< PreviousThe company’s willingness to expand into new technolo- gies and markets, demonstrated by its adoption of robotic processes and exploration of battery-powered construction equipment, showcases its initiative to lead rather than follow industry trends. Metal Forms Corporation’s ability to integrate these technologies without displacing its skilled workforce highlights its balanced approach to growth—leveraging new technologies while valuing human expertise. Recently, Metal Forms has made substantial contributions to two major infrastructure projects that have significantly ele- vated its standing within the concrete construction industry. The first of these projects involved essential contributions to the comprehensive renovation of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), in preparation for the 2028 Olympics. The company supplied specialized formwork for the construction of tramways and other infrastructure upgrades essential to the airport’s expansion. This included precision-engineered concrete forms for LAX’s new monorail system, as well as extensive formwork for taxiways and security barriers close to terminal areas. This project not only highlighted Metal Forms’ ability to manage complex and large-scale require- ments but also anchored its position as a critical player in national infrastructure projects. The second project of note was the reconstruction of the spillway of the Lewisville Dam, in Texas, where Metal Forms provided advanced formwork solutions critical for the project's success. The company’s formwork was pivotal in facilitating the precise placement of concrete, integrated with extensive rebar and water stops, to effectively manage water overflow during high-rainfall periods. The formwork designed by Metal Forms proved essential in ensuring the durability and effectiveness of the upgraded spillway, showcasing the company’s expertise in engineering solutions that withstand environmental stressors. The successful execution of these projects has not only rein- forced Metal Forms Corporation’s reputation among top-tier contractors but has also expanded its exposure to a broader range of large-scale construction initiatives. This enhanced visibility has positioned Metal Forms as a preferred partner in the industry, known for its reliability and the high quality of its bespoke formwork solutions. These projects serve as benchmarks in the company’s portfolio, demonstrating its capability to innovate and execute at the highest levels of technical and operational excellence, thereby supporting its continued growth and prominence in the construction sector. “This year, Metal Form will celebrate its 115 th anniversary.” | 50 MAY 2024As Metal Forms Corporation continues to make strides in the realm of infrastructure development, its commitment to excellence and innovation remains unwavering. Building on the success of its recent projects, the company is now fully immersed in a transformative endeavor at the Pipestem Dam in North Dakota, a project that exemplifies its dedica- tion to enhancing the resilience of critical infrastructure. This project, led by Barnard, is intended to enhance the dam’s resilience against potential high-hazard events. Recognizing the urgency due to the dam’s proximity to cresting during seasonal snow melts, this project is crucial for reinforcing the dam's emergency spillway against erosion. The modifica- tions include extensive work on the existing spillway, such as the construction of a labyrinth weir and a roller-compacted concrete (RCC) terminal structure, alongside significant excavation and the enhancement of training dikes. Metal Forms is contributing significantly by supplying over 3,300 lineal feet of 24-inch-high steel edge forms, critical for the RCC aspects of the project. This involvement not only underscores Metal Forms’ capability in handling large- scale infrastructure projects but also highlights its role in bolstering the safety and durability of essential water man- agement structures. This year, Metal Form will celebrate its 115 th anniversary. This significant milestone is an opportunity to reflect on the company’s journey, tracing back to its inception by the Miller family in the early 1900s. Founded by G. H. Miller, the company emerged from the growing need for concrete formwork during the transition from horse-drawn carts to modern road-building equipment. Tom Miller, current CEO and third-generation lead- ership, has steered the company through decades of evolution, adapting to changing technologies and market dynamics. One of the secrets to Metal Forms' longevity lies in its ability to embrace technology without compromising its core val- ues. Over the years, the company has leveraged advances in digital platforms, social media, and project-tracking software to enhance customer reach and efficiency. “Our evolution is deeply intertwined with technological progress, reshaping how we engage with and serve our customers. When I joined nearly three decades ago, our interactions were primarily in person, involving extensive travel. Technology has revolutionized our approach, saving us countless hours on the road and in airports. We now leverage websites, social media platforms, and advanced project-tracking software to