To Our Readers: As we build our space, our goal with each issue of North American Construction Journal is to bring you top-shelf reporting about compelling companies across the broad spectrum of the industry. Helix Electric kicks off this issue. With headquarters in San Diego and its primary regional unit in Las Vegas, Helix is a respected national powerhouse that provides clients with electrical contracting solutions across all sectors and maintains additional locations in Honolulu, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland, Reno and Washington D.C. North of the border in Newmarket, Ontario Bird Mechanical is closing in on its 50th birthday and through its first half century has evolved from a company with a focus on the light commercial and residential sectors into a General, Mechanical and Design Build contractor that primarily serves the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sectors. Meanwhile, innovative HJ Foundation Company of Miami, one of North America’s premier deep foundation contractors, has helped change the face of South Florida. To combat the region’s unstable limestone-based soil, the company spent a decade in research and development perfecting its cutting edge Tangential Bearing Element (TBE) system that is unlike anything the industry has ever seen. We also take a look at how California TrusFrame LLC of Perris, CA negotiated its way through The Great Recession of a decade ago and a merger to re-emerge as a leading manufacturer and supplier of structural building component products, engineering and design services across California and beyond. Enjoy the issue!
Kevin Doyle
Editor-In-Chief Kevin.doyle@naconstructionjournal.com
The Team Editor-In Chief - Kevin Doyle Executive Director - Alex Hortaridis Creative Director - Stephen Marino Developer - Andrew Twomey Director of Sales - Jason Wright
NACJ
Table of Contents
1
39
Helix Electric 1
California TrusFrame LLC. 15
31
Tappan Zee Constructors 31
Bird Mechanical 39
51
Ellis Don 51
KPOST 67
Baker Concrete Construction, Inc. 81
HJ Foundation 97
Classic Stone 109
Granger Construction 119
67
81 97 109 119
North American Construction Journal
Helix Electric:
A Respected National Powerhouse Helix Electric provides a full range of electrical contracting solutions across multiple sectors from locations in Honolulu, San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland, Reno, Las Vegas and Washington D.C. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
1
North American Construction Journal
2
www.naconstructionjournal.com
R
North American Construction Journal elentless. Driven. Innovative. Each term accurately describes Helix Electric and accounts for the contractor’s unmatched success under the direction of President Boris Shekhter and President Victor Fuchs. “We stand apart in so many different ways,” Fuchs states. Engineering News Record ranks the company as a Top 10 Electrical Contractor. “Boris and I are both very hands on. We talk almost daily and try to make the right decisions for the company overall.” Helix, a non-union/merit shop, was established in 1985. The company maintains headquarters in San Diego under Shekhter, generates approximately $800 million annual revenue and employs more than 3,000 across the United States. Of that number, approximately 600 are employed by the Nevada operation under Fuchs’ direction. Helix offers pre-construction, BIM/ engineering, project management, design/build and prefabrication services across the full spectrum of sectors including commercial and retail, education, government and military, healthcare and biotech, hospitality and entertainment, industrial, multi-family, residential, renewable energy and transportation. What differentiates Helix from the competition?
www.naconstructionjournal.com
3
“We have a relentless drive to do better and to improve ourselves up and down the organization, whether it’s by going to classes (at Helix University), reading books or watching tech talks,” Shekhter notes. “I also credit our diversity. We are a company of immigrants from different parts of the world and the United States. We come from different genders, backgrounds and race. That isn’t as common as it should be in construction and we use that to our advantage. Our people truly are driven to excel at what they do,” he stresses. The company’s body of work speaks
North American Construction Journal to that. Customer relations are Key Projects
The company has won countless awards, including 28 Excellence in Construction Awards presented by the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), 7 National Eagle Awards presented by the ABC, and 15 Design-Build Institute of America Awards. It was also presented with the ABC’s National Safety Award, presented at the association’s annual convention in March. “We have a lot of talented people who work very hard; it is not just two people or management. It is the talent we have that makes us successful. We’ve invested in some very capable people to make sure we meet the needs of our clients,” Fuchs explains. “We can’t give excuses to our customers – they hired us to make all their issues go away. We meet with them numerous times throughout projects to make sure we are meeting all of their needs,” he adds. There is perhaps no better example of the company’s commitment than the work it has done for UCLA, where it has been the contractor of choice for the past 20 years.
Meow Wolf in Las Vegas: The Meow Wolf exhibition will feature a 40,000 square foot immersive, high-tech art experience with unique, independently owned walk-through exhibits keyed to the surrounding beauty of the Mojave Desert and the Las Vegas lifestyle. The Meow Wolf artists will provide exhibits that will amaze with beauty and bring wonder to those willing to explore. P440 Air Wing Training Facility in Fallon: This 25,500 square foot facility will support desk-style aircraft simulators, Virtual Aegis Combat simulators, F-35 Mission Rehearsal Trainers, unmanned aerial system simulators, E-2D simulators and support spaces. Park Lane Apartments in Reno: Lyon Homes and Reno Land development are working together on this master planned community that sits on 46 acres in the Reno area. It is being developed in phases, including Park
“
I like the chase, I like to win
work, and I like to shake hands with a happy client knowing that we solved their problem.
“
sacrosanct and Helix is committed to providing top-shelf solutions for every client.
4
- President Boris Shekhter www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
5
Lane Wrap 1-A, a 361,800 square foot, 5-story building of 282 apartments, wrapping around a 127,500 square foot parking garage. Park Lane 4-A, 4-B and 4-C will consist of three buildings totaling 272,600 square feet housing a fitness center, leasing areas, pool and roof-top amenity deck. Phase 3 includes 370 high-end apartments, rooftop bars, and retail and restaurants located on the first floor. Expo at World Market Center in Las Vegas: This 335,400 square foot exhibit facility, set to open in the Summer of 2020, is the new location for temporary gift and home décor exhibits that can accommodate up to 1000 exhibit booths. It is also available for non-Market trade shows, corporate events and banquets. Fannie Mae Office Building: Helix, in conjunction with Clark Construction, has started work on the Fannie Mae office project in Reston, VA. “It’s a large core and shell with two towers of 20 stories and 28 stories. It’s giant,” Shekhter describes. It is part of the 27-acre Reston Gateway build out projected to add 200,000 square feet of retail space and 1.8 million square feet of office space. San Diego Airport: A joint venture with Turner Construction, PCL and Flatiron will transform the 470,000sf three-story Terminal 2 at San Diego County Regional Airport Authority into the first LEED Platinum certified airport
www.naconstructionjournal.com
terminal in the world. The project will add 10 new gates, a dual-level roadway, enhanced curbside check-in, a ticketing lobby, additional security screening lanes, baggage handling, seating areas, concessions and support space. Helix is also upgrading the airport’s 12 kV service and distribution systems, including construction of a new standalone concrete switchgear building. Pier 70 San Francisco: Regarded
North American Construction Journal
as the most well-preserved 19th century industrial complex west of the Mississippi, Pier 70 was home to Union Iron Works and Bethlehem shipbuilding during both World Wars. The current project includes rehabilitation of approximately 227,800 square feet of space in three buildings. AES Lawaii: The 28MW solar project for Kawaii also has battery storage of 100 MW hours of electricity. Kawaii
6
has the largest reusable energy capacity in the world. “Everyone is talking about solar – we store it and deploy it at night,” Shekhter says. “We are proud of our ability to do repeat business. This is just another project for them and we get our work based on our past performance.” Great Wolf-Disney: Helix is working with Turner Construction on its second Great Wolf resort facility that
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
7
SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS FOR
CONTRACTORS
With industry-leading construction expertise and value-added services, WESCO can successfully support the most complex and demanding construction schedules. And of course, we offer all your favorite products from the reliable suppliers you know and trust, such as Eaton. Contact WESCO today to learn how we can become your material management partner, offering the supply chain solutions that reduce costs and increase productivity. Find a WESCO Branch near you at https://branchlocator.wesco.com/
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
RIGHT PRODUCT, RIGHT TIME
LOWER INSTALLED COST
GREATER PRODUCTIVITY
REAL-TIME INFORMATION
WESCO Distribution 225 W. Station Square Drive , Suite 700 Pittsburgh, PA 15221 buy.wesco.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
8
It’s not just about understanding the numbers. It’s about a banker who understands your business. A one-to-one relationship with your banker – a banker who truly understands your business – is how Bank of Nevada delivers on accountability.
Bank on Accountability
bankofnevada.com
Top 10 – Forbes Best Banks
Bank of Nevada, a division of Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC. Western Alliance ranks top ten on Forbes’ Best Banks in America list, four years in a row.
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal will include 603 rooms, a three-acre indoor/outdoor water park, 30,000 square feet of conference space and 18,000 square feet of retail and dining. Fort Shafter Data Center: This project with Watts Constructors in Oahu, Hawaii involves construction of a sixstory, 88,237-square foot administrative and special use facility for Phase 2 and Phase 3 Main Operations such as Safety, Operational Protection Directorate (OPD), Operations and Plans/Civil Affairs. UCLA: Helix is currently working with PCL on the $80 million Weyburn Terrace Graduate Student Housing project. “We are proud of our relationship with PCL and with UC” Shekter points out.
9
Through the years, Helix has also performed work on UCLA’s Teraski Life Sciences Building, Ronald Reagan Medical Center, Pauley Pavilion, Luskin Conference and Guest Center, Wasserman Football Performance Center and Jules Stein Seismic Correction and Program Improvements. with UCLA. The whole program is 5,400 beds – that’s pretty serious,” Shekhter points out. Tesla Gigafactory in Reno: Helix recently completed its work on this manufacturing facility. The lithiumion battery and electric vehicle subassembly factory owned and operated by Tesla, Inc. supplies battery packs for its electric vehicles and stationary storage systems.
#1 HOTEL IN MESQUITE
GETAWAY YOUR
#1 CASINO IN MESQUITE
NOT FAR AWAY
#1 RESTAURANT IN MESQUITE
Set among the scenic red mesas of Mesquite, Nevada, Eureka Casino Resort is just a quick 35 minutes from St. George. Eureka combines a comfortable, relaxing hotel stay with an exciting casino and some of the best restaurants Mesquite has to offer. Our professional resort staff will be there every step of the way to make sure your experience is stress free. 275 Mesa Blvd
Mesquite, NV 89027
Call for more info (702) 346-4600 EurekaMesquite.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
10
THE HAWTHORNE
BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES
YOUR POWER PARTNER Hawthorne offers power system solutions to operate your utility at maximum efficiency. Offering Cat® rental power, generator sets, switchgear and microgrid systems with all the parts and service you need, backed up by local support. San Diego 858.376.6800 Hawaii 808.676.0205
www.hawthornecat.com
Sephora Distribution Facility: Work on this 500,000-square foot distribution center for the Parisbased multinational chain of personal care and beauty stores is just about complete.
mandatory for their employment? Do we think that’s fair? It’s really unfortunate that these things exist. They drive up costs and they are certainly controlling the majority of the work force,” notes Shekhter.
