< PreviousI ask Robinson to delve a little deeper into the services Fritz-Al- der offer and the answer is not short nor finite because in essence, they can build anything their customer desires. “We produce Precast hollowcore floor slabs, which are the most efficient flooring system in terms of span to depth ratio and materials,” he says. “Along with this we produce solid slabs for areas with higher loading or odd shaped pieces. We produce balconies that come sloped with broom finishes, basically standalone balconies that require no maintenance, as well as landings for stairwells. We make beams and columns, prestressing them where possible to eliminate the amount of reinforcing while increasing the strength of the product. And of course, wall panels – everything from structural concrete panels that are covered on site, to architectural panels with form liners, and stain or pigment. We can print the concrete with any pattern imaginable.” It was the introduction of wall panels to Fritzall’s line of products back in the early days that first led them into the commercial market, where they got their architectural certificate for wall panels on commercial and residential buildings. This particular product offering accounts for a significant proportion of Fritz-Alder's business today. “Within these walls we have the option to include insulation which creates a sandwich panel, allowing designers and own- ers to get the R value they desire and achieve what they are looking for – a slimmer wall system or a simpler wall system, it’s really up to the customer.” This customer-focused approach is paramount to the Fritz-Alder business model. Colin gives the example of energy and power companies, for which Fritz-Al- der provide very specific precast products that come with very high-quality standards that they meet and exceed. It seems that if it can be built with precast concrete, it can be built by Fritz-Alder. Fritz-Alder is a company championing and benefiting from a service model that allows them to provide almost every- thing in-house, a model that is growing in popularity due to the efficiency and quality that can be achieved off the back of it. “We provide and install the precast, and we provide any necessary finishing touches once installed to ensure our customers have a complete system,” says Robinson. “We have our own sales team that works with customers. Once the job is awarded it continues over to engineering and drafting, and they work in house with our Project Managers to ensure goals are met and that drawings are completed on time. Then the job goes into production, and once produced, we have our own installation team that not only installs it but goes in afterwards and does core-drilling. The cutting of mechanical openings is completed in the pro- duction faciality to reduce on site waste. We also put down underlayment on top of the precast for flooring needs.” This one-stop-shop system that Fritz-Alder has established over the years makes for a highly efficient service model that really works. To demonstrate the proven, practical success of this service model Robinson tells me about some standout projects from over the years. He includes some projects from before the Fritz-Alder merger, worthy of a mention due to their significance in the company's journey to 2022, its 50th year in business. | 40 FEBRUARY 2023“Prior to Fritz-Alder, Fritzall completed a number of large projects, and one that stands out is 100 Victoria which is the first of the Garment Street Towers. Fritzall was producing the architectural cladding with Alder on installation. These panels were highly detailed, with brick form liner, integrated windowsills and headers, and large U shape and L shape pieces. That was a great achievement for both companies. And later in 2019, now as Fritz-Alder, we were tasked with doing the next building, which was a 28-storey tower.” In what has become known as the Fritz-Alder Advantage, Fritz-Alder makes a promise to its customers to be relentless in its pur- suit of quality and precision, from design to manufacturing to installation. The 100 Victoria project is an example of the Fritz-Alder Advantage in action, long before the official joining of the two companies. “Another standout project was 460 Columbia, our first com- plete precast project where we built the entire structure from parking deck up. We utilized a structural precast system with hollowcore walls, beams, columns, solids, balcony pieces, and also had some architectural pieces as well. 460 Colum- bia was two 12-storey towers with a floor plate of about 25,000 square feet. For this project we had two tower cranes on site which is rare. This meant we had to have two installa- tion crews and with that we were able to install a new level of 25,000 square feet every 12 days.” Robinson tells me next about the Bloomingdale project, a recently completed complete precast building. With architec- tural cladding and lots of beams and columns, Bloomingdale was a similar concept to the projects previously mentioned, but this time Fritz-Alder's service included the exterior of the building. “When we were finished on site not only was the structure done but the exterior too,” he says. “One of the prominent features of that building were the column-less balconies, something that isn’t done very often. We did two levels of underground parking on that as well.” These are just a few of the large-scale projects from an impressive Fritz-Alder portfolio, which has a collective span of 50 years. “Aside from those we do quite a few smaller jobs as well,” Robinson tells me. “We do everything from garage floors to water treatment plants, schools, long term care facilities, industrial buildings, everything. The efficiency and durability of the product lends itself well to all sectors of the construction industry, and so we don’t just do residential or commercial or civil jobs, were in all the sectors.” Reflecting on