6 minute read
HACI
50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
By ERIN THORBURN
HACI Mechanical Contractors, Inc. has come a long way since President Tim King joined the company in 1996. What began as Home Air Conditioning Inc. in 1972, founded by Jim Blondin, has now — as HACI — become one of the five largest commercial HVAC and plumbing contractors in Arizona. Serving a variety of industries with a diverse scope of projects, HACI produces between $70$80 million dollars in revenue annually for HVAC, plumbing, process piping, fabrication and service. As the company approaches its 50th anniversary, King celebrates five decades of HACI’s growth throughout the Valley, past company successes and previews what’s in store moving forward.
MECHANICAL KING: “HACI is my most prized possession,” says HACI Mechanical Contractors President Tim King. “I really enjoy coming to work each day and interacting with the people I work with. The successful projects HACI completes provides great
satisfaction.” (Photo by Mike Mertes, AZ Big Media)
CONSTANTLY EVOLVING
Back when Blondin championed Home Air Conditioning Inc., King explains that examples of services ranged from, “adding Whirlybird attic vents on home roofs to changing out evaporative coolers on homes to installing air conditioning units.”
With a primary focus on retrofit projects in the early years, eventually, the company transitioned into light commercial new construction.
As the company evolved, donning its new name in 2004 and with King on board, HACI’s specialization shifted toward design-build and design-assist projects, coinciding with Phoenix’s phase of rapid growth, according to King. “In 2010 [the company] added plumbing to our HVAC capabilities to become a full-service mechanical contractor,” he says.
Today, HACI offers a broad range of offerings including remodel, tenant improvement, retrofit, emergency repair, routine maintenance, warranty and post-warranty, plumbing installation, HVAC service and repair and HVAC maintenance — among many other specialty services.
Because of the value proposition embedded in HACI’s extended offerings, the company has continued to excel within the Valley’s commercial real estate sector (and beyond).
“HACI Mechanical and HACI Service has expanded into several markets within the State of Arizona,” King explains. “Our portfolio ranges from education, manufacturing and healthcare to office and high-rise apartments. As the current market continues to evolve, HACI has managed to pivot to serve our clients’ and owners’ needs on large and small projects.”
A minuscule collection of past HACI projects include the Phoenix Art Museum, Florence High School, La Loma Skilled Nursing Facility, Kierland Corporate Center, ASU Manzanita Dorms Remodel, Cityscape Block 22, Big League Dreams Sports Park, Glendale Aquatic Center and Camelback Anchor Center Condos. And “minuscule” is perhaps an understatement, considering the breadth of work and relationships that HACI has built over 50 years.
“The construction market in Arizona has trended in many different directions during Arizona’s growth,” King says. “HACI’s clients, our general contractors and owners, pursue the trends and HACI has always followed our clients in order to better serve their needs.”
Hayden Ferry Lakeside KEEPING CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE FOREFRONT
While HACI’s services are as varied as they are broad, there is another key element that draws clients to the company.
“HACI relies on great customer service and our reputation for continued project opportunities,” King says. “We maintain communication throughout the pre-construction, construction, closeout and warranty phases with our clients to ensure a successful project.”
Adds Rob Rarrick, division manager of HACI Service LLC., “We [have] found that typical ‘construction’ companies are not structured for an agile approach and most ‘service’ companies don’t have the capabilities to handle a wide array of mechanical services. Our blend of both skillsets has allowed us to expand at an exponential pace while maintaining our customers’ confidence and quality of service that we strive for.”
To help ensure quality assurance and impeccable customer service and retention, HACI prides itself in providing the highest caliber workmanship, employing personnel with decades-long knowledge and practical field experience, subscribing to the old adage of “two eyes are better than one” and then some, according to King.
As part of the two-eyes commitment to which King refers is safety. HACI employees receive routine training and retraining onsite. Comprehensive training includes proper use of rental equipment, tool and material handling, fall protection and general jobsite safety protocols. Additionally, HACI has both an in-house full-time safety advisor and Certified OSHA 500 trainers.
FOCUSING TWO EYES ON THE PRIZE
With a rich history of accomplishments in both completed projects, as well as rising, robust
About HACI
HISTORY: HACI was founded in 1972 as Home Air Conditioning, Inc., specializing in converting residences from evaporative cooling to refrigerated air conditioning. Over the years its focus shifted. By 1980, the company had moved to commercial work and away from residential work. The company changed its name to HACI Mechanical Contractors, Inc. to more accurately reflect what it does now; but to honor its past, the company retained HACI as part of its corporate name. HACI Service, LLC was added to provide better service to smaller construction projects, tenant improvement projects, and retrofits. HACI has grown to be one of the largest private, locallyowned commercial Mechanical Contractors in Arizona.
WHAT IT DOES: HACI Mechanical Contractors, Inc. is a full-service mechanical contracting firm providing new construction HVAC and plumbing contracting. HACI Service, LLC provides commercial HVAC hourly service as well as commercial HVAC retrofit, remodel, and tenant improvement services. HACI specializes in design-build and design-assist projects across all of Arizona. HACI has a wide range of project experience including office, educational, healthcare, detention, hospitality, sports venues, government facilities, retirement facilities, and multi-tenant and condominium buildings. HACI’s long term employees have the experience and expertise to provide detailed pre-construction services, building information modeling (BIM), LEED/Green construction expertise, in-house sheet metal fabrication and piping and plumbing pre-fabrication, and post project commissioning and warranty services.
PROJECTS OF NOTE: Arizona Federal Credit Union, ASU Skysong, Brophy College Preparatory Fine Arts Building, Central Arizona College Maricopa Campus, Cityscape Block 22, Deer Valley Towne Center, Glendale Aquatic Center, Hayden Ferry Lakeside, Kierland Corporate Center, Lower Buckeye Jail Central Plant Expansion, Maravilla, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport People Mover, Portland Place Condos, Raintree Corporate Center, Scottsdale Waterfront, Shamrock Foods Distribution Center, St. Mary’s High School, Tempe Center for the Arts, Vi @ Grayhawk, Yuma Regional Medical Center.
LEARN MORE: hacimechanical.com
annual earnings, HACI’s future is bright.
As King points out, in the previous three to five years alone, HACI has completed several plant upgrades, which include chillers, cooling towers, heat exchangers, in addition to the support equipment and piping required for operation.
And, while there have been challenging scenarios throughout HACI’s years in play, King says the company is primed to take them on. This includes one of their latest — the Crystal Lagoons Island Resort®. “HACI is contracted to complete the HVAC and plumbing for the project on a design-assist basis,” he says. “The project is being fast-tracked through design and construction with a goal of completion prior to the 2023 Super Bowl, which is scheduled next door at the State Farm Stadium.”
Abrupt timelines or no, King and his reliable cohort of skilled craftsmen, general contractors, subcontractors and vendor partners are all too willing to roll with the punches and produce exemplary outcomes.
“HACI has always adapted well to the construction market in Arizona and has pursued controlled growth when the construction market grows,” King says. “We have expanded our service and retrofit department to provide a more level source of business to dampen out cyclical patterns in new construction. This business philosophy has allowed HACI to grow into one of the largest privately-owned mechanical contractors in Arizona.”