Talent Retention
In order to offset a work force that is aging out, the company utilizes its Helix University platform to groom new talent and prefers to promote from within. Helix invested $1.25M in education last year company-wide and expects that financial outlay to grow to $1.5M in 2019.
Helix faces many of the same challenges as contractors across the country along with some unique to California where the adverse impact of the state’s PLA Plan requires workers to join a union in order to work when 85 percent prefer non-union status. “As a society, do we think it is just and fair to cut out 85 percent of a work force, or to make being in a union
“Finding quality construction labor is a challenge. We have invested into developing our talent internally. You can outsource but if you hire and
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal develop internally you can get the people that are loyal and dedicated to the company. We are active in bringing in students from community colleges and high schools and putting them through boot camp,” says Fuchs. “Helix University is huge for us. We brought in a new director of talent and development and she is going to add to our talent pipeline. First, we get our guys into a starting role and then a lead role and then provide them a chance to run a job. In the office we recruit PE to PM training – the staff needs to train and buildfrom within,” Shekhter asserts. The company is also working with prisons to provide inmates with training. “We’re offering a second
You inspire others At Union Bank®, we’re proud to honor local leaders. More than that, we’re inspired by them. To us, helping those who lay the groundwork for progress just seems like the right thing to do. unionbank.com Bruce Breslau Managing Director, Market Manager San Diego Commercial Banking 4660 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 400 San Diego, CA 92122 858-812-3650
©2019 MUFG Union Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Member FDIC. Union Bank is a registered trademark and brand name of MUFG Union Bank, N.A. unionbank.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
11
chance. We bring them on and put them to work, assuming they satisfy our needs,” Fuchs says. The company’s six-month STP program ensures that all Superintendents and Foremen receive proper training. “We just don’t stick them on the job site and hope they can swim. We make sure they have the proper tools and training,” Fuchs explains.
Day to Day Shekhter operates an open office and cites being available to customers, calling clients, or for assisting teammates as a key element in his role as a leader. “Part of coaching is being available
North American Construction Journal
Fuchs says ensuring that the company adheres to its core values on each and every job is of the utmost importance. “You have one shot at doing a great job and we spend a lot of time making sure we get it right,” he emphasizes. “We also do a lot of charitable work and give back. We have two charity golf tournaments a year in Nevada and the employees chose the charities and foundations we contribute to.” Sub-contractors are thoroughly scrutinized before Helix brings them on board.
“Once they and their suppliers are hired by us, they are part of the team and need to act as part of Helix,” Fuchs says. The company invests heavily in technology, evaluating the latest iterations to determine if they meet company needs. Every project is surveyed and reviewed on multiple occasions from concept to completion to guarantee customer
“
We stand apart in so many
different ways. Boris and I are both very hands on. We talk almost daily and try to make the right decisions for the company overall.
“
and the first step is developing trust. We want to be out there with the staff, mixing it up with the folks,” he says. “I’m very lucky that I work in a business that creates very good middle-class jobs and I’m very proud to be in the business we’re in. We’re working a trade and making a living for our families. It’s cool to be able to say that today in the United States because you don’t have that so much anymore.”
12
- President Victor Fuchs www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
13
satisfaction. Fuchs reads and evaluates each and every review.
that is important to the development of future talent.”
“We need to make sure we provide what we say we will. I don’t want to be confronted by a customer who says ‘You told us you would do this’ and find out we didn’t do it. We have to make sure we are meeting their needs,” he stresses.
Safety Protocol
The company derives benefits from its memberships in ABC and AGC and implements advice from both. “Both memberships provide a voice within the industry and help to make sure statutes and decisions are done in a way that benefits the industry,” Fuchs says. “Both have active lobbyists; ABC also has an apprenticeship program
Shekhter regards safety as a moral and ethical responsibility and the company’s safety measures are top of mind around the clock. Safety meetings and audits are part and parcel of daily operations, designed to identify and prevent unsafe acts before they occur. “We invest tons of money into safety and take it very seriously. We talk not only about lagging indicators, which is what happened, but also about leading indicators. That’s a very big goal of ours, to prevent unsafe acts before they happen. Our record has gotten better and better the last two-three years. Hurting one person a year is one too many,” he says. The company has a full-time Safety Directors in each region and a staff of safety officers is charged with developing and enforcing the company’s zero tolerance mandates. Shekhter and Fuchs sit on the Executive Safety Committee that meets monthly and drives initiatives down through Supervisors and Project Managers to the work force to insure the company is not compromised in any way. Safety Saturday awareness classes are held across all regions twice a year. All supervisory and management staff are required to
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal obtain OSHA 30-hour construction training. Since 1999 the company has won the ABC’s prestigious Platinum STEP Award 17 times. It has garnered five California/OSHA Golden Gate Recognition Awards since 2010 and earned the State of Nevada Safety Consultation Training Section’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program Award in 2017.
Looking Forward Under the continued guidance of Shekhter and Fuchs, Helix can expect continued measured growth from Hawaii to Washington DC and beyond thanks to its growing international reputation. “Once you are at the top you have responsibility to maintain that reputation. You need to own it and be responsible for owning it. We don’t have a choice. Sometimes we interview with [potential clients] and they ask us questions and it’s just mind-boggling to me because they say ‘Will you do this and I almost want to say who won’t?’,” Fuchs says. “Our success is driven from the top down and the bottom up and our employees feel involved in the overall growth and success of the business,” Shekhter says. “Victor often goes to dinner with employees to learn about what is going on in the company so
14
they feel involved in the overall growth and success of the business. Some of our best ideas are coming from the front line workers.” Shekhter aims to ensure every employee is vested in the company’s success. “We want to make sure every job is a successful job so that people want to be part of the team. Watching folks rise up and be successful in the organization is really fun for me. I like the chase, I like to win work, and I like to shake hands with a happy client knowing that we solved their problem,” Shekhter concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: Helix Electric Country: United States Industry: Construction Est: 1985 Premier Service: Electrical Contractor President: Boris Sheketer / Victor Fuchs Website: www.helixelectric.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
15
California TrusFrame LLC:
Rebounding With A Passion Structural Building Component Manufacturer California TrusFrame LLC with manufacturing facilities throughout California is a leading supplier of structural building component products, engineering & design services across California. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
16
www.naconstructionjournal.com
E
North American Construction Journal stablished in 1982, California TrusFrame is a structural building component manufacturer in the truest sense, recognized today for their high level of engineering & design services coupled with their unparalleled product quality & high capacity manufacturing capability. CTF provides the highest level of SBC services to Framers & GC’s throughout the state of California. Ken Cloyd founded CalTruss in 1982. Today the company supplies an array of structural component products across the Tract Home, Multi-Family, Commercial, and Custom sectors; Product offerings include Roof and Floor Trusses, Wall Panels, and Smart Component solutions; they also provide Engineering and Design services to round out the full structural building component package. “CalTruss opened its doors for the first time in November of 1982 and did an outstanding job for 29 years under the leadership of its founder Ken Cloyd. Ken and his team did a great job with customer service and making it happen for their customers. This model left a lasting impression on the California construction market providing a very positive branding for the company,” said current President & CEO Steve Stroder, who joined the company as COO in late 2014 having 35 years of construction industry experience.
www.naconstructionjournal.com
17
Stroder was brought on board to engineer a reversal of an extended downward spiral that dated back to the merger of CalTruss and TrusFrame in 2011 brought about as the companies sought to recover from The Great Recession. “All of 2015 was spent re-tooling the company with state-of-the-art equipment while also implementing sound manufacturing practices as well as efficiency metrics,” Stroder explained. Current numbers speak to the company’s rebound – it now has 700 associates across five California locations and, Stroder says, “we are in a definite growth mode.” Sales volume
North American Construction Journal
The company’s core values – “People, Honor, Drive!” – are at the heart of every decision. “We preach, teach, and live by these values daily. We hire with them in mind and make our business decisions daily
“
This complete turnaround in
company logic, coupled with the help of an outstanding team and the legacy reputation of CalTruss, is what has brought CTF back from the brink of disaster to become the clear leader in our structural building component space throughout California.
“
has grown year over year since 2015 with 2018 being the strongest year yet. While sales dollars have waned a bit in 2019 due to lower lumber prices and significant rain in the first half of the year, the second half of 2019 is shaping up to provide a strong finish. Growing single family track builder interest in Wall Panels & Floor Trusses as well as Floor Cassettes indicate significant opportunity for growth in 2020 for the company”.
18
- CEO/President Steve Stroder
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
19
North American Construction Journal
20
based on our core values. If one truly follows that plan you can’t help but succeed in today’s business world. Our people are our most valuable assets and [we] integrate the principle that our word is our bond. Couple this with a passion to do things right, and one can’t fail. Follow this advice and always strive to “Do What You Say You Are Going to Do” and success will follow!” Stroder declares.
Roadmap to Recovery Upon taking over as CEO and President, Stroder first assembled a top-notch executive team of some of the best minds both in and outside the industry. “We started the process of breaking down silos and empowering our managers so they could lead, while also creating a company culture that supports our associates, providing a healthy atmosphere where people can excel in their careers creating great value for our customers,” Stroder explains. “This complete turnaround in company logic, coupled with the help of an outstanding team and the legacy reputation of CalTruss, is what has brought CTF back from the brink of disaster to become the clear leader in our structural building component space throughout California,” he adds. The company has emerged as the
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal largest and best positioned structural building component manufacturer on the West Coast by a wide margin; has the largest design capacity led by its premier Design Group; and, Stroder says, “We are committed to partnering with our framer and builder customers rather than competing against them for the end customer in a vertically integrated system such as some of our more formidable competition.”
