NACJ Spring Issue 2023

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.

The Team

Editor-In Chief - Kevin Doyle

Executive Director - Alex Hortaridis

Creative Director - Stephen Marino

Developer - Andrew Twomey

Director

of

Sales - Jason Wright

Committed PeopleCommitted Partners

Delivering Industrial Construction Services to Industry Leaders for 70 years.

Written by Mary Jaimes Serrano

Produced by Stephen Marino

From its humble beginnings in Corpus Christi, Texas, in 1953, second-generation, family-owned Bay Ltd. “Bay” is now a recognized leader throughout the Americas in Heavy Industrial Construction, Maintenance, and Fabrication services for the Process Industry. Their business partners include Industry leaders in the Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream Process Industry space as well as low carbon innovators ranging from renewable fuels to leaders in the Wind Power Industry. Bay’s success is born from the commitment of over 3,000 skilled Supervisors and Craft professionals who execute complex, industry hallmark projects every day. Supported by outstanding project management systems and processes, Bay is able to document, track and report project status metrics to their field teams and clients no matter how remote their worksite may be. These same Field and Support teams contribute thousands of volunteer hours in all the communities where they operate, benefitting the disadvantaged and organizations that support the community. Their culture inspires taking the lessons learned and applied in the industrial work setting home to their families and neighbors to ensure safety and quality in their communities.

Excelling at What They Know

Excellence in executing challenging projects is what Bay does every day with genuine care for the safety and well-being of coworkers, clients, and other contractors. Its people’s culture of caring is supported by its business partners and, collectively, positively impacts all communities where they operate.

Bay Ltd. has an extensive track record of successfully executing large-scale industrial construction projects both domestically and internationally, with ventures that include grassroots construction projects, process unit revamps and upgrades, and plant turnarounds

for refineries, power generation, and chemical and petrochemical facilities. In addition, by selfperforming the majority of construction disciplines on a project, including civil, structural, piping installation, instrument and electrical, crane and heavy hauling, scaffolding and insulation, and industrial dismantling, their project delivery system provides a single point of contact for business partners.

People Focused on and off the Job Site

As a family owned and operated company, their employees are Bay Ltd’s greatest source of

pride. Throughout the company’s history, generations of employees have been proud to call Bay Ltd. home, with grandparents working alongside children and grandchildren as they strengthen the company’s progress through dedication and hard work. They value the health and well-being of every member of the Bay Ltd. family. For this reason, instilling a culture of safety and accountability has become their number one priority with its Beyond Zero Culture: People Caring About People’s Safety, a nationally recognized, award-winning safety program. Bay Ltd. is more than an operation; it sets standards for performance and innovation. Continually recognized for an outstanding safety record, their team of craftsmen and supervisors hold each other accountable on the job each day to ensure that every project is completed safely and efficiently. Their Beyond Zero Safety Program emphasizes that safety is more than a practice; it’s a responsibility to care for others, with far-reaching impacts that extend beyond the job site and into their families and the community. This commitment to safety and improving the quality of their workforce has led to a recordbreaking 30 million safe manhours without an OSHA LTI, making Bay Ltd. one of the safest industrial contractors in the

nation. Feats such as this cannot be accomplished alone. For this reason, the Beyond Zero safety program stresses the importance of each employee’s responsibility for the safety of others and ensuring that everyone returns home in better condition, both mentally and physically than that in which they came to work. Above all, Bay’s commitment to an injuryfree workplace is what continues to push its impeccable safety record to even greater milestones.

Bay strives to share this “Culture of Caring” outside the confines of their company to the local communities and beyond through the Bay Ltd. Volunteer Program.

Being a Bay Ltd. volunteer allows employees to collaborate with local officials, community and non-profit leaders, and organizations with missions to improve the quality of life in the community. The Bay Ltd. volunteer program aims to “Build Better Communities” by sharing their success through personal investments in neighbors and causes that make a positive and lasting impact.

Commitment to Quality

Bay recognizes the relationship between the quality of work, products, and the safety of personnel. In reviewing near-miss safety incidents, they invariably

discover areas for improvement in elements of work quality that can improve safety outcomes. For this reason, Bay has initiated a similar Beyond Zero emphasis in its Quality Program, as safety and quality in the industry are so closely linked. Their commitment to Quality: Through continual impact, Bay Ltd. is dedicated to furnishing its customers a highquality product with timely delivery in accordance with the contract at a competitive price. In order to ensure continuity in Quality across their Fabrication facilities, Bay has invested in ISO 9001 certification for their Fabrication Shops. Their clients are assured that the same work/quality processes are

followed no matter where their projects are fabricated.

A True Multi-service, Direct Hire Industrial Contractor

Over its almost 70-year history, Bay has reinvested in assets and facilities that further position the company to deliver the best fabricated process units and field construction services to its Clients. Featuring world-class fabrications facilities, Bay fabricates and assembles Process and Pipe Rack Modules ranging from Truckable size to over 10,000-ton Modules destined for offshore service. Bay has long been recognized as an Industry leader

for Modular Fabrication, Assembly, and Marine loadout of Process units destined for both Domestic clients via Inland Waterways and International locations loaded out onto both ocean-going barges and specialized Heavy lift ships. Bay’s Fabrication facilities all feature Bay-owned Dock facilities allowing the efficient final assembly and loadout from a common facility without the logistic challenges of having to utilize a Public Port facility. All Modular projects are executed under a turnkey execution approach, with Bay self-performing all principle construction disciplines. With the ability to fabricate ASME Pressure Vessels up to 30 feet

in diameter and over 300 feet long, Bay has been involved at the heart of many Refinery, NGL Fractionation, and Petrochemical facilities throughout the Gulf Coast and the Americas. Owning their own Dock facilities and specialized loadout Equipmentthese very large Pressure Vessels are routinely shipped via Marine transport both domestically and to international locals. Bay’s Industrial Field construction services range from daily baseload maintenance services to major Capital Construction projects. Bay has executed major hallmark projects throughout the US and from South America to Western Canada. Bay self-performs all

major construction disciplines through a single, integrated Project Management Organization, ensuring accurate and timely, detailed project status reporting to their business partners. In support of these Field operations and to deliver and erect the aforementioned fabricated components, Bay owns and operates one of the largest fleets of Heavy lift cranes in the US. This modern crane fleet totals over 25,000 tons in lifting capacity, with individual units capable of lifting up to 1200 tons. In addition to their presence in Process plants, Bay’s Crane fleet supports leaders in wind power development, many in remote work locations throughout

the American Southwest.

Bay’s suite of services also includes API and LNG Storage Tank construction and repairs. Projects range from routine repairs to turnkey fabrication and construction of Crude Oil and Refined Products Terminals in excess of 2MM barrels of storage capacity. Hand and hand with the Tank group, Bay’s Pipeline Services support Midstream terminal operators and the upstream Drilling and Production industry with valuable fabrication, crosscountry pipeline construction, and related support services. Their Instrument and Electrical operating group perform daily

baseload maintenance services for their business partners, as well as major capital projects executed both on a standalone basis and as a key component of the overall Bay General Contractor role on major Field and Modular projects.

Further servicing both Field and Modular projects, Bay’s Scaffolding and Insulation and Coatings group performs critical support services in the areas of Industrial Aerial access and key system insulation and multi-coat paint systems. With many Gulf Coast process plant customers, new greenfield construction real estate is a significant challenge to siting new operating unit construction. Bay’s Investment Recovery Group works

with key business partners to dismantle outdated and orphaned operating units creating valuable greenfield real estate, markets and sells usable components, and manages the resultant scrap all under a strategic agreement that cash flows back to their business partners.

Rounding out Bay’s service offerings is the Heavy Civil Group which has been a regional leader in major Interstate Highway and Bridge projects, industrial site preparation, and aviation projects for over 45 years. Featuring one of the largest fleets of modern, earthmoving and asphalt paving equipment in the region as well as aggregate mining, transportation,

and five (5) regional asphalt plants, has allowed Bay to build critical transportation infrastructure for an ever-expanding region. From city and county streets, miles of interstate highways, and complex, elevated concrete bridge interchanges, these talented craftsmen have put their stamp on key projects and have improved traffic mobility and safety for millions of folks.

Bay’s partners enjoy the benefits of proactive management teams with extensive experience in project and safety management, problemsolving, detailed CPM schedules, cost monitoring and analysis, productivity measurement,

and construction materials management.

Key Projects Showcase Bay’s Diversity and Ingenuity in Major Capital Project Delivery

Refinery and Petrochemical Process Unit Construction

Bay has been the overall Mechanical General Contractor on dozens of Refinery Unit additions to meet Low Sulfur requirements as well as changes to Crude Slates processed by their business partners. One such project involved the construction of a grassroots Low Sulfur Gasoline (LSG) unit for a Gulf Coast facility – the project

involved process equipment and pipe fabrication, all Equipment setting, structural steel, and piping interconnects for the unit. The project also involved the construction of new API storage tanks to store the resultant LSG. Several years later, with the implementation of the Tier 3 low sulfur requirements, their client tasked Bay with the fabrication, heavy haul, and erection (with one of their 1,000ton cranes) of the over 600ton CDHDS reactor, which was integrated with the LSG unit. Project peak craft manpower at over 650 folks and close to 1,000,000 manhours over the course of the projects.

Heavy Civil

Bay was contracted by a leading Petrochemical client to perform site preparation, site drainage, utility infrastructure, construction of all site roadways, material laydown areas, parking areas, and process area subgrade on an approximately 1,600-acre site which was a legacy cotton farm. Many of the Process

Unit components were built as mega-modules (10,000 tons), necessitating the construction of an over 5-mile Heavy Haul corridor from the Marine Quay site to the process areas, which was also part of Bay’s scope of work. The project involved mass earthmoving over

the huge site and the placement of over 900,000 tons of crushed limestone.

Spearheaded by their Highway Service Group, Bay’s heavy civil construction services possess an outstanding record of successfully completing grassroots infrastructure projects, including civil site development projects and extensive road and bridge construction projects throughout Central and South Texas. Bay’s comprehensive civil construction services are second to none and have solidified its reputation as a leader in the construction of airport runways, roads, highways, bridges, and other structures.

Working in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and numerous municipalities, their crews strive to exceed every expectation during each project, with total dedication to job safety, quality, and productivity. In addition to being one of the most experienced teams around, possessing years of experience in new construction, hot mix and seal coat projects, and road maintenance, Bay’s team is continually recognized as one of the safest in the industry. So safe, in fact, that the highway group achieved a major milestone in April of 2009 with 12 consecutive years with no OSHA lost time

injuries. To ensure that every civil construction project begins with the best foundation possible, Bay Ltd. provides site preparation services for both large and small construction projects. Their teams of experienced professionals work diligently to prepare sites before construction to facilitate the most efficient means of production from start to finish. With a modern GPS (laser-guided) fleet of equipment, the civil and highway group’s personnel are able to maximize project efficiency and provide each client the highest quality service possible when it comes to highway and road construction projects. Bay Ltd. maintains the largest fleet of bottom and end dumps and

bobtail tandem trucks in the area. Bay’s numerous bulk materials facilities throughout the area keep sand, gravel, caliche, topsoil, select fill, clay, recycled asphalt, and crushed concrete readily available for its clients, and their strategic location affords them with the capability to load, unload, and haul materials from ships, barges, and trains to anywhere in the world. Bay Ltd. owns and operates numerous asphalt plants and bulk material facilities throughout South Texas. From the largest contractor to the smallest, they can readily supply all grades of asphalt, sand, gravel, caliche, topsoil, select fill, clay, recycled asphalt, and crushed concrete to be delivered anywhere

on time.

Modular Fabrication, Erection, and Marine Loadout

Bay partnered with a leading Engineering services provider on the Fabrication, Assembly, and Marine loadout of High Alloy Utility and Piperack Modules for two (2) different Northeast Utilities, one in Queens, NY, and another in Newark, NJ. The projects were executed at Bay’s Corpus Christi fabrication center and loaded out onto barges for transport to the job site. This execution strategy took an estimated 200,000 field manhours off the table in the Northeast and resulted in significant economic benefits to

Bay Ltd. has a 30-year history of successful fabrication services for both upstream and downstream industries. Their fabrication facilities afford them the capability to easily fabricate, assemble, and transport products anywhere in the world. Their fabrication and assembly shops are supported by dockside assembly and storage areas that allow Bay’s operation to assemble modules in a range of sizes for transport, ranging from truck-sized projects to over 5,000 tons of heavy haul. Conveniently located adjacent to the Corpus Christi Ship Channel with waters up to 45 feet deep, their dockside

the projects by Modularizing key project components with Bay.

area accommodates Intracoastal barges, ocean-going barges, international heavy lift ships and supports loadout via an RO-RO dock, skidway or onto barges or ships via heavy lift cranes. Bay’s ASME pressure vessel fabrication, modification, and maintenance services began operations as a Section VIII Division One pressure vessel shop as Berry Fabricators in 1969. By 1997, their ASME pressure vessel operation achieved a Division Two Certification and now encompasses over 200,000 square feet of shop space. The modular fabrication facilities span more than 100 acres and offer 200,000 square feet of shop space for the fabrication and assembly of modular pipe rack systems and process units for clients in the

oil and natural gas production, chemical manufacturing, and refining industries. Modular systems and packages range from a single skid-mounted unit to complete production packages and process units with loadout weights in excess of 5,000 tons. Each of Bay’s pipe fabrication shops features automated plate cutting, pipe profiling, rolling and welding capabilities, and onsite QA testing.

Upstream Offshore Production and Living Quarters Fabrication

Bay has supported the Gulf of Mexico and the International Offshore O&G Industry for over 50 years with key Topside components from Process

Units to Living Quarters (LQ) Modules. Bay’s work is on display on virtually every continent and includes offshore Nigeria, Angola, Brazil, Trinidad/Tobago, the Mediterranean Sea, and even on-shore in the former Soviet Republic, just to name a few. Bay has long been an Industry leader in the final design and construction of offshore Modules designed to house and meet the daily needs of offshore workers servicing operating platforms across the world. One such project involved the final design, fabrication, assembly, outfitting, and loadout of two (2) 100-person LQs destined for offshore Brazil. The 4 story facilities, with a loadout weight of approximately 900 tons each, include workers’ quarters, dining facilities, recreational facilities, meeting rooms, Helidecks, and related facilities.

Innovative Low Carbon and Renewable Fuels Capital projects

Bay has been involved in a number of major capital projects focusing on reducing product carbon footprints, CO2 reduction/removal, and Renewable Transportation fuels. On one such Renewable Diesel fuel project, Bay was tasked with extensive Modular, NGL Tanks, and Reactor Fabrication and delivery to the site and the subsequent Field installation of

the units and interconnecting piping. Bay’s ability to fabricate key components offsite and their follow on installation in the Field represented significant value to the client.

Crane and Heavy Haul

Since its inception, Bay Ltd. has long been a leader in providing a full range of heavy construction equipment services to the process industry. Equipped with one of the region’s largest and most modern fleets of specialized heavy hauling and rigging equipment, Bay Ltd. offers the most comprehensive

services under one roof for everything from routine projects through complete plant-wide turnarounds.

Supported by engineered lift plans and haul route analysis, we provide world-class service and solutions to even the most challenging hauling and rigging projects. Bay’s commitment to safety and doing it right the first time makes its experienced team of personnel a continual leader in customer satisfaction. In addition, Bay’s large fleet of modern equipment and experience in all areas of rigging and heavy

hauling allow them to coordinate and execute all elements of a project completely in-house. In addition to Bay’s modern fleet of erection equipment Bay also has the capability to transport large loads using its state-of-the-art Self Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs). Bay has the ability to haul individual loads in excess of 10,000 tons. Their lifting services are both safe and flexible thanks to their state-of-the-art equipment that handles the heaviest and tallest vessels/reactors with the maximum operational safety and precision. With vast experience in haul route planning and a range of heavy haul projects, Bay’s team is prepared to meet the specific needs and challenges of any specialized industrial heavy hauling project. This diversity of services and skill set enables Bay to provide a variety of services and facilities to complement all heavy hauling and erection activities completely in-house. Bay’s specialized resources include private barge and deep water docks and facilities, transshipments by rail, barge, or truck, and the sales and service of support equipment, including cranes, forklifts, man-lifts, air compressors, and more. Their fleet of over 2,500 pieces of construction equipment makes them the ideal partner for contractors in need of a wide range of services for major

projects and turnarounds. To round out their fleet, Bay has made the investment in Enerpac gantry and load leveling systems to ensure there is no lifting or placement of modules or loads they can’t handle.

