Traine Construction, Ltd.:
Taking A Singular Approach to Multi-
Family Building
Traine Construction Ltd of Kelowna, British Columbia delivers high-quality apartment living for an affordable price across Western Canada. Written by: Kevin Doyle Produced by: Stephen Marino
www.traineconstruction.com
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stablished in 1999 by President Matt Butler, Traine Construction Ltd of Kelowna, British Columbia has steadily evolved into a dynamic leader in the Multi-Family Residential housing sector across Western Canada. Much like its aspirational namesake, Traine just keeps on rolling. The company has been recognized on multiple occasions for quality and excellence in design and construction. Traine currently employs 65 and seeks out those who embody the company values of a positive attitude and a commitment to ethics, integrity, excellence and innovation.
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Through the years the company has delivered more than 3,500 affordable individual housing units. Notably, work on its most ambitious project to date, a 288-unit development in Calgary, is now under way. As Butler notes: “They say you can’t stop a train and that’s the DNA of our company.” “Our people relentlessly pursue the things they’ve been asked to do. Our people know they are part of something that moves quickly, doesn’t stop, moves forward and doesn’t back up. We may look back but we learn from our mistakes and move forward,” he explains. Vice President Corey Makus noted
| Traine Construction, Ltd. | 2 that within the past year every member of the Traine Team was given a railway spike “to remind them they are part of something larger and that they will be [figuratively] laying tracks for years to come.” The company differentiates itself from the competition in a number of ways. Importantly, in collaboration with its development partner Highstreet Ventures, Traine is part of the ownership group of every project, guaranteeing ongoing facilities oversight and maintenance. “Because we’re part of the ownership group, we’re not going to let the buildings fall apart. We treat them as we would our own house,” says Makus. “What I’ve come to appreciate about Traine and our development partner Highstreet is the transparency and joint decision-making – it’s a huge win for the company.”
“Inter-dependence on a larger team, we believe, leads to success by doing things consistently and in a standardized way.” - Matt Butler, President
A Proven Approach
Collaboration, consistency and repetition comprise the core of Traine’s success. Rather than having teams put their own spin on each project, the company has created a repeatable process that becomes second nature to those involved with every project from concept to completion and beyond. “Inter-dependence on a larger team, we think, leads to success by doing things consistently and in a standardized way. By no means is that takingcontrol, authority or
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| Traine Construction, Ltd. | 5 independence away (from the Project Manager). It’s reminding them that they don’t have to figure it out all on their own as if they are a CEO and have to make all the calls,” Butler asserts. “They have co-workers and different reporting guides and such so they can reach out for advice and then make decisions that are more well-rounded,” he continues. According to Makus, “We try to repeat very similar buildings in each location. Teams know they can rely on input from other team members. We really look for that
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collaborative, team approach. We leave the door open and our people feel like they’re part of the project and part of the company.”
Award-Winning Operations With every development, the company strives to create sustainability as well as a tangible atmosphere that fosters a sense of home ownership among its tenants.
“Building quality homes is the goal. We cannot stress enough the importance of having the feeling of home. We believe that people who feel like they are at home will put the effort and
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investment back into the places they live,” Butler notes.
“We try to repeat very
Traine earned a Northern Building Association’s Building Excellence Award in 2014 for its work on Phase Two of the Upper Montney Estates, a condo-style development in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. The recognition resulted from Traine’s ability to meet the needs of the community and its innovative approach to managing the site’s energy footprint.
similar buildings in
“The award was wrapped around our efficient design of the building. As partner in the development we also have input on the type and style of the building. As part of the ownership group, it’s been pretty nice to build a product that’s as energy efficient as
each town. Teams know they can rely on input from other team members. We really look for a collaborative, team approach.” - Corey Makus, VP www.traineconstruction.com
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possible,” says Butler. In addition, the company has recently completed Emerald Hills in Sherwood Park, AB and the 96-unit Heritage Landing in Fort McMurray, AB. Projects under way include: Chapelle, 160 units in two four-storey wood frame buildings in Edmonton, AB scheduled for completion in Fall 2016; Willowbrook, 160 units in Grande Prairie, AB to be completed in Spring 2016; Heritage Valley, 200 units in Edmonton, AB; and Vanier Woods, 232 units in Red Deer, AB. Key to any company’s success is delivering a quality product on time and on budget. That requires
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proper advance planning and organization and means meeting challenges as they come and adapting on the fly as needed. “Across the industry, you’re relying on third parties for so many aspects of the project. You develop workarounds to make sure the job moves forward. Having so many moving parts on any given day and coordinating that with a level of confidence, that’s the interesting part. You have to ensure you have staff and sub-trades committed at every stage to keep the building moving forward ,” says Makus. Over time, Traine has developed a dedicated network of sub-trades.
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“We honor the obligations that are agreed to, whether that’s on deals or payment terms. You’ve got to’ keep your word and stand by your commitments – that can’t be overstated,” Makus stresses. “Traine has built a reputations of being shoulder to shoulder with the guys. Nobody ever feels exposed when dealing with Matt; a great deal trust has been fostered,” he adds. The company also keeps its trades partners up to date with upcoming jobs so they know they will have work months down the road. Safety Measures The company holds weekly safety meetings, conducts tailgate
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talks, holds site reviews, engages third-party consultants and has regional coordinators working with site teams. “Safety is a complete mind-set. We think about those workers going home at the end of the day and that drives the decisions we make. Education is continual and leads toward a safety-oriented culture,� says Makus.
IT Upgrades
The PlanGrid construction platform provides real-time updates and file synching via Wi-Fi and cellular networks. It replaces the need for paper blueprints and allows sharing of field markups, progress photos and issues tracking.
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Dexter + Chaney’s Spectrum® Construction Software is a browser-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solution that allows work to be performed anywhere on any device without the need to install software, seamlessly connecting the field with the office. “We really like these two tools – they have given us the ability to scale the business going forward,” says Makus.
Looking Forward
Measured growth is the goal. While the company works largely in Alberta, the infrastructure is in place to expand. “We have worked over the last five
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“We’re not limited geographically in what we do. That’s the beauty of what we produce – it can be done anywhere.” - Matt Butler, President www.traineconstruction.com
years in the Northwest Territories and in Northern British Columbia. We’re always going to be looking at different markets with diverse opportunities,” says Butler. “We’re not limited geographically in what we do. That’s the beauty of what we produce – it can be done anywhere. With the team we have, we’re able to move from province to province. And we have dedicated sub trades that go with us.” Like we said – Traine just keeps on rolling.
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COMPANY INFORMATION Company Name: Traine Construction, Ltd. Country: Canada Industry: Construction Est: 1999 Revenue: $40 million Premiere Service: Multi-Family Construction President: Matt Butler Website: www.traineconstruction.com www.traineconstruction.com
Traine Construction Ltd. 500-1708 Dolphin Ave. Kelowna, BC V1Y 9S4 P: 778.484.4949 F: 778.484.4948 E: cmakus@traineconstruction.com