Day to Day Stroder is clear that his role at CTF is to provide vision and inspiration. “I lead by example and with a passion for our people. This allows us to have a stable, safe, and comfortable
www.naconstructionjournal.com
21
working environment so we can create success together and for our valued customers,” he notes. CTF is a recognized leader in LEED accredited projects. The use of Structural Building Components provides a fully engineered structure while also reducing the amount of wood fiber used thus providing a significant reduction in waste producing more efficient structures that are safer than conventionally framed homes. All of the company’s raw materials come from the western United States and are managed as a renewable resource. CTF employs no onsite tradespeople and does not self-perform any onsite
North American Construction Journal
22
CONGRATULATIONS
CALIFORNIA TRUSFRAME We congratulate you on your ongoing business success and unwavering commitment to safety and excellence.
www.alaskanational.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
Final
North American Construction Journal
23
Your partner in new possibilities. Alliant uncovers new possibilities for employee benefits and ensures you capitalize on opportunities where it matters most — in the reduction of healthcare and administrative burdens. Employee benefits go beyond healthcare however. They are a key element of your talent acquisition and retention strategy to attract, and retain, the talent you demand. With more than 100 offices and 3,800 employees across the country, Alliant offers the national strength you need backed by the local expertise that matters. Discover the Alliant difference today.
framing work. Rather it partners with well-regarded framer customers and as a team, provides the very best construction experience a builder can hope to receive. “We believe cutting our customers out of the on-site building process by vertical integration is the wrong approach, so we embrace our customers and build long-lasting relationships that allow us to create a seamless construction process for the end-user,” Stroder says. “California TrusFrame isn’t for everyone. We work hard to build strong relationships throughout our customer base as well as our vendor
www.naconstructionjournal.com
Brian Bean, CLU, ChFC First Vice President Alliant Employee Benefits (909) 474-8720 Creative. Experienced. Engaged. Responsive. That’s the Alliant difference. Alliantbenefits.com
base. We do business with good people. Life is too short to deal with people who don’t support a culture of doing the right thing. CTF is all about providing quality and service at the highest level for our customers. We support our customers’ needs while supporting our employees in the same way. We expect our vendors to do the same,” he adds. The company invests in the best available software, purchases raw materials from only the top suppliers, and embraces advanced manufacturing and programming processes that reduce manual labor resulting in a more efficient, safer, and a much more accurate working
North American Construction Journal
“We are living in a great time for the construction industry. I see the industry truly beginning to think out of the box today,” Stroder says. “We are starting to see some very effective equipment coming online. Even better than that, I am starting to see manufacturers and builders alike become much more open minded about implementing this
new equipment into their operations.” A commitment to giving back to its communities is ingrained in the company’s DNA. Among its many initiatives, CTF has: • Supported many local youth soccer, baseball and softball teams throughout
“
We are living in a great time
for the construction industry. I see the industry truly beginning to think out of the box today.
“
environment. The burgeoning innovation surge has been exciting across an industry that hadn’t changed much in the previous 100 years or so. Such developments have provided better working conditions and higher quality goods and services, along with enhanced speed to market.
24
- CEO/President Steve Stroder www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal the state mostly around each of its facilities • Performed special projects for a couple of local youth leagues including Perris Youth Soccer, which was provided the material and labor to build storage for the league’s gear • Participated in a big way in the Riverside Breast Cancer Walk for the last three years with upwards of 250 CTF associate participants taking part last year • Continued long-standing support of the work being done by the City of Hope Cancer Research Institute. • Partnered with one of our valued customers (BSA Framing) to provide the structural building components for four homes for Faith Baptist church that are being used as housing for worthy homeless families until they can get back on their feet. • Donated supplies to the local high schools and sponsored Spirit Week shirts every year. Stroder is a member of the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA), serving on the Board of Directors for the past 17 years and on the Executive Committee for the past six years. “SBCA is an outstanding organization comprised of the very best Structural Building Component Manufacturers
www.naconstructionjournal.com
25
North American Construction Journal
26
SAPPHIRE STRUCTURE ®
BUILT EXCLUSIVELY FOR COMPONENT MANUFACTURERS. BUILT FOR POWER.
STRUCTURAL MODELING, EDITING, AND ESTIMATING FUNCTIONALITY. → Formula Builder → Options Management → Multi-family Referencing
SAPPHIRE® STRUCTURE 3D MODELING AND DESIGN SOFTWARE FOR ROOF, FLOOR AND WALL SYSTEMS.
MiTek-US.com/software/SAPPHIRE-Structure COPYRIGHT © 2019 MITEK INDUSTRIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal in the United States. This organization has been an absolute Godsend to me and many of my peers around the country for the last 30 plus years. Over the years, through hard work and perseverance we have developed some of the most comprehensive support programs for our members that you could imagine. I can very honestly say that this organization has done more for my career development than anything else I have been exposed to,” Stroder says. He takes full advantage of the networking opportunities within the association. “The relationships one develops in the SBCA are invaluable. Over the last 30 years I have come to know and develop deep lasting friendships with some of the most talented business leaders in our country and they are out there for me to collaborate with daily,” Stroder notes.
Safety Protocol The company meshes its in-house safety program with the SBCA’s Operation Safety Program and behavior-based enhancements developed internally by its own Safety Team. Employees are trained to spot potential areas of concern, authorized to stop work anytime if unsafe working conditions are noticed, and
www.naconstructionjournal.com
27
North American Construction Journal
28
are rewarded when they do so. The company’s Vice President of HR and EH&S (Jason Ward) also serves as Chairman of the SBCA’s National Safety Committee. “We use leading indicators as our main proactive method to facilitate a safe working environment and we work hard to create a company culture of safety, as well as caring for our fellow co-worker’s well being. We are investing in our safety culture through education as well as providing strong safety leadership with an EH&S Specialist at each of our manufacturing facilities,” Stroder explains.
Employee Training and Retention To replenish an aging work force and handle an abundance of work, the company relies heavily on its CTF University Program, an annual 36-week training course that delves into all facets of the company’s business. Fifty associates graduated from the first class in January and the second class is scheduled to begin this October. High-level managers throughout the company teach the courses providing education on the company while also providing critical one-on-one interaction with mid-level managers to enhance a positive culture of open communication. CTF prefers to promote from within when possible and Stroder says “I would say we lean to that direction
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
29
North American Construction Journal on a regular basis as it creates great loyalty within our ranks.”
Looking Ahead Given its sterling reputation across the industry, its status as a market leader, and the abundance of available work, CTF seems set for continued success well into the future. As he guides the company toward its next phase of development, Stroder says CTF provides its services for all the right reasons. “Being able to look at the good we
30
do is an awesome feeling. Providing shelter over our fellow man and seeing the happiness that creates is a great feeling. We are meeting a legitimate human need. My biggest love of this industry is the people. Construction people are some of the most down-toearth good people I could ever hope to work with, and I count myself blessed to be able to do what I do for a living,” he says. “The future is bright for structural building components and CTF is committed to being at the vanguard of our industries development for many years to come,” Stroder concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: California TrusFrame Country: United States Industry: Construction Est: 2005 Premiere Service: Structural building component manufacturer CEO/President: Steven Stroder Website: www.caltrusframe.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC
An All-Star Collaboration Joint venture of Fluor Enterprises, Inc., American Bridge Company, Granite Construction Northeast, Inc., and Traylor Bros, Inc. takes on $3.98bn Tappan Zee Bridge project Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
31
North American Construction Journal
32
www.naconstructionjournal.com
W
North American Construction Journal
33
When taking on the largest bridge construction project in New York State’s history, a consortium of companies was required to execute the $3.98bn Tappan Zee Bridge endeavor. Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC, a joint venture incorporated in 2012, is made up of Fluor Enterprises, Inc. (30%), American Bridge Company (23.3%), Granite Construction Northeast, Inc. (23.3%), and Traylor Bros, Inc. (23.3%). The powerhouse companies combine local, national and international expertise under a single banner and received a notice to proceed in January 2013. The cable-stayed bridge owned by The New York State Thruway Authority is a Design/Build marvel that has made extensive use of Building Information Modeling (BIM). The 3.1-mile span across the Hudson River is formally named the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and links Rockland and Westchester counties. It replaces the 61-year-old Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge that opened in 1955. The bridge will have an anticipated lifespan of 100 years and will be fully operational by June 2018. The north span opened to traffic in August 2017 and will eventually carry the northbound and westbound traffic of Routes I-87 and I-287 and
www.naconstructionjournal.com
incorporates a shared use path for bicycles and pedestrians. Upon completion, the south span will carry the southbound and eastbound traffic of the two highways.
The Collaborators Fluor Corporation (NYSE: FLR): This global engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction and maintenance giant designs, builds and maintains facilities for clients on six continents. Headquartered in Irving, TX it ranks No. 149 on the Forbes 500 list and had revenue of $19bn in 2016. American Bridge Company: Based in Coraopolis, PA, American Bridge’s projects include a significant proportion of the world’s large bridges, marine installations, and
North American Construction Journal
34
cutting-edge construction of complex bridges for more than 60 years, completing more than 135 major bridge projects across the nation. The company manufactures pre-stressed concrete structural elements in its precast yards and has developed some of the most innovative construction techniques in the industry. All told, the project has utilized more than 1,700 sub-contractors and suppliers while employing more than 7,000 individuals.
Site Safety other complex structures. It is renowned for its project experience, safety leadership, reputation for integrity and competence, commitment to in-house development of human talent, equipment fleet, and its advanced engineering technology. Granite Construction Northeast, Inc: This division of California-based Granite Construction operates as a civil contractor and is based in Tarrytown, NY. Its projects include highways and bridges, marine, airports, mass transit, and Design/ Build projects. Granite Construction offers airport construction services in New York and New Jersey. Traylor Bros. Inc.: The company has self-performed highly technical,
When major players join forces on projects of such scope, they bring with them industry standard safety protocols developed and refined through decades of shared experience. According to a fact sheet posted to the www.newnybridge.com site, TZC workers are required to: • Wear hard hats at all times in work areas • Wear hearing protection in the vicinity of operations that produce high levels of sound • Wear high-impact safety glasses with rigid side shields at all times • Wear thick work gloves at all times • Wear safety-toed footwear
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
35
with ankle support at all times • Wear U.S. Coast Guard approved life vests when working on barges, boats and temporary trestles • Wear water-activated beacons that flash when submerged in water • Carry rust-proof whistles for long-distance emergency warning • Wear high-visibility vests and pants • Wear safety harnesses when working at heights of six feet or more
300,000 cubic yards of concrete and 220 million pounds of steel. When completed, the bridge will have eight general traffic lanes, wide shoulders and Emergency/Express bus lanes, and six scenic overlook locations.
Project Highlights
The bridge’s signature characteristic are its eight main span towers, which were topped off in December 2016. Each stands 419 feet tall, each slopes at a five-degree angle, and each includes internal maintenance
The numbers associated with the massive undertaking are staggering – 14 miles of main span cables, 50 miles of foundation piling,
www.naconstructionjournal.com
To enhance the collaborative effort and facilitate the sharing of information, members of the TZC team and Thruway Authority personnel are working out of the same office.
