< PreviousThe 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 will- ingness to work with the best and to equitably distribute own- ership 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 ser- vices 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 organiza- tion has grown exponentially, opening offices in Charlotte, Raleigh, Atlanta, New York City, and Boise. However, accord- ing to Pearl, Swinerton remains strategic, disciplined, and patient in its growth. “We do not want to outpace our growth and outpace our abil- ity to deliver on our promises,” Pearl explained. “So, we are much more long-term orientated, looking to build a sustain- able 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 truth- fully 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. | 90 JUNE 2023| 91 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO NPhoto by Plantd Materials | 92 JUNE 2023WRIT TEN BY DAVID O’NEILL At the heart of any progress that the construction industry has made, there is one thing that has made it all possible. While skill and techniques are vital compo- nents to a developing and innovative sector, they would be nothing if it weren’t for the materials being used to create, to build and to construct. With every advancement in material and its usage, there follows a series of innovative methods, each one adapting these materials and applying them in novel ways to the betterment of the construction world. This relationship has been mutually beneficial and has pushed our global commu- nities forward in unimaginable ways. As building materials become ever more expensive, the construction industry now finds itself in a difficult place. Costs are rising across the board and sustainability issues are stacking up. For those at Plantd Materials, the alternative building material start-up that was founded by Josh Dorfman, along with Huade Tan and Nathan Silvernail, both former SpaceX engineers who have worked for years, designing, and building key systems and components of the Dragon cargo and crew spacecraft, we have reached a crossroads where difficult decisions need to now be made. Photo by Plantd Materials | 93 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO N“Throughout history, civilizations have advanced at the speed of material innovation. Timber, steel, and concrete enabled remarkable progress, but today they are the problem, not the solution. Continuing to build with these materials accelerates climate change and promises to impede progress by threat- ening our future on this planet.” The solution is clear, yet incredibly complex. While innovative minds are attempting to pivot away from concrete to a more environmental and sustainably produced material, traditional values still hold firm. Additionally, alternatives remain costly and niche when compared to the historical might of concrete. However, one material is proving to be a viable source. Having been used in structure building in some capacity for many years, forward thinking individuals and companies are look- ing towards timber as a means of finding a sort of balance. With this in mind, it is little surprise to learn that structures build solely of the wood are enjoying something of a resur- gence. Techniques and practices have now advanced to the point where timber is offering genuine alternatives to brick and cement. At Plantd, the goal is to offer climate positive alternatives to legacy building materials, while maintaining the high standards that are necessary in the construction world. “Building with Plantd materials enables home builders to offer their customers homes that are affordable, durable, and sustainable. And by sequestering atmospheric carbon dioxide within structural frames, homes built with Plantd materials will play a key role in solving climate change.” There is one small sticking point, however, and that is time. Forests, while sustainable by their very nature, do not spring up overnight. So, what can be done to offset the lead-in times of these materials. This particular issue has been a concern for Dorfman and his colleagues at Plantd Materials for some time. In fact, he says that speed has always been an intrinsic part of what the company is trying to achieve. “We started with the question, “What’s the fastest way to remove carbon from the atmosphere and turn it into useful, durable prod- ucts?” The answer to this particular challenge is already here. The company’s flagship product is a wood-panel materials designed for homebuilding. However, this material differs from the norm slightly. Incredibly, Plantd’s product comes from a fast-growing species of grass. Plantd's proprietary low carbon-emissions production technology transforms fast-growing perennial grass into durable, carbon-negative building materials that, rather impressively, outperform com- petitive products on key attributes, including strength and moisture resistance. According to Dorfman, the product is right up there with anything else in the industry, too. “We see the greatest opportunity to lock away the most carbon when we make a superior product than what exists today.” The process itself is fast-paced and highly innovative. Its plan is to replicate existing materials and techniques, supporting the industry in necessary changes without causing stress and apprehension in a fragile, post-COVID setting. In a press release announcing that it had secured $10M in Series A