construction industry, it is imperative that the required training is completed first. Any skilled tradesman will have completed an apprenticeship in their field at some stage in their lives, but the unfortunate truth is that becoming an apprentice is incredibly difficult unless a person is already working within the chosen trade industry. The legal definition of an apprenticeship program is a combination of related technical instruction, classroom instruction or lab work, as well as on the job training and supervision by a journey person or master of said trade. If an apprentice has no job, they are unable to gain the necessary training, credits, or supervision to elevate their career and continue the ladder climb. However, a pre-apprenticeship program allows an interest to develop and nurtures talent to help it grow in the right direction; up.

President and CEO of Florida East Coast, Peter Dyga, is extremely passionate about the construction industry and developing bright futures within it. “There are a little over 320 registered apprenticeship programs in the state of Florida. Our chapter and our sister chapter in Tampa are two of those 300. So, I’d like to say we’re less than 1% of the registered providers, but anywhere from 15 to 20% of the freshman apprentices last year entered one of our two programs. So, we are by far the single largest provider of apprenticeship education in the state of Florida.”

While Dyga accepts that the apprenticeship program is rigid in terms of legal specifications, he explains that it is vital for young people to be educated on the potential benefits of choosing such a pathway. “An apprenticeship is a very specific legal model or definition of post-secondary education and that’d be the first thing that I stress to people. An equally good first choice to our more traditional college bachelor’s degrees. In some ways, I would say we have some things going for us that make us a better choice, which is, by law, its tuition free. The graduate apprentice will be equivalent of someone who graduated with a bachelor’s degree and will actually make more on average than someone with a bachelor’s degree. So, you’re graduating with zero debt and you’re making more than average, plus you already have a job.”

ABC Florida East Coast Chapter likes to equate its values and benefits to three legs of a stool. Dyga uses this as an example to express the importance of the chapter’s core. Without the three legs, a stool will not stand. To Dyga, each leg represents a different aspect of the chapter: Business Development and Relationship Building, Education, and Government Affairs.

“There are a little over 320 registered apprenticeship programs in the state of Florida.”

Investing time and money is important to the people at not only ABC Florida East Coast Chapter, but all chapters. The Florida East Coast Chapter has 1.5 full-time government affairs professionals, as well as two contract lobbyists to supplement their needs, and a full-time lobbyist for ABC of Florida. Electing the right people is critical to the success of the construction industry. Construction is one of the most regulated industries. Therefore, having a strong focus on advocacy and government affairs is beneficial to all members of any ABC Chapter.

The other leg of this stool which refers to Business Development and Relationship Building is the backbone of construction. Networking opportunities lead to new developments, partnerships, increased work, and the cycle continues. ABC Florida East Coast Chapter’s members consist of approximately 73% contractors and boasts great potential for developing future business relationships. The education leg that completes Dyga’s stool is arguably the most important aspect of the ABC Florida East Coast Chapter. While the chapter is heavily involved in the pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship side of education, an array of educational services and courses are also available to those within the industry.

The construction industry is filled with talent workers, tradesmen, craftsmen, and artists. Finding ways to develop these talents further is part of Dyga’s vision for the ABC Florida East Coast Chapter. The chapter is on a mission to excel and exceed all expectations while catapulting ABC into the future and cementing them as leaders in construction and education. However, like any organization, the chapter is only as strong as those within it. This is why the members of ABC Florida East Coast are instrumental to its ongoing success. All of the work the chapter undertakes is to solidify a stronger future for the construction industry and its members.

Dyga’s passion for the construction industry is clear to see. However, for him, it is not just a job, this is a future. “I can think of no other industry where the American Dream is as alive as it is in construction. And what do I mean by that? I mean, you can start with the tools on your belt. You can spend four years in a post-secondary apprenticeship getting your degree or certificate, and some short time after that you may want to open up your own company. You may want to be your own electrical contractor and take the skills that you learned and be a businessman as well or an entrepreneur.”

That is the thing about the construction industry, there will always be ladders available to climb. But unlike most ladders, these ladders have no limit. You can continue to climb and climb until you have reached a successful career; or better yet, a successful future.

In an ideal world, those who are more fortunate are those who are the most deserving. Opportunities would not present themselves simply on who you may know, instead they would become accessible through hard work and sheer talent. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world and the dream of a meritocratic society often remains just that, a dream. However, while society may not have fully adapted the meritocratic approach, there are people who work every day to defend and advance the principles of the merit shop philosophy in the construction industry. These people are unbiased to race, color, creed, age, sex. These people focus on ability and determination to succeed. These people are those at ABC Michigan.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national association with 69 chapters representing 25,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms across the United States. ‘Merit Shop’ means the construction philosophy which encourages open competition and a free-market approach that awards contracts to the lowest cost responsible bidder based solely on merit as determined by contractor, regardless of labor affiliation.

CEO and President of ABC Michigan, Jimmy E Greene, took time out of his day to discuss a number of important issues the ABC are currently dealing with. One of the main issues the chapter faced recently was the union-led push to bring back a non-right to work state.

“That advocacy piece was to ensure that we remained a ‘right to work’ state. We advocate on behalf of our members to ensure that we have fair and open competitive commercial building here in the state of Michigan, that we have a robust workforce here in the state of Michigan, and more importantly, ensuring that we are a culture where new business wishes to come in and be able to build under those kinds of cultural and philosophical issues.”

The term ‘right to work state’ simply means that unionization is not compulsory in states where this law applies. Therefore, employers are not able to force employees to participate in a union or to pay union dues. If a worker is not in a right to work state, this mandates union participation, manufacturing, and some commercial aspects.

There are currently only 26 states who have the right to choose union representation. While recent political challenges have repealed right to work in Michigan, in a move that will lead to mandated unionism, Jimmy believes that this is not what the people of Michigan want. While he may not be able to speak for the whole state of Michigan, he can certainly speak for the construction industry within it.

ABC Michigan is an association driven by its members and everything the association does is for the benefit of its members. Listening to their members and finding the best way to represent them is a giant part of what this association does. “The association is nothing without its people. What do you advocate for? Who are you advocating on behalf of if not your members? That’s really what I love about our association. That we are advocating on behalf of real people who have real businesses, who hire real employees, and that’s what makes it all worthwhile. The building is nothing more than a name, a structure. The people that run or operate those companies, who work for those companies, that’s where advocacy really matters.”

“We are advocating on behalf of real people who have real businesses, who hire real employees, and that’s what makes it all worthwhile.”

With the members forming the core of ABC Michigan, it only makes sense that the association finds ways to celebrate and honor them. The Excellence in Construction (EIC) awards recognizes and promotes the quality workmanship by ABC merit shop contractors and their employees. Projects are judged by a panel of independent, non-member judges representing a cross-section of the construction industry including clients, facility directors, building inspectors, architects, and engineers from the Michigan area — almost like the Oscars of the construction industry.

Nominees compete against each other for the Michigan title, with the winner of Michigan going on to compete at national levels. When explaining to me how the competition process works, Jimmy compared it to The Miss America Pageants — each state finds one individual to represent that state nationally — which I must admit gave me a good giggle. While the process may be similar to that of Miss America, the “talent round” is in a league of its own. Nominees are competing against the best of the best within their industries and simply being nominated is an outstanding achievement in its own right. Recognition and publicity will be given to the Excellence in Construction winner in each category as well as the Project Manager, Superintendent, and/or Foreman on the project.

Having the option to attend these awards is something that not so long ago was unavailable. COVID-19 took its toll on the construction industry, and many are still dealing with the aftermath of the pandemic. While sickness seemed like the major threat at first, a lot of companies within the construction industry have been chasing their tail to try to get back on track.

“We have a terrible workforce gap. I’m not sure where everybody went, but that’s been a slowdown. When you have less workers to finish a project, this elongates the timeline, which of course pushes the backlog out further and further. It’s not the best environment to be in because building construction is not supposed to be permanent. You know, these are all temporary jobs. You start, you finish, you move on to the next one. So, the longer you’re on the job site, the longer the next job timeframe begins.”

While the condition of the industry itself suffered in certain areas, ABC Michigan’s business actually grew considerably. The pandemic brought on a lot of extra work such as readjusting building codes, separation of workspaces and more. The backlog of work which resulted from the pandemic has also ensured that ABC Michigan is in for a busy next year. If anything, the pandemic did not weaken ABC Michigan, it made them stronger.

As the association continues to grow and strengthen, at its core will always be their members. Everything ABC Michigan does, or every task they undertake, is done so with the benefit of their members at the forefront. While society may not have latched on to the meritocratic approach of making sure people are rewarded for their worthiness, you can bet that the people at ABC Michigan will continue fighting to make sure their members are rewarded on merit alone and continuing the business of a one stop merit shop.

There is no bigger threat to an industry than the expiration of those within it, which is why the current skilled labor shortage in the construction industry needs to be addressed and discussed. With both Canada and America facing serious labor shortages, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum predicts that 75,000 new apprentices need to be hired in the next five years to fulfil the demand for skilled workers.

While the world is slowly recovering from the recent pandemic, it seems as though the construction industry is facing a pandemic of its own. A disease that, if not treated, threatens the livelihood of those within its reach. In Canada, consider the people at Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) and its Members the physicians in this situation. The people working tirelessly to create a resolution to an imminent threat. With a direct focus on upskilling, strengthening and furthering education, the OGCA are helping to create paths in order to build the road to a better future.

When they are not tackling possible risks to the construction industry, the OGCA are busy being the pro-active voice for all general contracting issues across the Province of Ontario. For more than 83 years, the OGCA has diligently worked to build Ontario by directly assisting members to deliver construction excellence in the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (ICI) Sectors — with plans of furthering their mission as they move forward.

One of the ways in which the OGCA has decided to tackle the construction industry’s current “pandemic” is their Pathways to ICI project. The Pathways to ICI project was submitted into the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) as a grant application in order to provide funding for a program that focused on soft skills i.e., interpersonal/communication skills combined with construction specific learning scenarios. President of the OGCA, Giovanni Cautillo, is one of the people responsible for putting this plan into motion. Although Cautillo is one of the driving forces behind the initiative, he assures me that it was the industry and its members who are truly responsible for this initiative.