North American Construction Journal
36
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
37
North American Construction Journal elevators engineered to match the slope. A key component throughout the project has been the use of the I Lift New York super crane, one of the world’s largest. Owned by TZC and officially registered with the Coast Guard as the Left Coast Lifter, the crane sits on a 384-foot marine barge with a 328-foot boom with a lifting capacity of more than 1,900 tons – greater than the combined weight of 12 Statues of Liberty. The crane has allowed TZC to pre-fabricate huge sections of the bridge weighing up to 1,100 tons off site at Coeymans Yard before shipping them downriver for placement. All told, the crane set more than 100 assemblies of steel girders and multiple concrete pier
38
caps. It is also assisting in removal of the existing bridge and the crane’s use throughout the project is estimated to save the state approximately $1bn. TZC has continually monitored environmental impact on the Lower Hudson Valley, placing data stations at each landing on either side of the river and other key locations to gather information on noise, vibration and air quality. Of particular concern is protecting the region’s endangered peregrine falcon population. Once the bridge is completed, more than six million man hours of construction time will have been accumulated.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: Tappan Zee Constructors, LLC Country: U.S. Industry: Bridge construction Est: 2012 Premiere: Joint venture to build the new Tappan Zee Bridge Website: www.tappanzeeconstructors.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
39
Bird Mechanical Ltd.:
Mechanical Contracting and Retrofit Specialist Bird Mechanical Ltd. has steadily evolved into a General, Mechanical and Design Build contractor that primarily serves the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sectors Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
40
www.naconstructionjournal.com
E
North American Construction Journal
stablished in 1971 with a focus on the light commercial and residential sectors, Bird Mechanical Ltd. has steadily evolved into a General, Mechanical and Design Build contractor that primarily serves the industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) sectors. “We’ve grown and evolved in many ways; it’s not the same company it was in the ‘70’s. We are midsized, a hybrid of best of both worlds of a small family business – knowing the employees, knowing the staff, open door communication – and a corporation that is investing in its people, tools and equipment,” says CEO Brandon Bird. He grew up in the company founded by his grandfather and later came back
www.naconstructionjournal.com
41
to it on his own terms in his mid-20s after attending film school. Today the Newmarket, Ontario firm generates approximately $30 million annual sales revenue, employs about 100 and recently established a second location in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The company prefers to work as the General Contractor whenever possible, taking the lead on mechanical contracting and retrofit projects and dealing with owners on a personal basis. “As long as a job is heavily mechanical driven – 60 to 70 percent or more – we will take it on as the General Contractor. We don’t like to work for a GC so 93 percent of the work we do is direct to owner because we want
North American Construction Journal
“It makes sense that we drive the bus when the work is mechanical in nature. It allows us to be more competitive and gives owners the key people at the table to deal with,” he adds.
Premiere Projects Macdonald Block Disentanglement Project: The central nervous system of Ontario’s government operations – which accommodates approximately 3,600 people and has government offices and a massive amount of
rentable space – was built in 1971 but had never had a major renovation. Core systems such as electrical, water, heating and cooling had to be replaced and Bird supplied shoring for the parking garage and three floors. The project includes extensive mechanical and electrical system rework as this project is the early works package for the large renovation of the publicly owned Macdonald Block Complex and will take eight years to complete. Queen’s University Boiler Project: Funding of $8.9 million from the Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skill Development was secured for this project, completed in July 2019. The goal is to reach the institution’s carbon neutral goal by 2040 via modernization of heating systems in buildings west of the main campus. Bird Mechanical operated as both General Contractor and Mechanical Contractor, installing 3,000
“
Our people have turned down more
money because of the environment and culture we’ve created. Knowing that a support system is there goes a long way and you can’t put a price on it.
“
a singular point of responsibility. We will take on all the sub-trades and execution of that work. We look out for all the piping installation and we manage everything on top of the mechanical,” says Bird.
42
- CEO Brandon Bird www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
43
feet of underground piping while providing, excavation, and backfill and restoration services.
upgraded BAS system.
Toronto Old City Hall HVAC Upgrade: The $20 million project was completed in phases over six years while the building remained fully operational. Bird Mechanical’s scope of work involved installing a newly designed heating and cooling system throughout the entire 500,000 square foot complex currently used by the Government of Ontario as a courthouse. This project was scheduled to be completed in a six-year time frame. The work was completed throughout the building while it continued to run as a fully operational courthouse.
Bird says the family culture the company has cultivated sets it apart from its competitors. Its mantra is “One team, one dream!”
The new heating and cooling system was fed from the Enwave Steam and Deep Lake Cooling distribution systems piped through several heat exchangers in the basement and attic of the facility and distributed throughout the building using newly installed piping systems. In order to get these services to each of the floors, old existing duct shafts were modified and used to minimize disturbing the heritage status of the facility’s interior. Each floor had several new air handling units installed to distribute the new heating and cooling throughout the offices and court rooms. These installations included multiple fan coil units (542), unit heaters (75) and VAV’s all of which are now monitored by the
www.naconstructionjournal.com
Day To Day
“Our employees know they can call me or their VP at any time for help. I can get a call at 2 a.m. and I’m going to do
North American Construction Journal what I can to help out that employee. Our people are willing to jump in and help wherever we are needed across departments. We are a company where people want to come to work and drive the goal forward,” Bird emphasizes. The company is especially proud of its new 40,000-square-foot fabrication shop. Bird Mechanical owns all of their equipment as well as a boom truck
44
and delivery trucks to transport heavy equipment to job sites. Third-party contractors handle maintenance. “Not many $30 million a year companies have their own fabrication shop. We rival companies doing hundreds of millions of dollars a year and we’ve really made sure we have the equipment and tools to succeed. We re-invest in our people to allow us to grow and stay competitive. We offer the best of both worlds with a family feel and the flexibility of a smaller company,” Bird explains. Subcontractors that work with the company must adhere to its stringent guidelines and are carefully vetted. “If somebody makes a mistake, the owner only remembers Bird. We are selective on who we work with and only want people with a good past history that have a proven track record,” Bird stresses. “We start them small and see how they perform. If they test out well we will put them on bigger projects. Our name is on the project and doing a good job is the most important thing. If you can’t execute the job there is no limit to how much money you can lose.” The company belongs to the Mechanical Contractors Association of Ontario and the Refrigeration Contractors Association as a way to stay abreast of industry trends. They also belong to MCAA-US.
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
45
North American Construction Journal
46
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
Talent Development The company is fully committed to internal development and retention of personnel in a market currently glutted with work. “Money only goes so far. We want to
www.naconstructionjournal.com
“
Not many $30 million a year
companies have their own fabrication shop. We rival companies doing hundreds of millions of dollars a year and we’ve really made sure we have the equipment and tools to succeed. - CEO Brandon Bird
“
“At the end of the year I go to the U.S. for a fabrication conference to learn from our U.S. counterparts. That’s a win all the way around. We’re not competing with them and they open their doors and let us see how they operate,” Bird says. “We do the same. I still get calls about last year’s conference in Buffalo.”
47
North American Construction Journal
create a place where people want to come to work. We want the office to be a nice place to work, where employees can grow, feel empowered and challenged. If you can create an environment where people want to come to work, you will compete,” Bird said. To that end the company’s new office was designed with the knowledge that employees spend more time at work than home. Additionally, non-union employees have been provided pension plans and health care coverage is a standard company offering. The field staff undergoes constant training, allowing Bird Mechanical to successfully compete with
48
larger competitors. “We put our team through training because we like to be the General Contractor as long as it is mechanical contracting driven project. So our team has to know the mechanical side very well but have to have a good understanding of all the other scopes involved. They need to learn the civil side, and have to understand a little bit of electrical,” Bird says. He says once talented employees are identified, keeping them starts with having a conversation. Micro-management is not part of the Bird Mechanical lexicon. “My job is to make sure everyone succeeds, empower them, to
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
49
help them as a support and resource tool so they can grow, excel and rise to the challenges being presented. It’s all about one team, one dream,” Bird explains. “It’s about finding out their goals and knowing where the employee wants to go and, as a manager, looking at what they’re doing for us and how they’re performing and trying to make sure we find out where we can place them and help them grow,” Bird said. He pointed out that the company’s two Vice Presidents worked their way up from estimators and project management to their current positions. “We allow our staff to prosper so they can succeed and we train our own champions. We don’t
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
50
want to be the biggest but we do want to be the best.”
well positioned for continued measured growth.
Safety Measures
Like any successful manager, Bird knows implicitly that keeping the work force happy and motivated is crucial to future success.
Safety is an around-the-clock priority for the company. Part of the commitment is talking to employees on a regular basis to see if there are stress inducers outside of work that could impact their focus on the job. The company’s full-time safety staff and third party consultants collaborate to keep the company ahead of the industry curve. “We are in the process of the Certificate of Recognition (COR) Certification program and we’re trying to achieve the ISO Standard for Safety right now. There is nothing more important than making sure everyone is going home the way they came in. We’re also there to lend an ear if there is a personal issue,” Bird emphasizes.
Looking Forward The company achieved a milestone with the 2013 construction of its fabrication shop. Company offices were eventually re-located to space within that facility two years later. The company has also branched out with the 100 percent acquisition of John McKenzie Plumbing and Heating, Ltd. and R.G. MacDuff Contracting, their in house civil contractors. Bird seems
“If you treat people well and stimulate them and create an atmosphere where they want to come to work every day, that’s when you can retain them. Our people have turned down more money because of the environment and culture we’ve created. Knowing that a support system is there goes a long way and you can’t put a price on it,” he concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: Bird Mechanical Country: Canada Industry: Construction Est: 1971 Premiere Service: Mechanical Construction and Fabrication CEO: Brandon Bird Website: www.birdmechanical.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
EllisDon Construction:
Technology Driven Global Leader EllisDon Construction of Mississauga, ON is a global construction services stalwart that completes CAD $3.5 billion worth of contracts annually. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
51
North American Construction Journal
52
www.naconstructionjournal.com
T
North American Construction Journal he sheer scope of EllisDon Corporation’s operation – from its global reach to its prodigious workload – is, well, impressive. Yet, despite its massive physical presence, EllisDon cultivates and maintains the personal touch of a much smaller company with every client, its “cradle to grave” approach guaranteeing involvement at every level of each project from pre- through post-construction. Established in 1951 by brothers Don and David Ellis Smith, the Mississauga, ON company has grown to become a global construction services stalwart with design, finance, construction and management capabilities, working primarily in the Civil Infrastructure and ICI sectors. It employs approximately 2,500, completes CAD $3.5 billion worth of contracts annually and works across Canada, in South America, the Caribbean and the United States as well as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan. As it has evolved, EllisDon has embraced its reputation as a leading proponent of industry change. It is not uncommon for the company to create solutions where there were none in order
www.naconstructionjournal.com
53
to address vexing problems. “We thrive on change. We don’t want the status quo. We want to be ahead of the curve so we look to the future and see what’s coming. For our clients, we look at what the needs are for the markets we serve. We set up specialty divisions to fill the void,” explains Senior Vice President George Charitou, an industry veteran of 28 years. “It stems from our roots. Our founder was an entrepreneur and
North American Construction Journal his enthusiasm for business and his focus on innovation shaped our thinking, from our in-house Construction Sciences division to intelligent buildings and BIM,” adds Jody Becker, Senior Vice President of International Markets, who joined EllisDon in 2007. As head of the company’s Construction Sciences Division, Charitou oversees the Construction Engineering, Building and Material Sciences R&D, QA/QC, Constructability and Logistics, and Products and
54
Systems R&D departments. “I have the responsibility for continuing the excellence, growth and broadening of the capabilities and reach of the departments. The various teams provide their expertise to all of EllisDon’s divisions, ranging from proposals and pre-construction planning, site logistics, execution and troubleshooting, to supporting large field equipment,” he explains.
