< Previous"Through its commitment to sustainability, Alleguard is safeguarding more than just the products it protects." “For construction products we serve multiple applications offering a complete building envelope for residential and commercial,” she says. “That includes wall installation, roofing installation, radiant floor heating and insulated concrete forms.” Alleguard’s EPS construction products are cost efficient in their ability to speed up installation time and reducing the total cost of install. The end-product provides superior moisture control and long-term R-value retention, which makes it high-perform- ing and energy-efficient in operation too. Cold-chain EPS solutions are safe, reliable, and economical, and are the perfect foam solution to serve temperature-sen- sitive products for industries such as food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, and healthcare. “Any kind of product that needs to be temperature controlled,” says Kurt Arbeen, VP of Sales and Marketing for Shape Mold. “We have molded cold coolers and 6-panel liners, which are six pieces of foam that would fit into, say, a type of box as a protection. It's a critical sector to ensure that our products can maintain temperature requirements and product integrity.” Alleguard’s Protective Packaging Products are designed to cushion, protect, and maintain products during the shipping, handling, and storage stages of their lifecycle. From sensitive electronics to medical products, Alleguard provides OEM, Custom, and Flexible Foam Solutions that are fit for the level of protection required. “EPS, EPP, and Arcel each have tremendous value propositions across the protective pack- aging sectors, solving a diverse platform of issues shipping undamaged product. Protective packaging can use multiple types of materials and create solutions for automotive pack- aging, TVs, appliances,” Arbeen says. “There's multiple ways that our products protect different things.” As we move through different phases of the climate emer- gency, we are no longer satiated by simple recycling initiatives that, while important, fail to make waves in a movement that is rapidly growing in urgency. With this, it is the companies that truly commit to the cause that will make a significant difference. Catalan explains how Alleguard is exploring sus- tainability “through benchmarking and driving improvements with our utility footprint, community work, and partnerships to explore EPS in a circular system. We have been working towards creating metrics and sustainability reports that we can provide corporately and to our company as a whole, with multiple plans across North America. We really engage in recy- cling and reusing clean scrap or clean waste into our products, so a cradle-to-cradle approach. We also sell densified material overseas to create new products, and so our entire manufac- turing process is also sustainable and energy efficient.” In this way Alleguard’s sustainable initiatives extend beyond its line of foam production and into the community it serves. The company is becoming increasingly involved with com- munity outreach programs that support sustainability and reduce waste to landfill. “Our corporate sustainability mes- sage is continuing to grow,” says Dusty McNab, Vice Presi- dent of Sales and Marketing for Block and Fabrication. “We are working with the public to be able to take back their waste, depending on what type of waste it is, so that we can use it in different ways.” In further support of a full-circle approach | 70 SEPTEMBER 2023Manufacturer of custom expandable polystyrene resins Food grade, flame retardant & specialty grades of EPS available NexKemia services a wide variety of industries such as: Bio Pharma & Food Packaging Building & Construction GeoFoam Projects Compliance & Certifications per FDA, UL, ULC, ASTM & ICC guidelines E: info@nexkemia.com | www.nexkemia.com to sustainability, Alleguard ensures that the raw materials it uses, the procurement of its products, and the components of the final products it provides are all sustainably sourced. “It's important to partner with people who have the same goals as us in terms of corporate sustainability,” McNab says. Through its commitment to sustainability, Alleguard is safe- guarding more than just the products it protects. “We’ve really ramped up our ESG strategy,” says McNab, speaking about the framework used to assess an organi- zation's business practices and performance on various sustainability and ethical issues. The Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) framework aims to limit negative impact and enhance positive impact on the environment, society, and governance bodies. A decision to follow ESG principles is a commitment to behave in a responsible, ethical, and com- munity-minded manner in the three designated areas. “We're looking at every aspect of environmental, social and gover- nance within the company, including employee and turnover rates, culture, community outreach, recycling programs, cus- tomer partnerships and manufacturing processes. There’s definitely a lot of growth potential in this space for us, but we are pretty proud of where we're at right now.” On the ongoing rebrand, of which sustainability is just one element, McNab says that the company “needed a unified name, to share our story and our vision, for both our internal teams and customers. What's important to us is how we put all of the legacy companies under this Alleguard umbrella, and make sure we don't lose sight of the legacy customers that we bring with us.” Though the rebrand is still ongoing and expected to take the balance of a year, Alleguard has already started to see the positive outcomes of it. “We now have 17 locations with our Headquarters in Nashville,” he says. “That footprint has allowed us to capture new busi- ness, because of lead times and logistically, just being so close in proximity for freight and things like that. There are