API/Storage Tanks

Their Tank Services group offers clients Bay’s knowledgeable and experienced workforce to supply a range of field-welded, bolted, and shop-welded storage tanks. Bay’s Storage Tank group is skilled in the engineering, detailing, fabrication, and construction of storage tanks, including API-12D, API-12F, API-650, and API-620, as well as AWNA-D100 storage construction, repair, maintenance, and inspection.

Bay Ltd.’s Tank Services Group provides an array of specialized fabrication of and field erection services for API storage tanks for the process industry. Their service focuses include the construction of new storage tanks, including grassroots LNG tanks, as well as repairs, alterations, and maintenance to existing storage structures.

infrastructure, metering/transfer facilities, and instrumentation and electrical. Bay is also experienced in the more stringent specifications and procedures required for the repair, construction, and modification of LNG re-gasification tanks requiring 9% Nickel alloy and other API-620 specialty applications.

Their tank and vessel division also offers a complete “turnkey package” for storage facilities. Bay can successfully perform work scopes, including site preparation, foundation design and construction, storage tank design engineering, fabrication, erection and hydro testing, piping, electrical and instrumentation, and painting.

Investment Recovery

Bay’s tank repairs and modification services vary from minor tank repairs that are API-653 compliant to multi-tank “grassroots” product terminals, including foundations,

Bay’s Investment Recovery Services Group specializes in the dismantlement, salvage, and marketing of surplus and/or obsolete manufacturing equipment and process facilities. They have served both industrial clients and governmental agencies with the removal and disposal of their obsolete and/or surplus equipment and machinery. Bay also provides many years of experience in providing quality performance on projects that range from emergency response, plant relocation, demolition by

explosives, and partial or complete dismantling of process plants, individual units, storage tanks, and industrial buildings.

Instrument and Electrical

Bay Ltd. provides comprehensive Instrument & Electrical Services on both Grassroots New Construction Projects and Baseload Maintenance environments. New construction projects include refinery and petrochemical unit construction and comprehensive I&E assembly on Bay’s modular construction projects for both Downstream and Upstream clients throughout North America. Their skilled

craft professionals meet all State Licensing requirements and offer fully staffed I&E capabilities from all operating locations.

Scaffolding and Insulation (Soft Crafts)

Bay Ltd.’s Scaffold

Services

Group provides efficient project planning through concise estimating, designing, erection, and dismantling of scaffolding. Specific areas of expertise are projects involving FCCUs, Coker Units, and Modular Process Units. Their Scaffolding Team also specializes in new construction, maintenance, emergency support, turnarounds,

and offshore scaffolding services. Bay produces high-quality results in the safest and most professional manner possible. Major markets include petrochemical processing, power plants, refineries, fabrication yards, offshore assets, ship yards, and oilfields. Bay has an extensive inventory of scaffolding materials at all of its operating locations for efficient delivery to the work site.

Overcoming Challenges

Challenges like rising labor costs, smaller skilled labor pools, increased material and delivery costs, and escalation in steel and concrete prices are just a few of

the challenges Bay Ltd. faces. So, how do they overcome these and maintain a consistent safety, quality, and productivity mission? They rely on their philosophy of maintaining a family-oriented environment in everything they do.

Bay Ltd. treats every staff member as part of the family and recognizes them with the respect it entails. This family orientation has given Bay Ltd. a reputation as a company to work for, affording it the distinction of being one of the largest privately owned employers on the Gulf Coast. Because of this reputation of encouragement and building family relationships, Bay Ltd.’s employees stay in the family, with several employees celebrating 40 and even 55-year employment milestones.

Building Foundations for Tomorrow

Bay Ltd. is committed to safety, quality, and productivity daily, from contributing to the community to fulfilling the needs of its clients. They pride themselves on treating

their clients and vendors not as business acquaintances but as partners in success. This mentality of respect and recognition has given them a reputation as a great workplace and a caring and compassionate company. From the open door policy of the CEO to the charitable contributions the company gives back to the communities it works with, Bay Ltd. fulfills its founder’s mission of being a company of people caring about people. Showing success is possible with hard work and consistent commitment to the company’s mission.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: Bay Ltd.

Country: United States

Industry: Construction

Est: 1953

Premier Services: Fabrication,

Assembly, Heavy Haul, Industrial

Construction

CEO: Rob Powers

Website: www.bayltd.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

For PLH Group, Loyalty is Key, Safety is Sacred

Written by Leslie Blaize

Produced by Stephen Marino

Formed in 2009, PLH Group is made up of eleven leading industry companies in the U.S. and Canada that provide services to the electric power line, pipeline, oil field electrical and industrial markets.

Through its pipeline division based in Houston, Texas, PLH provides quality pipeline construction, maintenance and inspection services throughout North America

Despite the challenges of a postpandemic construction industry, PLH has thrived by shifting from creating new pipelines to maintaining existing lines; extending the life of equipment whenever possible and building up a solid safety culture to attract and retain quality employees.

“We use consistent tools that we’ve invested in for safety,” says Peter Howe, president of the pipeline segment. “If we have an incident that incident gets reported within hours on our Industry Safe system. And we have a program called Good Catch where if someone is working on a site and they see an incident or practice that doesn’t look safe, they have the right to go up to the person and suggest a different way of doing it. We document that as a good catch.”

on a weekly basis so trends can be spotted and addressed at an annual safety conference. Employees who have worked without incident are recognized with awards for safety and professionalism. Maintaining safety and quality employees has been key to PLH’s success. The pipeline division has between 1, 000 and 1, 500 employees throughout the year with August and September being the busiest times. Many employees have been with them for decades.

“Most of our leadership has been with us for 12, 13, 14 years. Those guys are there long-term because they care about the staff. In this industry it’s a really small world. We look after our superintendents and they look after the foremen and those guys look after their craft resources; they come as a team. So we put a lot of effort into making sure we maintain that loyalty and that our people treat each other with respect.”

These incidents are reviewed

This loyalty, Howe says, is what first attracted him to the pipeline industry. “I’m a chemical engineer myself,” he says. “I grew up in engineering and construction and two years ago I got the opportunity to join PLH Group… Since then I’ve discovered the loyalty of the teams in this business is tighter than I’ve seen anywhere

else. That helps this to be a very enjoyable business.”

Maintaining this sense of loyalty among team players, he says, helps to ensure that projects are completed successfully. “If we have a tough project, we’re going to put our best people on it to face any issues as they come up,” says Howe.

Key to attracting quality employees

is offering competitive pay. “We make sure that our benefits are incentives and our base salaries are competitive,” Howe says. “People feel they’re respected here and they get paid for the work they’re doing.”

Overcoming Challenges

The construction industry has seen its share of challenges in recent years. Between stalled projects

Outlaw HOD Ltd. began its venture into the Horizontal Directional world in 2011 , we started with 1 Brand new Ditch Witch J T 1 00 and a crew of 3 and myself and started our first job October 1, 2011. Myself and my crew weren't new to the industry but we were new to starting a business and having faith and confidence in each other that we will one day become a very successful and well known HOD company in western Canada and here we are today with 5 directional drills , and employees that have been with Outlaw HOD since day 1 .

We pride ourselves on our customer relations which takes us from the offices of our clients to the filed and have built many strong business and personal relationships over the last 11 years , we strive to be the best at our jobs in all fields and aspects of the industry such as safety with a zero incident record and SECOR certified , production -we do what it takes in the safest possible manner to complete each bore no matter what conditions may lay in front of us , we are firm believers that mother nature has helped us along this path of success as we do everything humanly possible to treat the environment that we work in as our own homes

Our clients have also believed in us as much as we have which has been able to help us through some crazy times , ups and down in the oilfield sector and our last challenge which was covid , but through it all we are here today and stringer than ever and for this I thank every single one of my employees and our clients that have supported us along this journey .

As this section in this journal we have be given this opportunity to showcase our company by Pipeworx and would like to thank Pipeworx and every single employee we have worked with from the laborers who stand in the snow and mud and help our crew to the hoe hands , welders, bore foreman , superintendents , project managers , construction managers , office staff in the field and in the office , the office managers , accounting departments , vice president and president of Pipeworx , I would love to name every employee we have worked with but I wouldn't have the room but you all know who you are in the Pipeworx world and without your belief in Outlaw HOD we wouldn't have been as successful as we have become today , so thank you from my self and every employee with Outlaw HOD and I wish everyone much success and good health each and everyday we are all out there doing our best to contribute in our own ways to this great opportunity we have all created as a team and family

Special thanks to my employees : Dane Bawdon-Operations ,driller and field manager, Colin Slobodian-Driller, Trevor Cooper-Locator , Micheal Christopher-mud man.

caused by the pandemic, rising costs of fuel and supplies and challenges in securing permits, it’s not been easy. The government canceling the Keystone pipeline and the fallout of that has had a ripple effect on the industry.

“There are significant environmental pressures against pipelines, mostly oil, but gas as well” says Howe, “There is a lack of understanding in the business that makes permits more difficult to get because environmentalists are fighting those permits, which causes significant delays.

Howe points out that large companies like Precision and MasTec that were taking on big projects just a couple years ago, are now struggling. To stay on top of the game, PLH has had to pivot from building new pipelines to maintaining existing pipelines. They’ve adapted to the equipment shortage by renting whenever possible and working to extend the life of existing trucks and machines they may have put out to pasture a few years ago.

As for ever-changing fuel costs,

and the rising cost of materials like concrete, Howe says PLH often copes by being upfront about extra costs with clients, who often split them.

“If there are struggles, we communicate with our clients early on and typically we can solve these problems together better than we can alone,” says Howe. “One of the most important things is being fully aligned with clients. We focus on making sure that we do what’s required to make them successful.”

To ensure success, PLH vets jobs carefully, choosing the best for their team and subcontracting

when necessary.

“We have close relationships with our subcontractors,” Howe points out. “We know their strengths and that they have the same safety culture as us… If we see a job that has high risks or there are huge safety concerns or we are not qualified to do it, we’ll say let’s not go after that; we’re just not going to be successful. That’s the first step. Identifying projects you should not go after before you go after them.

Looking Forward

Despite the fluctuations in revenue that are par for the course in

construction, PLH seems poised to succeed in coming months; Howe is optimistic about the future.

“We spent a lot of time and money to form a consistent safety culture throughout each of our companies.. and a culture of accountability.” he says. “Our business leaders are accountable for what they do. We are a pretty well functioning machine right now.”

Howe measures his own personal success, he says, by how often he gets out every quarter to visit people in the field and have safety conversations about what’s working and what’s not. With the

lines of communication open, he feels confident about the team’s success.

And there are no shortage of projects in the pipeline.

Through one of its companies, Energy Services South, PLH Group is working on a project called the Navigator Borger Express, running 195 miles of pipeline through Oklahoma into the Texas Panhandle. Once completed this pipeline will be capable of transporting 90,000 barrels of domestic crude oil per day from Cushing, Oklahoma to a regional refinery.

PLH Group also recently finished a project in southern California, testing and replacing Line 1600, a 16-inch natural gas transmission pipeline owned by the San Diego Gas and Electric that had not been strength tested in 1949 when it was constructed.

And they are busy working on a Canadian project with another of their companies Pipeworx where they are executing a multiyear project with multiple spreads for a company called Keyera that will go through early 2023.

“It is a significant project for us,” says Howe. “The project is going well and the client is very satisfied.

We have had zero recordable incidents with safety. If you are aligned on the project plan with the client, and identify problems early on, 99% of those projects are successful.”

The construction industry is not for everyone, Howe points out.

“[Volatility] is a fact of life in this business that a lot of people can’t handle,” he says. What makes it worth it for him is the sense of loyalty and community that stems from working in a place where everyone is looking out for each other.

He reflects: “Nothing is more important than running a safe site. This is sacred.”

Taming Risk in the Rocky Mountain Region for Half a Century

Serving Colorado for over 50 years, Moody Insurance Agency supports the construction industry and its employees with a hands-on approach.

Written by Amy Milshtein

Produced by Stephen Marino

As mergers and acquisitions swallow up more and more independent, familyowned insurance companies, Colorado-based Moody Insurance Agency stands apart.

With three offices serving the Rocky Mountain region, Moody Insurance Agency provides insurance products to a variety of business sectors ranging from energy to education to real estate. But most of their work—about 60% according to company president Brad Moody—comes from construction.

Tapping into their strong relationships with national agencies and brokers, Moody Insurance offers their clients a variety of products to tame risk including

wraps, contract review services, loss control programs, regulatory and legal expertise, benchmarking and analytical services, and surety products.

Moody Insurance also offers the strength and depth of a big corporation with the service and personal touch of a family-owned business. The result? Roughly $350 million in premium and $28 million in revenues. But what’s truly impressive is their 96% client retention rate.

“We’re pretty proud of that,” says Moody. “A typical client cycle is between eight to 10 years, but I have a lot of 20 and 25-year relationships. My dad, who started the company, has some 50-year relationships! I think a lot of this comes from doing the right thing by the client. We don’t make short-term, compensation-driven decisions. We always try to protect the client and I think that’s served us well.”

COVID-19 Challenges Continue

“

“We don’t make short-term, compensation-driven always try to protect the client and - Brad Moody,

Brad Moody

Even the most considered decisions can’t protect the

insurance agency’s construction clients from the same pandemicrelated challenges the rest of the industry faces. Moody confirms that labor shortages and supply chain issues continue to dog the sector.

“A lot of our contractors are at an all-time high with work in hand ready to go, but they can’t get started on these projects because of the delays,” he says. “Current projects are also taking longer to get done. These issues are real, and they are still a problem.”

Moody notes that his company shares one of these challenges. While the insurance industry doesn’t rely on building materials, the labor pinch definitely hits home.

“It has become a national market for talent,” he explains. “With so many companies shifting to workfrom-home five days a week it’s changed the game. Now, you could live in Montrose, CO and work for a New York or Los Angeles firm.”

Phoning it in from home doesn’t hold the same appeal to Moody,

compensation-driven decisions. We and I think that’s served us well.” Moody, president.

who admits he found it hard to keep the company’s culture going through COVID lockdowns. “We tried but there’s only so many Zoom meetings and Zoom cocktail parties you can take. I kind of hate to say it but, if you want to work from home, you have a job. If you want to work at the office, you have a career.”

That desire to buck the national work-from-home trend shifted the insurance company’s hiring practice. “As part of our interviewing process we’re really homing in on making sure we’re finding people that want to be in the office,” says Moody. He acknowledges this approach does not make it easy.

Troy Moody

CRC Group Congratulates MOODY INSURANCE AGENCY

50 years of “protecting business, employees, and families in the Rocky Mountains” distinguishes Moody among the best.

CRC Group is proud to partner with Moody Insurance Agency for construction, contractors casualty, environmental, and other risks.

Learn More

CRC GROUP DENVER

CRCGroup.com/Denver

“I think the challenge going forward will be attracting people who want that personal relationship you get from coming into the office. Some people have gotten to the point where they like being hermits and staying at home. We understand. We’ve seen the benefit of not having to commute and being home a couple of days a week to clear out the enormous amount of email you have to deal with. But there must be some balance.”

A Company Culture Worth Protecting

Moody’s preference for in-person

work springs from his desire to protect the insurance agency’s strong, family-focused company culture. Many of the company’s 130 employees have been with the firm for 10 years or more, a fact that makes Moody very proud.

Moody is also pleased to report that the company managed to keep their workforce intact through different economic cycles. Once again it came to balance as management didn’t want their people working 70-80 hours a week.

“I think the family aspect is still very important to us. I mean, our employees feel at home,” he says,

acknowledging that this family focus is becoming a rare thing in the industry. “We’re seeing so much merger and acquisition activity with a lot of other independent family-owned firms. You just don’t see as much of it around these days.”

Moody notices other industry shifts as well. The biggest change in the last 10 years, in his opinion, is training. “We do a lot of training inhouse to develop our own talent,” he says.

That’s very different from a decade ago when insurance industry carriers did most of the training and “we could pick off their talent. Now we must get a lot more aggressive and find our own employees to train,” Moody says. “It’s more expensive and time consuming but it’s just part of doing business today.”

Investing in Technology, Connecting with People

While Moody Insurance values that personal, high-touch approach, the company still invests heavily in their infrastructure, priding themselves on staying on the cutting edge of Information Technology. This tech-savvy approach helps them connect with all their clients, no matter their age.

“What we find is every customer likes to do business with us differently,” Moody explains. “As our clients get younger, we noticed that a lot of them want online portals to access information on their own. This way they don’t have to call anybody.”

An automated receptionist, however, is one piece of technology not welcome at the firm. “We do have a live receptionist,” says Moody. “We encourage our people to pick up the phone and talk to our customers.”

The practice reflects the company’s strong, family-focused culture. “A mantra we have at Moody is ‘smile, listen, connect, listen, and connect.’ It’s important,” Moody insists. “We want people that enjoy their jobs, that are fun to work with. We are in

an industry where we need to listen to what our clients are doing and help solve their problems.”

The way to do that, according to Moody, is connecting both in real life and on the phone. “I just think there’s too much email correspondence that goes back and forth and, at that point, people become less invested in the connection,” he says. “Sure, they have the business, but they just don’t have the personal relationship.”

Moody also invests in close relationships with the construction industry at large. This is proven by the company’s a 30-year membership in the Association of Builders and Contractors. “The value, obviously, is keeping in close contact with the construction industry. The newsletters keep us informed about legislation and all the things going on in the construction industry,” he says. “I also think there is lots of value in the networking and close contacts with the contractor members.”

Moody Insurance extends this same personal touch to their insurance carrier vendors. Once vetted, these vendors are taken into the fold and treated to an exceptional degree of transparency and communication.

“A lot of insurance brokers like to keep their clients separated from the carriers and we’re kind of the opposite,” he reveals. “We like to introduce our clients to the underwriters, the claims and loss control people. We do this because I think that once you have a personal relationship, they’re going to take bigger interest in your account.”

Taking the Helm

Brad Moody has been at Moody Insurance for 31 years, serving as president for the last 15. As he still administers a large book of business, Moody estimates he spends half his time contacting clients and the other half managing the business.

Nevertheless, that family-focused company culture manages to reach

“

“I think everyone is excited to get going in this business and have success early. “I’ve found that time goes by pretty quickly. I started as a salesperson, and I still am a salesperson and building trust takes time.”

- Brad Moody, President

all the way to the top. “I also don’t work 70-80 hours a week,” he says. “I could have been a national broker on a plane four days a week but that’s not something I wanted to do. Instead, I was able to be home and coach all my kids in all their sports.”

Along with demanding a good work/life balance Moody has one word of advice for people starting out in the insurance business— patients.

“I think everyone is excited to get going in this business and have success early,” he advises. “I’ve found that time goes by pretty quickly. I started as a salesperson, I still am a salesperson, and building trust takes time.”

“I think you always want to do what’s in the best interest of the client and that takes patients. Sometimes it takes three to five to 10 years to gain trust and get that opportunity to pick up a new client. That’s the one thing I tell a lot of my salespeople. We can tell if they’re working hard and if they’re doing the right things on a daily basis. But some of the best customers are loyal and it takes time to disrupt that. And so, I advise just being patient and gain your client’s trust over time.”

COMPANY INFORMATION

We’re proud to congratulate Moody Insurance Agency on 50 years of success. www.cna.com/construction

Company Name: Moody Insurance Agency

Country: USA

Industry: Insurance/construction & energy

Est: 1971

Revenue: $28 million

Premiere Service: Commercial insurance, bonding, risk

management

President: Brad Moody

Website: www.moodyins.com

Written by Leslie Blaize

Produced by Stephen Marino

KHS&S, an industry leader in wall and ceiling construction, adds an imaginative dimension to its projects. The company, founded in 1984, continues to grow and stay competitive by using digital modeling, virtual project delivery, prefabrication, and Lean construction.

Erik Santiago, the firm’s third president, started at the firm as an intern seeking hands-on experience in the construction industry. Now, he works with 14 other shareholders to direct the private, non-family-owned specialty contractor.

The nationally recognized company believes in looking ahead and embracing technology. A variety of services are provided by the in-house design studio, which specializes in digital modeling, design, and prefabrication. The company helps end users achieve their design intent within their budget. Projects range from major theme parks to hospitals, casinos, and other facilities.

The craftsmen at KHS&S create a wide variety of finishes. They may resemble rocks, a piece of marble or granite, or even a tree. The specialty interior and exterior contractor is an international leader in themed construction.

KHS&S earns an annual revenue of $125 million with an expected annual increase of five percent. The workforce ranges from 1,000 to 1,300 field and office professionals who work out of offices in Atlantic City, New Jersey; Austin and Dallas, Texas; and Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa, Florida.

Referrals Drive Growth

The firm works throughout the East Coast and Texas but will provide services in other areas, such as the Caribbean. “We don’t chase projects in other areas. They are brought to us because of a relationship with a client,” says Santiago.

He notes that in business, “Relationships are key. You always want to work with people who have aligned goals and work values, and you also enjoy working with them.”

Most of the specialty contractor’s work is repeat business. The company has provided services for some clients for more than two decades. “We understand our clients’ expectations, so everybody’s usually on the same page,” Santiago adds.

KHS&S focuses on strategic growth. “We’re always open to something new that could enhance

our capabilities,” he says.

Company Offers Superior Services

As a nationally known contractor, KHS&S provides services that differentiate the firm and provide exceptional value. They include the following:

1. Design-Assist: Offers guidance early in the project, even before drawings are developed.

2. Lean Culture: Concentrates on Lean best practices and eliminates waste to create value for its customers.

3. Unusual Services: Customers turn to the company to provide services that others can’t because of the complexity, size of the job, or its geographic location.

Identify Project Challenges

Santiago emphasizes the importance of communication throughout a project, from the manufacturer to the suppliers, owner, and other subcontractors. All partners should understand the challenges and help identify the constraints so they can be mitigated as much as possible. “We’re constantly stressing

communication,” he emphasizes. “If you’re not communicating, you’re not going to meet the schedule. Most mistakes happen because there was a communication gap.”

Like others in the construction industry, KHS&S must deal with supply chain issues. When this challenge occurs, his team may find a material substitute that is more readily available. If timing becomes an issue, teams work with their trade partners to develop solutions that deliver equal or higher quality within the project schedule.

Dealing with supply shortages is

Erik Santiago

always a challenge. But now, it’s a common occurrence. “Everybody’s adapting to it,” Santiago says.

Focus on Safety

KHS&S builds safety issues into the daily planning. The firm developed a comprehensive safety plan, and regional designated safety individuals make sure everyone follows safety practices. At daily huddles, teams talk about potential hazards.

Employees receive proper training. When workers use specific tools, the company wants them to understand the tool’s safety hazards. Daily inspections also are

conducted to minimize problems.

“We’re always looking for

safest way to build,” Santiago says. “If the job site’s safe, employees feel confident, which leads to higher employee satisfaction and productivity.”

KHS&S Projects

Baha Bay Nassau, Bahamas

Nestled between the azure Caribbean waters and the swaying palms of the exclusive Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas is a winding outdoor waterpark offering fun for all ages. During the first

the

phase of the resort’s amenities expansion, KHS&S was engaged to complete rockwork on an elaborate beachside fountain.

In phase two, the fountain became the marque to draw guests to the waterpark. The main attractions are a wave pool, a kids’ area with slides, and the Torrent River, a speedier version of the traditional lazy river. A rock bridge spanning the river features a blow hole spraying water and entertaining guests. Setting the standards in themed finishes, KHS&S’s work scope included decorative rockwork, stucco, plaster, stain, and paint for the elaborate $300M waterpark.

VelociCoaster at Universal Orlando Resort - Orlando, Florida

As guests enter the grounds and queuing areas of the VelociCoaster, the newest roller coaster at Universal Orlando, they are absorbed into a world of carnivorous velociraptors. Riders climb aboard for a high-speed journey themed to the Jurassic World film series dodging several close calls with raptors along the way. Hitting 70 mph and experiencing a 360-degree barrel roll in a zero-gravity inverted stall is sure to impress thrill seekers. To immerse guests into a world of dinosaurs, KHS&S craftsman

worked closely with the architect and Universal Creative to fulfill their vision of transforming the 11 queuing areas, launch station, and grounds to create the feel of a large bunker to withstand the wrath of dinosaurs. The three major KHS&S work scopes included custom metal fabrications, custom metal ceilings, and themed plastering. To ensure quality control, a specific supervisor for each specialty scope was on site for the project’s duration.

AdventHealth Tampa: The Taneja Center for Surgery Tampa, Florida

This six-story patient tower is the largest surgical expansion for AdventHealth Tampa (formerly Florida Hospital). It includes 300,000 square feet and features 24 surgical suites and more than 100 private patient rooms.

The project also includes a new main entrance, a two-story atrium and lobby, patient registration and pre-admission testing areas, a kids’ play area, deli, retail spaces, gift shop, an auditorium, and chapel. The general contractor was

Robins & Morton.

SkyCenter at Tampa International Airport - Tampa, Florida

Part of a major phased $66 million expansion at Tampa International Airport, SkyCenter is a mixed-use development. It includes SkyCenter One, a nine-story, 270,000-squarefoot Class A office building, and an atrium. An elevated pedestrian walkway leads to a train station with direct access to the airport terminal and car rental center. The building’s rooftop terrace offers a spectacular 360-degree view of Tampa Bay.

KHS&S’s scope of work included wall layout, metal framing, insulation, drywall and finishing for SkyCenter One, the elevated connector and atrium. Materials were measured and calculated for each office floor to accurately schedule manpower and guarantee on-time material delivery. KHS&S project leaders collaborated to create an accurate timeline, visualizing the order and dependencies of tasks and any possible overlaps that could cause delays.

“I want to make sure I’m positive so others are positive and they’re confident that we can accomplish our goals.”

“— President Erik Santiago

Building Strong Relationships

The best way to build successful relationships with subcontractors and suppliers is to pay them in a timely manner. “We treat our partners with respect and emphasize communication,” Santiago says.

From the start, KHS&S brings partners into the planning process. The company discusses equipment and materials that will be needed. If partners face constraints, the company helps them solve their problems, such as space or deposit requirements.

If partners are successful, then KHS&S also will be successful and complete jobs on time.

Community Support

KHS&S also believes in forging strong community relationships through participation in events and supporting local causes. Activities have ranged from beach cleanups to donations to fundraising events and involvement in Habitat for Humanity. The company also sponsors students who are invited to compete in national events.

Recruiting at Many Levels

KHS&S promotes the value of a

career in the construction industry through a variety of approaches. Internally, new craftsmen participate in an apprenticeship program to learn about the firm’s specialized services. Through a rotating schedule, apprentices are exposed to the company’s service offerings. They forge relationships with different workers as part of this process.

In addition, the company sponsors a local technology student association. Members compete in national competitions in architectural and engineering design, CAD architecture, and CAD engineering, all areas relevant

to KHS&S’s service offerings.

At the high school level, the company sponsors a multi-year program. Employees head to the classroom and teach students the fundamentals of commercial construction. In cooperation with a public magnet school, students help model KHS&S projects at the company’s offices.

Santiago says he wants high school students to understand that the construction industry offers much more than digging ditches or building a house. “We want to make sure they have a different take on what this industry is all about,” he says.

When a company estimator and designer presented to students, they initially weren’t that interested. But once the youngsters learned about the kinds of projects KHS&S creates, their interest perked up.

“They discovered that what we do is much more exciting than drawing plans for a small square house,” says Santiago.

As students look to the future, Santiago wants them to know there are many pathways to success. Santiago, a college graduate, realizes that college isn’t the best option for everyone. He invites one of the firm’s

SAVE OVERTIME FOR OTHER PLANS.

Getting off-site starts with using the right materials on-site. ClarkDietrich helps you do your best work as efficiently as possible. From framing to finishing, ClarkDietrich products and services save time, material and labor, so you can get the job done right and go grab some peace of mind.

© 2022 ClarkDietrich

superintendents, who doesn’t have a college degree, to talk with the students. They learn he has a nice house, an amazing truck and the respect of his coworkers.

“They may say to themselves, this guy didn’t go to college, and he’s doing very well for himself,” he adds.

Culture Promotes Longevity

One measure of a company’s success is the tenure of its employees. At KHS&S, workers have been with the firm for decades. Santiago has worked there for 28 years, and some superintendents have logged 30, 32, and 35 years. Many other project managers have served for more than ten years.

“We promote from within, and there is potential for ownership for employees in key management roles,” Santiago reports.

KHS&S believes in rewarding individuals who contribute to the firm’s success. The company also tries to be flexible if special needs arise.

The Lure of the Construction Industry

Santiago enjoys developing relationships with people with entirely different backgrounds. “I enjoy the diversity of people in the industry. Each project and building are a little different.”

Because of the changing nature of the construction industry, Santiago is constantly learning and looking for new ways to accomplish a goal. “It’s very challenging, and I enjoy that immensely.”

He frequently visits offices and

Another strong incentive for working at the company is its strong safety record and culture. It helps attract and retain employees who want to work

clients. “I make it a point to get in front of our customers, whether we have a job with them or not,” he says.

Mentors Paved the Way for Growth

As president, Santiago works hard to mentor others in the same way he was mentored. “I’ve been working around a lot of great people, and I’ve been able to pull a lot of good traits from each one of them,” he notes.

Santiago’s two most significant influences in his career were CEO/ Chairman Michael Cannon, who hired him, and Tom Gibbons, a

now-retired senior vice president. Santiago learned about operations from Cannon and best communication practices from Gibbons.

Now Santiago focuses on helping others. He enjoys his coworkers and typically has lunch with them. He’s motivated by the success of the employees he’s mentoring.

He also enjoys interacting with younger people in the office.

“They teach me a lot of stuff, and hopefully, I’m teaching them something,” he says.

As the president, Santiago replicates the open-door policy

he enjoyed with his mentors. “I try to be approachable,” he says. “That’s the only way you can solve a problem. If you’re not approachable, you’re chasing the problem instead of getting ahead of it.”

He adds, “I want to make sure I’m positive so others are positive and they’re confident that we can accomplish our goals.”

Lessons Learned

During his years in the construction industry, Santiago has learned to relax and put issues in perspective.

“Most of the things you thought were important aren’t as important as you thought they were,” he says. “That’s especially true when you’re younger.”

Now, the KHS&S president says he’s not as structured as he used to be in his younger years. “Having children will teach you patience,” he adds.

After working nearly three decades in the construction business, Santiago has learned to deal with setbacks. “You’ll get through the difficult times, and it’ll be good on the other side,” he says.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: KHS&S Contractors

Country: USA

Industry: Construction

Est: 1984

Premier Services: Wall and Ceiling Contractor

President: Erik Santiago

CEO: Michael Cannon

Website: www.khss.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

Arizona Sonoran Copper Company: Back to the Mine

After four decades of dormancy, the newly renamed Cactus Project is ripe for redevelopment. Arizona

Sonoran Copper Company, based in Tempe, AZ is setting the stage for the big new dig.

Written by Amy Milshtein

Produced by Stephen Marino

Everything old is new again at the Sacaton Mine located just west of Casa Grande, AZ.—starting with its name. Now known as the Cactus Project, this long-dormant mine is gearing up for productivity once more, thanks to new owner Arizona

Sonoran Copper Company. (For those keeping count, Arizona

Sonoran Copper Company is also new, in name at least. The change represents a rebrand of Elim Mining Incorporated.)

That is a lot of activity around a nearly 40-year-old open pit described as a “taxpayer liability in 2019” by Arizona Sonoran Copper Company COO Ian McMullan in an article in AZO Mining.

Much has turned around in the few short years since then. According to that AZO Mining story, an economic study based on the 2021 Preliminary Economic Assessment and as conducted by Rounds Consulting Group, the project’s 18-year operating life would result in an economic impact of more than $8.5 billion - the equivalent of a Super Bowl’s economic activity every other year for nearly two decades.

Not one to measure economic success by “Super Bowls,” Arizona Sonoran Copper Company president, CEO, and director

“

“The success of the project to date building an excellent team including Samuel Engineering and Stantec. been able to keep within our drilling industry cost per meter drilling with to Ruen Drilling. Last year we produced and Preliminary Economic Assessment both Samuel Engineering and economics on the Project. We completing a Pre-Feasibility Study are confident of producing highlighting the economics

- George Ogilvie, President,

date has been contingent upon including our partners Ruen Drilling, Stantec. On the drilling front we’ve drilling budget and have leading with great productivity thanks produced a maiden resource Assessment with the assistance of and Stantec that showed robust

We are now in the midst of Study with the same partners and producing a quality technical report economics of the Project.”

President, CEO, and Director

George Ogilvie puts the numbers in more mining-friendly terms. “Based on the Cactus Project alone, our average annual production that’ll come out of the pre-feasibility study is probably going to be close to 35,000 short tons or 70 million lbs of copper cathode production, which is about a 15% improvement over and above what we had in the PEA at 56 million lbs.” (That 70 million lbs works out to around $273 million U.S. dollars in annual revenue at the current spot Copper price of $3.90.) The company has also discovered a nearly 3 billion pound deposit known as Parks Salyer within the project boundary, in addition to the 3.5 billion pounds at Cactus, which is currently being added into the pre-feasibility study due around year end.

A (Mineral) Rich History

Located at the convergence of three major geological zones in western Pinal County, the area’s mineral riches were originally discovered by the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) in 1961. ASARCO mined the sight from 1972 to 1984, processing 38 million tons of primary copper ore through a floatation mill. This produced 400 hundred million pounds of copper along with 759,000 ounces of silver and 27,000 ounces of gold.

World-Wide Experience

INTELLIGENT APPROACH EQUALS A BETTER VALUE

Azteca Gold Corporation

PROJECT: Two Mile Project

LOCATION: Silver Valley, Idaho

RUEN was asked to drill a series of deep core holes beneath known mineral deposits in the Silver Valley mining district in order to confirm the existence and sxtent of deeper mineralization. Drilling proceeded on one of the holes to roughly 11,340 feet. Possibly the deepest core hole ever drilled in North America. Crews operated 24 hours a day, from start to fisish using V-wall lightweight drill rods. Special bits and an engineeered low solids polumer based drilling campaign with zero lost time accidents.

Vulcan Power Company

PROJECT: Geothermal Resource Evaluation

LOCATION: Near Fallon, Neveda

Geologic conditions and client’s needs require deep core recovery in a series of geothermal core holes. These were hubrid borings, pre-collared with casing ising a rotary drill rig, to top of the basement rock. Core holes completed to approximately 7,000 feet, drilling wire line core to TD. RUEN achieved accurate results for data collection to characterize the geothermal reservoir, and recovered core for additional exploration study at a cost savings to the client. With crews trained and experienced in geothermal hazards and nlowout prevention, this project was completed in a safe, timely manner.

Caldecott Tunnel Improvement Project

PROJECT: Geotechnical Baseline Report

LOCATION: Oakland, California

Drilling results were the basis for a Geotechnical Baseline Report (GBR). Drilling included hortixontal and angle HQ3 core holes to depths of over 900 feet each. Geotechnical aspects of the rock including RQD, bedding, fracture patterns, presence and glow rate of the groundwater were reported. RUEN’s work on this project was designed to contribute t an accurate construction bid. In general, the more complete the characterization drilling program, the fewer change orders “changed ground conditions” will follow.

Project Abstracts

Ruen’s experience in the US, South America, and Asia

CLIENT: Kiewit Pacific Company

PROJECT: Rock Quarry Investigation / Core Drilling

LOCATION: Ensenada, Mexico

CLIENT: Minera Yanacocha S.A.

PROJECT: Exploration - Reserve Def. -Hydrological Investigation

LOCATION: Cajamarca, Perú

CLIENT: Geopractica, Inc.

PROJECT: PR-53 Mariani Tunnel Project

LOCATION: San Juan, Puerto Rico

CLIENT: GeoSal

PROJECT: Consulting

LOCATION Carajas, Brazil

CLIENT: Territory Development Dept

PROJECT: New Town Ground Investigation

LOCATION: Maunsell - Sha, China

CLIENT: Omolon Gold Corporation (Amax Gold, Inc.)

PROJECT: Kegali Exploration Core Drilling Project.

LOCATION: Kubaka Mine Site - Magadan Russia

CLIENT: Teck

PROJECT: Red Dog Mine

LOCATION: Kotzebue, Alaska, USA

CLIENT: Northern Star Resources

PROJECT: Pogo Gold Mine

LOCATION: Delta Junction, Alaska, USA

CLIENT: Nova Minerals

PROJECT: Estelle Gold Trend

LOCATION: Willow, Alaska, USA

From the Mariani Tunnel geotechnical investigation in Puerto Rico to the challenging markets of the Far East and Latin America. Its our personal attention, project passion, outstanding safety record and reputation that sets Ruen Drilling apart from the rest.

In 1982 construction began on a production shaft to a depth of 1,800 ft along with a headframe to the southwest to access higher-grade ore via underground mining methods. The projects were never completed. “The mine became uneconomical,” Ogilvie reveals. “There was significant mineralization in the ground at that point in time. But, you know, at $0.65 a pound for copper, they couldn’t really make money on that from an underground Mine.”

The mine officially closed in 1984 and ASARCO filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections in 2004. After that the site was placed into an environmental trust and in 2019, $20 million worth of stabilization and reclamation work was completed. The trust also conducted valuable environmental analysis.

Elim Mining bought the mine in late 2019 for $6 million. They then renamed the site and subsequently rebranded as Arizona Sonoran Copper Company.

Reviving a Brownfield

The Cactus Project already enjoys a head start, thanks in great part to being a brownfield project. That means that much of the infrastructure is already in place with a main power line running right through the property. There is an existing substation available to step power down and feed it to a core shed and security shack. An administrative building was also already on site, however, the offices are now housed within the typical mining double-wide trailer.

But advances in mining technology is what really makes this project

economically exciting. Arizona Sonoran Copper Company plans to use heap leaching to extract the copper. This requires just leaching pads and a solvent extraction electro-winning plant, according to Ogilvie, as opposed to a large, complex copper concentrator.

“Heap leach technology was in its infancy back in the 1970s when ASARCO mined the site,” he says. “So, when they initially were starting up the pit, they scraped back the overburden and then the oxide cap. But all of that oxide cap was regarded as waste and went to a surface stockpile. The same was true for any sulfide material below 0.3% copper which was the copper cut-off grade at the time.”

Ogilvie estimates that there is almost 80 million tons of material already drilled, blasted, and hauled

to the surface by ASARCO that is about 0.169% total copper. “If you calculate it out that’s about 224 million lbs (nearly $873 million) worth of copper sitting in a surface stockpile.”

Because the money has already been spent removing the rock, Ogilvie views the early work at the Cactus Project as a low-hanging fruit re-handling exercise to generate cash flow. “We just pick that material up, put it through a screen, onto a conveyor belt, agglomerate and then stack it onto a leaching pad,” he says. “With the application of just sulfuric acid we’re seeing a 90% recovery of copper from the oxide!”

This methodology allows Arizona Sonoran Copper Company the cash flow to reinvest in the project. This promises to minimize the

Projects Worldwide

Samuel wishes to congratulate Arizona Sonoran on a successful project to date! We are grateful for our partnership throughout the feasibility study and NI 43-101 report effort and we look forward to the next phases of the project.

STUDIES

PEA and MRE Studies

Prefeasibility and Feasibility Studies

NI 43-101 and S-K 1300 Report Development and QP Due Diligence Economic Analysis

LIFE CYCLE

DETAILED

DESIGN & PROCUREMENT

Mineral processing expertise

Multi-discipline engineering

Full service procurement & expediting capabilities

Sophisticated Project Controls & Estimating

Engineering Procurement

capital costs required to bring the mine into production.

It will also help speed up construction. “We have a prefeasibility study that’ll come out in late 2023/early 2024. We then move on to a bankable feasibility study which is produced in the late 2024,” reveals Ogilvie. “We would anticipate that we would have the project financing in place on the back of the bankable feasibility study and based on the current PEA schedule, it shows an 18-month construction and development period once the project financings are in place and the project is green lighted to first production. So, if we could execute

on that plan, we should see first copper cathode production being produced in late 2026.

Drilling Partnerships for Success

The Arizona Sonoma Copper Company leaned heavily on several corporate partners to ensure the Cactus Project’s success. Ogilvie is not shy when talking about their importance. “The success of the project to date has been contingent upon building an excellent team including our partners Ruen Drilling, Samuel Engineering and Stantec,” he says.

Ogilvie continues. “On the drilling

front we’ve been able to keep within our drilling budget and have leading industry cost per meter drilling with great productivity thanks to Ruen Drilling. Last year we produced a maiden resource on Parks Salyer that will feed through to a re-scoped Pre-Feasibility Study in late 2024.”

Green Mining for Green Technology

Mining—the epitome of an extractive industry—is responsible for four to seven percent of greenhouse gas emission globally, according to McKinsey. Arizona Sonoran Copper Company, however, is committed to mining

sustainability. Their reclamation work already won the company the 2022 Award for Environmental Excellence by the American Exploration & Mining Association (“AEMA”), an award they share with the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

But that is just the start. Arizona Sonoran Copper Company is committed to operating in an environmentally responsible manner, which includes investing in low carbon and water efficient technologies. They also pledge to responsibly manage dust and tailings and to protect local air and water quality. Their ultimate goal is a Net Zero copper mine.

The extracted mineral will also help create a cleaner future for all. Copper, an excellent electricity conductor, is needed in many industries but it is critical for powering renewable energy sources. Solar, wind, geothermal, fuel cells, and other technologies need copper. Electric vehicles also require significant supplies of the mineral for construction. As part of their sustainable framework, Arizona Sonoran Copper Company also considers social and community impacts. They pledge to create a positive work culture that prioritizes safety and well-being. The Company regularly meets with local community leaders and regional

level lawmakers, to share its plans in an effort to better understand community needs. Arizona Sonoran Copper Company also maintains a public hotline to encourage and solicit community partnerships and local procurement.

Picking Winners Before the Race Even Starts

Mr. Ogilvie is a Professional Engineer, with 32 years of management, operations, and technical experience in the mining industry, both in Canada and internationally, according to an article in Businesswire. He has a track record of developing assets into commercial production

and turning businesses around resulting in significant shareholder appreciation.

The article notes that Ogilvie was previously the CEO of Battle North Gold (acquired by Evolution Mining) and Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. (acquired St. Andrew Goldfields), where he and his team optimized and improved operations, prior to major acquisitions.

Additionally, Mr. Ogilvie was the CEO of Rambler Metals and Mining, where he and his team guided the evolution of the company from grassroots exploration to a profitable junior producer.

Mr. Ogilvie began his mining career in 1989 with AngloGold in South Africa working in the ultra-deep, high-grade, gold mines in the Witwatersand Basin. From there, he moved to Northern Manitoba for HudBay Minerals’ Ruttan Mine as MineSuperintendent, followed by a term at Dynatec as Area Manager in Sudbury and McCreedy West Mine as Mine Manager.

Mr. Ogilvie received his B.Sc. (Hons.) in Mining and Petroleum Engineering from Strathclyde University in Glasgow, Scotland and holds his Mine Managers Certificate (South Africa), according to the piece. He is also a registered Professional Engineer in

Ontario, Canada.

Ogilvie has a reputation for success and turning ailing companies around. He is willing to share his secret to success. “Before joining Rambler, before joining Kirkland Lake, even before joining Rubicon (later re-named to Battle North Gold) and even this company, Arizona Sonoran. I’ve had the luxury of actually conducting weeks if not months of my own due diligence before signing on the bottom line,” he says. “That really is the secret. You can pick the winners even before the race has started.”

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: Arizona Sonoma Copper Company

Country: United States/Canada

Industry: Mining

Premier Services: Experts in the mining of copper

President: George Ogilvie

Website:

www.arizonasonoran.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

Written by Mary-Jaimes Serrano

Produced by Stephen Marino

Since its founding in Fort 2006, Champion Specialty Services has been on a mission to be the leader in providing its clients in public and private sectors with exceptional service and unsurpassed industry knowledge. The company is succeeding through its diverse group of employees and stringent safety measures, allowing them to surpass their client’s needs and give back to the communities that have watched them grow. So, how has Champion become a family of over 500 highly trained members in Fort Lauderdale, New York, Indiana, Alaska, Georgia, and Guam and been ranked #3 by Engineering News in just over 15 years? Let’s take a look at their story.

Experience, Industries, and Services

The first key to Champion’s success is having experienced team members trained in the diverse fields they work in. Starting with Vice President Duane Hough, who is an SSPC-certified, a Level 2 Bridge Coating Inspector (BCI), a Level 2 Concrete Coating Inspector (CCI), a C 3 Supervisor/Competent Person, a Protective Coating Specialist (PCS), a Master Coatings Inspector (MCI), and an SSPC BCI instructor, every member of the

team is highly educated and skilled in the specifics of the department they work in—providing the best fit for every customer’s needs.

Champion Specialty Services provides its clients with experience and expertise in every project they take on. Their services include access, coatings, and specialty services for all their clients in the Road and Bridge, Marine, Military,

“

“Our clients expect the highest-quality The longevity of the work we do it’s important - Vice President,

Nuclear, and Facilities industries. They attribute their success in these rigorous industries to having a project team of SMEs (subject matter experts) to work to their specific strengths and expertise.

One example of these highly skilled teams is Champion’s nuclear project team, which has demonstrated its strength and

experience through a vast array of knowledge and technical expertise in executing these projects for the commercial nuclear power industry.

Looking closely at the services and professional skills provided by Champion Specialty Services further emphasizes their ability and dedication to providing the right services and personnel for every need.

• Access: Providing safe access for employees, inspectors, and crews with services including access platforms and scaffolding utilizing the Safespan Multispan Bridge Platform System, system scaffolding, rope access, and specialty enclosures and containment systems which offer a safe and isolated work platform for maintenance workers. All setup and installations are completed by well-trained and OSHA 1926 qualified personnel.

• Coatings: From protection to decorative finishes, the coatings services include corrosion control backed by experienced advice and recommendations. Commercial painting and decorating utilizing the paint, wallcovering, fabric panels, electrostatic painting, and much more in rooms and buildings of all sizes. Fireproofing with the latest insulation and lining

highest-quality work, and we deliver. do is important to them, and so important to us.”

President, Duane Hough

Smokin’ Fire Productions Smokin’ Fire Productions

materials to minimize the damage caused in the event of fires. HighPerformance coatings, including epoxy, lining, and sealers to protect and increase the longevity of structures. Tank lining for fuel tanks, gas tanks, water tanks, and full containment liners that prevent leaks and safely contain chemicals.

•Specialty Services: Utilizing an extensive fleet of company-owned specialty equipment operated by a highly skilled workforce, Champion offers aerial drone inspections for difficult-to-access civil construction and infrastructure projects to help identify issues and implement preventative measures efficiently. Insulation using highcaliber mechanical insulation services focusing on safety. Lead and asbestos abatement in a safe manner to allow customers to keep their operations performing on task. Decorative, protective, and functional metalizing. Penetration seals for fire resistance protection

for the cable, cable trays, pipes, and ventilation duct pass-through. Other specialty services include sheeting, roofing, siding, steel repair, and structural rehabilitation.

Safety

While providing specialty services is what Champion offers, they understand the need for exceptional safety in everything they do. Therefore, their Safety Program is their number one priority. Their experts ensure compliance with all safety standards, including employee training, EPA, OSHA, and other governmental standards.

All Champion team members embrace the company’s personal responsibility culture when it comes to safety. Every member is dedicated to following and maintaining the company’s safety standards. This teamwork helps Champion maintain an exemplary

Duane Hough - Vice President

Kyle Hough - COO & Executive VP

industry safety record.

In order to maintain these high standards of safety, Champion ensures that all its employees have access to the latest safety training and certification. Every member of the Champion team goes through extensive safety training and has been OSHA 10 certified. As members of the National Safety Council, leaders at different levels of the organization are certified with OSHA 30 or OSHA 30/OSHA 500/OSHA 510.

Apart from the rigorous safety orientation and daily hazard analysis worksheets Champion’s employees and leaders adhere to, the company also offers extensive training in the following safety courses to ensure that their employees have the knowledge and experience needed to maintain a safe work environment on site and off.

• OSHA 10

• OSHA 30

• Respiratory Protection

• CAS Level 2

project will be 500 ft. tall and 300 ft. wide when completed.

At Woyt Industries, LLC and Woyt International, LLC we pride ourselves on being the industry leaders in inspection services. We work with all types of customers - local or global, large or small. Exceptional quality is the foundation of our company, and is the driving force behind our decisions. Our commitment to quality guarantees our success and your satisfaction. woytindustries.com

Quality Assurance Services Quality Assurance Services

Certified Coatings and Linings Linings Inspection Company ( Inspection Company ( QP5) QP5) Mechanical & Welding Engineers Mechanical & Welding Engineers

Certified Welding Inspectors Certified Welding Inspectors (AWS CWI) (AWS CWI) Certified Coating Inspectors Inspectors

(UT, PT)

(UT, MT, PT)

Lead Paint Removal (C3)

Lead Paint Removal Refresher(C5)

Asbestos Supervisor

Operator Qualifications

Tank Entry Supervisor

First Aid CPR

Rigging

COSS Certified Occupational Safety Specialist

Projects

Champion Specialty has made a name for itself, and it shows with projects like its contract for the MSG Sphere in Las Vegas. Working with Madison Square Garden Entertainment, Champion will help create the world’s tallest spherical structure. Located behind the Venetian resort, this astounding

Champion has many other projects of note, including the George Washington Bridge, Goethals Bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge, and Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York. Add to these the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Marlins stadiums, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Mercedes Benz Stadium, and many military initiatives with services for Keesler Air Force Base, Key West Naval Air Station, Columbus Air Force Base, Fort Campbell Kentucky, and Naval Air Station Patuxent River, and so many more.

Certifications

Champion prides itself on offering leading specialty services from highly skilled personnel. They have hired a diverse group of essential team members to obtain this goal and implemented the necessary systems and processes to maintain continued growth by expanding existing industries and adding new sectors.

Their team members have a proven record of successful performance and subject matter experts providing specialty services to the industrial marketplace, including nuclear new builds, commercial nuclear, conventional

power utilities, pulp and paper mills, chemical plants, food and beverage, DOE and DOD, and other industrial markets. These same members bring to the table numerous certifications, including general contractor, roofing contractor, painting contractor, SSPC Protective Coatings Specialist (PCS), SSPC Master Coatings Inspector (MCI), SSPC Quality Control Supervisor (QCS), SSPC Protective Coatings Inspector (PCI Level 1-3), SSPC Bridge Coatings Inspector (BCI Level 1&2), SSPC Lead Paint

Removal (C3), SSPC Concrete Coating Inspector (CCI Level 1,2), OSHA 500/510, and NACE Coating Inspector (Level 1-3).

Giving Back

While being client-focused and safety-wise in everything they do, Champion never forgets the communities that have watched them grow to what they are today. With a strong sense of community and caring, the team at Champion gives back to these communities with donations as well as actions.

Some of their contributions include donations and volunteer work for organizations such as American Veteran Food Assistance, Veterans Multi-Purpose Center, Bridging the Gap for Veterans, ASPCA, FOP Ashley’s cure, The March of Dimes, The Special Olympics, The Florida state firefighter’s association, Covenant House. This desire to give back goes beyond the company. Vice President Duane Hough spends his off hours working with philanthropic organizations, including No Kid Hungry. Further showing that community awareness and giving start at the company’s top and flows through the entire team.

Excelling at Specialty Services and More

The team at Champion excels at what they do through their passion for providing specialty services and an expert team

focusing on keeping everyone safe. They are meeting and exceeding their company goal of leading the specialty industry through extensive training and certification programs and working with the best personnel in specialty services. This initiative and caring for and giving back to their communities have helped Champion become the leaders in specialty services they are today

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: Champion

Specialty Services Provider

Country: United States

Industry: Construction, Specialty Services, Road and Bridge, Marine, Military, Nuclear, and Facilities

Est: 2006

Premier Services: Heavy

Construction, Road and Bridge, and Industrial Specialty Services

COO and Executive VP: Kyle Hough

Website: www.championssc.com/industries

SME Steel:

Fabricating Magic

SME Steel, a custom steel fabricator based in West Jordan Utah, dares to take on innovative projects other fabricators will not touch.

Written by Amy Milshtein

Produced by Stephen Marino

One look at the (W)rapper Tower, a boundarybreaking, 200-foot-tall office tower in the Culver City neighborhood of Los Angeles CA, illustrates the confident expertise that sets SME Steel apart from its competitors.

The striking 180,000-square-foot structure is literally wrapped in an exoskeleton of steel ribbons. More than just decoration, the bands provide so much structural stability that columns are not required. This construction method allows 17 stories of open space, with nothing to break up the floorplan or interfere with views.

“Two or three other fabricators turned the job down before we undertook it,” recalls company president and CEO Dieter Klohn of the $70.3 million project “It really is a one-of-a-kind building, and we are extremely proud of the work.”

As one of the largest fabricators and erectors of structural steel in the United States, with over 400,000 square feet of fabrication facilities in Utah and Idaho, SME Steel has plenty of other reasons to be proud. Using the most upto-date sophisticated equipment available, 30-year-old firm can produce approximately 20,000 shop hours per week.

“

“I have found that unlike many other with all its associated risks still has It’s challenging. It’s challenging to so they are profitable and benefit

- Dieter Klohn,

other industries, the steel industry has an element of adventure to it. to take on jobs, administer them benefit the company as a whole.”

Klohn, CEO

Two strategically located miscellaneous steel facilities in Phoenix, AZ and Las Vegas, NV support the main structural fabrication shops. This unique combination of products and services gives SME Steel the capacity to fabricate and ship over 2,000 tons of structural steel a week.

With about 1,600 employees, including 350 iron workers, the company works as an integral team member on any project. SME Steel facilitates budget management, offers design assistance, and provides value engineering as part of their service package.

SME Steel doesn’t talk directly about their sales volume, (“That stays within the company record,” insists Klohn) but they do admit to losing about $600 million due to COVID-related job cancellations in 2020-2021.The first and second quarter of 2022, however, tells a different story.

“We saw some pickup both in the volume of projects out to bid and actual contracts now being led,” Klohn reveals. “For 2023 we project a 15% pickup in revenue and 10% in 2024.” (After some more prodding Klohn eventually discloses that total sales volume is presently a little under $600 million.)

Diversification Aids Growth and Competitiveness

SME Steel is a part of the SME Industries family of companies. This diversification allows the organization to provide a range of services to their customers. Broadening their base and adding design assist services and even some structural engineering lets the company grow and stay competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace.

SME Industries includes Southwest Steel, a firm that specializes in structural steel, miscellaneous metal, steel stairs, railings, high

quality customer ornamental metals like stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, and brass, and creatively unique steel pieces.

It also holds CoreBrace™, LLC a company that offers Buckling Restrained Brace (BRB) manufacturing. BRBs are structural elements that improve the performance of a building during a seismic event. CoreBrace™ offers a diverse range of BRB configurations to accommodate any geometric, aesthetic, construction, and design reequipment. “CoreBrace™ operates in every seismic area of the world,” reveals Klohn. “It has

about 83% of the total market share.”

DuraFuse Frames is another corporate family member.

DuraFuse Frames offer innovative solution for seismic or wind event safety. The moment frame systems protect beams and columns with a shear-yielding, replaceable fuse plate connection system that is simple to incorporate, fast to install, and commercially competitive.

Heavy load trucking company SME Logistics, based in West Jordan, UT, rounds out SME Industry’s offerings.

While this diversity gives SME

Industries worldwide reach, SME Steel mostly operates on a regional basis. It is, however, a really, really, big region, including New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California, and Washington State.

Innovative Projects? No Problem!

As impressive as it is, the (W) rapper Tower is just one of SME Steel’s unique project. Other noteworthy buildings include SoFi Stadium, a new sports center in Inglewood, CA. Home to the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers, SoFi Stadium is the NFL’s first indoor-outdoor venue. SME Steel supplied all of the

structural steel for the bowl and all the miscellaneous metal and nonferrous metal as well. “That was a $400 million contract for us,” reveals Klohn. “And we completed it on time and on budget.”

They have worked on other sports venues as well including the Chace Center in San Francisco, the T-Mobile Arena in Los Vegas, and the Honda Center in Anaheim.

SME also tackles enormous transportation projects like the Los Angeles International Airport’s terminals for American Airlines and the Delta Skyway. They have also worked on the Boise Airport, McCarran International in Los

Congratulations to SME on achieving 30 years in business!

Our team is proud to partner with yours as we build the future together.

Vegas, and the Salt Lake City International Airport.

Are airships more your speed?

SME is involved in the renovation of Moffett Field Hanger, located in Mountain View, CA. Part of Google’s Charleston East campus, the hangar is one of the largest, free-standing buildings in the world, once housing the U.S.S. Macon, a rigid airship that unfortunately crashed. The project includes a massive, mixeduse development that includes high-density housing, retail, and restaurants.

The company also works on higher education projects, government

Pictured Project: The Wrapper in Los Angeles, for which SME fabricated 2,502 tons of Nucor structural steel.

Learn more at nucor.com

buildings, commercial and event spaces, and technical/research buildings.

On Time and One Budget? Well, Sometimes

While Klohn is proud of delivering work on time and on budget, recent realities have moved that benchmark out of reach.

“Well, the reality is we are not always on budget, especially under the current market conditions,” he says. “There has been upward price pressure imposed on the steel market including increases by over 100% in the fabricated structural steel market. Steel prices have gone up by a factor of 350 to 400%. So no, it isn’t always on budget.”

Klohn acknowledges that there have always been great risks associated with steel fabricators, but this time it feels different. “There is a limited pool of projects to bid on,” he says. “So, delivery time is largely dictated by our subcontractors and it’s pretty hard to control that. But we’re trying and doing a fairly good job at it.”

To ensure that SME Steel only works with the best, suppliers and subcontractors must go through a demanding qualifications process

to prove they are compliant with current codes and meet specifications. This is true for large suppliers like steel mills all the way down to mid-range suppliers for welding rods, bolts, tools, and trucks. “ They all have one thing in common,” Klohn insists. “They need to go through a rigorous prequalification process to be eligible to work with us.”

Crafting a Pipeline of Expertise

SME turns that rigor inward when it comes to training their staff. Like nearly every economic sector, SME is challenged by the labor shortage and finds it difficult to

hire and retain qualified personnel. That makes holding on to the staff they have that much more vital to company success.

To that end, management encourages team members in all positions within the company to take continuous education classes. “We make a point to develop our executive and technical teams from within the company wherever we can,” says Klohn.

He instituted a leadership program called Culture by Design three years ago that yielded great results so far. “In other words, we will take people right out of the steel shop and put them into a career path that eventually leads to highly

technical skill positions.”

To reinforce those lessons, the company employs a success coach, goes on a yearly, two-day retreat, and stresses company values like honesty, transparency, and the importance of working as a team.

It is work Klohn takes very seriously. “Mentorship and the responsibility for training the next level of executives is just part of my daily routine,” he says.

Renewed Commitment to Safety

Steel fabrication and iron working can be dangerous, and Klohn admits that SME did not have the greatest safety record back in 2017. Right now, however, that record is outstanding. “We’re 25% over what the average steel fabricator provides in safety,” he says.

Klohn credits, “education, education, and more education” for the improvement. The company’s safety committee finds ways to consistently talk about and demonstrate proper procedures before starting a job. They even set aside one day a year to celebrate safety achievements as a whole company. As a result, SME Steel earned a Platinum Safety Award from ConstructSecure in 2021. “We are now considered one of the

safest companies to work for,” says Klohn.

Building with Respect: The Importance of DEI

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is not a buzzword in West Jordan, Utah. After all the entire state is very homogeneous with over 90% identifying as White. West Jordan is a little more diverse, but not much with just 71% identifying as white.

Still, SME Steel believes strongly in advocating for DEI. They

consider DEI a vital part of company DNA that propels them forward, fuels their innovation, and connects them to their clients and communities. “We advocate and educate our top management team. And we hire on the basis of these principals,” says Klohn.

Resident of Utah, Citizen of the World

Klohn has been president and CEO of SME Steel since 2010. Before that he has lived, studied, and worked all around the world. “I’ve been to every continent, and every

US state,” he says. “I’m probably a citizen of the world.”

Born and educated in Germany, Klohn moved to Canada to work and study under Canadian industrialist Casey Irving. He also lived and worked outside of Boston, MA for 30 years and took classes at Sloan and MIT.

A member of the American Welding Society and the American Institute of Steel Construction for over thirty years, Klohn is also a long-time member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a voting member of the American Society for Testing and Materials National Committee. After working for many companies, including

“Well, the reality is we are not always on budget, especially under the current market conditions,” he says. “There has been upward price pressure imposed on the steel market including increases by over 100% in the fabricated structural steel market. Steel prices have gone up by a factor of 350 to 400%. So no, it isn’t always on budget.”

- Dieter Klohn, CEO

his own business for many years, Klohn retired.

SME brought him back to the daily grind. His duties include capital planning, managing partnerships, delegating responsibilities, and fostering relationships with the community, customers, and clients. He also mentors executives and takes responsibility for training the next cohort.

But after over 50 years in the steel industry, it’s the promise of challenge that charges him up.

“I love the industry,” he says, “its risks and rewards. And the people are great. Over the years I’ve been fortunate enough to have

met many people and form great relationships. And I have found that unlike many other industries, the steel industry with all its associated risks still has an element of adventure to it. It’s challenging. It’s challenging to take on jobs, administer them so they are profitable and benefit the company as a whole.”

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: SME Steel

Country: USA

Industry: Construction

Est: 1992

Revenue: $600 million

Premiere Service: Structural Steel

Fabrication/Erection

President: Dieter Klohn

Website: www.smesteel.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

Written by Amy Milshtein

Produced by Stephen Marino

Founded in 2000, U.S. Crane and Rigging LLC offers its clients complete turnkey solutions for their projects. Family owned and operated, the company provides skilled licensed personnel along with an extensive fleet of specialized crane, hoisting, and rigging equipment. The firm also offers warehousing and distribution services. This breadth and depth of services offered allows U.S. Crane and Rigging LLC to tackle even the most complex rigging jobs.

With operations in New York state, New York City, New Jersey, and Florida, U.S. Crane and Rigging owns an impressive array of equipment. Their inventory includes tower cranes, crawler cranes, derricks, hoists, and trailers. Along with these machines, they offer mining equipment like magnetic drills, crushers, excavators, and loaders as well. Customers can also take advantage of their shipping and warehousing capacity.

U.S. Crane and Rigging is a dynamic company that delivers customized solutions for complex projects. Poised for growth, the firm also offers a high level of job satisfaction for their 100 employees. At a time when the construction industry is suffering through a high employee turnover

rate, U.S. Crane and Rigging boasts of a workplace where every employee has the capability to excel and maximize their potential. As a result, most employees have been with the firm for more than five years.

“The length of time that the employees work at U.S. Crane and Rigging is a testament to the culture of the company. Employees

“

“The length of time that the employees Rigging is a testament to the Employees can thrive and achieve company founder and owner Thomas are amongst some of the best - Founder, Tom

can thrive and achieve their full potential,” boasts company founder and owner Thomas Auringer. “Our employees are amongst some of the best in the construction industry.”

MAJOR INVESTMENTS DURING UNCERTAIN TIMES

With a 22-year track record of growth, U.S. Crane and Rigging

employees work at U.S. Crane and the culture of the company. achieve their full potential,” boasts Thomas Auringer. “Our employees in the construction industry.”

Tom Auringer

constantly reinvests in their infrastructure. Sometimes, however, those investments come during unprecedented times.

“We placed a large order of Liebherr mobile cranes, crawler cranes and tower cranes at the 2020 CONEXPO show in Las Vegas,” recalls Auringer. That show began on March 10, at the literal dawn of the pandic. One day later, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. By March 13, the Trump Administration declared a nationwide emergency.

“So, we made this very large purchase of cranes,” he reflects thoughtfully. But, even with the world falling into uncertainty, Auringer did not go back and cancel any of the orders. “If I would've revisited, I probably would've cut back on some of the orders because they've been sitting around.”

COVID DELAYS AND BACK AGAIN

Obviously COVID-19 caused months of significant delays to U.S. Crane and Rigging’s business. Those pauses, however, were not entirely universal.

“There were big challenges working around COVID and the

vaccine mandate. Particularly in New York City,” Auringer recalls. “The only jobs they had going for almost two years were essential projects like housing development projects and whatever projects were going on prior to COVID-19. That’s New York City,” he says.

Florida, Auringer reports, was a different story. “They basically just kept plowing right through,” he says. “They did not stop.”

Right now, the outlook seems a little brighter everywhere. “So, things slowed down, Everything went on a holding pattern for some time and then it slowly started coming back,” he notes. “It

seems like now, in 2022, after this first quarter it look like things are definitely booming in Florida. And in New York City it looks like it is starting to pop a bit.”

BILLIONAIRE’S ROW, LOWINCOME, and ELECTRIFYING OPTIONS

U.S. Crane and Rigging helped erect a huge variety of building types and styles. One of the most spectacular examples is 111 West 57th Street in mid-town Manhattan, known today as “Billionaire’s Row.”

At 1,428 feet tall, the structure rises high above Central Park and is

expected to be the second tallest residential skyscraper in New York City. At a mere 60-feet wide, it is also among the slenderest in the world.

Constructing this building required 80 cranes positioned 80 feet away from the building. It also required bringing out the tallest freestanding tower crane ever seen in New York City, topping out at a whopping 220 feet. “We posted the tie-ins and had to tie the crane in. It was like a double tie. It was like a 15-ton tie to hold the crane in place,” Auringer recalls.

Auringer admits that working at that height is enough to make

anyone woozy “It’s a whole other world up there,” he says. He points to one photograph in particular. “If you look at some of the pictures, you'll see the steel beams with the men. That's like a major tie-in at a 1200-foot elevation or 1100-foot elevation.”

U.S. Crane and Rigging delivers the same exacting care to all of their jobs, especially complex projects with special requirements. One example Auringer points to is a low-income housing project going up right next a subway line.

“In New York City they don’t want you to swing the boom over the tracks,” explains Auringer. To

comply, the company called on their Liebherr LTM 1500 mobile crane and installed sections of their Favco MD 440 Diesel Tower crane.

Auringer calls the Favco MD 440 the perfect piece of equipment for this kind of project. “It can be locked into place and not weathervane. This prevents the boom from swinging over the train tracks,” he says. “It can withstand the building code high wind restrictions of 98 miles an hour.”

Very aware of building trends, U.S. Crane and Rigging also offers electric powered cranes for contractors that interested in “going green.” For one such

project, 11 Hoyt, located in Brooklyn, NY, Auringer purchased two Favell Favco MK440E units.

That “K” in the product name means the luffing jib tower cranes are electric, the first electric Favell Favco units to work in New York City. Auringer report being very pleased with the purchase. “The crane performed flawlessly,” he says. “We have two additional units on order.”

“THE KING OF INFRASTRUCTURE”

With over 25 years in the business, Auringer earned the title, “The King of Infrastructure” from his partners

and peers. A savvy businessman for sure, Auringer also brings hands-on experience to the job.

“I'm a New York City licensed and master rigger number 198. I'm also a New York City licensed hoist machine operator and crane operator. I have what’s called a Super B license. That’s an unlimited license, meaning I can run any machine.”

This is crucial because New York City is very restrictive with licenses to operate equipment. “It's very complex, and it takes a long time to obtain a license,” explains Auringer. “You have to be supervised by licensees to get your

license and get approved through the system. This makes it very complicated to work in New York City.”

This means that along with strategically guiding his company, Auringer can also be found on the job when required. “We have three other master riggers beside me,” he says. “Along with a whole fleet of crane operators.”

More than just “a crane guy,” Auringer also owns Urban Precast. This company manufactures four to five million square feet of hollow core precast slabs a year. Set in Kingston, NY Auringer trucks the slabs from Urban Precast to New

York City using U.S. Crane and Rigging’s trucking fleet and erects them with their mobile cranes.

This allows the turnkey operation to claim the lion’s share of lowincome and other building construction in New York City. “We’re the leader,” Auringer states. “We’re the main supplier of tower crane operations in New York City.”

For others looking to enter the industry Auringer offers important advice. “Safety is the priority,” he insists. “There are no shortcuts. Follow manufacturers and governing agencies' rules and regulations along with specifications in the manual.”

After safety, Auringer points to the next priority for a successful business. “Foster good customer relationships,” he advises. “Customer and vendor relationships are key.” U.S. Crane and Rigging vendors include big names like Potain, Manitowoc, Liebherr and Link-Belt. He also stresses strong relationships with banks and finance companies.

But Auringer’s most important relationship is with his staff. “This is the number one crane company in New York City to work for. It’s important to be a leader to your employees.”

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name:

U.S. Crane & Rigging LLC.

Country: United States

Industry: Construction

Est: 2000

Premiere Service: Provide a range of complex solutions combining skilled licensed personnel with an extensive fleet of specialized trucking, crane, hoisting and rigging equipment.

President: Tom Auringer, Founder

Website: www.uscraneriggingllc.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

Forging a Path in Sustainability

Written by Kristin D’Agostino

Produced by Stephen Marino

ounded in 1833 in La Teil, France by

FJoseph-Auguste Pavin de Lafarge, Lafarge

Canada, Inc can trace its lineage back to the Suez Canal, its first construction project back in 1864, which required 110,000 tons of lime from its limestone quarry. Since then, the construction company has steadily grown, merging with Holcim Group in 2015, and forging a reputation for being Canada’s largest provider of sustainable and innovative building solutions

With 6,900 employees and 400 sites across Canada, Lafarge specializes in environmentally friendly construction solutions including Aggregates, Cement, Ready Mix and Precast Concrete, Asphalt and Paving, and Road and Civil Construction.

“We are actually quite a big waste solutions company and growing,” explains Eastern Canada President & CEO David Redfern. “We are also adding roofing systems. And we are a huge logistics company. Probably about 25% of our revenue is derived from logistics.”

Lafarge’s purpose is to build progress for people and the planet creating safe, sustainable communities and the company has streamlined its operations to align with this goal, using

“We are being pushed to more creative climate is changing, and we infrastructure… I look at the operations getting that once in a hundred year year. We look at the weather patterns

- CEO David

creative design,” he reflects. “The we need much more resilient operations I run and, you know, we’re year flood now sometimes twice a patterns and it’s a huge change.”

David Redfern

recycled materials whenever possible, digitizing its operations, and creating low carbon cement that greatly reduces harmful CO2 emissions. ECOPlanet Ultra Low Carbon Cement, and OneCem Portland Limestone Cement offer standard cement grade performance with less carbon footprint.

“We can do OneCem for the same cost as regular cement,” Redfern explains. “We’re really moving to convert all of the general use cement (GU) to OneCem and we’re almost there. It’s a straight 10% reduction in CO2 per tonne… With ECOPlanet we’re starting to use more specialized techniques

to reduce the CO2 footprint. Someone can say I want this strength, this characteristic and depending on how elastic their ability on cost is, we can push it significantly. In general, it’s at least 30% lower than a mix with general use of cement.”

When it comes to its environmental goals, Holcim and Lafarge put their money where their mouth is. The global Group offers sustainabilitylinked bonds to shareholders and aims to move 40% of financing to these bonds. “Really what this means is if we don’t meet these targets, we’ve publicly stated on these key metrics there will be an extra coupon or penalty for us

and the bond holders,” says Redfern. “September of last year I think they issued a $100 million USD bond with the stipulations on it, so it’s right at the center of what we’re doing.”

The company also supports a circular economy and uses recycled materials whenever possible in its operations. This includes replacing fossil fuels with low-carbon fuel derived from waste materials and taking concrete from demolition sites and turning it into a product for new buildings.

Lafarge Canada is on a journey to Net Zero and advancement towards sustainable and profitable

development. In their operations across Canada, they have committed to transition their lightduty fleet to electric vehicles by 2025, creating the potential of reducing over 25,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions across Canada. For instance, Lafarge Eastern Canada has been providing employees and suppliers with electric vehicles stations for over four yearscurrently they have 10 operating charging stations in Eastern Canada and will install 40 new stations across Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia by the end of this year with 100s more in future years. In August of 2022 Lafarge’s Western Canada announced the launching of four electric vehicle

Aecon is purpose-built to deliver transformative infrastructure projects

“ We are proud to bring our preeminent expertise to critical projects across North America. Through our long-standing partnership with Lafarge, we’re safely and sustainably building the infrastructure of tomorrow.”

OUR TEAM

Build and operate the infrastructure of tomorrow. Aecon is currently recruiting for a wide range of construction, operational and functional service roles to work on transformative projects across Canada. As a first-choice employer, we’re looking for talented and diverse individuals to build what matters and help future generations thrive.

Apply today: aecon.com/careers

Jean-Louis Servranckx, President & CEO, Aecon Group Inc.

JOIN

charging stations at its Kent Ave Ready Mix Concrete plant in Vancouver, British Columbia. The stations mark the first of 100 charging stations Lafarge aims to install at 30 sites across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba with the aim of transitioning their light duty vehicle fleet to electric vehicles by 2025. This would potentially eliminate 188 tons of C02 emissions over the course of five years.

Rapid Transformation

Redfern has seen many changes since he came to Lafarge 25 years ago. The CEO says he started “with the shovel” working road crews in the days when university

students did manual labor. After studying at university in the UK, he joined Lafarge and worked all over Canada from Vancouver to Toronto. In the two-and-a-half decades since he has seen many mergers and acquisitions. When asked what advice he might give his younger self, Redfern chuckles, “Buy Apple stock?” he jokes. Then a moment later he adds. “Critical to my success is the importance of storytelling… Having a story that people understand and taking time to craft the story is super important. Stakeholders are not going to join you because of some facts and experiences. They’re going to join you because of the story you’re telling.”

The company has worked hard to redefine its story in an ever changing world and it is currently in the midst of digitizing many areas of business from aggregate logistics to the trucks that carry their supplies. They are contemplating switching to autonomous trucks in the future, which would relieve the challenge of finding drivers, an ever-present challenge these days.

Lafarge aims to create a work culture that emphasizes turning ideas into action. “There’s a lot of good ideas out there whether it’s about sustainability or digitalization,” says Redfern. “But it’s tough work to get the ideas through. So someone’s got to be

This tenacious spirit extends to the vendors and subcontractors Lafarge works with. Redfern says the company seeks out long term relationships where trust develops over time. “We have a number of policies and audit processes, a code of conduct that protect us from dealing with the bad actors and ensure we’re on the right side of the line.”

Overcoming Challenges

The construction industry has seen its share of covid -related challenges, Lafarge included. Among them, Redfern lists cement

Reliability

Preventive maintenance avoids on-road breakdowns. When a truck is non-operational, it's not profitable and incurs costtowing, recovery, and missed deliveries. Many breakdowns can be avoided by applying a rigorous preventive maintenance program that avoids equipment failure before it occurs. A robust maintenance program instills confidence and reliability of your vehicles to deliver the goods.

Safety

In truck transport, failure to maintain can be fatal. Whether it’s brakes, tires, engines, or electrical problems, a disciplined program of scheduled maintenance helps truck equipment and systems work as they should, when they should, where they should. A maintenance program can save the lives of drivers, and others while avoiding the loss of cargo.

Effieciency Economy

Preventive maintenance, performed on-time and prescribed intervals, by qualified technicians, results in greater fuel efficiency, better operational performance, and helps drivers and fleet operators meet the demands and schedules of their customers.

A Disciplined, Rigorous, Maintenance Program Pays Dividends. Ask Us How We Can Make it Pay for You.

Without a disciplined and well-planned maintenance program, performed by skilled technicians, fleets will incur unnecessary costs

Parts will be replaced at unplanned times, unexpected failures may occur, and vehicle power trains may run with less efficiency than if they had been rigorously maintained. Everything from dirty filters to improper pressure, fluid leaks, dirty components, and other maintenance issues seem small, but are big when it comes to the economics of operating a truck and a truck fleet.

info@tristanfleet.com

tenacious. A big part of the people we are hiring have that skill set.”

shortages, a super tight supply chain and “the zoomification” of work life during the pandemic. “I think if anyone had said that within 24 hours’ notice you were going to start working from home for two years off and on,” he says, “I would’ve said no way, it’s not possible… It was kind of a grind, you know, going on ten zoom calls from your basement. But, what it really did drive was more proactive planning and much more focus on the numbers and the details… And that translated into some incredible execution.”

The biggest challenge these days though is one that won’t likely

go away anytime soon. “We are being pushed to more creative design,” he reflects. “The climate is changing, and we need much more resilient infrastructure… I look at the operations I run and you know, we’re getting that oncein-a-hundred-year-flood now sometimes twice a year. We look at the weather patterns and it’s a huge change.”

To tackle this problem, Redfern says, the company has worked hard to change its standards and to make sustainability the profitable solution. Lafarge has expanded its stakeholders to include sustainability groups

such as the Circular Economy Leadership Council of Canada and the National Zero Waste Council. “What we like about it … it’s a place where we can speak to political leaders about how to operationalize some of their

ambitions,” he says.

“Our purpose,” he adds, “is building progress for people and the planet. And really, that is our North Star that we gauge all our actions against.”

“Our purpose,” he adds, “Is building progress for people and the planet. And really, that is our North Star that we gauge all our actions against.”

“- CEO David Redfern

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: Lafarge Canada, Inc.

Country: Canada

Industry: Construction

Est: 1833

Premier Services: Construction materials

President: David Redfern

Website: www.lafarge.ca

www.constructorsjournal.com

Heavy Hitters in Heavy Equipment

Putting Customer’s Needs First

Written by Mary- Jaimes Serrano

Produced by Stephen Marino

Lyle Machinery has made a name for itself as a leader in heavy equipment since its renaming in 2005. However, their passion for providing clients with premier service and top-rated equipment started over fiftyfive years ago. President of Lyle Machinery, Dan Lyle, attributes his passion to his father. Dan’s father, John, started the original company after working for and then taking an ownership stake in Cat, Deere, and eventually Komatsu dealership. Dan Lyle used his hands-on approach to take what his father started and continued its growth into the multi-state success it is today with over 200 employees, projected revenues of over $250 million, and more than 60% year-over-year growth in the sales of heavy equipment. Located in Mississippi, Texas, Florida, Louisiana, and Alabama, and currently working in twenty-three states as part of the Energy Sector business, Lyle Machinery is helping clients across the south to keep their projects moving forward.

Equipped for Success

Lyle Machinery has grown from a tractor company to one that carries all the big names in heavy equipment. They have contracts with major companies, including Komatsu, Wirtgen, HAMM, Vogle, Link-Belt Cranes, Sennebogen,

While they started with tractors, Lyle Machinery has expanded to cover everything needed for heavy construction, compact construction, energy, pipeline, material handling, ports, scrap, and much more. They have excavators, dozers, wheel loaders, cranes,

“

“The ability to do things still on a obviously in today’s date and age of the - Vice President of Sales:

Bobcat, Load King Trailers, JLG, TerraMac, Bergmann, Tana, GEHL, and Cement Tech, just to name a few of the many.

compactors, track loaders, lifts, pavers, and crawler carriers. All the necessities for any project are available for purchase, rent, or leasing.

Service Beyond Sales: Logistics and Finance

“At our core, we are really a logistics and finance company.

a handshake or verbal, and then the document and signed contracts.”

Sales: Marc Dowdell

While the traditional brick-andmortar is certainly still needed, the ability to mobilize the correct fleet, service, personnel, parts, hauling, etc., to different areas of the country is a key to our business— especially in the interstate energy, rail, and transmission sectors. Finance is the other key component. Structuring the deal so that it best fits the customer’s short and long-term needs, balance sheet and cash flow, tax benefits, and organizational goals,” explained Marc Dowdell, Vice President of Sales.

Lyle Machinery continues to work hard to ensure they uphold their

mission of offering their clients what they need at the best value and with an exemplary customer experience. This is accomplished by working with the finest manufacturers in the industry and utilizing the latest technology to ensure clients are given the best value for their purchases.

While it is the first thing that comes to mind, sales and rentals are not even the tip of what Lyle Machinery offers its customers. Beyond the salesroom, they provide parts and services for all their equipment. Whether it is a machine that has malfunctioned or a part that has worn out, they will take care of it and get the

equipment back in prime shape with minimal downtime.

Leveraging technologies like Komtrax and Intelligent Machine Control, Lyle Machinery takes heavy equipment to the next level. Telematics on every piece of heavy equipment from Lyle Machinery affords them the opportunity to take their services beyond sales, parts, and support. It allows them to monitor equipment for error codes and also offers the ability to monitor job site progress and production. In this way, they keep their clients’ sites working better, improving productivity and reducing costs by harvesting data related to machine performance,

A partnership in protection

EPG is proud to partner with Lyle Machinery to provide heavy equipment insurance and extended service protection plans for the construction industry.

productivity, operator efficiency, and job site progression in realtime. Often times enabling them to solve a problem or improve operator training remotely without having a tech onsite.

Empowering Team Members

At Lyle Machinery, every employee understands that a client’s time is precious. Every minute they are in the sales room is time they are away from their projects. With this in mind, the company trains all its employees with the tools they need to meet a client’s needs in the most efficient manner possible. This training includes Six Sigma

for all operations and branch personnel. Also, looking for and implementing new processes, including ERP systems, paperwork, quotations, and follow-up.

The first step in this process is a centralized approach. Each member is dedicated to their specific area, whether sales, support, transport, or something else, allowing them to concentrate all of their efforts on improving the service they provide while still understanding how the other departments work. This, accompanied by an open and transparent line of communication with other departments, gives Lyle

Machinery an edge in keeping up with competitors and constant changes in the industry.

Another key element to the success of Lyle Machinery’s mission to provide its customers with the best experience possible is provided through technology and the empowerment of its employees. Utilizing Komtrax Telematics, the company has designed a reporting system where each salesperson is equipped with up-to-date pricing calculated daily to include depreciation and changes. Thereby, each sales rep knows what every piece of equipment costs at any moment. With all the information they need and empowerment to make

sales reps can minimize the time a customer has to be away from their projects to procure heavy equipment.

Knowledge is a tool every sales rep is armed with at Lyle Machinery. With over sixty years of experience, every representative is taught the questions to ask to offer the customer the equipment and purchase options that meet their needs and budget. They know how to take this information and offer precise selections that suit the client’s job requirements.

Vice President of Sales Marc Dowdell explains that it is generally recommended that customers purchase their “core fleet.” These

are the machines that the company needs on a constant basis to run daily operations. Lyle Machinery understands that whether these machines are purchased new or used can depend on how they will be utilized. It ensures that these are included in the questions asked. Also included in this decision is a discussion of the benefits of both new or used, the tax, depreciation, and other financial aspects of each piece of equipment. This is just one of the advantages of working with a company that takes the time to understand the needs of each of its customers rather than just working to make a sale.

Beyond this, Dowdell offers a breakdown of other recommendations. If a project is short-term, renting the equipment needed would be advantageous. However, if the auxiliary project will be long-term, his recommendation may include leasing as the costefficient alternative to renting. The more information they can gather on the customer’s global business needs, the better prepared they are to share different proposals to meet those needs. Ensuring that each customer is heard and understood contributes to the success of Lyle Machinery and the partners it

creates with every customer.

Ensuring Manpower

With everything riding on their employees giving clients the best customer experience available, Lyle Machinery understands the need to have the best team members. For this reason, they offer their employees the appreciation and recognition they deserve by giving them rewards which sometimes include company fishing trips,

assistance, and college incentives, among other tokens to say thank you.

Technicians are a vital part of Lyle Machinery’s success. For this reason, they offer a college program with paid tuition, summer jobs, and promises of employment after graduation. They also hire recent college graduates and rotate them throughout different departments of the company to train them and find the best

“It’s a very, very difficult industry. That’s a lot of hard. But the people are great and loyal.”

“- Vice President of Sales: Marc Dowdell

position to fit their skills. Ensuring employees are prepared and customers get knowledgeable partners to help them with their equipment needs.

Safety Measures

Safety is a vital part of daily work when dealing with heavy machinery. As Marc Dowdell explained, “safety is not a big deal. It’s the deal.” For this reason, all Lyle Machinery employees are trained on the latest safety measures. The safety manager observes procedures daily to ensure these measures are followed throughout the company. This adherence to safety extends

in all areas, from the top level to field services.

Relations for Success

One final aspect that Lyle Machinery contributes to its success is the relationships it builds with its customers and manufacturers. While VP of Sales Marc Dowdell admits that the industry requires hard work, he confesses that the people and relationships make it all worthwhile. He furthers that Lyle Machinery builds lasting relationships with customers and manufacturers by keeping an open and transparent line of communication with all involved, including manufacturers, company reps, and clients. While supply chain issues have been causing record problems

recently, Lyle Machinery understands the necessity to inform clients of any delays in procurement and delivery. They also know that a customer can’t make an informed decision without all the specifics. In this respect, they ensure that they give their client’s all the available information regarding their needed parts or services. This information includes delivery times, possible price increases, and even shortages in supply. Transparency allows them to build lasting relationships of trust with everyone they work with. Helping fulfill their mission of offering the best customer experience to every client.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name:

Lyle Machinery Co.

Country: United States

Industry: Construction Equipment

Est: 1995

Premier Services:

New/Used Construction Equip-

ment Sales, Rental, Service

President: Daniel Lyle

Website: www.lylemachinery.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

Dependability through

HSC Specializes in Heavy Material Handling Systems that Optimize Workflow

Written by Kristin D’Agostino

Produced by Stephen Marino

Established in 1992, Handling Systems and Conveyors, Inc. (HSC) began as a business that specialized in conveyors and soon expanded into a manufacturing firm that designs and installs cranes and heavy industrial conveyor systems. In the years since, it has carved out a niche in the automotive and heavy manufacturing industries making custom material handling systems that transport materials ranging in weight from a few pounds to several tons.

HSC’s head office is in Little Rock, Arkansas and it also has branches in Fort Worth and Houston, Texas; Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama and Chattanooga, Tennessee.

HSC specializes in creating heavy industrial conveyor systems and overhead crane systems. The majority of its projects are custombuilt for clients’ needs, though it also has a pair of trademarked products called “Smarthoist” and “Smartcrane”, which are fully automated systems that work without human operator control.

Popular conveyor products HSC offers include power and free conveyors, slat conveyors and towline conveyors. Crane offerings include box girder cranes, gantry cranes, work station cranes, tank line cranes and jib cranes. Many

“

“We are dependable. If we tell you the end of the year, we’re going end up waiting a lot of times for costs us money, but still, it’s important - President Andrew

components, such as switches and drives are completely built in-house with relatively low overhead cost so are offered at a more competitive rate than other equipment manufacturers.

In addition to manufacturing machinery, HSC can deliver and install cranes and conveyors anywhere in North or South America with superintendents and field crews ready to install systems almost anywhere.

Of their many projects, a few stand out. “We built a conveyor system over a mile long for Boeing in Long Beach, California that was an assembly line for the 717 aircraft. It had up to 14 aircrafts in line at various stages of assembly,” says Andrew Everett, the company’s president.

The majority of customers are based in the United States although HSC has also worked with clients in Brazil, Mexico, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Everett attributes HSC’s success in large part to the fact it has a strong base of loyal employees, about 100 of them including 20 engineers, many of whom have been with the company for fifteen years or more. “We have great engineers who regularly solve difficult design challenges using

you we’re going to deliver before going to deliver… Consequently, we for other people to catch up so it important to deliver on time.”

Andrew Everett

AutoCAD 3D software and they have enough common sense that you can actually efficiently manufacture the machines they design. We have about 30 highly skilled exceptional maintenance technicians, responsive sales people and skilled installation crews. Our projects require skilled people in every phase to successfully complete.”

By forging strong long-term relationships with vendors, HSC has helped build a reputation for quality and dependability. “If we put in our name on it you can count on it,” says Everett. “It takes a team effort, dependable vendors, good design, and quality

installations. We at HSC trust our vendors to meet the needs of our customers. We pride ourselves on being dependable because many of the systems we install are critical to our customers production. We must perform so they can produce their product.”

Special Projects

HSC’s clients include Toyota, General Motors, Ford, SpaceX, Harley Davidson and a mix of military and government contractors. Peterbilt Motor, one of HSC’s largest clients, HSC crafted a variety of systems including storage and retrieval systems, shuttle cranes, monorails and many

types of conveyors. “They spend a lot of money to make sure they get the very best equipment,” Everett says. “We make sure they do! To support them we have three people working there fulltime to inspect and maintain these systems. HSC has built redundancy into many of the products. If something fails, they can quickly switch over to back up systems then continue to run their production. They count on us so they are able to operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week.”

For one of its defense contractor customers HSC created two customized pieces of equipment: The “Smartcrane” and “Smarthoist” systems where operations are fully automated in X, Y, and Z axis to provide a greater level of safety. “These systems are fully programmable Everett explains. “The operator simply starts the process then is separated from the operation for his safety, and to prevent operator error. It’s not robotic but it’s not far from that.

Five years ago, HSC completed the entire material handling system for Spirit Aerospace in Charleston, SC, handling the fuselage parts for Airbus and Boeing jumbo jets. “The product is long and very flimsy. HSC designed the system and illustrated the process in a simulation such that Spirit could

see exactly how the product would be conveyed. Our engineering department sold the concept with this simulation.

HSC has also done a considerable amount of work for SpaceX, which Everett describes as a very aggressive and fast-growing company. “We have multiple systems valued in millions of dollars They are a very particular company with normally short deadlines.” he says. “They verified HSC capabilities and reputation through Lockheed, Peterbilt and Boeing and are very comfortable giving us orders with tight delivery schedules.”

Overcoming Challenges

Having recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, HSC has been up against many challenges in recent times including the pandemic and labor shortages. Through it all HSC has remained dedicated to its mission of dependability. Everett points out that having a strong customer base proved crucial during the pandemic. “We kept working through it even with a number of people sick. We never really shut down or even slowed down.”

The greatest challenge has been attracting new talent in a time of

“If we put in our name on it you can count on it. It takes a team effort, dependable vendors, good design and quality installations. We at HSC trust our vendors to meet the needs of our customers. We pride ourselves on being dependable because many of the systems we install are critical to our customers production. We must perform so they can produce their product.”

“- President Andrew Everett

labor shortage. Finding workers with strong technical skills that embody HSC’s core values of dependability, quality and professionalism, a sense of loyalty has at times proved difficult. Still, Everett remains optimistic, citing the company’s strong customer base that supported them through the pandemic. An industry pro who began in the

crane manufacturing industry in 1975, Everett has weathered many changes since he started at HSC as one of the original founders in 1992. One thing has stayed the same: The company’s mission to deliver quality service and products to its customers.

“We are dependable. If we tell you we’re going to deliver before the end of the year, we’re going to deliver… Consequently, we end up waiting a lot of times for other people to catch up so it costs us money, but still, it’s important to deliver on time.”

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name:

Handling Systems and Conveyers, Inc.

Country: United States

Industry: Construction

Premier Services: We are a proud American company that builds industrial cranes and conveyor systems all over America.

President: Andrew Everett

Website: www.hsc-lr.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

a Legacy

Written by Mary-Jaimes Serrano

Produced by Stephen Marino

Thinking outside the box is vital to staying at the top of the game in the construction industry.

Excel Construction of Florida takes this concept to heart. Since its founding by Wilbur Wolf and Bill Pratt in 2001, the company has made a name for itself as a leader in innovative thinking and quality construction.

Growing the Legacy

President and son of Mr. Wolf, Eric Wolf, has continued the company’s hands-on approach since taking the reigns in 2016. Eric Wolf describes his efforts as “carrying on the legacy” his father and Mr. Pratt started. This legacy has grown from a start-up to having built 1800 projects of over 10 million square feet in tilt-up and interior build-out.

Excel Construction of Florida embraced its innovative thinking before it ever started when founders Wilbur Wolf and Bill Pratt worked together at Miller Construction. From there, they planned and began what is today one of the construction leaders in thinking outside-the-box designs.

his father’s success to this basic concept that is hard to find in today’s ever-changing construction world. With this core value in mind, the Excel Construction of Florida team combines their expertise and forward thinking to create designs and concepts to fit their clients’ needs and stay on budget.

Services that Fit

Excel Construction of Florida provides its clients the architectural designs they desire, from concept to construction. Some of their services include design and build packages, construction, and project management.

They pride themselves on giving their clients precisely what they envision in a manner that fits their budgets and schedule. With their design and build service, Excel Construction of Florida helps clients take their visions and put them into design documents. From the design documents, the construction team converts the

At the heart of Excel Construction of Florida is the mantra of “doing what you say you will when you say you will.” Eric Wolf accredits

““I am passionate about what I do, every day. I came to work with my father a career in construction, accompanying age, so I grew up in the industry. Each challenges. The end result – the completion client – makes what we do worth - President

concept into reality.

Excel Construction’s Eric Wolf says, “in terms of projects, we’ve done the build-out for the corporate headquarters of several companies. In addition, we have completed and are currently reimagining industrial space as showrooms and other non-traditional uses. That sets us apart because we can take raw space or, for example, a cooking school and repurpose it into something new different, and unexpected.”

Utilizing their core values, innovative thinking, and applying their extensive multi-talented background, the team at Excel Construction of Florida is dedicated to helping build, rebuild, and repurpose southern Florida.

On Budget, On Time

One of the key components to adhering to Excel Construction of Florida’s core concepts is ensuring they meet the client’s design

do, and that means I am pumped father before I even thought about accompanying him to job sites at a young Each day is different, and I love the completion of a project and a happy worth every minute of every day.”

Eric Wolf

needs, budget, and schedule. Eric Wolf explains that this process includes capital planning, partner management, financial outlook, continual improvements, and clear communications. He further explains what each of these steps means to him and the entire team at Excel Construction.

• Capital Planning: Always have an eye on the future. Whether that is a focus on geographic expansion or diversity in terms of types of projects, weigh the best practices for success.

• Managing Partnerships: Be very involved in marketing initiatives, community involvement, and

Eric Wolf - President

industry relations. Include the team depending on each individual’s preference and expertise.

• Financial outlook: Plan budgets in 3- to 5-year periods. During the pandemic and the subsequent supply chain challenges have somewhat disrupted this process. Still, they have been diligent and extremely efficient in meeting clients’ goals during this time. Financial forecasting is a serious business; they assure their employees and clients of their financial strength by thinking longer term rather than current times.

While these aspects are paramount

to the success of any project, the team at Excel Construction of Florida knows that flexibility and continual learning are vital parts of the process, as well. With this in mind, they are always adjusting to the changing construction environment in southern Florida.

Excel Construction has implemented a multi-step process that includes training in lean construction, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and a tried and true “debriefing” process. This process starts at what many would see as the end of a project. The “debriefing” is done on every closing project. During this step, the members discuss every aspect

of the project. They utilize information from this “debriefing” to help them harness successes and make changes for continual improvement and growth.

Utilizing the information from the debriefing of previous projects, Excel Construction starts each new project with a “briefing.”

During this planning phase, the whole team discusses their objectives. It implements any changes or new techniques learned from the previous project’s “debriefing.” Mr. Wolf said, “This allows their team to always learn from the past so

they can grow in the future.” Another important feature that helps the team stay on time and within budget is a keen eye for safety on all projects. Excel Construction of Florida’s safety program includes internal and external parties who ensure the highest levels of safety on the job site. The company has a fulltime, in-house safety coordinator whose daily task is to guarantee the 55-page Safety and Health Plan policies are adhered to by all employees. They also utilize an external Safety & Risk Solutions team to perform a monthly random, on-site audit. This allows the company to ensure all

regulations are met, and hazards and injuries are prevented.

The Right People Make the Difference

Every company knows that choosing the right people for the job spells success. Excel Construction of Florida understands this concept is essential in every aspect of business, starting with staff and moving straight through to vendors and suppliers.

With this in mind, Excel Construction prides themselves on their culture and flexibility. Although they continue to grow,

they work hard to maintain a family feel. They offer significant benefits and flexible work schedules to support a healthy work/life balance, and they encourage a work hard/play hard mantra. With this mantra, Excel Construction rewards its team members for their hard work by hosting events like paintballing, picnics with laser tag, and classic food and drink picnics for the whole family.

The Excel Construction of Florida team also understands that vendors and suppliers are an extension of their family. They ensure this by only working with top-notch class-A suppliers and subcontractors. As such, most of

their vendors and subcontractors have been with the company since it started. When new subcontractors are needed, the company leans on word of mouth to find dependable additions to their growing family.

Giving Back

Excel Construction of Florida understands that their success comes from their tight-knit community, and they strongly believe in giving back to this community. Eric Wolf said, “As a dad, and husband and son of teachers, any cause relating to education and children, are near and dear to me personally.” This is a mindset shared throughout the Excel Construction team.

Some of their community projects include the Broward Education Foundation and Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital. In addition, they donate yearly to holiday gifts for children collected by Sunbeam Properties and the Miramar Park of Commerce and delivered by the Miramar Police Department.

Excel Construction of Florida also prides themselves on being involved in the industry. President Eric Wolf is on the board of directors of NAIOP South Florida, serves as the chair of Developing Leaders, is on the committee for

the annual bus tours, as well as a sponsor and volunteer.

Living the Legacy

Excel Construction of Florida’s President Eric Wolf is proud to continue the legacy his father, Wilbur Wolf, built with Bill Pratt. Looking back, he accredits the continued success of the Excel family to those who have mentored him along the way and the tight-knit family and community that continues to grow today.

His first and strongest mentor is and always will be his father, founder Wilbur Wolf. The latter

taught Eric everything he knew about construction and the logical business methods that led to his success. From a young age, Wilbur took his son “to work and taught him the meaning of hard work and the value of a dollar.”

Eric also confesses that he is forever indebted to those who gave a young president a chance and took him under their wing. One such mentor is Gary Minor of IDI Logistics. Gary allowed Eric to work on one of his South Florida projects and offered invaluable advice and tips. Tips that he has used in many projects with IDI Logistics and others since.

Another such influence in the success of Excel Construction of Florida is Maridee Bell of Sunbeam Properties, who president Eric Wolf refers to as his “mother in construction.” Sunbeam gave the young president his first project after taking the reigns as they had his father when he was just starting out.

From these humble beginnings to leaders in quality and construction, Excel Construction of Florida shows how hard work and a handson approach can build a legacy in the construction industry.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name:

Excel Construction of Florida

Country: United States

Industry: Construction

Est: 2001

Premier Services: Rotary Drilling

Rigs, Foundation Cranes, Kelly

Drilling, Diaphragm Wall

Equipment, Premium Parts, and Service

President: Eric Wolf

Website: www.excelsf.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

W.L. French Excavating Corporation: Small Focus = Big Gains for Florida-based JWR Construction Services, Inc.

Honing Strengths Sets General Contractor Apart

Written by Kristin D’Agostino

Produced by Stephen Marino

Founded in 1985 JWR Construction Services, Inc is a family-run general contracting company based in the tri-county area of Miami, Florida. The firm-- operated by Jerry W. DuBois and his son Dustin DuBois-- is made up of thirty in-house employees and a vast network of subcontracted skilled tradesmen who provide contracting services- including design/build expertise and delivery and construction management.

For JWR the client is at the center of everything they do and they strive to clarify a client’s vision early on.

Chief Operating Officer Dustin DuBois says, “We come in with our preconstruction team at the concept phase and work hand-inhand with the design team and the owner to make sure the building is getting designed to budget… We work through the unknowns long before we put a shovel to the ground and negotiate 90% of our contracts. It’s a cost to do this upfront, but it saves the owner a lot of time and money in the long run.”

Also key to the company’s approach is using past mistakes challenges to drive future success. “My job is to make sure my team has the tools they need

to be successful,” DuBois says. “Every week we go to our project managers’ meetings and give them time to go over lessons learned. Every project is its own island. A new situation is going to come up you’ve never heard about and you figure out how to address it and make sure the rest of your team hears about it so if it comes up again on another project you can manage it better.”

The company -which garnered 50 million this past year- prides itself in the fact that it keeps its focus small, and its client-base local.

“We don’t offer diverse services,“

says DuBois. “There are industries that we don’t get into because they’re not our strong suit. We know the areas we’re good at and we stick to them…. Also, we’re not a company that chases a lot of clients. We want to be able to service the ones we have well and to have their repeat business. Our goal with our clients is that when they think of construction we’ll be their construction division.”

DuBois points out that the industry these days is fraught with challenges including rising costs of materials, lack of material availability and a shortage of skilled labor.

“You don’t have a lot of people coming up into the trades at the same rate that people are retiring,” he reflects, pointing out that JWR tries to remedy this by encouraging younger employees to soak up the knowledge of more seasoned ones.

Labor shortages strain the limits of existing workers. DuBois points out, “The concrete industry is losing drivers to Amazon who’s paying X amount of dollars more so they think that life’s going to be easier at Amazon. That [driver shortage] adds extra workload for everyone else.”

“We come in with our preconstruction team at the concept phase and work hand-in-hand with the design team and the owner to make sure the building is getting designed to budget… We work through the unknowns long before we put a shovel to the ground and negotiate 90% of our contracts. It’s a cost to do this upfront, but it saves the owner a lot of time and money in the long run.”

“- Chief Operating Officer Dustin DuBois

Recognition and Respect

Through these challenges JWR has focused on empowering and retaining a strong base of quality workers. Also, when it comes to attracting talent, being a small company has its advantages.

“Here every individual has a meaningful role and nobody’s a number,” says DuBois. “We have a handful of guys that came from huge companies where they didn’t have this feeling. They like to be able to make more of an impact in their roles.”

DuBois adds, “I give recognition where it’s due. People tell me, Man, you did a great job building this project. I say, I didn’t build it; my team did. It’s important to make sure the team who did the projects receives any awards that come along. It’s promoting the people that are doing the things that match the culture that you’re trying to build.”

JWR extends this recognition and respect to subcontractors whom it considers key to a project’s success. He points out, “Sometimes clients want to know have you done this type of project in the past as a company. Well, the right question is Has your team done this type of project? I am only as good as the team I put together.”

He adds, “I know there are contractors out there who are heavy handed with their subcontractors. We make sure we pay our guys as soon as we’re paid. We don’t hold payment even if we could. It’s important that our guys are getting funded as soon as possible.”

Key Projects

The average project JWR completes garners between 10 and 20 million. Recent projects include The Alan B. Levan Broward Center of Innovation, a 50,000 foot business incubator community

built for Nova Southeastern University; Amaryllis Park Place, a senior housing community in Sarasota; and Seven on Seventh, an eight-story 72 unit affordable housing project for the homeless in downtown Fort Lauderdale. This year, DuBois estimates the firm made 55 million.

He points out, “Next year conservatively we’d like that to be at 75 to 100 million. It’s kind of a big leap, but I think we’re going past that pretty easily; Frankly, it’s just easy to get the jobs right now… Our goal is also to grow throughout the state in the next five, six years.”

Having grown up in the

construction industry since he was “big enough to push a wheelbarrow” DuBois acknowledges the work isn’t for the faint of heart. The father of two – with one on the way- took a break to join the Navy after high school.

He says, “At the time I thought it was a better option to go to war than to join the industry again and follow my dad. It can be an extremely stressful industry. It’s a roller coaster ride. Every job is a new battle and you’re trying to figure it out and just when you figure it all out you start another job.”

For DuBois the key to personal

success has been in changing and evolving with the industry and maintaining strong industry connections he can go to for support. His greatest mentor, he says, has been his own father.

One of the secrets to survival, he says, is weathering the industry’s ups and downs without losing your cool. “It’s a roller coaster. When something goes wrong, it’s never a small thing. But you have to sit back and enjoy the ride.”

For DuBois, the industry benefits outweigh the challenges. For one, he derives a sense of satisfaction in positively affecting the housing crisis.

“Building affordable housing is super-meaningful work when we’re directly responsible for improving lives and living conditions,” he says.

“My other favorite thing about being in this industry,” he adds, “is being able to drive down the road fifteen years from now and point out the projects I was a part of. For me they’re kind of like tattoos. You can look at them and it brings you back to a point in time and reminds you what was going on at that time. It’s also a symbol of what you’ve put your work into. Attorneys can’t do that; doctors can’t do that. I can drive down the road and tell my sons I built that.”

DuBois - President

traded New Jersey financial institution. For forty (40) years Jerry has participated in every role within the development and construction industry; from underground utiliites, site development, through vertical construction.Jerry’s expertose is in projects that require specialized skills, sensitivityto unique program requirements, and knowledge in all aspects of the construction process. He is a hands on principal who prides himself on being readily accessible to each and every client and project.

Jerry DuBois is the President and founding partner of JWR ConstructionServices. A creative leader, Jerry personifies the entrepreneurial spirit that is JWR Construction Services.

JWR Construction was created in 1985 as the construction division for adevelopment subsidiary of Security Savings Bank, a publicly

Prior to JWR, Jerry was a partner in International Underground, Inc. a Deerfi eld Beach based site and utility contracting fi rm. Through Jerry’s commitment to his community and charities he insures the firm’s exceptionally strong tradition of corporate social responsibility. JWR Construction Services supports over 35 charitable organizations throughout the United States. The fi rm provides signifi cant fi nancial assistance as well as encourages

“My favorite thing about being in this industry,” he adds, “is being able to drive down the road fifteen years from now and point out the projects I was a part of. For me they’re kind of like tattoos. You can look at them and it brings you back to a point in time and reminds you what was going on at that time. It’s also a symbol of what you’ve put your work into...”

- Chief Operating Officer Dustin DuBois

Jerry

personal participation from its employees. Jerry also serves on the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association’s Facilities Design, Development and Maintenance Committee and is on the Board of Directors for Rebuilding Together Broward County.

free time, he learned the business from theground up. As he grew older and learned to work he worked asa carpenter when he was not in school. After graduating high school, he answered the call of his nation and served for five years in the United States Navy as a Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewman (SWCC). Shortly after returning home, heobtained his General Contractors License and opened DuBois Construction Services as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business. In 2018, he decided to merge his company with thefamily business and rejoined JWR Construction as the COO.

Dustin DuBois is the Chief Operating Officer for JWR Construction Services, Inc. and is responsible for overseeing all aspectsof the firm. Dustin is extremely proud to have been raised in the construction industry and has been working for JWR from the time he was big enough to push a wheel barrow. Starting out as a laborer during his

Dustin has always been and continues to be an active member of the community. He is a member of the Broward County Unsafe Structures Board, NSU Levan Ambassadors Board, ABC Florida East Coast Execuive Board and Legislative Committee. He is also a member of the Disabled American Veterans. Dustin and his family involved in charitable events and organizations but is especiallyproud of his participatoon in Rebuilding Together Broward ofwhich his father, Jerry DuBois, sits on the Board of Directors. Dustin’s background and commitment to service brings a unique perspective and qualities to JWR’s Leadership Team.

Jerry DuBois - COO

“I give recognition where it’s due. People tell me, Man, you did a great job building this project. I say, I didn’t build it; my team did. It’s important to make sure the team who did the projects receives any awards that come along. It’s promoting the people that are doing the things that match the culture that you’re trying to build.”

- Chief Operating Officer Dustin DuBois

Paul has more than 32 years of construction experience, the most recent 12 years with JWR Construction. Paul has consistently delivered successful projects for both public and private clients, with a detailed focus on budget/cost control, coordination and clear communication of schedule, critical issues, permitting, safety, and quality control. Paul will be a key member of preconstruction, to allow for a

seamless transition to permitting, mobilization, and construction. JWR will commit to Paul 100% of time to this project, as other current project assignments will be completed. Paul will have the authority to make decisions at the field level. Prior to joining JWR Paul spent the previous 12 years with Balfour Beaty fomerley known as Centex Rooney where he started as a project Engineer and worked his way up to a Project Manager role. His first 7 years in the business were with TJSV where he headed the company’s scheduling Department.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name:

JWR Construction Services

Country: USA

Industry: Construction

Est: 1985

Premier Services: General contractor

COO: Dustin DuBois

Website: www.jwrconstruction.com

www.constructorsjournal.com

Written by Mary Jaimes-Serrano

Produced by Stephen Marino

Founded in 2006 in Boca Raton, Florida, G3 Construction has quickly made a name for itself in southern Florida with a focus on community, quality, and innovation. Their combination of innovative thinking and community improvement mentality has earned G3 Construction the designation of “South Florida’s leader in commercial interior contracting.”

Relationships That Last

G3 Constructions President Gordon Gross has been in the industry for more than three decades and has brought his experience to the forefront of what the company stands for. G3 Construction prides itself on maintaining and expanding the relationships its founders have built in the community over the last 30 years. Utilizing this connection with the community, the company has been able to steadily grow from start-up to 20 employees and approximately 75-100 annual contracts in just 16 years. With projected earnings of more than twenty-five million in the next two to three years, it is apparent that G3 Construction has built relationships that matter.

everyone. This is why their entire team focuses on offering quality construction in multiple sectors. They put their extensive experience into providing diverse services and top-rate construction in medical offices, restaurants, educational centers, shopping centers, and much more. Whether the job is a single-story ground-up project or a multi-story build-out, G3 Construction will provide modern solutions that fit project demands.

Overcoming Obstacles to Remain Competitive

Staying competitive in the fastpaced and volatile market that is construction is a hurdle race. G3 Construction relies on its continued relationships within the regional area of southern Florida, combined with continued learning and networking, to ensure they maintain forward momentum and growth. These techniques help them to traverse the volatile pricing for materials and supply and demand issues to give their clients the best prices and quality work. G3 Construction understands that to keep up with changing prices, they have to work quickly and efficiently to maintain quality as well as consistency.

G3 Construction and its founders know that when they ensure the best for their community, it will trickle down to benefit

Gordon and Brendan both stay on top of the newest data, technology, and demands by attending

monthly meetings with Vistage, which is “the world’s largest executive coaching organization.” In these monthly meetings, top CEOs, managers, and executives from different companies get together and discuss new ideas, strategies, technologies, and issues. They bring many topics and differing perspectives to the table, and every person benefits from the vast knowledge of the group.

These monthly meetings allow

all the members to communicate issues they might have run into, and the group as a whole brainstorms to come up with plausible and successful solutions to the problems. Each month a new issue is covered, ensuring that no questions or issues are left unresolved. In this manner, all the companies who attend benefit from the knowledge, which in return benefits the communities of southern Florida as a whole. This all ties into Brendan’s idea

“

“We work more on quality and less in quantity.”

- Project Manager Brendan Gross

that “doing good in one part of the community trickles down to the rest of the community.”

Staying in the Know

G3 Construction’s reputation for quality work and innovative design has earned it contracts with clients like Wawa, The Datran Center, FPL (Florida Power & Lighting), and Lime Fresh, among others. These projects included building offices, brick-and-mortar buildings, paving, and all the details in between.

Staying on top of the construction game, G3 Construction was one of the first to implement the use of Procore cloud-based construction

management technology. Procore allows G3 Construction to efficiently manage projects, stay within budgets, and ensure safety measures are observed in real-time. Every aspect of the job, from start to finish, is shared via Procore. This means that no matter what phase of the project is being completed, everyone knows what is going on every minute of the day. Knowing what is happening where allows project managers to ensure projects are done on time and in the most financially sound manner possible.

Safety Net

Utilizing streamlined technology

not only allows G3 Construction to keep track of costs and project management but also allows them to keep their employees, job sites, and clients safe.

Safety is of the utmost importance to everyone at G3 Construction. For this reason, they utilize Tool Box Talk to ensure every one of their employees understands the newest ideas and procedures to keep them and their job sites safe. With every company meeting including a new topic of safety, no measure is left undiscussed. This, combined with stringent measures to ensure OSHA certifications are up-to-date and posted, helps keep every person involved safer.

While these measures together

increase on-the-job safety, G3 Construction takes this task even further by having project managers do weekly walkthroughs to ensure all safety measures are adhered to and followed.

Exemplary Example

Building relationships with clients and keeping job sites safe is only possible with the right employees. The key to every successful business is maintaining the best staff possible. G3 Construction ensures they have the best people for the job by offering their employees what they need to succeed.

Just a few of the essentials G3 Construction offers their employees are 100% medical,

Gordon Gross - President

401K, profit sharing, and growth opportunities. They also pride themselves on educating their employees and keeping them in the loop by providing them with complete transparency, communication, and respect.

The same respect G3 Construction offers their employees is what their employees provide to every job site they work. The company utilizes a white glove tactic when working on any job site. Meaning every person that enters the site understands that clients have businesses to run and clients of their own to take care of. With this in mind, every site is run efficiently, orderly, and in the cleanest manner possible.

G3 Construction not only holds

its employees to the highest standards but the whole company. This includes the founders, project managers, workers, and vendors. They rely on their maintained relationships to aid them in this process as well. Utilizing these relationships, they are able to find the best prices, supplies, and staff to tie all of their goals together with those of their clients. This cohesion with the community provides growth for the company, as well as the community they serve.

None of this process would be possible without accountability. G3 Construction utilizes a goal system to keep every part of the team pushing forward to the best of their ability. This includes setting goals for every person and

“

“When you build someone’s dream office, it makes you feel good. ”

- Project Manager Brendan Gross

routinely discussing these goals, and assessing the progress being made. Some of the goals they set each month include personal goals for each member of the team, peer-to-peer goals, and site goals, just to name a few. This goal setting keeps each member of the team motivated and encouraged as they see every goal of the team being met.

Giving Back

As has been mentioned, G3 Construction is big on community and making southern Florida the best it can be. They don’t only live and work here. The founders also believe in giving back to the community that has given them so much. In this respect, Gordon and Brendan volunteer their time and monetary assistance to groups like Boys and Girls Club, Helping Hands, and donating to local children’s sports teams.

In giving back and helping southern Florida’s children grow with the same can-do attitude that Brendan was raised with, G3 Construction is helping build a better tomorrow for southern Florida, one building at a time.

Wrapping it all Together

G3 Construction is a prime example of what the future looks

like for southern Florida and the construction industry. Keeping up with the latest technology and applying innovative techniques to the daily architecture of their company, G3 Construction has found a road map to success that works to promote company as well as community growth. From building relationships to building better tomorrows for the area, G3 Construction is dedicated to “work more on quality and less in quantity” to keep southern Florida growing.

COMPANY INFORMATION

Company Name: G3 Construction

Country: United States

Industry: General Contracting / Commercial Interior Contracting

Est: 2006

Premier Services:

Pre-Construction, Construction

Management, General Contracting, Sustainable Construction

President: Gordon Gross

Website: www.g3construction.net

www.constructorsjournal.com