Premiere Projects Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital: EllisDon was the majority partner of this Design/ Build construction joint venture for Halton Healthcare Services that cost CAD $976 million and encompasses 1.5 million square feet. The company was a partner on the development and facility management teams as well. “Oakville Hospital is the most technologically advanced hospital in Canada,” Charitou notes. “We also completed the ICAT work, which includes the main technology and communications components.” The acute care facility now has 457 beds and features: a fivestorey section for complex continuing care and rehabilitation
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
55
Still buying building
Only one company can provide fully-integrated building envelopes.
An automobile is a complex machine made up of thousands of parts. You would never order an automobile one part at a time, so why specify a building envelope that way? We are the only manufacturer that designs, engineers, tests and manufactures curtain wall, windows, storefronts, skylights and glass seamlessly from one source. So let’s build better, faster, with less risk, more reward—we’re The Building Envelope Company.™ Call 1-866-Oldcastle (653-2278) or visit obe.com.
www.naconstructionjournal.com
56
Client: Oldcastle BuildingEnvelopeÂŽ
Job#: 10597
Name: OBE Car Ad
envelopes this way?
Publication: NA Construction
North American Construction Journal
We are proud to have partnered with EllisDon on the Brookfield Place project.
curtain wall
storefronts
windows
skylights
glass
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal and an array of outpatient services; a 10-storey inpatient care tower; and a four-storey therapeutic and diagnostic section. Brookfield Place: This CAD $1.3 billion full-block commercial development will cover 2.4 million square feet upon completion and feature the tallest building in Western Canada at 56 storeys. North American oil company Cenovus will be the anchor tenant. “With a defined budget and schedule, everything was met to a ‘T.’ It was executed well, which goes back to the services and
“We don’t want the
We thrive on change.
status quo. We want to be ahead of the curve so we look to the future and see what’s
“
coming.
- Senior Vice President George Charitou www.naconstructionjournal.com
57
planning that goes into every project we do,” says Charitou. Ottawa Light Rail Project: This Design/Build/Finance/Maintain P3 project for the city of Ottawa’s Confederate Line is scheduled for 2018 completion at a cost of CAD $1.8 billion. The 12.5-kilometre line will move 24,000 riders per hour in each direction and will include 13 stations, three in a 2.5-kilometre tunnel designed to greatly reduce downtown congestion.
Technology Driven Charitou says the ability to create solutions as needed fuels his group and the company as a whole. “There are always a lot of interesting things going on and inventions when there is a need. Our people come to us with challenges and we find the solutions; we create it.” According to Charitou, when it comes to reviewing plans, the company takes nothing at face value. “We are driving change and marinating leadership in technologies and building systems for our clients to have longer performance and more money in their pocket in the
North American Construction Journal
58
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
59
excellent façade construction expertise
#1
long-term. We look at assets for their lifespan performance. We get into the details and if we find better ways to do things, we will flag it and explain why we think it’s better. We work with the client, the trades, and the consultants to have the best action plan,” he elaborates.
Cost mitigation is a top priority.
“It is the willingness by everyone to embrace technology and keep it on the front line. We’re looking how to improve building performance based on technological advances,” Becker asserts. “We draw from this team for challenges we have, no matter where we are building.”
Doing The Job
www.naconstructionjournal.com
“Our industry is one of the last to be disrupted so we have a keen interest to find cheaper and better ways of doing construction. We have a focus on that for the whole industry in general,” Charitou says.
“Our people have the ability to service the client directly without asking for permission from the office. At the job site level, the employee can make decisions. They can service the client and make them happy. They have
North American Construction Journal
60
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal more autonomy and authority,” says Charitou. Superintendents and Project Managers are empowered to essentially operate as project CEOs, which Charitou points out “is different than the competition.” With its commitment to a culture of trust and openness and its reputation for quality work, it stands to reason that it is paramount for EllisDon to establish long-term relationships with equally qualified sub-contractors. “We monitor their performance, their financial strength, the
www.naconstructionjournal.com
61
level of commitment to other projects they have ongoing, and their safety practices. We get into their business to understand the level of quality and execution before we qualify them,” Charitou explains. “We are the company of choice for them.” “So many of our subs have become real partners with us. We consistently work with firms that are like-minded, that take on risk and are innovative,” adds Becker. “And our willingness to take on risk with our clients as a partner, sets us apart. We always look to see how we can take on more risk. We’re partnering for success,” Becker explains.
North American Construction Journal
“We participate in working groups for the Ministry of Labour for legislative changes and participate with special committees for the development of specialized standards for construction,” Charitou says.
Safety, Training and More The company maintains laser focus on its safety protocol and consistently maintains the
“
It is the willingness by everyone
as a whole to embrace technology and keep it on the front line. We’re looking how to improve building performance based on technological advances.
“
The company maintains multiple trade association memberships, including the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and ACI, a committee which Charitou sits on.
62
- Senior Vice President of International Markets Jody Becker
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal industry’s highest safety rating. “In the last year we are the first construction company to have mandatory programs for our sub contractors as well. We are taking safety to the next level for all workers in construction and we are trying to promote this both domestically and internationally,” says Becker. The company offers a range of formal and informal programs with the singular goal of creating and maintaining a culture of freedom and trust.
63
for all of our employees,” she says. “We can make changes in your career to help you grow and succeed.” At the corporate level, EllisDon partners with The United Way for charitable initiatives and has provided support at a number of international disasters. It is also involved with a number of local and regional charities. “We encourage our staff to five to the max and the corporation also has a matching program for many different organizations,” Charitou says. Looking forward, expect the
“We have leadership programs
We create iconic buildings. Walters Group offers end-to-end solutions on complex steelwork projects across North America. We recognize that the projects we contribute to are more than just projects. They change landscapes. They support key industries. They inspire people. Walters Group is proud to have been a part of bringing the vision and structural innovation to the award-winning Brookfield Place Calgary.
www.waltersgroupinc.com @waltersgroupinc
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
64
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
Carpentry Manufacturing A Division of Allwood Industries Ltd.
Specializing in Custom Architectural Millwork
With over 6 5 years of experience specializing in metal stud, drywall, insulation, acoustics and tex tured finishes, Marel Contractors services all sectors of the construction industry including residential (low-rise and highrise), commercial, institutional and industrial throughout the GTA, Ontario and across Canada. MARELCONTRACTORS.COM 905.326.4000
www.naconstructionjournal.com
MARE 52297 Ellis Don QPG Ad FA.indd 1
6/28/17 11:57 AM
65
North American Construction Journal
66
company to continue along its innovative path, immersing itself in new technologies and developing practical applications. In fact, Charitou says he would tell the younger version of himself just starting out “to learn about AI and code development and robotics, and learn about constructive technologies in general.” “EllisDon has transformed from being a Canadian general contractor to being an international construction services firm. That’s been the success of our story,” Becker concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: EllisDon Construction Country: Canada Industry: Construction Est: 1952 Revenue: $3.5 billion Premiere Service: Construction and Building Services President/CEO: Geoff Smith Website: www.ellisdon.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
67
KPost Roofing & Waterproofing :
Delivering Safety, Quality and Value KPost Company of Dallas, TX, is a dynamic turnkey company and the official roofing and waterproofing partner of the Dallas Cowboys Written by Sarah Wolfe Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
68
www.naconstructionjournal.com
K
North American Construction Journal
69
Post Company is the official roofing and waterproofing partner of the Dallas Cowboys. Like the powerhouse football team, this Dallas, Texas-based company has scored impressive wins these past 15 years, racking up more than $450 million in roofing and waterproofing construction. Among its major contracts have been the Cowboy’s AT&T Stadium, the Perot Museum of Science and Nature, the Omni Dallas Convention Center Hotel, and the Container Store Headquarters and Distribution Center. President Steve Little, who is referred to by the company as its Head Coach, leads the KPost team. He helped found the dynamic turnkey company with Owner Thomas “Keith” Post, CFO Jayne Williams, and several commercial roofing professionals back in 2003. “We wanted to build a brand,” Little says. “One that would set a standard in the market for safety, quality and value. We wanted to involve ourselves in the industry to show you could run an actual roofing business rather than just a subcontracting company.” Since that time, KPost has been consistently ranked a Top 100 Roofing Contractor by Roofing Contractor magazine and a Top 600 Specialty Contractor by Engineering
www.naconstructionjournal.com
News-Record. In addition, KPost has garnered many awards for stateof-the-art production techniques, craftsmanship by employees, and for raising the bar in the commercial roofing industry.
Starting with Service KPost has an impressive workforce of 390 people and 50 specialized crews. Its employees bring a high level of
North American Construction Journal
quality and value to projects and keep the company a top competitor in the market. In addition to commercial roofing and waterproofing, KPost handles lightweight insulating concrete and specialty installations including green and garden rooftops and ornamental architectural features. There’s also a repair/maintenance side, on which the company strategically built its foundation. Starting off as a
70
service company allowed KPost to develop relationships with its clients. In turn, when it came time to replace their roofs, those same clients trusted that KPost could deliver. Today, these roots as a service business continue to generate returns. “Once we finish a project with a 20year warranty, we don’t need to re-roof for a while, but we do get to service it for 20 years,” Little says. “We have over
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
71
1,200 roofs that we’ve completed in our 15 years and we service 70 percent of them.” Overall, KPost processes 5,000 work orders a year for repairs/maintenance, which often leads to additional projects. “For example, we’ve done work for the Mary Kay Distribution Center. When they built a new location in Lewisville, Texas, they chose us over a competitor who charged less because we’d done business with Mary Kay before,” Little explains.