expand our reach and connect with markets that were previously out of reach. This shift has been particularly transformative in recent years, opening up new avenues for growth and enhancing our ability to engage with customers on a more visual and interactive level,” says Block. Despite these developments, Metal Forms remains steadfast in its commitment to its core customers and products. By staying true to its expertise and focusing on solutions that align with its strengths, Metal Forms has built a reputation for reliability and integrity in the industry. Metal Forms' impact on the industry is evident in its approach to customer relationships. The company's emphasis on understanding and addressing customer needs has earned it the trust of contractors nationwide. By maintaining a bal- ance between traditional values and modern practices, Metal Forms continues to be a trusted partner in the construction industry, poised to shape its future for years to come. The future of Metal Forms Corp appears promising, with a focus on steady, sustainable growth driven by customer rela- tionships and market expansion. With a strong foundation built on over a century of experience and a commitment to evolving with the industry, the company's focus on staying true to its core values while embracing new technologies and market trends positions it well for continued success. One key aspect of Metal Forms' future is likely to be its expansion into new markets and geographical areas. As the company continues to showcase its expertise and reliability in the United States, opportunities may arise to continue to explore international markets, further increasing its reach and impact. Metal Forms' dedication to innovation and product development is expected to drive future growth. By staying at the forefront of technological advancements in concrete formwork and construction equipment, the company can continue to meet the evolving needs of its customers and maintain its competitive edge in the industry. | 51 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONWRITTEN BY EMMA KILCAWLEY HEMANI M KE Iron Erectors Inc. is a female-owned busi- ness that was founded in January 2019, right before the COVID-19 pandemic, by Barbara Sheedy. The Union Ironworking company provides a range of services to its clients, including placing rebar and post-tensioning cables into concrete and erecting miscellaneous metals and miscellaneous structural steel. While the company may be early in its journey, Sheedy has a wealth of experience, having worked in the construction industry for 28 years. She started out on the mechanical contracting side before transitioning through accounting and finance before landing with a flooring contractor. Following some structural changes to that company, Sheedy decided to go it alone and MKE Iron Erectors Inc. was born. Its goal is both a simple yet essential one. “We can do everything essentially from a Starbucks canopy up to a 47th-floor skyscraper - our job is really to provide solutions to clients that save them time, money and stress.” | 52 MAY 2024Barbara Sheedy President / Owner | 53 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONThe company has built a large portfolio of clients and has completed work on all kinds of projects, from skyscrapers to institutions including hospitals and schools. In addition to this, it supplies services for road construction and other infra- structure projects. According to Sheedy, by being on hand to renovate existing structures, the company is never far from the next opportunity. “In the United States we have a bunch of strip malls and when one business goes out, another one comes in and they might reconfigure how that HVAC system flows in a space. So, we can go in and help them revise and renovate those areas”. Now celebrating its fifth anniversary, the team at MKE Iron Erectors Inc. is clearly doing something right. The key to its success, according to Sheedy, is simple – the quality of the completed projects and its union workers. “What we've tried to do is try to attract the best talent through the culture that we have created in the company. It is really more of a family atmosphere. We really care about the people. I've always been a lifelong learner and I encourage that with all of my employees too, both non-collective bargaining and collective bargaining guys. So as the construction industry and just the world in general has continued to evolve and have to get in pace with AI, with labour shortages, we actually have to kind of pivot and innovate. Our success has been basically doing what we say we're going to do.” This reference to keeping pace with technological advances is not just lip-service, either. MKE Iron Erectors Inc. was the first contractor in Wisconsin to bring robotics into bridge building. Being driven by the need to excel across the board is at the heart of MKE Iron Erectors. For Mark Redetzke, Director of Marketing and Business Development at the company, this goal and perspective is not something he has ever encoun- tered before in his long career. “Personally, I think being an old man who's worked for multiple companies I've never worked for an organization that stood behind its vision and values as much as MKE Iron Erectors. Our