“Labor shortage has affected us greatly because we’re now looking to replace a large cohort of individuals that are retiring, and unless we have people to replace them, we’re always going to be in a deficit position. Everyone’s always looking for skilled trades and you’ve got governments touting incentives for skilled trades, but we always need to look at what it is that our members need. After months of discussion and vigorous debate, it was highlighted that supervisory positions like project management, project/field coordination, coordinator, and site supervisors are imperative, and the members can’t move forward without these positions. We ascertained through roundtable discussions that there weren’t courses for this, which is how the Pathways to ICI was brought about.”

Addressing the skills development and capacity building for employers by creating Upskilling Toolkits and a Train-the-Trainer Program for current project coordinators, site supervisors and project managers is only one aspect of the Pathways to ICI. There is another path within this initiative that focuses on attracting new people to the industry — those who may not have considered construction or had access to construction as a career path. Manager of Programs at OGCA, Khoa Ly-Kilis, is just as passionate about developing potential as Cautillo. Ly-Kilis believes that these courses have the ability to not just focus on building soft skills to existing workers in order to upskill them, but also to focus on new fresh talent.

“OGCA are helping to create paths in order to build the road to a better future.”

“Building specific courses and curriculum allows individuals to bridge that knowledge and experience gap. This means that a newcomer or a new graduate who is interested in exploring a career in construction can, through OGCA’s Pathways to ICI New Entrants Bridging Program receive training that is specific to understanding the construction landscape, construction health and safety, scenario-based soft skills development, and workplace best management practices to arm them with the essential information and training to be successful in a work placement; the ultimate goal being the start of a long-standing career in construction. A career path in construction can truly go anywhere. The sky’s the limit when you join construction at that entry level.”

While speaking with both Cautillo and Ly-Kilis, it became apparent extremely quickly that the members of the OGCA are of the utmost importance to the association. They are at the core of every decision, incentive, and idea the OGCA constructs. OGCA members account for approximately 70% of all of Ontario’s Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) projects and the majority of all Alternative Finance Projects (AFPs). With a mission to inform, advocate and elevate a dynamic industry, the association focuses on key areas: Health and Safety, Advocacy, Engagement, and Innovation.

Health and Safety was a paramount priority for the OGCA more than 83 years ago and is still at the forefront of the association today. The message here is clear, the association’s members want to ensure that all workers arrive home safely at the end of the day. Their advocacy aspect of the organization focuses on representing members of the OGCA and being the voice of the industry — whether that be with stakeholders, associations or government. There is a cohesiveness that flows through the association’s key features, allowing them to bleed into one and other. The engagement key area is closely linked to their advocacy key area and revolves mostly around their members and assuring all voices are being heard.

None of the above key areas would be possible without the innovative approach the OGCA has adapted over the years. The association empowers construction and technology leaders to identify, evaluate, and communicate relevant and useful innovations for the industry. Ditching pens and paper for tablets is an example of choosing not only innovative ways to alter the industry, but a greener more sustainable approach to work.

While the OGCA developed the above key features with the construction industry in mind, the association has also implemented some of their key features themselves — especially regarding innovation. Listening to member feedback and creating smart, innovative ways on how to implement this feedback is what led to the Pathways to ICI project being created. Recognizing what is needed is one aspect but using the information on hand to create an equilibrium point between supply and demand is innovation in its truest form, and the only cure to the industry’s current labor shortage pandemic.

With the OGCA working on an antidote, skilled labor shortage will hopefully be nothing but another inconvenience the construction industry overcame to continue thriving. To those within the Ontario area, do not fear. The OGCA are working hard to disseminate a long-term solution and the hope is that the skilled labor shortage will be a topic that will no longer be discussed… within the construction industry at least. Will this happen overnight? Sadly not. But getting to the root of the problem will prevent it from coming back, or as Cautillo would say:

“We’re not looking at a band aid that fixes the symptom. We’re looking at fundamentally addressing the cause.”

The construction industry is viewed as quite a meritocratic industry where hard work pays off, and is more often than not, rewarded. There are a wide variety of roles on offer with relatively good pay and the possibility of lifelong careers. However, while there are numerous positive aspects to this industry, it is not without its issues.

According to a recent British Columbia (BC) Coroners Service report focusing on 872 overdose deaths in B.C., many of the employed people in the province who died of an overdose worked in areas such as construction, trades, and the transport industry. Other worrying stats also show an increase in mental health claims within the last 3 years among construction workers. Recognizing and championing the construction industries best qualities are just as important as advocating and tackling the issues construction workers face daily. By supporting and caring for the construction industry, the team at Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) are trying to improve the construction industry and promote operational excellence.

At VICA, the association serves the institutional, commercial, industrial, civil, and multi-residential construction sectors on Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and other coastal areas of British Columbia. Working to foster growth, economic stability, and prosperity in the construction community, VICA aims to promote a greater understanding of construction by advocating and supporting its members.

Chief Execute Officer, Rory Kulmala, has been working within the construction sector throughout Canada for the last 25 years. Kulmala has been at VICA for almost 6 years and is heavily involved in a lot of the work carried out by the association. “We do a lot of work when it comes to advocacy and the procurement that is going on with governments, local governments, regional, municipal, provincial, even federal. When it comes to procurement, we talk in terms of fair, open, and transparent type of procurement, and we advocate for that. We also talk about training and education. We have a very robust program here that looks to upskill our members and their employees so that they can maintain their relevance in the market.
And the networking is also important. We host events to bring our community together, allowing the opportunity to network with likeminded people.”

There are a number of standout initiatives at VICA that offer great benefits to the construction industry. The Construct Your Future program (CYF) was designed to create new knowledgeable workers that can be placed into the construction sectors. This usually includes people that are recently out of high school and aged between 18 to 24. The participants often have no experience in construction and are joining this program to build experience and credibility as they join the industry.

“Creating a space where everyone can share, network, and communicate is extremely important to the association.”

Offering 11 certificates and training, participants are made to feel more equipped for their new role. After completion, 90% of students become hired by members of VICA, but if a participant has an interest in a particular area that’s not available, the association will try connecting them with employment. Another interesting initiative being run by VICA is The Tailgate Toolkit Project. According to Kulmala, VICA discovered some harrowing news which affects the construction industry leading the people at VICA to try support members and raise awareness of the issue.

“Back in 2016, the BC government declared a public health emergency because of the toxic opioid crisis. Since then, we’ve been actively trying to educate our sector on what it is and how it affects our workers. There was a coroner’s report in 2018 that cited that one in five people that were dying due to this crisis were from the construction and transportation sector. That’s since been revised down to one in four. We partnered with the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) to develop the Toolkit and then the BC government to deliver this education and awareness program throughout the province in partnership with our other regional construction associations. It’s a 40 minute on-site discussion covering many topics such as what the toxic drug supply is, pain management, safe use and a number of other topics all designed to reduce the stigma associated with the use of drugs, particularly opioids and to provide resources for someone to get help as needed.”

Other committees also support VICAs mission for members to feel included and valued. Such as is its Young Builder’s Network (YBN)/U40 groups and Women in Construction (WIC). Young Builders/U40 provide an atmosphere of networking to build relationships within the construction community; to present information, professional development and leadership or mentorship opportunities that will benefit the individual U40/YBN members and their respective companies; to participate in community engagement initiatives; and to support and promote career paths in the construction industry. Meanwhile the Women in Construction (WIC) group is a grassroots Vancouver Island network working to promote and support female participation in construction with chapters in both Nanaimo and Victoria chapters.

Throughout its work, VICA has recognized areas within the construction industry that deserve attention. By creating initiatives to help address these areas and working with different committees, VICA are not only dealing with these issues, but are also helping to resolve them. Creating a space where everyone can share, network, and communicate is extremely important to the association and this is why VICA host numerous events throughout the year. These events include golfing tournaments, an annual conference, barbecues and more. The great advantage is that many of these social events cost little to nothing for members of VICA, it is all about creating a space for members to socialize and interact.

“We have luncheons throughout the year we call lunch and learns. We’ll bring in a guest speaker for a 20–30-minute conversation while we have lunch. We do those up and down the island. Then we have our annual Christmas luncheon that’s coming up in December, we’ve sold out in a week. We’re always looking to create opportunities for membership to come together. Even if sometimes it’s just to let off some steam, just to have a beverage or have a burger or talk to your colleagues. Sometimes it reminds them they’re not alone out there and that everybody’s facing the same challenges”.

VICA has two offices that serve the entire Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast. The team also collaborate with the BC construction Association, as they advocate for regional and local matters. VICA supports the BC Construction Association who focus on provincial level matters whilst also working with the Canadian Construction Association on national issues. The influence and reach VICA has is enormous. By joining VICA, members are exposed to an influential network ranging from community-based grassroots type advocacy to provincial and federal advocacy.

Members of the construction industry invest so much time end energy into completing projects that ultimately better communities. It only seems fair that the same time and energy is invested into the members of this industry in order to promote their hard work and provide appropriate resources. The team at VICA work hard to help support this industry because they are passionate about the construction industry. But their hard work is not done simply because it has to be done, it is done because the people care. Because VICA cares.

Bitcoin, crypto, stocks and bonds are some of the focus areas associated with investing, but what if there was a different type of investment? The type of investment that cannot be found on the stock market but guarantees great returns for your company. At Mowery Construction, time, money, and effort have been spent investing in a very unique asset that has helped the company to thrive for almost a century… people.

Investing in employees is an important aspect for all companies looking to succeed. This is why the people at Mowery Construction believe the more they invest in employees, the better the company performs. However, it’s not just employees they invest in. Mowery Construction has immersed itself in its local community through coaching, volunteering and more, all while also developing long lasting client relationships that span over 40 years. When it comes to creating strong relationships, this company is always willing to invest.

For almost 100 years, Mowery Construction has been conducting business in the United States. Initially focusing on residential and light commercial construction within the Carlisle and Harrisburg areas, the company has since implemented innovative ways to deliver more complex projects across a number of services including Construction Management, General Contracting, Design-Build Construction and also some Special Project Construction.

Vice President of Customer Experience, William J Sutton, believes that having good people and solid foundational values allows Mowery Construction to sustain its business. The company’s focus on people and relationships has maintained its client base, but of course some changes to the overall business had to be made since its first opening date in 1925.

“In more recent times, we really began integrating technology into our construction practice. Technology has allowed us to do more complex projects, to deliver projects faster, and to really be transparent in how we communicate with our clients. We have invested in a thermal imaging drone, which allows us to scan our buildings prior to turning them over. We can identify if there’s any leaks in the building and we’re not only scanning sites with our drones, we are creating 3d maps, where we can track progress of the earth being moved and the buildings being built. So that’s a really cool technology that we’re utilizing now.”