Current Projects KPost is an active player in many categories ranging from offices, highrise residential, retail shopping centers and industrial and data centers to medical facilities and hospitals, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, government buildings, schools and churches. A large number of corporations have moved to the $5 Billion Dollar Mile in North Dallas and built campuses with the company’s
“
We wanted to build a brand…
that would set a standard in the market
“
for safety, quality and value. - President Steve Little
www.naconstructionjournal.com
involvement. Currently, KPost is in the middle of a Phase Three campus for Facebook with an additional Phase Four location on the horizon. It’s additionally finishing work on a fourbuilding site in Las Colinas, Texas, for Pioneer National Resources. “We’re also just completing the new American Airlines headquarters,” Little says. “A world-renowned airline and their developer trusted us because we’d worked on projects around the $5 Billion Dollar Mile.” Little adds that being invited onto a project for the Texas Rangers’ new ballpark in Arlington, Texas, came from previous work with the developer, owner and the owner’s representative,
North American Construction Journal
72
remedial, service or new construction — is that the company truly cares about its people and about preventing safety incidents, Little explains. “It also means that we’re pretty lucky. And if you train and execute, that you have a better chance at recovering the lost ball.”
as well as from the company’s association with the Dallas Cowboy’s AT&T Stadium and other area stadiums within the past five years. “We have the capacity of almost 400 people on our team to be able to meet our clients’ needs, including when they get into a jam,” Little says. “We have to stay competitive in the industry and, on each of these projects, deliver the highest quality, safety and value.”
Safety and Employees In regards to safety, KPost is at the top of its game. Its insurance modifier rating is among the lowest in the industry at just 0.49. What that demonstrates to a client – whether
Little credits CFO Jayne Williams for her role in developing and overseeing the safety program at KPost, which starts with mutual respect among all employees. To KPost, this means creating safety onsite, including with vehicles and tools, so employees can return home to their families each night. Little says that in achieving this aim, it supports the company in delivering the best quality work possible to its clients. “We empower our employees. Leadership is better with two ears than one big mouth. We provide our team with the safety training, the tools and the support it needs, and then we get out of the way.” Part of the support KPost offers includes gifting new boots every year at the company’s holiday party. The gesture is part of the ongoing appreciation KPost demonstrates for its dynamic team of employees, which also ripples out to their families. “We had our 15th field party and there were more than a 1,000 people there,
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
73
North American Construction Journal
74
including the children, parents, and grandparents of our team members,” Little says. “Jayne brought us around to each table to thank everyone.”
its employee’s children as well as out within the industry.
In addition to the safety program, Williams also runs the company’s charity projects along with Renae Bales, VP of Brand and Risk. It’s a way to give back to the community that helped KPost become what it is today, Little says. The company, for example, helped to build a drug and rehabilitation center. It’s also assembled backpacks filled with school supplies for kids in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area each year, most recently donating 2,500. Additionally, it’s also provided large scholarships to
KPost is active in many local and national industry organizations including National Roofing Partners (NRP), the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), the Midwest Roofing Contractors Association (MRCA) and American Subcontractors Association – North Texas Chapter. The NRCA has experienced a remarkable paradigm shift since Bill Goode retired from the CEO post he held for 30 years and Reed Ribble — a former U.S. House Representative — took
Association Memberships
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
the helm, Little says.
75
“His leadership has challenged each and every NRCA member to engage ourselves in our industry and in our own companies beyond the day to day. He is helping us by setting standards within the industry that will make all of us sustainable.”
is also focused on creating a desirable workforce that will bring more people to the industry. This involves establishing certified crews similar to plumbers and electricians, who get larger service contracts. He’s currently working with the various contractor leaderships to build a unified certification program.
Ribble arranged a Walk on Washington event, for example, to knock on the doors of state congressmen and senators to personally tell them what the industry needs. A total of 400 people showed up and more are expected next year. The NRCA CEO
Little says the NRCA’s former CEO had recognized that the roofing industry is made up of mostly generational companies. He knew these businesses didn’t have the means to educate the new generation of sons and daughters going into the business
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
76
A LOCAL CONTRACTOR RAISES THE ROOF
ON CONTINUED GROWTH W ITH A LIT TLE HELP FROM
Congratulations to KPost Company on their continued success.
Bobby Little, SVP, Senior Relationship Manager 214.932.6858
www.texascapitalism.com
Texas Capital Bank, N.A.
Member FDIC
NASDAQ ®: TCBI
Mount Dennis Before-After
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
77
or to teach them all the modern areas of accounting, legal, leadership, operations, strategic planning, etc. “He created FEI (Future Executive Institute) in response. They’re in their ninth class this year. It’s a three-year program where they incubate the first years with the second years to create mentorships,” Little says. “Reed Ribble and Tom Shanahan, VP for the association’s Enterprise Risk Management and Executive Education, have taken Goode’s program and put it on steroids. For example, they have a pro-foreman program not just for white-collar leaders, but also bluecollar leaders within the operations side.” Overall, Little says, the NRAC has
EVERY ROOF IS OUR REPUTATION For over 160 years, Johns Manville has delivered quality commercial roofing systems. Between having one of the broadest system offerings in the industry and a dedicated team for every step of the roofing project; JM is more than a commercial roofing supplier. We are your commercial roofing partner.
7 1 7
1 7
t h
S T R E E T
-
D E N V E R ,
C O
-
www.naconstructionjournal.com
( 8 0 0 )
9 0 2 - 5 9 2 2
L- E AJ RM N. CMOO MR E/ RA TO OJ M F I. CN OGM
North American Construction Journal
78
evolved itself to become more proactive against legislation that negatively impacts the industry, such as regulations on the amount of time truckers can drive in one shift. With the required 15 percent less time at the wheel, and manufacturers selling more product than ever — including roofing materials, it’s creating a backup and pushing drivers out of the industry, Little says. On the education side, the NRAC is aiming to make the companies of its members more sustainable, increasing the value of membership. It’s also pulling together various regional organizations to work together to improve the industry.
Looking Ahead Little is hopeful that the evolution
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
79
North American Construction Journal
80
of the NRAC will only help to boost KPost in the future to score more wins. The company is also counting on its newest team member, COO Dusty Smith, and his 30 years of industry experience. A successful general contractor executive, he was originally a KPost client and offers that particular mindset to the company. “We essentially hired our client to help us do a better job in the market,” Little says, noting that so far KPost has become even more efficient and safe with Smith’s involvement. “We’ve become an even better partner to our clients because of what he’s brought to the table.” In Little’s book, you can call that a win.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: KPOST Company Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 2003 Revenue: USD $60m Premiere Service: Industry-leading commercial roofing and waterproofing, contractor.
President: Steve Little Website: www.kpostcompany.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
Baker Concrete Construction, Inc. :
81
Premier Concrete Solutions Specialist Baker Concrete’s South Florida location in Fort Lauderdale has been building relationships and delivering high-end projects for 15 years. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
82
www.naconstructionjournal.com
F
North American Construction Journal
83
rom humble beginnings in 1968, Baker Concrete Construction, Inc. has evolved into one of the nation’s largest specialty contractors with thousands of co-workers at 14 offices across the United States. Yet the company established by Dan Baker and his brothers has never lost that down-to-earth family feel. It is a trait that has served the company well through its first 50 years, a time during which it has completed nearly 11,000 projects. With the exception of highly specialized trades, the company selfperforms all work. “Dan has built the company with strong core values. We continue to work with those values of People, Honor and Grit. We are a people business that just happens to build some amazing structures. Dan has built the company on the belief that ‘Our word is our word.’ We are fairly large in our realm of construction and we still maintain a gritty, humble culture that makes us different,” says Kerri Smith, Vice President and General Manager of the South Florida office based in Fort Lauderdale. The South Florida location serves the area from West Palm Beach to Key West, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale. “We have hard-working people giving it their all 12 hours a day. It is a humble group, but we do enjoy driving by
www.naconstructionjournal.com
structures and saying to our families ‘We built that’,” adds Smith, who has been with the company for 14 years. Baker Concrete provides a range of construction and management services to the Civil, Commercial, Heavy Industrial, Institutional, Energy and Power, and Multi-Family sectors. Core competencies include structural excavation, concrete formwork design and installation, concrete reinforcement
North American Construction Journal
84
There will be 121 units, ranging in size from 1501 to 2964 square feet and in price from $845,000 to $2.04 million. Condominiums begin on the 16th floor with the lower levels occupied by a Hyatt Centric hotel. Gables Station: Gables Station is a proposed high-density, mixed use TOD project located directly adjacent to the Miami Metrorail line. The project contains a diversity of uses including 450-500 residential units, an extended stay hotel, and approximately 80,000 square feet of retail distributed throughout, including a full service grocery store. The project design creates extensive high quality public space throughout the project for the enjoyment of the residents, visitors, and locals.
installation, and concrete placement and finishing; and preconstruction services that comprise conceptual estimating, project scheduling, design assist and value engineering, and technical and constructability reviews.
Key Florida Projects 100 Las Olas: Upon completion in 2020, this will be the tallest residential tower in Fort Lauderdale with 46 levels.
Panorama Tower: Baker Concrete earned Eagle Award recognition from the ABC East Coast for its work on this 83-story mixed-use development in the Brickell financial district in Miami. The tallest building in Florida – and tallest residential building south of New York City – has a gross square footage of 2.6 million SF. Baker concrete’s scope of work included 155,000 cubic yards of concrete, 22,000 tons of reinforcing steel and two million pounds of post tensioning cables. The company set a record for pouring 11,677 cubic yards of concrete for the foundation in 23 hours. Marlins Park: The home to Major
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
“
Our growth, and our entire
85
keeping them engaged and by having
League Baseball’s Miami Marlins opened in 2012 on the site of the former Orange Bowl. The stadium’s retractable roof moves on massive site-cast track beams. The concrete shell consists of approximately 750,000sf of cast-in-place elevated decks and rakers that support the precast stadium. Baker and Form Works were joint venture contractors on the project.
a strategy. Everything else takes care
Safety Measures
business, is about relationships. We are a people business and we build relationships with our customers by
“
of itself.
