< PreviousWRITTEN BY MANUELA ARMINI I n the construction world, change is inevitable. Market fluctuations and industry trends combine to produce a sector than can be unpredictable and volatile by nature. This unpredictability can also be found in the lived experiences of those that work in the industry. When Stephen Kenepp joined Architectural Precast Innovations (API) in 1996, his plans may have been slightly more modest than his current reality. Whatever those plans were, over 25 years ago, it is likely that they didn’t involve becoming company President, Owner, and CEO of the architectural precast manufacturing company. Yet, Kenepp’s journey has been an incredible one. Having worked with API for the 27 years, he has spent the past seven of those leading the company. Kenepp himself explains that his journey has been one of incredible growth and success. "I went from just a job to fill a gap, to being in charge of a plant," he says. "We have about 85 employees right now, and we do between 18 and $20 million in revenue a year." 20The history of API Precast itself is a rich and varied one. The company has operated for the past 60 years under four different ownerships. It was established in Middle- burg, Pennsylvania, in 1963 by a stone producer called Beavertown Cast Stone. Initially, its primary purpose was to support the concrete masonry units. Beavertown operated successfully from 1963 right through until the mid-1990s. From there the company changed hands a number of times until more recently when the owner at the time, U.S. Concrete, was considering closing API. Kenepp, who was API's General Manager, put in a bid to save the company. Thankfully for all involved, the acquisition process was successful, and Kenepp took ownership of the company that year. With a long-standing history and a legacy of providing dependable employment opportunities in the area, Kenepp’s goal was not only to become the leader of a thriving business, but to ensure his colleagues could keep their jobs. In fact, this is borne out by the fact that most of API's team members have worked with the company for decades. "We do have a lot of long-tenured people. Some of them have since retired but many peo- ple here have been with us for 30 to 35 years.” While the transition from employee to owner has been relatively smooth, one of the main challenges faced by Kenepp is replacing the employees who are working their way toward retirement. “While it is good from an experience standpoint, it’s bad from the fact that they all kind of get to the same point at the same time," says Kenepp. "We're kind of in a more rural area. So (...) local businesses are all bidding for employees, and we have good work eth- ics, but there's just not a lot of people." 21API primarily focuses on precast manufacturing but provides delivery, installation, caulking, and waterproofing services through subcontracting to industry partners. The company works closely with a handful of engineering and architecture partners to ensure its customers maximum design flexibility, and to be able to meet all requirements. "We're big enough to do large jobs, but we can also be adaptable from a corporate standpoint. And that allows us a flexibility to really cater to the customer," says Kenepp. "Whatever the client is looking for, we can do. We can take on big projects, but we can do it with very dedicated staffing. We can work with the designers and with the construction management companies one on one." This collaborative approach allows for a sophisticated mix of creativity and innovation and translates design ideas into finished products that exceed customers' expectations. As Kenepp explains, the company takes pride in being more than just a vendor, but a trustworthy partner for its contractors and clients. "It doesn't matter if it's the color of the concrete, or the finish, or the shapes you are trying to create. There are no limits here. We work with the customer to understand what they are trying to achieve, and then do our best to provide it for them." API works mainly within a 250-mile radius of its plant. However, over the years, it has completed work in various states, such as Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. Its furthest projects are in Chicago and near Rhode Island. This experience has, unsurprisingly, led to several significant achievements. When asked about this, Kenepp recalls the very first project he man- aged, the construction of the U.S. Air Express Terminal F and control tower at the Philadelphia Airport between 1999 and 2001. "It was interesting because I was new to the business at the time. They needed help and project management. So, it was kind of baptism by fire. I still remember the first time I went to the job site, and I thought, ‘what in the world am I getting into?’ If I remember correctly, it was a $5 or $6 million contract to build this control tower, and this terminal." Another meaningful project was the reconstruction of the boardwalks for Coney Island and Long Beach, designed with precast concrete to withstand natural disasters. While the devastating effects of Hurricane Sandy left the wooden planks in ruins, the precast walkway remained intact. The precast design proved successful during subsequent storms, and the community was grateful to have its beloved boardwalks back. For Kenepp, that project stands as an example of how API considers the human aspect to the work it does. "That partic- ular project had more emotion to it than working on a normal building. Most of the time, you build a building, you'd put it in a magazine article, and they take pictures. However, that par- ticular project was special because we gave back something to the community that they had lost during one of the storms." U.S. Air Express Terminal F and control tower Philadelphia International Airport, PA Coney Island boardwalk Long Beach boardwalk 22Another remarkable project was API’s participation