the company’s 50th anniversary which they’ve been quietly celebrating in the background of a busy year, Robinson takes it right back to 1972 and Fritzall’s founder, Tom Fritz. “Tom was a very innovative person, always finding new ways of pushing the envelope of product efficiency, trying new things, searching for new products to manufacture.” This innovation mindset that brought the company to life back in the early seventies is evident still today, championed now by a new generation of owners with big plans for the future. “We’ve achieved a lot in the last 50 years and especially in the last four,” says Robinson. “We’re seeing steady growth year to year, both in the number of jobs we do and in the products we offer. The market is heading more and more in the direction of precast simply because builders are looking at more efficient ways to do things, especially with rising interest rates and cost increases. The opportunity for us is exceptional, and we want to seize every opportunity we can. We are going to keep march- ing forward with growth and manufacturing improvements to ensure the quality and services our customers demand and expect from us are not only met, but exceeded.” “Another standout project was 460 Columbia, our first complete precast project where we built the entire structure from parking deck up."| 42 FEBRUARY 2023WRITTEN BY DAVID O’NEILL A s the capital city of Texas, Austin has a reputation for eccentricity and diversity, its local motto being “Keep Aus- tin Weird.” A cultural mix of Tex-Mex cuisine, live music and film festivals have earned the city the accolade of being one of the Best Big Cities to live by Money magazine. It has a population of almost one million people and is deeply loved by its residents. In terms of social issues, Austin has a long history of vocal citizen resistance to development projects perceived to degrade the environment or to threaten the natural and cul- tural landscapes, which has contributed to it being awarded the Greenest City in America by MSN. However, despite all this, Austin is not a utopia. According to the most recent figures, around 4,000 are experiencing homeless- ness in the city and its surrounding areas. This number combines both unsheltered homelessness (people sleeping in tents, cars, abandoned buildings, and other places not meant to live in) and sheltered homelessness (emergency shelter, transitional housing, and other short-term indoor settings). With this number of its res- idents experiencing homelessness, Austin is struggling. Further- more, when this is coupled with the recently voted law banning homeless people from camping in public spaces, the problem goes from disastrous to chronic. Residents of the city are now being evicted from parks and other encampments with literally no other options available to them. Clearly, this is a situation that needs to change. Thankfully, this change is coming. The Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit orga- nization and is the lead agency that plans and implements community-wide strategies to end homelessness in Austin and Travis County. As the backbone for the homeless services system, ECHO works closely with nonprofits and government agencies to coordinate assistance and housing for people experiencing homelessness in our community. The work being done at ECHO is built on an inspiring level of dedication. “Our Mission is to provide dynamic, proactive leadership that engages policymakers and the community to end homelessness. Our Vision is a community fiercely focused on ending homeless- ness.” According to ECHO, real change can be achieved through providing a service that is supportive, affirming and welcomes diversity. “We support people in the context of their circumstances. We recognize and honor their experiences, dignity, knowledge, aspirations, and ability to overcome adversity. Also, we believe that people are experts in their own circumstances and so we couple their expertise with data to inform our system.” | 43 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONAs the number of Austinites suffering from home- lessness increases year on year, the pressure is on organizations such as ECHO to do more. Personal safety, either from the threat of violence or heat related illness, is of huge importance. Some of the programs that have been imple- mented to reduce and assist those experiencing homelessness are, in fact, seeing benefits. One such project comes in the form of “the country’s only master-planned development for people coming out of homelessness.” Community First! Village in Austin is a master-planned neighbor- hood of microhomes, tiny homes, and RVs. According to those at MLF, the team behind the village, the sense of community lies at the heart of the issue. By offering a welcoming community, the Austinites can reconnect with their city. “As a result of the multitude of connections we’ve made with our homeless neighbors, we’ve learned that the single greatest cause of homelessness is a profound, catastrophic loss of family. It’s from this understanding that MLF’s vision emerged to build Community First! Village to welcome home our friends who had been pushed to the fringe of society. Often referred to as the most talked about neighborhood in Austin, Community First! Village is a 51-acre master planned development that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness.” The founder of MLF, Alan Graham, left a success- ful real-estate development position and launched back in 1998 to serve Austin’s homeless with a community based approach. The impetus for starting out was a deep desire to serve. “I started developing pretty deep relationships with men and women out on the streets. In 2003, I started spending the night out on the streets. I’ve person- ally spent about 250 nights there.” Incredibly, the project developed incrementally and has really been a labour of love. Graham initially helped one homeless