Mowery now has 10 pilots to utilize its drones in numerous ways across different projects. The pilots are also able to take progress photos and upload those to Procore — a construction management software that keeps the latest drawings and dialogue between the designers, the owner, and construction team in one place — for everybody to see and help foster collaboration.

Some standout projects for Mowery Construction include the company’s largest project in terms of square footage. This was the 1.8 million square foot Walmart Distribution Center for Matrix Development in Shippensburg, PA. The project was completed in record time for Walmart with the initial shell complete in 10 months.

Another landmark project is the Members 1st Federal Credit Union Headquarters. Mowery was hired alongside the Architect to deliver preconstruction, design assistance and construction management of this 185,000 square foot headquarters. The project allowed Members 1st to consolidate several separate office buildings and increase their efficiency, collaboration, and connectivity. The team was focused on providing a highly sustainable and healthy workplace for its employees – one where people love to go and work in every day.

While skill and craftsmanship are enough to differentiate Mowery Construction from competitors, the company has also recently unveiled its purpose, which they believe makes them truly unique: Mowery is obsessed with making a difference. This purpose is focused on four main areas including employees, clients, community, and environment.

“That’s the thing about business, you have to adapt to the changing markets.”

“Our employees make us very unique; they are the face of the business. We work hard to develop our employees by investing in them and giving them balance in their life. We make our client relationships matter, if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be doing business. We have a partner program which is our toolbox for leading our clients through the design-build process. These thorough checklists and various technologies help us keep collaboration and communication at the forefront of our projects. Our commitment to support our community has been steadfast for almost 100 years. The non-profits we support are doing great things to make our region and our country a better place. We like to think we are doing our small part to contribute to that. Lastly, we are obsessed with making a positive impact on the environment whenever we can. Most people don’t realize this, but Construction is the largest contributor to landfill waste in this country. We have made a commitment to reduce our landfill waste by 95% and we’re now recycling on all of our projects.”

By focusing on these areas and investing in each area equally, Mowery Construction has managed to record its highest revenue year yet. Mowery believed it had built the team, the process, and the client base to eclipse 200 million five years ago, but this milestone had evaded them for the last four years. This year, with just a couple of new key projects and key clients, it was able to eclipse this target and prove that it can achieve anything it sets its sights on.

While those at Mowery feel fortunate to have reached this milestone, they are also realists. With markets continuously fluctuating, the company do not anticipate its top market will be as successful and as prevalent as it has been previously.

“We think there’s a slowdown in a couple of our key market sectors. This is causing us to shift our focus on some of other surging markets, such as senior living, health care, higher education, and affordable housing. And so again, that’s the thing about business, you have to adapt to the changing markets. You can’t be a one trick pony. You can’t just do one thing well, but we’re very, very thrilled about this year and we’re looking forward to a great 2023 as well.”

Pennsylvania is known for having the most senior living communities per capita in the United States. By seeing this as an opportunity, Mowery invested a lot of time into developing great relationships within the senior living market. By adapting to market needs and trends, this allowed Mowery Construction to continue working and developing projects within not just one market, but multiple markets.

With plans to continue growing, Mowery Construction has no intentions of limiting itself to the Pennsylvania area. While PA may well be home, the company has plans for regional expansion. The loyalty of its long-standing clients is taking Mowery Construction to new locations such as New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware and into New York. But no matter how much the company grows and expands, William is certain of one thing.

“I think the fundamentals of building relationships, taking care of your customers, hiring good people, training, and developing them will always be important. It’s something that we can replicate in other areas as we grow.”

Mowery Construction’s continuous investments in people may not provide the same types of cash returns usual investments offer but trying to place a price on valuable relationships and client loyalty will never work. This is why more companies should be inspired by Mowery Construction and begin investing in people, because the returns will always be more rewarding.

The definition of family can vary from one person to the next. Some may say that family is the descendants of a common ancestor —blood relatives. Others may lean towards what is known as a found family — the family we choose. At Warren Paving, Inc., family goes beyond the usual definitions. A number of employees have worked at Warren Paving for over 40 years, bringing their own children onboard and creating a second generation of Warren Paving employees. Pair this with the company’s commitment to their local communities and the families they have reached with their philanthropic work, and it is clear to see that Warren Paving is not made up of just one family, it is a family of families.

Warren Paving, Inc. provides asphalt paving services and was founded in 1952. Since its founding, the company has grown from a small asphalt company to the highly diverse company it is today. With over 300 employees spread across 15 locations, Warren Paving has evolved into a paving company, an aggregate company, and a transportation company. Celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, the company offers a range of services including milling, resurfacing, grading, soil stabilization, marine transportation and more.

In the early 90s, Warren Paving was operating out of the north side of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, before shutting down and moving to the south side of Hattiesburg. The company began to experience their first major growth spurt in 1992, which helped increase the overall size of the company. In 1998, Warren Paving opened a facility in Gulfport Mississippi, which is where current President/CEO, Steven Warren, resides.

Warren had been working in the business since he was 12 years old. His days after school were spent immersed in the company and as he grew, so did the business. Warren went from a plant operator to foreman, before entering project management and becoming vice president. Then, in April of 2018, Warren bought out his father and became president of Warren Paving.

“I grew up in the business. I came here every day after school. So, it’s just a normal part of my life. I’ve never known anything else. We got in the sand and gravel business and started producing standard gravel for ourselves to make us vertically integrated. As those reserves played out in the mid 90s or the mid 2000s, we started looking for property to put a limestone quarry, and we found a place in Kentucky right outside of Salem. Now we ship limestone to Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Florida, and Southern Kentucky.”

Incredibly, since the takeover in 2018, the company has grown by over 150% in revenue. Warren Paving currently runs roughly 185 barges and has recently put in a new asphalt facility in Moss Point, Mississippi this year. Overall, the company has 15 rock retail distribution yards, where they sell rock at different locations — most of which are in Louisiana.

While the company’s name might lead one to believe paving is its sole focus, Warren Paving’s “paving” business includes such diverse activities as asphalt manufacturing and FOB sales, general contracting for road and airport runway construction, milling, and of course paving work in subdivisions, overlays on public roads, and parking lot construction at commercial and industrial sites. The company also produces limestone aggregate at its Slats Lucas Quarry in Kentucky, gravel at its gravel pit near Angie Louisiana, and transports and sells sand, gravel, and limestone produced by third parties. The need to move limestone from its quarry to its asphalt plants and retail rock yards as well as to deliver asphalt and aggregates is what drove Warren Paving’s expansion into maritime and over the road transportation.

“With such a range of services, safety is of the utmost importance to all at Warren Paving.”

With such a range of services, safety is of the utmost importance to all at Warren Paving. The company’s safety philosophy is simple, they want to make sure that every worker arrives home safe that night. The strict focus on safety led to the comply receiving the Louis Griesemer Sterling Safety Award for 2022. This award was presented by The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA), and recognizes operations that maintain a safe workplace, evidenced by its safety performance over a consecutive period without an MSHA-reportable injury. This specific award recognizes NSSGA member companies that have the lowest total accident incidence rate for the previous year in their size category.

Achieving an award for safety is no easy task for any company, especially with the total amount of projects that a company undertakes each year. With Warren Paving having a life span of over 50 years, it has completed a successful portfolio of work. However, a project that will always stand out for Warren was the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. At 29 years of age, Warren had taken over as manager and believes this was a point in his life where a lot of lessons were learned.

“I think the one that would stick out in my head more than anything is the rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Mississippi got wiped off the map. We have a highway that’s about 30 miles long. It runs across Harrison County that’s called highway 90. That four-lane highway was pretty much completely missing. So, a lot of reconstruction or resurfacing of roads from the storm cleanup and increased weight and traffic from the big trucks, removing debris. That was a pretty unique time. I think that first year after Katrina once we started to work, we worked 363 days out of 365.”

With Warren Paving Inc. being a vertically integrated company, it allows the company to control every variable of the project from mining and shipping of limestone to the placement of asphalt pavement and all aspects in between. But while the company’s main focus may appear to be paving, there are also other aspects of the business that are important to the people at Warren Paving Inc. The company is very much aware of the community that is has grown from and supports a number of projects and organizations, ranging from arts organizations to animal causes to business councils. Aiming to build a better future for the next generation is a responsibility that the people at Warren Paving take very seriously, even referring to this as their true passion.

In addition to this, Warren Paving has made a commitment to supporting school systems within its local communities by evaluating the best ways to support each local school system. The company tries to choose a school in each location to donate $5000. On top of this, Warren Paving has also provided computers, educational supplies, and teaching aids. In some circumstances, the business has also helped build tracks, playing fields, parking lots and playgrounds.

“My father was really good about sharing things. If we make money, we share it with our employees and community. We take care of our people. We’ve got a lot going on and you can’t do it by yourself. We have donated money to CASA, the Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children. We have also donated parking lots for the Local Children’s Museum, The Gulfport Little Theatre. We believe the better the community is, the better off we are.”

Positive family relationships are built on quality time, communication, teamwork, and appreciation of each other. Warren Paving Inc has taken these positive family traits and injected them into a superior business model that has not only survived, but thrived for over half a century.

As for what is in store for the future, Steven Warren has no intention of being anywhere else except Warren Paving for the next 15 years. His plan is to look for opportunities where the company can do better and continue to grow bigger and stronger. After the company matures enough to celebrate a century in business, the people at Warren Paving will have already successfully completed their mission and paved the way for the next generation.

A new generation provides the opportunity for new business ventures, new projects, new challenges, and new employees; But most importantly, it provides the opportunities for the next generation of Warren Paving families.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) is ranked among the world’s busiest airports, with an average of 1,424 arrivals and departures each day, according to Airport Council International’s 2021 rankings. Why is this important? Well, these numbers not only show how common flying has become, but they also show just how hectic CLT can be. The majority of people passing through CLT will take their seat on a plane, fasten their seatbelt and think about their destination. But then there are the other people. A select few. The people that built the third parallel runway and taxiway system at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport 14 years ago. The people who won a $69.6 million contract and worked diligently to complete the project ahead of time. These are the people at Hi-Way Paving, and this is just one of their many achievements.