vision is to build prosperity and better communities, and we live up to that by picking projects that really move the needle for communities - we've altered the Milwaukee and Madison skylines significantly.” These goals, unsurprisingly, extend to its safety measures. The company takes the OSHA safety guidelines very seri- “Now celebrating its fifth anniversary, the team at MKE Iron Erectors Inc. is clearly doing something right.” MKE Iron is the first to deploy Advanced Construction Robotics’ TyBot™ in Wisconsin. This innovation increases productivity and safety. | 54 MAY 2024HELPING CONTRACTORS GET MORE WORK DONE TEL (888) 80-RENTS WEB EQUIPMENTSHARE.COM ARTICULATING BOOM LIFT JLG 340AJ ously to ensure the safety of its workers. The company has gone beyond industry guidelines, however. One stark statistic that is of great importance to the company is the fact in the US, construction is the second highest industry for suicide. In fact, construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. Sheedy explains how the company strives to protect its workers from the pressures that can lead to such horrendous outcomes. “We instituted that if any of our foremen need a mental health day - because the Union guys don't get paid vacation and a lot of guys go to work when they're not feeling well, even if it's mentally not feeling well, because they need to put food on the table. So what I say to my guys is, I need you to be 100% for me, I need you to be in the right mind space so that you are safe on the job site and if you need to take a mental health day, no questions asked, I will pay you for your mental health those days that you want to take off.” | 55 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONThis standpoint is a refreshing and inspiring one in an indus- try that promotes growth and profit about all else. Speaking further on the company’s aim, Sheedy explained that it is only through open communication that communities can thrive. “We're here to solve problems. Everybody has their own perspective, their own view, their own viewpoint. You need to respect that, but let's try to figure out a problem and mutual resolution together.” This openness, however, needs to be followed through on. In order to build trust, Sheedy says, accountability needs to be guaranteed. “But I also hold people accountable - that is unheard of in today's society. If somebody says they're going to do something or if I say I'm going to do something, I do it and I expect the other person to do it.” MKE Iron Erectors Inc. believes that its workforce is one of the most important elements. With superior training, the team has won two impact awards for projects it has com- pleted. As a unionized staff, the company can reach out to other professionals around the U.S. to find someone who can come in and assist if it encounters a particularly complex or niche job. The benefit of this is that the in-house team learn and develop accordingly. “So now my guys that were working with the local guys have learned something, so the next time I bid a job like that, I might not need to borrow those guys - our guys learn something and are able to perform the work now.” Recently the team completed The Couture building, a 47-storey high-rise multi-use building which will comprise retail space, condos, and a penthouse. Impressively, the light rail system in Milwaukee will also pass through the first floor of the retail space. As it is situated right beside the lake with four underground stories, it was a complex job involving both rebar and post-tensioning. Redetzke said: “The Couture is definitely one of the crown jewels of Milwaukee, and I don't think you can overestimate the impact that we've had on the area. We've helped work on the newly remodelled Wisconsin Centre, which is a huge Convention Centre that's going to host the Republican National Convention this year. We've helped stabilize Mil- waukee City Hall by reinforcing its base - it's a 50,000-ton structure that was starting to sink. I think it is incredible how we have affected Milwaukee in such a deep way through out projects.” Speaking about its workforce, he added: “That’s where our ironworkers amaze me - their ability and resilience in how they can approach and find solutions for things that just come out of left field. They really know how to step up and solve the situation.” Work at the DeLonge required extensive pre-tying. MKE Iron created custom jigs making tying and lifting safer and more efficient. | 56 MAY 2024| 57 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONWRITTEN BY MEGHAN BARTON T oro Construction Corp, the fastest growing, Hispanic-owned, gen- eral contracting company in Chicago, specializes in high-quality public works and government contracts. Originally conceptual- ized in 2005, Toro had a couple of false starts triggered by economic downturns and the housing crisis of 2008. But not easily deterred, husband and wife team, Socorro and Luis Vazquez, relaunched Toro in 2010 with renewed focus. This company's history is rooted in the entrepreneurial spirit of its founders, a passion for serving the community, and a conviction for creating opportunities to over- come a lack of equality in the industry. | 58 MAY 2024| 59 APEIRON CONSTRUCTIONNext >