in the rede- velopment and revitalization of Newark's community spaces. The development, erected at One Theatre Square, represents a one-of-a-kind community hub comprising luxury apartments, affordable housing, retail units, and cultural spaces. “The company takes pride in being more than just a vendor, but a trustworthy partner for its contractors and clients.” One Theatre SquareLast but not least, Kenepp mentions the project in 1 Willoughby Square, Brooklyn. This construction stands out as one of the tallest buildings in Brooklyn and features a unique brick pat- tern. The building is a mixed-use space, with local businesses sharing its use with a New York school. The most known benefit of precast is the short production time. However, Kenepp emphasizes that precast has many intrinsic features that are not often spoken about, making it a safer and more sustainable product than traditional con- crete. For example, precast concrete is naturally fire-resistant and blast-resistant. It offers water and wind resistance and does not mold or mildew. API’s clients also benefit from prod- ucts that have a durability and thermal efficiency level that increase safety standards. "After 9/11, they changed a lot of the anti-terrorism building codes,” says Kenepp. "Our product is naturally blast-resistant. All we have to do is change our connection so that in the event of a blast, you don't have like any kind of collapse. There are many attributes that play into, and increase, the safety of people.” With the industry demanding an increased awareness and action in relation to the environmental cost of the work it does, API is hard at work to develop solutions. As part of its effort to maximize the sustainability of its products, the company is working to become a facade manufacturer by integrating and incorporating other building materials into its product. Moreover, the company is taking multiple steps to become a more environmentally friendly business. Among them, API is developing anEnvironmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its precast, and a new wall system that will be half the weight of regular precast concrete. While still durable and functional, the new wall will require much less material and will be easier to transport and erect. “One of my goals is to transition into a more environmen- 1 Willoughby Square Brooklyn, NY 24tally friendly type of business. We are figuring out new ways to reduce our cement content. We are finding new ways to reduce our water waste, and our electric waste too.," says Kenepp. "We're definitely focusing heavily on becoming a better steward of the environment." With a history that goes back decades, it is clear that API takes pride in its work. Time has been eventful for the com- pany, with growth and success being tempered slightly by a tumultuous and ever-changing industry. However, at the heart of this company is a knowledge that success comes through hard work and dedication. With its clients, projects and products, API always operates in the same honest way. You wouldn’t bet against it being around for another 60 years. 2526WRITTEN BY AOIFE CHANEY S everal years ago, Conewago Manufacturing, LLC provided custom precast panels and steel for Ag-Com’s new 3-story, state-of-the-art milling operation in New Oxford, Pennsylvania. On completion of the project the client was able to see their vision come to life in the form of a real, tangible building that had previ- ously only lived in his mind. When the client shared his satisfaction with Conewago Manufacturing in an email, he captured the essence of what the company has been doing all along and what it continues to do today – help their clients turn visions into reality. Conewago is a manufacturing company based out of Hanover, PA, specializing in precast concrete, steel fab- rication and erection along with ready mix concrete. The company approaches its work with clients with commit- ment, creativity, and a can-do attitude that has placed it at the forefront of the precast concrete industry in Pennsylvania, Maryland and throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Representing Conewago today in a conversation that takes me through over six decades of service is President Jason Blasé and VP of Operations Eric Smith. “There was a small stretch of time in the seventies where our sister company, Conewago Enterprises, started precast concrete, making septic tanks and stone water culverts,” says Smith of Conewago Man- ufacturing’s beginnings into the world of precast. “We ventured out from our general contractor side into our own company, Conewago Manufacturing, LLC to offer ready-mix, steel fabrication and erection, and then finally precast concrete.” Interestingly, many of Conewago Manufacturing’s clients are general contractors who are competitors of its sister company. Those GC clients have come to value Cone- wago Manufacturing for not only the quality of their work, but also the fact they can purchase precast and steel from a single vendor, which offers numerous efficiencies. 