Founded in 1969, Hi-Way began as a concrete paving subcontractor on interstate construction work in and around Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Kentucky. Over the years the company morphed into a more generalized contractor and while they still specialize in concrete paving, Hi-Way has especially homed in and focused on aviation and airfield paving.

Dustin Keith is the owner of Hi-Way Paving, and has been with the business since 2008. A lawyer by trade, Dustin’s initial projects involved contracting, sub-contracting and dealing with in-house legalities. While Dustin has been part of the business for almost 15 years, he recently purchased Hi-Way in the summer of 2020. It was at this time that decisions were made to evolve the business with the hopes of one day celebrating their 75th anniversary.

“While we’re a prime contractor or general contractor in the heavy highway sense, we still specialize in concrete paving and our biggest wins are concrete paving jobs. However, over 50 years, we’ve grown and gained a huge number of skills along the way. We recognize that the industry has changed and so we really had a long conversation internally with the board of directors and the ownership about being able to reinvest in the company. Our aim is to really hit this next market cycle running.”

Between 2004 and 2005, Hi-Way began looking for more airfield work. In 2008, when Keith first joined the company, Hi-Way won the CLT contract. The company had never worked in North Carolina previous to this but ultimately decided to make the move down into the Carolinas. This required Hi-Way staff —who are originally from the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia regions — to relocate in order to successfully complete the project, but the result was worth it. 14 years since the runway was built and virtually no changes have been made.

Hi-Way are extremely proud of their work on CLT, as this project inspired the company to find its place in the market. And as of 2018, Hi-Way exclusively committed to airfield construction. “I’m really proud of moving in that direction. I have been running the business since 2016, and of course didn’t have the opportunity to really buy it until 2020, but we really made a conscious effort to work primarily in the airfield sector. It has been safer than working on the highway, so our safety ratings are down near as low as they’ve ever been. But also, being able to work in Nashville and Charlotte and Pittsburgh, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach and all these places that planes fly in from all over the world has just been pretty cool.”

“After celebrating 50 years in business, Hi-Way paving is going from strength to strength.”

However, job type and company focus are only some of the many changes that have been introduced over the last number of years. As any business owner will attest to, company values are a vital tenet of an organization. Simply put, they lay the foundation for what the company cares about most. After Keith purchased Hi-Way, the leadership team met to discuss the company’s core values and exactly what image they wanted to portray to the world. The team at Hi-Way looked inward when identifying its values and asked itself the question; What makes a Hi-Way employee and what makes them part of the Hi-Way family?

“It came down to respect, integrity, and commitment. Being respectful of others, respectful of other’s opinions and showing that respect to everybody in our lives is important. The integrity piece means doing what you say you’re going to do. It is striving to always be that way. And commitment means we’ve made it our mission to commit to doing the right thing. We commit to the owners, we commit to our employees, we commit to the families of our employees, we commit to each other on the job sites and off the job sites, we commit to our professional partners.”

Putting its values into action and sticking to its airfield work, Hi-Way is currently finishing up some apron expansion at Richmond International in Virginia, where everything is running smoothly. Keith is excited about the future of Hi-Way Paving, inc, and is now focusing on scaling the company. For Keith, growth is a steady thing, and Hi-Way wants to take on the right work at the right time. It is something that, once the company sticks to what it is good at, will happen when it is ready. Instead, the vision for Hi-Way is to become large enough to weather economic and industry downturns, whenever they may appear.

These are unprecedented times for businesses, which is why Hi-Way is preparing itself for what may lie ahead. Keith has experienced firsthand the uncertainty that can come if an economic slows down and is aiming to place Hi-Way in a fortified position should any uncertainty appear.

“Anybody that was in or around this industry during the Great Recession knows that it really hits home when you have got to furlough people. You have to take a pay cut yourself. You don’t know where the next job is coming from and then you start getting silly with bids. I mean, it can be a very scary time. My goal is to get us to a position that we are able to weather anything that can be thrown our way.”

Thankfully, Hi-Way has nothing to worry about as it continues its airfield work at Nashville International. The company was awarded the complete contract to reconstruct Runway 2R-20L, and the new runway was grooved and marked, flight tested by the FAA, and opened in August 2021. Working with a number of partners and subcontractors, this project included the complete removal of the existing runway and associated taxiways; excavation, stabilization, and adjustment to the subgrade where required; installation of underdrains and storm drains; all new lighting; placing a new base course and concrete for the taxiway, runway, ARFF roads, and shoulder.

Before I wrapped the interview up, I asked Keith if he had any final comments. After discussing the business throughout the interview, he wanted to focus on the people who make Hi-Way what it is.

“I truly am very proud of our entire team. I’m humbled every single day by how hard all our employees work and how dedicated they are to the company and the job and each other. I love the culture that we have developed, and I guess I’m just having such a good time that I want us to grow and be even more successful, so that everybody here can continue to have their own wins.”

After celebrating 50 years in business, Hi-Way paving is going from strength to strength. With new management and a new vision, the future is looking good for Hi-Way Paving inc. While its focus may be on the runways of international airports, it is clear to see that the sky is the limit for those at Hi-Way.

Concrete has become a staple of the construction industry and is considered one of the most commonly used building materials — In fact, the first precast paneled buildings were created more than 100 years ago and are still just as popular today. The versatility of such a material is one of the many reasons that Georgia/Carolinas PCI is committed to the future growth and profitability of the precast industry. Georgia/Carolinas PCI is a not-for-profit trade association [501(c)(6)] striving to be the promotional voice of the precast and prestressed concrete industry in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and surrounding market service areas. The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) was founded in 1954 and has numerous chapters across America.

Georgia/Carolinas PCI has been in existence for more than 30 years, but only started committees in 2019. By putting in place a strategic plan, the association introduced four standing committees which include: the Bridge committee, the Commercial Marketing committee, the Education committee, and the Membership committee. Executive Director of Georgia/Carolinas PCI, Ray Clark, understands the importance of each committee and experiences firsthand the work each one does. “Even though we’re only three years at this, we’re seeing a lot of progress. All our committees are active and meet in person at least once a year, but they also meet multiple times throughout the year virtually and accomplish a great amount of work. We have an annual meeting and a winter meeting. We’ve just completed our annual meeting last month in June 2022, and we had about 275 attendees, which by all accounts is a record attendance”.

While there are multiple benefits of becoming a member of this association, the one aspect that Ray really homed in on was the human connection aspect. Let’s face it, the majority of members attending the wonderful events hosted by Georgia/Carolina’s PCI have a business to run and work to be done, but these events are an opportunity to take the business hat off for a moment. Georgia/Carolinas PCI has created a space that allows connections to flourish first and foremost. These events not only allow families to get together, but it also removes barriers between suppliers and producers — which is actually one of Georgia/Carolinas goals. In order to help grow the industry, this association wants to remove barriers and let members see that they are in this together. Ironically, removing these barriers to create a space for introductions between parties is what ultimately leads to more business, and in some cases better business.

Like all industries, funding plays a pivotal part on the success and upkeep of a business within the construction industry. With this in mind, Ray is hoping that the infrastructure bill will make an enormous difference in the Georgia/Carolinas market. “Hopefully we’ll see three to four hundred million being filtered from the infrastructure bill into our region. A lot of it’s been earmarked already, and projects are already being identified. We believe this could involve the revitalization or rebuilding of bridges. But also, significant amounts of money spent on alternative transportation in major metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Raleigh, while also incorporating solar or battery components for electric vehicles within the pavement.”

“Georgia/Carolinas PCI has created a space that allows connections to flourish first and foremost.”

Georgia/Carolinas PCI aims to keep its members informed on all aspects of their business. And while the networking rewards of becoming a member are exceptional, there are of course many other benefits. Members have access to unlimited resources including technical resources and applications. But when it comes to education, Georgia/Carolinas PCI holds this value close to the heart of the association. The concept of skilled trades dates back thousands of years and is something usually passed down through generations with the intention of living on through further generations. However, without someone to emphasize the importance of specific skilled trades and monitor the uptake of skilled trades, they can slowly become less apparent in specific areas. This is an issue that Georgia/Carolinas PCI noticed and immediately decided to intervene in order to highlight the importance of precast concrete. “As an association, we fund studios in engineering and architecture schools around the country. This is done through the PCI Foundation. The PCI Foundation was started really to educate architecture and engineering students on precast and prestressed concrete. Unfortunately, we learned that students were not graduating or learning about our products (precast concrete), which I think is a very, very big oversight.”

Georgia/Carolinas PCI has been extremely active in raising money from the beginning of their journey and have been involved in numerous programs. One of the first programs available in their region was University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNCC), in which they funded an architecture program. This became successful and focused on teaching architects about the benefits of precast concrete. Today, there are many other active programs running including: North Carolina Estate, Clemon University, and Kennesaw State University. All programs are delivering great results, and some have been running for more than nine years. Georgia/Carolinas PCI wants to educate people of the multiple uses of precast/prestressed concrete. The association is committed to advancing the awareness of precast/prestressed concrete and is currently hoping to get more involved in ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) “It has a lot of great opportunities for our industry, so we’re holding a lot of high hopes for more development on UHPC. There’s a lot of producers that are doing some testing and engineers that are doing testing. So, stay tuned on what’s going to happen there. I’d like to increase market share by 20% in the next five years. I know that’s such a big number, but because we’ve done so well, it’s possible. We’ve continued to do well, and we want to be one of the best performing chapters or regions in the entire country.

The passion that Georgia/Carolinas PCI has for precast concrete in undeniable. They have devoted their time and effort into ensuring that precast remains just as modern as it was 100 years ago. Throughout all the fundraising and events that are held, precast concrete remains at the center of everything. And while the wonderful people at Georgia Carolinas PCI may not have concrete hearts, concrete will always be at the heart of the association.

One great partnership can elevate a business to the next level. Imagine what a collection of partnerships can do.

While the characteristics of each partnership vary, one thing remains constant: the arrangement is mutually beneficial. In the case of Sterling Ridge Group Inc., successful partnerships are the backbone of the company. However, while creating a group of successful construction companies is a goal, what is most important to Sterling Ridge Group Inc. is what lies behind the great partnership, great people. Sterling Ridge is a family owned and operated company based in Ontario, Canada, which has been in existence for over four decades. The Group has grown each year to create a premiere collection of construction companies able to provide all services necessary for a turnkey project.

