Granger Construction by North American Constructors Journal

Granger Construction, Inc. | 2

Granger Construction, Inc.:

Where Integrity Equals Success General Contractor Granger Construction Company, Inc. has enjoyed steady growth and diversification beyond its Western New York headquarters in East Syracuse Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino

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www.grangerconstructioncompany.com

The company thrives on repeat business and takes great pride in its integrity, customer service and unwavering commitment to delivering projects on time while fulfilling its promise of doing what it said would do. “We get a lot of repeat work, which is a testimony to what we do here. We’re committed to doing the right thing,” says Don Kowal, Vice President of Business Development. “Relationships are important to us and building trust in those relationships is paramount to what we do.” The company is a General Contractor in the truest sense in that it does not employ in-house trades people. Rather it brings together trusted sub-contractors to deliver each job it takes on. It employs 23 people and generates $25-$30 million in annual volume. The company’s clients include developers, national retailers, individual business owners and

general commercial entities. “Good subs and suppliers are a commodity these days and with an abundance of work and booming economy it’s always a challenge to find people that have the talent and the integrity to build with us,” Kowal says. ‘We do a good job of networking with the right sub-contractors to provide the construction services that we do.” Having built a superb reputation grounded in the retail sector, the company has been able to branch out and secure work in the commercial, hospitality, student housing and health care. It is known for it ability to complete projects with difficult schedules

“

There is still no substitute for

integrity. Your word, your handshake should be the golden rule. Do what you say you’re going to do, live up to it if you made a mistake, and then make it right, no matter what it is. Your reputation is gospel.

“

stablished in 1992 by industry veteran Les Granger as a General Contracting firm, Granger Construction Company, Inc. has enjoyed steady growth and diversification beyond its Western New York headquarters in East Syracuse as its markets have developed.

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- Vice President Don Kowal

www.grangerconstructioncompany.com

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and critical deadlines on time and under budget. The company now operates throughout the Northeast and along the East Coast as far south as South Carolina. In the retail sector alone, the company has completed four Dick’s Sporting Goods stores in three states, eight BJ’s Wholesale Club stores in five states, 15 Best Buy Stores in seven states and 12 Dollar General stores in New York state alone. “We’re trying to diversify a little more and we know how to get stuff done. We’ve had some really big curveballs and challenging schedules that we’ve managed to get done in the past where we’ve

high fived each other at the end of the job and said ‘Look at what we accomplished by working together’,” says Kowal, a veteran of more than 40 years in the business who has a degree in Architecture and has been with Granger for the past 12 years.

Showcase Projects Dick’s Sporting Goods: Granger completed this project on an incredibly tight schedule by running crews 24/7, seven days a week until project completion and delivery. Kowal spent three weeks on site managing part of the project. “It seemed like a very unrealistic schedule but we just rolled up our sleeves and we all

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Granger Construction, Inc. | 6 took a stake in it to get it done,” he recalled.

project we are very proud of,” Kowal notes.

Dig Safely New York: Granger is just finishing up its work on the state’s new $6 million call center and training facility in Onondaga County. The state-of-the-art 21,000-square foot facility includes offices, classrooms and a two-story glass enclosed test dig area where contractors are trained on how to dig safely around pipes, curbstones and buildings.

Operations

“That’s another step in our growth and diversity and is certainly a

“Les decided to develop a construction company the way

Having already owned and operated his own masonry company, worked as a Project Manager for one major contractor and served as President for another, Granger founded Granger Construction as SanGra Construction in 1992. The name was changed to Granger Construction 10 years later.

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he thought it should be done. So he assembled a group of people he knew and trusted who were dedicated to doing the right thing and having integrity for the client relationship and built the company from the ground up. I was at another company and when he heard I was looking to change my career path he sought me out. Over the years the company has been built that way. It’s like a family,” Kowal says. Granger’s passion permeates the company. “Les has often said that construction is still an art and believes there is an art in putting

together a project and getting the right results. He has a passion for the business, a love for building and seeing things growing out of the ground and has brought on people who get satisfaction from client relationships and doing a good job,” Kowal says. With the same companies often bidding for regional jobs, Kowal says it is crucial to assemble the right sub-contractors to match the project. The company holds face-to-face meetings with subcontractors when possible and requires pre-qualification forms to be completed. “When we’re bidding and putting

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Granger Construction, Inc. | 8 together a project, we try to seek out the who’s who and what’s what about sub contractors,” Kowal explains. That process can become bit more difficult when the company works out of the immediate area. “We go to job sites and talk to the suppliers about which subcontractors can provide the best service for the project. We recognize that there are different levels of sub-contractors with different expertise. If you’re building a Dollar General, you’re looking for a different level subcontractor than if you’re building a five-story hotel,” Kowal notes.

Kowal describes the company as a well-oiled machine. “So much of what we do is understanding the full gamut of a project and having the ability to communicate with an owner, an architect, an engineer, and a subcontractor and we try to use that experience to match the client’s needs and offer the best results. It’s a whole team here and we work to put things together and perform properly,” he says.

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Granger Construction, Inc. | 9 Associated General Contractors (AGC) and takes advantage of the association’s initiatives to educate contractors in safety, new rules and regulations, proper procedures and lobbying. Kowal says, “they are one of the major contributors to the betterment of our industry.”

Looking Forward The management team knows the company needs an infusion of young talent and is working on putting a succession plan in place

“We all get along and have the same goals. I just find it’s a good place to work. When one group is overloaded another one helps; it’s just a good working environment with people having a common goal and taking pride in what we do,” Kowal says. Although it is a private entity, Granger is a member of the

“

We get a lot of repeat work,

which is a testimony to what we do here. We’re committed to doing the

“

Having a small, tight-knit group of employees has been a key element of Granger’s success.

“We’re all seasoned veterans for the most part. There aren’t too many kids here and we could use some new blood,” Kowal says, adding “our younger managers bring a wealth of technology and newer ways to manage a project. Both of our estimators were previously in business for

right thing.

- Vice President Don Kowal

www.grangerconstructioncompany.com

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www.grangerconstructioncompany.com

Granger Construction, Inc. | 11 themselves.” Kowal is confident Granger has laid out a clear path for the company to enjoy continued growth and success whenever he steps aside. “There is still no substitute for integrity. Your word, your handshake should be the golden rule. Do what you say you’re going to do, live up to it if you made a mistake, and then make it right, no matter what it is. Your reputation is gospel. Otherwise you don’t have much to stand on. Les walks the walk and is a good leader for the company,” Kowal concludes.