27“Our clients know that managing two different subs on the steel and precast side can present numerous challenges and cause administrative and production delays,” says Smith. “Our model offers them one-stop-shopping and helps control the critical path of the project, and helps our GC clients keep projects on time and on budget.” “We are AISC-certified fabricators and erectors,” Blase says with regard to the steel side of Conewago’s offering. “We make our own columns and beams, and we also do some miscellaneous metals like stairs, dock angles, items like that. We also have a small group that makes retaining walls.” When it comes to precast concrete, insulated wall panels are, as Blase explains, “our bread and butter.” He continues: “One of our specialties is cold storage facilities. Instead of traditional cold storage buildings that are fragile and easily damaged, we can provide a concrete alternative where wear and tear on the structure is a lot less. If a worker acciden- tally backs into the wall with a forklift, they are going to hit concrete, it’s not going to be a metal panel that they’re gonna blow out.” It goes without saying that the company has accrued a vast amount of experience in the sector. With a rich general contracting history from its sister company, Conewago Enterprises, behind it and with a keen eye on industry devel- opments, it is no surprise that Conewago Manufacturing has experienced significant growth in the precast side of its busi- ness. “We produced 3 million square feet of wall panel last year. It was one of our shining moments where we produced in some months more than what we produced in previous years,” adds Smith. “That was exciting for us, and we’re very fortunate for that tremendous growth.” “Conewago was the first company in Pennsylvania to implement Carbon Cure, a move which solidifies the commitment to sustainability that underlies its service.” 28While the company clearly maintains a forward-thinking approach to growth, it is perhaps more significant that this translates to a commitment to safeguarding the envi- ronment in which it operates. For example, Conewago has adopted innovative technologies that reduce environmental impact and applied them to its processes. The result is to take a carbon-heavy material like cement and transform it into a sustainable building solution. “For our ready mix and precast operations, we have a system in place called Car- bon Cure. We use 5% of the carbon that’s embedded into concrete as a replacement for the cement, so we are able to reduce cement content, not putting any more carbon into the air,” adds Smith. Throughout Conewago Manufacturing’s usage of Carbon Cure to date, which is just over 3 years, the company has saved 16,000 tons of CO2, which equates to the amount of CO2 1,900 acres of forest can absorb in a year. In keeping with its innovative reputation, Conewago was the first company in Pennsylvania to implement Carbon Cure, a move which solidifies the commitment to sustainability that underlies its service. In addition to this, the company uses a technology that allows for 12% limestone replacement in the cement from its producer, and it has recently purchased a new reclamation process system that will enable it to take excess concrete and put it back into new concrete. “If there’s an environmentally friendly technology that makes sense, we are either on board, or we’re on the leading edge of trying to experiment with it and see if we can incorporate it into our process,” says Blasé. Today, precast concrete is so much more than a grey and carbon-heavy cement fit strictly for big distribution centers and industrial warehouses. As a material it has evolved over time, rapidly in recent years, to become a building solution that is not just cost-effective and durable, but also aestheti- cally pleasing and easily maintained. “We are able to incorporate more attractive form liners and different patterns into the concrete, so they don’t just look like big plain boxes,” Smith says. “We can do all different colors, finishes and applications.” The benefits of using precast materials have been proven over time and as such are widely known and accepted throughout the construction industry. There is further benefit, as Smith explains, to buying those materials from Conewago. “We’re AISC certified on the steel side and PCI certified on the precast side. They’re the two gold standards when it comes to certifi- cation in those respective industries. Whether we are working with our sister GC company or another GC on a project, we don’t want to just work one time for a customer, we want to make sure that every customer is a repeat customer, and we want to build a relationship with them. What that means is we are going to produce products with the utmost quality, we’re going to stand behind them with integrity, and we are going to do our best to be part of your vision and turn it into reality. When you buy the Conewago brand that’s what you get.” To back up Smith’s comment on quality, Blase tells me how it has invested substantially into the automation of its process. “We have a plotter that takes our CAD files and lays every- thing out for precast production workers. There’s very little measuring going on, it’s all automated, and we have CNC machines for our insulation as well.” Conewago strives more than ever for efficiency of service and the streamlining of processes. This is true of the construc- tion industry in particular, where deadlines are often tight and where the involvement of too many parties can result in delays. Talking about Conewago’s ‘one-stop-shop’ approach, Blase says that it has a unique combination of services that it can offer its clients and contractors. “All under one roof we can produce the structural steel and fabricate and erect the wall panels, so for large distribution and industrial manufacturing facilities we can truly be a one- stop-shop. When you walk away you basically have a full structure waiting for all your MEP subs and all the finishing trades. Depending on the size of the project we also have mobile concrete plants that we can put out for ready-mix concrete slabs and foundations.” The unique quality and level of service that comes with the Conewago brand can be better understood through its project portfolio, of which Smith takes me through some of the highlights. “Bell and Evans is one of the flagship proj- ects we have worked on recently. That had over 1,000 wall panels – just about every wall in the facility was precast concrete.” Smith explains how the owner of Bell and Evans, a visionary named Scott Sechler, Sr., toured different agri- cultural processing facilities around Europe and returned with a vision. “The facility, which is based in Fredericks- burg PA, has a very unique, high-quality look and feel to it. 29Next >