times when we have pulled from multiple locations to fulfil customer orders, and the ability to do that is key. Our foot- print is really important to be competitive in the industry and our multiple locations have definitely allowed us the room to grow.” Being able to shift assets between locations depend- ing on where the demand is higher gives Alleguard a unique advantage – the Alleguard Advantage. With the positive changes it continues to implement as part of the recent acquisitions, Alleguard has found itself in a posi- tion where its geographical footprint is wide and its customer base strong, all the while benefiting from a fresh and exciting rebrand along with a commitment to a sustainable future. “Going forward it’s all about taking advantage of our footprint to grow our product manufacturing in different regions, pen- etrating new markets, and continuing our sustainability mes- sage internally and to the public,” says Catalan. “The rebrand is definitely a challenge because we’re putting a brand-new name out there, but it’s a good challenge because there are so many positives that come with it. “Change, as we know, does not come without challenge, but nor does success. Alleguard plans to embrace change and the challenges that come with it, with the end-goal of becoming the ultimate foam solutions provider. With all the company has to offer and the combined experience of its six legacy companies, it’s a path well carved, well threaded, and well within reach. | 71 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONWRITTEN BY CHRISTOPHER CARTER A lot of things can happen in fifty years. In fact, it’s hard to overstate just how much has changed across many industries over the last half a century, and the construction industry is no exception. The standards, practices, regulations, and even the materials involved in putting up a building have all evolved dramatically during this time, and businesses have had to adapt to survive. ENTERPRISES LTD. WESTERN PACIFIC | 72 SEPTEMBER 2023Oakridge Redevelopment Photo by QuadReal Development | 73 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONVery few construction companies can boast as much adaptability and longevity in the industry as Western Pacific Enterprises, one of Western Canada’s largest electrical con- tractors, and a true stalwart of the Canadian construction industry. WPE celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023 – an impressive achievement and a testament to the strong val- ues and work ethic that have seen the company through to this remarkable milestone. To mark the occasion, WPE has recently completed a cof- fee table book celebrating the rich history of the company. Miriam Gregory, Manager of Marketing and Proposals, who’s been involved in the production of this weighty tome, tells the story of the company’s history with no small amount of pride, beginning with its humble origins as the bold venture of friends and founders Dieter Fettback and Ernie Moore in 1973: “They were both working for a company that was doing electrical contracting, and were both thinking of leav- ing. So, they're in Ernie's kitchen one night, and over a bottle of Canadian Club they decided to start their own business, remortgaging their homes to get seed financing.” This bold self-belief and entrepreneurial spirit was to char- acterize the development of the fledgling company and continues to stand it in good stead to this day. The story con- tinues with an early bid to do cable work on the Vancouver SkyTrain, as Dave Fettback (Dieter’s son) relates in the book: “All the bidders were in a room. The bids were announced out loud. Our bid was $1 million lower than the next lowest bid. I rode the elevator down with all the other bidders, staring at my shoes, wondering what we had missed. But in the end, our estimate was right.” WPE has gone on to work on every SkyTrain project since its inception – a cornerstone of the company’s early and continued success. Continuing to be successful in a rapidly growing and chang- ing market has required a lot of strong business acumen over the last fifty years, as well as a careful balance between expanding the company and maintaining the core principles that have been the driving force behind WPE since its incep- tion. Of these, family values are very much at the forefront. As Miriam points out: “Dieter and Ernie passed the business on to their sons. Dieter had four sons, who all became elec- tricians and came to work for the company, while Ernie’s son took on office management. As time went on, there were transitions. People came and went, but for the most part, it remained a family business until 2016.” "WPE has gone on to work on every SkyTrain project since its inception – a cornerstone of the company’s early and continued success." | 74 SEPTEMBER 2023Congratulations Western Pacific, on your 50 year anniversary! Thank you for the opportunity to work together. We look forward to working with you for the next 50 years! arcticarrowgroup.com 877.551.8588 The idea of WPE as a family business extends beyond the founder families. As Miriam puts it: “It started as a family business, and we still have that element and we try to keep that family feel. We work hard on our social events. Every one of our offices does our ‘stretch and flex’ each morning. At 10 o'clock , we all get up and spend five minutes doing stretches, just like the crews do on site. That helps to bring us all together.” The decision to sell to the business to MYR Group in 2016 was made very much with the longevity of the company in mind, but without giving away too much of the fiercely independent spirit that had driven WPE in its early years. Miriam explains: “It was part of a succession plan because they knew that they weren't all going to be around forever. And they needed to come up with a way to organize and codify the business in a way. It allowed WPE to have its own identity and its own business, but with the