The Group is a partnership of seasoned construction-based companies working collaboratively with a primary focus of achieving client expectations and delivering quality projects. Essentially, Sterling Ridge Group has created a one-stop-shop for contractors by accumulating an extensive catalogue of skills and creating definitive sectors to best highlight each company. The companies listed under the umbrella of Sterling Ridge Group Inc. include Sterling Ridge Infrastructure Inc., Sterling Ridge General Contracting Inc., Sterling Ridge Architectural Systems Inc., Sterling Ridge Logistics Inc. and Sterling Ridge Utilities Inc.

The business model offered by Sterling Ridge creates a cohesive workflow that is more convenient for customers. Lucas Agosta, Project Manager at Sterling Ridge Infrastructure Inc., has worked with the company for over seven years. On a daily basis, he realizes the importance of developing successful partnerships. “We want to be able tell the client we can do everything. For all intents and purposes, we’d like to go in and use our own people to go from A to Z in all these projects. I could start a job off and it might just be a simple job, then the client mentions they need to do some directional drilling — well, okay. We offer that too. Then they may need a hydro-vac, well you don’t need to go outside because we already have it in-house. We can do it all here.”

The projects undertaken by Sterling Ridge Group vary in scope and size and include standout projects of substantial size. One of these jobs Lucas refers to as The Lakeshore Program. This project was awarded to Sterling Ridge Infrastructure Inc. by General Contractor EPTCON Ltd. via Canadian electricity transmission and distribution service provider, Hydro One. Sterling Ridge is/was responsible for all site preparation, clearing and grubbing removal, along with topsoil erosion and sediment control around the station.

“These types of business partnerships have successfully led to numerous other jobs being awarded to Sterling Ridge Group, a testament to their standard of work.”

The Lakeshore Program began in August 2020 and required extensive civil work including installing 14 kilometers of drainage, with the majority of work completed in the winter of 2020/2021. This job was not an easy task as the workers had to develop kilometers of access roads — both paved asphalt and granular — and construct over 1200 foundations being a mix between augured and conventional form type. Sterling Ridge General Contracting Inc. also built two power and control buildings for the station. “It was a challenging but rewarding project. The job was through the wintertime, and we were pouring concrete through the winter, drilling foundations through the winter. Again, tight timeline, lots of coordination between us and the electrical crews of our general contractor. And that kind of led into a couple other projects that stemmed from that. From there we moved on and we were awarded the Lakeshore Line Relocation Project and South Middle Road Transformer Station. And just on that project alone we poured over 4000 cubic meters of concrete.” These types of business partnerships have successfully led to numerous other jobs being awarded to Sterling Ridge Group, a testament to their standard of work.

Sterling Ridge believes that the people are what drives the success of the project, and therefore finding the right people is necessary to complete great work. To guarantee that everything runs like a well-oiled machine, Sterling Ridge encourages the divisions to communicate with each other. This may result in manpower being shifted from one job to another, or ensuring the relevant skilled people are all assigned to the correct jobs. “We truly do have a great group of employees. All different walks of life are employed here and across various positions. There’s no biases or anything like that in our company. It comes down to can you do the job right, and that’s all it should come down to. We want the right people doing the right job. If they’re not motivated, well then, we’re not going to be in business, and that stems from the ground level right up to executive management. We are nothing without our people.”

The work employees carry out ultimately leads to the successful completion of a job. Upon the successful completion, Sterling Ridge Group is then able to strengthen relationships and partnerships with contractors first by allowing the work to speak for itself. These partnerships are invested in and nourished to create healthy business relationships. It is these experiences and fostering relationships that help Sterling Ridge in their quest to expand further east into the Toronto market.

Sterling Ridge Group successfully purchased a small electrical maintenance company — Global Electric & Lighting Inc. — to kickstart their expansion into the Greater Toronto Area. A Director of Business has been appointed for the GTA whose mandate is to develop work opportunities in the area. Previous customer Hydro One has plans to initiate work across Ontario and within the GTA over the next five to ten years. Sterling Ridge Group hopes to be awarded some of this work.

Having completed multiple large-scale projects, Sterling Ridge Group is confident in their ability to perform complex projects. Sterling Ridge Group is committed to developing projects from their start to finish. The Company has successfully carried out projects awarded to them always with a can-do attitude. This allows for partnerships to flourish. Lucas assures that no request is too difficult for the people at Sterling Ridge; they will find a way to make it work.

“My mentor always told me that if a client asks you, can you build a house out of marshmallows on the moon? You tell them, yes. We’ll figure it out.” Although it may take a while before Sterling Ridge Group conquers the moon, they already seem on track to conquer The Greater Toronto Area.

When you read the word basement, what feeling comes to mind? The usual connotations are not necessarily positive. For some, it is nothing more than a dark room in a house; a place for storing unwanted items. But a basement — like a business — can be whatever you make of it. For father and son duo, Ian and Andrew Burns, the basement provided the opportunity to create the successful construction business that is today known as BRICON Construction Management.

BRICON Construction Management Inc. was created in 2007 and is currently celebrating its 15-year anniversary. BRICON provides all of the material, labor, equipment, and services necessary for the construction of a project. In order to ensure the highest standards are continuously being met and to provide the services that are expected of a General Contractor, the company has a network of specialized subcontractors stretching right across Canada. The company has carried out hundreds of successful projects over the years and offers a range of services including General Contracting, Construction Management, Design/Build and Pre-Construction Services.

President/Owner, Ian Burns, brings more than 30 years’ experience to the business having worked for several well-known general contractors previously and is responsible for the company’s ongoing business development, operations, growth, and performance efforts. Ian is joined by Vice President and son, Andrew Burns, who has worked in construction roles since 2001 before establishing BRICON Construction Management with his father and becoming responsible for estimating and project management.

Andrew still recalls the moment BRICON began to take off. He was holidaying in Cuba with friends when his dad excitedly informed him that the company had secured its first project. While the job was cause for a huge celebration, it was also a learning experience for the company. In addition to working in the office each day, Andrew and Ian were also tasked with being on-site during the evening completing various aspects of the project themselves. The project was ultimately a success, but it also brought with it the realization that the company needed to expand its workforce. For Andrew, this was a turning point. “It was a little wine store, but it allowed us to get our first paycheck which was certainly a major standout. Eventually we were able to move out of my parent’s basement after starting the business in the spare room there. There was three of us in that tiny little bedroom, and maybe five or six years into working in the basement we bought a property in Grimsby, Ontario. So, we got jumped up to 5000 square feet with the shop and that really kick started us into being a little bit more professional.”

Since the little wine store, BRICON has gone on to complete countless projects including constructing a number of retail outlets across Canada, converting a vacant grocery store into a 23,800 square feet fitness center, a facade renovation/restoration to over 500 linear feet of storefronts and much more. With the number of projects BRICON has carried out it is rare to come across a job that is unfamiliar, but their latest project is something the company has never done before.

The new endeavor for BRICON Construction Management is a highly exciting project that Andrew is incredibly passionate about. The company will be responsible for building a lab belonging to a bio tech company in Burlington. What makes this project stand out is that the lab requires a number of different tasks including emergency power systems, complex heating and ventilation systems for the offices and a negative air pressure room. The biotech company will be using flammable/combustible and hazardous materials to complete their processes. For BRICON, this meant an additional layer of paperwork, including Fire Code Consultants working closely with our mechanical/electrical engineers. As Andrew described, trying to get a permit proved difficult which made it almost impossible to start the job. However, since the permits were granted and work with the architect was agreed, the project is now running smoothly and almost at the occupancy stage.

“BRICON has gone on to complete countless projects including constructing a number of retail outlets across Canada, converting a vacant grocery store into a 23,800 square feet fitness center, a facade renovation/restoration to over 500 linear feet of storefronts and much more.”

Andrew has taken on the role of project manager and estimator for the biotech project, but there are other aspects to his job. An important part of Andrews role is managing client expectations, which wasn’t easy during the early days of COVID, as many projects were put on hold. BRICON tried to remain open when possible, in order to keep business afloat. One of the projects BRICON undertook during lockdown was a full fit up of an ophthalmology clinic in Hamilton, and a number of supply chain projects so they were able to keep several projects running during lockdowns.

Ever ones to do things with determination and honestly, BRICON did not want to leave its employees without certainty. This meant that some workers were called on for the jobs the company could undertake, while others were still kept on the payroll.

In a post-pandemic environment, the construction world is one where adaptability is key. Now that the world is adapting to life after lockdown, BRICON is too. “We’ve got a core group of clients, so, while we still see room for growth it is good to be getting back to normal. We’ve also got a great team in the office, and everybody is like a real family — aside from the actual blood family members. The people that we hire to work in the office are great and have a great time doing whatever we need to do to get the job done. We’ve had people with us for over 13 years and for us, that is a sign that we are doing a great job.”

While Andrew mentions above that the team are like family, another member of the team is also part of the Burns family. Andrew’s sister, Helen, works for BRICON, managing the books, which means it is no longer just a father and son affair. While being involved with the company for a number of years, Helen’s astute leadership skills has resulted in her joining the ownership team this year.  

Throughout our interview it is clear to see that Andrew places a strong emphasis on work culture and BRICON’s approach to training employees. To put it simply, BRICON’s aim is trying to avoid micromanaging. Extensive training is provided to employees, but there is also a certain level of autonomy provided which allows workers to run their own projects. Allowing people the freedom to do their own jobs is an important part of management at BRICON.

With projects flowing in at a steady pace and new areas of work being discovered, BRICON is flourishing. However, the people at BRICON Construction Management are making sure to remain careful when it comes to one aspect of the business: Don’t go too big too fast. Andrew has seen plenty of companies attempting to grow too quickly which ultimately turns their success into failure.

BRICON would like to endeavor into greenfield and ground up construction projects in the future. The company has been slowly moving into the area of large structural projects which can be seen in its project history by looking at a recent project from 2019 involving the conversion of a vacant department store into a 47,500 square foot Tepperman’s Furniture store, and more recently Landlord work to re-demise a space for an incoming Mandarin Restaurant, which had several aspects of larger civil construction.

BRICON Construction Management’s journey over the last 15 years has been impressive to say the least. The company has survived an economic downturn in 2008, and a worldwide pandemic and continuously pushed itself to change and grow while diversifying their list of projects. All this has been done while promoting a healthy work culture and creating a family feel to the office that allows workers to develop. With the addition of Helen, who Andrew states has been “instrumental in the success of our company,” it is great to see that at the core of BRICON Construction Management it is still the same family unit who took a risk and began a business from their basement.