Fund- ing, Plantd explained both the process and long-term strat- egy for its success. “Starting with structural panel products for walls and roofs, Plantd will fabricate building materials that are a direct substitute for traditional home construction products and require no alternative installation techniques. By cultivating fast-growing perennial grass instead of cutting down trees and pioneering novel production technology to minimize carbon emissions, Plantd Structural Panels™ retain 80% of the atmospheric carbon dioxide captured in the field, which is then locked away inside the walls and roofs of new homes.” For Dorfman, it goes even further. He sees the opportunity for Plantd to surpass existing materials by being a superior material, while also being more sustainable and competitive. "We can't move quickly enough to solve climate | 94 JUNE 2023change unless we develop profitable methods to take carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere," said Dorfman. "We're going to change an industry by offering builders a better product at the same price and, in the process, scale a business that can help save the planet." Unsurprisingly, for a company that values speed, the com- pany has set to work moving forward at a rapid pace. With funding secured, Plantd moved to locate and open a facility that can bring its products to the mass market. With a rib- bon cutting event taking place in early May to celebrate the opening of its production facility and headquarters in Oxford, North Carolina, the company is going full steam ahead. The 80,000-square-foot warehouse and offices were originally occupied by the Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company. An anchor facility for the town of Oxford, the location provided local jobs and farming contracts to this historic hub for man- ufacturing and agriculture that had previously been lost when the tobacco factory closed. So, when faced with a multifaceted challenge that was both complex and urgent, it seems as though Plantd may have made a breakthrough. With timber becoming an ever increas- ingly viable, and preferrable building material, Dorfman, Tan and Silvernail have utilized the power of grass, its rapid growth cycles, and scientific innovation to produce a product that meets all requirements, and then some. Not happy with merely providing alternative, Dorfman believes the company and its product can make long-lasting change that not only benefits the construction industry, but the world itself. "Plantd is innovating across the entire value chain for building mate- rials, cultivating new sources of biomass that allow trees to remain in the ground and pioneering new machines and production technologies that remove cost and carbon emis- sions at every stage of business operations. In Oxford, we see an unparalleled opportunity to reshape the construction industry, build a credible climate change solution, and bridge this rural region into the 21st-century economy. Integrating into the economic and social fabric of this area is the foun- dation we will build upon to drive positive impact at the local, national, and global levels." Photo by Plantd Materials | 95 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO NWRIT TEN BY EMM A KILCAWLEY HEM ANI In a landscape where niche can be crucial to success, a company can find itself under pres- sure to excel. Historically, a consistently excellent performance across multiple disciplines would give most companies a springboard to growth. However, it seems that the industry now demands something different. Certain sectors have developed into industries of their own, and with that comes the need to remain ahead of technological changes and innovative methods. The electrical sector is no different in some respects. Clients are looking for highly detailed and specific outcomes while projects require excellence as standard. It is refreshing, therefore, to find Mellon Inc. The company is, in some ways, an outlier. Rather than focusing on one specific service, the company delivers excellence across the board. Described as an “all-in-one electrical solutions provider” by Stephan Watling, Director of Operations at the company, Mellon Inc. is a full-service electrical and instrumentation contractor. This does not mean, however, that there is any drop in standards. In fact, the truth is far from it. The company specializes in areas such as cathodic protection, installations and maintenance, high voltage testing and commissioning. Mellon Inc. also serves customers across a variety of sectors including industrial and commercial work, construction, engineering and project management. Watling explains that for Mellon Inc., the goal is to meet the client’s needs, regardless of the demand. “Mellon Inc. works in multiple areas. From maintenance and construction to large projects or small commercial work. Pretty much anything with electrical and instrumentation.” | 96 JUNE 2023| 97 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO NWhile Mellon Inc. has developed a well-earned reputation as a company that can do it all, it is not yet willing to rest on its laurels. Recently, the company introduced a testing and reli- ability service, with Watling noting that this side of the busi- ness is one of particular growth. Clearly, this development and success is an exciting time for those at Mellon Inc., but for Watling, its foundations go way