man to transition to independent living by assisting him with acquiring an RV. As word got around, he assisted numerous others. Finally, Graham secured 27 acres of land to build what would become the village’s first phase. What makes the community even more special for Graham is that it is not only a professional venture. It is his home. Graham and his wife live in the village as well. Set up with the goal of assisting people in tran- sition from homelessness, it has been such a success that it is due to grow and develop fur- ther soon. Incredibly, the village has permanent housing for the almost 350 individuals living there, and the retention rate of residents is 88 percent. Given the nature of the problems facing homeless people of Austin, it is encouraging to hear that, through a series of new investments, Community First plans to triple its footprint in the near future. It is important to note that, for MLF, the physical space is only one aspect. With communal kitch- ens and bathrooms, the list of amenities avail- able is growing steadily. With a health clinic and a small food store in the neighborhood, a new gathering space called The Living Room about to open, and a weekly farmers’ market where food grown in the neighborhood is distributed to residents, the village is growing into a space where people can develop and thrive as part- ners and community members. “We’re instilling and putting back the basic building blocks of one being able to live,” says Thomas Aitchison, MLF’s director of communications, “so they are afforded the same access to essential and basic functions in life.” At the heart of these functions are relation- ships. The title itself, Community First! Is a clear indication of the motivation behind the project. “We’ve created a destination for people to serve,” Graham says. “Prior to Community First! Village, if you have a heart for serving, if you have a heart for the homeless, your options are quite limited. We provide a destination, so it’s here now, and people come to us, as they find out about it, it’s that proverbial snowball going down the hill … we get to contrast between hopelessness and hopefulness.” mlf.org/community-first | 44 FEBRUARY 2023| 45 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONWRITTEN BY ERIC O’CALLAGHAN B itcoin, 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 compa- nies 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 employ- ees they invest in. Mowery Construction has immersed itself in its local community through coaching, volunteering and more, all while also developing long lasting client relation- ships 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 con- ducting business in the United States. Initially focusing on residential and light commercial construction within the Carlisle and Harrisburg areas, the company has since imple- mented innovative ways to deliver more complex projects across a number of services including Construction Manage- ment, 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 val- ues 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 technol- ogy 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. | 46 FEBRUARY 2023Walmart Distribution Center Matrix Development Shippensburg, PA | 47 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONBUILD ON A STRONG FOUNDATION W.E. Carter opened the doors of his first lumberyard in 1932 in Akron, Ohio. He set out to have a family-run company that treated its customers like they were family. Over 90 years later, we’re still operating with the same philosophy. We are dedicated to providing our professional customers with a broad range of building materials and exceptional customer service. We are a practical, no-nonsense company that understands the growth of our business is directly tied to the growth of your business. We see our relationships as more than a supplier and customer. To us, it’s a partnership. Wouldn’t you prefer to do business with a company that considers you a partner? Contact your representative or local Carter Lumber to see how having Carter Lumber as a part of your team can help you grow your business and your bottom line. PENNSYLVANNIA LOCATIONS - ELIZABETHTOWN • LANCASTER • CARLISLE • CHAMBERSBURG • HANOVER carterlumber.com Congratulations Mowery Construction on 98 years of success! Carter Lumber is proud to partner with Mowery on past, present, and future projects. 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 sus- tainable 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 differ- ence. This purpose is focused on four main areas including employees, clients, community, and environment. “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 vari- ous technologies help us keep collaboration and communi- cation 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 | 48 FEBRUARY 2023Congratulations Mowery Construction on 98 years of success! Carter Lumber is proud to partner with Mowery on past, present, and future projects. BUILD ON A STRONG FOUNDATION W.E. Carter opened the doors of his first lumberyard in 1932 in Akron, Ohio. He set out to have a family-run company that treated its customers like they were family. Over 90 years later, we’re still operating with the same philosophy. We are dedicated to providing our professional customers with a broad range of building materials and exceptional customer service. We are a practical, no-nonsense company that understands the growth of our business is directly tied to the growth of your business. We see our relationships as more than a supplier and customer. To us, it’s a partnership. Wouldn’t you prefer to do business with a company that considers you a partner? Contact your representative or local Carter Lumber to see how having Carter Lumber as a part of your team can help you grow your business and your bottom line. PENNSYLVANNIA LOCATIONS - ELIZABETHTOWN • LANCASTER • CARLISLE • CHAMBERSBURG • HANOVER carterlumber.comNext >