And the great thing about starting in the basement is the only way you can go is up… looks like that risk certainly paid off.

At IECS, custom requests are not only celebrated, they are encouraged. ‘Problem’ is a word that the majority of businesses do not want to hear. In fact, it is a word that most people do not want to hear. However, to the people at IECS Group Inc, a problem is not an inconvenience, it is an opportunity. Without problems, IECS would be unable to do what they do best; create solutions. IECS Group Inc. has been manufacturing and selling precast products since 1984, becoming one of the leading international companies for solving soil erosion and precast problems. Although they are well established within the industry —having completed numerous projects — their passion lies in a space beyond their skill and craftsmanship, a space that is truly unique.

Excluding Cable Concrete, absolutely everything built at IECS is specific to a singular project, which in turn makes every project a custom build. In the world of precast, this type of creative problem solving has led to IECS slowly developing a reputation for dealing with structures that may be considered outside the box. Vice President of IECS Group Inc, Greg Arvai, is more than willing to take on these new projects and, frankly, enjoys the challenge of creating solutions to problems.

“We don’t have a factory manufacturing mindset. We enjoy problem solving and providing the industry with something that is needed. One thing we say in a joking manner is that we don’t say ‘no’ enough. It’s in our nature to want to help and figure it out, that brings us joy and purpose. The reason we go to work every day is to provide people with solutions when they contact us. We like to say YES!”

While the company initially started out specializing in articulated concrete mattresses, IECS has developed into so much more. A big transition for IECS was at the stage they began precasting other cast in place specs. IECS approached contractors offering a precast solution contingent on approval from the Project Engineer, meaning IECS would be at a loss if the precast alternative was not approved.

This business model eliminated the risk for contractors by assigning the power to the outsourcer. However, the confidence IECS had in designing and engineering structures also allowed IECS to take this risk and place themselves among other leading contenders within the industry. These collaborations are what inspires Arvai to work with other companies, which is something he hopes to do more of in the future.

“It takes multiple companies at the top of the food chain to put their heads together to make these jobs go forward. So, you’re never going to build a bridge of any kind — especially the challenging ones — without a collaboration of the best in class. I hope that’s what’s next for us, to continue to provide that service to our industry by teaming up with the leading companies in the industry.”

IECS has a proven track record of projects and was actually featured in Apeiron Construction last year. At the time, we discussed some of the jobs that IECS were working on. One of the jobs mentioned was the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project, owned by Metrolinx. At our last interaction with IECS, this project was only in its infancy. Now, this vast project consisting of 170 segments has been successfully complete.

Another unique MTO project IECS is currently working on is a vehicular modular bridge in White River, Northern Ontario. IECS are building the modular bridge footings for a temporary bypass bridge, along with the new permanent bridge. While this project is also close to completion, some of the work carried out by IECS included: the bridge abutments, the pier caps, the bridge deck slabs, sleeper slabs, approach slabs and also the precast curb and gutter. Essentially, everything on the bridge is prefabricated at IECS and shipped to Northern Ontario to be assembled on site.

Although IECS have been busy completing projects, the company also have some new endeavors. IECS are currently building a precast dock wall for an emerging neighborhood in Toronto, known as East Bayfront. This project is part of a mission to revitalize the Toronto Portlands and develop the associating neighborhoods. And while Canada will always be home for IECS, there are other locations setup for future business that stretch further than Ontario.

IECS are working on projects outside of their home country, with boots on the ground in places such as South America, Africa, and Mexico. The company currently have sales teams in the listed locations above with the primary focus of showcasing IECS’ cable concrete product.

“Out of province and internationally we hope to grow our Cable Concrete sales and be first to mind for concrete mattress applications. We have the ability to service anywhere in the world. Any island, any country, any continent. We can provide a product and support, and we are willing to travel. If there’s a need for concrete mattresses for erosion control or other applications overseas, then we can offer project solutions overseas.”

“Out of province and internationally we hope to grow our Cable Concrete sales and be first to mind for concrete mattress applications.”

If it seems like the people at IECS are constantly busy, that is because they are. But this does not mean that there is no fun to be had. The culture and vibe at the IECS facility promotes a fun and engaging workplace. Greg assured me that the lively fun-loving culture within IECS is a top priory when continuing to grow the company. So much so, that culture is listed within their values.

Speaking of which, IECS have recently issued a new company vision and a set of values as part of their corporate goals and objectives. Having a set vision allows companies to stay on track and creates a goal of sorts that allow it to measure its successes. The mission for IECS Group Inc. is to provide innovative precast infrastructure solutions that save time, and be first to mind for concrete mattress and precast challenges. While it seems like this mission is certainly within reach for IECS, it is the values created by the company that reflect IECS best.

1. Optimism — a core belief that IECS can solve any problem.
2. Family — deep roots, family, culture, and integrity.
3. Transparency — to operate in a clear and straightforward manner.
4. Quality — strive for excellence in everything they do.

While all these values are truly representative of IECS, it is this constant desire for excellence that seems integral to their success. Without this, IECS would not be on its current trajectory. Having these values instilled within the foundations of IECS and its employees provides a reminder of what IECS Group Inc. stands for. Not only are they destined to have a bright future, but also a unique one at that.

The next person you meet, could be your next big break.

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know”, is an age-old proverb usually inserted alongside a great success story. This is not to say that knowledge and experience is irrelevant, but the opportunity of networking with like-minded peers is invaluable to a business. At ABC Carolinas, the values of their foundation are built upon merit. They believe that every person should have the opportunity for their voice to be heard, and everyone deserves a seat at the table. But the question is, how do you get an invite to sit at that table in the first place? Well, the answer is simple: Through the networking magic of ABC Carolinas, of course.

ABC Carolinas is a trade association that supports the construction industry. They are the voice of merit shop and free enterprise for North and South Carolina, and one of 69 chapters across the country. The association works endlessly to bring together different types of companies — whether it be contractors, trade partners, suppliers, or vendors — through a number of events and educational resources.

CEO of ABC Carolinas, Amy Sullivan Hicks, is a vital part of the association and is certainly kept busy. Amy was selected as one of the Charlotte Business Journal’s 2022 class of the Most Admired CEOs in the category of government, civic and business advocacy organizations. With a background in business development, Amy is well aware of the importance of networking. “I’m a firm believer that it’s about the experiences you have with an organization. If you can create a really good experience where people can network and truly bring about valuable relationships, then that’s what we’re going to focus on. I hope people can create those true connections so that they can then reach out outside of that event and say, hey, I want to get together and grab a cup of coffee. And then business can be evolved out of that.”

ABC Carolinas is made up of seven Councils and hosts seven networking events each month throughout the Carolinas. While this means there are numerous gatherings to attend, there are some stand outs. Their Excellence in Construction Awards program is one of their most popular, with Amy referring to it as “the Oscars of the construction industry”. Members can submit projects that have been carried out in the Carolinas throughout the year, with the hopes of winning an award in their relevant categories. This is a great opportunity for members of the industry to get together and become recognized for their hard work. Members are also entitled to bring whoever they like, whether that be the architect, the civil engineer, or even a partner.

“ABC Carolinas is made up of seven Councils and hosts seven networking events each month throughout the Carolinas.”

Another big event is their marquee summer construction convention. This summer, it’s going to be in Wilmington, North Carolina between August 3rd and August 5th, and it rotates to different cities each year. This is one of their biggest events where all councils and member companies congregate, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. The events organized range from the highly attended golf tournaments to bourbon and bacon events.

Outside of the fun networking events, ABC Carolinas does so much more. The trade association is highly involved with the political advocacy side of construction, allowing for members voices to be heard. “The way that we work our government affairs angle here in the Carolinas is, we have a North Carolina Government Affairs Committee, and then we have a South Carolina Government Affairs Committee. Our Director of Government Affairs, Chris Bullard, heads up those efforts. If there are any type of bills or legislation coming across that would directly impact our members, then we would lobby for or against on behalf of our members. If an individual member sees something that’s getting ready to pass or go through, they could bring it to our attention and the committee will look over it and decide if it’s something that we want to go after. Then we would make that call and take action”.

Having political support on both a state and national level is a huge advantage for any industry, not just the construction industry. Other than political support, ABC Carolinas has also developed community support by creating relationships within local communities. The trade association has a partnership with ACE Mentor Program Charlotte, and as a result of this, they contribute and participate in their ACE Trades Day. This involves going into a local community college, bringing in the high school students, and talking to them about careers.

ABC Carolinas also works with the Boy Scouts through their Explorers Club program in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Charleston. Middle school students are brought in and taught by members of ABC Carolinas. The members create a program designed for one Saturday a month in different markets. The students experience an educational part of the business in the morning, and then the afternoon will typically be spent building or creating something.

ABC Carolinas are also in the process of rolling out a program with one of their members called PACE (Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Experience). The program is a new initiative that will be rolled out in the coming months and is expected to last between six to eight weeks. Participants will learn the fundamentals of construction, OSHA 10 certification and go through the basics of total usage. They will then be sent out into the field with some of the member companies where they will work for two weeks. At the end of the program, the companies can decide to hire them. Participants can decide to be hired, or they can move on to something else.

While ABC Carolinas is the driving force behind a number of these programs, none of this would be possible without the groups of volunteers who continuously help them to achieve their goals. “Our volunteers help us get sponsors, we get sponsors and then we move forward. They will come up with the events and then if we think it’s a great idea, we’ll back it and we’ll organize it. We really rely on our volunteers, and we’ve got an amazing, a truly amazing group of volunteers that help us.”

Many new members join ABC Carolinas for a variety of reasons, and I’m sure a lot of them are linked to the topics discussed in this article: Political Advocacy, Education, Events. But Amy has assured me she knows the main reason. According to a collection of data retrieved from surveys issued on behalf of ABC Carolinas to its members, the overall reason for joining was the networking capacity. So next time you want to feel heard and are looking for a seat at the table, reach out to ABC Carolinas for an invite. Who knows, that invisible string they have created to link the construction industry together could be the string that links you to something truly amazing.

Growth can be often confused with success, but how does becoming larger prove you are becoming more successful? Well, the truth is, it doesn’t. Becoming successful does not require a company to become bigger. The old phrase “quality over quantity” is a perfect example of this concept and it’s also the way of life for the people at Twin Valley Precast. Because at this company it’s not about growing bigger, it’s all about growing better.