- Kerri Smith, VP and General Manager www.naconstructionjournal.com
Baker Concrete has embraced an Incident and Injury Free Safety (IIF) culture that centers around caring about the individual and sending everyone home safely. The company has instituted a national training program that includes targeted
North American Construction Journal
86
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal new-hire orientation programs, scheduled safety trainings, weekly “tool box” talks on job sites, observation programs and period reviews. “Safety isn’t a department, it is a culture, a way of doing business and about caring about your family. We are not super tough just because we are in construction. Regardless of your industry, if you get hurt your family suffers. We want our coworkers to be safe for themselves and for their family. It’s a ‘You are your brother’s keeper’ mentality,” stresses Smith. “Safety starts at the top. You have to walk the talk, set the tone and truly care.” The company is one of 30 original
www.naconstructionjournal.com
87
sponsors of National Construction Safety Week. The theme for the 2018 event from May 7-11 was The Power of Safe Choices with national and global firms joining forces to raise awareness of the industry’s commitment to eliminating injuries.
Operations Customer engagement and relationship building goes hand in hand with success. “We have been in South Florida now for 15 years. Our growth, and our entire business, is about relationships. We are a people business and we build relationships with our customers by keeping them engaged, having a plan and delivering. Everything else takes
North American Construction Journal care of itself,” Smith states. “When a customer calls and they say ‘We want you there – this is a Baker job’ and it comes from not just the highest level but the project team as well, that’s a strong relationship,” Smith notes. The company belongs to multiple associations and Smith was a member of the Board of Directors for the ABC Florida East Coast chapter. She considers the networking opportunities and the ability to foster relationships, coupled with ABC’s legislative clout, to be invaluable. Baker uses the latest iterations of technology such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and
88
Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) for applying BIM to real-world processes. Both are supported by cutting edge software and utilized throughout out the project life cycle. The company carries Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications in water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, materials and certified wood, indoor environmental quality, innovation in design, and regional priority.
Meeting Challenges The issue of experienced workers aging out across the construction industry and attracting qualified replacements is a reality for companies
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
89
North American Construction Journal
90
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
“
If the culture fits the person
and they fit the culture, we can teach anybody anything. People can make their own way here and we want them to move up with fire in their
“
belly.
- Kerri Smith, VP and General Manager
www.naconstructionjournal.com
91
North American Construction Journal
92
across the country. It is magnified, Smith says, because “a lot of the good construction people that are two generations in are pushing their third generation into other industries. We are experiencing a lot of growth and this is a dynamic time for the construction industry. We have to tell that story along with the plethora of opportunities available to co-workers who fit our culture. ”
Delivering a positive message about the industry is a key component in the effort to combat the talent drain and replenish the workforce. “We’re continuing to be diligent about getting the right talent. The industry is full of opportunities and the work is
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
93
North American Construction Journal
94
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
95
North American Construction Journal
fulfilling. We’re building structures but, in doing so, we are building lives. We’re pretty prideful about that,” Smith says. The company has a long history of providing students the opportunity to gain skills and hands-on experience in areas such as trades, field supervision, project management, estimating, marketing, finance, talent management and pre-construction. Programs are updated to mirror industry trends and changes. “For us it’s about finding a strong culture fit. If Baker’s culture fits the person and they fit our culture, we can teach anybody anything. People can make their own way here and we want them to move up with fire in their belly,” Smith says.
96
believe it won’t build on the solid foundation already in place and continue to enhance its position as a market influencer. “I believe we can change the way the industry does business and make it a profession people are drawn to. In fact, I believe it is our responsibility.” Smith concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: Baker Concrete Country: U.S. Industry: Construction
Additional challenges include managing the escalating cost of rebar materials and managing manpower when project start dates shift. “We need to keep our guys working and start dates can fluctuate,” Smith says.
Est: 1968
As the company embarks on its next 50 years, there is no reason to
Website: www.bakerconcrete.com
Premier Service: Specialty concrete construction contractor President: Brad Wucherpfennig
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
HJ Foundation Company:
Innovative Industry
Heavyweight HJ Foundation Company, headquartered in Miami, is one of North America’s premier deep foundation contractors and has changed the face of South Florida. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
97
North American Construction Journal
98
www.naconstructionjournal.com
E
North American Construction Journal
99
stablished in 1988 by co-founders Ed Hickey and Bob Johnson, HJ Foundation Company headquartered in Miami, FL has developed into one of North America’s premier deep foundation contractors and, along the way, changed the face of South Florida. Today HJ Foundation is part of the vast family of companies owned by London-based Keller Foundations, a $2 billion specialized foundation firm with operations on six continents. HJF employs 400+; works on approximately 100 projects a year; and generates more than $100 million annual revenue. It provides custom solutions to the commercial, industrial and manufacturing, infrastructure, residential and power sectors as well as tanks for oil, gas and chemical storage. “We started in South Florida and 80 to 90 percent of the tall buildings in that market have our foundations. We have been a key partner in changing the face of that market in a cost effective way,” explains company Vice President Andres M. Baquerizo, who has been with HJF since 2001. Baquerizo says the company set out to corner that market from the outset. “The company became connected to all the major players and all the general contractors back then. We have always had the philosophy to do
www.naconstructionjournal.com
the right thing. We get things done in a challenging industry. You need to be truthful all the time and we are always honest and truthful with our client about what is going on,” he says. “We always do the right thing and stand by our projects. We provide guaranteed price, guaranteed schedule and guaranteed results. We fix our mistakes on our own dime and lose money without delaying the project
North American Construction Journal
Baquerizo is the Vice President and Director of Engineering for HJ Foundation as well as the CFA Global Product Leader for Keller. The company is unabashed about its goal to be the go-to company in the market. “We decided we wanted to provide
“
We’re recognized by our clients
as a partner because we see long-term solutions; we don’t do short-term decisions.
“
and we review every design from start to finish to benefit the client,” he adds.
100
- Vice President Andres Baquerizo www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
101
MANAGE DEEP FOUNDATION RISK Fugro Loadtest removes uncertainty in foundation construction by establishing confidence, reliability and efficiency through advanced deep foundation analysis, quality control and testing. We have unsurpassed experience managing deep foundation risk with thousands of full scale load tests performed around the world. Loadtest provides focused risk management decisions through confirmed excavation quality conditions, calibrated foundation designs, and verified production foundations.
FUGRO LOADTEST 800 368 1138 info@loadtest.com www.loadtest.com
cost effective solutions and with honesty. We don’t chase individual projects – we chase a long-term relationship with our clients and because of it we do a lot of work together. Some projects will be great, others not so great financially (for HJ) speaking. But all of them will be safe and quality driven,” Baquerizo promises. The company belongs to an array of industry associations such as DFI, ASCE, GEO Structures, CASF and CEA and others.
Day to Day Operations The company’s culture is driven is by a
www.naconstructionjournal.com
set of 26 core principles called The HJ Way. “We’re proactive – we assume positive intent, speak straight and try to learn all the people and the processes, from our clients and our suppliers to the guys who are going to be working side by side for each company we work with. Even if the waterproofer is not my supplier, I need to know how he works so I can align with him to ensure he can be successful on the job. We think and act like an owner of the project,” Baquerizo explains. “All of our agreements with clients and suppliers are based on the principle we all have to be successful. We look at
North American Construction Journal
the job to help the owners get out of the ground, as fast as possible, going vertical and getting a building on top of it. We want to help owners that are building and investing their business in our cities to keep doing so. We have the tough conversations with the client early on to discuss different angles where things can go wrong, why and how to prevent them. We make sure everyone knows exactly what is going to happen,” he continues. Baquerizo favors a hands-on approach, visiting clients at job sites to discuss the best possible solution to each project. Earlier this year he was awarded the ASCE Roebling Award as Best Construction Engineer for 2019.
102
“I like to think there is no box, instead of in or out of the box because that way you’re not leaving any ideas outside,” he says. “As Director of Engineering, I have two styles. One taught to me by my dad is that “Engineering is the art of applying math to logic” to make construction fast and safe. The second is that there will always be a set of challenges and he who finds the best solutions will accept the greatest challenges. Our clients recognize us as a partner because we see long-term solutions; we don’t do short-term decisions. “A lot of companies talk about A teams, B teams, and C teams – we take the time to assign the right guys on
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal the right job where they are all A teams based on the work we are doing,” he adds. Thanks to the diversity of projects in its market, HJ Foundation withstood the collapse of the construction market at the height of the Great Recession in 2009. Among the challenges facing the industry as it recovered was implementing a new wave of computer-reliant technology. “After the recession, the industry lost some of the more experienced people and therefore what the computer spit out became gospel. The feel for the construction, the feel for the structure, the feeling that what we were doing should work that the old school
www.naconstructionjournal.com
103
contractors had started to fade. We have so many tools at our disposal and most of the industry were not taking the time to learn the capabilities of the specific equipment on each market,” Baquerizo recalls. The company also adapted to the challenges presented by Miami’s Zoning Code 21, which “entails a holistic approach to land use and urban planning.” The code resulted in HJ Foundation becoming a leader in underground parking construction. In the past seven years, the company has delivered more than a million square feet of underground parking to the market. “We introduced soil mixing cement to
North American Construction Journal
Research and development is a key element to the company’s success, providing a competitive edge. “We are always re-investing into research and development to update,
upgrade and get better equipment, in addition to our continuous improvement and 5S programs. We design and build equipment that is different and better than anything that exists in the markets,” Baquerizo notes. A decade in the making, the company’s development of a cutting edge Tangential Bearing Element (TBE) system is unlike anything the industry has ever seen. As company Director of Engineering, Baquerizo’s team worked hand in hand with the R&D group and the leading local consultants. The TBE is a round element inserted tangent into each other that can support more loads than traditional foundation theory suggests.
“
We realize there are families
who have saved their whole lives and entrusted all of their assets into a building/school/bridge supported by our foundations. In addition, we know we have to provide safe and quality work, properly rewarded, for our. We’re creating
“
provide a safe working environment minimizing water intrusion and excavate like “carve into it” resulting in almost just rainwater management and eliminating large dewatering efforts. The code created a need we were able to fulfill. South Florida soil is very permeable. The limestone has hundreds/thousands of small holes filled with silt, so water is always permeating from the aquifers and ocean. Trying to depress the ocean is not an option,” Baquerizo explains.
104
a culture of happy people that can thrive within our company.
- Vice President Andres Baquerizo www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
105
North American Construction Journal “We do not accept the status quo and 10 years ago we started to challenge the theories of piles. Older solutions were developed at a point based on the capabilities of the equipment that was available. We began new research and testing new systems and processes. Now we can do things with three to four times more efficiency save 30 percent cost and 20 to 30 percent time per projects using TBE,” Baquerizo explains. HJ has performed the Statnamic TBE load test record, supporting 4,500 tons.
Premier Projects Echo Brickell: The 57-story building on a 16,000sf footprint is supported on the TBE system developed by Baquerizo’s Engineering team and the local leading geotechnical and structural engineers. With the original deep shafts system that would result in over budget and behind schedule, the City of Miami authorized testing of the TBE System. HJ Foundation’s revolutionary innovation performed better than drilled shafts had in Miami limestone and the company installed more than 150 36-inch diameter TBEs to depths 120 feet below grade, completing the project ahead of schedule and without injuries. The building includes restaurants, retail space, an infinity pool, luxury condominiums, and a penthouse suite. Aston Martin Building: The 68-story,
106
818-foot tall building developed by the legendary British carmaker overlooking Biscayne Bay is the tallest all-residential tower south of New York City. The building required 14,000 cubic yards – 1,400 full drum loads – of cement for the mat foundation support. “We provide guaranteed price, guaranteed schedule and guaranteed results,” Baquerizo says, noting the company has completed more than 2,500 projects in all.
Safety Initiatives The company’s all-encompassing safety plan developed by Safety Director Neil Nieburg and VP of Operations Jose Martinez has resulted in 10 consecutive years of no lost-time accidents. The protocol is reflected in the acronym MAN: Maintain All safety standards; All accidents are preventable and we should think how to prevent them; and No repeat incidents. “We walk the talk. Every employee at every level is trained for safety and even after planning all the activities they can stop work if they believe there is danger, or the potential for danger on the job site. We address it and talk about it. We do toolbox talks and stretching every morning. You have to highlight the near misses where things could have happened but didn’t and learn from the experience to prevent
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
107
future cases. People come first; the business is second,” Baquerizo stresses, adding the company makes it a point to praise employees for reporting near misses and being safe. “We listen to the field guys and we all talk to keep the job site safe every time you make a change within the scope of the job,” he adds.
Staff Training and Retention Knowing there is no substitute for homegrown experience, the company works hard to retain its best people. “Field experience is a must at all levels. All of our Superintendents have been with the company at least 15 years with some more than 30. We train our guys to stay. When you’re walking around a site, you need to be able to spot things that are right and wrong or should not be there. Those things are saving lives, time and money,” Baquerizo notes.
their long-term goals, we mentor them how to manage their finances and, if their calling is not within our company, we guide them to find a new job. We want to make sure people are happy within our culture, which is everything to us.”
The company’s PILE Program – Prepared Individuals to Lead with Excellence – seeks out college graduates interested in construction regardless of their degree, introduces them to all facets of the industry and rotates them through the various departments.
The company seems set for the foreseeable future. It is the market leader by a wide margin and has been named one of the 10 Best Places to Work for three years running. Baquerizo is part of the team working on developing a succession plan.
“We make sure our employees are experts, but they also need to be happy,” Baquerizo says. “We assign them mentors, we help them develop
www.naconstructionjournal.com
Looking Ahead
“Our president will chart the company’s future with our input as co-strategists. Once that direction has been taken, the team becomes a complete believer and supporter of the vision and be all
North American Construction Journal
in,” he asserts.
108
COMPANY INFORMATION
As an industry leader, the company is committed to its role in shepherding Miami through its period of prolonged growth and its impact on the company’s work force. Company Name:
“The city needs to dream big and, as a company, we realize there are families who have saved their whole lives and entrusted all of their assets into a building/school/bridge supported by our foundations. In addition we know we have to provide safe and quality work, properly rewarded, for our personnel. We’re creating a culture of happy people that can thrive within our company,” he concludes. *** Editor’s Note – On January 1, 2020 HJ Foundation and seven other North American companies will rebrand under the Keller umbrella.
HJ Foundation Country: United States Industry: Construction Est: 1988 Premiere: Deep foundation specialist President: Frank Fonseca Website: www.hjfoundation.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
109
Classic Stone:
Breaking Ground In Supply Chain Innovation Classic Stone delivers natural stone solutions with a unique “quarry-to-project� approach, providing services and products to an international client base. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
110
www.naconstructionjournal.com
G
North American Construction Journal
111
lobal natural stone supplier Classic Stone – with headquarters in Northbrook, IL – operates five office locations under the direction of CEO A. Doruk Borekci since 2006. “Over a ten-year period, we transformed Classic Stone from a small product distributor in the Midwest to a globally recognized natural stone provider. The company was able to achieve an aggressive expansion and growth plan by redefining the stone supply process and forming exclusive partnerships in the global stone market,” Borekci explains. The company also maintains offices in New York, London, Ankara, and Doha. Supply chain operations, logistics, manufacturing and quality control, and purchasing are all managed out of Ankara. Classic Stone falls under the umbrella of Borekci Holdings, a family business established nearly 90 years ago in Turkey. Borekci represents the family’s third generation of ownership; overseeing the global operations for Classic Stone as well as their real estate division. He sits on the Board of Directors and is currently serving a three-year term as Chairman of the Board. With 10 quarries, strategic global offices, and six interior and exterior stone lines, the company is able to
www.naconstructionjournal.com
deliver single-source “quarry-toproject” solutions to its international client base. Borekci says building strong partnerships is a key element of the company’s success. “The stone market tends to be saturated with suppliers, forcing you to differentiate with innovative solutions and products while focusing
North American Construction Journal
112
on building and maintaining strong partnerships. It really is a competitive market where you have to prove yourself over and over,” he explains.
“
Day to Day Operations
way to run a global operation without
of my clients firsthand [but] there is no
great employees.
“
Borekci says establishing a market presence from the outset is crucial to long-term success. Classic Stone’s long-standing client base generates slightly more than half of the
I visit every jobsite and I know all
- CEO A. Doruk Borekci www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
113
company’s business. “These relationships are huge – [clients] tend to work with people they are comfortable with and trust so it is a very closed network. You have to be on the inside, have a history of quality work, and be able to also competitively bid the projects, so penetrating the market early and developing strong partnerships is what it is all about,” he explains. “It is important to engage with the entire project team early on to understand the overall vision and needs in order to provide solutions that add value. We will source products from anywhere in the world and have established exclusive partnerships in the global stone market to provide sourcing and fabrication marked by efficiency,” Borekci adds. Borekci is a hands-on leader with a Bachelors of Science (B.S.) in Industrial & Systems Engineering from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Prior to his current position, he was the Director of Supply Chain Management for Phillips Lighting’s $5 billion operation from 1997-2004 before returning home to the family business. He spends about half the year in the U.S. and the rest of the time visiting the company’s global operations. “I see every jobsite and I know all of my
www.naconstructionjournal.com
APPLIANCES THAT FIT SEAMLESSLY INTO ANY DESIGN
888.352.BEKO (2356) l BekoAppliances.com ©2019 Beko US, Inc. All rights reserved.
North American Construction Journal
114
clients firsthand [but] there is no way to run a global operation without great employees. My COO in Turkey runs all of my operations. My CMO helps tremendously with the promotion of the business and my commercial guys are spread between our global offices managing projects and client relations,� Borekci notes. The company has been a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USBC) since 2010 and provides an array of interior and exterior stones that comply with Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) sustainability standards.
Premiere Projects PARK MGM: Classic Stone has been a preferred supplier for MGM Resorts International (MGM Resorts) since 2012, providing nearly 350,000 square feet of natural stone to-date. Most recently, MGM Resorts completed the conversion of the former Monte Carlo Resort to the luxury Park MGM, featuring the muchanticipated Eataly Las Vegas. Classic Stone supplied Italian marble for the hotel lobby, corridors, meeting center, and ideation studio. In conjunction with the interior renovations, the hardscape and entrance zones were also revitalized. The paving design was created using six different stones, sourced from two different countries.
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
Eataly, which opened this past spring, is situated at the front of Park MGM and features marble and granite cobbles that seamlessly flow from the exterior entrance to the inside market for an open-air feel. THE ARCADE PROJECT: Located in Chicago, Illinois, The Arcade project is a seven-story mixed-used development featuring a combination of retail and residential space. Developed by Borekci Real Estate, a sister company of Classic Stone, the
www.naconstructionjournal.com
115
building features a serrated stone façade designed using 25,000 square feet of limestone and granite. For the interiors, Classic Stone supplied a variety of natural stone for the kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity tops, flooring and carved wall tiles in the lobby, and marble pavers for the outdoor terrace. Custom marble furniture was also fabricated and supplied for the lobby. All of the units feature high-end finishes and premium appliances from Beko, one of the Turkey’s leading home appliance brands.
North American Construction Journal
“
Over a ten-year period, we
116
transformed Classic Stone from a
Bear Construction, general contractor for the project, completed final touches and handover in late July with tenant move-in scheduled for August.
small product distributor in the
Looking Forward
Midwest to a globally recognized
Classic Stone has taken measures to ensure its longevity by offering a unique set of services through their RPSS – Rock, Paper, Scissors, Shoot – Advantage Model. Services include Stone Selection and Sampling, Spec Guidance and Briefing, Product Sourcing and Fabrication, and Site
“
natural stone provider.
- CEO A. Doruk Borekci
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
117
North American Construction Journal
118
Logistics and Installation. According to the company’s website, RPSS “establishes operational ingenuity by replacing common pain points typically buried in the stone supply experience with advantages, every step of the way. We’ve taken control of the stone supply chain, and in doing so, have aligned our commitment to deliver inspiration fully realized.” Since the company has the ability to service projects of every size and location, plans to expand and grow their global presence are currently in the works.
COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: Classic Stone Country: United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, Qatar Industry: Construction Est: 2006 Premiere: Supplier of natural stone products President/CEO: A. Doruk Borekci Website: www.classicstoneadb.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
119
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
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
120
www.naconstructionjournal.com
E
North American Construction Journal
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
www.naconstructionjournal.com
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.
121
- Vice President Don Kowal
North American Construction Journal
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
122
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
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal took a stake in it to get it done,” he recalled. 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. “That’s another step in our growth and diversity and is certainly a project we are very proud of,”
www.naconstructionjournal.com
123
Kowal notes.
Operations 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. “Les decided to develop a construction company the way he thought it should be done. So
North American Construction Journal
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
124
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
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
125
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 a 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.
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
126
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.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
www.naconstructionjournal.com
127
North American Construction Journal
128
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.
COMPANY INFORMATION
“
Les believes there is an art in
putting together a project and getting
Company Name:
the right results. He has a passion for
Granger Construction
the business, a love for building and
Country: United States
seeing things growing out of the ground
Industry: Construction
and has brought on people who get
Est: 1992 Premier Services:
satisfaction from client relationships and
Commercial Construction
doing a good job.
President: Les Granger
“
- Vice President Don Kowal
Website: www.grangerconstructioncompany.com
www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal
129
www.naconstructionjournal.com