financial stability, resources, and systems of a much larger corporation, allow- ing them to expand even further.” Having access to the resources of this multi-million-dollar company has allowed WPE to expand and progress to even greater heights over the last few years. Miriam notes: “Our backlog right now is such that we have work for the next three to four years and we're still adding work to that. We’re always looking for the next opportunity.” Current and upcom- ing projects include two large industrial hospitals at Williams Lake and Dawson Creek, the Trans Mountain Expansion Proj- ect, as well as The Post and Oakridge Park, a redeveloped business and cultural hub respectively, that promise to be flagship projects for WPE. Oakridge Redevelopment Photo by QuadReal DevelopmentMiriam speaks with particular excitement about The Post as a building that really stands out for WPE, and for Vancouver as a whole: “The Post is one of the coolest buildings. We were awarded the electrical work for the base building of the rede- velopment of the original Canada Post building in downtown Vancouver, a project that ran for four years. Then we were awarded work on each of the two towers, continuing our work stemming from the base building. Now it seems every time we turn around, we’re bidding on another fit out for one part of the project or another. So, our hands are all over that building, and it's going to be stunning by the time it opens.” Despite the lengthy list of projects that WPE currently has on its books, Miriam emphasizes that attention to detail and the upholding of essential standards still remain para- mount: “Safety is huge. We do an audit every three years to assess our safety protocols. We also have what’s called a Safety Observation Report, which is a report that workers can complete when they see a safety issue or violation. It’s allows them to do something about it, they report it, and each month the best one gets a prize. It helps to encourage our culture of safety and increase awareness of its importance.” The Post Photo by QuadReal Development | 76 SEPTEMBER 2023Commitment to community is also high on WPE’s priority list. A current project that epitomizes this community spirit for WPE is Honour Ranch, a facility for ex-military personnel and first responders suffering from PTSD. Miriam speaks about this project with respect for its mission: “It’s a retreat for them to get the help they need to recover. We have vol- unteered our services with personnel, product, and finances to help them get on the BC Hydro grid so that they're not running on generators. This is all volunteer time on our staff's part; they're taking time away from their families to work on a remote site, but it’s a labour of love in a beautiful part of B.C.” With strong foundations and far-reaching aspirations, WPE stands as an example of what a company with a long-term vision and no small amount of tenacity can achieve over half a century in the construction industry. And the story continues. Dave Manson, Head of Business Development, adds a final thought: “Our goal is to try and grow within and become that company that everybody wants to gravitate towards, and get these big, exciting projects that provide a lot of development from a personal and professional growth perspective.” Fifty years later, there’s little doubt that the spirit of the original founders remains very much alive. | 77 APEIRON CONSTRUCTION| 78 SEPTEMBER 2023WRITTEN BY DAVID O’NEILL A cross the construction industry, viable solutions to con- crete and steel –the most carbon heavy materials—are at various stages of development. Solutions that can potentially reduce the emissions generated by building and construction are either being trialed, tested or implemented on a small scale. While there are a number of promising developments, many are prohibitive due to their cost or the intricate processes needed to produce them. One material is different, however. Wood has been an integral part of the construction landscape for millennia. It is an aesthetically pleasing, sustainable low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel. Furthermore, the benefits of the material are well-known which means that is already enjoys the trust of industry pro- fessionals. As we search for solutions, many are turning to mass-produced timber as a viable and accessible option. For many years, people have looked to Scandinavian countries for examples of innovative thinking and creative ideas. From automotive industries to the education sector, new models of design and practice have come from this part of Northern Europe. As Sweden, like every other country, experiences huge challenges in relation to meeting its emissions targets, it seems that it will need to come up with a solution that ensures a combination of growth and sustainability for its residents. Its plan, scheduled to begin in 2025, aims to redefine urban living through “sustainability, innovation and aesthetic excellence.” The way this will be achieved? By creating a wooden city. Urban development company Atrium Ljungberg aims to produce the largest wooden city in Stockholm, Sweden with the first of these buildings due to be installed by 2027. The “world’s largest wood city” will be built in the Stockholm neighborhood of Sickla. The area, spanning over 250,000 sq m, will comprise of 7,000 office spaces and 2,000 homes, all created using timber. Annica Ånäs, CEO of Atrium Ljungberg, believes that the project is one that sets Sweden out as a global leader in the race to produce more sustainable living. “We are proud to introduce Stockholm Wood City. This is not only an important step for us as a company, but a historic milestone for Swedish innovation capability. Stockholm Wood City manifests our future. From tenants, there is a strong demand for innovative, sustainable solutions – a demand that we meet with this initiative.” | 79 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONNext >