The North American Construction Journal Team takes great pride in providing an all-inclusive perspective of the construction industry. The construction marketplace in North America has traditionally been a powerful and progressive market with constant activity. Last year we saw tremendous surge in multiple construction sectors. We are committed to covering all of the current growth areas such as commercial, residential, healthcare and multi-family/mixed use development. Additionally, the pipeline and natural gas construction sectors continued to grow and thrive. We are committed to delivering high-quality, timely information that reflects the diverse interests of our construction industry readers and feel that our new website products and technology will satisfy our quest. North American Construction Journal publishes dozens of articles and features on the top development companies and general contractors and the projects they are known for. We are always trying to gauge the pulse of the marketplace and to give our readers constant updates on project management methodology, new tech and training procedures.
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
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EllisDon Corporation
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National Assoc. of Home Builders 17
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Hudson Meridian Construction Group 23 Kitchell Custom Homes 35 Michels Corporation 41 Maxx HDD 47 Primoris Services Corporation 59 Towne Construction Services 65 Davey Tree 77
93 Plaza Construction Group of Florida 121
Bosworth Steel Erectors, Inc. 93 Fine Line Construction 107 Goodwin Brothers Construction 121
107 WHC Energy Services BC Comfort 159
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EllisDon Corporation:
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
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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
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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
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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
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We are proud to have partnered with EllisDon on the Brookfield Place project.
curtain wall
storefronts
windows
skylights
glass
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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 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.” - Senior Vice President George Charitou www.naconstructionjournal.com
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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
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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
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“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
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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
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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. 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 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. “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
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“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.” - Senior Vice President of International Market Jody Becker
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North American Construction Journal consistently maintains the 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.
“We have leadership programs 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 give to the max and the corporation also has a matching program for many different organizations,” Charitou says.
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
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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
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MARE 52297 Ellis Don QPG Ad FA.indd 1
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Looking forward, expect the 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 Corporation Country: Canada Industry: Construction Est: 1952 Revenue: $3.5 billion Premiere Service: Construction and Building Services President/CEO: Geoff Smith Website: www.ellisdon.com
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National Association of Home Builders
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Representing America’s Community Builders NAHB is the largest housing trade association in the United States
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North American Construction Journal stablished in 1942, the National Association of Home Builders is celebrating it 75th anniversary in 2017. The association is honoring an array of significant achievements and notable progress in home building through the years.
The mission statement on its web site states, in part: “NAHB strives to protect the American Dream of housing opportunities for all, while working to achieve professional success for its members who build communities, create jobs and strengthen our economy.” NAHB is the country’s largest housing trade association, operating at the local, state and national levels with more than 700 state and local associations under its umbrella. NAHB represents 140,000 individuals and more than 2,200 of its members serve on the Board of Directors that elects senior officers and assists with setting the NAHB agenda. Long-time CEO Jerry Howard and 2017 Chairman of the Board Granger MacDonald spearhead the leadership team. Howard, promoted to CEO in 2001, has more than 30 years of association experience in the housing sector having previously worked for the National Association for Realtors and the National Council of State
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Housing Agencies. MacDonald, President of the MacDonald Companies based in Kerrville, TX, has been in the home building industry since the 1970s.
Advocacy
NAHB maintains nine distinct units – Government Affairs and Communications, Housing Finance and Regulatory Affairs, Economics and Housing Policy, Operations and Leadership, Member Services and Education, Exhibitions and Meetings, Marketing and Business Development, Office of Legal Affairs
North American Construction Journal and Financial Services – that monitor every conceivable aspect of the industry. For example, these groups analyze policy issues, publicize the industry’s story, work toward improving the housing finance system, analyze and forecast economic and consumer trends, and educate, train and provide information for NAHB members. While serving as the industry’s voice in Washington, D.C., NAHB seeks to build coalitions and works with an array of federal agencies to address
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housing industry issues.
Education and Development First and foremost, NAHB is committed to meeting its members’ needs and ensuring they have the tools and resources necessary to succeed.
The association maintains an independent subsidiary, Home Innovation Research Labs, which serves as its workforce development arm. It develops, tests and evaluates new materials, methods, standards and equipment to improve the
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North American Construction Journal technology and enhance the Events affordability of America’s housing.
Additionally, NAHB’s philanthropic unit, the National Housing Endowment, is dedicated to developing more effective approaches to home building, enhancing education, providing training and expanding the industry’s body of knowledge.
Focusing on Safety
The association educates its membership about accident prevention by providing training materials and news updates about proposed safety standards and compliance with existing regulations. NAHB’s Construction Safety & Health Committee coordinates and informs members about the association’s legislative and regulatory activities related to job site safety, OSHA regulations and workers’ compensation. OSHA’s final crystalline silica rule – which will take effect in September 2017 and is designed to limit exposure to a known carcinogen in an effort to curb lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney disease – along with OSHA’s recently revised record-keeping rule and fall protection continue to be top safety-related issues for NAHB.
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NAHB’s annual International Builders’ Show is the largest of its kind for the residential and light commercial industry. The 2018 event in Orlando, FL (Jan. 9-11) is expected to attract upwards of 60,000 attendees from more than 100 countries. Additionally, NAHB is hosted the Association Management Conference (August 16-19), the Fall Executive Board Meeting (October 1-3) and will host the Building Systems Housing Summit (October 8-10) later this year.
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ASSOCIATION INFORMATION
Association Name: National Association of Home Builders Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 1942 Premiere Service: Industry association CEO: Jerry Howard Website: https://www.nahb.org/ www.naconstructionjournal.com
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Hudson Meridian Construction Group:
At the Core of New Building in The Big Apple
New York City’s Hudson Meridian Construction Group has established itself as an award-winning construction services specialist. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal ince it was founded in 2002, New York City’s Hudson Meridian Construction Group has established itself as an awardwinning construction services specialist with demonstrated expertise in both the public and private sectors.
Under the guidance of CEO and Founder William I. Cote, Hudson Meridian is a highly regarded provider of Construction Management, General Contracting and Program Management services. Though primarily involved in new construction and restoration projects such as public housing, luxury residential high rises and adaptive re-use of industrial space, the company’s vast portfolio also includes health and continued care, marine and educational facilities as well as disaster response and remediation. Located in the heart of the city’s Financial District at 61 Broadway, the company employs 130 and is projected to generate $750m revenue in 2017. It has been responsible for 4.9 million square feet of construction from January 2012 through March 2017 and is committed to shepherding on-time and onbudget projects that align with its clients’ vision through from
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concept to completion. “It’s about having full vision with an understanding of delivery of a product and meeting the clients’ constraints and understanding their intent to ensure what we committed to delivering,” says company Vice President Luciano Bana, an industry veteran of 25 years. One recent survey ranked the company sixth among the Top 20 New York City General Contractors by ground-up
North American Construction Journal projects. Bana points to a major edge Hudson Meridian holds over competitors. “We do retain builders within our organization. We have ground up personnel that are able to build, people that you can put in an open environment and who know the processes of framing out a closet or installing a tower crane and doing a tieback,” says Bana. “We have key professionals that understand the overall building process, whether it’s core and
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shell, foundation and remediation, or interiors. We have a substantial history with many individuals that carry that knowledge forward,” he adds. Bana says the company is a committed community partner that donates time and services to a variety of charitable organizations.
Operations
Hudson Meridian began as a non-union shop, something of a prescient decision at the time. As Bana notes, “the marketplace has predominantly changed from a union environment to a non-union environment. About 55 percent market share is now non-union. And the projects are getting much larger.” Given the scope of its work, the company works with a multitude of vendors and maintains a comprehensive database of subcontractors, consultants and engineers with oversight provided by its Procurement Department. The company has incorporated Subguard® – an insurance product that safeguards projects from delays and additional costs associated with a defaulted subcontractor or supplier – into its process to ensure that subcontractors are able to take on
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North American Construction Journal the financial demands of any given project.
“We do have a core group of subs that have helped us in successfully delivering various buildings. We develop references and projects history and we benchmark subs on a quarterly basis. If they seem they may be high risk, then we manage the financial process for them,” Bana points out. “The challenges of having multiple subcontractors on one specific site within a New York City environment lends itself to having to qualify personnel to run it. So the vetting process has
“It’s about having full vision with an understanding of delivery of a product and meeting the clients’ constraints and understanding their intent to ensure what we committed to delivering.”
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become much more stringent and more difficult than it was say five years ago when open shop with abundant qualified individuals wasn’t as needed as much as it is today,” Bana explains.
Advances in technology continue to enhance the speed with which problems can be addressed, thereby keeping projects on track. “Look back 20 years and we didn’t have the technology in various cycles of our projects that we have now. Information becomes instant versus having to build on experience or your knowledge of the drawing. We didn’t have these luxuries back then. Now we deliver the same project without having to wait for certain aspects,” says Bana. The company is a member of both the U.S. Green Building Council and the National Association of Home Builders. Bana says approximately 60 percent of the company’s projects are performed to LEED guidelines but adds “energy efficiency is now the new requirement.”
Premier Projects
The $200m Pier House project in the heart of Brooklyn Bridge Park consists of two mid-rise condos and a 10-story hotel and was executed for Toll Brothers City
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Living and Starwood Capital Group and is expected to earn LEED Silver certification. The 580,000sf development includes 194 hotel guest rooms and 106 condominiums and features green roofs with deciduous and conifer trees. When completed, the hotel will include restaurants/bars, a health spa, conference/meeting rooms and a banquet facility. A full size cellar beneath the structures will house a below grade parking lot. Construction requires a continuous dewatering operation due to the proximity of the East
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River, as the water table is roughly six feet below grade. Additionally: • Facade elements and materials are carefully designed to blend into the surrounding Brooklyn Bridge Park. The facades will feature limestone, glass, reclaimed wood and metal panels. • Special acoustical design and construction practices will insure a quiet environment for hotel guests and homeowners.
• Glass curtain walls and
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with 440 rental units in the Fort Greene Park neighborhood. Highlights include a gym, common party room, lounge area, children’s playroom and a roof deck. More than 10,000sf of shops will be housed on the ground floor.
Safety Measures
The company stresses safety 24/7 via dedicated job site oversight and its participation in a city-wide program focused on high-rise safety.
window walls are used throughout the buildings to maximize the extraordinary views. • Deep foundations of more than 850 piles driven into bedrock nearly 100 feet below the surface support the reinforced concrete superstructure. One residential building spans the Cranberry Street MTA subway tunnel, approximately 30 feet below the building. The recently completed 86 Fleet Place in Brooklyn, a $140m venture for Red Apple Real Estate, is a 33-story mixed-use tower
“Our corporate safety directors audit each and every one of our jobs on a weekly basis to maintain safety standards above what the requirements are,” says Bana. “Hudson has the availability to join the high rise program in New York City that’s basically an open invitation for inspectors to come in and examine our safety guidelines. We encourage that for all of our projects.”
Employees and Training
Team building and organic growth is key to maintaining continuity within the company. “And we do recognize the availability of outside talent helping us to grow. So we take both practices and fuse them together,” says Bana.
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““Our corporate safety directors audit each and every one of our jobs on a weekly basis to maintain safety standards above what the requirements are.”
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North American Construction Journal Benchmarking measures help to identify those individuals ready to take their next career step. “If we have a rising star that has the drive and wherewithal, we coach them and bring them into the fold as far as teaching them the various independencies from being a Superintendent, to being and Assistant Project Manager and onto being a Project Manager, a Senior Project Manager and an Executive Vice President. We coach them every
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step of the way in understanding the processes and teaching them the ins and outs of the business,” says Bana. In the final analysis, Bana views Hudson Meridian a “a business with multiple businesses in itself having the vision to put something together and finding the personalities to bring it all together.” “It’s evolved for the better,” he concludes.
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COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Hudson Meridian Construction Group Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 2002 Revenue: $750m Premiere Service: Construction Management;General Contracting, Program Management Founder/CEO: William I. Cote Website: https://www.hudsonmeridian.com/
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Kitchell Custom Homes:
Expert Builder of Spectacular Dream Homes
Kitchell Custom Homes is known for delivering unparalleled estates in California, Arizona, Hawaii and beyond
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ounded in 1950, Kitchell Custom Homes is a well-regarded builder of premier residential estates in California, Arizona, Hawaii, and select international locations. Part of the Kitchell Contractors division of the Kitchell Corporation, the company is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA with a second location in Phoenix, AZ.
challenge of working with different materials, building standards and design elements and to strike a delicate balance between design/style and function/performance. The idea is to build a dream home that encompasses the design team and client’s vision of design and style, and, through careful planning and construction, to create an enduring treasure.”
U.S. Navy Commander Sam Kitchell, a World War Two veteran, started the company after the pre-fab housing contractor he worked for went out of business. Kitchell relocated with his family to Phoenix and established a company with roots in general contracting and construction management.
The company provides the following services: • General Contracting
The company has grown from a modest family-owned business into a 100 percent employee-owned enterprise in which everyone has a stake and is dedicated to building value. Jim Swanson is President/CEO of the Kitchell Corporation while builder-owner Shane Mahan is a key Regional Executive for Kitchell Custom Homes. In an interview with Ocean Home Magazine, Mahan described the company’s vision for each of its projects: “There’s a thrill in the
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North American Construction Journal • Estimating • Constructability Reviews • Construction Management • Scheduling & Phasing • Quality Assurance • Design Reviews • Existing Conditions Analysis • Permits, Reviews, Inspections • Post-Construction • Home Maintenance
Spectacular Projects
The company is known for delivering unparalleled homes of the highest quality but may have outdone itself with the $35 million
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Villa Della Costa that sits on 106 acres overlooking Santa Barbara’s Gaviota Coast. The single-story modern Mediterranean main house features five bedrooms, eight full bathrooms and three powder rooms. Additionally, the property also includes a helipad, guesthouse and pool cabana. While coastal construction presents its own unique set of challenges, Kitchell Custom Homes is committed to providing a
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North American Construction Journal client-centric experience tailored to the specific needs of every client. The company web site states: “Our highly skilled builders are consumed with delivering a level of craftsmanship and attention to detail that is commensurate with the type of bespoke properties we are commissioned to build.”
Capabilities
Kitchell’s reputation has been built on integrity and transparency, one job at a time, from concept to completion and beyond. As an industry leader, the company is able to take advantage of leading technologies, skills, resources, and strategies, resulting in a sophisticated approach that yields the finest artisanship. As the company web site states: “Our goal is that the experience you have while working with us is
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as spectacular and rewarding as the home we deliver. Understanding that your home is a place where memories will be shared for generations, we want this experience to form the foundation from which these memories will be realized.” Kitchell requires trade partner pre-qualification for prospective sub-contractors. Employees pursue certifications and accreditations that enhance the company’s reputation for maintaining a highly knowledgeable and welltrained workforce. When it comes to safety, the company’s Subcontractor Safety Alliance introduces and reinforces its safety culture and best practices to all of its trade partners. Finally, its mentoring program promotes innovations and collaboration across companies and locations.
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COMPANY INFORMATION
Company Name: Kitchell Custom Homes Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Website: http://www.kitchellcustomhomes.com/ www.naconstructionjournal.com
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Michels Corporation:
One-Stop Solutions Resource Michels Corporation of Brownsville, WI specializes in construction, engineering and procurement for clients across the utilities industry spectrum Written By; Kevin Doyle Produced by: Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal stablished by the late Dale Michels in 1959 as Michels Pipeline Construction, Inc., Michels Corporation changed its name in 2001 to reflect the breadth and depth of the utility construction services it provides. The family-owned company, now under the direction of President Patrick D. Michels, maintains headquarters in Brownsville, WI and has grown exponentially through the years to encompass 18 divisions and subsidiaries at 30 facilities in the United States and Canada. It employs more than 5,000 and maintains a fleet in excess of 10,000 pieces
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of equipment. The company specializes in construction, engineering and procurement for the communications, construction materials, civil construction, oil and gas, power delivery, renewable energy, sewer and water, and transportation industries. Its services range from pipeline construction, horizontal directional drilling and fiber optic networks to tunneling, paving, custom crushing and road building.
Operational Capabilities In February 2017, the company
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won a $6.28 million contract from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Boardman River Dam removal and river restoration project in Traverse City, described by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as “the most comprehensive dam-removal and watershed-restoration effort in Michigan’s history.” In September2016, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Michels Corp. the $10.96 million contract for restoration of the Underwood Creek ecosystem in Wauwatosa, WI. The project consists of removing 4,000 linear feet of concrete channel from lower
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Underwood Creek to provide a more natural habitat and is targeted for Spring 2018 completion. Additional projects include: • Installation of 7,000 feet of two-inch conduit in a utility tunnel under downtown St. Paul, MN as part of a multi-phase cell phone network upgrade project in 2015 • Installation of 17 miles of electric and signal cables, conduits and splice boxes as part of a rail improvement project in New Jersey in 2014
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• Installation of 1,200 feet of 42-inch casing crossing under a highway and rail tracks via the Direct Pipe® method in Texas in 2014 • Installation of 371 miles of 36-inch diameter pipeline in Texas and Oklahoma as part of the Gulf Coast Pipeline Project from 2012-13 • A joint venture collaboration with Jay Dee Contractors, Inc. and Frank Coluccio Construction Co. on construction of the first-ever tunnel under, a five-mile, 15-foot diameter Bay Tunnel under San Francisco Bay, part of SFPUC’s Water System Improvement Program.
Safety Protocol The company follows an all-encompassing and straightforward mantra: “Lead Safely. Others Will Follow.” Every employee has the authority to stop any job they may feel to be unsafe. A team of more than 100 Health, Safety and Environmental professionals works with crews directly by providing training, conducting safety audits and overseeing operations. The company earned recognition in 2015 when it was
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selected runner-up by the International Pipe Line and Offshore Contractors Association for its “Promise Me” campaign, a video initiative in which employees’ family members ask loved ones to always work safely. Michels’ HSE standards exceed compliance with regulatory requirements and are designed to protect both workers and others impacted by company operations. A policy statement posted to its
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web site reads, in part: “This dedication and relentless commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our people and the public isn’t exclusively limited to the work we are performing, but also applies to the potential impact we have on the environment and the safe transport of our team members and equipment on the roadways. Creating a safe and environmentally-friendly workplace is more than just the right thing to do – as responsible, caring individuals, we feel we have a moral obligation to look out for one another!”
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Michels Corporation Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 1959 Premiere Service: Construction, engineering and procurement for the Utilities sector. President: Patrick D. Michels Website: www.michels.us
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Maxx HDD, LLC:
Directional drilling specialist is just getting started Now just two years old, Maxx HDD, LLC of Houston is forging a reputation as a preferred pipeline contractor. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal s it nears completion of its second year of operation, Maxx HDD, LLC of Houston, TX has quickly found its footing as a preferred horizontal directional drilling contractor within the Oil and Gas Pipeline industry.
Established in 2015 by industry veterans and good friends President Travis Vander Wert, CEO Kevin Hutcherson and COO T.J. Strickland, the company operates throughout the Lower 48 states. The company maintains the capabilities to service the Water and Sewer, Wind and Solar, and Telecommunications industries, but Vander Wert says: “Right
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now we are almost 100 percent pipeline related.”
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The experience of the management team – each member is a second- or thirdgeneration industry expert with decades of experience – has been crucial to the company’s ability to hit the ground running. “My role is really no different than any other member of our organization. I am part of a team of wonderful people. We all are forced to wear many hats in order to make this work. We all share in the growth of the company equally and collectively we make a great team of good friends.
North American Construction Journal As we’ve grown we have always stayed friends. That is one of the most important things to us and that is how we make it work,” says Vander Wert. The company, and the industry as a whole, isn’t without challenges such as finding qualified workers, meeting accelerated work schedules, and explaining its processes to those wary of potential damage to the environment. “Finding qualified people to make these projects constructible in the time frame the owners want them done is difficult. We’ve seen these larger projects’ build schedules
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get accelerated from what would normally be a year to construct them to now they’re asking them to be done in five months. That puts a real strain on finding qualified people to do it,” Vander Wert says.
“Another challenge is the image of the industry. We’re seeing more and more push back on our industry and it’s important for us to educate the public on what we actually do,” he adds. “The end result in what the energy industry provides to the end user is key to our nation’s goal of becoming energy independent and it is important to educate the public of the
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construction process and the end result of it.� Maxx HDD has more than doubled in revenue, assets and employees over the last two years.
Top Shelf Projects Plains All American Red River Project: Maxx HDD has played a key role in some of the country’s largest pipeline projects which enable increased volumes of products to be delivered to markets downstream from facilities in Cushing, OK. The company has participated in both the Plaines Red River and
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Diamond pipelines that will deliver oil from Cushing to multiple end markets. Sunoco Mariner East Project: This endeavor, now under the direction of Energy Transfer Partners MLP following its April 2017 merger with Sunoco Logistics Partners, will transport natural gas liquids (NGL) from the Marcellus and Utica Shales eastward to Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region for distribution to commercial and global markets. Phase 2 of the project is now under way and will increase takeaway capacity to
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North American Construction Journal 345,000 barrels per day.
Operations Well on its way to becoming a preferred industry partner, the company has had no shortage of work from the outset. Vander Wert credits that to the company’s make-up as well as its straightforward approach to working with clients. “There are some high demands in the industry to put together a good team of contractors to make it happen. We feel that being privately owned and a very hands-on approach is critical to our group’s success and that it plays a part of why our clients enjoy working with us. We will make decisions based The
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on what is best for our clients and our company collectively. There are always going to be times where those decisions do not make financial sense at the time but our ultimate goal is to have the ability to grow with our clients as an extension of their business,” he explains. Thanks to its extensive fleet of late model directional drills and support equipment, the company has earned a reputation for taking on extreme projects and completing them on time and under budget. “I think it is understanding what it takes to do the job. We have a wonderful group of superinten
“We will make decisions that are good for the company and the clients. We do what is right, not what is best for the pocket. We want to grow with our clients as an extension of their companies.”
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“Industry leaders. Passionate visionaries. and genuinely nice guys.”
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- President Travis Vander Wert
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dents that work with us that help in making it all happen. We get together as a group and evaluate what it takes to get the job done on time and on budget. We strive to be a partner with the clients to make it happen,” Vander Wert says. The company self-performs approximately 80 percent of its work and subs out 20 percent in outside labor, hauling of equipment and transporting of fluids. “We partner with our subs and our vendors. They are a huge part of the business and we know we can’t do this without them. We
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need them all to succeed as a team,” Vander Wert stresses.
Safety Given the volatile nature of the industry, safety is top of mind around the clock. The company’s Health and Safety measures are constantly reviewed and adjusted as needed and its culture of safety is advanced by communication at all levels and on all work sites. Safety measures include: providing ongoing training at the field level; allowing employees to identify and voice concerns about potential job site hazards; providing proper tools and
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supplies needed for a safe environment; insuring that equipment is well maintained and in proper working order; and having at least one certified OSHA, CPR and First Aid employee on site at all times. “Safety is pretty simple; it’s a culture. As long as you promote and put a value on safety in the field and at the office, it will drive the day-to-day tasks. We provide our guys with the most up-to-date tools to be efficient and safe,” says Vander Wert.
People and More
The company belongs to a number of industry associations,
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North American Construction Journal such as DCA, a favorite of Vander Wert’s. “DCA does a wonderful job promoting the industry while spending countless hours in training and education. The organization is very active in Washington and helps considerably in making sure our industry has a voice in the political realm. DCA also provides an avenue to connect with others in the industry by establishing a common ground between owner companies, contractors and vendors,” he says. Word of mouth has been beneficial to Maxx HDD’s growth. Due largely to its burgeoning
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reputation, its workplace culture, and its positive environment, Vander Wert says the company has been fortunate to attract some of the industry’s top talent. “We work extremely hard at protecting our reputation and our company name. If you do that successfully it helps in attracting more talent to our organization,” Vander Wert says. “Our industry is one of the best out there and is filled with hard-working, great people. The quality of people in this industry is second to none.” Looking ahead, it is easy to envision Maxx HDD trending upward for a good long while. This company is just getting started.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Maxx HDD, LLC Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 2015 Premiere Service: Horizontal directional drilling President: Travis Vander Wert Website: http://www.maxxhdd.com
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Primoris Services Corporation:
Dallas company oversees 21 subsidiaries, services diverse clients Primoris Services Corporation, one of the largest specialty contractors in the U.S., ranks 35th on The Engineering News Record’s Top 400 Contractors List for 2017. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal stablished in 2004, Primoris Services Corporation of Dallas, TX was formed as the parent umbrella for 21 subsidiaries serving a diverse array of end markets. As of 2016, Primoris was a Fortune 1000 company and it is ranked 35th on The Engineering News Record’s prestigious Top 400 Contractors List for 2017. The company provides construction, fabrication, maintenance, replacement, water and wastewater, and engineering services to major public utilities, petrochemical companies, energy companies, municipalities, and other customers. Primoris can trace its roots back to pipeline construction firm ARB, Inc., founded in 1960 in Bakersfield, CA. Today ARB Industrials, ARB Structures and ARB Underground are part of the Primoris family. The company is under the direction of President and CEO David King and Chairman of the Board Brian Pratt. It is one of the largest specialty contractors in the United States and now extends into Canada, having more than doubled its size since 2009 with an aggressive acquisition program. The company employs more than
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6,000, generated annual revenue of $2.09 billion (2014), and has built projects across North America as well as Latin America, South and Central America, and Southeast Asia. In announcing the company’s Q2 2017 earnings results, King noted: “We’re very proud of our financial results for both the quarter and the first six months of 2017. We now have three consecutive quarters of year-over-year revenue growth as we strive to deliver consistent results. In the second quarter, all four of our operating segments saw revenue growth, helping us to achieve the highest quarterly revenue on the company’s history. The revenue generated strong earnings, driven by the exceptional operating performance, especially at Rockford, our Pipeline & Underground segment star performer.”
Safety Initiatives The company’s broad safety management approach focuses on leadership, training, incentives, accountability and effective case management in order to guarantee safe work conditions. A full staff of safety professionals assists operations management
North American Construction Journal with resource allocation, training, planning, implementation and overall program management. The company has been recognized with numerous safety awards, including the Golden Gate Recognition Award on five different job sites in California. According to the Primoris web site, “This process looks at our safety programs, the implementation of those programs, and makes several jobsite visits prior to award.”
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Additionally, the company has also recently received a pair of Chevron Outstanding Project Performance Awards, presented for no recordable or lost time injuries.
Service and Commitment As stated on its web site: “For nearly six decades, Primoris has built a reputation for taking on challenges that others will not – setting the bar ever higher for
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North American Construction Journal ourselves and our industry with each project. Now, as we build a sustainable infrastructure that supports the growing needs of the nation – and the world – we reaffirm innovation, quality, service, and safety as our core values. And we remind ourselves that the pioneering spirit of yesteryear fuels the imagination of today.” ENGINEERING: The company specializes in front end engineering design and turnkey engineering, procurement and construction for small to mid-size oil and gas and petrochemical facilities, hydrocarbon reforming and renewable energy
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production facilities. FABRICATION: The company’s multiple facilities across the U.S. total more than 250,000sf and feature the latest technologies to achieve the highest degree of quality and foremost productivity in the industry. CONSTRUCTION: The Primoris family of companies composes one of the largest specialty contractors in the United States, licensed to work in Hawaii, Alaska and 44 of the continental states. MAINTENANCE: PSC provides civil, mechanical and pipeline maintenance solutions for its clients.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Primoris Services Corp. Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 2004 Revenue: $2.09 billion Premiere Service: Parent umbrella for 21 subsidiaries serving a diverse array of end markets. President/CEO: David King Website: www.primoriscorp.com
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Towne Construction Services:
Providing turnkey solutions for the commercial and municipal sectors
Towne Construction Services of Batavia, OH has created a niche by providing General Contractors a single point of contact with multiple capabilities Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
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dentifying an opportunity and having the wherewithal to take advantage of it is a formula that often yields success.
As a case in point, consider Towne Construction Services of Batavia, OH, the self-performing specialist in asphalt and paving, curbs, site concrete, excavation and underground utilities. The company, in business since 2005, spun out of the real estate development property and management company Towne Properties, where TCS President and CEO Chris Bortz was working as legal counsel. “They were building condominiums and struggling to find construction level services. There was a huge amount of work and not enough contractors to fill it. In 2008, we created an internal group to address some of the needs,” Bortz recalls. The company formed to focus on commercial and municipal site development opportunities, a decision that coincided with the collapse of the domestic construction industry under the weight of The Great Recession. “A lot of contractors had disappeared. My strategy was about finding opportunity. It turned out I was right and
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probably too right. We had explosive and virtually unmanageable growth from 2011 to 2014. We were in the right place at the right time as the market turned and projects that had been sitting hit the front burner. We were positioned to take advantage. We are stabilized and growing from a plan instead of shooting from the hip. Now our growth is more strategic,” Bortz says. Today the company employs 200
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and generates annual revenue of approximately $30 million. Seventy percent of its commercial portfolio is made up of bid work awarded by General Contractors and 30 percent is generated by developers acting as General Contractors. Residential work is almost exclusively direct to the homeowners. “The commercial side is more business to business facing. We created a niche and provide
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General Contractors a singular point of responsibility by combining asphalt, site building, concrete, utilities and excavation. Our original DNA when we started was decorative concrete and backyard settings such as pool decks and patios,” Bortz explains. “The customer focus required to effectively work for homeowners carried over to our commercial clients and helps set us apart from our competition.” The company’s TowneScapes arm
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North American Construction Journal continues as a well-regarded specialist in stamped/decorative concrete, pavers and natural stone patios, pool decks, and walkways as well as landscape design and installation, outdoor rooms/ kitchens, outdoor fireplaces, pergolas/arbors, and pool houses.
Valued Relationships Towne Construction Services integrated capabilities enable it to stand out among competitors. The company works tirelessly to cultivate long-term relationships and repeat business and stands on its good name.
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“Reputation is sacrosanct. It takes a long time to build and can be ruined overnight. Standing by our relationships and our commitment to provide real value for our customers is critical,” Bortz says. “If we have to lose money on a job to preserve a relationship, we will take that. We’ve had a few jobs where we took it on the chin for our client – we want them to be happy and are in it for the long haul.” Vendors and suppliers are held in equally high regard. “Finding the right vendors is not
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North American Construction Journal much different than finding the right client. We value partnerships and relationships that run deeper than payment terms. The [construction] world changed because of 2007-08 and the way the General Contractor words a contract and the amount of vendor and insurance liability that is passed on. We don’t take advantage of our vendors; we make sure we take care of them, and they us. We have top-rate, terrific vendors,” Bortz says.
Day to Day Given the region’s unpredictable winters, the company executes work within a short seven- to nine-month window, always cognizant of meeting deadlines.
Inn Express, elementary and middle school projects in Fairfield, and sub-division work for clients that specifically requested the company. Ensuring job safety is of utmost importance. TCS maintains current OSHA certifications and holds daily toolbox safety talks. “There is no job worth a limb or a life,” asserts Bortz. To curb cell phone use and texting among both drivers and site equipment operators the company provides hands-free systems in its vehicles and imposes strict discipline on policy violations.
“Reputation is sacrosanct.
“Most of our activities are weather dependent – everything we do is not under a roof. We have capacity to do more, but won’t because we don’t want to miss schedules and get too stretched. We need to be ready for wild cards while also maintaining capacity for key customers that are in crisis and in need,” Bortz says.
It takes a long time to
Current projects include the installation of concrete wall in and apartment building and its adjoining parking garage in Columbus. Also in progress are the build out of a Holiday
is critical.”
build and can be ruined overnight. Standing by our relationships and our commitment to provide real value for our customers
- President/CEO Chris Bortz www.naconstructionjournal.com
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The company typically selfperforms 90 percent of all project work, subbing out electrical, plumbing and trucking services. With a limited number of Project Managers and Superintendents on staff, Bortz says some employees take on dual Superintendent and foreman responsibilities at job sites.
three- to five-year period.
“There is no one to fill the jobs, so you need to be efficient and innovative to meet the market conditions,” Bortz points out.
Of course, that approach requires a top-flight maintenance team and a service culture that extends from the top all the way down to the operators.
Due to the prohibitive cost of new equipment – for example, off-road dump trucks run about $50,000 used as compared to $350,000 new – Bortz buys used equipment, financed over a
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“The way I look at it, if you pay one-third of the cost and you put $50,000 in, you’re still way ahead. There is a never-ending need for maintenance, but if you get three to five years beyond the finance life, it’s more than paid for itself,” he says.
Bortz values the company’s membership in the Associated Builders & Contractors for “keeping a finger on industry l egislative issues and as a good
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resource for HR and IT and the nuts and bolts of running a company.”
internal communication and is committed to cultivating a team environment.
People, Etc.
“When there is a sense of loyalty, when people feel like they have a home and the people around them care and there are incentives for performance and that they are respected, it translates into a better product and margin. That happens when you engage 200 guys on a regular basis, “ Bortz explains.
Bortz traveled a circuitous path to arrive at his current position. Initially a middle school teacher, he earned his law degree and served six years on the Cincinnati City Council. “Then I found myself knee deep in a construction company. A strange, crooked road got me here and I love what I do and how it is different every day,” he says. While long stretches in the office are unavoidable, Bortz enjoys being in the field. He stresses
“The most important thing you can do is surround yourself with folks who are smarter than you, that know more than you do, and have no problem telling you when you’re dead wrong,” he adds.
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North American Construction Journal Early on, the company was able to land high-end talent from companies that closed during the recession. Now, developing talent and leadership from within is key to the company’s continued success.
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“We don’t take advantage of our vendors; we make
“We want to build, maintain and develop our internal talent and teach our culture. For our PMs and Supers, 50 percent of the job is finding and training their replacement. We are all trying to get better and only want guys that want to grow with us,” Bortz notes, adding that some of the company’s top employees are in their early to mid-30s.
sure we take care of them, and they us. We have top-rate, terrific vendors.” - President/CEO
It’s an approach that figures to sustain Towne Construction Services well into the future.
Chris Bortz
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Towne Construction Services Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 2005 Revenue: $30 million Premiere Service:
Specialist in asphalt and paving, curbs, site concrete, excavation and underground utilities.
President/CEO: Chris Bortz Website: www.towneconstructionservices.com
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Davey Tree:
Kent, OH firm provides tree care across North America With branches in the U.S. and Canada, The Davey Tree Expert Company has been caring for trees for more than 100 years. Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal ounded in 1880 in Kent, OH by transplanted Englishman John Davey, the Davey Tree Expert Company (Davey Tree) is the largest tree care company in North America. The company’s approximately 9,000 employees provide an array of tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental services in the Residential and Commercial and Utility sectors across the United States and Canada. Company founder John Davey is regarded as the father of the science of tree surgery and arboriculture – the cultivation, management, and study of individual trees, shrubs, vines and other perennial
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woody plants. Davey traveled to Ohio from Somersetshire, England to Ohio in 1873. His reputation was born when he transformed Standing Rock Cemetery in Kent with plantings of shrubs and flowers. The company remained in the Davey family for nearly a full century until its sale to employees in 1979. It is Ohio’s largest employee-owned company and the 15th largest such company in the United States. Karl Warnke serves as Chief Executive Officer.
Guiding Principles On its website, the company states its corporate vision is to
North American Construction Journal “provide solutions that promote balance among people, progress and the environment.” In 2013, Davey Tree published its In the company’s first corporate social responsibility report, published in 2013, Warnke, states: “We are dedicated to being responsible corporate citizens to ensure today’s business practices are not detriments to tomorrow’s landscape. As environmental stewards, we must be accountable for our actions each day.” According to data from that report, the company achieved a 95 percent wood wasterecycling rate. It also reduced its water use and electricity use, as well as moved its fleet to energy efficient vehicles and GPS monitoring. The company is involved in initiatives such as the i-Tree software used by the USDA Forest Service and it has helped the National Park Service care for the trees at 9/11 Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania. The company’s storm response crews assist with cleanup of natural disasters, such as hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and, most recently, Irma.
Services As stated on its web site,
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Davey Tree asserts: “With operations throughout North America, our branches have expanded, but our commitment to scientifically-based horticultural and environmental services and outstanding client service has never wavered.” The company leverages an array of technology to enhance service delivery. In the Utility Sector, the company offers a turnkey solutions suite that gets the job done right, efficiently and safely. Services include emergency storm response, GIS inventory and verification, vegetation management, utility line clearance, joint-use services and facility inspections. The company provides comprehensive Commercial Landscape services on properties across North America. These include commercial now removal and storm response, turf renovation, tree planting and tree care, landscape installation and enhancement and irrigation installation and management. Residential services include tree removal, tree pruning, tree health, tree planting, tree safety and lawn and landscaping. Regardless of the job, Davey Tree stresses safety, starting with a site
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visit and continuing throughout the duration. The company states: “On the property or in the field, we represent you. Safety’s part of our DNA, and our safety record is thanks to programs and initiatives like Human Performance Excellence and The Road to Zero.”
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Davey Tree Expert Company Country: U.S. Est: 1880 Premiere Service: Tree care, grounds maintenance and environmental services CEO: Karl Warnke Website: www.davey.com
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Plaza Construction Group Florida:
A Miami-Dade
Powerhouse With a portfolio encompassing multiple sectors, Plaza Construction Group Florida delivers high-end work and a wide array of services Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal fter hanging its shingle in 2004, Plaza Construction Group Florida quickly established a sterling reputation on the way to earning its place among preeminent builders in the burgeoning Miami-Dade County marketplace. The company – which functions as the Southeast Regional hub of New York-based Plaza Construction (est. 1986) and is a subsidiary of China Construction America (est. 1985) – currently has approximately $1 billion in current projects, almost all within Miami-Dade County. President Brad Meltzer says the company’s success is the result of doing business the right way from concept through to completion of every job. “We have a notebook we hand out to staff and on the inside cover are two things – our business principles and our expected behaviors. At the core of all of that is transparency. When people see we are really being transparent and they see how we operate, it breaks down barriers and it creates [teamwork]. The heart of making the industry better comes down to this sort of culture,” explains Meltzer, who studied pre-med for a year before following his father’s
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footsteps and turning to Architecture. He joined the company in 1990 upon earning his degree in. The approach has clearly resonated as the company employs 260, generates continual repeat business, and maintains long-standing relationships with a key core of sub-contractors. With a portfolio that encompasses multiple sectors, the company has demonstrated expertise in Construction Management, General Contracting, Program Management, Design/Build and Construction Consulting.
High Profile Projects One Thousand Museum: The vision of the late Pritzker Prize winner Zaha Hadid, this 62-story high-end condo tower will rise 730 feet and features an exoskeleton made up of panels of concrete reinforced with glass fiber. “This is, arguably, one of the most notable projects in the USA. The Pritzker Prize is like their Nobel Prize. She has done only done two projects in North America and this will be a real legacy to her design portfolio,� says Meltzer of Hadid, a native of Iraq who became a
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North American Construction Journal naturalized citizen of the UK and part-time resident of Miami. The expected project completion date is in 2018. Aventura Mall Expansion: Upon completion in November 2017, this three-story project will provide an additional one million square feet of parking and 350,000 square feet of retail and food court space. Biscayne Beach/Edgewater: The company has wrapped up its work on the 391-unit, 52story residential tower, one of five 48- to 52-story towers to be
built in a three-block area. The W Hotel: Plaza Construction’s capabilities were on full display for this $180 million project that included a tunnel and 35,000 square feet of below grade (underground) office space – and was completed in 27 months a decade ago. “The W Hotel was an example of using pre-construction time for successful planning and completion of a project. The materials selected were world-class and the owner was wise in how they spent the money and understood the quality of design. Ten years later the
“When people see we are really being transparent and they see how we operate, it breaks down barriers and it creates [teamwork]. The
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heart of making the industry better comes down to this sort of culture.” FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORT
- President Brad Meltzer www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal project is still beautiful and looks like it did when we finished it. That’s what happens when you use good materials,” Meltzer notes.
People And Training Meltzer knows the company is only as good as its personnel and is diligent in its efforts to train and, hopefully, retain employees for the long term. “We grew organically at the start. We built with good people who provide top-shelf service; that has been our strategy from the start. People are our single greatest asset,” he stresses, “and without
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enough quality people we can’t provide a quality product.” The company provides LEED certification training, Project Management training and safety training and is placing renewed emphasis on its Reinforcing Our Construction Knowledge (ROCK) program. “We are having third party companies come in to teach us techniques and how we can grow. And we now have onboarding and mentoring programs, so when someone joins the company, they have a more focused career path. We believe if we invest in them, then they in turn will invest in us. The investment is in our company,” Meltzer explains. As a committed community partner, Plaza Constructions takes part in any number of charitable initiatives such as charity bike rides, fundraising for Thanksgiving programs, building classrooms at shelters, and raising money for foster care support groups.
Day To Day In an area currently flush with opportunity but short on available talent due to an ongoing boom cycle, the
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North American Construction Journal company stands apart thanks to its stellar pre-construction capabilities. “We’re trying to manage relationships and the temperature of the projects and the ripple effects of being stressed. It’s like a family dynamic – if five people are living in a house and everyone is stressed, there is going to be stress in the house,” Meltzer explains. “Owners hire us for their projects because we plan them out. We don’t plan as we design so we are ready for any possible conflict and can reduce any possible conflict and mitigate issues significantly. They won’t rear their ugly head during construction when there are 600 guys on a job rather than 10 guys doing pre-construction,” he adds. Safety is top of mind at all times. The company employs a Corporate Safety Director and larger jobs have safety directors whose job is to develop customized project-specific safety plans. As a result, the company maintains an exceptionally low Experience Modification rate, used by insurers to gauge premium costs. “No two jobs are alike. The
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safety directors meet with our guys and are looking for different ways to increase awareness with the staff through classes and emails and by introducing technology to make the site safer,” says Meltzer, who visits at least one and as many as four sites every day. The company is painstaking in its dealings with subcontractors. “We have a core group that we have been working with and both they and new subcontractors go through a pre-qualifying process for each job that includes financial review and operations review to
“Owners hire us for their projects because we plan them out. We don’t plan as we design so we are ready for any possible conflict and can reduce any possible conflict and mitigate issues significantly.” - President Brad Meltzer www.naconstructionjournal.com
North American Construction Journal make sure they can handle the job and are slotted into the appropriate size project,” Meltzer notes. In recognition of those relationships, the company holds an annual Appreciation Night at an area restaurant. “Things may get heated from time to time but we want them to know that we appreciate them,” Meltzer says. The company maintains multiple
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association memberships, including the Construction Association of South Florida (CASF), the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the Construction Employers Association (CEA) and the LatinBuilders Association. Additionally Meltzer sits on the board of China Construction America. Relationships developed through the associations, Meltzer says, make it comfortable to occasionally “call my competitors
North American Construction Journal and ask them questions about subs or about issues on a similar job.”
Some Final Thoughts Given the region’s current market, growth opportunities are abundant. Expect the company to screen potential projects wisely while striving for repeat business.For Meltzer, work is anything but. “I love the collaboration of people coming together to build something memorable and I love to be able to later visit a project with family and friends, walk them through and enjoy the experience of having dinner
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there or spending the night there. I was recently at a black tie event held at my first project here in Miami 16 years ago. It was a great project then and it has stood the test of time,” Meltzer says with pride. A word of advice for those just starting out in the business? “ Listen. I think the most important thing when you start working with experienced folks is to listen. Be a sponge, do the work and people will notice. Knowledge is power,” Meltzer concludes. Knowledge – a commodity Plaza Construction Florida Group possesses in great abundance.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Plaza Construction Group Florida Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 2004 Premiere Service: Construction Management, General Contracting, Program Management, Design/Build and Construction Consulting. President: Brad Meltzer Website: www.plazaconstruction.com
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Bosworth Steel Erectors, Inc.:
Project Satisfaction
Guaranteed Bosworth Steel of Dallas, TX stands by its reputation as a team player and delivers on its promises.
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North American Construction Journal stablished in 1995, Bosworth Steel Erectors of Dallas, TX has forged a well-earned reputation across multiple sectors as a creative project partner with demonstrated expertise in Pre-planning and Estimating, Project Management and Supervision, Design-Assist and Design-Build. Jimmy Kepple, Vice President of Project Management, says living up to and building on that reputation requires a concerted effort by every member of the Bosworth team on every project. “Our reputation is based off the fact that we’re seamless from the start of the sales process to final turnover and completion. We deliver what we say we’re going to deliver in the time we say we’re going to deliver it and for the money we say we’re going to deliver it for,” Kepple says. “What sales promises, production delivers. Our best salesmen in the company are our Superintendents in the field because they’re the ones who are actually turning that dream into reality. The ball is never dropped,” he adds. Today, the family-owned company is under the direction of President/CEO John Bosworth and Vice President/ COO Vincent Bosworth. It employs 250 and, having survived and
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rebounded from The Great Recession, generates approximately $40-$50 million in annual revenue. The company maintains an exclusive network of subcontractors and has executed jobs across the country. What distinguishes Bosworth from its competitors? That’s easy as far as Kepple is concerned. “We become a member of the [client’s] team. Their goals are our goals. At the end of the day, if they don’t call me back [for another job], then no matter how much money we make, it’s not successful,” he points out.
96 North American Construction Journal going through with fabricators and Operations Top-shelf technology, ranging from sales and estimating software to labor tracking systems, yields a constant information stream and plays a key role in the company’s success. “You have Sales and Estimating looking at our system for previous jobs to see similar labor factors that match up. They’re also talking to Project Management and Superintendents and doublechecking the figures and rights they are selling in their bid,” Kepple explains. “From there, Production is developing schedules, turnover and
designers to make sure everything is aligned in such a fashion that we can deliver specifically what we sold.” That intricate labor tracking system has elevated the company to preferred vendor status with numerous clients.
“At bid time, our sales people and estimators will go in and look at every piece and every cycle of a job and assign a time and labor factor to it. We carry those assignments codes to our time sheets and document the actual labor time code in the field on a weekly basis. Our Supers put in
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North American Construction Journal how many man hours were required for a specific cycle on the time sheet. That goes back into the cost for that job and also into a history file,” Kepple says. This enables the company to apply lessons learned and avoid repeating mistakes. “Is it unique? No, it’s a common concept. What I think is unique is that we hold ourselves to that and are able to do that,” Kepple notes. Additionally, the company continues to develop and tweak its own hybrid approach to operations. “We use bits and pieces, the best we find from other formal systems and develop what works for us. For example, parts of Lean may not work but we’ll take parts we think will. If they fit, we enhance them. I guess we’re developing the Bosworth System,” Kepple says. When it comes to sub-contractors, Bosworth works with a highlyregarded core group of proven companies who adhere to the company’s disciplined approach and high standards. “If you’re going to be a sub with us, you’re going to have to carry our name on your shoulders. Being a sub-contractor for Bosworth is being Bosworth,” Kepple says. “And
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“Our reputation is based off the fact that we’re seamless from the start of the sales process to final turnover and completion. We deliver what we say we’re going to deliver in the time we say we’re going to deliver it.” - Jimmy Kepple, Vice President Project Management
North American Construction Journal we don’t blame a sub because he might not be able to perform – we pick up the slack if he has a problem. There are no excuses.”
Safety Measures Safety Coordinator Micah Conrad oversees a program that incorporates the geometry of each building into a truly site specific safety plan. Overall, the company has seven OSHA certified professionals implementing and monitoring the program. “We’ve incorporated our in-house engineering on each specific structure with our standard safety requirements for tie-offs, perimeter lines, cable and fall protection equipment,” Kepple says.
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Part of Conrad’s responsibility is to track training data on every employee from Superintendents to apprentices and to maintain a spreadsheet detailing credentialing from aerial lifts to OSHA 30-hour.
Some Key Projects The company has executed a wide range of high-profile projects. Its work at a General Motors assembly plant expansion included pedestrian bridges, electrical work and body shop. It has also recently worked on an administrative office complex for Facebook. Bosworth was in charge of structural steel for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture that opened in Washington, DC in September 2016; tackled the renovation of the Cleveland Browns’ FirstEnergy Stadium with enough speed to open in time for the 2015 NFL season; had the manpower and coordination to execute River Spirit Casino renovation in Tulsa, OK; renovated the Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium at Oklahoma University; and was part of the team responsible for the Dallas Cowboys’ new practice facility in Briscoe, TX. “Pride goes by real fast; we don’t take time to gloat,” says Kepple. Other notable projects include the San Antonio Military Medical
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Center, completed in 2011; Nationals Park, home base for the Washington Nationals, opened in 2008; the Texas Christian University Education Center Expansion on the Fort Worth campus; and the Bass Hall for Performing Arts in Fort Worth. The latter required the erection crane to operate within the building footprint due to limited site access.
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“If you’re going to be a sub with us, you’re going to have to carry our name on your shoulders. Being a sub-contractor for
The company has been a member of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) for 15 years and successfully completed its most recent audit in July 2016.
Bosworth is being
“AISC is specified on any job that has structural steel. To be able to abide by
Vice President Project Management
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Bosworth.” - Jimmy Kepple,
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those specifications you have to know the rules, regulations and standards that are established. To be a certified erector means AISC has looked at your program and said you are representing the AISC the way it is intended to be represented,”says Kepple. The company is also a member of the Associated General Contractors (AGC). The company is certified under AGC’s Safety First program, a requirement on many job sites, and is an AGC preferred steel erector and active participant in the association’s
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immediate future although the company has enhanced its crane fleet with purchases in each of the past two years.
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“We become a member of the [client’s] team. Their goals are our goals.”
“I think at this point we’re operating at our most efficient and profitable margin range. I think we’ll continue to target the revenue we are at with this many people and with a specific profit margin in mind,” Kepple concludes.
- Jimmy Kepple, Vice President Project Management
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Bosworth Steel Erectors, Inc, Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 1995 Revenue: USD $40-50M Premiere Service: Structural steel erection President/CEO: John Bosworth Website: www.bosworthsteel.com www.naconstructionjournal.com
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Fine Line Construction:
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San Francisco’s Affordable Housing Specialist
Fine Line Construction has built a reputation as a trusted partner and leader in the non-profit housing construction sector Written by: Kevin Doyle Produced by: Stephen Marino
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stablished in 1980, Fine Line Construction of San Francisco has grown to become a Bay Area leader in the non-profit sector, specializing in publicly sponsored projects such as affordable housing, transitional housing, senior housing and multi-dwelling hospice communities. Under the direction of company Founder and CEO Doree Friedman, the company made a conscious decision to transition from residential construction in the early 1990s and has forged a sterling reputation for its dedication to community outreach and its execution and delivery
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of superior client-specific solutions for sensitive and often unique projects. “Whatever the client is paying for, we’re putting our very best into the project. So, even though this may be low-income housing, the application has to be perfect. We want our products to be really nice. It’s as simple as that,” said Paolo Friedman, the company’s President and Chief Estimator. Depending upon the number of jobs the company has running, it employs anywhere from 50 to 200 professionals and field staff while generating annual revenue in the $150 million range. Its
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capabilities include Design/Build, Public Works, rehabilitations and phased construction. It is a full service contractor. Fine Line self-performs approximately 20 percent of the work on any given project and collaborates with a trusted network of subcontractors.
Public Library, City of Berkeley, Port of San Francisco, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation, Community Housing Partnership, Bridge Housing, and Tenant and Owners Development Corporation, to name a few.
The company has executed projects for clients such as Chinatown Community Development Center, the San Francisco Department of Public Works, San Francisco Women’s Centers, Inc., the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, the Alameda County Community Development Agency, the San Francisco
Examples of projects include, Woolf House senior housing project completed for the non-profit Tenants and Owners Development Corporation (TODCO); the low-income Cambridge Hotel, in conjunction with the Community Housing Partnership (CHP): and 430 Turk low income
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North American Construction Journal housing for Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation (TNDC).
Fine Line is currently in various stages of completing five jobs that started in the fall of 2015 and are staggered through April 2017. The company has also recently started five more projects totaling $145 million ranging from 11 months to two years duration. The company is regarded as an expert in rehabbing buildings that are fully occupied. Paolo describes the challenges of Fine Line’s work: “If you can
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get everybody on the same page with the same goals, you’re likely going to pick up some efficiency,” Friedman notes. “Learning curves fall off in the early phases and the detailed thought process for each worker becomes almost automatic. Our crews start to run faster and smoother.”
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Operations Fine Line adheres to a simple credo – the general contractor runs the show. “Our Supers explain to the subs this is the type of construction we do. We specialize in occupied, phased housing. We want to be fair but firm.
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We’re the general contractor and work tirelessly to plan our work and then work our plan. If we stick with that protocol, we’ll not only complete the job successfully but we’ll likely have that client for life,” Friedman says.
“Whatever the client is
Having grown up in the trades – he was digging trenches and carrying lumber at a young age – Friedman has developed a knack for budgeting and a keen sense of what works. The company doubled its volume within a year when he took over the estimating duties.
this may be low-income
“I started as a laborer and always
paying for, we’re putting our very best into the project. So, even though housing, the application has to be perfect.” President Paolo Friedman
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tried to figure out how to work as quickly and efficiently as possible. So I’m always asking ‘How can I make operations the best it can be?’ That’s my game,” he says. A differentiator for Fine Line is its commitment to value engineering while providing the client with options. For example, if a client requests an expensive feature with poor life expectancy, Fine Line will suggest a less-expensive alternative that lasts longer and maintains the integrity of the original design. “We tailor our approach to the
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client’s needs so we need to be consistent and use protocols that get the project there with an undivided attention to quality, done on time and on budget without cutting corners,” Friedman asserts. Maintaining a strong relationship with sub-contractors is vital. Fine Line has a reputation for working with local outfits and is a signatory the carpenters and laborers unions. “When we’re negotiating a job, we ask for references and prequalify potential subcontractors. In
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competitive bids it’s different – you’re kind of stuck with the low bid. But, the subs know what to expect, know we are quick and know how to bid to work with us. Ninety percent of those on our sub list are known factors. Ten percent might be new to us and of that group, 20 percent may not get it due to our high standards,” Friedman explains. Friedman says the company works hard to groom and maintain an accomplished staff. To that end, employees – many of whom have been with the company a minimum of 10 years –
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are provided both union apprenticeship classrooms and on-the-job training.
Safety and Technology The company’s Safety Officer, Mandy Becquet, conducts surprise site visits and the site Superintendents holds weekly tailgate meetings to discuss project-specific topics. “She talks about how to be safe based on the job. If we have a frayed cord, or something substandard, workers know it can be replaced and keep an eye on
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ensuring a safe work place. We are lucky because we do so many different projects in so many different environments and have strong safety protocols in place for all types of scenarios,” Friedman says. The company is now utilizing new project software that combines accounting and Project Management, which Friedman says has been a bit challenging because “there’s a new learning curve and people have to learn the Project Manager functions of the new software.” “Some of our best Supers are the ones that are old school. They
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“We tailor our approach to the clients needs so we need to be consistent and use protocols that get the project there with an undivided attention to quality, done on time and on budget without cutting corners.� - President Paolo Friedman
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North American Construction Journal came from a world where you kept your job because you were productive. The best guys are the builders with knowledge of systems, not the guys who are just super savvy about technology. What we need is a balance of both,� Friedman observes.
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What’s Next?
The company is in a comfort zone, so a concerted growth effort is unlikely. What clients can expect is that the company will continue forward in its mission to address affordable housing needs with projects of the highest quality.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Fine Line Construction Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 1980 Revenue: USD $150m Premiere Service: Affordable housing, transitional housing, senior housing, multi-dwelling hospice communities. Founder/CEO: Doree Friedman President: Paolo Friedman Vice President: Emily Lin Website: www.finelineconstruction.com
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Goodwin Brothers Construction:
Lean and nimble with big-time capabilities
Goodwin Brothers Construction of Crystal City, MO takes on heavy industrial and civil projects of all sizes Written by Kevin Doyle Produced by Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal hose now in charge of Goodwin Brothers Construction are pretty certain company founder Charles Goodwin wouldn’t recognize today’s version of the 70-year-old company he started in 1947 following his service during World War Two. “Charles passed away fairly young, when the second generation was just getting into the wastewater and more industrial type projects. I doubt he ever envisioned Goodwin Brothers doing $100m projects. We are sure he would be pleasantly surprised,” said Vice President Doug Waschsnicht. Today, the privately held firm based in Crystal City, MO is under the direction of Charles Goodwin’s sons, CEO Larry Goodwin, and Senior Estimator Jay Goodwin. Distinguished by its ability to adjust on the fly, Goodwin Brothers Construction is a heavy industrial and civil projects specialist with demonstrated expertise in water and wastewater treatment plants, pump stations, cement plants, bridgework and commercial buildings. It generates annual revenue in the $80m to $100m range. “Our strength is that we’re a
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smaller general contractor, we’re family-owned and flexible. We can bid on $200m projects and can compete with multibillion dollar companies because we have the financial wherewithal and bonding capacity to do so but we’re not a bureaucratic machine that can’t react and do things,” Wachsnicht explains. The point being, of course, that “we’re small enough where we can get all the people involved in a project into one room and leave the room with a decision,” Wachsnicht stresses.
Day to Day The company takes pride in its
North American Construction Journal consistent delivery of wellmanaged and well-executed projects from concept to completion. Cultivating new relationships, enhancing existing ones and generating repeat business is crucial.
Goodwin Brothers maintains good relations with engineering firms of all sizes. The company’s ability to make decisions and adjust on the fly is important, especially on Design/Build projects. The company is noted for its concrete work and equipment setting. It owns excavating equipment, hoisting equipment, concrete pumps and forming systems, enabling it to stay on schedule and on budget.
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When it comes to technology, the company utilizes Building Information Modeling (BIM) as a matter of course. “We transfer that information to the people and the equipment in the field with GPS. We’re doing jobs now that have basically been built on the screen and a 100 percent model is helping the work get done faster and more accurately,” says Wachsnicht.
Showcase Liberty Project A Missouri First This January, a first for wastewater treatment plants began operations in Liberty, MO. This project is one of the first wastewater plants in Missouri utilizing Design/Build delivery, and the first Design/Build in Missouri to utilize State Revolving
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North American Construction Journal save the City over $40 million in interest on this $74 million project when compared with conventional financing. With Design/Build legislation enacted last summer the Liberty project paves the way for municipalities throughout Missouri to maximize their dollars utilizing the cost and schedule saving efficiencies of Design/Build with low-interest SRF financing. The city had outsourced treatment to a neighboring community for decades. Facing near-term rate increases, uncertain future rates and
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potential treatment capacity issues, Liberty began studying alternatives, and identified that building their own facilities and discontinuing outsourcing of treatment would save $27 million in treatment costs over a 30-year period. From there, Liberty worked with consultants to determine the scope, budget and user rates required for such an undertaking. The City estimated it would take $95 million to construct the facilities, but user rates would be reduced and predicted to level out within five years. With this information, 91 percent of the citizens of Liberty voted in favor of the project in August 2013. To maintain promised user rates, the new facilities had to be completed and operational by first quarter 2017. In February 2014, request for qualifications were issued. Three teams were shortlisted in April 2014. Following review of conceptual designs, proposals and interviews the team of Goodwin Brothers and CMT was selected in September 2014. Construction of the new 7 MGD plant, two 10 MGD pump stations, 18,000 feet of force main, 6,000 feet of collector roadway, administration and maintenance facilities were completed by
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energy conservation innovative solutions application engineering asset management
BALLWIN,MO
636.532.1600
progress-e.com www.naconstructionjournal.com
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December 2016. Treatment operations began on January 3, 2017. Based on the cost and schedule savings gained through the Design/Build process, additional scope was added, including more than 6,000 feet of trunk sewer. This work was completed in March 2017 with completion and close out scheduled for May 2017. This project is a perfect example of a city looking out for the best interest of its citizens’ hard-earned dollars. Rather than continuing the status quo,
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Liberty pursued different treatment options and innovative delivery methods that will positively impact the citizens for generations to come.
Additional Projects MSD Coldwater Sanitary Relief Storage Facility Tank A – The $9.3m project was a 2013 AGC Keystone Award Winner. The six million-gallon, 45-foot tall circular above ground tank in the Coldwater Creek watershed assisted in alleviating the replacement of nine miles of 36- to 72-inch diameter sanitary sewers. The project included a
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submersible pump station capable of handling 30,000 gallons per minute; and odor control system designed to accommodate 4,000 cubic feet per minute airflow rates; and a control building enclosing gear and controls. MODOT Route M Bridge – Emergency construction was required following a Spring 2013 collapse caused by a train collision and derailment. The deadline? Eight weeks. Operating under a tight schedule with shift work, the three-span bridge was replaced while two railroads remained active and maintained regular service schedules.
People, Safety and Training Goodwin Brothers relies heavily on its reputation and its family atmosphere to attract and retain top talent. A version of the company logo displays the mantra “Plan It Safe.” It is not window dressing. The company complies with OSHA and MSHA mandates and maintains 30-hour training certification. The company holds quarterly safety meetings, provides daily hazard analyses and conducts
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toolbox talks. Goodwin Brothers is registered with three compliance companies – Avetta (formerly PICS Auditing), ISNetworld and BROWZ. The company is a member of the AGC of Missouri and takes advantage of the education and training programs it offers. Wachsnicht sits on the association’s board that oversees the Pension Fund for Laborers.
Looking Ahead The company will continue to seek ways to enhance its most
“We’re small enough where we can get all the Kansas City | Las Vegas New Jersey | Omaha
people involved in a project into one room and leave the room with a
With a shared focus on improving our communities, MMC Contractors is proud to partner with Goodwin Brothers on the Liberty Waste Water Treatment Facility to help make Liberty, MO a more sustainable city.
decision.” - Doug Wachsnicht, Vice President
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important deliverable – a superior product. “We may not be the lowest price, but most of the time (the client) will say we will give them the best final project. If they can justify additional cost with the higher quality, we go back and fix something whether it shows up on a punch list or not. We’ll make it right and fix things that even the owner doesn’t think needs to be fixed,” Wachsnicht concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Goodwin Brothers Construction Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 1947 Revenue: USD $80-$100 million Premiere Service: Heavy industrial and civil projects specialist Principal Partners: President Larry Goodwin; Senior Estimator Jay Goodwin Website: www.goodwinbros.com
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WHC Energy Services:
Optimistic about what’s in the pipeline As it celebrates its 60th birthday, WHC Energy Services LLC anticipates dynamic industry expansion. Written by: Kevin Doyle Produced by: Stephen Marino
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North American Construction Journal HC Energy Services LLC embarks on its 60th year in business in 2017 with a clear vision for the future and a reputation forged as a preferred contractor meeting the needs of America’s leaders in energy delivery. Established in 1957 as Woodson, Holzer and Crain, and formerly known as WHC, Incorporated, the company maintains headquarters in Broussard, LA. In a move that strengthened its financial position and assured sustainable growth in the oil and gas industry, it teamed with equity group Alvarez and Marsal Capital Partners in December 2014, changing its name to WHC Energy Services, LLC. Today this privately held general contractor is under the guidance of President Randy Warner and provides construction services for pipelines and related facilities. It also offers pipeline right of way and facilities maintenance services. Warner became involved with the company in 2004 as a consultant,
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brought in by George Crain Jr., the son of founder George Crain Sr., to evaluate and determine whether to sell what was a small family-owned business or simply close up shop. “I told them that I thought we could build it up and find a suitable buyer. I became President and COO in January 2005 and George Crain Jr. stayed
North American Construction Journal on as CEO. In December 2014, the sale completed with Alvarez and Marsal Capital Partners after presentations from many other interested buyers.” In little more than a decade, WHC has transformed from a business catering to a select clientele into a dynamo that eclipsed USD $330 million in sales revenue in 2016. Leadership is at the very core of Warner’s DNA but he deflects any
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credit. “Our success is the result of dedicated teamwork,” Warner says. “Our culture is about family first and working together. It’s not about me, or any individual. It’s about the people who do the work. It’s about the quality of our work – we do what we say we are going to do. We live our belief in the value of safety first and treating everyone with mutual trust and respect. We have received three letters of appreciation from clients in the last month alone who appreciate our work ethic and our professionalism,” says Warner. Warner is a 1970 graduate of the Air Force Academy. He flew 56 combat missions in a B-52 during the Vietnam War. Throughout his professional career, he has applied the lessons learned while leading a flight crew a half-century ago and half a world away.
Growing The Company George Crain Sr., the only one of the three founders who remained in the industry, ran the company as a small family
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North American Construction Journal business, cultivating a specific market and a stellar reputation. George Crain Jr. joined the company after serving in the Army and eventually, with his sister Azalie Holland, bought out their father, maintaining operations as they were with annual revenue of $25 - $30 million. Sadly, the younger Crain contracted Multiple Sclerosis and could not serve effectively as company president. When the downturn of 2004 hit, the company was not fully prepared to weather the trough in available projects so George Crain Jr. financed it out of his personal resources. The company then sought Warner’s
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experience, leadership and advice. Becoming today’s $330 million version of its former self required both the discipline to ride out The Great Recession that eviscerated the construction industry in general and the foresight to implement measured long-term growth strategies that ultimately led to the partnership with Alvarez and Marcal Capital.
People and Training When Warner came to WHC from the Petro-Chemical sector, he discovered the company, in general, did not have much in the way of formal business management training. He
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“The industry dynamics are good. We see continuous expansion.” - President Randy Warner www.naconstructionjournal.com
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North American Construction Journal set about to change that, implementing a cradle to grave approach for each contracted project. “You have to start with the people doing your work. From the time we get a request to submit a proposal for a project, we assign a Project Manager with a specific Superintendent to develop the construction strategy and estimate. If we win the job, that PM and Super will stay with that job until the last dollar is collected. They own it,” Warner says. The next step in development
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was to send key Project Managers for formal Project Management training. “From there, our guys said ‘Why don’t we just teach it ourselves’ and that’s what we did. Our key managers started an in-house training Lunch and Learn meeting for every project we execute,” Warner says. Personnel retention is rarely an issue. Something as simple as recognizing an employee with a company baseball hat for a job well done engenders loyalty. “We have had maybe five people
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resign during the past 12 years out of 60 or 70 employed; and three of them came back. We don’t usually need recruiters; we get calls from highly qualified people who ask us when we have an opening, if we would consider them. Our Superintendents are rewarded for each project and they often share a part of their bonuses with their team employees. It is about recognizing and rewarding profitable and safe performance. We have a good benefits environment and we make every effort to encourage transparency
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in our company,” says Warner. Just how deep does the family culture run? Warner tells the story of eight employees who lost their homes due to recent floods that ravaged the local area “Our employees, on their own, started a collection for clothes, furniture, toys and money. We raised money with donations from other employees and from our vendors, suppliers and subcontractors. Many of our vendors donated supplies and equipment as well as labor to
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“Our culture is about family first and teamwork It’s not about me, or any individual. It’s about the people who do the work. It’s about the quality of our work – we do what we say we are going to do.” - President Randy Warner help our people clean up and rebuild. Many employees freely donated their personal time to help the families recover their homes. This is the WHC family aspect. That is who we are,” Warner says with pride.
Safety First, Last and Always Perhaps nothing commands Warner’s attention as much as the company’s safety protocol. Safety discussions take place on a daily basis and it is an absolute edict that employees and sub-contractors adhere to WHC’s guidelines, summed up
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in the mantra: “Stop. Think. Observe. Proceed.” “Safety is Number One and it starts with me. It’s about behavior, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Everything you do and everything you have is contingent upon you being safe. We have a reputation for that and nothing gets in the way of that. You can’t just talk – you have to live it. If you don’t, you won’t work for WHC or for our client base. It’s just that simple,” Warner stresses. The company maintains a pool of preferred sub-contractors who meet WHC’s strict safety guidelines. And, when it comes to bringing aboard a new sub? “To get a contract to work with WHC, we do a thorough background check. An in-depth review and evaluation of safety records, procedures and management commitment to safety is completed. We commit to providing our clients with assurance that we will deliver a good and safe project the way we always do, so we’re going to screen all contractors very diligently,” Warner says. “Because of our qualifying process, we believe WHC gets the best.”
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North American Construction Journal And, the company sometimes implements safety measures picked up from its clients and sub-contractors. WHC strongly encourages joint safety programs shared among the client, WHC and the subcontractors. “It’s about people going home from work in the same condition they came to work,” says Warner.
Day to Day Thanks to the current growth and expansion of Oil and Gas operations in the Permian Basin area in West Texas and
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southeastern New Mexico, Warner says, WHC is experiencing long-term continued growth in the region. The company maintains its legacy office in Lafayette, LA; a smaller branch office in East Houston, TX; field offices in Odessa, TX; and an executive office in West Houston, TX. “Now we’re getting a very large number of bid requests, about 48 a month. Clients are booking contractors for 2018 as a protection against price
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increases and labor shortages. There is high demand for both pipeline and associated facilities construction services and we are expecting to fully participate in the continuing growth,” Warner says, noting WHC is now experiencing its most accelerated demand for facilities projects in more than 10 years. Every project has its own idiosyncrasies and Warner says the company is equipped to meet every client’s specific needs. “It fluctuates by system and by
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client. If the client knows the pipeline needs compression because of the throughput, we will provide for that. If it’s a smaller line, they may not need a compression station to start, but may want one later,” Warner explains. “We recognize the needs of the client and we adapt to their changes while maintaining the goal of the project.” For example, Warner says: “One of our largest clients is now in the building mode for compression stations for pipelines that are existing or are being installed. At this time, we are doing
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about 50 percent of our total project work in compressor and meter stations.” Most superintendents specialize in either pipelines or compressor station construction, but usually not both. “We have compressor station leaders and we have pipeline construction leaders. They help each other out but they are very different breeds. The pipeline folks just want to be out in the open,” Warner says, chuckling. The company leases all of its
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equipment; good business as far as Warner is concerned. “We don’t want to own equipment. We have a strong preference to manage our cash. We rent on a project specific basis, or lease to purchase and sell it when we no longer need it. We have a great relationship with our vendors. We take great pride in how we treat them and how they treat us – we’re fair and we can count on them,” Warner says.
Looking Ahead With Optimism Warner believes the election of
North American Construction Journal President Donald Trump has injected new energy into an industry that largely went dormant during the previous administration. “Part of the expected [industry] expansion in 2007-08 was that 13 LNG plants were approved for building. But U.S. companies backed away; the people in Washington failed to figure out who was going to purchase that gas in the international market,” says Warner, noting that Japan and China were ready and willing to
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step in and back prospective buyers. The discovery of several shale formations containing massive volumes of natural gas and oil, changed the strategy from importing LNG to exporting LNG. A reversal of sorts has been under way since the discovery of the Marcellus Shale that covers more than 100,000 square miles of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia about 15 years ago. Focused natural gas extraction began in 2008. “When one of our major clients
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North American Construction Journal was finishing its cross-country pipeline to bring natural gas to the East Coast, the Marcellus Shale was discovered. So, the client hired contractors to turn it around and run it in reverse to the West Coast to sell natural gas to China and Japan. The LNG plant will be built and the gas supply will be readily available,” Warner explains. Warner says much of the Keystone Pipeline running from Alberta, Canada to refineries, tank farms and distribution centers in Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas has been fully operational for several
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years. However, growing opposition led to the prior administration’s rejection of Phase Four of the project in November 2015. “Keystone already had lines operating and was bringing in a third line. It’s going to happen. Keystone is one of the things we are going to finish,” Warner predicts, noting a pipeline from Oklahoma to Houston is also in the works. “The industry dynamics are good. We see continuous expansion.” “So, the industry is optimistic
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North American Construction Journal about President Trump and his administration. Everyone is buzzing about how he is going to let us do what we can to drive energy in the U.S. as the prime exporter of natural gas. We control the natural gas market for the world and now we’re going to be able to do what we’re capable of doing to further reduce our dependence on foreign oil imports,” Warner says. Recent approval by President Trump for the completion of the Keystone Pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline demonstrate the support for the expansion of the U.S. Oil and Gas industry. These projects will provide more jobs and expansion opportunities for other associated distribution systems. Warner says conversion of coal-fired power plants to natural gas fired plants will continue to increase demand for construction services for the next four to five years. Continuing expansion of integrity projects for the existing pipeline distribution infrastructure in the U.S. will require more service providers as the nfrastructure grows.
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“Safety is Number One and it starts with me. It’s about behavior, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.” - President Randy Warner
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North American Construction Journal WHEREVER. WHENEVER. WE’RE HERE FOR YOU. At Louisiana Cat our commitment is unwavering when it comes to providing the solutions our customers need to help them succeed. We want to assure our customers that wherever the job and whatever the conditions, Louisiana Cat will be ready with the equipment, power systems solutions and parts and service that you need. Our diversified line of products, rentals and services are supported by the industry’s finest factory certified technicians. Coupled with our unmatched parts availability, we are committed to making sure your investment is available when you need it most. Whatever you need and wherever you need it, Louisiana Cat is ready with solutions. Give us a call today at 1-866-843-7440 or log onto www.LouisianaCat.com to learn more.
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Alexandria Belle Chasse Bossier City Gonzales Hammond
Lafayette Lake Charles Mansfield Monroe Morgan City
New Iberia Port Fourchon Prairieville Reserve
Alexandria Baton Rouge Belle Chasse Bossier City Hammond
Lafayette Lake Charles Monroe St. Rose
© 2017 Caterpillar All rights reserved. CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
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Randy Warner, President and CEO, has been with WHC Energy Services for 12 years. Randy received his Masters Degree in Business Administration from the University of Houston. While serving the United States Air Force as a B-52H Pilot, Commander and Squadron Operations Officer Randy was also able to attain his BS Degree in General Engineering. Randy is a seasoned team first executive with roughly 40 years of experience in the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical construction realm. WHC responsibilities include working with all employees to daily strategically develop and expand WHC pipeline and facility construction services in multiple states. Responsible for all construction operations, project services, financing, administrative support and operational accounting. Rick Mills, CFO and Sr. Vice President, has been with WHC Energy Services for 3 years. Rick received his Bachelors of Science Degree in Industrial Construction Management from Colorado State University. Rick has 25 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include finance and accounting, purchasing, subcontracting and equipment management. Fred Roberts, Executive Vice President and Board Member, has been with WHC Energy Services for 3 years. Fred received his MBA in International Business and his Bachelors of Business Administration Degree in Finance from Baylor University – Hankamer School of Business. Fred has 42 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include banking, bonding, insurance, claims management and Human Resources. Pam Romero, Vice President and Controller, has been with WHC Energy Services for 27 years. Pam received her Associates Degree in Business from Spencer Business College. Pam has 30 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include all accounting functions, payroll, audit and cash management. Rayburn Judice, Sr. Vice President, has been with WHC Energy Services for 8 years. Rayburn received his Bachelors of Science Civil Engineering Degree from University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Rayburn has 36 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include all pipeline operations for capital projects as well as maintenance projects. Ryan Hebert, Vice President Pipeline Operations, has been with WHC Energy Services for 9 years. Ryan received his MBA and his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University. Ryan has 9 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include all pipeline operations, estimating and project management. Mike Cain, Vice President Western Operations, has been with WHC Energy Services for 2 years. Mike studied Business at The University of Maryland University College. Mike has 10 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include all operations in Western Operations and maintenance projects in Texas. Kevin LaBauve, Sr. Vice President, has been with WHC Energy Services for 25 years. Kevin studied Architecture at University of Louisiana at Lafayette and studied Mechanical Engineering at California State University - Bakersfield. Kevin has 26 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include all facilities operations for capital projects as well as maintenance projects. Randel Badeaux, P.E., Vice President Facilities Operations, has been with WHC Energy Services for 7 years. Randel received his Bachelors of Science degree in Civil Engineering from University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Randel has 7 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include all facilities operations, estimating and project management. Jerry Martin, Sr. Vice President Business Development has been with WHC Energy Services for 8 years. Jerry received his MBA and his Bachelors of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from University of Houston. Jerry has 45 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include business develop, sales and client relations. John (Jack) Rizzo, Vice President Business Development, has been with WHC Energy Services for 5 years. Jack received his Associates degree in Law Enforcement from Sam Houston State University. Jack has 47 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include client relations, project sales and new client development. Beau Gervais, Vice President Business Development, has been with WHC Energy Services for 1 year. Beau received his Bachelors of Art degree in Speech Communication and his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M. Beau has 19 years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry. WHC responsibilities include client relations, project sales and new client development
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“We are at the threshold of probably the most exciting time for growth of our energy businesses in the last thirty years. WHC is ready and prepared to serve,� Warner concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: WHC Energy Services, LLC Country: U.S. Industry: Construction Est: 1957 Revenue: USD $330 million Premiere Service: Oil and gas pipeline and facilities construction President: Randy Warner Website: http://www.whcenergyservices.com/
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BC Comfort:
Perfecting The All-In-One Approach
BC Comfort of Burnaby, BC provides turnkey mechanical and HVAC Design/Build solutions for Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Written by: Kevin Doyle Produced by: Stephen Marino
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stablished in 1972, BC Comfort of Burnaby, BC has forged a reputation as a highly regarded provider of turnkey mechanical and HVAC design/build and contracting solutions for Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. The company shepherds projects through from concept to completion and beyond. Its full service offerings include sustainable design and engineering, HVAC and refrigeration, building automation controls, value engineering and preconstruction, and plumbing and medical gas. BC Comfort values long-term relationships and more than 80 percent of its clients have been with the company for 10 years or more. Senior Design Engineer Henry Leung credits that client retention to the company’s integrated in-house approach. “We have in-house plumbing, HVAC, controls, service and engineering. That differentiates us from the other mechanical contractors in our area. We can offer a turnkey package
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to either general contractors or developers,” says Leung, a 12-year industry veteran who is responsible for ensuring that every design sent to a client meets BC Comfort’s standards. BC Comfort is committed to environmental sustainability and as part of its own efforts, partnered with Climate Smart of Vancouver in 2012 and has shown a steady reduction in its own carbon and natural gas emissions.
Key Projects BC Comfort employs 80 and its
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North American Construction Journal sphere of operation is boundless, including office buildings, institutional buildings, sports arenas, community centers, data centers, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, manufacturing, and light healthcare facilities, high end car dealerships, warehouses and retail centers. BC Comfort is currently working on a pharmaceuticalmanufacturing plant. “It’s one of the largest Pharmaceutical /clean room projects in the western Canada region and provides a lot of d ifferent services. That’s the one tying up a lot of our time right now,” says Leung.
The company’s expertise was evident during its involvement with the recently completed Open Road Audi/Volkswagen dealership project in Burnaby. The company provided a turnkey HVAC and controls project saving over half-million dollars on mechanical division alone for the client. “The job was originally bid on in a spec type of market and the budget came in a lot higher than what the owner had anticipated,” says Leung. “We were approached by the General Contractor to see if we
“There is a tangible sense of satisfaction when a design gets built, knowing that you had a hand in the creation of some very different facilities.” - Henry Leung, Senior Design Engineer www.naconstructionjournal.com
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could offer a Design/Build s olution, which we were able to. We had to radically change the design but were able to meet all of the owner’s requirements at a cost that was 75 percent of the original bid.” That focus on delivering functional and cost effective systems makes BC Comfort an attractive project partner.
Why Design/Build? Leung estimates that 75 percent of the company’s work is Design/Build. “We really like this
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approach because it means that we can really have control on the quality that we’re outputting from a design standpoint and that whatever design we are constructing we can make sure it’s both cost effective and constructible,” he says. Three elements are especially attractive to clients – risk mitigation, speed of project delivery and having a single point of contact for information exchange. “The clients are basically getting a guaranteed maximum
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North American Construction Journal “We have in-house plumbing, HVAC, controls, service and engineering. That differentiates us from the other mechanical contractors in our area. We can offer a turnkey package to either general contractors, building owners or developers.” - Henry Leung, Senior Design Engineer price up front. Traditional risk because of cost overruns, design omissions, mistakes due to scope interpretation and things that the contractor might say are not within his scope is basically eliminated,” Leung explains. “As for speed, instead of having to create a set of drawings, having to tender them out and then having them come back to re-design, you get a much smoother delivery. Once the project enters the design phase it’s being designed for construction and you can push through construction much
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faster while being aware of actual cost throughout the project,” he adds. Pre-project planning is crucial. The totality of the project must be accurately determined in order to provide an accurate cost assessment. “Because you have to give a price fairly early in the project you have to make sure that it’s well thought out. We sit down with both our engineering and construction departments to review the Design/Build projects to make sure the
North American Construction Journal entire scope of work is captured,” Operations, Etc. Leung says.
The company utilizes Building Information Modeling (BIM) software for its larger projects. BIM allows for the monitoring of potential interference or clash points and gives the company the ability to place its equipment in a coordinated manner on site, and generate drawings with dimensions and elevation grid lines for each piece of pipe. “When our construction crews get on site, they know exactly where they need to place their systems,” Leung points out.
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As union members, Leung says company employees “undergo regular training in everything from working in confined spaces to fall protection. We try to make sure we have a level of training provided for everyone in our company.” The company is certified by the local engineering authority and adheres to an Organizational Quality Management program, undergoing regular audits
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North American Construction Journal to ensure that every project is organized properly and reviewed by senior management. Site supervisors oversee safety while overall supervisors in each of the company’s major disciplines regularly visit every site to make sure those protocols are consistent at each job.
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There is room for individual growth within the company. “Most of the new positions that get filled internally are promotions or transfers within the company. When we had an opening for a Project Manager, they inquired with the field staff and trained and promoted an individual into the office,� Leung says. Leung enjoys the mentoring aspect of his position.
North American Construction Journal “I like to teach so that each person can repeat whatever design or skill that I currently have. I believe everyone underme should be able to eventually do what I can and understand everything they are looking at. That adds value to the company and increases their own value by learning more and being able to catch things I might not,” he says.
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As it moves forward, BC Comfort will continue to nurture those long-term relationships while seeking new opportunities. “The majority of our work is for the same group of General Contractors and developers. They know the quality is always consistent in our design and our construction and that our pricing is always fair,” Leung says.
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“We basically are an Engineering and a Construction company. We can offer much more in terms of sophisticated solutions and that sets us apart from the competition.” And it is clear the company is proud of the process it takes to achieve those solutions. “There is a tangible sense of satisfaction when a design gets built, knowing that you had a hand in the creation of some very different facilities,” Leung concludes.
COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: BC Comfort Country: Canada Industry: Construction Est: 1972 Premiere Service: Mechanical consulting engineering services Principal Partners: President Robert Noel Website: www.bccomfort.com www.naconstructionjournal.com