Kanta Electric, a recognized leader in the electrical construction industry, has spent over three decades establishing itself as a pillar of excellence and reliability. Founded by Prakash Kapadia (PK Sr.) 33 years ago, Kanta Electric began with a simple but profound mission: to provide mission-critical electrical and power services to city and state agencies, all while prioritizing safety at its core. Today, under the leadership of his two sons, Parag and Paras Kapadia, the company remains a generational powerhouse that is continuing to thrive and expand in one of the most competitive markets in the nation.
The roots of Kanta Electric trace back to PK Sr.’s father, himself a respected electrical construction contractor who completed work on many commercial and residential projects across the booming Mumbai of the 70s and 80s. This long-standing tradition of hard work and expertise has been passed down through the generations. As Parag Kapadia, VP of Finance, explained, “I’m part of the third generation of my family involved in electrical construction—not the same company, different businesses. But that’s been in our family for a long time.” This rich family legacy has been a driving force in Kanta Electric’s success, but Parag also attributes the company’s growth to a focus on providing top-tier services to both public and private sector clients. Kanta Electric has become a prominent player in the electrical construction market, offering a range of services that include power distribution, core and shell projects, multi-floor electrical fit-outs, life safety control installations, and alternative energy solutions, such as wind and solar energy installations.
Safety is one of the foundational principles that Kanta Electric was built upon. Parag elaborated on the mission behind the company’s inception: “My father’s mission behind establishing the firm was simple from the beginning – a focus on providing mission-critical electrical and power services to city and state agencies, with a focus on safety at its very core.”
This commitment to safety not only meets the industry’s stringent standards but has also allowed Kanta Electric to maintain a reputation as one of the most trusted names in the industry. As a unionized member signatory of IBEW Local 3, Kanta Electric has been able to take on progressively larger and more complex projects with New York City, State, and more recently Federal agencies, further solidifying its standing in the market.
Kanta Electric has always been a forward-thinking company, eager to adopt innovative technologies and practices that set it apart from the competition. One of the company’s most significant achievements was being the first electrical contractor in New York to install wind energy-producing turbines at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in the early 2000s. Parag shared, “The systems Kanta installed were to provide wind power to 90 streetlights at that time.” This project marked Kanta Electric as an early adopter of renewable energy solutions in the city, a milestone that was later followed by the company’s growing involvement in solar energy installations, including photovoltaic work and battery storage systems. By integrating wind and solar power into their portfolio, Kanta Electric has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable energy solutions in New York and beyond.
In addition to its groundbreaking projects, Kanta Electric’s hard work and innovation have not gone unnoticed. In 2015, the company was featured in Crain’s New York Business’ ‘Fast 50’ list, recognizing the city’s 50 fastest-growing private businesses. Parag recalled, “That was definitely a strong achievement for us.” This recognition was a testament to the company’s continued expansion, steady growth, and ability to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the electrical construction industry.
What sets Kanta Electric apart from many competitors is its strong focus on hiring the best talent and retaining experienced workers. Parag is quick to emphasize the importance of their people: “We have a great team. We focus on experienced hires. They have to have the safety credentials that are standard for many construction companies in New York City, but in addition to that, we look for people who have specific experience within the unionized electrical construction industry.”
“We have a great team. We focus on experienced hires. They have to have the safety credentials that are standard for many construction companies in New York City.”
Kanta Electric’s commitment to hiring skilled workers who are also a good fit for the company’s culture has led to historically low employee turnover rates. “Our employees become family to us,” Parag noted, emphasizing that the people behind the company are one of the key reasons for its success.
Kanta Electric has completed a wide variety of high-profile projects throughout the years, ranging from K-12 education facilities to hospitals, residential high rise in public housing, wastewater treatment plants, and airport facilities. Parag highlighted the company’s diverse portfolio: “Our projects are across a variety of different market sectors. We have experience with everything from K-12 public schools and universities to hospitals and health facilities. Most of our initial experience came from the K-12 sector in education. We have done and continue to do a lot of work with the New York City School Construction Authority, among other agencies and authorities in New York City.” On the anvil currently is an electrical infrastructure upgrade project for the historic 69th Street Regiment Armory in midtown Manhattan, for the U.S. Army National Guard.
One of the standout projects in Kanta Electric’s history is their work on the Oakwood Beach Water Pollution Control Plant on Staten Island. This project was part of the company’s efforts to help provide clean and safe water to New Yorkers. The company has also expanded its work to include federal contracts, with one of the most notable being its current project at the Fort Hamilton Army Base in Brooklyn, where Kanta Electric is working on an information systems facility. Parag added, “We’ve been there for quite some time now and still have probably over 70% of the project remaining to be completed over the next year or so.”
Kanta Electric has experienced steady, organic growth over the past 33 years. Parag explained, “All of our growth to date has been organic growth. We’ve sort of pulled the company up by its bootstraps, so to speak. It’s not something that just happened— I often like to say, ‘its taken us over 3 decades to become an overnight success.’”
Looking to the future, Parag is focused on continuing to build on the company’s success and expanding its reach, both in New York City and beyond. “We’re continuing to build on our success, trying to take on more complex, larger projects,” he said. “We focus on organic growth, and for over 30 years we’ve been operating in and around the New York City metro region. We have very good name recognition with multiple different government agencies that we’ve done work with over the years, so our focus is really just to expand on that.”
In the coming years, Kanta Electric plans to further diversify its work, tackling even larger and more complex projects. Parag also shared that the company is exploring new avenues for funding, looking into raising capital through outside investors to fuel its next phase of growth.
As 2025 gets underway, Kanta Electric has a strong backlog of projects and is preparing for a busy and successful year. Parag confidently stated, “It was a busy end to the 2024, and we’re going to have a lot of our newer projects taking off this year. We anticipate it being a very busy 2025.”
Kanta Electric’s success story is one of perseverance, innovation, and a relentless commitment to quality and safety. Under family leadership, the company is poised to continue its upward trajectory, expanding its footprint in the electrical construction industry and cementing its place as a leader in New York and beyond. With a focus on organic growth, a strong commitment to safety, and a proven track record of success, Kanta Electric is well-equipped to meet the challenges of the future and continue its legacy for generations to come.