Twin Valley Precast is a leading manufacturer of precast products based in Wainright, Alberta. The company has undertaken numerous successful projects and offers a range of products and services which showcase the versatility of precast concrete. Twin Valley Precast’s range of products include beams, columns, solid slabs, architectural precast concrete, jersey barriers and much more. The company and its workers showcase the technical brilliance of precast concrete by highlighting the functionality of a multipurpose material. The results of the company’s projects speak for themselves through the skill of their work, and it is clear to see that the people at Twin Valley Precast have mastered the product on which the business was found.

Manager at Twin Valley Precast, Joe Tschetter, stated that quality takes precedence at Twin Valley Precast. Tschetter focuses a lot of attention on meeting — if not exceeding — client expectations and continuously receives great feedback from clients which he appreciates. In fact, while speaking with Tschetter, he came across an email from a contractor in which they referred to a Twin Valley Precast site in Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada. It read: “I was over at the site on Saturday, and this is the cleanest and most accurate concrete building I have seen in 25 years. I am used to dimensions having plus and minus two inches when compared to the drawings. This structure is within millimeters. This will be a real showpiece when it is completed.”

Tschetter’s approach to growing better rather than growing bigger has led to great success for Twin Valley Precast. The company currently have enough work assigned to take them through into March 2023, with other jobs also continuously being added. The reasoning behind their ‘growing better’ philosophy can be attributed to a number of different factors, but overall, it was due to workforce development issues.

Wainright, Alberta — the location of Twin Valley Precast’s company — is currently facing extreme labor shortages. With this in mind, the people at Twin Valley Precast held a meeting to discuss how to tackle this issue. The company decided that going forward it wanted to design its buildings in a way that reduced labor, while not sacrificing any of the quality it has become known for, which led the company to a number of different options.

Twin Valley Precast introduced a gantry system to carry out the finishing section of its projects. The system is an automated finishing machine, designed to level screed, place embeds in the fresh concrete, finish the surface by power trowel and finally spray on a curing compound that massively reduces manual labor. A person has to be present, but they can either sit on the machine and have a bird’s eye view from the top down, or they can stand beside the gantry and walk. They can also step up onto the gantry with a remote that controls the whole system, minimizing manual labor and increasing productivity.

“Twin Valley Precast introduced a gantry system to carry out the finishing section of its projects.”

The company work a variety of different jobs that can require a lot of labor. Therefore, it is best to pick what jobs it takes wisely. The jobs vary along with the services required, which could include 3d view architecture and engineered structural drawings, project management or a complete building package.

“There’s a couple of projects that are 37 feet high and 600 feet long. These are the projects that we’re most interested in because it takes a long time to recover on the bigger projects. We still do smaller jobs, but we tend to squeeze them in between bigger jobs.

A giant milestone for Twin Valley Precast was when the company became certified. Canada’s two largest precast concrete associations, CPCI and Canadian Concrete Pipe and Precast Association (CCPPA) decided to establish a separate third-party body with strict standards, to certify prestressed and non-prestressed precast concrete manufacturing facilities across Canada.

Canadian Precast Concrete Quality Assurance (CPCQA) is the only program in North America that precast manufacturers must meet requirements of CSA A23.4, including Appendices A and B, together with United States PCI MNL-116, 117 and CPCQA certification requirements. In 2018, Twin Valley Precast received their certificate and it changed the company going forward. “It made us more profitable in a way that we can win now. We didn’t even foresee that this is how it was going to be, and the reasoning is, we now have more confidence in what we’re doing. This is where CPCQA came in. As of now, we’ve come to establish a marking point of 83.5 and this was remarkable to me because it takes a team effort to do this. For example, 85% would be your maximum that they would rate you and an 83.5 is very close. So, this has been a big accomplishment for us.”

Outside of meeting regulatory requirements and trying to maintain a high standard of work, Twin Valley Precast are also becoming more involved in sustainable building projects. The company built a website with CPCI members that is currently filled with resources relating to energy efficiency.

Lafarge is Canada’s largest provider of sustainable construction materials and are on a mission to provide construction solutions that build better cities and communities. Lafarge creates custom cement products for suppliers and Twin Valley Precast decided to get involved in the hopes of becoming more sustainable. Lafarge has created a custom green product for Twin Valley Precast called PLC (Portland Limestone Cement).

What makes it sustainable and environment friendly is the machine that is used to grind the concrete down to fine powder uses a much lower temperature, thus making a more efficient product with less fuel to recover from.

Another great sustainable product that Twin Valley Precast is slowly introducing is Glass Fiber Reinforced Rebar (GFRP). GFRP can replace steel rebars in concrete structures. The use can be temporary – or permanent where there is a requirement for high strength, risk of corrosion or to avoid or to avoid induction of currents from electromagnetic fields. The product offers environment friendly solutions and also provides significant reduction of repair and maintenance cost.

All of the clever decisions made by Twin Valley Precast — along with its forward and creative thinking ability — has allowed the company the freedom to make decisions on its own accord. However, if Twin Valley Precast continue at the pace it is currently at, it will certainly be hard to imagine the company not growing better. In the end, Tschetter says, “We rely on God for guidance, and through His grace, we have been blessed with a team that is committed, hardworking and dedicated for the ultimate success of Twin Valley Precast.”

The world of scaffolding can be a scary one — unless of course you are an experienced worker. Even then, construction work is difficult at the best of times, which means working in the air at immense heights is no easy task. These heights can range anywhere from your average home to 125 feet in the air, or sometimes even higher. With scaffolding planks acting as a form of footing in the air, support is of the utmost importance. No one knows this better than the people at Indian Mill Plank, whose sole focus is aerial safety.

Indian Mill Plank are scaffold specialists based in Houston, Texas, and have been in business for more than 30 years. They supply premier planking to scaffold resellers, rental yards, E&D companies, US Government, and contractors both Foreign and Domestic. The company offers a number of products designed to reduce the risks associated with scaffolding, which include collapsing planks, slips and falls, rotten boards and more.

Patrick Gajewski is general manager at Indian Mill Plank and is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to all things scaffolding, and also all things Indian Mill Plank. He assured me that the driving force behind the creation of their products is always safety and support. With this in mind, Indian Mill Plank have created numerous ways of incorporating safety features into their signature products.

One of the top products at Indian Mill Plank is their PIN-LOK and PIN-LAM boards. These planks provide the ultimate support by giving the worker sufficient time to get off the board in case of an emergency. If the plank were to break — which can happen — the worker can still remain on the plank due to the design of these boards. The structure of the board prevents it from breaking fully, giving the worker ample time to get off the plank. This is a feature which truly has the ability to save lives and prevent serious accidents. “We flip flop the grains to make a butcher block effect, and that will spread the load of the weight across the total face of the board. Another aspect of the PIN-LOK and PIN-LAM is the center part of the boards. They’ve been interlocked every 22 inches. If you really care about employee safety, this is the board to buy. If you buy solid boards or LVL, when it breaks, there’s no coming back from it.”

Another feature offered by Indian Mill Plank is their Rhino Skin Sealant. This adds tremendous protection and safety to scaffold work sites by helping to keep planking in OSHA compliant condition and saving the contractor money by expanding the longevity of the product. It’s a water retardant that can be rolled on to the board which then locks in the moisture content of the plank. The moisture content is rated and should usually range from 8% to 19%. The higher the moisture content, the more flexible the board becomes. Workers may be unable to walk on it due to water logging, but the Rhino Skin stabilizes the moisture inside, creating a safer board.

Indian Mill Plank not only provides the safest of boards, but they also offer a service to test the strength of boards. This is part of their plank services in which they offer lumber grading skills for customers that want to verify the condition of their boards. “We do inspections of failed boards that are either ours, or other parties, and create a report of what we find. We will then send it to a third-party testing facility to find out what chemicals are on it and if the failure of the board was generated through rot or misuse. They can then tell whether it was a stress break or if it was overloaded.”

From a sustainable angle, the PIN-LOK 2.0E & PIN-LAM 2.2E plank is a major step towards a greener system of creating planks. In process, no old growth trees have to be harvested to manufacture the pinned planks as they are created with 90% young growth trees. With most companies looking for ways to try and reduce their carbon footprint and head towards a more sustainable business, this is an admirable quality. And while trying to be sustainable in a business that relies on timber may seem difficult enough, there are more harrowing incidents affecting this industry.

Lumber price volatility has been a continuous issue in the timber industry, but even more so since the pandemic. This constant fluctuation of prices can be linked to numerous factors such as inflation and supply and demand; but Patrick has a few theories of his own. “COVID was the driving force of the volatility over the last two years. Everyone decided to do home projects, build decks, fences, add-ons to our home. That surplus in the pipeline was all sucked out by that, and we had nothing refilling it. If supply is not there and demand is up, it starts driving prices. It is like the stock market the way it goes up and down, but the last two years is the most volatile lumber prices have ever been. We were buying trucks at $10,000 – $12,000 a truck, and this went up between $30,000 to $35,000 at its highest point.”

COVID not only interrupted the workforce, but it also changed how people approach work. Indian Mill Plank has noticed this disturbance in job seekers when trying to recruit new people for the busier periods. They are currently using hiring agencies to try to source employees because the abundance of people looking for work is no longer there. However, this does not stop them from fulfilling their business needs and creating a fun work environment while doing so.

Indian Mill Plank currently has over a dozen employees who have been with the company 10 years or longer, and these people are the soul of the business. Thankfully, with the markets adapting to a world where people and COVID can now co-exist, the future is starting to look busier for Indian Mill Plank. After 3 or 4 strong months of work, they are back on track and business is flourishing.

Patrick has fully assured me that the company is in full swing, and after such uncertainty in the world, it is amazing to see businesses thriving again. Thankfully, the worries associated with the breaking economy are over and Indian Mill Plank never collapsed. And just like their boards, the initial break in the economy allowed sufficient time for them to escape danger, and here they are back at work as healthy as ever.

There is a strong sense of camaraderie within the construction industry that is essential to delivering results. This support system can be linked to multiple factors ranging from the long hours spent together, to the trust that is built between workers. Those who pursue careers in this field know best, that the people you work with become an important part of your life. But at Shelby Erectors those people become more; they become family.