back. Founded in 1982, the company has more than 40 years of experience and has established its reputation of high quality by executing proj- ects on time, on budget and safely. These values, ultimately, stem from its rich history. Mellon Inc. has always been a family company, with a father and sons leadership team at the helm. For Watling, this platform has allowed the company to grow substantially over the past number of years. “When I started with the company 20 years ago, there were 12 mem- bers on the team. Now we have, on average, a direct field construction work force of around 150 to 200.” With its background and family-run ethos, it is no surprise to learn that Mellon Inc. prides itself on being committed to delivering the best possible outcome to clients and values long-lasting client relationships above all else. Its core compe- tencies include safety, project controls and planning, engineer- ing and design and construction & construction management, while it boasts an in-house engineering and design team. As Watling explains, this allows the team to assist with any design changes in order to keep projects moving forward. With its high-quality service across multiple disciplines, the company has worked on some of the largest and most techno- logically advanced projects in the Sarnia, Ontario area. In fact, between 2021 and 2022, Mellon Inc. completed 350 industrial projects. Recently, it worked with NOVA Chemicals AST2, focusing on Electrical & Instrumentation & Fiber Optics. The project was completed between 2018 and 2022 and resulted in a world-scale AST2 facility. Impressively, the production capacity of the site is approximately one billion pounds of polyethene per year, with Mellon Inc. acting as the EPCM for the Electrical, Instrumentation and Control project scope. For Watling, this project heralded a new era of success for Mellon Inc. “With over 600 direct field laborers and upwards of $200 million, that project was kind of a gamechanger.” Also completed in 2022 was the NOVA Chemicals COP2E & COP3E, which had been in motion since 2016. The project aimed to achieve a 50 per cent capacity growth in order to “Between 2021 and 2022, Mellon Inc. completed 350 industrial projects.” | 98 JUNE 2023support AST2 NOVA Chemicals, increasing its number of heaters and infrastructure. For this project, Mellon Inc. was responsible for the initiation, planning, execution, and close- out of the electrical and controls project scope. Currently, the company is working on an Origin Materials proj- ect, focusing on Electrical and Control. Mellon Inc. is tasked with providing solutions for the start-up company. Its facility will use biomass such as sawdust to make building-block chemicals for the manufacturing of plastic and other prod- ucts. On this project, Mellon Inc. is responsible for the initi- ation, planning, execution, commissioning, and close-out of the electrical and controls project scope. As Watling shares, this project is estimated to cost around $20 million with 60 direct field laborers involved. Working on projects of such magnitude, it is vital that Mellon Inc. recognizes the importance of safety. With worrying sta- tistics about safety figures across the construction industry in general, it is a topic that is never too far from people’s minds. At Mellon Inc., however, safety is taken even further. As Watling explains, the company devotes such time and thought into its safety processes, it is much more than internal policies. “At Mel- lon Inc., safety is not just a requirement, it is the culture. In fact, we have a 100 per cent compliance rate with all annual audits and our safety record surpasses the industry best practice standards. Simply put, safety is the top priority at Mellon Inc.” With a track record of proven success and growth going back to the 1980’s, Mellon Inc. has set its sights on being an indus- try leader. With a recently developed electrical engineering department, the company is now training and growing new members to that team. As the department begins working on a number of exciting projects, Watling believes that this addi- tion will further strengthen the company’s posi- tion as the one-stop-show for electrical solutions. “What this does is that it adds tools to our toolbox. It will give us the all-in solution. So, when a client is looking for that, from concept to construction along with engineer- ing, testing, commissioning, build, engineering support and whatever other needs might come up.” As the company sets its sights on further success, the out- look for the rest of the year is bright. According to Watling, the company is in line to continue its upward trajectory. “2023 will continue to be busy and we expect that to continue into next year also.” As contracts are completed, on time and to the highest standards, as usual, the company is also working on a number of exciting projects behind the scenes. It takes a lot to maintain a position in the construction indus- try for four decades. It is even more difficult to achieve this as the provider of a wide range of solutions. Mellon Inc. has, for a considerable period of time, bucked the trend for niche. Instead, this company provides excellence across the board. With a rich history and a knowledge base that grows by the day, you wouldn’t bet against it carrying on at the forefront of the industry for another forty years. | 99 APEIRON CO NSTRUC TIO NNext >