Shelby Erectors, Inc. is a construction company based in Florida, specializing in Iron Work — more specifically, the construction of bridges. The company has been in business since 1997, making this year their 25th anniversary. And while the world has changed tremendously since 1997, the core values of employee safety and technology are still engrained in their current business model. The company is run by President of Shelby Erectors Jennifer Nix, and Chief Operations Officer Jack Nix. The husband-and-wife duo are more than familiar with the dangers associated with this line of work, and Jack cannot stress the importance of safety enough. “It’s important to us to make sure that everybody goes home each day. We take that very seriously. Our investment in safety has always been very strong and we believe that you can still be productive with what you do, while also being safe at the same time.”

Safety is just one of many endeavors that Shelby Erectors has invested in. Constructing bridges is by no means an easy task. With over 37 years’ experience — 12 of that being in the field — Jack is aware of the backbreaking and extreme physical work that is required. Therefore, an investment in technology to help lighten the load was an extremely smart choice. One of the pieces of technology Shelby Erectors incorporated were rebar tying guns. These guns reduce the repetitive carpel tunnel motion and decrease the risk of extensive injuries in the future. Other items worth mentioning are the stand-up guns, which allow workers to tie decks at their feet without having to bend over.

While these are great, innovative ways to help reduce the workload, Shelby Erectors has gone one step further by utilizing robotics. Shelby Erectors has been in business with Advanced Construction Robotics utilizing TyBot — a construction robotics company based In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — for over 2 and a half years, and are one of the small groups of pioneering contractors or sub-contractors currently utilizing robotics. Jack is less interested in making a profit, and more concerned with delivering a better job for both the employees and the employers. “We’re really just trading technology dollars for labor dollars. But you know, as this technology comes further along, the opportunity to make a profit will be there. What we are doing now is showing that we can improve schedules by 25% to 35%. We want to be on the front end of technology and not on the trailing end. We don’t want to be reading about somebody else doing it. We want to be the ones that are setting the trend.”

The introduction of digital materials has created a greener workspace for Shelby Erectors. Jennifer and Jack have committed to a completely paperless company and have not used any paper in more than 4 years. Any forms that need to be signed, completed, or submitted, are done so digitally. They have implemented different platforms to help enable this and also provided onsite training to employees, making the overall transition smoother. Now, even the employees who came along begrudgingly are on board and working their way towards a greener future.

The heavy focus on sustainability and the environment can be a unique quality when appealing to new hires, and attracting new talent is something that Shelby Erectors is extremely passionate about. Jack’s father was in the iron work business, making Jack a second-generation iron worker and his son third generation. With a dedication to passing on the trade, Shelby Erectors have created an apprenticeship program available to those willing to put the work in. The program is made up of 4000 hours, which is set over two years and has been hailed as a Champion for Military Hiring in 2021. Their intended target audience is aimed at anyone looking to develop a career in the Iron Work industry, but the structured team atmosphere created at Shelby Erectors is similar to the structured environment experienced in the military. This is something that has worked well with previous employed veterans, and with no shortage of work, Shelby Erectors is happy to take on help.

The company became a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) certified Disadvantaged Business Entity (DBE) in 2010, providing them a strong advantage when competing with other contractors. In order to qualify for a DBE, a company must be able to establish that they are a minority, or at a disadvantage. With Jennifer owning 100% share of Shelby Erectors, the company is considered a minority business as it is a female run company. While the title of DBE could be misconstrued as a negative to the business, it is in fact the opposite.

Contractors are encouraged to— but not forced to — award projects to disadvantaged businesses, allowing the playing field to become more even. While other minority businesses may struggle to perform on their own, Jennifer and Jack do not. Working with DBE’s is a goal that contractors aim to meet as it is within their best interests. However, contractors also need to deal with DBE’s that can deliver, and Shelby Erectors are able to do both.

The companies list of projects ranges from smaller contracts of $10,000, to one of their largest contracts of $48 million. Currently, there are roughly 6 major projects happening in Florida within the bridge construction service and Shelby Erectors are involved in at least 4. One of the major projects includes the I-395 bridge in Miami, which has a unique tarantula shape and is set to be one of the biggest projects in Florida. “The 395 is with Archer Western – De Moya joint venture and is a huge project down in Miami on the corridor. For this, we actually built the largest footer we’ve ever built as far as size wise. Weight wise, it was 1.7 million pounds of rebar just in the foundation, just on the footing. And then the structure itself is really unique and it’s going to be an impressive project when it’s done”

Shelby Erectors have also just completed the Ultimate I-4 project at the end of last year, which was 22 miles of roadway through Orlando to Sanford, totaling a massive 162 bridges in that one contract over six years. This is a proud moment for Shelby Erectors, and after 25 years of business, there is a lot for them to be proud of. “I’m proud to be partner with my wife, Jennifer, and have my kids involved. Then we have some great key employees that are just fantastic people who have dedicated their life to this industry. My wife loves the fact of knowing that we help support over 100 families. One of our main obligations is to make sure that these guys and gals that are working are able to support their families and that we provide a safe work environment for them to do that”.

With the current trajectory of Shelby Erectors, it won’t be long before they are celebrating their 50th anniversary. And while new changes in technology may be introduced to the business 25 years later, the same family spirit will always be at the heart of Shelby Erectors.

For almost all businesses, innovation is key to being successful. This is especially important for Ewing Fabricators, who have continuously pushed themselves to not only be a relevant player in today’s market, but to remain at the forefront of their industry. With over 150 years of experience in the fabrication of steel mill and foundry products, Ewing has proven its ability to adapt and respond to market needs. Starting out as a blacksmith company in 1845, the company moved into the modern steel industry in the 1900s. Fast forward to today, and they have fabricated a broad catalogue of work in Toronto across many industries including: tunneling, oil & gas, mining, and power generation; to name a few.

Ewing Fabricators developed exceptional client relationships throughout their many years of business, which ultimately allowed them to sell the company in 2012 to current President, Tony DiMillo. That does not tell the full story, however. DiMillo explains that it was never simply about a purchase. “We were chosen to move Ewing forward. I say it that way because we were actually chosen, it’s not that we just went in and bought the company. We had worked with the company for many years prior to the purchase and they felt that we were the ones that could move Ewing forward.”

The purchase allowed for the Ewing legacy to continue, while also expanding its broad catalogue of manufacturing companies. It was this symbiotic relationship that also allowed for Ewing Fabricators to expand its potential and flourish with innovative techniques. By developing an impressive array of products such as Precast pressure pipe and watermain, steel watermain and Precast tunnel liners, Ewing Fabricators has the distinct advantage of building excellent working relationships with its partners, including its sister company, Technicore. By positioning themselves on both sides of the market, this has allowed them to assess the interests of both providers and consumers. With DiMillo having worked with Ewing previously, he has experienced this first-hand. “It comes down to the wish list. What do we need? What would you like? How do we make the product work better for the customer? Continuing with that in mind, it’s easy because we’re a good tight group. We can make changes that the customer needs and the requirements that the customer has in in the world of jack pipe.”

“We looked at Ewing’s past experience with steel manufacturing and we then combined that with TechMix, which was focused on producing concrete.”

With exports and imports of steel products running slow in recent times, DiMillo switched over to something that could be built and used in the local marketplace. This required both the experience of steel fabrication and concrete, but this was only achievable by integrating another company under the Technicore brand, TexMix. Business Development Manager, Venessa DiMillo, explained that by using the extensive experience of both companies, new products were created that provided fantastic results. “We looked at Ewing’s past experience with steel manufacturing and we then combined that with TechMix, which was focused on producing concrete. Together, now we could produce our precast products, concrete products and steel pipe products as well.”

Ewing’s mission is to build the best and most affordable product possible by using some imagination and ingenuity. Some of the changes that have been made over time that substantiate this, is Ewing’s work with high-density polyethylene pipe (HDPE). A lot of sewers today require a protective liner against sulfide gases that deteriorate the concrete. Ewing was tasked with protecting the pipe formation from gases, and ultimately came up with a HDPE liner that was supplied by AGRU. The liner was used in The Twinning of the West Trunk Sewer Project, which was the first ever use of corrosion protected liners in a precast segmental tunnel. This is only one of many projects that Ewing Fabricators has been involved in. Other standout projects include The Burnhamthorpe Water Project Contracts 1 & 2 (which was voted TAC Canadian Project of the Year award 2021) and The Dixie Road Trunk Sanitary Sewer & Watermain Project. By continuously trying to adapt their products for new projects and customers, innovation was still of the utmost importance to Tony. “The project on West Trunk required a protective liner over the segments, which is somewhat difficult to do, unless it’s some sort of cementitious material, epoxy or otherwise. With the AGRU HDPE, we were able to cast it into the pipe so it’s permanent, and it’s got amazing strength.”

Powering on with their revolutionary products, Ewing Fabricators was not finished exploring creative ways to make life easier. “Once the HDPE was cast into the pipe and the contractor installed it, they had to go in and actually weld all the joints, which was a lot of work. We came up with an idea to eliminate the welding and that is with our ball headed face on the spigot side and on the bell side. We started casting in rings and have a process now of actually protecting the faces of the concrete as well as for the joint which now eliminates the welding on site. It is something that we have come up with and were able to patent, and it’s been working exceptionally well.” The result of this process is that ultimately the customer is provided with a better pipe, and the contractor is able to massively reduce the workload. This is sticking to Ewing’s mission of trying to build the best and most affordable product possible by using some imagination and ingenuity.

With all of this in mind, the future is certainly looking bright for Ewing Fabricators. The post pandemic world that is almost in sight provides many new projects, obstacles and challenges for the company. Not only are they continuing to increase their product line by aiming to produce C301 pipe in 2022, they are also in the process of adding an additional building. The new facility will allow accommodation for the equipment of the C301 pipe, but will also allow them to increase their AWWA products to the full line. Ewing’s continuous focus on innovation is repeatedly stressed by both Tony and Venessa DiMillo, who have both made it their business for Ewing Fabricators to become a Canadian leader as an infrastructure manufacturer through continued investment in innovation and technology.

Although Ewing Fabricators appears to be right on track in doing this, Tony had some final words for the future for Ewing Fabricators and the manufacturing industry. “I think the future is huge and I honestly believe that we can do a lot for this industry. What It comes down to is that everybody’s been building the same thing for many years and nobody wants to change because change is expensive, but we need change. Otherwise, you’re going to be behind the eight ball.”